Fuji’s House
3836 Paxton Ave, Cincinnati, OH, 45209
Fuji’s House Menu
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Appetizer
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Soup
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Salad
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Sushi Dinner Entrees
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Teriyaki Dinner
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Side Order
Healthy Meal suggestions for Fuji’s House
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Appetizer
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Soup
-
Salad
-
Sushi Dinner Entrees
-
Teriyaki Dinner
-
Side Order
Visit below restaurant in Cincinnati for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Cincinnati for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
3836 Paxton Ave
Cincinnati, OH, 45209 - Phone (513) 871-0500
- Website https://www.gofujihouse.com/
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:30 am - 10
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch, Dinner
Parking : Private Lot
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Loud
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
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Phillip L.
Went there tonight. Food was decent. Wouldn't go back. Nothing special at the end of the meal when the bill came they added the tip 18 percent which is no big deal bc I normally tip 20 percent. The thing I didn't like is the fact that on the menu it says only parties of five or more get charged that automatically. It was only my girlfriend and I.
(2)Matt H.
I am really sad to have to write this review. This is probably my girlfriend's favorite restaurant to go to and we have dinner here a couple of times a month. The last time we were in, we were seated with some really nice people who told us about a Fuji House Groupon, everyone at the table got them. We had a really great time, great conversation, etc. when the checks came out, we told our waitress, Amber, that we had Groupons and she snapped at us, "You're supposed to tell us about them BEFORE you eat!" Oooookay. We all just kind of looked at each other and shrugged. Not a big deal. So tonight we went back and decided to see if the Groupon was still available, and it was! ($12 for $25 off a $50 meal). Not bad. The restaurant wasn't crowded at all... We were the only two people at our Hibachi. Amber was our waitress again, and I remembered how upset she was, so I gave her my Groupon as soon as she brought our drinks. She wrote the code down, took our orders, and went away. For the entire meal, pretty much. I had to flag down another server to refill my water. The food was good. Our chef was great. We were done with our meal and still no sign of Amber. When she finally comes back we asked for our check and a box. Our bill was $50! I didn't think that was right, so I checked it further. Amber had charged us $2.50 for fried rice and $2.50 for noodles... Both of which should come with the meals. We were charged a $3.98 "Dine in fee" and she had included gratuity at $11.98 (based off the total bill before the Groupon was factored in. At that point I just wanted to leave, so we left or $50 and went home. I'm sad to say we won't be back. Hope the $12 gratuity was worth it! Angry and disappointed. -Matt
(1)Stephanie B.
1) The amount of soy sauce dumped on the vegetables I ordered left me thirsty for 24 hrs. 2) Fruit flies were everywhere-- flying in the air, left dead on the table, landing on the food. 3) This place had no interior heating-- even the waitress was wrapping herself up in her sweater to stay warm. 4) It's waaay over-priced for dinner. Need I say more? I don't plan on returning.
(2)Rich U.
Excellent food, very nice service, and very nice experience. We both ate the hibachi seafood combination dinners, which were quite well prepared. We ate just around 6pm which is very quiet for this restaurant, the waitress explained it was busy during lunch and on the weekends. the service was prompt and very friendly. As of now it is our favorite hibachi resttaurant in Cincinnati. It is a restaurant we recommend and will be going back there again.
(4)Matt Y.
Visited this place recently for a birthday party. They hosted a large party of about 20. Everything went well. It's very good for large groups. Service took a little while so be weary if you're in a hurry. I ordered sushi which was very good. The bluefin tuna rolls were out so they gave me the white tuna (which was an upcharge) for the same price. They didn't skimp on portions either which was good. Almost everyone else got the hibachi. Heard good things from start to finish. Everyone had food to take home too. Felt very much on par with a Japanese Grill experience. Prices were decent - better than some other Japanese grills. The turtle pond out front was a nice touch. I would go back for a special occasion.
(4)Lisa J.
Horrible service!!! The food was ok. Interesting that the oyster appetizer that we ordered the last time went from 4 down to 2 and no change in price. When asked, the response was they determine how many per order based on the size of the oysters ( can you inform the customer of that) The service was a total joke, 3 adults and 2 children dined (kids split a meal) and 18% gratuity was added. The server never returned to fill water glasses and was found in the bathroom on the cell phone on a personal call!! Attempted to place a order "to go" and she went missing again only to arrive back when we were packing up to leave. I went to look for her again and she was nowhere to be found. No need to return.
(1)Diane P.
This place has good food but waited over hour for chef to come and manager was like oh well how about free desert um no we want our food just kept being told you're next and then chef gave couple next to us an attitude because she didn't want sauce on her chicken then server was like I know nothing about free dessert?? And coped attitude toward us we had reservations for 7 and left at 9:45 won't be back
(1)Kate L.
The food here is really good; the service, however, is not. I came with two of my co-workers for lunch. Including our group, there were only five customers in the whole place. Service took an inappropriately long time, especially since it was obvious that we were on our lunch break. Also, our waitress was extremely unprofessional and told us a sob story about getting stiffed by the couple that was still sitting at our hibachi table...The entire dining experience was very awkward. Since the food is delicious and I adore the yum yum sauce here, I gave it 2 stars. I might be back to see if service improves, but that is a strong might...
(2)Esta D.
I was very hopeful for this place but will not go again due to several reasons: 1. quality of food 2. missing elements of food/different than advertised on menu 3. Won't accept groupon First, I went here after buying a groupon, $12 for $25 dollars at the restaurant. I was excited to try it as I love Japanese food and eat it all the time. As my husband was at work, I decided to go alone. I ordered two rolls of sushi with soup and a seaweed salad. The waitress (nice lady) came out with a seaweed salad and apologized that they were out but that they had a little left and would charge me half price. I agreed, then when I saw the plate it was basically a forkful on a plate. That's basically 2.50 for a forkful. Next I received my rolls. While the Alaskan roll was as advertised, the special dragon roll had no avocado or crab. The description of the roll said fried shrimp and crab in the center, with avocado and eel on top. The roll that came out was bready fried shrimp rolled in a ton of rice topped with a few slices of eel. That's it. For a 12 dollar roll i expected better. The sushi also didn't taste that great as far as quality. I've had much better. Finally, when I tried to use my groupon to pay, they refused because I was "eating alone". The manager came and pointed to the limitations, "Limit 1 groupon per table of two or more, Limit two per table of 6 or more" meant that I couldn't use the groupon if I was dining alone. No apology, just told me I can't dine alone. So basically if I had brought a friend to sit in front of me I could have used the groupon, but not if i was alone. Thanks for making me feel pathetic when I'm already alone! Overall just got a bad feel for the restaurant and will not be going back. So sad because I love sushi!
(2)Pamela F.
Worst hibachi restaurant ever eaten in. Chicken dry, scallops small and mushy, crunchy crab sushi fried in stale oil. No drinks, $70. Poor quality and value.
(1)Stephen D.
Upon arrival waiting for hostess peered into room to right, room had eight deserted tables, hostess appeared and learning we did not have reservation was told there was fifteen minute wait directing us to bar, pointing to empty room asking to be seated there, hostess snidely replied "Reserved, we are quite busy, most make reservations" again directing us to bar, told her we'd wait here. Few minutes later, when it became apparent I wasn't about to "wait in the bar" we were seated in room which earlier were told was "reserved" Eventually Japanese waiter that couldn't speak English appeared, our orders were placed by pointing to items on menu, dinners on menu included soup, salad, and rice, that was written in English. Twenty minutes later waiter appeared with dinners promptly serving wrong one to each, ten minutes after that he supplied each of us with bowl of rice, never did receive soup or salad. When ordeal was finally over check was presented by what, from mannerisms and facial expressions, concluded was Emperor Hirohito's grandson whom wasn't about to be pleasant to those that had destroyed Hiroshima and Nagasaki. As Groupon instructs I informed Hostess and waiter we were there to use our Groupon, Emperor Hirohito's grandson disappeared with check and Groupon returning with bill that included five dollar charge for rice and 18% gratuity, pointed out menu included rice and was sternly informed that steamed rice was included, we had pointed to fried rice, fried rice is five dollars, when I told him a gratuity is something given voluntarily for a service performed or anticipated and that the sum of money tendered was directly related to service received, and in view of the fact our service was terrible, we hadn't received included soup or salad, that the rice was served ten minutes into our meal certainly this service didn't warrant 18% gratuity, that service received should be rewarded with a negative percentage. He disagreed insisting on 18%. Only good thing I can say about our visit is I'm glad it's over, do yourself a favor, avoid this place, when in the mood for Japaneses Steak House head to Benihana, better quality for less moo-lah, otherwise you'll find out as I did, only good thing about this place is leaving, and even that leaves bad taste in your mouth
(1)Emma M.
Best Japanese food in southern Ohio! Awesome food and atmosphere, really good drinks and plenty of alcohol to choose from. Price is a bit steep, but worth it. I took my husband there for his birthday and paid about 70 for plenty of food and some sake and a few other drinks. Im not from that area of cincinnati and it was a little hard to find, but again worth the search.
(5)Dennis H.
Service is very poor. I don't enjoy having an 18% gratuity automatically added to my check. I understand it for a large party, but there was only 2 in my party.
(1)Brieanne S.
Really great food. the staff was great and demonstrated a great attitude towards customers. look for coupons in your neighborhood flyer or on line. you can pretty much always find one. good sushi too and there is a coupon for 50% off.
(4)Erin R.
I have always had a good time here...except for tonight. I just bought a certificate at halfpricecincy.com and couldn't wait to go get dinner! The prices are typical for hibachi, as is the quality of the food (although my scallops this time were overcooked, but more on that later). The chef initially seemed really nice and was smiling when he went over what we ordered. After a fun spatula and knife show, he threw on all the vegetables and meat together. Then I just watched him cook the vegetables and meat....thats it. After overcooking the scallops (they were the last thing to be taken off the grill...after the chicken!!), he thanked everyone and left. Wait...I didnt get the "lets fling shrimp in your face and see if you catch it" or "pretend to sprinkle pepper in your drink" or any of the fun hibachi games I typically see. Now, I'm not high maintenance by any means, but if im paying a decent price for food that includes a show, I'd like to actually have a show with my meal. If I wanted to see someone stand there and cook my meal I would've asked my mom to cook it for me. It would've been a lot cheaper too...and better. I understand prople have bad days, but I have never been so dissatisified with this place before. I hope the next time I go I have a better time, or else I'll never go back
(2)Braden P.
Food was ok, but the music was awful. Why the dance music? I would like to hear my spouse is saying to me.
(2)Gordon L.
It was pretty good. I have been to a few local Hibachi steak houses and this place is a decent choice. I enjoyed a good sushi roll for an appetizer, my son had the spring rolls (which he loved) and our chicken/steak/calamari entrees were well cooked. Most noteworthy was how tender the chicken, steak and chicken was. Now for some critique, for $19 for the entree the portion was rather small. Our shrimp appetizer was two medium sized shrimp each and the steak was not more than 5-6 ounces. The chicken breast and calamari was also a rather small portion. Our chef was nice but only did less than one half of the normal tricks and cooked for us only for less than 10 minutes, and that included cleaning the grill! He was very efficient and did a nice job but there was little entertainment value. I will forgive him that it was only my son and I at the table and it was 3 in the afternoon on a Sunday so he didn't have a big audience. I would consider going back and having a Restaurant.com coupon brought the price more in line with what we received.
(4)Elizabeth W.
The food is good but the service is TERRIBLE. After sitting for 1/2 hour after we had finished eating, the hostess came with our checks. We told her we still wanted dessert. The hostess told us they needed the table and we should have dessert at Graeters. We were all a little stunned. To top it off she told us "if you don't like it then don't come back" I have eaten there many times before but I will never go back again after that treatment.
(1)Kelly M.
We normally go to the Eastgate locations which is excellent. But thought we try Hydepark since they had a Groupon. Food was bland and prices where considerable more compared to our location so there was no savings using groupon. Charged an 18% gratuity even though that not written in the groupon and the service was ok but the show was disappointing.
(1)N M.
Location is struggling ... the same strip mall as Biggs, Ace Hardware and blockbuster. We tried the hibachi grill, miso is ok, salad with Ginger tastes like sales with frothy mustard. I tried the playboy roll instead ... better than the salad, but can't say this is a destination for sushi. Typical show, my wife missed the "catch the flying piece of vegetable in your mouth" trick and ended up with broccoli in her eye. Hibachi was good, food was well prepared, everyone was happy with their meals. Basically if you are looking for the old Shogun type Hibachi, you won't be disappointed.
(3)Katherine M.
This is my favorite hibachi restaurant in Cincinnati (and I guess overall because none of the other ones I have ever been to have shown it up.) I also enjoy some of their more traditional fare, but I almost always end up getting hibachi here. To start, when you walk in, there is a picture of me and my husband on the window with all the other birthday pictures. This is where we celebrated our 21st birthday so it holds a bit of a special place in my heart. Alongside us and all the other birthday-goers, is a cute little pond (I honestly couldn't tell you if there are koi in it, I would assume as much), then you enter the restaurant. You can eat at hibachi or just normal seating - both are nice and you can get hibachi at the normal seating, it's not cooked in front of you. I have eaten at both and always had good service and enjoyed myself. As with normal teppanyaki style grills, you sit with other random people (I've had my own table twice here though....once...with just the two of us....) and the guy cooks your food with a little show in front of you. Fuji's isn't too elaborate, but it's still cute. They do the "throw the food in your mouth and catch it game" which is enjoyable as my husband always catches it...then spits it out because he hates vegetables. The show is simple, you can ignore it pretty easily if you want. The service is good, and they do a good job (mostly) of timing when things are brought out. I love their soup, it is one of my favorite soups. It is just very simple, but good, with a few noodles and scallions. The salad is also good, but sometimes the dressing can be a bit much for me. The hibachi is always delicious - I usually get shrimp or steak (I've ordered filet and chicken as well and never been disappointed.) Their sushi, which I have only had once, is pretty good but not my favorite. I like the edamame most as an appetizer. Their fried rice is my favorite, and after watching them so many times, we can make one pretty similar to it these days, but it just goes really well with their meats. They season it well and not with too much soy sauce - a problem I swear a lot of hibachi places have. I always enjoy it here. We often go at strange times when it isn't crowded, but we have been when we are the only two people there and when we've been with crowds of people. It is in a weird location, but it is cute inside and you kind of forget that Staples is right next door when you are in there.
(5)Alyssa F.
Service was ok, food was ok, but the place felt a little... grimey? Like my hands felt greasy after holding the menu, which was duct taped together. And contrary to other reviews, I didn't feel like this restaurant is any less pricey than a typical hibachi grill, and typically I feel like it's much more of a special occasion. The lettuce on my salad was all yellow and hard- not fresh. I had the scallops, my tablemates had chicken and one ordered sushi. The sushi was really good but didn't come out until a while after all our entrees were served, and was ordered with the rest of our food.
(2)Erin F.
My boyfriend and I went here because we had a groupon. We prefer the Florence location but the groupon was only for the Hyde Park location. We got there and the place is empty. We seem to be the only people there for sushi. We order our rolls and wait about 45 minutes for them to be prepared. Meanwhile we are sitting next to the propped open patio door where employees are sitting shoes off and smoking. I thought this was very unprofessional. After 45 minutes we finally get drink refills and we receive our rolls one at a time. This is very odd. No apologies for the wait were given. I will not be returning to this location.
(1)Jon B.
Used to love Fuji's. Bought a Groupon to take my girlfriend and her daughter out. It did not state on the Groupon that using the Groupon they would automatically charge an extra 18% gratuity!!! So my Groupon basically paid the tip. What a shady business practice! Go to SOHO in West Chester for the same quality and price. Also, we only saw our server 5 times in 3 hours! That includes twice for paying our bill!
(1)Dawn B.
I came here on a Saturday night for dinner with a friend. The place was busy and the noise level was high. I enjoyed the over all atmosphere; high energy and a lot of fun. Watching our chef at the hibachi was entertaining. The usual twirling and flipping of knives, tossing food into the mouths of the dinner guests, etc. The service was super friendly and fast. My dinner (steak & calamari) was delicious and I had plenty left over. Lots of fun for dinner with friends and family friendly. Probably not the best place for a first date, as it gets so noisy that you have a hard time carrying on a good conversation.
(4)Rebecca S.
I called to talk to the manager after I realized they tricked me into double-tipping. I was told I would be called "right back." Guess what? Yeah. No callback. I suppose I will have to consider myself the sucker on this one.
(1)Sandra F.
I have not tried the Hibachi Grill. I mainly come here for the sushi and occasionally order dinner from the menu. Great wine and beer selections. The food is pretty good and staff is friendly and accomodating.
(4)Georgi T.
My wife and I went there as a result of me buying a GroupOn. Glad I had that, because without it this place would not be on my list at all. The service was average at best. The place was not full at all, yet we had to wait about 5-7 minutes to get seated! My wife was so annoyed she was almost ready to leave. It felt like they were horribly understaffed for such a large number of tables to manage. The food was ok taste-wise, but if you factor in the price it's extremely overpriced. In Hyde Park, virtually all the sushi places are 1/2 off for dine-in and all of them offer better quality food and more courteous service. All in all: I wouldn't recommend this place and we won't be going back.
(2)Jeremy B.
I like Hibachi grills, but with each time I go to one, my skepticism of their authehticism increases. It happened again here and I don't know why. It was excellent food and the chef was very entertaining. Actually, he was the best part. His knives were fast and humor a presence. Only knock was when he stabbed my face... Just kidding! But I jumped backwards like he was going to when he sent his spatula flying towards my face and caught it with his other tools. That was pretty cool. I got scallops and steak, and it was very good. The fried rice was probably the best I've had at a Hibachi, so props there. The price was what I expected from a Hibachi, so there were no surprises there.
(4)Aaron Y.
I've only been here once for the hibachi. It was good, reasonable priced, and standard fare. Perfect for a group, particularly if you're taking someone who has never been. Great for kids. I usually go for the sushi/sashimi. Always fresh, always served promptly. Again, prices are reasonable. Bonus if you remember to bring a half-price sushi/sashimi coupon from one of those local mailing coupon books, although they do add an 18% gratuity (pre-discount of course) when you use the half-price coupon. I find that quite fair.
(3)Yvonne H.
The place was totally empty when we arrived at dinnertime, which made me hesitant but I'm glad we tried it anyway. The large portions of Spider Roll, chicken teriyaki, and seaweed salad were excellent with great flavors. The only complaint I had was that the sushi rice was mushy. At first the prices seemed a bit high but the quality of the food made it worthwhile. We will definitely be back for hibachi and the lunch specials.
(4)Jessica P.
Food was pretty good, but automatic gratuity on parties of one *without informing guests beforehand* left a bad taste in my mouth. I asked about it and thr server said "we just started the policy." I tip as a matter of course, so the server would have received it anyway, but it is the principle of the matter. I like the food here, but the policy stinks. I don't think I'll be back.
(1)Jacquelynn A.
Good food, great and funny service, also a great wine selection and kid friendly! Will definitely go back!
(4)Karen C.
Having moved to Cincinnati just a few months ago,there hasn't been much chance to explore the dining options here. I bring a lifetime of experience eating good Asian food, and I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised by Fuji's House. I've been relying a lot on Groupons (and the like) to direct me toward some good (and somewhat subsidized) eats, and that's how I happened on Fuji's. Ambiance: The dining area is sectioned into two areas: hibachi and table dining. My friend and I didn't quite feel like hibachi, so we sat in a cordoned off area, protected against the bangs and clangs of the teppanyaki chefs, busily impressing their hungry guests. Menu: We started with the fried chicken wings appetizers. It comes with 4, but these wings are perfectly breaded and fried for just the right amount of time. It was wonderfully crispy and the breading itself had a peppery kick to it. I'm so not sharing next time! I ordered chicken katsu and my friend ordered yakisoba. My dish came with miso soup and a salad, and even though my friend's dish didn't, the server brought her one of each anyway. Always a nice touch. The salad dressing was amazing. I know it's some thousand island derivative, but whatever they did to it, I'd like to bottle it up and take some home with me. The miso on the ot the other hand was fairly pedestrian and I felt it needed more miso flavor. The chicken katsu was once again fried perfectly, but the panko breading wasn't as flavorful. Or I may have been spoiled by the fried chicken appetizer. I also just felt like it was missing something saucy. It comes with a drizzle of tonkatsu sauce. I've never been a fan of tonkatsu sauce so I was fine with the amount that was on my katsu, but it may not have been enough for other people. I didn't try my friend's yakisoba, but she liked it. Special considerations: The menu advertises homemade cake for birthday people! That's another nice touch but I forgot to ask for it for my friend, even though it was her birthday! Next time. Service: English wasn't our server's first language but she communicated well enough that it didn't matter. My friend also has a seafood allergy, but the waitress took that in stride and made great efforts to ensure that none of the dishes contained any seafood. No anaphylactic reaction by the end of the night. Whew! Final thoughts: I'd definitely come back here. The food isn't terribly authentically Japanese, but it was tasty, and in the end, that's all I care about.
(4)Amanda C.
Hey, you know you're in for kitsch when you go for hibachi, right? So enjoy the show! Our chef was very enthusiastic and had some great tongue-in-cheek jokes for the setting (Everything here is Japanese. Even I'm Japanese... until 11PM when I become Cambodian). Notably, Fuji's House offers some non-standard hibachi fare like noodles, calamari and scallops. I had the steak and calamari; my husband had the scallops. Everything was tasty! Finally, I was impressed with the dining room. I couldn't even count all the tables, all with beautiful pink-flecked black granite. Nice place for a date, birthday, etc... and bring the kids!
(4)Melody S.
When Fuji's House opened, it had a very fun 'zen' look to it- contrasting the strip mall it is located in- which made us want to try it out. We were not disappointed. We ordered the combo meal that came with the full 'show' and some sushi appetizers. Our table was very fun, which is luck of the draw, but we had a great time chatting with the others seated near us. The chef did all the expected tricks like lighting things on fire and throwing things in the air or people's mouths. It is a good place to go if you're looking for that teppanyaki type of place. The food was good. Prices are about what you'd expect. We haven't been back, but I don't have anything bad to say about the place. Check it out...
(3)Glenn C.
Ordered the Filet and Shrimp combo. Enjoyed it very much. The vegetables and fried rice was also very good. I enjoyed the Hibachi show more than Benihanas. This was my first time at this restaurant. They also have a Sushi counter but that would have been too much too eat. Their prices were reasonable. Staff was very friendly.
(4)Josh S.
Good food. A little expensive for lunch. I wish they had a box lunch that included sushi!
(4)Chenney C.
Best place for a dinner date, especially if you're looking for something new!
(4)Jordan M.
I'm a huge fan of Fuji Steak House. While I do admit that many hibachi restaurants do tend to be all the same: same food, same ambience, same routine, and so on, Fuji offers something that went above and beyond the standards of a hibachi restaurant and created one hell of a dining experience. The staff has always been great, and the chef's are hilarious. Some places simply cook the food and toss it at you, but they had tricks, laughter, and even literally pouring us mouthfuls of sake (by far the most entertaining experience I've had at a hibachi.) Naturally, the food is great, and you can get it at a great price as well! They consistently have deals on restaurant.com & halfpricecincy.com . Also, there's rarely a wait so you can come right on it. I'll admit it's slightly dive-y, but it makes it homey. They've even got a cute little photo wall. And turtles. Freakin' turtles.
(5)Brandy V.
Loved that we were able to walk right in at 7pm on a Saturday night for dinner. Did not like the hibachi chicken. Guess I am just used to Benihana..probably wont go back... Service was really good though!
(3)Ben N.
Too many years ago, my first sushi experience was at the Benihana in downtown Atlanta. Never mind sushi, but at that point, I'd never even been exposed to what Benihana and similar teppanyaki joints are known for: the circus sideshow of the teppanyaki master wheeling his cart to the griddle, and then wickedly slicing and dicing meat and veggies at tableside, while flipping, twirling, and gyrating his spatula, fork, and knife with acrobatic flourish. And occasionally playing with fire (e.g., the "onion volcano"). At the time, I was completely mystified by the sushi, but my young and unwordly mind perceived, rightly or wrongly, that the teppanyaki show was a somewhat undignified, possibly demeaning, and even cornball cultural spectacle. I still don't know what to make of it: Is it an exaggerated tourist thing, or does it have cultural legitimacy? Nowadays, in a world of sleek, hip SoCal-inspired sushi joints on the one hand and authentic Japanese cuisine on the other, the teppanyaki show seems to me like a quaint throwback. (The truth of the matter is that I have no idea how authentic to Japan this Benihana-style spectacle is, and obviously some would say, "Who cares?") Anyway, to this date, I've had the teppanyaki experience exactly one time, and it was back in those Atlanta Benihana days. So we've only been to Fuji's House a couple of times, once because of a very generous coupon and the other night because we wanted some sushi in a hurry and didn't want to deal with the overcrowded whippersnapper madness at a place like Dancing Wasabi. Although the giant restaurant was almost entirely empty, we were seated at a teppanyaki table with another couple, who had ordered a teppanyaki feast. While we waited for our sushi, I found myself actually enjoying the sideshow. Like a kid being entertained by a wacky uncle's parlor tricks! The food actually looked and smelled fresh, hot, and tasty, too! Our sushi came out, and it was probably disappointing by comparison. Sushi-wise, Fuji's House is pretty unremarkable. By Cincinnati standards, this means that it's OK. The raw-fish flavors seemed a bit subdued, and the cooked rolls were sort of bland. But at least, the fish was not soggy or freezer-burned, or both, as we have experienced too many times in this area. I can't believe it, but the experience made me want to go back for a little of this old-school teppanyaki razzle-dazzle.
(3)