Competent teppanyaki with genuine charm Ichiban occupies a…read morecomfortable middle ground in the hibachi dining space -- neither a revelation nor a disappointment, but a reliably enjoyable evening out. The theatrics at the grill are well-executed without veering into gimmick territory, and the chefs clearly know their way around a teppanyaki surface. The steak deserves mention. Properly seasoned and cooked to order, it holds up against pricier competitors. The fried rice is a quiet standout - better than it needs to be, which says something about the kitchen's attention to detail even on the basics. Where Ichiban earns its reputation is in the overall package. Communal grill seating creates an energy that's difficult to manufacture, and on a good night the atmosphere genuinely elevates the meal. Service is functional rather than polished, which feels appropriate for the format. The pricing reflects the experience rather than purely the food, and that's a fair trade for most diners. Walk-ins are acc lodated, making it an accessible option without une friction of advance planning. Not a destination for the serious gastronome, but an honest, well-run restaurant that delivers what it promises.

Located in the Southwest Plaza Shopping Center, in Roanoke, Virginia, this Japanese Steakhouse is…read morevery well known for its Hibachi Grill and Sushi. Last time I reviewed it I dined with a friend at one of their Hibachi tables with chef performances. I invite you to read that review and view my photographs accompanying it. It was an amazing dining experience. This time I dined at their traditional dining room next to their Sushi Bar. As soon as I arrived the friendly lady host welcomed me and after asking where I preferred to dine, took me to one of their tables there. Shortly afterwards, my friendly server arrived and took my drink order of a Coke. Then after I had reviewed their menu, I made the following order to my server: I ordered the Gyoza for appetizer and for my main entrée I ordered the Lobster, Filet Mignon (cooked medium-rare), and Scallop Hibachi Dinner which was served with a chicken broth and green salad with the house ginger dressing. The timing of the bringing out the items of my order was perfect. My server did an excellent job serving me the items of my order and making sure I didn't need anything else. This dining area had a more relaxed environment and the food was the same high-quality food. The filet was very tender and juicy. The scallops also tasted very good as well as the lobster meat that was served in a small bowl. The fried rice however tasted somewhat strange. Like if they hadn't rinsed the container where it was cooked well and it had a soapy flavor. It also lacked the flavor of Japanese butter, that it usually has when I had it served from the hot table performance. For dessert I ordered a slice of their Japanese Layered Crepe Cake. I remembered how delicious it tasted last time. This time it also tasted awesome yet not as fresh as last time. In conclusion I still highly recommend this restaurant, preferably eating at the interactive dining experience with a chef cooking at your table, unless your ordering Sushi. Then the traditional dining room with Sushi Bar would be a better option.

Food was good it too about 15 minutes for our food to be done prices are great for the food you're…read moregetting. People are nice and fish was fresh. Only thing is they are closed on Monday so no Monday sushi. :(

One of my favorites restaurants is the Japanese Hibachi Restaurant. Knowing this, a friend of mine…read moreinvited me to eat at Sakura, located in Salem, Virginia. A relatively small family-owned restaurant, established in the year 2000 and reasantly renovated. With simple yet elegant decor, it establishes a wonderful mood since the time you enter the restaurant. When you enter there is a counter where you order your food after viewing the menu high above behind the counter. A welcoming young man greeted us and took our order. My friend ordered the Steak and Chicken Hibachi and I ordered the Steak and Shrimp. We both ordered the salad side item, although I wished it would also have included their soup as well. To drink we ordered two sodas. We then went and sat at one of the booths after filling our cups with our drinks from the soda machine. Our server brought our salads. The salad was fresh and very tasted with the salad dressing. The dining room was very elegant yet with a comfortable ambiance. The main entrées arrived in a very nice presentation with the vegetables including zucchini, broccoli, carrots, and onions. The fried looked and tasted delicious as well as the shrimps. However, I was disappointed with the flavor of the pieces of steak. They tasted like if the meat was not fresh, almost spoiled. And this seemed to damage our otherwise wonderful dining experience. I urge the owner and cook of the restaurant to put more attention to the quality of the food by keeping better track of the meat and the temperature control of the freezer where it is stored. I liked this restaurant and if the meat situation is corrected I would definitely recommend it and also return without any hesitation.

We've been twice and their noodle bowls are some of the best in Roanoke…read more Very clean and very tasty! Will be back soon

We were here for lunch. Friendly staff. Delicious noodle soup. Definitely worth visiting if you…read morelive nearby. Highly recommended!

Food, service, ambiance, all amazing and I was hooked from day one. I have been to bother multiple…read moretimes location which are located in Christiansburg and Roanoke. My go to are the bibimbap and tonkotsu. I've also had several smoothies, personal favs are the açaí and the green detox.

I wasn't expecting much from Rainbowl, but the chef's special burrito bowl was delicious. Perfect…read morefor quick, easy, on-the-go dining. The place is clean and the owner was really friendly. Customer service from the staff behind the counter wasn't the friendliest. Still worth a stop if you want something fast and tasty.

If you're anywhere near Cave Spring and craving sushi, Ben Gui Sushi is an absolute must…read more From the moment you walk in, the atmosphere is clean, relaxed, and welcoming without trying too hard. It's the kind of place where you can actually enjoy your meal without feeling rushed or crowded. The food is where this place really stands out. Every roll we ordered came out looking incredible and tasting even better. You can tell immediately that everything is made fresh. The textures were perfect, crispy tempura paired with soft rice and high-quality fish, and the sauces were balanced instead of overpowering. The specialty rolls are clearly the highlight. The Red Dragon Roll and Lobster Shrimp Lover Roll were loaded, flavorful, and worth every dollar. The portions are generous too, you're not getting skimpy rolls here. Each plate came out beautifully presented, and the flavors hit exactly how you want sushi to hit, rich, clean, and satisfying without feeling heavy. Service was solid as well. Friendly, attentive, and efficient without hovering. Drinks stayed filled, food came out at a good pace, and everything felt smooth. For the price point, this place punches above its weight. You're getting quality sushi that rivals spots in much bigger cities, without the inflated cost or attitude. Overall, this is easily one of the best sushi spots in the Roanoke area. Whether you're going for a casual dinner or trying to impress someone, you won't be disappointed. Highly recommend.

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.

After being ranked 4th among Yelp's Top 50 Most Prolific Elites of 2025, a distinction recognizing…read moremy consistent community engagement and high-quality contributions, 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 go back and write follow-up reviews on those restaurants that impressed me the most during 2025, and Cafe Asia 2, in Roanoke, Virginia, is a perfect example of one of them. This Asian fusion restaurant in the Cave Spring area of Roanoke, is definitely one of my favorite restaurants of all times. And my first visit and review is something that I will always hold very dear. When you finish reading this review I invite you to go back and read that review and view my photographs accompanying that review, for it was a very unique dining experience that I will never forget. From the time you arrive at this restaurant the contemporary building design seems to beckon you to approach and enter. I love their unique logo design made up of letters and a number of a particular font that communicates a certain air of distinction. Once inside, you're like in another world altogether. If the outside of the building was impressive, the interior immediately captures your attention and mesmerizes you with it's beauty. When I arrived today, a very lovely and distinguished lady, dressed very elegantly, welcomed me and led me to the table of my choice. Later did I find out that she was the owner of the restaurant, and I had an opportunity of talking with her about the restaurant, its Sushi Bar, and Sushi chefs. Soon after, my friendly server, who was from Indonesia, came to introduce himself and take my order. To drink I had a Vietnamese Iced Coffee. It was served in a tall glass and tasted marvelous. As appetizer, I had the Dim Sum Platter. It contained 3 shrimp dŕhumai, 3 pork dumplings, 3 pork wasabi shumai, and 2 roasted pork buns. One of those items was extremely spicy, I had to drink water to cool down. The others tasted reasonably good. As my main entrée I had the Lobster Tail Tempura Maki. It was very colorful and tasted, and completely filled me up. My original server did an excellent job serving me the food and coming by to check on me. But then he disappeared and another server, also Indonesian came to bring me my main entrée. I think it might have been a shift change, but feel the first server should have let me know about this fact. But if the first server wad excellent, the second was amazing. He answered all the questions I had about items on the menu, and while delivering special dishes to other customers, he allowed me to photograph this food for the benefit of the readers of this review. Then, at the end, he helped me choose the dessert to have for the Grand Finale of my meal: the Banana Basket. It was amazingly delicious and had slices of bananas, kiwi, mangos, whipped cream, and strawberries. And topped with caramel and chocolate sauces. Considering its friendly and relaxing ambiance, its extensive menu with a wide range of Asian dishes, from traditional Chinese entries to a full sushi bar with raw and cooked options, and its amazing customer service, I definitely highly recommend this restaurant from my own experience. Every time I've dined there I've had an exceptional fine dining experience, and as I'm leaving I'm already looking forward to returning.

Everything we had from here was flavorful, hot & delicious! The restaurant inside is beautifully…read moredecorated, it wasn't crowded when we arrived at 5:40pm on a Monday evening. They were doing a heck of a carry out business, and know I know why. My husband had the wonton soup - he must of enjoyed them because I didn't get to try them, however that broth - oh my delicious- I finished that - easily. I had an order of the crab wontons - mostly cream cheese tasting - wish there was a bit more crab/shrimp, overall tasty. We shared our first hot pot - ribeye, carrots, peppers, stewed tomatoes served with your choice of rice - we chose the fried. Our shrimp tempura roll was yummy! Oh and we also each had a strawberry sangria although they do have other cocktails - I totally missed out on a screwdriver but the sangria was good too. Service was excellent- very nice people. Look forward to returning in the future!

Great great best ever had would recommend it to the president the one in Roanoke VA .Try it won't…read morebe disappointed price is great. If. President Trump likes Chinese this is the place to go.

This Hibachi Grill and Supreme Buffet is located in a relatively spacious building structure with…read morean extensive all-you-can-eat food items, including all types of chicken, beef, pork, fish, and seafood selections. Besides this, it has a small salad bar area, Hibachi area, Sushi area, and a very small dessert area with a selection of ice creams as well. The decor of the place is nothing fancy nor modernized and many of the furniture are a bit run down. The "make believe" what looks like a fountain, without water, in the entrance is nothing to brag about and the artwork on the wall look kind of cheap. As one enters the restaurant there is an order and pay counter where a person who seems like the manager gives you a warm greeting with a smile and efficiently takes your order, charges you and has one of the hosts take you to your booth. The price for the buffet is not too expensive and considering the large selection of food items available, this may be what continues to attract many people to eat at this place. We decided to eat here today because other buffets and opened restaurants around had a wait of more than an hour. Once you're seated at your booth, a server is assigned to bring you your drink and refills, and to remove your empty dishes once you finish eating what's on them. We had a very friendly and efficient young man who was always coming around to check on us with a smile and providing exceptional customer service. Now, if we talk about the food, which is the main reason one goes to a restaurant in the first place, leaves much to be desired. The quality of many of the items available is very poor and/or not cooked well. The turkey slices served were dry and not to fresh as well as many of the seafood items were lukewarm and not freshly served. The fried shrimps were crunchy and warm, however they were flat and not plumpy. The Sesame Chicken seemed to have more batter than meat. Even the squid looked and tasted cheap and was not warm. The Sushi Bar had a few variety of Suchi but they lacked craftsmanship. So much so that I didn't even dare to try one, and the employees working that station didn't encourage me either when they saw me there. In the Hibachi area, I noticed that the grill was not too cleanand the cook manding this area did not accommodate me when I asked if I could add two eggs to my items before he served them. If management addresses some of the above issues I mentioned, I think this Buffet restaurant will have a better chance to successfully grow its clientele and not lose many. I invite all of you reading my review to go experience for yourself if they have followed my recommendations, and this can only be done by trying you out.

My son absolutely loves this place and their sushi rolls! Always the request for birthdays.read more

The atmosphere is nice....BUT...DO NOT get any seafood hibachi....the chef put the shrimp on the…read moregrill FIRST...and let it cook for at least 30 mins...by the time he put it on my place it was a piece of burnt rubber....then they give you 4 scallops...and he cooked those for 20 mins...then proceeded to cut them into small portions...and cooked it for another 10 mins....the scallops were so tough....it made a sound when you poked it with fork...just get chicken..maybe they won't overcook that...,