Housed inside the Historic Roanoke City Market Building, in the heart of Downtown, Roanoke,…read more Hibachi Guys is one of 6 Local Restaurants located on the first floor of this renovated building. Most of these 6 restaurants are in the style of Mall Food Courts with an inside common dining area, as well as an outside, covered dining patio, used mainly in the Spring, Summer, and Fall. This Family-owned business offered Chinese and Japanese dishes, including Hibachi options. At this time of the year, their outside dining patio has not quite yet been opened. So I went inside the Market Building and ordered through their window counter. A very cordial and welcoming lady greeted me at the ordering counter. After I asked her how was the ordering process, she showed me the illustrated poster menu on the wall next to the counter, and very effectively explained how it worked. With this information, I went on to order the 6 Rangoons appetizer and for my main course I ordered the Special Small One Plate with 2 Items: the Hibachi Steak and the Sesame Chicken, with Fried Rice. And to drink I ordered a can of Dr. Pepper. After paying with my credit card, I was giving a beeper to let me know when my food was ready. After being called with the beeper and picking up my food at the pickup counter, I took it to the table where I had left my soda. The Rangoons came inside a bag. The outside of them were thin and crispy and the inside had soft cream cheese. The main course came in a Styrofoam clamp container. It was fully packed with generous portions of tender pieces of steak and sweet and tender sesame seeds chicken. The fried rice was enough, allowing the larger space for the delicious meats. Whenever you're in the mood for quality Chinese or Japanese food, in a friendly and relaxed environment, served with amazing customer service, this is the place to go to, alone, or with family and friends.

Food is great and they give you healthy amount. You won't leave hungry. The owners are awesome and…read moreservice is great and fast.

The teriyaki chicken dinner arrives looking less like a meal and more like a science experiment…read morethat's been left under a heat lamp too long. The chicken pieces wear a thick, uneven glaze that catches the light in a way no food should--slick, murky, and vaguely industrial, as if they'd been shellacked rather than cooked. Instead of a rich mahogany shine, the sauce settles into a dull, muddy brown, pooling around the edges like runoff after a storm. The rice beneath it doesn't help. It sits in a pale, compacted mound, the kind that suggests it was shaped by a scoop and forgotten immediately afterward. The vegetables--if that's what they are--have surrendered all color and definition, collapsing into soft, anonymous shapes that hint at broccoli and carrot the way clouds hint at animals. Then comes the deeper disappointment: this isn't even teriyaki in spirit. It's wok chicken wearing teriyaki sauce like a borrowed coat. Everything about it reads "stir-fry first, identity later." The meat has that overworked, steamy wok texture--soft, a little ragged, no sear, no caramelized edge--exactly the opposite of what teriyaki is supposed to be. Teriyaki wants a pan or a grill. It wants contact, heat, patience, and a sauce that reduces into a shine. This has none of that. It's just chicken tumbled in a wok and drowned after the fact. That's what makes it especially frustrating. When a place presents itself as Japanese-run, you expect at least a nod to the technique, even if it's adapted. Instead, this feels like the culinary equivalent of putting a "teriyaki" label on a squeeze bottle and calling it a day. The word is doing all the work. The cooking is doing very little. Before a fork ever touches the plate, the dish gives off the visual impression of something tired. Not comforting. Not rustic. Just weary. The kind of plate that quietly explains how you ended up with crappy wok chicken and teriyaki sauce instead of teriyaki chicken. Maybe that's the compromise demanded by geography--Lynchburg, Virginia, is not exactly a temple to Japanese grilling--but low expectations shouldn't require abandoning the soul of a dish. It looks wrong. It's built wrong. And it announces all of that before you ever take a bite.

Solid food, I believe I only had it once. It did not blow me away, but it was good. I got it…read morethrough Doordash so I do not know much about the service or the ambience.

For some time now after I ate at Cafe Asia 2, which I consider one of the best if not the best…read moreAsian Restaurant in Roanoke, Virginia, and I encourage you to read my review for that restaurant, I have been wondering if there is a Cafe Asia, the original one. After being awarded the NC Triad Yelp Squad Yelper of the Year 2024 Award at the Yelpies Award Ceremony last year, an event that honored the highest-performing Yelp Elites, celebrating their contributions and accomplishments throughout the year, I decided that this year, as an All-Star Yelp Elite, I not only wanted to be the first to discover new restaurants and businesses, and bring them to the attention of the public, but also to uncover those found in hidden paths that for one reason or another have not reached the public in its totality. And Cafe Asia, in Roanoke, Virginia, is a perfect example. One day by searching the net I so happened to finally find it. I gave them a call right away to confirm that it was the original of Cafe Asia 2, and once confirmed, I made a commitment to go there for dinner that day. Before arriving I did my research and found out that it was founded by Feng Chen in 2008 "to offer autentic Asian cuisine for everyone to enjoy." I also found out that this first location in the Bonsack area of Roanoke County, offered a pan-Asian menu that included Chinese, Thai, Japanese, and Vietnamese dishes, alongside a sushi bar. And that due to the success of this family-owned business, the second location, Café Asia 2, opened on Electric Rd in 2013. When I arrived, I was surprised that it was located in the same strip mall as Sal's Italian Restaurant which I had reviewed some time ago. As I entered the restaurant the decor was not as modern as the second one but was still very clean and nice for its time. It had a very comfortable and friendly atmosphere. The Host gave me a very friendly and warm welcome and took me to my table. I noticed that decorating the place they had strips of picture frames with pictures of customers of the restaurant, almost like saying, we put our customers first. My server was also very friendly and helpful. He answered some questions I had about the extensive menu and I gave him my order. To start off with I had a Thai Iced Coffee. As appetizer I had a Sunflower Roll from the Sushi Bar. It had spicy lobster salad, mango, avocado, with soy paper. I walked to the Sushi Bar and watched the Sushi Chef make it for me. He was very friendly and appreciated me recording the event for my readers of this review. He came out with a Culinary Masterpiece. I really savored every bite. As my main entrée I had the Pad Thai Combination. It was so good. For dessert I had two: The Mango with Sticky Rice and the Combination Mochi Ice Cream (Mango & Strawberry). It was truly a memorable meal. In conclusion, I highly recommend this restaurant and clearly see the reason for its success. It has a beautiful decor and friendly atmosphere. A menu with a great variety of items. A wonderful Sushi Chef that can work wonders making culinary masterpieces. They use quality and fresh ingredients, and the Chef can also deliver wonderful dishes. All amounts to an extraordinary dining experience.

I ordered 4 sushi rolls: when I got home the sushi smelled bad and tasted horrible. I immediately…read moredumped it all in the trash to avoid getting sick. Cafe Asia 2 is the best. I will never go to this Cafe Asia again. A waste of money in sushi.

This place definitely deserves higher reviews. They cook it all fresh. I get the expensive steak,…read moreit's a little over $20 and it's so good. Yum. 10/10.

Brown food. Chicken and steak hibachi was covered in the same heavy brown sauce. Steak was the…read morecheapest thin slices of mystery meat. I didn't expect filet mignon or ribeye but I at least expect chunks of maybe a sirloin cut. There were so few vegetables it was as if we had ordered no veggies, and you couldn't tell them apart anyway from all the brown on the plate. Everything was brown. The guy who took our order was nice enough. I'll add a star for his cheerfulness, and they have ginger sauce. That's good too. Probably some of the worst Japanese style food I have ever had.

I've been supporting this little restaurant since they opened. I get takeout at least 4 times a…read moremonth. Sometimes the chicken is a bit overcooked but not to point of being inedible. One of my favorites is Hibachi chicken and shrimp! Crystal and her family are very cordial and pleasant and always call me by name when I go in. She has me try out different Japanese snacks and drinks occasionally. Being inside has a homey feel. May be due to how long I've been going but with her family usually there and greeting me I feel like one of the family!

Honestly, this place is just okay. I have nothing terribly negative to say but there are much…read morebetter Japanese places in town in my opinion. I did get Doordash, so I do not know much about the service or ambience of the restaurant, but my food was cold.

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.

Absolutely, the worst food I have ever tried to eat in my life. I bought it, was in my car…read more(famished) so I opened the package to get a bite or two of food and it was terrible. Over sauced, and salty. I specifically told them to give me the soy sauce on the side and they drenched my food in it. I got out of my car and threw the food in the trash.

The food was ok, but rude establishment. Front cashier immediately yelled at me for a minor…read moreinconvenience as I was leaving, treated me like a child, had me pay for something extra that I did not order. Please do not go here for a sit down, stick to takeout. They're not worth it.

Came in for a business dinner. A few of my colleagues had been before so it came highly…read morerecommended. We were seated quickly and looked over the menu while drink orders were taken. Got the shogun potato and some Sashimi and rolls. All the fish was fresh, rolls nicely done Service was good, quick to refill drinks and take orders for other items Not much to look at inside, but a solid choice for sushi if you're in the area

The best sushi I've ever ate. Loved this place for Years!!! For Lunch get the Wasabi special…read morealong with the Sushi Special and skip dinner!