Best sashimi/nigri in land-locked Springfield. Order a combo plate/dinner for a ton of fresh, raw food. If you want the weird, cheesy/mayo covered rolls, I am sure you could find that here but they really shine with the plain jane, incredibly fresh fish. The atmosphere isn't very romantic but take-out is great!
(5)
Kat T.
I love coming here for lunch on Sundays, I really wish they had lunch on others days too! (even just Saturday... it would help) The chefs vary from mildly entertaining to super awesome - but anyone who can chop and dice like that is pretty amazing in my book. The noodles with veggies are always great - and I love their ginger salad dressing.
(5)
Matthew D.
This is always our go to when we're craving sushi or hibachi. They have the best of both around. Great staff, decent prices, and excellent food!
(5)
Brandon W.
Nakato is a fantastic experience for the entire family, or a nice date night out with your sweetheart! This is my favorite place in Springfield to get sushi! They also have an amazing Hibachi show that will keep you entertained through your dining experience. I highly recommend Nakato! Try the Jenny and Ramil rolls!
(5)
Marlin E.
Surprisingly good sushi in Springfield. Great atmosphere and the sushi bar is really cool. We ate at the sushi bar and it was really cool to watch them prepare your meal! Very reasonably priced for what you get. We could not eat all of it. The Hope Roll is a must try!
(4)
Travis S.
I absolutely adore this place! It's the perfect setting for a group outing & the service staff is very friendly. The Hope Roll is incredible, and even those who tend to shy from sushi will love it! Be sure to make reservations or the wait can be lengthy.
(5)
Nicole S.
My husband and I got sick after eating here, I think it was the sushi. Also, our waitress looked like she was completely miserable and hated her job. The cook who did the habachi did not interact with the guest at all and only provided the minimum "entertainment". Disappointed that we came here for a special occasion with family.
(2)
JOSEPH A.
We had Mother's Day lunch, with a special menu. The prices were right and food good. We like BeniHana better.
(5)
Kate s.
Love love love this place. It has been years since the first time I went to nakato (mid to late 90's??) and I have to say, it is still my favorite tapanyaki. I've lived in NYC, LA, and all over the U.S.,worked off and on in Tokyo for over 5 years and nakato is by far the best I've had. We went there for dinner for my daughters 7th birthday day last night. The service was perfect, the food incredible. My tiny little girl, who disappears when she turns sideways, ate an entire adults portion of filet mignon and chicken combo. She ate everything. Everything. Being the super picky fussy eater that she is, this was huge. The chef was entertaining and my margarita was enormous and perfect. All in all a fantastic dinner. We will definitely be back the next time we are in Springfield!
(5)
Ashley D.
I absolutely love nakato. There have been a few times that the service wasn't the best, but that's a given anywhere you go. The chefs are really personable and funny and make the experience enjoyable. The food is always delicious and I always crave their salad. The only downfall is that you never know who you're going to sit next to.
(4)
Linda S.
Once again, fantastic! Tried a larger variety of sushi rolls. The jenni and the eel was among our favorites. The tuna carpaccio still rates as my favorite! The personality of the sushi chefs made our visit even more enjoyable! Will definitely return!
(5)
Samuel N.
I've heard so many good things about this restaurant, but we had a pretty lame server at our grill. He was completely unentertaining and uninterested in his customers. I had more fun listening and watching the server at the tablet next to us.
(2)
Jordan F.
My wife and I frequent Nakato often! Also, we tend to bring family and friends when they are visiting because eating at Nakato is such a fun and great experience. The staff and food are both equally amazing! The sushi is very fresh tasting and the best that we have found in Springfield. Although, we still have a few other places to try. The hibachi grill food is also extremely good and even better when you have a fun cook. I would suggest giving it a try to anyone!
(5)
Melanie D.
This girls sushi loving heart will always belong to Nakato. My husband and I moved away a few months ago and are still on the search for sushi or hibachi that comes even close to as good as Nakato. The service is always amazing, I have never had a bad experience with either a server or a chef. This has always been my go to place to bring friends and family when they come to town and they are always very entertained. All of their hibachi meals come with soup, salad, veggies, two shrimp, rice, and noodles. They even offer a cheaper early bird meal if you get there early enough. No matter what you choose, you will never leave hungry, they give you a TON of food. My favorite entree is the Seafood Combination that comes with Shrimp, Salmon, and Scallops. Better sushi does not exist, trust me on that! Everything is prepared fresh for your order and it all has a ton of flavor. My favorite rolls are; Ramil Roll, Valentine Roll, Hope Roll, and Alaskan Roll. My favorite chef is Satoshi, his food is AMAZING!!
(5)
Elizabeth H.
Would eat here every day if I could. The Valentine roll is to die for but all of their sushi is fresh and delectable. The staff is fast and friendly and the restaurant is extremely clean. There is nothing on the menu that I wouldn't eat. It is all wonderful!!
(5)
Jeff J.
Overrated and overpriced. Used to be better. Food is decent but I really can't say it's a place I look forward to anymore.
(3)
Micah A.
One of my favorites when I am in town...always a good time!
(4)
Molly R.
I [expletive removed] love Nakato. I've been coming here since I was a kiddo - it's always been a birthday staple in my family - and I didn't used to like sushi much, so I know as well as anyone else that the hibachi part is the BEST. I crave that meal all the time. It comes with a light broth soup (not miso) and salad with a ginger dressing, both of which are super light yet flavorful. I've also gotten their tempura dishes many times, and they're spectacular. As far as the hibachi goes, if you order meat rare, they prepare it rare, and if you spring for the scallops you won't be disappointed. I could go on, but it's great. Don't bother getting hibachi anywhere else (and go in early for the early bird special if you're on a budget). Only lately have I started coming here for sushi, but it's the best I've had in Springfield. I shared some Yellowtail snapper sushi rolls with my party last time and the fish was indescribably fresh and supple. It was like ocean water, but... in heaven. I've also had the Philadelphia roll (smoked salmon); simple, delicious, smoky salmon. The rice is perfectly sticky, always. I guess I'll leave it at this: I've been here more times than I can count on all my fingers and all my toes and I've never had a bad time or a meal that's less than great.
(5)
Sonny G.
Had one person in our group leave because they refused to seat 13 people instead of 12 or 14. What a holes. We even made a reservation ahead of time. Service sucks!
(1)
Apple T.
Love the sushi here . Prices are a lot better than the other places and very good. On top of that, the people are very nice.
(5)
CK G.
Once again Yelp's review done right! Stop to stay overnight in Springfield on the way to Dallas. Read Yelp review and want to give this place a try and we didn't disappointed. The sushi is fresh and delicious. I recommend tuna, yellow tail and smoked salmon.
(5)
Sara J.
My favorite sushi place to date. I can't seem to shake this place. I've tried sushi all over and can never top Nakato. I'm all about the Alaskan roll, hope, valentine, and spicy tuna. I use to place to go orders and they'd give me about 5 sets of chop sticks---I'd laugh to myself bc the sushi would be allllllll mine. Get the seafood sauce to dip your sushi in too!
(5)
michael w.
I ordered the sushimi assortment platter and added a valentine roll, both were good quality and I would recommend. The portion was plenty for one, in fact, I had enough to share with others (unusual for sushimi entree). The price point is what you would expect. My wife ordered the steak and scallops, both of which were of good quality. Big fat scallops, not the dinky ones.
(3)
Jane M.
I will say they probably have the best sushi in town. The hope roll is to die for! That being said I really miss probably the best sushi in town. I have walked through those big wooden doors time and time again so ecstatic to eat and been defeated by the wait staff. Rude, unprofessional, loud and trashy is a few of the nicer things I could say about them. It takes a lot to ruin this place for me but no matter how many times I try the wait staff exceeds my expectations of how bad they can be. It's not even poor or bad service, it is the general manner of which they conversate and carry themselves. So to the best hope roll, Jenni roll and all around amazing food and chefs maybe I will see you in a few years when you have a whole new wait staff. Or maybe not. Because it seems as if a few of them have made working there their career.
(1)
Maice L.
good
(4)
Susan D.
Nakato is the first place I ever had sushi... on my first date ever with an Asian guy. No joke. It was Halloween night, less than a month after I'd turned 20. I was late for the date because I'd just bought a red Toyota Celica and the dealership was slow with the paperwork. haha! Anyway, I hated the sushi and wasn't sure I was too keen on the guy either. Memories... *sigh* My how I've changed since then! Turns out, the guy was great and now I'm a sushi junkie... and kinda an Asian guy junkie too. ;-) haha Fast forward... now I have a broader understanding and appreciation for the world around me. After traveling a lot and just being outside of my hometown for a number of years, I anticipate trying new things instead of starting with negative ideas about them. That being said, I met my cousin and aunt here for dinner a while back. We sat at the sushi bar and I really enjoyed the hamachi nigiri, unagi nigiri, and spicy tuna roll. It was all fresh and tasty and I got all three for $18 before tip. The sushi chef was cute and nice too... we talked about traveling, Japan and food. Nakato also has fun hibachi style tables, which is a fun dinner and show. I'll definitely be back. See ya there!
(4)
Dave H.
very consistent service always good. they have made acomaditons for me on many occasion, my only complaint i cant reorder 7/12/15 this is as good as can get in town buy the way sunday hours are wrong they are also open in evening 4:30 to 9:00
(5)
Matt N.
OMG! Ordering their sushi/sashimi combo is about as good as it gets. Incredibly fresh fish and humungous portions for the price, This is my new go-to spot in Springfield. So good!
(5)
Ashley M.
After reading all these reviews about Nakato's me my husband and sister n law decided to give it a try.The food was delicious and we enjoyed hibachi chef he was keeping everyone laughing and entertained!We will be back
(4)
Anonymous N.
Hands down the best sushi I have had in all Missouri. Ordered 3 different types of roles and all were outstanding.
(4)
Lindsay W.
Not a fan. Tonight we were taking a friend to dinner and she requested Nakato. Nakato isn't our regular hibachi spot, but of course we agreed. We were so disappointed. Our sushi was so poorly rolled it was nearly impossible to eat with chopsticks. The ginger salad dressing tasted awful. The soup was tasty. I wash't impressed with the dinner at all. My chicken was dry, fried noodles and rice were just OK, and I had so few veggies I hardly got a taste for them. This was unfortunate as veggies are my favorite. The chef didn't do a good job dividing the food, so by the time he got to us the portions were tiny. So not much food and not good food. And to top it all off... our waiter got my husband's order wrong. Luckily the chef caught it prior to preparing the food. No big deal, or so we thought. The waiter was obviously annoyed and not willing to be wrong. He still made argumentative comments to my husband as he handed him the check. His tip was only 15%. His service was satisfactory, but no way was I going higher with that attitude. Just not impressed. We will stick with Fuji.
(1)
Evan C.
This has to be the best teppan-yaki place in America. I grew up in Springfield, and have eaten this stuff all over, but no matter how many different places I go to, memories always drift back to Nakato. I can remember Hiro rolling up the sushi and Joe always warmly welcoming us when we came. Goran was always our favorite chef. After all of these years, the memories linger, and the food is still as great. The seafood sauce, as it's called, is one of my favorites. The smell you leave with on your jacket is the most intoxicating aroma and immediately reminds me of better times. Great place, be sure not to miss it.
(5)
Josh S.
This is the only place I like to go in town for hibachi style food. They have a nice selection of sushi also. I have been here many times and everything I have eaten here was great. They have a spicy fish sauce that I just can not get enough of. I even asked if you can purchase it to take home. YOU CAN! Although in my classic style I forgot to get some the last time I was in. Try this place you wont be disappointed.
(5)
Jeff H.
A bit pricey but well worth it. Great service and a good show to match.
(5)
Ian R.
The hibachi grill was decent, on par with what you would expect from a restaurant of this venue but the sushi is amazing. The hibachi chef was exceptional, great service and lots of humor!
(4)
Lindsey E.
I haven't been in a few years- but I know everytime I have eaten there, we have left very full and pleased with our experience. This is the first place I ever tried sushi-- the Hope and Jenni rolls are to die for! And their seafood sauce is so yummy too-- haven't been to a restaurant that has sauce as good as theirs. Definitely would recommend if you haven't visited Nakato's!
(4)
Troy K.
I'm not wild about the table side hibachi dining.......it's similar to other Japanese Steak Houses in Springfield. The sushi at Nakato's is outstanding. It's the reason we frequent this place. I highly recommend the Jenni Roll (it's fantastic). We are also fan's of the Valentine Roll, Hope Roll and Crunch Roll. The seafood spicy sauce is a nice twist too....although not on everything. Gilbert (one of the Sushi Chefs) is friendly, great with my kids at the sushi bar, and always willing to let you try something different (while putting hearts on my wife and I's sushi plate). My family has been to Nakatos an estimated 10 to 15 times in the past year and the sushi is always consistent (even when we get it to go). We typically end up spending $75 to $95/sitting as we try out new sushi (and let the kids get their favorites). Highly recommend-it can compete with every sushi joint in Springfield.
(5)
Julian T.
My wife and I had each heard good comments about Nakato, and several of my students suggested we go there for one of our dates. We went about 5:00 on a Friday evening where we found about 5 of the grills already in use. We were asked to sit with a group that had formed at a grill with traditional Japanese seating. This restaurant serves an onion broth soup versus a more seen miso soup from other restaurants in the area. There was little information given about how to order; the server didn't determine if this was our first visit or if we understood their system. However, she was attentive to each person at our table and kept dishes cleared and glasses filled. No personality, though. We ordered 3 different sushi rolls. The Ramil roll had a good taste; there were 6 pieces. My spicy tuna was served cold and was not spicy. The Hope roll was decent but only 4 pieces. The grill chef was young, no interaction, little conversation, and had a limited show for us diners. He cooked each food item singly so we were served as if in some kind of progressive dinner. (We later watched another chef fill his grill with all the items for the dinner.) Moreover, we felt the portions were smaller than what we've experienced at other Japanese hibachi-style restaurants. We paid extra for fried rice; a first for us. Throughout our dinner, we felt rushed to stay on the server's schedule. Overall, we were disappointed. Very disappointed for the price. On the same Friday night, there are at least 2 other Japanese restaurants we could have visited and enjoyed our experience more. I struggled with whether to give 2 stars or 3 stars to this rating, but I felt I agreed with the byline "I've experienced better" more than "A-OK." I have experienced better.
(2)
Dawn H.
I travel with work constantly & am always on the look out for a sushi bar that compares to Nakato but...no luck yet. I live about 2 hours from Springfield & find myself in my car at least once a month just to eat here. Love It !!
(5)
Monica T.
I've been here several times and never been disappointed. The food is always good. They have a sushi bar and plenty of other options if sushi is not your thing. I usually order the hibachi steak and it is delicious. The chef prepares everything in front of you and they're always entertaining. I love the food and I love that they carry Mother's beer!
(5)
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Address :2615 S Glenstone Ave
Springfield, MO, 65804
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : No Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Alison M.
Best sashimi/nigri in land-locked Springfield. Order a combo plate/dinner for a ton of fresh, raw food. If you want the weird, cheesy/mayo covered rolls, I am sure you could find that here but they really shine with the plain jane, incredibly fresh fish. The atmosphere isn't very romantic but take-out is great!
(5)Kat T.
I love coming here for lunch on Sundays, I really wish they had lunch on others days too! (even just Saturday... it would help) The chefs vary from mildly entertaining to super awesome - but anyone who can chop and dice like that is pretty amazing in my book. The noodles with veggies are always great - and I love their ginger salad dressing.
(5)Matthew D.
This is always our go to when we're craving sushi or hibachi. They have the best of both around. Great staff, decent prices, and excellent food!
(5)Brandon W.
Nakato is a fantastic experience for the entire family, or a nice date night out with your sweetheart! This is my favorite place in Springfield to get sushi! They also have an amazing Hibachi show that will keep you entertained through your dining experience. I highly recommend Nakato! Try the Jenny and Ramil rolls!
(5)Marlin E.
Surprisingly good sushi in Springfield. Great atmosphere and the sushi bar is really cool. We ate at the sushi bar and it was really cool to watch them prepare your meal! Very reasonably priced for what you get. We could not eat all of it. The Hope Roll is a must try!
(4)Travis S.
I absolutely adore this place! It's the perfect setting for a group outing & the service staff is very friendly. The Hope Roll is incredible, and even those who tend to shy from sushi will love it! Be sure to make reservations or the wait can be lengthy.
(5)Nicole S.
My husband and I got sick after eating here, I think it was the sushi. Also, our waitress looked like she was completely miserable and hated her job. The cook who did the habachi did not interact with the guest at all and only provided the minimum "entertainment". Disappointed that we came here for a special occasion with family.
(2)JOSEPH A.
We had Mother's Day lunch, with a special menu. The prices were right and food good. We like BeniHana better.
(5)Kate s.
Love love love this place. It has been years since the first time I went to nakato (mid to late 90's??) and I have to say, it is still my favorite tapanyaki. I've lived in NYC, LA, and all over the U.S.,worked off and on in Tokyo for over 5 years and nakato is by far the best I've had. We went there for dinner for my daughters 7th birthday day last night. The service was perfect, the food incredible. My tiny little girl, who disappears when she turns sideways, ate an entire adults portion of filet mignon and chicken combo. She ate everything. Everything. Being the super picky fussy eater that she is, this was huge. The chef was entertaining and my margarita was enormous and perfect. All in all a fantastic dinner. We will definitely be back the next time we are in Springfield!
(5)Ashley D.
I absolutely love nakato. There have been a few times that the service wasn't the best, but that's a given anywhere you go. The chefs are really personable and funny and make the experience enjoyable. The food is always delicious and I always crave their salad. The only downfall is that you never know who you're going to sit next to.
(4)Linda S.
Once again, fantastic! Tried a larger variety of sushi rolls. The jenni and the eel was among our favorites. The tuna carpaccio still rates as my favorite! The personality of the sushi chefs made our visit even more enjoyable! Will definitely return!
(5)Samuel N.
I've heard so many good things about this restaurant, but we had a pretty lame server at our grill. He was completely unentertaining and uninterested in his customers. I had more fun listening and watching the server at the tablet next to us.
(2)Jordan F.
My wife and I frequent Nakato often! Also, we tend to bring family and friends when they are visiting because eating at Nakato is such a fun and great experience. The staff and food are both equally amazing! The sushi is very fresh tasting and the best that we have found in Springfield. Although, we still have a few other places to try. The hibachi grill food is also extremely good and even better when you have a fun cook. I would suggest giving it a try to anyone!
(5)Melanie D.
This girls sushi loving heart will always belong to Nakato. My husband and I moved away a few months ago and are still on the search for sushi or hibachi that comes even close to as good as Nakato. The service is always amazing, I have never had a bad experience with either a server or a chef. This has always been my go to place to bring friends and family when they come to town and they are always very entertained. All of their hibachi meals come with soup, salad, veggies, two shrimp, rice, and noodles. They even offer a cheaper early bird meal if you get there early enough. No matter what you choose, you will never leave hungry, they give you a TON of food. My favorite entree is the Seafood Combination that comes with Shrimp, Salmon, and Scallops. Better sushi does not exist, trust me on that! Everything is prepared fresh for your order and it all has a ton of flavor. My favorite rolls are; Ramil Roll, Valentine Roll, Hope Roll, and Alaskan Roll. My favorite chef is Satoshi, his food is AMAZING!!
(5)Elizabeth H.
Would eat here every day if I could. The Valentine roll is to die for but all of their sushi is fresh and delectable. The staff is fast and friendly and the restaurant is extremely clean. There is nothing on the menu that I wouldn't eat. It is all wonderful!!
(5)Jeff J.
Overrated and overpriced. Used to be better. Food is decent but I really can't say it's a place I look forward to anymore.
(3)Micah A.
One of my favorites when I am in town...always a good time!
(4)Molly R.
I [expletive removed] love Nakato. I've been coming here since I was a kiddo - it's always been a birthday staple in my family - and I didn't used to like sushi much, so I know as well as anyone else that the hibachi part is the BEST. I crave that meal all the time. It comes with a light broth soup (not miso) and salad with a ginger dressing, both of which are super light yet flavorful. I've also gotten their tempura dishes many times, and they're spectacular. As far as the hibachi goes, if you order meat rare, they prepare it rare, and if you spring for the scallops you won't be disappointed. I could go on, but it's great. Don't bother getting hibachi anywhere else (and go in early for the early bird special if you're on a budget). Only lately have I started coming here for sushi, but it's the best I've had in Springfield. I shared some Yellowtail snapper sushi rolls with my party last time and the fish was indescribably fresh and supple. It was like ocean water, but... in heaven. I've also had the Philadelphia roll (smoked salmon); simple, delicious, smoky salmon. The rice is perfectly sticky, always. I guess I'll leave it at this: I've been here more times than I can count on all my fingers and all my toes and I've never had a bad time or a meal that's less than great.
(5)Sonny G.
Had one person in our group leave because they refused to seat 13 people instead of 12 or 14. What a holes. We even made a reservation ahead of time. Service sucks!
(1)Apple T.
Love the sushi here . Prices are a lot better than the other places and very good. On top of that, the people are very nice.
(5)CK G.
Once again Yelp's review done right! Stop to stay overnight in Springfield on the way to Dallas. Read Yelp review and want to give this place a try and we didn't disappointed. The sushi is fresh and delicious. I recommend tuna, yellow tail and smoked salmon.
(5)Sara J.
My favorite sushi place to date. I can't seem to shake this place. I've tried sushi all over and can never top Nakato. I'm all about the Alaskan roll, hope, valentine, and spicy tuna. I use to place to go orders and they'd give me about 5 sets of chop sticks---I'd laugh to myself bc the sushi would be allllllll mine. Get the seafood sauce to dip your sushi in too!
(5)michael w.
I ordered the sushimi assortment platter and added a valentine roll, both were good quality and I would recommend. The portion was plenty for one, in fact, I had enough to share with others (unusual for sushimi entree). The price point is what you would expect. My wife ordered the steak and scallops, both of which were of good quality. Big fat scallops, not the dinky ones.
(3)Jane M.
I will say they probably have the best sushi in town. The hope roll is to die for! That being said I really miss probably the best sushi in town. I have walked through those big wooden doors time and time again so ecstatic to eat and been defeated by the wait staff. Rude, unprofessional, loud and trashy is a few of the nicer things I could say about them. It takes a lot to ruin this place for me but no matter how many times I try the wait staff exceeds my expectations of how bad they can be. It's not even poor or bad service, it is the general manner of which they conversate and carry themselves. So to the best hope roll, Jenni roll and all around amazing food and chefs maybe I will see you in a few years when you have a whole new wait staff. Or maybe not. Because it seems as if a few of them have made working there their career.
(1)Maice L.
good
(4)Susan D.
Nakato is the first place I ever had sushi... on my first date ever with an Asian guy. No joke. It was Halloween night, less than a month after I'd turned 20. I was late for the date because I'd just bought a red Toyota Celica and the dealership was slow with the paperwork. haha! Anyway, I hated the sushi and wasn't sure I was too keen on the guy either. Memories... *sigh* My how I've changed since then! Turns out, the guy was great and now I'm a sushi junkie... and kinda an Asian guy junkie too. ;-) haha Fast forward... now I have a broader understanding and appreciation for the world around me. After traveling a lot and just being outside of my hometown for a number of years, I anticipate trying new things instead of starting with negative ideas about them. That being said, I met my cousin and aunt here for dinner a while back. We sat at the sushi bar and I really enjoyed the hamachi nigiri, unagi nigiri, and spicy tuna roll. It was all fresh and tasty and I got all three for $18 before tip. The sushi chef was cute and nice too... we talked about traveling, Japan and food. Nakato also has fun hibachi style tables, which is a fun dinner and show. I'll definitely be back. See ya there!
(4)Dave H.
very consistent service always good. they have made acomaditons for me on many occasion, my only complaint i cant reorder 7/12/15 this is as good as can get in town buy the way sunday hours are wrong they are also open in evening 4:30 to 9:00
(5)Matt N.
OMG! Ordering their sushi/sashimi combo is about as good as it gets. Incredibly fresh fish and humungous portions for the price, This is my new go-to spot in Springfield. So good!
(5)Ashley M.
After reading all these reviews about Nakato's me my husband and sister n law decided to give it a try.The food was delicious and we enjoyed hibachi chef he was keeping everyone laughing and entertained!We will be back
(4)Anonymous N.
Hands down the best sushi I have had in all Missouri. Ordered 3 different types of roles and all were outstanding.
(4)Lindsay W.
Not a fan. Tonight we were taking a friend to dinner and she requested Nakato. Nakato isn't our regular hibachi spot, but of course we agreed. We were so disappointed. Our sushi was so poorly rolled it was nearly impossible to eat with chopsticks. The ginger salad dressing tasted awful. The soup was tasty. I wash't impressed with the dinner at all. My chicken was dry, fried noodles and rice were just OK, and I had so few veggies I hardly got a taste for them. This was unfortunate as veggies are my favorite. The chef didn't do a good job dividing the food, so by the time he got to us the portions were tiny. So not much food and not good food. And to top it all off... our waiter got my husband's order wrong. Luckily the chef caught it prior to preparing the food. No big deal, or so we thought. The waiter was obviously annoyed and not willing to be wrong. He still made argumentative comments to my husband as he handed him the check. His tip was only 15%. His service was satisfactory, but no way was I going higher with that attitude. Just not impressed. We will stick with Fuji.
(1)Evan C.
This has to be the best teppan-yaki place in America. I grew up in Springfield, and have eaten this stuff all over, but no matter how many different places I go to, memories always drift back to Nakato. I can remember Hiro rolling up the sushi and Joe always warmly welcoming us when we came. Goran was always our favorite chef. After all of these years, the memories linger, and the food is still as great. The seafood sauce, as it's called, is one of my favorites. The smell you leave with on your jacket is the most intoxicating aroma and immediately reminds me of better times. Great place, be sure not to miss it.
(5)Josh S.
This is the only place I like to go in town for hibachi style food. They have a nice selection of sushi also. I have been here many times and everything I have eaten here was great. They have a spicy fish sauce that I just can not get enough of. I even asked if you can purchase it to take home. YOU CAN! Although in my classic style I forgot to get some the last time I was in. Try this place you wont be disappointed.
(5)Jeff H.
A bit pricey but well worth it. Great service and a good show to match.
(5)Ian R.
The hibachi grill was decent, on par with what you would expect from a restaurant of this venue but the sushi is amazing. The hibachi chef was exceptional, great service and lots of humor!
(4)Lindsey E.
I haven't been in a few years- but I know everytime I have eaten there, we have left very full and pleased with our experience. This is the first place I ever tried sushi-- the Hope and Jenni rolls are to die for! And their seafood sauce is so yummy too-- haven't been to a restaurant that has sauce as good as theirs. Definitely would recommend if you haven't visited Nakato's!
(4)Troy K.
I'm not wild about the table side hibachi dining.......it's similar to other Japanese Steak Houses in Springfield. The sushi at Nakato's is outstanding. It's the reason we frequent this place. I highly recommend the Jenni Roll (it's fantastic). We are also fan's of the Valentine Roll, Hope Roll and Crunch Roll. The seafood spicy sauce is a nice twist too....although not on everything. Gilbert (one of the Sushi Chefs) is friendly, great with my kids at the sushi bar, and always willing to let you try something different (while putting hearts on my wife and I's sushi plate). My family has been to Nakatos an estimated 10 to 15 times in the past year and the sushi is always consistent (even when we get it to go). We typically end up spending $75 to $95/sitting as we try out new sushi (and let the kids get their favorites). Highly recommend-it can compete with every sushi joint in Springfield.
(5)Julian T.
My wife and I had each heard good comments about Nakato, and several of my students suggested we go there for one of our dates. We went about 5:00 on a Friday evening where we found about 5 of the grills already in use. We were asked to sit with a group that had formed at a grill with traditional Japanese seating. This restaurant serves an onion broth soup versus a more seen miso soup from other restaurants in the area. There was little information given about how to order; the server didn't determine if this was our first visit or if we understood their system. However, she was attentive to each person at our table and kept dishes cleared and glasses filled. No personality, though. We ordered 3 different sushi rolls. The Ramil roll had a good taste; there were 6 pieces. My spicy tuna was served cold and was not spicy. The Hope roll was decent but only 4 pieces. The grill chef was young, no interaction, little conversation, and had a limited show for us diners. He cooked each food item singly so we were served as if in some kind of progressive dinner. (We later watched another chef fill his grill with all the items for the dinner.) Moreover, we felt the portions were smaller than what we've experienced at other Japanese hibachi-style restaurants. We paid extra for fried rice; a first for us. Throughout our dinner, we felt rushed to stay on the server's schedule. Overall, we were disappointed. Very disappointed for the price. On the same Friday night, there are at least 2 other Japanese restaurants we could have visited and enjoyed our experience more. I struggled with whether to give 2 stars or 3 stars to this rating, but I felt I agreed with the byline "I've experienced better" more than "A-OK." I have experienced better.
(2)Dawn H.
I travel with work constantly & am always on the look out for a sushi bar that compares to Nakato but...no luck yet. I live about 2 hours from Springfield & find myself in my car at least once a month just to eat here. Love It !!
(5)Monica T.
I've been here several times and never been disappointed. The food is always good. They have a sushi bar and plenty of other options if sushi is not your thing. I usually order the hibachi steak and it is delicious. The chef prepares everything in front of you and they're always entertaining. I love the food and I love that they carry Mother's beer!
(5)