We were the first customers when we arrived a little after 6pm. We're greeted by friendly staffs and showed us to non-hibachi table. There's no gluten-free menu, but some items can be prepared gluten-free. Overall our food was ok. On the hibachi entree, it was not as oily as other hibachi place we have been to, and it was not overloaded with sauces. So the flavor was good, but the lobster was on the overcooked side. In terms of requesting gluten-free, the staff was knowledgeable on what could or could not be gluten-free. The bento set has a generous portion of sashimi - came with three kinds of fish, and each has three thick pieces. The tempura could be improved as the coating was a bit soft. More customers were coming around 7pm, and mostly seem to have reservation at the hibachi table. read more

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My word. A start to finish disaster. Four Tito's martini's presented in rocks glasses, INCLUDING the ice. Not Tito's rocks; martini's. We all did have a second round, and mine presented in a water glass! Ice included. The dinner was extremely slow; a Hibachi dinner that took 2.15 hours from seating to out the door. And the food was chunked into sizes way too big, the soup and salad appeared mid dinner service and no one on the wait staff paid any attention to us or the other guests seated at our cook top. One and done. read more

Love the staff. Fried rice is amazing. Food is exactly what you'd expect! Been open in Lake Zurich for over 20 years!

Service was amazing, I got lots of golden shrimp and everyone was so nice. The flavor wasn't my favorite but I wouldn't say no to going again read more

Kobe - Birthday - Japanese Near Me - Lake Zurich, Illinois

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Let me start by saying I have been eating At the Tsukasa of Tokyo for 30 years roughly if I compare the food Kobe taste better. And while food is a large majority of reviews for the taste, there are many other factors that play into my review. We walked in around 6 o'clock on a Friday night and was greeted by one of the waitresses who is wearing her mask we were told to come back in 20 minutes when the chef was ready as he was currently working with another table as I looked around the other tables were completely empty and because they are not a large restaurant there's not a waiting area so to me offering us a table to sit out would have been fantastic. It appears that they only have one cook on staff and one sushi chef on staff which might be why they asked us to come back in 20 minutes but regardless it would've been nice to be able to sit somewhere. As we sat down 20 minutes later the older waitress greeted us and as she was taking our orders she realized that my girlfriend and my daughter were ordering from the appetizer menu and started to make a comment that if someone is not ordering from the hibachi grill that we could not sit at the table luckily enough my son and I planned on ordering this however in 30 years of eating at Tsukasa I have never been told this. The bedside manner of the waitress was not the nicest but I'll overlook that. The chef was phenomenal and very friendly if I could give him five stars I would the food was excellent tasting the issue I have more than anything is the cleanliness of this restaurant. As I was eating the very tasty food I started to observe the sticky floors the liquid all over the wall and the grime in between the cooking stove and the seating area which you can see in my photos below. I understand that every night those stoves get cleaned however from the photos that I have attached there's no way on God's green earth that they have ever deep cleaned the eating area and I can only imagine what the kitchen must look like. If you can overlook cleanliness and semi-rude staff the food is worth it but if you are fearful of what you might be eating off of in the back of the kitchen based on these photos this may not be the spot for you. read more

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Unfortunately our beloved Kobe has started to decline. Service is still friendly, but food doesn't seem to be the same. Our favorite sushi roll was the calamari crunch roll. Last time we ordered it was awful. Although they have done some remodeling, the floors (carpet) is super sticky and gross. Sorry, but have been going less and less. read more

This place is nostalgic AF thanks to many childhood/friend birthday dinners being here growing up. Went back as an adult and it was still good, maybe not as magical as it was as kids but hibachi is always pretty fun. The reservation wasn't even very late but we ended up being the last party there. I think our chef was ready for closing time. They have a full bar but only sugary basic cocktails, beers, and sake listed. Honestly the portions are out of control! We left with so much food I had another full meal for later. Also, if they could avoid showing you how much butter they put into the food that would be preferred. It was a BRICK (or two!) of butter between the 7 of us and it was disturbing. The golden sauce is also very rich and decadent so beware if you are trying to keep it lighter. There wasn't much showmanship this time around but the chef was smart enough to make us take a group photo which I will be eternally grateful for. read more

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[[[[[ GROUPON USERS BEWARE! ]]]] The only reason I went here is because my friend gave me a groupon. I didn't have high hopes after reading other reviews from fellow yelpers. And sadly, they are right... On a weekday, this place is pretty empty... Only two other parties were there when we arrived...We Waited for about 20 mins and i finally ASKED how much longer and chef finally came out after another 10 mins and started cooking... chef Jay was entertaining tho. The food was NOT worth $17-$21 in my opinion (for that price, I'd suggest going to Tsukasa in Vernon Hills. It's A LOT better!) ************The part that ruined my night was the 18% TIP that they wrote on my check. (See picture) I understand if I went with a party of 6 or more, that is fine but it was only ME and a friend. I complained and all they said was this is OUR rule... And after complaining MORE, they said it's because I used a GROUPON so they MUST add the 18% TIP. The waitresses then said "if you dont use groupon, then we dont charge 18% tip" I think that's total BULL because the mom and her daughter who sat in front of us got charged 18% as well and she did NOT use groupon. She too complained as well and said she wasn't coming back. ******************** I have bought groupon to many higher rated and 5 star restaurants and I have NEVER encountered this automatic tip being added. I would've given a better tip if it wasn't "forced" and because of their lame "reasoning" I am def NOT coming back! If the owners are reading this, I hope you now know why your BUSINESS SUCKS! If you are going to give out groupons to attract customers and then later charge them a 18% TIP (for two people), good luck keeping your customers! NOT RETURNING. FOOD ISNT GOOD. THE TIP SHOULD BE CALCULATED USING THE AMOUNT AFTER THE $30 DISCOUNT. SO IT SHOULD BE ABOUT ~$3 NOT $8.30! such a rip off!!!!! read more

Kobe - Japanese Near Me - Lake Zurich, Illinois

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I basically use to have my birthday dinners here growing up since I loved this place. However, recently the quality of the food & service have gone down. I feel that the food was much better before compared to now and could use some improvement. read more

Service was absolutely terrible. Took 45 minutes to get our checks and they messed up my check. Over charged me. I wanted to the teriyaki scallops appetizer ($15) and she wrote a bill for Sesame scallops hibachi ($30). I would've said something but JINNY was taking so long to the point that I just ate up the $15 extra cost since she was taking so long. The ambience was alright. Could be better. I'm just disappointed. It took way too long and they messed up the bill dramatically. Don't recommend this place. read more

We just don't understand the less than positive reviews about this local spot. All I can think is that a language barrier and years of pandemic resizing means Kobe is unable to compare to peoples' experiences at larger establishments with more resources. The food is wonderful, tailor-made per your order, and the staff is accommodating and service-oriented without being overbearing. Funny and attentive hibachi chefs always make this a fun night out. Are they Beni-Hana? Do they have dozens of staff? No. But if you want a chain, go to a chain. read more

Love this spot! My family and I have been coming here for years. Decided to stop in for some dinner since I was in town! So accommodating to my vegan diet (brought my own miso soup, a fantastic & fresh veggie roll and fried rice with tofu and vegetables), chef was awesome and made sure everything was done separately, on top of creating a great experience for us! We will always be back :) read more

Back when I was younger and still lived at home, I went to Kobe all the time for my birthday. It's a Benihana-like place (stoves are on the table and chefs cook right in front of you) but it's better. First they give you a salad with a miso dressing that is really spectacular, as well as a brothy soup. You order your food, and the chef comes out with all the fresh ingredients. I usually got the beef and chicken, which is exactly what it sounds like. They offer you a couple different sauces that you can use to dip, and I certainly take advantage of those. Comes with a side of stir-fried vegetables. Yum! I always enjoy Kobe as special-occasion dinners go, and I'll never turn down an invitation! read more

Kobe - Japanese Near Me - Lake Zurich, Illinois

If there were zero stars, that's what I would give this place. Was told on the phone to pick up my order in 30 minutes, I arrived to pick up the order and was told it would be another 30 minutes because they needed to make more rice. After 30 minutes, and several customers coming and leaving after I had already arrived to pick up the order, I asked the staff to check on my order. They did not check on my order. I asked another older woman who was incredibly rude and, once again, did not check on my order. When I confronted the staff about not getting an answer to when my order would be ready, they told me there was a further along wait time to get my order. I finally demanded my money back. Thankfully I got my money back, but I will not be going back. TLDR: Long wait times. Rude staff. Do not go here. read more

Attentive, friendly staff and great chef. Ordered the steak and shrimp hibachi combo that came with salad, soup and even dessert! It was all very delicious and timely prepared. read more

Kobe - a plate of food with rice, meat, and vegetables - Japanese Near Me - Lake Zurich, Illinois

It's a shame... Three older women trying to get food out of the kitchen. Aside from the poor layout (not everyone eats at the hibachi table) there are 4 regular tables. My wife and I went in for sushi, and it took an hour to get our order. If the restaurant was packed, I would have understood. Lousy service, and long wait times will kill this place no matter how good the food is. They need experience in front of house to insure guests are seated, and fed in a timely manner. We won't be going back. read more

The food is AMAZING. We order takeout here all the time. A major issue is that they are always WAY behind when you hey say your food will be ready. I'm talking 20-30 minutes longer than they say. Every single time. Does it stop us from ordering from them? No! It's just that good. Just be prepared to wait. read more

Kobe is your traditional Japanese grill experience. Location and Ambiance: Its got a fairly normal location in a little strip mall and the ambiance is ok, but could be a little better. Food: The food was great! It was the normal play on Japanese style food grilled up in front of you by your chef. The menu was the usual teriyaki, hibachi, and the like. Staff: The staff was a little robotic, but got the job done. The one exception to this was Sharon, she was really nice and always checked in with us even though it was late at night. Overall, i'm torn between giving Kobe a 3 or a 4. The main reason being: the food was nothing inventive, very expected experience, staff was a little robotic, and in general it was just average. Thanks, Connor Brady read more

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I'd pick 0 stars if it were available. Absolutely The worst service I have ever had in any restaurant. Wait staff grumpy, putting things down rather roughly, fighting with chef!! I ordered a second glass of wine and the waitress brought a plastic cup and poured the wine into my glass! Food was nothing great, at all. Chef poured wrong sauce on fried rice! We've eaten here before and it was great. This time was awful. Won't ever be back. read more

We have been eating here for a while now, and the food never disappoints. My personal go-to is the Kobe steak. The chefs are also very entertaining. However, this time the service was not as good as it usually is. We had a reservation for 6:30, but despite it not being busy, we were not seated for a good half hour. Our sever also looked like he did not want to be there. read more

Going to this place for 30 yrs! Once or twice a year to go for family bdays. Love this place. Very friendly & love they cook in front of you. I die for there ginger salad dressing! Garlic shrimp & fried rice are my favorite. read more

Ordered online and they said "up to 15 minutes" for the pickup time. Well, it was a 45 minute wait. 45 minutes for a damn pickup. No more Kobe for me. Lesson learned. read more

Very disappointing all the way around. I ordered from DoorDash, for pickup. The "estimated time" was 45 minutes. Since I was in the area, I decided to head over. I was 15 minutes early, so I parked and waited. 25 minutes later, I called and was told they will bring it out when it's done.....almost 1 3/4 hours, after multiple calls, they finally brought the food out. They told me they were very busy. People going in and out; some dining in, others picking up, 90% of them not wearing masks when they entered or left the restaurant. Also, when waiting in line to dine-in and for take-out there was no social distancing. People were right next to each other. When I got home and ate, the food was "horrible", and I was missing a couple items. We just threw it out, along with our money. You would think they would be more conscious of what customers mean at a time like this! I pre-paid, so I didn't want to leave, not sure how to go about that. I'm a new DoorDash user, and a senior as well. Will not go back, nor do I recommend Kobe. read more

The teriyaki chicken, and teriyaki steak are so good! The Golden Fried rice is AMAZING!!! SO YUMMY We love this place a bit pricey but worth it for special occasions. I would recommend it again and again. read more

We had an awesome and entertaining meal at Kobe last night! The food was really yummy and our cook on the hibachi grill did such a great job. They brought out a very nice dessert and sang for our brothers birthday. Perfect for a fun group dinner! read more

They've gone downhill!! Horrible service, super long wait time and they've increased prices while decreasing portion size. I'm very disappointed. There're are too many of these restaurants around for Kobe to have declined so bad. I will not come back. read more

Have been coming to Kobe for 12+ years, and while at times the service can be slow, I have never had a bad meal. They treat me like family and there is no place in the area with the quality of sushi for the same money. Give it a try, you will enjoy! read more

Kobe shoots.... and scores! Came here with a group on a Sunday night, and this place exceeded our expectations. The server was friendly but the chef really stole the show. I've been to many tepanyaki places, but the show that our chef had was very friendly and had some very fun and unique things up his sleeves. We had the lobster (w/golden sauce... gotta have golden sauce) and steak. Simply amazing. Both lobster and steak pieces were cooked perfectly. The veggies were delicious but one thing I have to say is that the fried rice that they make here is probably the best I've ever had. Can't wait to come back here! read more

Teppan-yaki/hibachi food is standard: grilled meats, poultry, seafood and veg are all fine, and the chefs are diverting enough. However, this place suffers for its service. My dining companion and I came in on a very slow Tuesday night and were waiting to be seated; the hostess pointedly ignored us and gave us a dirty look and a sarcastic "Someone will be right with you" when we asked if we could sit. We waited near the door for a good fifteen minutes before we finally flagged her down again, at which point she abruptly stated: "We don't have a table for you." There were many tables open and, last I checked, this wasn't Charlie Trotter's. Mystified, we could only imagine that she preferred groups of four or more for a hibachi seating...or she couldn't deal with my companion's ponytail, goatee and jeans. We won't be going back. Fortunately, Kobe East next door is just as pleasant as Kobe of Japan wasn't. read more

Stay away from this restaurant! Deathly slow service, inattentive servets, and horrible food. Definitely an avoid! read more

Cold tea cold soup terrible service. Won't come back. Asked for steak rare. Came almost burned. Very disappointed.

Out of Steaked Tuna?! Out of Red Snapper?! AND out of Swordfish??!... what did that leave me with?? Chicken. This was on a Tuesday night too! 10 people at the max in the restaurant. The waitress didn't give any other suggestions or offer anything else. Then, when asked the difference between hibachi and teriyaki sauce (by a friend I was with), the waitress explained teriyaki as "teriyaki" sauce, she couldn't explain hibachi either. I could only shake my head. Poor service. Waiting for our chef to arrive to the grill, the chef to the table next to us started cooking. He began by banging his cookware on the grill for a good 5 minutes to try and impress his table. It was only slightly entertaining but so loud I could barely have a conversation with the person sitting right next to me. The chef was sweet and knowledgable, explaining to me that tuna prices have skyrocketed. However that didnt explain why they only had shrimp, lobster and salmon available. I had no problems with him or the way my food was cooked. Simple Japanese food was ok, no complaints but nothing fantastic here. read more

My family and I have been going here for over 15 years! They have hands down the best hibachi. The garlic shrimp is our favorite and you can't find shrimps like that anywhere else. Staff are always fun and friendly. Nothing compares to Kobe!! read more

This place is great. Wonderful atmosphere, tasty food, super service, and always an entertaining experience. We go regularly as a family and are never disappointed. read more

My husband and I have dined here three times. The updated decor has improved the experience. The hibachi experience is best when you bring your own 'full table' of friends. Each seats eight. The prices are high for the mediocre experience. The food is good, but not exceptional and not for the prices being charged. We only tried this for a third time because I had a Groupon deal otherwise, not worth the money. We did enjoy Kobe' East better - two doors down; and we went for lunch. read more

I tend to lean toward Japanese steak houses for special occasions. Birthdays, Valentine's Day, Saturday... you know. My birthday was this past Friday and my boyfriend recommended Kobe, as his family loves it and it seems to be the only one in the area I haven't tried yet. The décor is standard for a Japanese steak house, teppanyaki cooktops, dim lights, and pictures of frequent diners plastered throughout the entrance. At 6:30 on a Friday night the restaurant was empty, and remained that way through our dinner, which surprised me. The food was delicious, the portions were large. and the prices were standard, but it wasn't the very best teppanyaki I've had. I know these things depend on the chef, and ours had a little bit too heavy of a hand with the salt. Everything was just a little bit too salty for me. If I'm being invited back, I will go, but it's not first choice. read more

We ate at this restaurant last night and it was the worst meal I/we have had in a long time. The service was HORRIBLE and unacceptable because they weren't busy. We were there for 10-15 minutes before we even got drinks including water. My boyfriend's meal came 10 minutes before anyone else's and he doesn't eat prior to others receiving their food, so his was cold and dry by time he ate. The sushi was the WORST I HAVE EVER HAD. For a bill that's $40+ a person this is frustrating. We will NEVER eat here again. read more

We recently went to Kobe Restaurant with some friends. We've eaten both at Kobe East and the Restaurant a few times. The sushi is very good, however this most recent time our experience wasn't so great. I think the chef was new or was having an off night, but any trick he did, it didn't work out. My steak was overdone (as well as the people sitting next to us ordered medium rare and got well done.) It took a long time for the servers to come around and was left with an empty mai tai and limited refills. I had wished we took our friends somewhere else. That said, we've had good experiences there before. Just not this time. We'll choose to eat somewhere else and possibly go back in a year or so. No need to rush back right away. read more

Delicious lunch. Absolute amazing. We had fresh soft shell crabs that had a light fresh batter. Good rice. Great salmon sashimi. Really good vegetable tempura. I highly recommend this restaurant! read more

The quality and service is just no longer what it used to be. We arrived at 8pm on a Saturday evening as a walk-in and was told since we did not have a reservation there would be a wait. It had been years since we ate there and noticed they had regular seating now not just the cook top tables so we asked to be seated there. Mind you to wait would have been perfectly fine, but we were made to feel as if it was a "bother" to serve us and there was only two tables with patrons at the cook top. Also, lady whom if my memory stands is the owner. I had to repeat my order twice to her, it was simply a Golden shrimp entree with fried rice, not a complicated thing. She was chewing her food in between taking our order, I felt uneasy...should have been my first clue. Our food arrives semi-warm, husbands filet was subpar. Never got asked for a drink refill or husbands Saporro or my water glass. Finally another waitress comes over and we ask for boxes to take home the majority of our meal. Next thing I know shes handing my husband the check. I stop her and tell her that I would like dessert (ice cream) and she she abruptly tells me "Oh that's only if you sit at the tables" and points to the cook top tables but says she will do it for me anyway. Excuse me but the menu specifically states it is included in my entree/meal, it's the same menu regardless of being at the cook table or having semi-warm, subpar food two tables over...it is not as if the entree price is discounted! And lastly, I am watching the owner at the bar/drink service area and see her steaming her face. My first thought was maybe she had a cold and was congested...but then I see her pour from the same pot into a cup, walk over and serve the young girl at the table next to us a cup of "green tea". I felt compelled to leave this review and have to say that I am completely repulsed by the disrespect, ignorance and low-quality that this restaurant has depicted after spending nearly two decades as a patron and paying nearly $100 for tonight's lack luster meal. read more

Kobe - Japanese Near Me - Lake Zurich, Illinois