Samurai’s Japanese Steakhouse
19321 Mountain Hwy E, Spanaway, WA, 98387
Samurai’s Japanese Steakhouse Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Spanaway for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Spanaway for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Spanaway for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
19321 Mountain Hwy E
Spanaway, WA, 98387 - Phone (253) 846-5557
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :4:00 pm - 9:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : No
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 : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
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April S.
This would have gotten 5 stars if it was not for their new policy to not refill sodas. This is a new policy because I was there less than a month ago and they still did refills. I think it is absurd to not refill sodas. They charge $2.25 for a glass of soda that probably costs them $.10 and that is including the ice and the employee's time to fill the glass. If you want to keep the no refill policy, DROP your price of a glass of soda, seriously, you are not a movie theater! The food and the show are great. Seriously, I crave the fried rice from here. We now order fried rice to go just so we can have some the next day. I have read some of the other reviews and saw someone had an issue with salty food. I have not experienced that and I have had a different cook each time we have been there. Another complaint I have read is that people think the prices are high. While the prices seem high, the other Japanese Steakhouses that I have been to (here in Washington) are more expensive and the food is not as good. One thing I wish they would do is have some appetizers like Gyoza or tempura fried shrimp.
(4)Jackie M.
Delicious, a lot of food, a bit pricey but worth it, great for the whole family. Our chef was Cambodian, said his name was Romeo, I think that may have been his stage name. He was very entertaining, making us laugh frequently, service was great as well. Once you're seated, they start you out with drinks, salad, soup, then main course that is cooked in front of you and finish off with Sherbet ice cream. Menu ranges from steak, shrimp, chicken, salmon, etc. I have a 4 year old and a 9 year old, they loved the fire show, and although they've seen this a bunch of times at other restaurants, they somehow enjoyed this one best. A bit pricey but the food quality and quantity is worth it. I come from an island where Japanese tourist are our number one source of income and all the Teppanaki restaurants are quite good, I had high hopes for Samurai, and they were able to deliver...I would go again the next time I visit Spanaway. Make reservations before going, or, you'll be waiting...
(5)Yen E.
The parking lot is always packed so I figured their food would be good. Food was alright. The show is better than the food... what a disappointment. Their business card says the meal comes with a shrimp appetizer. I wasn't expecting regular shrimp which I could of just made at home. They should really rethink the shrimp appetizer and offer something else. Their salad is good but my salad was literally swimming in a pool of dressing. Our waitress was nice but she was running around frantically. Poor girl. Nice decor, pricey, food is decent, service needs to improve.
(3)Bri R.
My husband surprised me by taking me here for dinner last night and it was outstanding!! We've been to Fujiyama in Olympia many times, but this is my new favorite! And our Chef John was awesome!
(5)Shari Y.
Anthony was a great chef, he kept us entertained all night. The food was absolutely delicious and the portions were soooooo huge! We took half of our meal home in a box because we were stuffed! Definitely a great way to celebrate my birthday!
(5)Cliff F.
Let's just say that customer service is not in the manager's pocket of skills. Rude is an understatement at best, and chasing out customers for good is in his pocket of skills. We (my family of 3) get there early to get a good seat, we were first to be seated, the MOD (manager on duty) named Onn sat us on the end, so that my seat was behind the chef, then sat another 3 top after us right in front of the chef, so bad start, the waitress took drink orders and carded a 72 year old man and his wife, they were regulars there and felt completely insulted and asked to see owner, the rude MOD Onn comes to the table and argued with the couple in front of all of us at table, the couple gets up and leaves not to return and promising a call to the owner, that's when I said "that was absurd", talking about the way the MOD Onn talked/handled situation in front of all of us, he turned and started telling me it was non of my business and to keep my thought to myself, I had to explain to him that this was a community table style restaurant, so any argument at table with customer involves everyone sitting at table. After working over 13 years in fine dining, and being a business owner, I was blown away at the lack of customer service by someone in a management role. Dinner chef was great, we were eating and the server came to inform me that I had been cut off my MOD Onn after she dropped my third beer off that I had ordered with dinner in 1 1/2hrs time, I hadn't even had a sip of my third beer before he cut me off, mind you I wasn't intoxicated, or showing any signs of being, I've eaten here many many times before this and never has any problems, or ever been cut off trying to embarrass me at the table in front of strangers. We will never return, the manager feels they hAve enough business that loosing 5 customers in total last night didn't bother him at all. Boycott this place, they act as if there customers don't matter and a overzealous manager that has no right being in authority over anyone or animal in that fact. Double thumbs down:-(
(1)Lis H.
Very disappointed again. This place has really gone down hill this past year. We come in a large group often or used to. Spending no less than $400. each visit. 7:30 reservations and were seated at 8:05 .We ordered and it took another 30 minutes to get our drinks including water and luke warm tea. When told of a severe food allergy to sesame (Lily)our waitress did not write it on the ticket nor did she tell the cook (Juan) about it. Meso soup was way salty with bacon pieces and grease floating in it. Inedible to all 8 of us. Seasame seeds went into the fried rice as did egg shells. We had to request a separate portion be prepared without sesame seeds.We didn't see our waitress for another 20 minutes. No water or tea refills. Juan our cook ho-hum, kids bored to tears. When we went to leave, we all stood and waited for 10 more minutes to inform the manager of our experience out came a street person wearing a wrinkled unbuttoned shirt. WOW Samurai's. We will go back to driving to 6th Ave to eat at a true Japanese steakhouse (Sakura) You have won us back with your great food, fun chiefs and professionalism.
(1)Jeff H.
Well Benihana, another BLATANT ripoff has come along, and fear not, they won't be challenging you anytime soon. This place is just a joke. Allow me to explain... First off, they were about 15 minutes late seating us even though we had a reservation. I understand that restaurants like this fall behind from time to time, and it wouldn't have been a problem except for the way we were informed of the delay. When we got there the hostess just told us they were behind and to "sit over there and we'll call you when were ready." Wow. I wasn't going to just sit there, so we headed into the bar (that was totally deserted) and ordered a drink to pass the time. Bartender was very friendly, and poured incredibly heavy. Prices were more than reasonable too. Things were looking up... Nope, after the wait time had passed, we were sat at table in the back corner near the kitchen. It was so loud I could hear just about every conversation between the servers in the back. I put it out of my mind and was hopeful the food would save the evening. Next, our waitress came over and took our order. TANGENT: I'd been smart enough to read the Yelp reviews before we came in, so I knew not to order the mushrooms and onions when asked. That's such a bush league move. You make it sound like those items didn't come with the meal (they do) and didn't bother at any time during your request to inform the customers they cost additional money. Nice business model. I'd rather you'd just punch me in the face, at least that way, I could see the sucker punch coming. After about ten minutes or so, the "chef" came over to start his show. I'm not 100% sure, but he might have been a zombie. He made so many careless mistakes during the show and just had no energy at all. Places like this depend more on the show than the food, and this guy just killed it for everyone. He made it seem like it was an inconvenience for him to cook for us. I should take this opportunity to point out the five other diners at our table still hadn't gotten the drinks they ordered, or even water at this point yet. Not a big deal except we were 30 minutes into our meal. Finally, one of them got up to go to the bar to see what was going on, found them sitting on the bar and the bartender informed her they had been doing just that for the last 20 minutes or so. When the waitress returned to the table with the drinks and the lady asked what took so long, she responded with "Oh, the bar just got done making them." Not only was that a complete lie, but she took ZERO responsibility for her lackluster effort. Awesome. Back to dinner... I ordered the steak, medium rare, and after "chef" checked with me twice about how I wanted it cooked, he still over cooked it. Granted, it was only to medium, but if I wanted medium, I would've ordered it that way. The fact that it was overcooked wasn't the main problem though. All of the food was so salty, it was just about inedible. I'm not sure what happened, or if it's always this way, but it was just brutal. So now I have this over cooked and salted steak in front of me with a few mushrooms, onions, and zucchini. The final touch? A huge helping of sprouts. I assume they do this so you think you get value for your money, but I'm not a rabbit, so how about a little more meat and less sprouts? Am I asking for the moon here? I think not. Overall, it was just a terrible experience. I'd love to have a conversation with the owner or general manager of this place to find out just what they are trying to accomplish, because if it's to be a horribly overpriced restaurant with salty food, sloppy "chefs" and terrible service they are hitting it out of the park. Memo to Samurai's, if you're going to charge what you do, be in the location you are (B.F.E.) and completely rip off Benihana, at least do SOMETHING well. That's a little harsh, you did outshine them in one way, the decor. But unless I'm at Willy Wonka's Factory, I can't EAT the decor now can I?
(1)Chris E.
I'm Japanese myself, lived in Japan, love the culture, food, and all of the baggage that comes with that country. So please allow me some room to make this statement -- there's absolutely nothing Japanese about this place. But that's okay, and nothing worth being a snob about. There's a good reason why Panda Express is one the most successful "Chinese" restaurants in history, and Olive Garden has been around so long as an "Italian" joint. The food is okay despite the relatively higher prices, the bathrooms clean, and the staff superficially friendly. Those going here want to see the Benihana circus. It's entertaining when you luck out with a good chef who serves you delicious fried rice, steak and seafood drenched in butter, and a secret orange sauce that one of the women at our table had *four* bowls of (literally). I enjoyed it, tipped very well, and took some pictures.
(3)Katy Lou J.
I enjoyed my time here, my cook was Andrew and he made the table laugh and kept us thoroughly entertained! Food was fantastic!
(5)Cindy P.
Had dinner here on Sunday night. Group of six. First, we arrived and we were missing one person who was coming from Seattle. They informed us that if they sat us down we had to order in 15 minutes. If our guest didn't arrive in that time we would either have to order for them or they could not eat!!! 15 minutes went by and we had to order for him. This place stays to a STRICT timeline. I found them to be "phony friendly". They kept pushing fried rice, mushrooms and onions (all at additional charges). No refill on a $2.50 ice tea or drink. Also they want to know if your there for a birthday. Then they will try to sell you for $10 a song and drum. They roll out this Japanese drum beating all the way from where they brought it, sing you a song and allow you to beat the drum. I think you also get a photo and well, sherbet comes with dinner anyway. Our chef was cheesy, always dropping something he was trying to show off. The food was good, not spectacular, just decent. This family plans to never go back. Their so robotic and fake. Oh and I forgot, this place is like in a warehouse. Beautiful village feel but horrible acoustics.
(1)Heather S.
Food is EXCELLENT! Fried rice is exceptional. Service is great. Weak drinks, you are better off getting a beer. Kid friendly. The chef's can def keep you entertained and the staff does anything to make sure you walk out a happy customer. Expect to spend about $40/person.
(4)Dave C.
After eating here 3 times and ordering something different every time, I've come to the conclusion that the show is better than the food. I kept wanting it to be really good, but everything always tasted the same.
(3)TJ M.
Great food and better show
(4)Michael W.
One of the best hibachi restaurants I have been to. I am in the military and travel all over the world. I absolutely loved this place and had great food, great service, and an all around great dinning experience. I do understand that sometimes things don't align perfectly and some may have a bad experience from time to time. I have eaten here several times and have had a great experience each time. I was immediately seated and gave my order. The chef was out in no time and started cooking right away. Each time I have been I got a great chef who was very entertaining and had loads of cool tricks. The only thing I have seen that was better was actually being overseas at the real deal. Great value, great place, would recommend.
(5)James M.
WHAT? A Japanese steakhouse in SPANAWAY, WA???? You got to be kidding me!! Well yes indeed...our party of four was seated immediately and our server, June was right there to take our orders. I am thinking, "...this just can't be real in this redneck town." Orders were taken, drinks were served and we all opted for the Shrimp dinners which come with Fried Rice (excellent!), Fried Zucchini and onions and the Bean sprouts. Our shrimp was cooked to perfection under the careful eye of "Mony" and we were on our way to a wonderful evening. The restaurant is HUGE with many many seating areas and they were all FULL!! It is a little noisy...after all, in the style of Benihana and Kobe where the show must go on. These people take a little more care to prepare their food, great food and we took a lot home. After having grown up in the area and actually lived here for over forty years, WHO KNEW??? My only real comment of concern is that NO ONE spoke JAPANESE here!! I was unable to impress anyone...phooey!
(4)Paul D.
I agree with the other reviewers; this is an excellent restaurant. The chefs put on a great show. If you've ever been to Benihana of Tokyo, this is similar but the show put on by the chefs here is much more entertaining. The food is good and they give you lots. We ordered some extra vegetables and it was just too much; we couldn't finish. Next time, no extras. We had the shrimp and steak and both were good. One caution, the chef works fast and we felt like we had to eat fast to keep up with him.
(5)Rebecca H.
They have an event this coming Tuesday night and donating all proceeds to help the tornado victims. Had dinner here for the 3rd time last night. Always fabulous especially since it is in an unlikely location to find great food. Extremely personable Manager. It was my sons 29th birthday and he got to beat the drum..... (had he been 10 it would have meant more to him!)Steak was prepared perfectly along with the rest of the meal and especially the fried rice...
(5)Ember M.
Lets start with the good..... The hostess was very pleasant when my husband, my toddler, and myself went. She told us that we would be seated in 15-20 minutes but it only took 5. The restaurant looks like a warehouse but inside is beautiful complete with waterfalls and streams. The colors are beautiful and the tables are big with comfortable seating. Chef Ong was great! If you have seen one show then you have seen them all but he was very entertaining none the less. The food he prepared was fantastic and he even served our 2 year old with pieces of steak cut up just the right size for her with rice and veggies. Our sauces stayed full and he was very interactive with everyone at the table. Lets go to the bad....... The menu prices seem the same as all other Japanese restaurants until you start to order. Fried rice is an extra $3.50!!!! Never have I ever been charged extra for that. Ever! Well you say whatever and move on. My soda glass became empty and finally the server comes by and asked me if I wanted water or something because they don't do free refills!!!!! Seriously?! My meal is now costing $21 for steak and shrimp plus $6 for the soda and fried rice. They push you to order mushrooms or onions which is an extra $4 so now I'm in $31 because I went for mushrooms. The meal comes with mushrooms and onions btw so I didn't need to order that. The menu says all dinners are served with soup, salad, app prawn shrimp, desert, and hot tea. I got regular sized shrimp with my meal but no prawn app and hot tea was not even offered. The server brought the desert (sherbet) and the bill. The bad things unfortunately outweighed the good so we probably will not be returning unfortunately because the food really was amazing. Oh and the salad was swimming in something that looked like ranch but it was runny and tasted funny. In my experience the salads usually come with ginger dressing or at least a few choices. Another positive note is that they offer military discount.
(2)Jim D.
well if there was one reason to drive to Spanaway this place would have been the reason.. GREAT food, atmosphere, Chef, entertainment.. 5 star... now for the not so great.. Prepare to get "nickel and dimed" I have been here a few times before and just recently they started CHARGING FOR REFILS ON SODA!! (who does that anymore?) and they charge $10 for them to sing happy birthday to you and bang the drum.. Im sure there are many more extra charges but I will not find out because Iron Chef is much closer to my house... I wont be making the extra trip to Spanaway any longer to spend over $100 for 4 for this kind of non customer caring service... sorry guys, revamp your policy's and you will have more business, continue what you are doing and you will end up gone in this market..
(3)Erin O.
I took my Grandparents (and some other relatives) here for their anniversary dinner because they really like it. Entertaining as it was, the food was just OK (my steak was dry and everything was SOOO salty) and the wait staff was robotic (water refills were very slow). Kind of expensive and pretentious for Parkland and really pissed me off about no free re-fills for the kids. But my Grandparents enjoyed themselves and I guess that is what it is about. I wouldn't go back again.
(2)Cae I.
great service! awesome food! we had a fairly new chef - andrew - will come back for another show by him soon!!!
(5)Jay H.
The ambiance of this restaurant is top notch. Their craft of preparing food with flourish and a comedic flare serves them well but don't expect anything new from other similar establishments. I only had water and was never offered the tea that was included with my meal but the food was delicious. The portions are large and definitely left me in want of nothing. My only critique of the food would be that the meat could be just slightly better in quality. All in all this is a fun place to grab a bite on occasion.
(4)Hong N.
Word of Caution: Make a reservation if you intend to go on a weekend! We attempted to go one night and without a reservation, it was a 2 hour wait! We were way too hungry to wait so we made reservation for a later date. With your meal, you get soup, salad, prawn appetizers, vegetables, steamed or fried rice and dessert. I had the Teppan Shrimp and my husband ordered the Teppan Steak, both were absolutely delicious and cooked to our taste. The soup is a mushroom stock and the salad seemed fairly fresh and topped with a light dressing. The vegetables were nicely stir fried and the fried rice was so good! The fried rice was the best fried rice I have ever had, besides my mom's of course. The chef was entertaining although don't expect any huge theatrical show, but he does throw in some tricks while he is cooking which was fun to watch. The chef and servers are very attentive and ensure your drinks and sauces are alwasy topped off. One thing though, they use ALOT of butter and on EVERYTHING! From the vegetables to the fried rice and the meat/seafood you order, everything is saturated in butter! Another positive to this steakhouse is its' decor. It is beautiful! It looks like you are surrounded by houses and the servers are dressed in gorgeous kimonos. Great place for a date or a family gathering. However, it is pretty pricey, expect to pay about $30-40 per person!
(4)Kelly O.
I have been to three Teppan style restaurants in the local area and I agree that Samurai's in the best by a long shot! Great atmosphere, entertaining chefs, and fantastic food with large portions. Worth every penny! I definitely recommend the fried rice and the steak & shrimp are top notch! As someone who enjoys fine dining I am not easily impressed but I assure you Samurai's won't disappoint!
(5)Jessica T.
This is a surprising delight. Nestled just beyond the Roy-Y with no other restaurants in sight, this place is a diamond in the rough. The food is delicious, entertainment does not disappoint and the customer service is wonderful. My husband and I went there for dinner without reservations and were seated immediately. I know even with reservations, at hibachi type seating it usually takes a little while to get a whole table together before the fun can begin. It was just enough food for him and a little too much for me. The prices are a little high, but if you think about the inside ambiance, quality of food and service, it seems just about right. You can't find another place like it within 15 miles and we live very close by. Will definitely go back.
(5)Michael R.
Great food, great service. A little pricey but defiantly worth it. My only complaint is having to pay for refills
(4)Kurt L.
Better than Disney World's Japanese Teppan Edo restaurant! Great food, plenty of room, Romeo was our experienced chef. Chicken and shrimp was outstanding! Fried rice was the best ever. Food was a bit salty so beware of that. Sherbert for dessert. No pork products on the menu at all which is great for us since my wife is allergic to pork. Made reservations at 4PM on a Sunday and got in there at 6:30 with no problem. They have 14 stations that can seat 8 people each but not all the stations have cooks scheduled. Ambiance is good.
(5)Justin D.
My family visited Samurai's Steakhouse for the first time tonight. We had all been to Sakura before and all of agreed that Samurai's blew Sakura away both in atmosphere and taste. I agree with the other reviews here on Yelp. The fried rice is the best I have ever had. It isn't the typical dry take out fried rice with a few chunks of scrambled egg in it. You'd have to try it to understand. For Entrees we had steak, lobster, shrimp, and chicken. Everyone in our group enjoyed everything and couldn't find a single thing to complain about. Even our picky 3 year old ate some chicken in between shovelfuls of fried rice. Customer service was also great. The waitress rigged a pair of chopsticks with some folded paper and rubber bands so my daughter could use them without much difficulty. Our chef took the time to explain to our daughter what he was doing so she wouldn't get scared during the fire portion of the show. We will be sure to go back.
(4)Hannah L.
Came by here for dinner today with a group of friends, and I must say pretty impressive! The outside of the restaurant looks pretty run-down, but the interior is a total different story. The place is lightly dimmed to give the perfect effect to change one's mood while enjoying some quality teppanyaki with a drink on the side. While we waited for a table, we ordered one round of strawberry lemon drops and it tasted superb! The bartender was very sweet as well and makes killer strawberry lemon drops as well. We were seated within 20 minutes and our chef was Anthony. He was real sweet and boy did he know how to work that grill! I ended up ordering the salmon, shrimp, and fried rice and I would say I was very pleased with the taste/result. My only complaint would be that my salmon was a bit on the salty side due to the excessive amount of soy sauce and salt/pepper added to it. Other than that, the food was excellent and our chef was very nice.
(4)Aimee M.
Compared to the competition located in our neck of the woods, this place rocks! It is CLEAN, large, has great decor and it offers prompt, friendly staff. It gets packed on the weekends, so make sure to make reservations way in advance. We had reservations, but had to wait a bit longer so we sat in the bar located in the middle of the place. I was told that bar/hut was used in The Last Samurai movie. The prices are up there as with all Japanese steakhouses we have been to, but the amount of food you get and the experience makes it worth it. As the previous review mentioned that the fried rice was awesome...that it is! I can't wait to go back.
(5)KC O.
Since Samurai's is about the only decent place to eat out in the Spanaway area it's a great place to go. When you walk through the doors you are pleasantly surprised with the atmosphere. The lighting is nice and low which makes for a more pleasant dinner experience. The food is great also-the show that the chef puts on is pretty typical for a Japanese steakhouse but no matter how many times I see it I am always impressed (knowing with no matter how much practice I would probably be missing some fingers or eyebrows!) I always order steak and shrimp w/fried rice. You get a huge amount of food here...and don't waste your time with the steak sauce....ask for extra of the chicken/shrimp sauce or as another place called it "A-2"! I put it on everything! Its delicious on the rice! So if you find yourself deep into Spanaway and have a hunger this is a good alternative! Don't let the outside fool you...try it out!
(4)John B.
It's a great place to eat Tappan style. We went there for our anniversary. Yes even though you make reservations for two you will be seated with at least 4 to 6 other people. It is a great way to socialize. I recommend getting the fried rice with your meal. It is not what you think of fried rice. It is very good. If you can request a table where you can get Chef Anthony. The guy has got some great personality and pretty good cooking skills for someone so young. Their highest end meal of Steak & Lobster is not bad at only $33.00-35.00 per person.
(5)Jeffrey G.
Great Japanese Steakhouse! I have been several times now and have had a diff chef each time, but they are all great and entertaining! Prices are typical for this style of food. The decor is great. Can't wait to go back!
(5)Jessica B.
I took my 3 children ages 17,12 and 10 to the Samurai on Christmas Eve. I called ahead for reservations . When you enter the restaurant , its inviting and comfortable , not stuffy at all. The host was friendly and charming and spoke to my kids. The restaurant had opened an hour early for the holiday and we were sat in a nice location. Our server June greeted us and was very nice. My children loved the experience and were thrilled by the "show" from Chef Ronnie who chatted as he entertained us and cooked our dinner. we had hot tea and made sure we ordered the friend rice. we all had the steak and lobster except the youngest. honestly the steak was better than the lobster.I'm a Rhode Islander . To me it's a crime to have to pay so much for lobstah. But I enjoyed the atmosphere and the experience. I will be going back.. well as soon as i recover from this Christmas
(4)Gina H.
Absolutely the best flavors in a Japanese Steakhouse within a 30 mile radius. I've had Chicken, steak, oysters, shrimp, and scallops. All Awesome. Toss out the brown sauce, double up on the orange and then dump it on EVERYTHING. Get a DCD from the bar (don't ask-and don't drink more than two.) Ask to be seated at Seabon's table, sit back and enjoy the show!
(5)Jena L.
The food is great and the service is usually great, but it is kinda pricey! They won't let you order just chicken or shrimp fried rice either, you have to order a whole meal, and I don't think that is right. The seating is very cramped, especially if you get stuck next to one of the poles!
(3)Adam R.
This restaurant would be a PERFECT 5 stars if it was in a better location. Arriving to the spot you will likely question your Tom Tom just before you see it. Because you would not imagine that such a nice restaurant would be way out there. After you enter the front doors, is when any hesitation stops. The ambiance is perfect. The decor and the staff are courteous and attentive. After you are seated at the "table" you are greeted by skilled chef, who cooks and entertains. The food is nothing less than AMAZING. The entertainment is equally good. I especially like the erupting onion slice volcano. So, when talking back to your Tom Tom, just listen to him/her and drive all the way to Samurai's and get fed and entertained. While inside you will feel like you are in Bellevue even when you get the check. The prices are not cheaper just because of it's remote location. but without a doubt it is worth it.
(4)Marlon H.
The food here is of superb quality, the service is great with friendly staff, nice relaxing environment. It was our first time eating here, got there arround 8:50pm did not know that they closed at 9pm, but like any good establishment should they provided us with quality service.
(5)Jordan B.
Place is great...only thing I wish they had is a kids menu or just sides of things you could buy. Sometimes the portions on rice is a good amount and then sometimes you barely get any. Also, which they gave at least one free refill. Coke products DO NOT cost that much money lol Definitely would still recommend to anyone for a cool date night or family birthday
(4)Daniel B.
My first visit and I enjoyed my meal very much, although I had no idea what I was ordering from the menu. Our chef was very entertaining as would be expected, and the whole experience was positive.
(4)Kayla N Cameron G.
Amazing! I've been to more than a few of these restaurants but none like this! The inside was super cool and Anthony was the funniest chef. Absolutely loved it and can't wait to go back
(5)Earle M.
Food/atmosphere are fine, but charging for pop refills in this day and age is just cheap and petty. I live less than a mile but we never come here due to this ridiculous price gouging policy.
(2)Rylie V.
The food is amazing and the chefs are so much fun! I went the first time last week and our chef was Isaac, who definitely made the experience of sitting around a table of strangers a little less tense. It's overall a very calm atmosphere and service is good. My only complaint is no free refills? Not sure what's up with that but hey, wouldn't stop me from coming in again!
(4)Jeff G.
This place has its pros and cons that can really alter your experience one way or the other. Location & Atmosphere: The restaurant isn't what you would call centrally located.. It's in a quiet corner of a fairly remote town. The outside of the building is somewhat unremarkable and not really well marked. (I nearly drove right past it.) Once you enter, the restaurant is quite dark - dark enough where the menu can be pretty dang hard to read. There are some unauthentic samurai outfits that kids might find fun, and a pond into which they can toss some change...so thats cool I guess. Staff: The chefs are all pretty entertaining, interactive, and fairly talented (as far as these types of restaurants go). They flip & twirl their knives & other tools. They get the flames flying. They tease & joke around with those dining. It's definitely a fun experience. The wait staff tends to be very friendly/sweet, and they're quick to refill drinks & make sure everything is going well. They all dress in "traditional" kimonos, which..is whatever. I'm not sure if anybody feels that it makes the place seem more authentic, but it certainly doesn't take away from anything. Food: The food is pretty good. It's not so amazing that I can't stop eating, but its definitely tasty. It is, however, a little expensive for what you get. You're definitely paying a small premium for the experience of the chefs being right there in front of you. One strange thing is that there are no refills on soda. I try not to drink soda, so no big deal for me, but it's definitely not the norm in today's restaurant world. All-in-all a good experience - again, with fairly tasty food. That being said, I'll probably only return if somebody is craving the experience. Otherwise I'll probably look for somewhere a bit more central with prices & practices that make a bit more sense.
(3)Pheara S.
Robert, the cook, was very friendly and talkative, which is not a bad thing. Been to other places where they cook in front of you but doesn't talk. Restaurant is very clean and pleasant. Service was good. Food was great until I found HAIR in the ice cream. Yes! HAIR! It wasn't mine cause the hair was wavy and mine isn't... That's one way to loose your appetite.. There for that is why I gave it a two star instead of the four that I originally was gonna do. Maybe when time past, I will try this place again. Again, food and service was great but the hair, you usually don't expect to find hair in your food at a fancy place like this...
(2)Bobby C.
The chef was a pretty cool and social guy, but the food here is a 7/10. Charged for fried rice without knowing just like every other japanese steakhouse restaurant. Also this place has no free refills.... I was shocked.. This place just might have been the first place I have ever ate at that did not offer free refills after paying $2.25-$2.75 for a Pepsi... Ridiculous. Never again
(2)Jon P.
Best restaurant I have ever been too. I would recommend this to anyone out there who loves hibachi!
(5)Brittney J.
The food was great and the customer service was amazing. Everyone here is so friendly and welcoming. The price isn't to high I think it's perfect was for the quality of food you get. The food was seasoned to perfection. It's very nicely decorated inside and they do not charge for refills. My husband and j completely enjoyed ourselves and will be coming here again!
(5)James M.
Our awesome real estate agent took us here after we bought our house. What a fun dinner. The show was great and so was the food.
(5)David D.
I have never given a one star, but in this case it is deserved. The dining area is very dark, so dark we needed our phone flashlights to see the menu. That said, it was difficult to ascertain what was included or not with the meals and we were being rushed by the waitstaff. Our orders were taken and we were asked if we wanted the steamed or fried rice. After seeing the "gotta have it" reviews for the fried rice we went that way. We added a salad, and fried mushrooms. I ordered the steak and shrimp ($21.95) Without seeing the menu well enough to determine the Steak and Shrimp is for ONLY the steak and shrimp. My wife had the chicken, ($13.95) PLUS the fried rice, fried mushrooms, 1 Coors Lite. We didn't have anything else. No drink for me, too cold inside. With a fair tip $80.00!!! Unfriggin real!!! That covers the price. We were there for a fair amount of time, the chef was fun, the waitstaff were nice, but rushed us. I feel we were upsold or at least mislead. The decor reminded me of a concrete tip-up building painted black inside, put a pond thing around the bar area so kids can toss in money, put up some Japanese artwork and bingo, you have an official Benihanaesqe joint. Lastly, if you do feel rich enough to go, wear your snowmobile suit!! The kitchen had their door wide open and we FROZE!!! Waitstaff didn't understand when I said we are cold and the draft is coming from the kitchen area. Nothing happened about the freezing temperature. It was 26 degrees outside and the dishwashers were nice and cool! Sorry Mr. Samurai, but this place needs harikari.
(1)Josimar C.
I definitely recommend this place to anyone! Perfect to celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, or just want to impress your girl. Food is always delicious, drinks are on point, & not to mention the staff is always outstanding! All chefs have been great but if you do not want to settle for great and want more....than I highly recommend chef Josh C. He is the best of the best hands down in my opinion. (And I have high standards) lol but he will put a nice show & will always make you have an awesome time.
(5)Jennifer S.
Came here with my co-workers on a Friday evening. It was my first time here and the parking lot was quite crowded. Our reservations were a lifesaver! We were seated promptly and our server soon came to take our order. The atmosphere was very pleasant with dim lighting washing over the restaurant. Our chef was very nice and I think very new but he did a wonderful job entertaining despite a few blunders (he accidentally sent sauce spill on my co-worker, bless her heart she was such a good sport!!). It still made for a very fun evening! The food was very delicious, I pretty much ate everything lol and I've been craving the food since!! Definitely recommend it:) It's pricey but worth it!!!
(5)Mark A.
First experience at a Japanese steakhouse and it was really nice. Walking in, my group walked around a wishing well, and got to see some Japanese style decorations as we approached our table. The place is basically a small warehouse turned into a restaurant. But it looks really good. Our chef was funny. He made jokes about the food being freshly picked from the local Safeway, while impressing us with his grill skills. Food was really good, as I ordered the steak & lobster. Lobster portion was pretty damn sizable. This is a place i'd definitely go back to.
(4)Amy C.
Yes like the reviews good food and our chef Joan was very friendly and great entertainment. Our waitress was ok but everything was delicious. But a negative side is they add their own gratuity on your bill without letting you know . So if someone wSnt paying attention you'll be double tipping. I would go back :-)
(4)David D.
Came and there was a 20 minute wait, so to say the least they are doing something to keep customers happy. My wife and I decided to go to the lounge and have a drink while we wait. The bartender made us a wonderfully strong and tasty long island. So all in all this is turning out well.
(4)Brittany O.
Love the food. It's the best place to eat seafood. The fried rice is yummy. Other than that, the service isn't the best. The server made my group feel uncomfortable and made it difficult to understand our receipt. If you're military, don't expect to get the military discount for your whole ticket price. It's only good for one entree. Also, any dependents aren't allowed the discount, and same goes for any veterans. (I think it's a bunch of crap) Lastly, make sure to examine your receipt because ours was a cheaper price, then we asked to have the discount and when we received it, our total went up almost $10. No idea how that is even possible.
(2)Natalie B.
Good food and plenty of it! The few things I found odd and a little ridiculous was that they charge $3.50 extra for fried rice and charge extra for refills on soft drinks. They do provide a military discount but it is only for the military member's entree. We will most likely be back just with a few lessons learned from the first trip.
(4)Jean G.
So let me start by saying that my husband and I have been here for dinner several times and it's always been pretty decent food, but today was a different story. It was my husbands birthday a few days ago so we went here with a couple friends that have never been. They were excited because they heard it was fun and tasty, we were also saying the same thing. It was very disappointing this time. The chefs performance was below average and didn't seem like he even wanted to be there. The only thing he would keep doing is say "choo choo" lol I'm sorry but choochoo doesn't fit in anywhere and was very corny. It was full of adults and no kids so why say choochoo?? The food was horrible. I ordered chicken and shrimp with fried rice, fried rice was ok, hard to mess up but my chicken must have been a thigh, it was gross and fatty, there was probably 3 chicken chunks I could eat. My husband filet mignon was very well done when it was suppose to be medium and same goes for our friends. For a 130$ bill, it was bad service and bad food. Bad experience. I'll try one more time to make sure today was just a rare mess up.
(2)John M.
this place rocks atmosphere is on point went there a couple of weeks ago with my wife had pleasant company around us. Gotta say the Chef John is awesome he has a full sleeve on his left arm very friendly, good jokes, excellent skills.
(4)Brian B.
We have been eating here since they opened. Everyone in our Family loves to come here for their Birthday's. The atmosphere takes you to a slow moving stream in Japan surrounded by trees. The continuous cooking at the many tables gives a constant supply of entertainment. The show they put on for Birthdays rivals the way Farrell's does it, loud, attention grabbing and memorable. They blow Benihana out of the water in every way.The food is cooked to perfection right in front of you and the portions are so large we always leave with a to go box. Can't wait to go back!
(5)Julia T.
This place is over rated. There are better Japanese steakhouses. Prices are high, service is slow. Not going back
(1)Cristina E.
Food was good, and our chef was very entertaining. My only complaint is that I didn't make a reservation prior to our visit so we ended up waiting more than an hour.
(4)Darin S.
Great looking place inside and out. Very cool Atmosphere. The service was good. The chef was entertaining with some not so funny jokes. The food? Overpriced and overrated. I noticed My raw fillet mignon meat was brown on the side. A sign of not being so fresh and I don't even think it was a true fillet mignon cut. I also paid an extra ($8) for sautéed mushrooms expecting shitaki a or portaBella's but received cheap regular white much rooms. RIP OFF! The food here is just mediocre and for the price, it doesn't add up. Oh and an extra $3 for fried rice?! RIP OFF! it's ok, a bit overrated regarding the other reviewers praise over it. Good thing we had a gift certificate. No skin off my back. Probably won't be coming back unless we get another gift card:).
(2)Danielle M.
Not sure where to start... Our first experience seemed rushed... So we gave it another shot... This time it felt uncoordinated... As a mother to 6 our date nights are far and few between I wish I had the patience to make it 3rd times the charm but why waste the money!!!
(3)Caitlin M.
My family loves this place! The food and atmosphere are amazing. The service was great. The only thing I would change is the drink refills. They charge for a refill of soda. Other than that it is great
(5)Kristina W.
Hands down the best Teppanyaki place I've ever been to. Better than Benihana, Iron Chef, and Tokyo to name a few local competitors. Their orange sauce is to-die-for, the best fried rice in the world, and their salad dressing is as delicious. The steak is always seasoned and cooked incredibly, chicken is great as is the prawns. Those are the only entrees k have personally had. The amount of food you get is enough to feed an army; I guarantee you will not leave hungry. The only downfall I have encountered is their soda's don't include free refills. Other than that, it is perfectly priced for an incredible and flavorful dinner and show (which is the standard for a joint like this). Don't miss out on this place, worth the drive but I recommend making reservations!
(5)Nan Hee S.
sorry but i came here on reccomendation of my son and his gf but i really didnt like it! to me it was the same as good ole sakura in tacome except nicer newer space but further to travel for us...but i will tell u their sauces and food in general must be loaded with msg because im pretty sensitive to it and felt like total doodoo after eating there and much the next day. headache bloat ( espacially my face! well all over actually) chronic thirst etc yuk... the food did not taste bad but u can taste the saltines and that just doesnt sit well with me at all...glad everyone else likes it tho!
(2)Christie T.
A hidden jewel in Spanaway, Wa. The restaurant is located in an industrial looking building and you are not sure what to expect until you step in the doors. The decor is similar to a Japanese Tea Garden with a nice waterfall feature and brook running under the bridge to the bar area. Anthony was our chef and he was very skilled with the knife and spatula along with entertaining us all! The fried rice is fantastic and the Lobster and Filet Mignon was cooked to perfection. The portions for me, are big and it makes for a nice lunch the next day. Overall a great experience with atmosphere, food, entertainment and friendly staff.
(5)Douglas K.
This is the best Japanese Hibachi Grill in the area, and they have white sauce (aka Yum-Yum sauce). Their prices are average and food is good. I don't like that you pay extra for fried rice, but that is common in this region.....but they give you sherbet for dessert. Oh and if you are looking for some sushi, they do NOT have any. My overall experiences with this restaurant have been satisfying but leaving me wantin just a bit more (and I do not mean in food quantity).
(4)Corinne M.
Are you freaking kidding me: NO SODA REFILLS! We spent over $100 for a family of 4, and you're telling me that you can't keep our soda's filled, HOW CHEAP, RIDICULES if you ask me, that alone will keep us from coming back. We only drink soda every blue moon, and when we do, it would be nice to be able to get a refill especially without attitude. An older women was our server, and she was really, really bad at her job, she hardly came around, and when she did we'd try to order drinks, and she told us to wait a second, and we saw her standing in the doorway chatting, and laughing with another co-worker, disappeared, and we didn't see her again until the cook was done making the food, so we sat the whole time waiting for something to drink, it was ridiculous. We asked her for a refill, and she ROLLED her eyes, YES ROLLED her eyes, turned around and grabbed some water, we said " Oh no, we were drinking soda", she said "Oh, no, soda refills aren't for free", and when I insisted that was fine, to get us more soda, she didn't come back until we were almost ready to leave. If they insist on being so cheap, then they should REALLY cut the sherbert ice cream off the menu, everyone always seems too full to eat that stuff anyways, and so much of it just goes to waste, then offering one soda refill wouldn't be a problem. It's really pretty here, it's a good one time experience, nothing worth coming over and over again for. The cooks we've had have never been very good, the service is crap, and they are cheap. I just didn't feel like we got our moneys worth at all. The food was good, and we still enjoyed ourselves, but something is really missing here. 3 stars, because the food was decent, the cook tried really hard, even though he was not very good, and threw the salt shaker, and broke and egg in his hat.
(3)Nikki M.
Where to start? The ever so famous fried rice is truly amazing. Perfect seasoned and cooked to perfection! The dipping sauce is intensely addictive. The meat is juicy and succulent and well seasoned. You don't need the dipping sauce but it gives it an extra boost that is pleasing to the taste buds! This place is amazing!
(5)Angela B.
The food was good, but be sure if you are hosting a BDay party to put your full name on the cake or in this case....the box of 15 cupcakes. Another party stole our dessert when the waitress brought the vegan cupcakes to them. Any decent human being would have said, "No sorry".....those aren't mine. You make me sick. The manager was very apologetic and took care of most of our meal, but I am very disappointed in the gapped tooth mouth breathers that stole our birthday!
(2)Matthew R.
The food is fantastic. Got the chicken and steak and my wife got lobster, chicken and steak. Cooked in front of you and was pretty impressive. Got my order right and made sure everyone had what they needed. Got salad , soup, food and desert. Prices were reasonable for a Japanese steakhouse. Try the Orange sauce, it is soooo good.
(5)Jennifer A.
I will have to say that I will not be visiting this restaurant again. I went for dinner last night, April 12th with my parents to celebrate my birthday. The food is mediocre in comparison to Sakuras located in Tacoma and although the decor is far nicer, I do not wish to pay the additional price for the food that is far inferior at this restaurant. Overall, the service is nice and the people are friendly but don't plan on having more than 3 adult beverages because apparently even if you aren't the driver the do not serve more than 3 drinks per person. The other huge issue I have with this restaurant is that they offer a 10% discount for active duty military and retired military but they do not offer this discount for spouses or dependents with military ID. Now this is a huge concern for me because my husband is currently deployed in Afghanistan. In fact, if he were here he would have been at dinner with us and then we would have been allowed the discount. We share a house, bank accounts, bills, etc. and I really don't appreciate that this restaurant does not honor the discount for military spouses. For this reason alone I would not revisit this restaurant. Considering our bill was over 175$ for 3 people, I would advise people to consider going somewhere else where you can get better food for your money. Oh and if you do go, be prepared for additional $$ for each item you add to your dinner. It's an additional $3.50 for fried rice and there aren't any refills on any of their drinks. And make sure if you order steak you ask for it well under what you like it to actually be. I asked for my steak rare and it still came cooked at least medium if not medium well. I actually like rare steak and would have preferred my steak to be cooked right for the 30+ dollars I ended up paying for it. If you order the shrimp it states that its prawns that you are ordering. The shrimp they serve are quite small and again for the price, they should actually serve prawns.
(1)Meegan N.
I cant understand why there are so many bad reviews of this steakhouse in Spanaway. People try to compare it to Benihana's in Seattle. Hey folks - we are talking Spanaway!! With that said as soon as you enter the warehouse you will be completely at awe over the décor. You will feel that you have just entered a Japanese village. The décor is AMAZING! It's a great place to take guests too. I've eaten here at least ten times. The food seems always be good, tons of it, and I always have to get a doggie bag. I usually get chicken and shrimp. Hubby gets steak and shrimp. I don't understand why some customers think there shouldn't be a price difference between white rice and fried rice. Obviously fried rice takes more time. I truly think the prices are extremely fair, considering the décor, entertainment and amount of food. Bathrooms are always clean and so is the environment. Sometimes you have to wait for a table. My goodness if you need to eat immediately go to fast food, it's a good idea to make reservation ALWAYS! I can totally understand why they cannot afford to have an individual chef for 2 or 4 people at a table. It's good and its definitely worth your visit!
(4)Mandie R.
Loved the food but the pricing bothers me. You have to pay extra for fried rice which seems kind of messed up. All the ones I have been to don't charge extra cause lets be honest most people go for the fried rice! Lol
(4)Amanda M.
This place was awful, I have no idea how it has received the ratings that it has. My parents were in town so we decided to give this place a try since Benihana is my favorite restaurant, but not exactly close to where we live in Graham. I'll start with our chef...he was white, which was totally fine, but not what you'd expect at a Japanese steak house and kind of seemed like a red flag to me that this place was not going to be legit. It seemed like he was high on something as he talked extremely fast and flung food all over the place. His jokes were not funny...at all. He was moving so fast that food was flying everywhere and when he went to scrape the residual food off of the grill, he did it at such a pace that the food and grease flung all over my husband (his white shirt, his face, his skin...everywhere) and I who were sitting at the end of the table. The food was extremely subpar. I had the steak and lobster and the quality of both items were not up to standard considering the price paid. Everything had the same soy sauce concoction doused all over it, which made everything taste the same and it didn't distinguish one item from the next. This is the first time that I have ever given a restaurant a one star rating, but if there was an option to give no stars, I would have. We paid almost $300 to feed a party of 6 with 2 kids in it and I could have paid the same, if not less, to go to Benihana and have a fantastic experience with phenomenal food. This place will never receive my business again.
(1)Jan B.
Hands down the best japanese steakhouse in washington.....or at least the best one south of seattle
(5)Rany S.
We came here to celebrate my bf's Grandmother's bday. Places like these are always great for groups. Samurai's inside is really big and pretty. I can't recall what cocktail I ordered but it wasn't anything special, flavor-wise. For dinner, I had chicken and shrimp. Everything tasted great and honestly, it wasn't any different from any other teppanyaki style restaurant I've been to. That is not necessarily a bad thing at all - food was great. Our chef was entertaining and overall, had a good experience.
(4)Scott R.
This the best restaurant in the Spanaway area. The service is great, always showing up in time for additional beverage orders. The food is excellent and is prepare in front of you in an entertaining show. I usually get steak and shrimp, my wife the fillet mignon, I like mine rare and she likes hers medium, always cooked to perfection. All the staff are friendly and courteous. Whether formal or jeans and a T-shirt, small or large parties this is the place to go.
(5)Natalie H.
So as many people have mentioned, yes, they charge extra for fried rice, drink refills are not free, etc. That said, its still delicious! Husband had shrimp and calamari, I had steak and shrimp. Both were great! The fried rice is amazing. There is so much food too! You will get full! We only had one complaint. 1) The soup comes in a cup you have to drink out of, no spoon. I found that odd and annoying. All in all we will come here again!
(4)Cynthia S.
We love Samurai's! We've come many times. The fried rice is the best and we love the orange sauce. Don't get the mushrooms and onions, you'll get some anyway. Don't order drinks- the no refill policy is ridiculous. Just order shrimp, steak, chicken or any combination thereof and the fried rice, drink water, and you'll get a great meal.
(5)Amanda G.
Food is so amazing. The atmosphere is nice. Does get packed on weekends so make reservations. It is pricey so I wouldn't recommend bringing little ones. More of a date night diner.
(4)Amy A.
Best jap steakhouse in all surrounding counties, been to many! Meat has so much flavor and is really moist. The fried rice is amazing!!!! The decor is serene, relaxing, very fancy!
(5)Michelle L.
Only been here once but it was super yummy. We had tony as our chef and he did a great job entertaining us! Will go again...one day
(4)Carla S.
Went with some freinds for the first time Friday night and the food was fabulous and the service was awsome! Thank guy's can't wait to go back : ) Try the fried rice it was worth it.
(5)Kevin H.
After reading the reviews, I'm thinking I must have gone there on a bad night. The food that I had just wasn't deserving of anything more than 3 stars. The service was great, the chef was personable and did a good job of entertaining us, and the fried rice was very good. That's about where it ended for me. I ordered my steak to be medium-rare and it was medium-well. My wife, who almost always adds salt to her food, was "salted-out" with the amount of sauce and salt on our food. My other issue (which is HUGE to me since I'm a steak snob) other than the steak being overdone, but it was also dry. The atmosphere is fun, but noisy. So if you plan on having any conversations with your dinner party, be sure to bring your loud voice.
(3)Lindsay F.
Been here quite a few times. I actually like where its located and glad I don't have to drive into N. Tacoma to find something like it. Sorry guys but not all of us live in Bellevue. And since you almost always need a reservation to get seated right away.. I'd say its doing just fine where its at. Although very entertaining it is quite pricey compared to other restaurants just like it and we've been to a few! The cheapest thing to order for dinner is $14 and it goes up significantly from there and by that I mean the price doubles. The food is top notch, excellently cooked and entertainment is fun. Never had a rude Chef and love the waitresses attentiveness. The last time I was there wasn't really pleased with our cook this ONE time only because he was so busy talking to a couple that was friends of his that he burned the food, hardly put on a show and messed up our food and the couples next to us twice. The chefs are also well known for "sharing food". You didn't get shrimp? Well he'll probably give you one to try. You didn't order fried rice? (OMG!! PLEASE DO!!) Then he'll give you a small portion to taste which I find really classy and nice. This time.. none of that. He was too busy giving his "friends" food they didn't even order. Its a great special occasion place but really watch the pricing on all those little extras. The first time we went it was someones birthday. Drinks are like $6 each for alcohol and soda's do not come with free refills. (which we weren't told) so you are paying each time which I find a little over the top. ($2.50 each when they are filled with mostly ice?) We also had them sing to our friend, he got a dessert and to bang the drums which was unique but watch out! This is also $10 extra! My kids have came with us once and LOVED the fire show but really.. for four of us to eat it cost us almost $100. Just not a everyday place to me even though I could eat there almost every day, the food is that good!
(3)Ivan K.
First off i would like to say that the food is good there, the Cooking show is much better than the food itself. The reason why i give it a 1 star is the piss poor service we got there, took the waitress half an hour to bring us out our drinks, brought salad and soup before the drinks that we first ordered, she kept messing up what we ordered, got us to order extra mushrooms and onion, when it already came with the meal, (she made it seem like it didnt). Just ruined the whole night for me and 7 other people that we were with.
(1)Niki L.
Incredible food!!! Absolutely worth the drive!!!!! From the first time I went to Samurai's, when my husband took me for my birthday, I've had to return at least once a month. Not only is their food incredible, but it's crave-able. I've had to return with multiple friends to introduce them to it. It blows its competition (Sakura's) out of the water. The fried rice is to die for (I recommend ordering extra, because the leftovers are just as good and you'll want more of this rice when you eat it tomorrow). I always order the steak and shrimp because their steak is New York Strip and the shrimp is fresh, but I've tried the scallops and the chicken. Both are good, but chicken isn't as suited to the particular grill that they use and I haven't yet had the opportunity to ask if the scallops are previously frozen, which they usually are at other restaurants. I have always gotten incredible service from everyone. The bar staff is amazing, the waitresses are knowledgeable, the cooks are extraordinary and even the management takes the time to recognize regular customers. I have only had one bad experience out of the dozen or so times I've been there and that can be attributed more to how the restaurant is set up than anything else. You're seated at a half-table around a grill with up to eight other people and the challenge for the cooks is to prepare all the steak cooked to everyone's expectations while cooking for/dishing up all nine people. Though it's important to note that one bad experience couldn't stand in my way because the food is SO good it's nearly impossible not to go back. They have a full bar, though I recommend the sake which is served warm in reasonably large carafes for only $6 which seems low to me considering how good it is. I hope anyone reading this really decides to try it. If you've ever been to Sakura's, you should definitely upgrade to Samurai's because the difference is beyond words. I was appalled when I tried the former. There really is no comparison. Though here's my warning: you're likely to become addicted. I've found myself treating multiple friends to dinner just to get the opportunity to go. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!!!
(5)Cara T.
I took my mom, my son and one of his friends here recently for my sons 16th birthday as he has been a huge fan of the other Japanese steakhouse in Tacoma. I had heard wonderful things about the place and was pretty impresses upon entering. It was well decorated, spacious and clean. We were quickly seated and told if no one else was seated at our table, we could spread out or change seats. Orders were quickly taken and service was great the whole time (no waiting to fill the whole table). The chef was quite entertaining and kept a nice coversation going with all of us. As for the food, it was pretty declicous too! The salad was fresh and the meat portions large. The fried rice was worth the exrta $$ ( I think $3.50 each). Overall, I think this place is definately a solid 4 stars - I guess it is a good thing it is a bit of a drive or I would be spending too much money here! Dinner for 4 (we all had water) came to about $120.
(4)Brittny B.
One of my favorite restaurants that I never go home with leftovers no matter how hard I try! They give you a ton of food, the orange sauce is the best and you MUST order with fried rice. So delicious. I haven't been to a better tepenyaki place yet. Usually need to make a reservation as they are always busy.
(5)