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    Ike’s Kitchen

    4.4 (34 reviews)
    ModerateJapanese
    Closed 12:00 pm - 3:00 PM, 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM

    Ike’s Kitchen Photos

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    IKE’S KITCHEN ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Trendy
    Dogs allowed

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    Close-up of the items on the counter.
    Manuel M.

    Rarely do we have a restaurant of this nature making a comeback. But that is precisely what Ike's Kitchen has done. This Japanese popular restaurant that used to be on Electric Road and shut down during the pandemic, to then close down in March 2022, after its owner retired, But it seems that retirement wasn't in the Stars for Chef Ike who had been bringing traditional Japanese cuisine to the Roanoke Valley for over 35 years as Head Chef of other restaurants in the area and then in his own restaurant. It didn't take long for Ike's Kitchen to announce its comeback grand opening at its new location in the Lamplighter Mall off Williamson Road, in Roanoke, Virginia. Located where the old Wonju Korean Restaurant used to be located. With this background and never haven gone to eat at its first location I decided to go try it out today, and to my surprise I was pleasantly surprised to what I discovered. A quaint little cozy restaurant, with a rich menu, wonderful creative Japanese Japanese cuisine, and very friendly servers who provided exceptional customer service to complete an extraordinary dining experience. To start off with I ordered a Hot Green Tea. As appetizer I ordered a Miso Soup and an order of Gyoza. Both tasted amazingly delicious with a unique, one of a kind flavor, that only a Master Chef is able to produce. For my main entrée I ordered a Hibachi Steak medium rare. The meat was so tender and tasty, and the accompanied fried rice with other ingredients had a unique magical taste, that immediately revealed and allowed my to discover the reason for the popularity of Ike's cuisine. For dessert I had the Taiyaki, which was something I had never had before, with a sweet indescribable taste that only the viewing of one of my photographs accompanying this review can do justice. Before leaving I asked my server Rebecca if I could take a peak at the bar of the restaurant which is not yet quite finished and take a couple of photographs to give the readers of my review a sense of how it would look when finished. And of course she graciously complied. Needles to say that while I was eating several groups of people and a couple of individuals came in to dine and they seemed to be regulars of the place. For all of the above mentioned details and more, I am so happy to highly recommend this wonderful restaurant with an amazing Japanese cuisine and give it five stars for an extraordinary dining experience.

    Ike's kitchen
    Eric W.

    I came here craving some Japanese cuisine, and my appetite was definitely satisfied. Food - great, the gyoza was good and the omurice was delicious as well. The omurice does come out rather hot, so be warned. Service - Good, they were very friendly. Parking - They have a small parking lot outside. Overall, this place is great.

    Hanaa K.

    Unfortunately they didn't put in my to-go order so I had to go elsewhere. I did have the tantanmen. Today's wasn't as good as usual. The noodles were slightly undercooked and the soup was a little watery.

    Taiyaki
    Lillian B.

    Got takeout and was WILDLY impressed. When we picked up our order, the service was friendly and helpful! I got the tonkotsu ramen and from the get go the broth was flavorful and delicious, with all the toppings complementing it nicely. My partner got the katsu curry which was warm and comforting. Finishing out the meal with taiyaki which was light sweet and absolutely delightful. I would HIGHLY recommend this place to anyone looking for a bite to eat in Roanoke.

    Dining Room
    Joel B.

    This recently re-opened locally owned Japanese eatery is among the hottest places in town. The staff is happy, kind, and attentive. The restaurant is immaculately clean. The prices are fair and the portions are reasonable. But the real reason to eat at Ike's Kitchen is the fantastic carefully prepared food. I wish I could have tried everything! You can tell when a dish is made with care and love, and from my experience, it appears an immense amount of pride and care go into every dish. The food was a real treat, as was the friendly staff. If you are trying to decide if you should eat at Ike's, there's no deciding that needs to be done, no pros and cons to weigh. Eat here, you won't regret it. I plan on being a regular customer! I'll see you there!

    Beef Gyudon
    Ekaterina I.

    Arrived at 14:00 and asked if it was closed for break. I was greeted by 2 girls that informed me to have a seat anywhere. I sat in the dining room. Which had only one other party of 3. Ordered a water to get started and asked for a few moments to check out the menu. Few minutes later they came back to see if I was ready, with my water. I asked about the pricing of the gyudon and the older girl explained what it was and that it would start at $15. I ordered it and waited roughly around 10 minutes before a gentleman served my food. He was nice and asked if I needed anything else eg. a fork. I said I was fine because I can use the chopsticks that were on the table. After dining in I realized there wasn't any napkins. I was looking to see if I could flag down someone down but they all seem occupied in the kitchen. So I just took one napkin from the front. (Sorry) Finished the meal and was gonna flag down someone to pay when the same waiter caught me and brought the card machine. Overall, it was OK. This is my 3rd time coming back because I really REALLY wanted to like this place. Last 2 visits, while the customer service was nice. The food really lacked flavor. I got a Ramen, and Katsu Curry prior and it had no flavor. Big portion on rice. For $15, I can't really recommend the beef bowl. At least it had more flavor than the ramen and curry! But that's it. Doesn't come with anything else, no miso soup or an egg on it (bummer). How this place gets crazy reviews is beyond me. It has a following so they gotta be doing something right. Maybe I just ordered the wrong dish?

    Shumai
    Denise W.

    Friendly service and delicious food! We lucked out being able to get a table 30 min before closing since they've just reopened. They were busy and had a full house but it wasn't super noisy. They were sadly out of a lot of toppings for the ramen so we'll save trying that when we can get everything we want. For appetizers we ordered the shumai, gyoza, kaarage and takoyaki. Everything came out fresh and hot. The kaarage was nice and crunchy, gyoza had a nice crisp where they were fried but still soft on top. Shumai was freshly steamed and flavorful, takoyaki has a good crunchy outside and steamy inside. We ordered the omurice and the pork katsu curry for entrees. I didn't get a picture of the curry as my husband was too excited to eat it. The pork katsu has a very nice crust while still being juicy inside. Curry was a nice flavor, not too spicy. The omurice was cooked well, the underside of the omelet was ever so slightly runny to ooze into the rice. The rice had a good texture with small pieces of chicken. Overall a great experience, friendly staff, definitely want to be able to make it back to try the ramen.

    Katsudon
    Andrew P.

    The words to express how wonderful this food is exceeds my vocabulary. We walked into a packed restaurant, the area is smaller (11 tables) but it was quiet from everyone eating at the same time, we were seated quickly and offered a booster seat for our daughter. They have a great selection of Japanese cuisine to choose from! We selected the Gyoza and Shumai for our starters and Katsudon and Katsu Curry for our main dishes and we were NOT disappointed; I can't wait to return! Get here early though I'm pretty sure they will sell out throughout the day!

    Tonkatsu Set
    Lindsay S.

    We absolutely love that Ike's is back open in Roanoke, VA. The Japanese food options and prices make this establishment a great option. We recently visited and ordered the Tonkatsu set. The salad was fresh and the ginger dressing was tasty. The miso soup came warm and the pork cutlet was very flavorful. The meal was also served with potato salad which was confusing at first as I had never had potato salad served at a Japanese restaurant. It turns out that it is a very popular dish and was the best potato salad that I have ever had. On the downside, they were down to one chef in the kitchen that night and were not taking any call in orders (we heard this over multiple calls that came in along with the reason). It took about 45 minutes to receive our food which was fine, however, we did wait another 20 minutes or so after we had finished for our check. Meanwhile there were multiple parties waiting for a table. With three servers and a very small restaurant, there were definitely some efficiencies that could be gained. Overall the food was good and the prices were reasonable. We will be back but hope that the staffing issues have been resolved.

    Miso Ramen

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    1 year ago

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    5 months ago

    Great food & atmosphere! Service was also fast & the staff were very nice. Definitely will be going back!

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    2 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    10 months ago

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    2 years ago

    Updated from the previous location, more sophisticated. Nice menu and the dumplings are the BEST!

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    1 year ago

    Some of the best food here in Roanoke in my opinion the restaurant never misses and am always looking forward to coming here

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    3 years ago

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    1 year ago

    Omg the food was sooooooooo good. We came here after a long hike and it was the perfect comfort food we needed.

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    2 years ago

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    2 years ago

    All food and service was great. We love this place. Plenty of choices. great prices. Will be back again.

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    2 years ago

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    2 years ago

    So good! I'm so happy you were able to re-open. The food was amazing. We tried a few new dishes this time and enjoyed everything we ordered.

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    2 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Food is delicious, portions are decent I will definitely be back. Service is good and fast. Friendly staff.

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    3 years ago

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    Ask the Community - Ike’s Kitchen

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    Sakura IX - Salmon Rolls

    Sakura IX

    (128 reviews)

    $$

    Food always hot and delicious. Generous portions. My fave is steak and shrimp hibachiread more

    After reading many online comments about this Asian family-owned restaurant business that…read moreunfortunately had to close down a while ago due to a fire; comments like "I love this place and check every weekend to see if they are back." Comments about how good the food was there, of how when they drive by they missed stopping for sushi and hibachi, of how they really hope they re-open, about how they can't wait to see this place re-open, about their awesome food and awesome people, I myself couldn't help but wonder how special this place must have been to so many members of our community, and to also hope that they renovate it and that they have a successful re-opening real soon. Today, I found out that they indeed did have a re-opening two weeks ago, and as soon as I did, I headed over there to try it out. When I arrived the first thing I noticed was how the restaurant was reasantly painted and had new signs: one on a pole close to Williamson Road, and one of their name with their characteristic red font on top of their roof. Colorful banners also were hanging from the roof to the walls of their front patio, and a red OPEN neon sign was flashing from the front wall of the restaurant. After I noticed the entrance was on the side of the building, I went in. The interior design was simple, yet warm in the minimalist style, with large artworks along the walls of the restaurant. Up front was a long counter starting with the Host's station with a computer and the rest with a Sushi station where two Sushi Chefs were continually making Shushis. A very kind Asian lady host gave me a warm greeting, took me to my table, and handed me the menus. She took my drink order: a glass of Iced Tea. And my appetizer order: a Pork Egg Roll and an order of Coconut Shrimp. The items were so fresh. The Pork Egg Roll was very crispy oh the outside and soft and juicy in the inside. And the Coconut Shrimp was one of the best I've ever had. The batter was light yet crispy so as not to overwhelm the shrimp taste, and the sauce that came with them was amazing. They brou As my main course I had the Teriyaki Filet Mignon and Scallops. It came with fried rice, and they also served me a salad after I finished the appetizers. The Filet Mignon was very tender as well as the Scallops, and cooked just right, just as were the vegetables that came with them: zucchini, onions, and mushrooms. And the Egg Fried Rice was also unbelievably delicious. As I was eating I had the privilege of observing the two Sushi Chefs making the Sushis. They came out as culinary masterpieces and the servers walked by me taking them to the customer'stables.. The view of the sushi made me want to return to enjoy some of them. It was only 5:30pm and the restaurant was already full. I was very impressed with the great numbers of customers and by the efficient customer service they were receiving by the servers, who all seemed to be Asian. My server was also very nice and hospitable. She came to check on me at the appropriate times and even answered me some questions I had about the restaurant and its owner. Even though the restaurant served Japanese Cuisine, the owner, the Sushi Chefs, and some of the servers were Chinese, with the Chefs trained in Japanese Cuisine. At the end I asked my server for the dessert menu. She told me that they didn't have dessert for now because since they opened two weeks ago, the restaurant was so full that they decided to hold on serving desserts for now to accommodate the volume of customers wanting to eat there. I invite the readers of my review to view my photographs accompanying this review to get an even better sense of this outstanding restaurant which I definitely highly recommend and will be returning soon.

    Teppan Express Japanese Eatery - Great meal

    Teppan Express Japanese Eatery

    (13 reviews)

    Located in the Cave Spring Corners Shopping Mall, a modern Strip mall in Cave Spring, Virginia,…read morethis Asian family-owned restaurant business is a Japanese quick-service eatery serving teppanyaki, Ramen, and dunburi in a casual setting. It has plenty of parking in the Mall's parking lot. Inside it has an Anime-Themed mural with contemporary furniture and extremely comfortable chairs and tables in which to eat at. They offer friendly and fast service in a cozy and charming environment. The owner is Chinese but cooks amazing Japanese cuisine and has a great personality. He often brings the food to your table and makes it a point to personally greet and welcome you and get feedback about the food as well as answer questions about any item on the menu. While I was there he even served himself a Ramen and joined his customers eating during a slow period that was unusual. Usually the place was full with at least a couple of parties at the tables and Take Out orders customers coming to pick up their phone orders. I was welcomed and greeted at the ordering counter by a friendly young lady who quickly took my order. I ordered Fried Spring Rolls as appetizer, a Beef and Shrimp Hibachi with a fountain drink as my main meal, and a Mango Mochi Ice Cream, which was unbelievably delicious. Next time I'm definitely trying out their Ramen Soup that looked amazing as all the members of the large party next to me were having. Besides the fact that the food was served in generous portions at reasonable prices, I kind of appreciated the interaction that the Asian Owner / Chef had with me and the other customers. It made for an amazing dining experience like no other before. And so not only do I highly recommend this Asian family-owned restaurant but am already looking forward to coming back.

    Great quick food & the staff is so friendly. Spicy garlic ramen is always good & so is the pho. We…read morealso love the hibachi. Generous portions too. Eat in, take out and delivery are all good!

    Hibachi Express - The Hibachi Steak and Shrimp combination.

    Hibachi Express

    (31 reviews)

    $

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

    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.

    Teppan Japan - Nigiri and Makizushi

    Teppan Japan

    (11 reviews)

    $

    Oftentimes when I have visited the Valley View Mall in Roanoke, Virginia, I have walked by this…read moreJapanese Food Restaurant. The food cooking on the grill has smelt very good and looked very appetizing, but I specifically have gone to the Mall for an errand or needing to purchase something like sneakers, a belt, or a new wallet on sale to replace an old one falling apart. Today, I went with enough time to visit and dine in this restaurant located in the Food Court of the Mall, but with its own dining area inside the restaurant. The place looked very clean, with a beautiful sign lit from behind with light blue glow. I friendly young lady employee who was earlier talking Spanish with the cook took my order. I ordered a Beef and Shrimp Hibachi. As soon as the order was made the cook started cooking the beef on the grill on the right and another lady cook started cooking the rice and vegetables on the grill on the left. When it was ready they handed it to me over the counter and I went and sat at one of the tables inside the restaurant. The food looked good. The beef was sliced in thin slices so it absorbed the seasoning well. However, I don't know if it was because of this, I found it way much too salty. The shrimps were well peeled and nicely cooked on the outside and juicy and tender on the inside. The vegetables were not many but we're under all the rice and meat. In conclusion, I enjoyed the food but next time will make sure to let them know not to make it too salty.

    I eat here often, and a few weeks ago, I got food poisoning, and I suspected this restaurant. Today…read moreI figured I'd try again, but after I purchased my food, I saw a cockroach right on the window where the food is prepared... Very disgusting and shameful. I immediately asked for a refund before they started preparing my food and left. Stay safe!

    Sakura - A fork holding a shrimp from The Steak and Shrimp Hibachi.

    Sakura

    (14 reviews)

    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.

    great service and the food was also very good! Drive thru was pretty fast. I will definitely be…read moreback.

    Ike’s Kitchen - japanese - Updated May 2026

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