Hibachi & Teppanyaki: Japanese Cuisine in the D

By: Amber Ogden | April 14, 2015

If you’re an adventurous eater with a worldwide palate, Metro Detroit is a great place to be. There are so many different types of cuisine in the D, you can travel to various parts of the world without actually having to shell out the money for a plane ticket.

Perhaps you’re a huge fan of Japanese cuisine, or you know little to nothing about it. Either way, you’ve come to the right place! There are tons of hibachi grill restaurants around southeast Michigan, where magnificent chefs prepare your meal right before your very eyes.

Here’s an interesting lesson: the terms hibachi and teppanyaki are sort of used interchangeably in North America, even though the two are actually quite different. While a hibachi is a grill heated by charcoal (and typically has a grated surface), a teppanyaki is heated with propane and has the flat surface that you’ll see your food being prepared on at a Japanese steakhouse or hibachi grill.

Now that that’s out of the way, let’s take a look at a few tasty teppanyaki (or hibachi) grills in the D!

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Ichiban Japanese Bistro, 44955 Hayes Rd., Sterling Heights, has been offering excellent hibachi steak, chicken and seafood since opening its doors in 2011. Hibachi lunch specials include your choice of chicken, steak, shrimp, salmon, tuna, or filet mignon, served with salad, vegetables and fried rice or steamed rice. Hopefully you’re able to take a nap after consuming that much food!

Hibachi dinners come with even more. You can choose from twin lobster tail, sea scallop, vegetables, shrimp and many others as your main dish. Whatever you choose is served with clear soup, house salad, vegetables, two pieces of shrimp and steamed or fried rice. Hibachi dinners for children are also on the menu.

Don’t forget to take a look at the specials online before you go! You’ll find printable coupons for 20 percent off sushi rolls and more.

Wasabi Steakhouse, 42050 Grand River Ave., Novi, features a hibachi menu for both lunch and dinner. For lunch, try lobster tail, chicken and shrimp, steak and shrimp, salmon or scallops, all of which are served with clear soup, house salad, fresh veggies and your choice of steamed rice or fried rice. If you wish, you can substitute noodles for the rice.

The hibachi dinner menu has a few more selections on it (nearly two dozen items or combos), including swordfish, filet and lobster, scallop and shrimp and seafood combo (a medley of lobster tail, scallop and shrimp). If you’re there on a date, try the Wasabi Special for Two, which includes plenty of steak, lobster tail, salmon and shrimp. Each dinner is served with clear soup, house salad, two pieces of shrimp, assorted vegetables and rice.

Samurai Steakhouse, 7390 Haggerty Rd., West Bloomfield Twp., is located in a strip mall, so you may not notice it right off the bat. What you will take note of, however, are the lunch and dinner hibachi specials. Scallops, beef, chicken, shrimp and salmon lunch dishes are served with soup, salad and white rice.

As with most hibachi grills, dinner allows for much variety, including chicken, shrimp and steak, twin lobster tail, filet mignon, calamari and more. Each meal is served with salad, clear soup, a shrimp appetizer, veggies and rice.

There is also a special hibachi kids menu available for children under 10 years of age.

Izumi Japanese Restaurant, 37104 6 Mile Rd., Livonia, is not only a great place to dine out for a hibachi dinner, but if you’re feeling like a night in with Netflix, this place delivers!

The menu includes hibachi lunch specials Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and on Saturday from noon to 3 p.m. You have your choice of shrimp, salmon, New York steak, chicken or salmon, and each comes with your choice of miso soup or green salad, as well as hibachi vegetable and fried rice.

Hibachi dinners allow you every combination under the sun, including steak and salmon, shrimp and scallop or chicken and shrimp. All meals are served with soup, salad, vegetables and fried rice. Be sure to check the website for new coupons before you dine in or carry out!

Kyoto, 1824 W. 14 Mile Rd., Royal Oak, offers hibachi dinner entrees and combinations including prime filet mignon, twin lobster tail, chicken and New York steak and seafood deluxe (with one piece of lobster, scallops, a salmon filet and three shrimp).

Dinner combos are served with a shrimp appetizer, soup, salad, white rice, mixed vegetable and Japanese noodles. If you’d prefer fried rice, you can make a substitution.

Happy hour at Kyoto runs from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, so be sure to grab a drink before your hibachi dinner.

One item to note: no matter which of the above hibachi grills you go to in Metro Detroit, you’re not only going to get an excellent meal and a mountain of food, you’re going to get a serious show! Enjoy it, and make sure you ask for a leftover box; you’re going to need it. 

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