We celebrated Mother's Day at Japanica. Our group of five adults did the hibachi dinner. Our reservation was for 6:00, and when we arrived we were told it would be a few minutes. We were sat around 6:30. I understand they were busy and it is a holiday, so no biggie. We ordered our drinks and we got the soup and salad pretty quickly. Unfortunately we had to wait about 45 more min for our hibachi service to begin. Again, I understand it's busy and a holiday, but communication on wait time would have been appreciated. It looked like there were only two chefs for the entire hibachi section. Also, while we were waiting for the hibachi chef, our server never checked back in on us. We would have liked to order more drinks or maybe an appetizer. Our hibachi chef was super kind and entertaining. However, one consideration for the future is for the chefs to ask or explain before tossing the zucchini pieces or spraying water. I understand that's part of the fun for most guests, but we were with someone from another country and she was very startled and didn't understand what was going on. As a result, she got a few pieces of zucchini on her cute outfit and she was bummed about it. The food was good and I appreciated the cute decorations in the restaurant. Our group did agree our entrees could have had less soy sauce as it was a little salty. read more

Japanica - Sushi Bars Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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This has kind of become our NYE tradition, it is so fun, delicious and family friendly. We were seated with another party at the Hibachi table. We started the night having a drink at the bar while our table was being set up. I had the plum wine and hubby had a pina colada. For our meals, I had the filet mignon and scallops and he had the filet mignon and lobster tail. It was excellent. I will post some pictures but take notice, if you eat on the hibachi side of the restaurant an 18% gratuity is automatically added to the bill. (it is clearly noted) read more

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Good place to go when you want dinner and a show. The hibachi Chicken lunch special is a decent size and delicious. The crab Rangoon was good also. The food didn't take long after ordering to come out. The salad and soup that come with most entrees gets you ready for the main course. read more

Japanica - Hibachi Chicken lunch special - Sushi Bars Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Food was very good. Service was good and fast. Very casual atmosphere to have lunch with friends. The water did taste funny but server was good about switching the drinks out. read more

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Japanica had a great ambience , just what you'd expect from a classic hibachi spot, with laughter, sizzling sounds, and bursts of fire coming from the grill. We waited around 30 minutes to be seated, but we didn't mind at all. The energy of the place and the chefs' performances made the time go by fast. Once we sat down, the service was good and the food quality was excellent. Everything was fresh, flavorful, and cooked perfectly. Overall, it was a fun and satisfying experience worth the wait. read more

Japanica - Sushi Bars Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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would not recommend this place at all. the food is not good, the customer service is awful. I should have saw the red flag when I walked in and the place was empty. dont waste your time or money here read more

Honestly, this was one of my least favorite hibachi places I have tried, and I've had a lot. There was no waiting when we came in, which was nice. They had a lot of tables and space. We were a smaller group, so it was easier to get a seat. Our drink and food orders were taken quickly, and the chef came to the table quickly. It started strong. I noticed some dried-up leftover rice and food pieces on the grill when we sat at the table. I expected the chef to clean it off before cooking. He quickly wiped the grill, but some pieces remained. I was immediately grossed out when he plopped the tray of rice on the grill and pushed it to the side with the dried-up pieces of rice from the last meal. I couldn't stop thinking about it the rest of the time. The food wasn't bad, but it wasn't good. The rice had way too much soy sauce, and the grain of rice threw me off, too. It wasn't the generic rice used in making fried rice. As a chef, I was a little disappointed as it wasn't right. The steak and shrimp were pretty good. Another downside was the waiter never came by the table (nor did I see him) during the meal; I was out of water, and another guest was out of drinks. It wasn't until we were getting our checks that he got us a refill. At that point, I didn't need it. Unfortunately, this isn't somewhere I would dine again, but it was nice to try. read more

We used to go here regularly with the original owner years ago. The food and service has declined over the years since it was sold. Tonight was the worst it has ever been! We ordered hibachi from the menu but not at a table (don't need the show...just the food prepared that way). It was salty, the chicken was like rubber and had bone slivers, shrimp was mushy, fried rice tasted like old oil and has no veggies or egg. The ginger sauce was inedible! We informed the waitress and manager. They offered and brought more shrimp which really was not any better. Very disappointing for a $36+ dish! They used to have greater than a 30 min wait...easy to understand why at 5:30 on a Fri night they only had 3 tables! There are several other choices so we will pick one of those and maybe give another try next year. So bummed and disappointed! read more

Made a Hibachi reservation for 12ppl at 7:30PM on a Saturday night (called in the reservation 5 days prior to our going in). Explained that we might have 14ppl and would let them know right away upon getting there if there would in fact be 14 of us. Once we arrived, we explained there were 14 of us. Staff barely acknowledged us and we stood around in the main entry (about 20mins) until one of us suggested we wait in the bar area. Our group happily waited in the bar area but when we tried ordering drinks, staff told us to wait until we were sat at our table. We waited. And waited. And waited, we watched other ppl get sat and eat and enjoy their nights. I checked in with staff a couple times and inquired about our table. Staff was rude and snippy. I explained that we were supposed to meet with other friends after dinner and we needed to keep somewhat to our timeframe (which is why we made a reservation). We were finally sat at 8:50PM and by then a couple from our group needed to leave, and a few ppl we were going to meet after dinner came to meet us at the restaurant as they had been waiting for us. Once sitting at our table, we waited for waters and drink order to be taken, which finally happened at 9:15. Members from our group then told the chef it was my birthday. He, in turn, gave me a blowup foil Monkey crown. I've never been one to be sensitive about race but, overall I couldn't help but be offended. Most of our group was minority, we were brushed off and talked down to, then the monkey crown took the cake. Never returning there and wouldn't recommend it for others. Unless you want to support a business by bringing a huge party in and being treated like a bother. We would've left and gone somewhere else but, where do you go with 14ppl, last minute on a Saturday? Definitely ruined the birthday vibe. read more

Japanica - Monkey crown given to Black birthday girl. - Sushi Bars Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

I like to do try a new restaurant each week and I was craving calamari so I stopped by for lunch. To my surprise for a strip mall location it was spacious with hibachi tables, tables, booths, sushi bar and semi private room in the front. I was promptly seated with a menu and yes fried calamari is on the menu and I would have some and a random roll of some sort. The dynamite roll sounded good with eel, salmon, crab with spicy powder. Me lunch came quickly and looked good. The fried calamari was big breaded rings with a crunchy coating and satisfied my craving with that sweet/creamy seafood flavor. The dynamite roll was pretty good with a nice seafood flavors and the nice textures of the soft raw seafood with the denser sticky rice. I never really use any dipping sauces or soy sauce because I want the natural flavors of my food to shine so I can't tell you if the dipping sauce was any good or not. I used to rarely eat sushi and not because I don't like it but my growing love for calamari is finding me eating more sushi which is not a bad thing. I have no complaints at all because my service and lunch was very good. read more

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We had planned to go to another resturant but there was a long wait, so we decided on Japanica. Very disappointed! The food is not of high quality, the chicken was not fresh, it was overcooked. They didn't have bean sprouts, so they you favor instead. My husband's steak was not a good quality beef. And our drinks were unacceptable...NEVER GOING BACk! read more

took my 15 year old niece out for a girls night to Japanica. I have always enjoyed the atmosphere and service prior to this one experience during COVID. The staff was extremely nice as always. We were seated right away. However, our table was not clean. There was left over rice crusted on the table top and the side by the wall was drenched with water. I had kindly asked if we could get the table clean before we are being served. The waitress apologized and asked if we were ok with moving to another table, which we did. The next table we sat at wasn't much better. The table was sticky and had leftover food crusted on the top of the table. I didn't want to be bothersome. Luckily I carried santiwipes and cleaned it myself. We ordered the sushi for two. It came with two soups and two salads with a variety of sushi. The food was great until we ate the pickled ginger. It had a very strong mildew taste to it. We decided to eat without the pickle ginger. Overall our first experience eating out during this trying time was a fail, it was a bit expected especially during this trying time. We appreciate the staff moving us to a different table but again the next wasn't any better. Kudos for trying though. I think if Japanica wants to survive during this pandemic, they should better their sanitary and cleanliness more than they were before. read more

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Service is always quick, and food quality is consistent. The teriyaki is delicious, as well as their hibachi. I have finally ordered from Japanica for the first time in over a year since going strictly gluten-free. I ordered pickup over the phone and they were very helpful in figuring out what could be made gluten-free or not, they also give gluten-free soy sauce. read more

Service and entertainment at the hibachi table has always been great and the food never disappoints.

I love hibachi and I was excited to try this place out. The fried rice was really good, the service was well done as well. But the meat was SUPER salty. I couldn't finish any of my food and only had a couple bites because of how much soy sauce the chef added. He was also very very low energy. Usually when you pay for hibachi you get a little bit of entertainment but our chef didn't do anything other then just cook and leave so we were a little bummed. Also do NOT order the sashimi, it was downright gross. Smelt and tasted off, I would stay far away from it. I wouldn't go again which is a shame since I do love hibachi read more

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The best hibachi I have ever had. Always consistent, fresh, perfect texture and taste, and a nice serving. The chefs here are friendly, entertaining, and very talented. Their yum yum sauce is amazing. I have tried many hibachi restaurants and this one takes the stake always. I recommend to everyone! They are a bit busy, even during the week, so reservations are always a must for us. Each hibachi table sits 8-9 people per side. read more

Japanica - Sushi Bars Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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I went to Japanica about a month ago with my friend. They followed all safety protocols in terms of COVID. The service was super friendly and the sushi was very good. I'd definitely go back! read more

Japanica - Sushi Bars Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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AVOID AT ALL COSTS. The only good thing here is the drink menu. We wanted to try the new kpot next door but it was a 2 hour wait so we came to Japanica. There was no sense of order while we waited in line to check in. No one was acknowledged and we waited for about 20 mins to be seated. We sat at a table with no grill because it was quicker to be seated there then wait for a grill table. The drinks were amazing and so was our waitress. We waited a long time for a food and when it finally came it was ice cold. I told the waitress and all they did was microwave it. Waste of $40. Wish I read the reviews before coming here when other good restaurants are right near by. read more

One of the first Japanese places in Milwaukee area. The Hibachi Tables are always fun if you have a birthday or special occasion. The food is top notch. I always think I want something different but can't help getting Hibachi as it is so awesome. You do not have to sit at the Hibachi tables to have Hibachi either, you can order it off the menu. They have all sorts of items. They even have nice cocktails for after work gatherings with friends. Their appetizers are nice and reasonably priced too! read more

It could always be worse Went here for a birthday hibachi dinner with a small group of friends. After waiting forever for a table we were finally seated. We were promptly served drinks but then watched as tables seated after us had their dinners made on the flat top. When it was finally our turn, non-hibachi entrees for our group were served but the chef determined the grill was apparently not hot enough so he disappeared without a word. Threre was another grill in our area, and another group was then taken care of by another chef. Two hours after we arrived, with no food in sight, we ditched our party. I was super excited after reading some good reviews of Japanica. For us, it was a total fail. read more

Service was horrible. It wasn't that busy and our server was very mean. Didn't really answer any of our questions. Seemed like he just wanted us to order, pay, and leave. read more

Unfortunately, this restaurant has some wear and tear regarding decor that needs repair. Our sushi specials were not the freshest tasting. The pineapple in my bento was comprised. My tongue tingled, a sign of spoilage. My Ikura was sticky and on the verge of being bad. We went to Kyoto, our fav, but there was a wait. We learned a lesson. I did not get sick, but I can't lie. I was worried for 6 hours... read more

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I was a little sus after reading some of the recent reviews, but decided to try it for myself. I ordered the millennium roll, spicy crab roll, xmas roll, and a side of noodles. I was kind of upset about the spicy crab roll being $8 since it's literally just imitation crab and spicy mayo, but after looking at how reasonable the special rolls were i was okay with it and ordered it anyways. The xmas roll was by far my favorite, very good and fresh tasting and a pretty good size for a specialty roll. Overall, the sushi wasn't bad, but the millennium and spicy crab rolls were pretty small. Usually i can eat about two full rolls in a sitting and i almost ate all three and some noodles. the noodles were soooo greasy and super sweet! they were very strange and i did not eat very much. I think I would rather go to Jin's right down the street.. better sushi and they have all you can eat! read more

Japanica - L to R: millennium roll, spicy crab roll, X-mas Roll, side of noodles - Sushi Bars Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Japanica is one of my go-to sushi joints. In the area, it is definitely preferred. And on one of my recent visits I was so happy with how much fish they pack into a roll. It's pretty exceptional. Their saki menu is a bit lacking from what I can remember (haven't been there after hours in some time!). I usually go for a weekday lunch these days so then it's only a focus on the food! For lunch, there is a fantastic roll special that includes both a soup and salad along with either a two or three roll option. The spicy salmon and spicy tuna are usually my choices. Again, it is not a typical roll "special" that has more rice than fish. I'd recommend coming here - Especially for lunch when they have some worthy specials! read more

A-ok sushi. We came for sushi lunch. Pretty standard options. My BF and I both ordered the 3 roll lunch special. Soup and salad are included. Reasonabley priced and comparable with other restaurants in the area. I felt the sushi was pretty typical and standard fair and my boyfriend thought it was lacking a little. I think the draw here is the hibachi. Even though it a Friday afternoon many people were at the habachi tables enjoying the food and show. Overall a decent spot to enjoy Japanese cuisine. read more

Japanica - Sushi Bars Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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Worst Service in my life. But I got my salad and soup right away. In the end it took a half-hour get my food. I hade the hibachi vegetable meal with tofu. And I sat at the big table. It was pretty good. read more

The worst service of my life, they got our order wrong and when they present the incorrect food we corrected them and the waitress sent the chef out who yelled at us. After all that they still brought the wrong order out again and billed us for an even more expensive meal. The manager was no help, he just took a phone call during our explanation and walked away. TERRIBLE read more

We went there as a last minute decision. I loved the place. We did not do the hibachi as there was only the two of us and I did not want to hog a hibachi on a weekend night. When we arrived, there were 2 hibachi tables being used, when we left, all were occupied. They sure do know how to have fun at a hibachi. Next time, we will grab a few friends and do the hibachi. Our server was Amy, she was very nice, and friendly. Our food was great. They had the Chicken Teriyaki on special and we both decided to get that. It was served with miso soup and salad prior to the meal and rice with the meal. The teriyaki sauce was so darn yummy. I cannot believe the amount of chicken you get. My only disappointment would be that I like more veggies. The prices are reasonable, lower than other hibachi restaurants we have been to. Definitely worth trying! read more

Japanica - Chicken Teriyaki, so darn yummy. - Sushi Bars Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

I ordered takeout from Japanica yesterday and was horrified to discover a large cooked bug in my meal. This was beyond upsetting and concerning. This goes beyond a fly or a hair, this was a large bug. The worst part is that after all of this, I was not issued a full refund. Very dissatisfied, extremely disgusted, and will not be going back due to concerns with food safety and quality. read more

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I'm allergic to shellfish. So nobody in my group ordered it. They still came out with it as a side even after we told them. I got steak and chicken and asked to have some pieces that I knew weren't touching shrimp but the chef gave me the pieces touching anyways. I've been here before and it hasn't happened to me but this time it did and I ended up barley eating in fear of my allergy. I got a medium steak as well and it was completely undercooked. read more

Japanica - Chicken and Steak Combo Dinner - Sushi Bars Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Worst service and food. Had not been here in years and we thought we would give it a try. Waited over an hour at the hibachi table for the one chef to finally make it to us. Order crab Rangoon appetizers and they were rotten. The inside was just dying oil, runny and disgusting. Don't waste your time or money on this place. read more

Celebrated our anniversary here this afternoon. Food tasted great as usual, but the magic of garlic and butter doesn't always reveal the faults in the food . Next stop was Walmart, and when a fart turned into a shart, that is how we knew just what our Saturday evening was to bring . My wife started complaining about stomach pains after I murdered the family restroom toilet ( men's stall was occupied) so she grabbed some pepto bismo. On the way to the registers, she ran into the ladies room and vomitted. When we left Walmart, speedway was our next destination for some Petro, where she put on a second puke show for the fellow gas-getters as I was pumping some 87. Hello to a beautiful ice storm Saturday night with a side of food poisoning. read more

Japanica - Sushi Bars Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Meal number 3 in our 7 nights 7 different restaurants with 7 different dinner guests. Hibachi done right. Our chef was quite good with his skills in not only preparing our food but also entertaining us along the way. Sushi. Sea scallops, steak, chicken, lobster, shrimp a selection of vegetables served on a bed of rice all simultaneously cooked to perfection right in front of our eyes. Not to mention the flaming volcano, unlimited sake "how long can you keep your mouth open swallowing while the SAKE keeps flowing". Don't spill any it would be a crime to waste it. This is an extremely fun evening each and every time we come. So way not enjoy dinner while you are being simultaneously entertained. A great evening great food great memories. Please stop in soon and check it out. You will have the time of your life! read more

Japanica is pretty "ok". Like: The interior is cute - there are fake trees, little shoji screen booths and parasols hanging from the ceiling. I'm used to sushi places being pretty bare-bones but Japanica has put some effort in. Dislike: this is a HUGE one. There's no real separation between the teppan and the sushi areas - major, major turnoff for me. When I'm eating my raw, I don't want to be smelling fried food and hearing drunk ass fools shouting "sake, sake, sake". Like: The sushi itself was quite good and the rolls are very generously sized. I had a "crazy tuna" (good) and a "crunchy 2 in 1" (there's a reason most of the reviews mention it as it's really good). Dislike: the apps were pretty lackluster. We tried gyoza & wasabi shumai and both were pretty clearly microwaved from a bag. I can get the same stuff at Pacific Produce most likely. Meh. Like: Our service was good & our food came fast. Dislike: It's a little overpriced. The rolls are a few bucks higher than our usual place and the drinks are a little expensive. No refills on soda either as the Mister ended up paying $7.50 for 3 glasses of seltzer. Overall: It's a good option if you are in the area. The service is better than Kyoto but be prepared to hear a lot of noise from the teppan area, especially on weekends. And you're going to smell like deep-fry when you leave. That alone makes me say "probably not" to a return visit. read more

Went here for lunch. It was fine. I had the hibachi tofu, which was a mix of stir-fried veggies, deep fried tofu, teriyaki sauce, and fried rice. I was looking for something lighter and less salty after two horrendous lunches from the previous days. At just $7.50, it was quite filling and satisfying. Nothing to write home about. Service was odd - waiter rushed around, dropping off plates, checks, etc, without a word. It's not like there was anyone else in the restaurant. And we didn't get water refills. Also, the bathroom is supremely nice. read more

We hadn't been her in a long time and it was our first time for lunch because our normal place doesn't open til 4PM on Monday's. At first we were going to do the hibachi but were told it would be a wait. The starters were miso soup which wasn't really hot and a salad which had this weird dressing. I say weird because of the texture. It was lumpy and not that appealing. On to lunch I had the sushi lunch with and eel and avocado roll instead of California roll. The rice was a bit warm because the rolls weren't firm and kind of loose. They still tasted good. The fish was nice and fresh. The hubby had a bento box with teriyaki chicken. It had these really good fried dumplings with shrimp that we ordered a side of. No cold sweet tea either. My daughter's Philadelphia roll was quite good. All in all the service and meal were good as well as the lunch prices. read more

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Our chef was pretty entertaining, but that was about the highlight of it. Food was mediocre, and I ended up with food poisoning afterwards

terrible service. ordered salmon hibachi and they gave me shrimp. when told they messed up the chef and waitress proceeded to yell at us and blame us for the mistake. so instead of giving me my full portion they gave me half and charged me for shrimp and steak. we tried to have them fix the charge because shrimp and steak is significantly more expensive than the salmon, again we were met with yelling and when the manager finally came out to help, he took a phone call in the middle of us trying to explain what happened and went outside. when trying to leave the waitress blocked the door and told us we couldn't leave. awful awful service i would never go back here again. read more

Though it would be considered dead, it was actually a very nice experience. The decor was cute and the lady that helped us was very sweet. We got sushi which was a good choice however, my only considered "issue" was the lack of variety of sushi choices on their lunch specials. Their bathroom was very pretty and has flowers. Will be coming back soon! read more

We decided to do the hibachi for my sister's birthday dinner. It was a Monday night; not very busy at all. There were three of us, and we sat with another party of three (a mom and her two young children). I personally am not a big fan of hibachi (or the whole throwing your food at you / big flames in your face), but it was what my sister wanted. Overall, our chef was very nice and entertaining. I wasn't sure if he normally put on that much of a show, or if it was more for the young children at our table - either way, fun. The food tasted great (besides the miso soup, not my favorite), and the prices were reasonable. read more