Housed inside the Historic Roanoke City Market Building, in the heart of Downtown, Roanoke,…read more Hibachi Guys is one of 6 Local Restaurants located on the first floor of this renovated building. Most of these 6 restaurants are in the style of Mall Food Courts with an inside common dining area, as well as an outside, covered dining patio, used mainly in the Spring, Summer, and Fall. This Family-owned business offered Chinese and Japanese dishes, including Hibachi options. At this time of the year, their outside dining patio has not quite yet been opened. So I went inside the Market Building and ordered through their window counter. A very cordial and welcoming lady greeted me at the ordering counter. After I asked her how was the ordering process, she showed me the illustrated poster menu on the wall next to the counter, and very effectively explained how it worked. With this information, I went on to order the 6 Rangoons appetizer and for my main course I ordered the Special Small One Plate with 2 Items: the Hibachi Steak and the Sesame Chicken, with Fried Rice. And to drink I ordered a can of Dr. Pepper. After paying with my credit card, I was giving a beeper to let me know when my food was ready. After being called with the beeper and picking up my food at the pickup counter, I took it to the table where I had left my soda. The Rangoons came inside a bag. The outside of them were thin and crispy and the inside had soft cream cheese. The main course came in a Styrofoam clamp container. It was fully packed with generous portions of tender pieces of steak and sweet and tender sesame seeds chicken. The fried rice was enough, allowing the larger space for the delicious meats. Whenever you're in the mood for quality Chinese or Japanese food, in a friendly and relaxed environment, served with amazing customer service, this is the place to go to, alone, or with family and friends.

Food is great and they give you healthy amount. You won't leave hungry. The owners are awesome and…read moreservice is great and fast.

I was going to have dinner at China Fresh in Lakeside Plaza for the first time, but didn't realized…read morethat they close on Mondays, so I decided to go try out Hibachi Express instead, which was open. Hibachi Express is located in a large space on the right corner of the Plaza. It has a nice architectural design restaurant front Inside, it has a reasonably clean dining room and open kitchen. The glass or plexiglass in front of the grill looked a bit dirty or wasted with age. But the ordering counter and large menu on the wall looked clean. However, their run down soda machine situated in a back corner of the restaurant was extremely dirty and some of the drink selections were closed down. It looked so disgusting that I even didn't feel like taking a photograph of it. They also had a display refrigerator with bottled sodas. The owner and employees of the place were Chinese with knowledge of Japanese cuisine. There were a couple of customers in front of me that made Take Out orders. When it was my turn to order the owner and order taker gave me a friendly greeting and and asked to take my order and if I was going to eat in or take it To Go. As appetizer I order a House Special Egg Roll and some Crab Rangoons. As my main entrée I order the Hibachi Steak and Shrimp combination. The price was very reasonable but the the size and amount of the pieces of steak and of the shrimp were very small. They came with pieces of onions, broccoli, zucchini, and mushrooms, together with steam rice that was also cooked over the grill possibly with Japanese butter. They also has Yum Yum sauce in little bowls, and Soy sauce. Besides the owner who took the orders, and spoke English, there was also an older Chinese gentleman who did the cooking, and a lady who came out once from the interior side of the kitchen. The food was served in a regular ceramic dinner plate with plastic silverware. The food tasted well, just a little bland. For the price, the food wasn't bad, especially for those who work and live around the area, but I wouldn't make a special trip just to go eat there.

They're fast They're going to get your order right…read more I go back on my lunchtime to this restaurant.

Came in for a business dinner. A few of my colleagues had been before so it came highly…read morerecommended. We were seated quickly and looked over the menu while drink orders were taken. Got the shogun potato and some Sashimi and rolls. All the fish was fresh, rolls nicely done Service was good, quick to refill drinks and take orders for other items Not much to look at inside, but a solid choice for sushi if you're in the area

The best sushi I've ever ate. Loved this place for Years!!! For Lunch get the Wasabi special…read morealong with the Sushi Special and skip dinner!

Took my girlfriend here a few days ago and was curious what to expect. Great food!!! I ordered the…read moreSchezuan chicken and she had the chicken lo mein. Both were cooked perfectly! I'd usually probably complain a little about the disposable cutlery and plates, but the interior of the restaurant is so stylish and nice, the seats are large, clean, and comfortable, and as the others have noted, the owners are excellent and provide prompt, courteous service. I'm going back the first chance I get to try the Hunan chicken!! It was a good price and we were both fully satisfied. Full marks!

Really great spot for a good lunch. Order any two rolls and you get California roll, soup and a…read moredrink for free. The family that runs the place are so sweet and very attentive.

For some time now after I ate at Cafe Asia 2, which I consider one of the best if not the best…read moreAsian Restaurant in Roanoke, Virginia, and I encourage you to read my review for that restaurant, I have been wondering if there is a Cafe Asia, the original one. After being awarded the NC Triad Yelp Squad Yelper of the Year 2024 Award at the Yelpies Award Ceremony last year, an event that honored the highest-performing Yelp Elites, celebrating their contributions and accomplishments throughout the year, I decided that this year, as an All-Star Yelp Elite, I not only wanted to be the first to discover new restaurants and businesses, and bring them to the attention of the public, but also to uncover those found in hidden paths that for one reason or another have not reached the public in its totality. And Cafe Asia, in Roanoke, Virginia, is a perfect example. One day by searching the net I so happened to finally find it. I gave them a call right away to confirm that it was the original of Cafe Asia 2, and once confirmed, I made a commitment to go there for dinner that day. Before arriving I did my research and found out that it was founded by Feng Chen in 2008 "to offer autentic Asian cuisine for everyone to enjoy." I also found out that this first location in the Bonsack area of Roanoke County, offered a pan-Asian menu that included Chinese, Thai, Japanese, and Vietnamese dishes, alongside a sushi bar. And that due to the success of this family-owned business, the second location, Café Asia 2, opened on Electric Rd in 2013. When I arrived, I was surprised that it was located in the same strip mall as Sal's Italian Restaurant which I had reviewed some time ago. As I entered the restaurant the decor was not as modern as the second one but was still very clean and nice for its time. It had a very comfortable and friendly atmosphere. The Host gave me a very friendly and warm welcome and took me to my table. I noticed that decorating the place they had strips of picture frames with pictures of customers of the restaurant, almost like saying, we put our customers first. My server was also very friendly and helpful. He answered some questions I had about the extensive menu and I gave him my order. To start off with I had a Thai Iced Coffee. As appetizer I had a Sunflower Roll from the Sushi Bar. It had spicy lobster salad, mango, avocado, with soy paper. I walked to the Sushi Bar and watched the Sushi Chef make it for me. He was very friendly and appreciated me recording the event for my readers of this review. He came out with a Culinary Masterpiece. I really savored every bite. As my main entrée I had the Pad Thai Combination. It was so good. For dessert I had two: The Mango with Sticky Rice and the Combination Mochi Ice Cream (Mango & Strawberry). It was truly a memorable meal. In conclusion, I highly recommend this restaurant and clearly see the reason for its success. It has a beautiful decor and friendly atmosphere. A menu with a great variety of items. A wonderful Sushi Chef that can work wonders making culinary masterpieces. They use quality and fresh ingredients, and the Chef can also deliver wonderful dishes. All amounts to an extraordinary dining experience.

I ordered 4 sushi rolls: when I got home the sushi smelled bad and tasted horrible. I immediately…read moredumped it all in the trash to avoid getting sick. Cafe Asia 2 is the best. I will never go to this Cafe Asia again. A waste of money in sushi.

The food is very good. It sits nicely in the middle of downtown Blacksburg and offers several…read moredifferent food options. I ordered the chipotle sandwich and I thought it was very tasty. While the food and location are good, the service for drinks was a bit slow. They seemed to be a bit understaffed, and could have used a few more pairs of hands. The service was very nice and waiters were trying their best despite it being a busy day. If you're in Blacksburg and do not have a tight schedule I would highly recommend this restaurant.

***3 1/2 stars***…read more This was kind of all over the place, and a prescient reminder that sometimes you get what you pay for. My top-tier chum who literally went to the school of hospitality (down the street!) and I stopped here for a much-needed recharge after she led a comprehensive campus tour in 90-degree heat. There weren't a ton of eating options - graduation was apparently last week, and the offseason for the campus town has officially commenced - but this one looked fairly decent for what it was. The menu was also intriguing, with both sushi and Mediterranean-style cuisine. In my experience, jamming a bunch of random types of food onto a menu can be very hit or miss, but I wouldn't say that was really an issue here. We both had sticker shock or lack thereof when we looked at the cocktail menu. Margaritas are about $6, and "top shelf" ones are $8? Incredible stuff. I went with the top shelf frozen berries margaritas, and specifically requested Don Julio. That said - and maybe this is a reflection of my having a more adult palate than the college student target demo, or maybe I'm just officially a degenerate at this point - it wasn't a strong marg at all, and both of us ended up getting extra shots of Don Julio to make it taste better. So the additional tequila brought the total marg prices to $10, which is still incredible in my opinion, given what we're dealing with in the NYC metro area. Since we were on a pretty naughty vacation, I tried to tread water a bit and went with the salmon teriyaki bowl (about $20 I think). Honestly really hit the spot. The salmon was fresh/flavorful, and as you can see from the attached, a ridiculously generous portion. I wasn't in the mood for the accompanying side salad (again, I was on vacation), but the rice and salmon were a distant memory quickly enough. I was also kind of obsessed with the plate that it came on - I'm not really sure how to describe it other than that it looked like dishware you'd find in the Flintstones' house. It sort of looked like a sculpture of a piece of bent tree bark? I know, I'm not giving this justice. We also split the bang bang shrimp app, which was very good as well - maybe a TOUCH over-fried, but I think that's part of the package with the naughty appetizer section of a menu. Would get both of those items again in a heartbeat. The service was honestly pretty mediocre, and a big reason this ultimately was just an okay experience. A shame, given that we both legitimately liked the food. Our waiter was definitely confused by my chum's drink order (which, to be fair, WAS a little off the beaten path - she requested one of their non-alcoholic mango lychee lemonade, plus a separate shot of Don Julio), and our drinks ultimately showed up at the same time as our food. He also came back to our table after about 15 minutes to reconfirm her drink order. Not great, and a reminder that there's no harm in bringing a pen and a pad with you to the table. This wasn't terrible by any means, but was an uneven experience. Frankly, I think expectations should be a little tempered in a college town, where the average diner is probably in their early 20s and pretty low maintenance when it comes to their food and drink preferences. But if they figured out the service here, they'd really have something.

Went for lunch on a weekday around 1200 and was the only customers there the entire time. The staff…read moreis nice and the ambiance is good. I do find it odd that they bring you water in a bottle from WalMart, but maybe they have water issues. My wife ordered the Yakisoba and it was good. I had sushi and while not the best I have ever had, it was acceptable. I do think that $50 for lunch for two people is extreme.

A close friend of mine recommended this family-owned Japanese cuisine and Sushi restaurant, located…read morein the Old Country Plaza, to the left of Tanglewood Mall, in the Cave Spring / Roanoke area. It is known for its fresh ingredients, wide variety of sushi rolls, and a family-friendly atmosphere. Before driving to the restaurant for dinner, I viewed there very impressive and informative website, with Japanese music in the background, and found out that Ben Gui Chen, the Restaurant owner and Executive Sushi Chef has been making sushi in the Roanoke Valley since the year 2000, and then in 2006 opened this restaurant with his wife and a couple of staff. It has been voted "Best Sushi" in the Roanoke area for multiple years, and that the "Red Dragon," one of its signature rolls, was voted one of the "50 Favorite Foods" by the readers of the Roanoke Times. Its menu includes classic rolls, sashimi, specialty rolls, tempura, teriyaki, bento boxes, and unique creations. Currently, this family-owned and operated business is run by Ben Gui, his wife and two children. Based on the data I found their "Trust Me" Roll is the most popular dish. And other top rolls include the Spicy Tuna Roll, the California Roll, the Red Dragon Rool, and the Shrimp Tempura Roll. They offer one of the best selections of sake in the area, and also offer a 5-course sushi and sake tasting menu. It is also one of the few places in the area to have white tuna. I arrived at the restaurant on a Thursday early evening, just as they opened at 5:00PM. The restaurant's front was not too impressive, especially after viewing their very impressive website. Old Country Plaza is a small shopping center on Starkey Road spearheaded by Food Lion, with a Buffalo Wild Wings, and other small businesses. Their restaurant's sign was high above, tiny, and unassuming.The Ben Gui lit up in red as the nightfall was arriving but the Sushi stayed unlit for whatever reason, I don't know. But from my experience with a Japanese college student, they are very humble and expected to do their best as their duty and not for a reward. My student had gotten the best grade on the final exam and yet when I congratulated her in front of the class she lowered her head. So this small sign is unassuming, just as my student had been, but the food inside was probably excellent, as my student had been. Because traditional Japanese cuisine, washoku, emphasizes fresh, seasonal ingredients, artistic presentation, and balance. Inside, the restaurant was decorated in a minimalist style but with accents that made it elegant without being too assuming, with a welcoming, comfortable, relaxed, family-friendly atmosphere. A lady, whom I assumed was the owner's wife, greeted me and gave me a warm welcome, and after asking me my seating preference, took me to the table I suggested. She then took my drink order while giving me time to review the menu. I ordered some Sweet Tea, and she came back with a bottle. That was one of the things that I felt was out of place in a restaurant of distinction. I feel drinks should be served in a glass, and in my case a glass with ice. Afterwards she did the same serving beers to other customers. After she came back with my drink, she took my order. I ordered the House Soup to start off with and Gyoza (Fried Japanese Pork Dumplings), as appetizer. For my main meal I ordered the Lobster Shrimp Lover Roll and a Scallop Roll. And afterwards for dessert I ordered the Tempura Ice Cream. The House Soup was expensive, but had some Pork Dumplings inside, among other vegetables, and was one of the best soups I've ever had. The only thing I didn't like was the large Japanese soup spoon that it was provided with. It was much too large to eat the soup with and it spilled all over my shirt because of this. A normal size Japanese soup spoon would have been better. But I cleaned my shirt with my napkin and kept on eating it because it was amazingly delicious. The Lobster Shrimp Lover Roll was also delicious. It had something crunchy inside that gave it the perfect touch. And the Scallop Roll was real good but a bit small. Most of the guests there you could tell they were repeat customers and were wealthy, because both a family at the bar and one at a table, kept ordering sushi after sushi, and more sushi. My order came up to $59.60 without the 20% tip that I left my server, but I feel the food, service, and dining experience was well worth it. I was also very appreciative for having met the owner and Executive Sushi Chef, Ben Gui Chen. From the very beginning he was very welcoming, friendly, and hospitable, and was kind enough to allow me to capture in photographs the essence of his restaurant and Sushi making. For this I will be forever grateful.

Sometimes in the least expected places one can find the most exquisite restaurants. Looking for a…read moreplace to eat after an upset with 419 West Restaurant for not having enough parking spaces to accommodate their booked customers, after canceling the reservation that I made through Open Table, I drove off to a tiny strip mall next door, and there I found this place called Szechuan Chinese Restaurant. After being awarded the NC Triad Yelp Squad Yelper of the Year 2024 Award at the Yelpies Award Ceremony last year, an event that honored the highest-performing Yelp Elites, celebrating their contributions and accomplishments throughout the year, I decided that this year, as an All-Star Yelp Elite, I not only wanted to be the first to discover new restaurants and businesses, and bring them to the attention of the public, but also to uncover those found in hidden paths that for one reason or another have not reached the public in its totality. And Szechuan Restaurant in South Roanoke, Virginia, is a perfect example. As I was walking towards the restaurant after parking my car, since I hadn't had an opportunity to research it to find out if it was good, I asked one of their customers who was also headed that way and he replied: "After more than 40 years of being their customer, I haven't found a place with better Chinese food." What an outstanding live testimony to the place, I thought to myself. Then as I got closer, Their windows were displaying framed articles about the restaurant. Inside, the owner was seated at his open office located in front of the restaurant, and the walls around him were inundated with framed awards and photos related to the restaurant. The owner, very friendly and hospitable, greeted me, and explained how since Covid they no longer had table service. But you would look at the menu, order and pay there, and then the food would be taken to your table in take out containers by a young lady server. As I went through their beautiful and extensive menu, he was able to notice that I was not too familiar with many of the items on the menu, so he helped me by asking me some questions of my likes and providing some recommendations. I ended up ordering a Coke to drink. A Vegetable Spring Roll as appetizer, as well as a Scallop Roll from the Sushi Bar. And as my main entrée I ordered the Pork Szechuan Style with their Fried Rice. And for dessert they had only three options Cheesecake, Chocolate Cheesecake, or Donuts. I went for the Chinese Donuts because I always wanted to try them. After ordering and paying with my credit card, I went to their dining room to look for a table to sit at. I picked a booth next to a window to provide enough natural light to be able to photograph the food nicely. The server brought me a plastic bottle of coke with a styrofoam cup with ice. The dining room was very nice and had the most beautiful and elegant fish tank that I've ever seen in a restaurant. It's a pity that they hadn't return back to regular table service since Covid is now under control. While waiting for my food to be prepared, I walked over to the Sushi counter to watch the Sushi Chef prepare my Scallop Roll. I invite you to view my photographs and videos accompanying this review to get a better sense of the place and the quality of their food. Finally, the friendly young lady brought my food to my table on a tray which she placed on the table. Both her followed-up to see how I found the food and to see ifvI needed anything else. What can I say, the food was amazing! From the Sushi to the Pork in the Szechuan sauce, to the Spring Roll, and Fried Rice. By the time I ate the donuts they had cooled down and hardened and were a bit dry inside. While I was enjoying my meal, several customers stopped by to pick up their To Go orders that they had ordered by phone or through their website. Others came with the intention of eating in but when they found out the situation, they ordered for Take Out instead. And a family who came to eat in, left when they found out the dining situation. The dining experience is not the same eating out of plastic containers. It's like drinking wine out of a plastic cup is not the same as drinking it out of a Baccarat wine glass. I highly recommend that the owner return back to the normal way of operating a restaurant. The inside of the restaurant is much too beautiful and the food much too exquisite not to do so.

service. Even on Christmas Eve when half of Roanoke wants Szechuan and things get a little busy,…read morethey are uber-professional. Dumpling SAUCE is amazing. I think it's made fresh. I would LOVE the recipe.