1 star because the food tasted good. However if you are a person of color, they do not want you in their establishment! There were 3 black skinned families their at the time when my party arrived, ALL the white skinned people were served first, even though they arrived AFTER! There are no reservations here, so that was not the case. Once we complained, we were seated at a table, around the habachi, we stayed seated for 30 minutes, without a waiter...a white family was then seated at with us around the habachi, they were brought drinks and salad before us...THE WHITE FAMILY EVEN STATED, "They we're here first" the waiter then shrugged her shoulders. We went to complain again, and then we were served. read more

I found Ichibon through Yelp, and I have to admit, my boyfriend and I were a bit turned off by their font choice when we arrived. The "boingy" cartoon-ish characters of ICHIBON was an eye sore and highly made me doubt the validity of this place. But we went in anyway. Inside was the opposite of what I expected: very nice and clean decor. We chose the non-hibachi section. Happy hour (every day from 3pm-7pm) menu is great! We chose the rock n' roll and hotategai (spicy chopped scallop) from the menu. Rock n' roll was huge! 5 pieces but definitely enough to split between 2 people. The hotategei was average, but they were also huge pieces. I also got the bento box, which I thought was a great deal. Soup, salad, vegetable tempura, steamed or fried rice, and 3 more items of your choice. I got the hibachi steak, skewer shrimp, and sashimi. The hibachi steak was dry, the skewer shrimp tasted old, and the sashimi did not taste fresh... It's sad, but I think my favorite part of the meal was the soup and salad! Service was very good, but I was really disappointed by the food. With such a great looking restaurant (minus the Ichibon sign), and with 1 new location to be added to the chain, I thought this place would have been much, much better. read more

I love their salad! We usually get hibachi, my only wish is they had onion soup too. Very entertaining cooks.

I was really disappointed the last time I went to Ichibon. My mom had never been to a hibachi place so I suggested we go there for dinner. Big mistake that was. Seated at our table was the most annoying family I've ever met in my life and they're not even the reason I'm rating Ichibon so low. The soup we got was just OK but the salad with peanut dressing was pretty good. The salad was the best part of the meal actually. I ordered chicken and shrimp and my mom ordered steak and shrimp and all of our meat was tasteless and my chicken was way overcooked. The fried rice was pretty bland as well and even the mustard sauce wasn't very good. AND they didn't give us any bean sprouts. I know bean sprouts aren't a huge make-it-or-break-it part of the meal but the fact that we didn't get ANY on top of everything else is just ridiculous. read more

Tried for first time based on ranking/reviews. Was not disappointed. Hibachi Chef was funny, entertaining and cooking skills were spot on. Sat at large table with wide variety of orders--everything was fresh and tasted great. Everyone was happy. Large portions, too, for very reasonable price. Steak and shrimp $23.95. No way I could eat it all, but I certainly tried! Also tasted the salmon. Exceptional. read more

The service is good, the atmosphere is good, the food is good and the portion sizes are decent for the price. So why only 3 stars? The menu. Don't get me wrong, it's extensive...if you like appetizers and other things. But in terms of sushi rolls, especially specialty sushi rolls, it's lacking. And a large portion of the specialty sushi rolls have crawfish in them. I'm from Louisiana and I adore crawfish, just not in my sushi. I'll go back because it's close to the house, but will keep looking for someplace with a little more variety. read more

We decided to try the place for the sushi.I ordered several pieces of sushi and was pleased with all of my choices very fresh and tasteful.We will be frequenting more since we live across the street. read more

We've eaten here plenty of time and never had any issues with the food. Unfortunately, we ordered to go tonight and the food was very disappointing. The yaki meat was too tough to chew and they forgot to put the sauce on the caterpillar rolls. We'll try them again to see. read more

Reasonable prices, good service. Appetizer: soft shell crab is great! mushroom - not so good Hibachi - not great Entree: Snow crab roll - good Ichibon chicken - awesome. Sweet tangy sauce with a touch of spice. Fried rice - terrible. Way too much pepper & no flavor. read more

Ichibon - Ichibon chicken - Japanese Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Ok for a chain. Came for the sushi. Sadly, less choices than many places so probably won't be back for that. Hibachi... I still need to try it out here. I ordered the Maki mono. I think. That sounds like a disease... Pros: 1. Bar seating is the way to go if not doing hibachi 2. Sake selection ok. I'm stretching when I say that, but I'm trying to think of more positives.. I may need to get back to you on that. Cons: 1. App came out after sushi arrived. Huh? 2. Sushi is meant to fit in your mouth in one bite. Yes, really. Not all of mine did. It was insane large. Roll them tighter, chefs! 3. Umm sushi chefs... were Hispanic except for the few seconds they sporadically yelled out Japanese words. It's ok, we got it. [When I crave certain foods, I need to stop taking recommendations from people who don't have the same taste for foods that I do -- this was one of those places. If I wanted mediocre sushi, I could have just gone to HEB.] read more

Had never been to a place like this before so I have nothing to compare it to. Anyway I loved this place!!! The food was good, I left full, and the guy making our food was very entertaining!! read more

Ichibon - Japanese Near Me - Houston, Texas

I love Ichibon! Great hibachi salmon steak and filet mignon!! They also have good sushi, too. I'm a little disappointed in the amount of veggies that are now being served with the hibachi ... Seems like the portion keeps getting smaller and smaller, and sometimes it's only onions, which is great if I want to walk around with bad breath for the remainder of the day. This is why they are getting 4 stars and not 5 (the lack of veggies, not the fact that I walk around with bad breath after eating nothing but onions...LOL). They have a full bar. Their dirty martini's are simply not good, so don't bother. Their wine list is decent. They will not seat you unless your entire party is there, so be forewarned! read more

I must say this place is very cool it's local and very convenient if you live in the Clearlake/Webster,Tx area. The cooks are pretty amazing the food is delicious each time it's cooked. When you walk in your greeted and most of the time there's no wait or if there is it's not for long. There's also a bar to seat at if you want to have drinks and wait. Restrooms are clean and kept up I will say a restroom says a lot about a restaurant too me if they not keeping up with that what else aren't the keeping up with. As you eat your food and finish there's someone coming by to clean up and get any food off the table or floors to keep up with cleanliness. To me that's a big plus cause I like to eat at a clean establishment again it says a lot about a place. I recommend if your in the area you stop by and visit this place. read more

Pleasantly Surprised, Huge Portions I stopped by for an early dinner and wasn't exactly sure what to expect. I knew that Ichibon is part of a small chain, and I've certainly been to a great number of forgettable chains. First, you walk-in past a threshold which features some beautifully made sushi pieces to whet your appetite. After entering the main part of the restaurant, you're cheerfully greeted in Japanese by the hostess and seen to your seat. I decided to sit in a booth with my partner. Our drink orders were quickly taken and a complementary cabbage-salad-style dish was brought out. It was much nicer than the traditional fried chips and orange sauce that usually serves as an appetizer. We both decided to go for the bento box, of which a huge plus was being able to sample more of the menu and having options to personalize your box. The miso soup was good, a bit thicker and more opaque than others I've had, but still good. The sushi I had was just great, tightly rolled and nicely cut. I thoroughly enjoyed just about everything, except for the fried whole vegetables, which stymied me a bit - they included a piece of asparagus, a slice of potato, and a piece of carrot that were all deep-fried. Aside from that, it was a tasty, traditional bento with plenty of food. In fact, both my partner and I took the better part of both our bentos home with us. Better yet was that both of us had a massive dinner for a mere $34. We'll definitely be back. read more

The people - The staff at this location is very professional and attend to you in a very quick manner. I don't have to wait for a drink or anything I ask for when I come to this location. The food - It's not on the menu, but you must try the Alfredo Roll. It's a great crab roll, which will make you want to eat another one. I usually eat the Hibachi steak and shrimp and have to give the rice an A++. I ate the panko shrimp and it was good, but I think I'll stick to my Hibachi steak and shrimp next time i return. read more

Also a fan of $1 sushi Wednesday. The sushi is good and fresh, the service is attentive (which is a challenge since it's increasingly popular and busy), and the atmosphere is naturally a little on the loud side so it's fine if you have kids or a rowdy group. Caveats: Not all the sushi is on the $1 menu (for instance, the very tasty Ichiban roll, their specialty, isn't usually available) so if you want something exotic you'll have to pay more, but it's great if you want to bring someone to try sushi for the first time. Also, beverages are expensive; even a juice is $3. Clearly that's where they make up revenue they lose on discounting the sushi, so again, if bringing kids, have them bring their juices from home. read more

Great food! I particularly liked the jinya roll. Also the pieces of sushi they serve are a pretty good size. I'm not really sure why, but Yelp doesn't advertise that they also do $1 sushi for Sunday lunch (I think from 11:30-4 if I'm not mistaken). Also they have happy hour prices from 3-7pm every day of the week excluding holidays. It made for a really cheap meal. I'd been wanting to try this place on their $1 sushi Wednesday dinner nights, but it's super busy then. I went at 3pm on Sunday and it wasn't too crowded. I was seated right away, but the food seemed to take a really long time to come out. Other than that, I'd come again for the fresh sushi and great rolls! read more

Ichibon - Japanese Near Me - Houston, Texas

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So, Dave, I'm not one to complain usually. I'm very understanding of human error. However, I have never been treated the way I was at your restaurant after getting served spoiled food!! You didn't have the common courtesy to come out and talk to me! 2 of my family members are in the service industry and both of them told me their restaurant would have offered me that free meal that was offered (I didn't ASK for it, it was offered!), and maybe even a gift certificate or free drinks also! Most places go over the top when they've made a mistake. Your lackluster attitude towards your customers will be your demise. Your apology was not heart felt. I might add that any price paid for SPOILED food should be compensated for greatly! It wasn't like the order was wrong or cold, the food was SPOILED!! So you didn't give me fresh food, wouldn't refund my money, argued with me through your staff and then apologized via yelp! I've eaten many a meal at this location and have noticed all the regular staffers have gone in the last few years. That says a lot about your establishment right there! Employees don't leave bad jobs, they leave bad bosses! Your food quality and customer service is in the toilet now. Too bad, I have a lot of fond memories from there. read more

I've always wanted to try this Hibachi grill near me and when I did I wasn't that impressed as I thought I would be. I'm still giving it a fair rating because of the good fried rice only. The restaurant has a mushy smell soon as you walk in. And I came in around 5:30pm where there were only a group of 4 and myself and a friend. Too pricey for the not so impressive ambiance and staff. read more

No weekend lunch specials and small portions compared to dinner when paying full price. Pay full price to upgrade white rice to fried rice which is stupid since the prices are already high. $3 to upgrade.... some chefs are much better than others and you don't know what you'll get read more

Everything from my previous review still holds except now I've been here enough times to bump this review from 4 stars to 5 stars! You just can't beat $1 sushi night and $2-3 appetizers that are consistently filling and delicious! It's crazy that you can make a full meal at a sushi place for only $15 but Ichibon does it and it's great! read more

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My 12 yr old son treated me for my special bday dinner!...great service,and awesome food.but this time i had a little treat from a very sweet man next to us,he offered to buy my drink...how awesome is that?..its nice to know kind people still exist!..thank u very much!!!and thank u to my baby boy!..i love you more than air! read more

Ichibon - Japanese Near Me - Houston, Texas

Awful experience!! I almost choked on what looked like two pieces of a stainless steel heavy duty wire sponge material. It came out of my Ichibon chicken dinner and ended up stuck on my bottom teeth. All the server said was we apologize and brought another plate out. I could have literally chocked. On another note, they were out of Siracha sauce. Will not return. read more

I've been going to the nasa locations for a long time it's so sad that it closed down.. still one of my top 3 places to dine on sashimi for a dollar on wednesday! Recommend the jalapeño roll here since I've tried it at other places that were just okay. The service is always great 10/10 read more

Ok let me start by saying that I've been to this ichiban quite a few times with my friends and family and I order takeout for lunch all of the time! Well today I called and spoke with a gentleman who was very short with me over the phone (which I ignored at first) and while I appreciated his patience during the call because my Mgr changed her mind about her order during the call. However since she couldn't decide right away I told the guy that I'd call him back and his response was "thank you". In writing "thank you" seems fine but his tone was like I annoyed him although I was very kind to him during our conversation. I picked the food up and told the guy that he was pretty rude on the phone and his answer was "how". I didn't get to answer him because he walked away to the register. Another person took our payment and was very polite. While leaving I asked to speak with the Mgr and it was the guy that took our payment! (He'd heard the whole conversation and did not say anything. ) I again addressed my concerns with him which seemed pointless because he rushed me off. I was not talking loud causing a scene so I didn't understand why he was so.....uncaring. Anyway, I'm sure financially they don't care that they just lost a loyal customer due to rudeness. read more

Wow, what a Terrible Experience! My pregnants daughters husband is Active Militarily Airforce and the owner would not extend their military discount for her, saying she herself was not active, only her husband is! This is such a terrible disgrace to all military families who sacrifice to serve our country and protect our freedom! I will never again step in this subpar restaurant! #ichibanegretbaymilitarydisprespect, #donteatatichibon, #militarydisrespect. read more

This was a great place food was out of this world and the people who work there are all about make it great for you I would recommend this place to everyone it's that great and I'm very picky read more

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UPDATE! Came back the next day with dad at noon. Same check in process. Greeted immediately. Seated immediately. Same spot as yesterday. Different waitress who was more attentive throughout service. My dad is big on refills and he was pleased. Thanks Lisa! Today I noticed a lot more people ordering drinks. Dad and I opted for Coke and pink lemonade. The lemonade was delicious. Today is $1 sushi for every 3 peices.... I came too early. That's only from 4pm to close on Wednesday and 11:30am Sundays. My dad still ordered a spider roll. It didn't look special nor had a fantastic taste but he enjoyed it.... So did my one year old. No raw fish in the roll. A fully cooked soft shell crab made the roll. The roll I grabbed for baby had lots of crab "mustard". I love crab mustard having just moved from Baltimore, MD (known for their crabs) but this mustard tasted very old so ofcourse I removed all of it. As I was checking in on Yelp a review caught my eye. The review complimented Marco Polo on his technique and show performance. I was just putting my phone down when our waitress said the show was about to start. I turned my head towards the kitchen to see our chef coming out. He introduced himself as Marco Polo. I was too excited. I told him how I read good things about him. He did not disappoint. His show was great. He did the same tricks as yesterday but with much more enthusiasm. Marco also had many other tricks than yesterday. The chef from yesterday was good but Marco clearly had more experience. From listening to him and dad talk Marco has been working here for a number of years. It also helped that Marco was hot with gorgeous dimples The hibachi meal he made for me was excellent. The salmon was cooked perfectly today. My dad was however disappointed with the chicken because he said it was dryer than he had hoped. Like me yesterday, my dad seen it being overcooked but said nothing...So his fault (dad is a chef--I love his food). If I had him yesterday I would have gave 5 stars. I will be back again! ps... The creepy bathroom Christmas doll was not in the restroom. Came in an hour after open (noon) and was greeted immediately. The host asked if we wanted to sit in the Hibachi area or regular. I realized I was faced with an unexpected decision and with a couple behind me I knew I had to think quick. Hibachi ofcourse (we want to see the show). We were seated immediately by a grill of our own (two adults and one year old). Our server took our drink order shortly after (there are hard drink options as well). The tables are seated for 10 for one grill and 10 for the grill on the other side of us. Our neighbors were already seated and their show began. The three of us were caught off guard by the start of the high flames and continued to enjoy our neighbors show watching all of their excitement. I ordered a jalapeño roll to share. Mom thought it was good but opted for only one piece... I tore it up. That was until I got the one jalapeño that held all the spice! My mouth literally had flames coming out. I chewed ice. I held lemonade in my mouth (the acid didn't help-but still better than nothing). I ate rice and repeated those steps until back to normal. I'm also not sure if I scooped up some unresolved wasabi from my soy mix but it was extreme hot.... The roll was still delicious I would order again My mom laughed the whole time and baby was confused. Our server Julie served the food pretty quick but was lacking in the drink refill department. I just so happened to stop eating sushi roll to wait for her and ask for my drink before the hot bite of flames thank Goodness. The salmon was good but was a bit over cooked (I sat and watched it get over cooked while thinking 'is he over cooking it' so yes I blame myself). Baby loved the flame show and all the hoopla of the show. I'll definitely be back with more peeps. read more

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Love the place. Nice waiters, had fun with the family. Delicious food. My dad who doesn't like "playing with his food" enjoyed every minute of it. Would recommend anyone who wants a Hibachi cooking experience. read more

My favorite place for date night! Best fried rice. We enjoy the Philadelphia roll (yes we are sushi wimps), the tempura shrimp, the salad...oh the salad!!!! My mouth is watering just thinking about it. The veggies and chicken and steak are staples for me too. My husband really enjoys the shrimp! We always enjoy ourselves. I love that they have goldfish for my kiddos too. They love to "go fishing" with their chopsticks. read more

I cannot LIE once you have been to one you have been to them all. Only reason this place receives a 3 star rating from me is because they actually fired up the stove during lunch time just for me, I was accustom to the chef only "performing" for parties of 3 or more. read more

This is one of my favorites when it comes to Hibachi or Sushi restaurants in the area! Whether you choose hibachi or traditional seating you can't go wrong! This is a pretty typical Japanese style menu, but overall I have been impressed (for years, I would add) with the quality of ingredients. The first course salad is not to be missed- does not add much nutrition but the dressing and little crunchies on top are craveable! read more

Worst service ever. Waited for almost an hour for an order that was "15 min". If I could give zero stars I would

Took my son for his 18th birthday. We had a great time. Our First time here! Hot green tea was delicious. Our chef (Marco Polo) was very funny. We had another family sitting with us. They had been there several times but still participated with him. We had hibachi shrimp, Terayki shrimp & chicken they were very Good, but Honestly the rice and veggies was delicious. We plan on coming back to try the sushi bar. read more

Love this place !! My fav drink is Moscow mule. The food is all delicious. The starter salad has ginger dressing, crunchy shredded noodle and crab meat. The appetizers are delicious and the sushi is the best !! The hibachi is enough for 2. Bento box is great for sharing as well. It's all delicious food. You can't go wrong!! read more

I ordered a couple rolls and an order of the chicken teriyaki a couple days ago and when I say this is the worst sushi, chicken and fried rice I've ever had... I'm not exaggerating. First of all the fried rice tasted like rice tossed around in straight oil and soy sauce.. the sushi was bland and they forgot the sauce that goes on top of the shaggy dog. This is my first and last time eating at this location. I don't eat fast food but I would rather enjoy McDonald's before having another meal here. read more

The decor is so outdated here but the food is good. We received subpar service on our most recent visit but that's not typical. They have a decent happy hour. Worth checking out for the hibachi but not the best sushi around. read more

The food would be a lot better if the sauces were decent. Yum yum sauce is a suggestion. Very average

I absolutely love this place! We've been coming to this location for a very long time and the food is always delicious. You can also get cheap sushi on certain days of the week! We double date here every so often with some friends and always leave full and happy. The service is usually pretty good. We prefer to skip the hibachi experience since it's that "if you've seen one, you've seen them all" sort of thing, though it's fun with bigger groups. The regular prices aren't the cheapest but they also aren't the most expensive, and for what you pay, you get large portions. I love to order the Combination Dinner with double steak and no mushrooms because I always have leftovers to take home... The veggies and fried rice are SO good! Overall, great food and good service. We will definitely keep coming here. read more

The food itself tastes great! The quality of the show depends on how experienced the chef is...we have had AWESOME and this last time the guy was somewhat clumsy. I also didn't like the fact that he used the SAME KNIFE to cut the semi raw chicken, beef and salmon :-/ But wutevs, it tasted great and the service has always been spot on! Also 2.00 Sake Bombs....need I say more? read more

Ichibon - Fried ice cream! - Japanese Near Me - Houston, Texas