Great hibachi experience. Waiter and chef was super nice. Food portions are huge and yummy. The drinks are strong too! read more

See all

Service is EXCELLENT. Food is soooooo good and the best part is that they care enough to offer gluten-free hibachi! Thank you thank you thank you!!!!! So grateful fir this place! read more

Great hibachi restaurant! I went for a birthday dinner. We had a group of 7 and they sat us quickly. Quick service. We got out soup and salad fast and I really liked the miso soup! The chief was really funny and entertaining. He did all the tricks and got our group involved. We got both rice and noodles. The noodles were amazing! Great spot for a big or small group! read more

Daruma - Vegetable Tempura Dinner - Japanese Near Me - Hilliard, Ohio

Food was delicious, always good and no complaints there. Service also quite good, we were well taken care off tonight, drinks quickly, salad soups and dinners arrived speedily for a Saturday night. But ambience is terrible, it's always so incredibly noisy whether you're in the hibachi room, dining room or bar area. You can't even hear yourself think. We had trouble communicating at our table and with our waitress. I have a cell app that reads decibel noise level and it consistently registered noise of 80 with peaks in the high 90's. That is intense and not enjoyable. For that reason we likely will not return to Dhruma. read more

Delicious and a great variety of veggies more than most hibachi grills. The chefs were entertaining and i am glad to have this place so close to home. read more

I used to love this restaurant. That is until I put in a pick up order at 8:30 pm. I went to pick it up and they closed early. I knocked on the front door, no one came out. I called the number of the restaurant. No voicemail, and it said the number is out of service. Seriously, this is how you conduct business? I went around back, and I knocked on the door. No one came out. Then I saw a white van full of people who worked there. Laughing at me. Needless to say, I will NEVER go back there again. You lost a long time, customer, Daruma. read more

I have to maintain a gluten free diet otherwise I get sick. Daruma is the only Japanese steakhouse that I'll visit because they cater to my needs. I am able to order with my family and "watch the show" while my meal is prepared in the back in a gluten free environment with gluten free ingredients. My food is always served at the same time as my families. When I discovered that gluten was the cause of my health and digestive issues, I thought I'd miss out on great food like this. I am sincerely grateful that Daruma understands & respects my needs! read more

All I can say is that if you leave without trying a Yummy Roll, you are doing yourself an injustice. The service personnel there were all very friendly. For me, that means as much as the quality of the food. read more

The entire staff of horrible. The restaurant is disgusting. They only care about eat in orders. To go orders take an hour. They confirm it only takes 10 minutes to make. The other 50 minutes is not working. 25 people just walk around with their noses up. I'll never be back. read more

We had dinner at Daruma for my son's birthday and it was a fantastic experience!! We were sat right away, the chef was hilarious and he interacted with my son a lot which he really enjoyed!! The food was delicious, huge portions for the price, and our server was very sweet! We will definitely be back!! read more

I always love a Japanese steakhouse. The service was great and one thing that was new to me is getting rice and noodles part of the regular dinner plate. It feels similar to any other Japanese steakhouse. I had sushi and the chicken plate and both were enjoyable. read more

I enjoyed most of the food here. I will say as I was waiting at the hibachi grill, I was looking around and noticed the table next to us where the cooking space could definitely use a good cleaning and a pickup of an old towel on the floor. Felt there was a great selection of entrees and a good amount of sushi options. I ordered the salmon roll and eel roll with edamame for apps then the hibachi shrimp and calamari for entree. The delivery was slow and I received the edamame as I was receiving my entree. I'm not sure that the noodles had a place on the dish, it seemed awkward and like regular fettuccini noodles with no Asian flair. I noticed our chef did not add lemon to anything so there wasn't quite that acidic zing to the food. Food was good if just lacking in seasoning. I had ordered a second round of salmon roll and another roll but they apparently forgot to make it because my waitress asked if I had gotten it and when I told her I had not, she spoke with the cooks and offered instead to put it in a to go box. Overall it was kinda meh. I would go again if friends picked it but I might not go again if I had other options of which there are plenty in the vicinity. read more

See all

The portions are generous. The staff is super friendly. The drinks were very well priced.

Food was pretty good, but the experience was lacking. Outside: If there were not cars there, you would think this place was abandoned. The parking lot desperately needs major repairs, the overgrown weeds and trash on the exterior is ridiculous, there is a sign on the door with Christmas hours on it (its May) and their interior entrance door is broken and taped together. Needs a power-washing and someone to give a damn about appearances. If the outside looks this rough, I am scared of what the kitchen looks like. Reservation: Called at opening and made reservation. Arrived at 6 and they didn't have mine. They were accommodating but this was very annoying, cause had I not arrived early, I would of been behind 3 other groups and would not have gotten seated when I did. Server was hard to hear, and obviously had issues hearing us. When the chef came over, his orders were all mixed up and inaccurate. He was very nice but really didnt do much of a show. Food was good - steak cooked perfectly and shrimp was good, great yum yum sauce. Overall, a good meal, but I used to come here a lot when it was a different name about 8 years ago and I was really unimpressed with the experience as a whole. too much competition out there for me to be back. read more

Standard hibachi type restaurant The yum yum sauce is good. The ginger sauce tastes like it's spoiled. The food is good but really way too expensive for just a little meat and rice. I would not recommend. read more

food was delicious, always good. service also quite good, we were well taken care of. however, ambience is terrible. the dining room, hibachi tables and the bar is always so incredibly loud, I can't take it. I have a decibel reading app on my cell phone that read consistently over 80 and peaks in high 90's thus evening. That is intense and intolerable to me. Because of that, likely will not be back it impacts my enjoyment and conversion with wait staff and my wife. read more

A repeat lunch or dinner spot for my boyfriend and I. Great hibachi and drink options as well as friendly and entertaining chefs. Highly recommend! read more

Daruma - Hibachi seating - Japanese Near Me - Hilliard, Ohio

See all

My daughter and I were hungry for some Hibachi and heard good things about Daruma. The good is really good which is why the four star. Service was very slow and we had to keep asking for refills. And we were there before it got super busy on a Wednesday night at 530. It used to be the guys who cooked your food was entertaining and fun to watch. These guys are borrring. Really ? There just going through the motions and want to move on. Decent selection of wine. read more

Best hibachi restaurant in Columbus hands down. Love the variety of vegetables and portion sizes.

What a joke about this restaurant. The wait staff took our name, 3 more parties came behind, she seated them ahead of us, and then said it would be another hour. We waited 30 minutes to be told they were sorry and had no remedy. read more

I wanted to check out Daruma for awhile. It has a reputation as being a really good Japanese steakhouse but also for the sushi. The interior is very nice and the koi pond is relaxing. It has lots to choose from whether it be meat or if you want some vegetables. The service was okay but some may think it's slow. I had sushi. It was good and it was not that too much to pay for it. The experience overall was really good. It may be too expensive to go here all the time, which is the bad thing about it. There are lots of options for everyone. It had plenty of beefy choices for carnivores. They also have lots on the sushi side that vegetarians will eat. A side of inari is $2. The tofu was soft but crispy. It also has many rolls. The asparagus, avocado, and cucumber roll is $5. It also has a vegetable delight entree for about $12. There is something for everyone here. I would like to try Daruma some time again. It's one of the best Japanese restaurants in the area. They have a good variety of foods there. read more

Daruma - Asparagus Avocado And Cucumber Roll - Japanese Near Me - Hilliard, Ohio

I was just reading these reviews, and I wanted to throw in my 2 cents. Full disclosure, I have not been in a few years. So, the presentation is pretty bad when you pull up. The lot is a mess, and the building is worn down. It looks like it's been closed for a month. When trying to get seated (with reservations), the lobby area is very chaotic and disorganized. The interior is also quite run-down and really just dirty. I guess this should be expected in a place where the whole shtick is throwing food at the customer like zoo animals. Most ends up on the floor. It's pretty gross if you think about it. Having said that, when you finally get sat, grab a cocktail (or 3) and settle in, it's pretty fun. The food is very tasty and there is plenty of it. The hibachi cooking show part is fun, and kids really love it. The price is not outrageous. I guess I would go back if invited - with the right group of people. read more

We will go back again! My hubby finally found great sushi selection. I love the soup but I do not know what soup that was a complimentary, I guess. However, communication was a challenge due to our deafness. Glad our server was patient with us! Thank you! read more

I would like to start with cleanliness as an important factor. my table was not wiped down very good. My silverware had food stuck on it and it did not feel like a super clean environment to me. secondly, the Nigiri sushi was some of the worst I've ever ordered. I am a connoisseur of sushi, especially raw pieces of nicely cut fish. The tuna was not fresh to say the least. Some of the other pieces were decent but overall I gave it a 1 1/2 hour waitress was kind of a space cadet was only able to order two drinks throughout the entire visit, the bathroom was disgusting. When I walked in there our hibachi chef did a great job, the rice, vegetables and meat or cook nicely. The cuts of steak were very cheap and I was not impressed. will i be back? likely not. read more

I bought a gift certificate as a Christmas gift. When I originally walked in, the establishment seemed a bit run down and dirty. My thoughts were "really, this is their favorite restaurant?" Then I had the pleasure of joining in on redeeming the gift certificate and understood why. We sat at the hibachi grills in a group. While we were waiting I saw other group's chefs were throwing food in people's mouths and squirting sake in diner's mouths. Our chef was awesome and read our group perfectly. He did not throw food at us and it was much appreciated. If you are into trying the catch food in your mouth let your chef know. The food itself was delicious. They give you so much that there may be leftovers. Dinner comes with soup, salad, noodles, vegetables, and your meat. It was all very flavorful. It is fun watching the chef prepare it in front of you too! I got the filet and ate every bite of it. Daruma is a great place to go with groups to enjoy a night of delicious food. read more

Food was great! Service was great! And workers were so nice! I recommend this place for nice dinners and long conversations. By far the best steak house iv'e ever been to. read more

Daruma - Love the variety of options for food! THEIRS SO MANY OPTIONS. But it is a lot of money. But the seating experience is great. - Japanese Near Me - Hilliard, Ohio

See all

My first dining experience in Ohio and was not disappointed. The chef was a blast to watch and the food was excellent. Will happily return. read more

Daruma - My plate - Japanese Near Me - Hilliard, Ohio

See all

Made a reservation, seated right away. Great environment, service was fast was they checked up on us very frequently. Food was very good and worth the price. Will go again !!! read more

Bummed. This use to be our fave place for a fun dinner with great service. Tonight we sat in the lobby where the once koi pond was now storage for a ladder and tools. To start our soup was warm-almost cold. Our waitress dropped off our sushi then never came back to us until the chef left. She was quick to get us our check. We didn't have silverware until we flagged someone down. We also had empty water cups since salad service. no one came to fill our waters until we were about done with our food. They also forgot my scallops until the chef noticed after all the meat was cooked and served. My scallops were also not cooked long enough. On top of all of that the jokes and tricks were lacking. It was not the Saturday night service it once was. read more

This place is just ok. I've had much better hibachi in Dayton. It's not terrible, but I would intentionally go here again.

The service was very friendly. The hostess, the server, and the chef that cooked the meal at the table were all very friendly and professional. The chef performed the usual Japanese steakhouse tricks with good humor and was engaging and funny. I got the filet and chicken option. No complaints. The meat was cooked well, it tasted pretty good. I enjoyed everything, the fried rice, the noodles, the vegetables, and the accompanying sauce. Keep in mind, this place sells a combination of entertainment and food, so come with the right expectation that this place is not high end in terms of food quality and/or authenticity, and you will not be disappointed. However, what they do, they do very well. Personally, I was quite happy with both my meal and service overall, and would definitely visit again. read more

Daruma - The volcano - Japanese Near Me - Hilliard, Ohio

I didn't make it here when it was Ajisai; their hours just didn't work with mine. Daruma is open a bit longer in the afternoon, so I was able to stop in. And I'm glad I did. The decor is nice- classy and calming, lots of wood and warmth. The service was impeccable- efficient, genuinely friendly, and fast. And the food? Supergood. I had a piece of unagi, one of the better ones I've had. Somehow it disappeared before I could take a picture, but it was one of the more attractively presented ones I've seen too. I wanted more sushi, but also wanted to try the hibachi and wasn't sure how big the lunch portion would be. Lots of interesting rolls. Almost at random, I picked the chicken/shrimp combo. It is, of course, your standard Japanese steakhouse fare. The salad was the low point of the meal- the usual generic, watery, iceberg with house dressing. Meh. The soup was quite good- a thicker broth, with more goodies floating in it, than most places. The entree arrived and was huge. Pretty typical chicken, tasty, tender. Shrimp done just right, not overcooked. Fried rice that wasn't the buttery greasy pile that you sometimes get. Sauteed vegetables that were better than most, and really made me want to eat my veggies. Plus lo mein-type noodles, in a tasty oil. Plenty of food, all of it delicious. I'll go back for more sushi, and probably hibachi too. Glad I finally made it in. Hope they do well. read more

See all

To celebrate my mother's bachelor's degree, she had made one simple request that had taken me back a moment; to visit the hibachi steakhouse known as Darumas located across the city from me. While I may not be the largest die-hard Daruma connoisseur in my neighborhood, my husband has never turned down the fresh and unique spin that a hibachi grill has to offer, and I could never turn down the opportunity to pair tender, succulent steak with grilled lobster from heaven. Needless to say, we were all excited to drop way more many than we needed for an above-par experience and amazing food. When entering Darumas, you are warmly greeted by an almost pub-style banter surrounded by beautiful Japanese-centric accents such as beautifully paneled decorative windowed walls and a floorplan that elegantly displays the amazing staff and entertainment Daruma has to offer. Darumas does have the option of carryout and non-hibachi seating, but you would be a horrible fool to skip out on the experience to be had. During the pandemic, you are seated at the grill with only your family, instead of typical communal style eating. While it was wonderful to know that we were safe and could peacefully expect a level of decency normally known at our home-table (especially nice since I am more of a reserved person anyways), not having complete strangers to share the experience with and laugh with as we were hosed with Sake and expected to catch flying veggies was sorely missed. I have to say, Daruma's absolutely outdid itself with it's staff. I was a little late to my reservation, the last in our party, but the staff up front was already expecting us and pointed me to my table immediately, with minimal explanation. Then, the wait-staff were very patient in dealing with our chaotic family and provided us a couple extra minutes despite already being late and having to figure out from a picky 4 year old what they would and would not eat. Once our Hibachi chef began his stuff, the wait-staff were quick to fill any drinks even CLOSE to emptying (a feat in regards to my mom and I, since we have deserts for throats) while not taking away from anything happening in front of us. Any requests were quickly accommodated, and we absolutely did not go without. The service was remise of the levels I'd receive from 300 dollar tabs at fancier joints. Unfortunately, our service was not perfect. While I had not come to know what a hibachi grill was until I was nearing adult-hood, I had very fond memories of valentines days and important events spent at a hibachi grill. I was very aware what level of humor and neat grill tricks I was expecting to get into. Instead, our experience felt half-assed, and left us a little bored. While he did go through many of the common routines including bad puns and yelling, iconics such as Sake impressive workmanship was almost completely forgotten. This was definitely strange to me since I had been at Darumas only a few years ago and had so much Sake squirted 6 feet into my mouse that I couldn't touch my entree! Overall, it felt like my chef was overworked, anxious or new, and we all had mixed feelings regarding the entertainment. No one, however, could confidently state that his performance was great. I had the Daruma Deluxe with my husband. First brought out to us was some amazing and flavourful Miso Soup, and it's warm and flavor packed bites reminded us that the cold had absolutely no place in this restaurant. The soup had plenty of small bits to provide depth to the broth, and was balanced to make you crave the remainder of the meal. After we had bare iceberg salads (who makes iceberg salads anymore?!) with a vinaigrette that tasted like old socks and moldy fruits that left much to be desired. My husband and I's entree was fried rice and egg noodles served as a bed to a combo platter of filet mignon, lobster tail, scallops and shrimp, and oh my GOD was it heaven on earth! Honestly, I was a little concerned when the chef managed to lightly burn a small portion of the rice. While it did add a beautiful extra texture to the meal, I was baffled of how someone could possibly burn fried rice as a hibachi grill. Then, he cooked our large quantities of meats. Honestly, this is where the performance fell flat, and we felt like we were just watching a line cook unaware he was being evaluated. I have to say, our meats were cooked perfectly, with the right amount of give and seasonings that paid perfect homage to the meat's natural flavors. My brother and I's steaks were slightly over done (medium well as opposed to medium) but it was still amazing. As a side note, do not over-do the Yum-Yum. I LOVE the sauce, but any more than the initial saucer they provide may seem a good idea, but honestly isn't. The chef left without another word. I was disappointed that my son's first Hibachi experience wasn't as amazing as mine, but overall, the atmosphere, meal and staff-service provided was beyond the hefty price I paid. read more

This is my favorite sushi spot-- I've never had anything like the flaming Lobster Roll before-- and I'm from Chicago! (Lots of high end sushi spots). The sushi chef is just amazing. I told him what I liked/disliked, and he created a special roll for me. The presentation bis always amazing! The service is also on point! They give you miso soup and salad on the house too! Not to mention, they have my favorite house wine- Sledgehammer Cabernet! I love this spot and can't wait to go back! read more

Daruma - Daruma Roll - Japanese Near Me - Hilliard, Ohio

See all

Bring a coat if you get chilled easily. The drinks were yummy. Soup good. One of the best crab Rangoon's I've had...once they remembered to bring them out. The California roll was so good I wish I ordered 2. Next time I may just come for the sushi. The hibachi scallops were cooked well but the chicken was way over cooked and dry. It was all seasoned well but you don't really get your money's worth. Over half the plate is rice and noddles. Not sure why they have almost 5 stars.....not the worst place but not the best either. read more

See all

What a nice surprise! We sat at the sushi bar and had a blast. The sushi chef was very friendly and personable. The Godzilla roll was fabulous! Mince gaiety of specialty rolls plus the usual nigiri offering. The sushi chef surprised us with a complementary testing of the white tuna. It melted in our mouths! The hibachi tables seemed busy from where we were sitting. We'll be back for more sushi! Yum! read more

Daruma - Fabulous meal! - Japanese Near Me - Hilliard, Ohio

I really enjoyed my meal here. Let's be honest, the chef show, knife skills and "let's make an egg roll" jokes are pretty much the same wherever you go. What makes Daruma so great is the quality of the food and the quality of service. We just went for the 2nd time in 2 weeks. The first time we just wanted to try a new spot. Tonight - we were celebrating a big day for our 5 year old and there was only one place she wanted to go. I wish I could have gotten our server's name. Suffice it to say she was phenomenal and went way above and beyond. In fact she even happily tolerated the hugs my little one showered her with as we left. My little one likes to sit at the table to watch the show but is obsessed with sushi. They insisted on bringing her a portion of soup and salad when they brought it out for the rest of the table and didn't charge extra. What a sweet touch and something we won't forget. My favorites: My steak was cooked perfectly medium. This is often hard to accomplish on a grill. I loved the variety of fresh veggies compared to other spots - broccoli, carrots, zucchini, etc vs just a bean sprout and onion thing you get most places. The chocolate sticks they bring out with the check - yum!!! I'd go back for those alone. Yum yum sauce. The best I've had in Columbus. And the kicker - they can accommodate gluten allergies! In the world of soy sauce extraordinaire, they safely prepare gluten free dinners on a clean grill in the back. Can't wait to be back! read more

See all

Delicious food, don't let the outside fool you. Service is good, the noodles were a first at a hibachi for us - great addition. read more

I have only eaten here once, and it was during covid. I ordered take out, which I feel at a lot of restaurants it isn't the same as dining in. Some places I feel like you get less food. I can't remember exactly what I ordered, but it was decent, nothing to rave about, especially for spending around $30 before tip and taxes. I don't mind paying good money for good food, but if it was in the 12-15 range, I would not have felt ripped off. I didn't have enough for left overs, and I wasn't entirely full. I'd be curious to try it as dine in, but for the money there is much better food that is more worth that price point in my opinion. read more

This place did not look very impressive from the exterior, but my girlfriend said the parking lot was full every time she drove by, so we had to go. The interior wasn't that much more impressive, but the service was great, and the food was absolutely fantastic!! Better than expected! We sat at a teppanyaki table and our chef was great, too. Anytime I am in the Columbus area, I will definitely make a point to have dinner here! read more