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    JMK Nippon

    3.4 (272 reviews)
    Closed 11:30 am - 2:00 pm, 4:30 PM - 10:00 PM

    JMK Nippon Photos

    JMK NIPPON ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Classy
    Moderate noise
    Good for kids
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - JMK Nippon

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    Charlotte B.

    I have been here a few times and have always had a great experience so wanted to come back! The ambiance is lovely with the fish at the entrance. We sat at our grill for a while before anyone came and took our drink orders. We both ordered the filet mignon and fried rice. Our filet was cooked to order and was tasty. The veggies were good as well, but we wish the fried rice had more ingredients and flavor. Our drinks were good as well. We enjoyed the service once they came to us. Our chef was talented as well. I would come back!

    Sashimi Bento Box
    Yining D.

    Really peaceful, quiet restaurant. The way it was designed, makes you feel like you're eating in a Japanese garden. The prices for the food is a bit high, especially since some of the items are hit or miss. Miso soup was good, but a little salty. The salad was a bit too sour for my taste. The California roll and the sashimi were delicious. Every cut of fish was fresh and buttery. And I really liked the fried white fish with tonkatsu sauce. The shumai was a bit bland and didn't really stand out to me. Overall, $60 is quite a lot for 2 bento boxes for lunch. The service was a bit slow as well. I had to call over the waiter quite a few times because he wasn't checking in on our table to take our order and give us our check. There's plenty of parking around the restaurant so you won't have issues there. Restrooms were kept nice and clean. I came here because there were quite a few reviews on Google that were quite high, however the yelp reviews are more accurate for this restaurant.

    Japanese style grill cooking
    Philip C.

    JMK continues to be a favorite for birthdays and special occasions. The cooks are skilled and entertaining. The restaurant has all the high end decorations from Japan. The tables are for eight and you can either have a whole table or join another's if there are not 8 in your party. I have been coming to JMK for over 30 years. They have continued to improve the facilities and menu. They also offer carry out and a more casual cafe if you don't want the show.

    Shinobi With Kampyo Maki And Vegetable Tempura Roll
    Steve A.

    Contemporary sushi place in Rockford, probably the best place in town to get it. It can be described as classy yet casual, with a pretty nice exterior and interior featuring ponds and the like. JMK Nippon is a longtime favorite for Japanese cuisine, mostly known for the steak and sushi. For sure it's not cheap, but it's not too expensive mostly. This is one of those restaurants that opens for lunch, and closed for a bit before dinner with expanded menu options. At lunch is usually a good time to come. It has a big enough menu for most people. There's already a lot to look through. Also cocktails. Lots of great ones of these. It's about $15 for the cheapest cocktails. The Shinobi is among the ones we got the last time. It's made with amaretto, fruit punch, and Southern Comfort. The sushi is why we came though. It's about $4 for the cheapest. The Kampyo Maki has gourd strips. It's about $6 for the slightly bigger choices. The Vegetable Tempura Roll has various battered vegetables rolled up. Also there's signature rolls that can get expensive. These are the ones with sashimi and that kind of stuff. Great place for many choices of Japanese cuisine. It's got the hibachi grill where they cook stuff in front of you, if not getting any of the sushi. There's many choices of seafood, as well as many things for vegetarians.

    Chef starting to cook
    Tammy S.

    We were there with a rather large group with a lot of moving parts and several birthdays being celebrated of multiple ages so I won't judge them on the celebration singing. Our server was outstanding however others in our group at the next table over were not as fortunate as their server was not friendly or efficient. Our server and chef did fantastic at making sure our orders were cooked and served correctly. The parking is free and plentiful & the place is totally handicap accessible which is greatly appreciated. We ordered the dinner for 2 which came with soup, salad, shrimp appetize, steak, chicken and either shrimp or scallops, vegetables and white rice however you can get fried rice for an up charge. The drinks were very good and served quickly and kept full.

    Rob M.

    JMK is a tougher one to review. No doubt it is a decent place for dinner and one of the more popular spots in town, but it always comes down to meeting the expectation level Pros: +Definately one of the more unique places one can go. The whole "cook it in front of you" thing is always a fun experience. There are traditional dining tables and sushi options if you want a different experience +Generally pleased with the menu and service +The sushi presentation is pretty solid +Always good ambience for a date night +Convenient location Cons: -Probably a good idea to do reservations. Busy nights are a dice roll -More expensive option in town -Is food quality up to par with the expectations and price? Not frequently enough in my opinion. Fried rice I got last time was really meh, and flavors have not always been impressive Bottom Line: Honestly I'd rate JMK at a 3.5, but they have more misses than a restaurant of their caliber should have. I visit a couple times a year. At least half of my visits have been kinda "meh" in recent years. I am holding them to a higher standard. They need to take it up a notch on consistent quality to reach 4 or 5 stars at the kind of price we are paying.

    Dragon Roll, California Roll without Masago Roll, Spider Roll, Alaskan Roll
    Bailey P.

    We came early on a Sunday afternoon right when they opened at 4pm. The parking lot looked packed but the actual restaurant felt pretty empty. We started with miso soup which always hits the spot. We also ordered the dragon roll, California roll, spider roll, and Alaskan roll and I would rank them in that order. The dragon roll came on its own plate, tasted great, and deserves extra presentation points. Unfortunately, the other three rolls where just alright. They all tasted pretty dry and bland to me. The service was good and the place seemed nice and clean. I think next time I would opt for a bento box or the hibachi.

    Shrimp tempura and sashimi entree
    Angie W.

    4.5 stars Full disclosure- I worked at JMK Nippon way back in 1987 (old location). While visiting Rockford, I went with my daughter and an old friend for dinner on a Monday night. I had a mixed drink that was good albeit a bit weak on the alcohol. I ordered shrimp tempura with sashimi. I chose the onion soup thinking it would be like the old days. It was a bit too salty and oniony so I would recommend the miso soup instead. The salad was good. The ginger dressing is a little different now - almost a cross between a more vinegar base with a little bit of mayo-base. Still good. The sashimi was great. Good selection. Tempura was tasty though I couldn't eat it all. My friend enjoyed a grilled fish entree. The server was attentive. The restaurant is beautiful. Very large. I was a bit surprised. Can't speak on the hibachi side but that was all they had back in '87. Wasn't able to catch the owner (my previous boss's son for whom the restaurant is named). Glad I came by.

    Lunch menu for hibachi
    MaryDan H.

    This is one of my favorite hibachi restaurants. Since I live sort of far away it's always a treat to eat here. Due to Covid-19 you had to make a reservation. Luckily they were able to get me a reservation close to my desired time. We noticed that the lunch prices were really reasonable and they give you so much food. I think I had another whole meal out of my lunch meal. My husband had the hibachi steak and I had the hibachi calamari steak. We both had the optional fried rice, which in my opinion is a must-have at any hibachi restaurant. At lunch you get your choice of a salad OR soup which is fine, as my husband only wants soup and I prefer their salad. Everything about our meal: from the appetizers, to the chef show, to our entrees were stellar!! Their fried rice stands out as one of the best, still after all these years. My husband loves their ginger sauce so much that I asked at reception if I could buy some to go. Sure enough for around 8 bucks I was able to purchase a 16 oz container of their homemade ginger sauce. It was so delicious and made some of my homemade meals all the better. I can't say enough awesome things about this restaurant, it's one of my favorites for sure.

    Sushi glass case dirty.

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    9 months ago

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    1 year ago

    Our favorite place! Never disappoints. Dinner for two is the best. Love the sushi too!

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    2 years ago

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    1 year ago

    I love going for lunch and getting the sushi!! Good prices and the staff has always been good to us!!

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    1 year ago

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    5 years ago

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    1 year ago

    JMK Nippon is one of my families favorite places for hibachi and sushi. We each have a roll we like.

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    4 years ago

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    1 year ago

    The food has no flavor, It's so bland. A little seasoning goes a long way. Service was good but the food was not it.

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    5 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Best hibachi in Rockford. Excellent service! The inside is so cool. The food is fabulous! I 100% recommend!

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    2 years ago

    Absolutely love the quality of their food and the service they offer when you dine in! Perfect place to go when you want to dress up!

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    Ask the Community - JMK Nippon

    Do they deliver?

    As of 5/24/20 they do! FYI, they didn't do delivery before Covid, so I assume they'll stop after… Read more

    Could I bring birthday balloons into the restaurant?

    I am sure you can.... may have to tie them to the chair arms so they can't float up into the hood vents. Call and ask if you are worried!

    View All 3 Questions

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    JMK Nippon - japanese - Updated May 2026

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