Rokbonki Japanese Steakhouse
876 W Dundee Rd, Arlington Heights, IL, 60004
Rokbonki Japanese Steakhouse Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Arlington Heights for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Arlington Heights for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Arlington Heights for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
876 W Dundee Rd
Arlington Heights, IL, 60004 - Phone (847) 506-1212
- Website https://rokbonki.com/
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :5:00 pm - 10:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : No
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
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Seleen T.
I've been to RokBonki a couple of times and had good experiences every time I went. I've tried the NY strip steak, chicken, and shrimp. All cooked perfectly and i do sometimes get the egg batter. The appearance inside could be fixed up a bit, but can't really tell since they dim the lights there. All my cooks were very prompt and entertaining. I never had to wait to long for my food to come. It's best to come during the weekday since it's a lot slower than the weekend.
(4)Erika Jane M.
If you're looking to have a very casual, hole-in-the-wall teppanyaki dinner that won't cost you an arm and a leg, then Rokbonki isn't so bad. I was initially introduced to this restaurant by friends who are basically regulars, who raved about their teriyaki sauce and their chef John. While I agree the teriyaki sauce is pretty good (you can buy a small container for $10), the atmosphere, location, food, and the chef's service needs improvement. The restaurant is almost hard to find because of the distraction of the larger building/companies (Kohl's, Xsport, Fox & Hound, Portillo's) and it located within a strip mall. Your entire party must be present prior to being seated, and once you enter the seating area it has a very dingy vibe. Unless you ask for chef John, then you may get another chef who won't do any tricks, have the fried rice or extra food wasted by leaving the grill, and drop your food on the table as it is served. The sushi is ok, and I've tried the hibachi filet mignon (ok), calamari (gritty & tough to chew) , shrimp (ok), and scallops (ok). They do serve soup, noodles, and hibachi shrimp to start with your Again, if you want an inexpensive and very casual meal at a teppanyaki steakhouse, than this place is ok.
(2)Effie D.
They need to hire more chefs pronto. We've been to several other hibachi places and this place ranks below all the others. The ambience is not inviting with very minimal decor and stained carpet. The place is not well ventilated that you can see a large fog of smoke across the entire restaurant. The servers are not easily understood that they had to repeat themselves a lot and you can see their frustration. They don't readily tell you when something costs extra when they ask you which you prefer (fried rice is extra with single entrees). Our chef didn't entertain us with any tricks other than the large fire and smoking volcano. He kept missing the plates when transferring the food from the stove to our plates, so there were lots of wasted food just sitting on the table next to our plates. Food was just okay and price was decent. Not worth becoming a regular for.
(2)Mallory S.
I don't understand what all the hype around this place is. The quality of meats/hibachi is NOT good. The place isn't decorated nice. And the prices are very high. My girlfriend had the calamari which she said was very gritty. The drinks were loaded with sugar and overly sweet. The sushi was pretty good, but it's a hibachi place. Go to Benihana or Tsu Kasa (spelling?) instead. This place is nasty. Oh and the golden sauce is f***ing disgusting. This is pretty much the McDonald's of hibachi
(1)Ashley S.
I've been coming here since the 90s as a kid!! I have pictures on the wall. This is my favorite hibachi style restaurant!
(5)April G.
This place is amazing! Come very hungry because the meals are huge! Pretty pricey but it is a lot of food! Been coming here for probably 10-15 years.
(5)Gabby H.
I use to like this place a lot but after tonight. I won't be back. After paying my bill and leaving a 15% tip; the waitress came up to me and basically said I didn't leave enough. First of all a 15% tip is average for good service; next, I can leave whatever percent I would like for a tip; finally I can't believe she came back to me and even questioned my tip (how rude!). I also read another comment for this restaurant that was written only 6 days prior to my experience tonight mentioning they were ran out due to an inefficient tip; they also left a 15% tip. All in all this place has Horrible customer service.
(1)Maggie R.
Delicious! And a really fun experience. This was my first experience at a hibachi-style restaurant, and I really enjoyed myself. There were only two of us, so we were at a table with another family. I would suggest maybe going with a group of 4-6 people if you want a little more privacy. But all in all, the food was divine, and we had a really wonderful time!
(4)Corinne H.
Food: 3 stars Ambience: 1 star Service: 2 stars Now normally I'm pretty generous with reviews and star-giving, but the experience we had was sub-par at best. The server took our drink orders, and we all had to repeat our drink orders at least once because she didn't understand us. (Which would be more understandable if it was super loud or the orders were complex...which they weren't.) The server took our orders about 15 minutes after that, without our drinks, which didn't arrive until they were brought by another server, 5 minutes later. That was the first of the red flags. Our server opened our vent up to the 20 degree weather way before the chef even got to our table, and we had to put our coats and scarves back on because our server disappeared and we couldn't find anyone to close it. She also didn't bring us oshibori until after our soup and salad arrived. When we asked for them, the server told us "no more hot towel" which we all immediately called bullshit on, considering the table right next to us was using theirs. She did bring us oshibori after that, with a "these are last hot towels we have" and a condescending you're-welcome-you-peasants-esque glance in our direction. Okay, lady. If all of this wasn't enough to put a damper on our eating experience, the light above our table burned out right before our chef got there, and we all had to pull out our cellphone flashlights and light the grill so he could see what he was doing. He asked the manager to change the light but she said no. SHE SAID NO. Like, what? If only we could've eaten in the light of her stellar personality. Now on to the food: overall, not bad. Okay. Not super authentic, but I wasn't expecting super authentic. Instead of miso soup, they served us chicken broth with mushrooms, limp spaghetti noodles, and in my bowl, one raw carrot. Maybe that carrot was trying to escape the bowl of sadness that was the salad, which was overbearingly creamy. (I love when people take something healthy and slather it in mayonnaise. 'Murica.) The noodles were like fettuccine noodles, slathered in a super sweet sauce, which I had never seen before. Maybe it was supposed to be yakisoba, in which case it was neither soba or properly yaki-ed. Fried rice was also soaked in soy and sweet sauce, to the point where I couldn't finish it (because of the overbearing flavor, not portion size). Steak was raw, chicken was dry. Meanwhile, our waters went unrefilled, nobody checked on us after the chef left, the light mysteriously came back on while we were finishing our meals, and they were out of all of the kinds of ice cream except for rainbow. It's a good thing E. and I had some sake to tone down the discomfort of eating here (mental, physical, and emotional). On the bright side, our chef was super nice, friendly, and entertaining. It seems like he's doing the best job he can with the terrible management there. Needless to say, we won't be back, unless I get a hankering for steak tartare, teriyaki chicken jerky, a cold room, and even colder service.
(2)Alex s.
The food was decent overall. They need to work on remodeling the place and adding more light....I cant see! There are better places out there for the same price.
(3)Valerie W.
I can honestly say that no matter how special Rokbonki was to me in my childhood... I've probably had my last visit there. Is it a bit less expensive than Tsukasa? Yes. Are the portion sizes the same? Yes. However, there are certain things I'd rather pay a few dollars more for. Those things include: Consistency. Not just from visit to visit, but from meal to meal on the same table. During my last dining experience my sister and I ordered the same thing, and got two vastly different portion sizes. Service. Again, with my last dining experience, the service was neither friendly nor attentive. We were basically ignored, rudely. Never a water refill. I don't think anyone came to our table once orders were taken, except for the chef. All I wanted was some more water and a hot tea because the restaurant was cold, and I got neither. Heat. We were seated at a table in the back, near the kitchen. They must also have an outside door somewhere nearby, because it was absolutely freezing in the restaurant, complete with cold draft. It was so cold that I ate with my winter coat on. Did anyone notice or say anything? Nope. Now you understand why I wanted a hot tea. Not only did the cold affect me, but my food didn't stay hot for very long, either. Sorry I'm not sorry to say that I've had my fill of Rokbonki.
(2)Danielle S.
Decided to come here and pig out, mission accomplished. Just a forewarning, parking here is insane (mostly because of Xsport next door). But inside was pretty quiet and not crowded at all. If you are looking for a hibachi place, this may be worth a try. We didn't try it, but it looked comparable to other places I have been. We just wanted the sushi. I ordered a Mai Tai that was very good. I'm pretty sure we tried a third of the menu. The menu isn't that big compared to other places I have been. It is a bit cheaper, however. Most places you get soup and salad with your sushi, here you just get soup. The soup is really good, but not your typical miso soup. We ordered 6 rolls (no judgement), and all were very good. They have some typical rolls that you see at other places, and they have some different ones. I was sad that they didn't have the Spider roll. Everything was fresh and delicious. I think my main complaint is the service and atmosphere. It was sooooo cold in there, I don't think they had the heat on. They were good about refilling water, but never asked if we wanted another drink. Usually the sushi comes out all at once, here it is a little at a time. That is fine, except it was taking so long that I wasn't sure if they had forgotten some of the food, or if they were still working on it. It wasn't busy at all, so I didn't understand why it was taking so long. The 20% off check in deal was a nice perk, but this is not my favorite sushi place in the area.
(3)Anne M.
Went here for Mother's Day (Friday) early enough that it was not busy. Reservation was at 630 and we did not eat until close to 8. We had to wait a long time for the cook to start cooking ....I was starving! Ambiance needs some work and prices on the high side for the portion size.
(1)Elina S.
I've been a huge fan of tsukasa my whole life but my friend swears by this place and says that there table food is MUCH better than Tsukasa so I decided to give it a try. We came here on a Saturday night around 6:30pm with a party of 8 and my friend who comes here all the time had requested John who she really likes and always gets. We had to wait like 15 minutes before getting him but it was definitely worth the wait. Overall, the one thing I didn't like about this place and the only reason they don't get 5 stars is that the place looks really run down, dark and old, unlike other hibachi grills that are more updated. And what I really didn't love is that they didn't crank up the AC considering it was 85 degrees outside so when you're sitting by those hot stove tops it can get super hot, like my face was red by the time we left hot. That didn't make me too happy especially since all the food is cooked in front of you. But besides that issue, the food and experience was fantastic. The girl who came around and took our orders was wonderful and super sweet. My husband and I ordered the filet mignon and for $27 you get a soup (which was a little salty) a tasty small salad (with a yummy garlicky white sauce) these fantastic noodles in a yummy sauce and a little bit of grilled teriyaki shrimp (which you don't get at Tsukasa). Then you get your usual grilled veggies in sauce, your fried rice and then whatever entree you got which I got the filet with mushrooms. Everything tasted really good quality and I was so happy that we tried it. My steak was cooked perfectly and our chef even gave me a little piece to try first to make sure it was that perfect medium well. I literally gobbled everything right up because it was that good, but most of my girlfriends had leftovers since it's a lot of food. My bestie got the combination plate of filet mignon and lobster and that lobster did look amazing even though it's not a strictly seafood place. That combo of butter and other good sauces really seemed to make it. I will definitely be back here, but I think more in the fall and winter when I'm not going to be sweating my butt off since they really need to make it colder in the summer. I will also request our chef, John because he was super fun and kept us entertained the entire time. It was a great dinner with show like experience and I'm definitely happy we went. Oh, and try their horseradish sauce as it is also fantastic to dip just about anything into.
(4)Maksim F.
Great food and funny experience watching your food prepared right in front of you with the show!
(4)Mackenzie F.
Place sucks i was chased out because i didnt tip well enough but the service sucked. Still tipped 15% but apperiently that wasnt good enough. Wouldnt even recomend this place to my enemy
(1)Abe K.
Went last night for the first time- brought my 2 kids (ages 6 and 4) as a surprise for their first Hibachi experience. It was lots of fun, with a very entertaining chef doing his cooking tricks, and the food very good (not incredible, but still very good). There were surprisingly lots of families with kids there, even on a Friday night, so my worries about bringing the family were unfounded. All in all it was a great night, and I will look forward to going back again!
(4)Michael N.
If I was to base this rating on the location, decor, or ambiance of the place then the rating would be low...very low. Located in a strip mall next to Xsport, it's a pain in the ass to find parking but on the plus side you can shop at Kohl's if you're waiting for a table. But having said all that, I'll just focus on the food and service. Typically it's the owner who is providing me either a carryout order and while sometimes quirky, she's very nice and remembers me each time even though it's once every few months that I stop in. When we dine in, the chefs always seems to be amusing and funny. They're on their game with communicating with the waiters and making sure that the water glasses stay filled. The food is great. Could I get better quality food some place in the city in an environment that was decorated by master artists? Sure...for double the price or higher. I think that what you get for the price is really great. They've even customized sushi rolls for me plenty of times. I will say that while I have had more elaborate sushi rolls at other places...this place in its simplicity and consistency will still keep it as my number one spot to come back to every time.
(5)Sharon P.
This place has really gone down. It's been years since I've been here, and I always figured you go to one hibachi place, you've been to them all. I always go to Tsukasa in Deer Park, so that's what I'm used to. I decided to try Rokbonki again and just do carry-out. I called in an order and the hostess asked how long would I be, and I said 30 minutes, which I figured would be fair. I called at 6:00pm, and arrived about 25-minutes later, she said my food wasn't ready. That's fine, I'll use the restroom and just wait. As I walked through the dining room, I was surprised to see how worn out and shabby the place was. It really has not been taken care of in years. The carpet was worn out, the wood flooring in the bar area had definitely seen better days and the overall "look" of the place was depressing. Needless to say, I had to sit in the bar area for an additional 20-25 minutes for my food, as they made it "piece-meal" and one part would come out at a time. This is ridiculous. I call Tsukasa and they say 25 minutes, when I get there, it's all waiting for me as one, and nice and hot. The way it was put together here, it was cold by the time I got home and ate it. The soup was a joke, I've had better ramen noodles than what they put together. I will say the golden shrimp and the filet were good, but honestly not worth waiting an hour for. Sorry Rokbonki, I will never be back.
(2)Melanie D.
Very poor service. Made a reservation and we were sat 30 min after our reserved time. That would have been ok except we then waited 45 min before they took our drink order. An hour and a half in, still no dinner prep has begun. Don't come hungry.
(1)Jade J.
Very good food!!! Best hibachi restaurant out there. Amazing filet mignon, egg yolk, teriyaki sauce, fried rice, soup, salad, shrimp, EVERYTHING! I wouldn't ever try their sushi because I've heard horror stories. But who needs sushi when you have an AMAZING selection of fresh cooked meats and seafood.
(5)Maxine W.
Every time I eat at Rokbonki I do two things. First, I stuff my face while giving absolutely zero shits about nutrition/calories/indigestion. Second, I wish I had gone to Tsukasa. So yeah, Rokbonki tastes alright. Good enough to stuff your face. And it's a little less expensive than the other teppanyaki places around. But the last few times I've been there, I've been dissatisfied. The wait staff is (and always has been) inattentive and rude. No refills ever. No smiles ever. They just REALLY want to rip you off. Don't dare mention a birthday, because they'll bring over a candle and a dessert and sing you a song and take your picture, and then charge you for it. The people we were dining with last time tried to use a coupon, and the waitress first said they couldn't use it because it was a holiday (which it was not...12/30) and then upon further inspection she said it was expired. Understandable. So my sister gave them a hint to check in on Yelp and get a coupon. Another off-putting thing was our chef's complete lack of portioning skills. My sister got like 8 noodles and the person across from her got like a whole plate full. My bowl of rice was barely full and everyone else's bowls were overflowing. My sister and I both ordered egg yolk sauce for the rice. Her's was like the size of a buttermilk pancake. Mine... a half-dollar. For the first time ever, I ate everything I got at rokbonki. No leftovers. And I was still hungry. If I'm going to drop almost $100 for me and my sister to have dinner, I better be super full afterwards. Our chef also had a little bit of an undercooking problem. Our veggies were still crunchy and one of my scallops was undercooked. Like I turned to my sister and told her "I think I'm going to have food poisoning tomorrow." Finally, it was FREEZING in there when we went. Like, I kept my winter coat on the whole time. I usually like to wait until I have all the elements of my meal on the plate before I dig in. This time I had to eat the food as soon as it hit the plate because otherwise it got cold. There also seemed to be a problem with the exhaust hood at our table which could have contributed to the problem. So I think I've finally learned my lesson. Goodbye forever, Rokbonki.
(2)Don W.
WOW, tried to order out and got " we are too busy to serve you". We will not be dining in or out here.
(1)Diane D.
Had dinner here Sat nite (4/25/15). Group of 8 of us-and we all agreed the food, service and chef were outstanding! Will put this restaurant on my regular rotation. Thoroughly enjoyed eveything. From tempura, to scallops & filet everything was done to our personal tastes. Our chef, Sam, was worthy of a comedy club routine! Kept all of us engaged and laughing while preparing some of the best food I've ever eaten. Great time!
(5)Krystie C.
Come here for the sushi! I sit in the front and am a regular here. The people here are sweethearts and always remember me and my usual date (my mother) no matter how long it's been. I think I've tried all if the sushi and I have no complaints. So delicious. Start off with the salad and miso and you'll be glad you came here.
(4)Iryna S.
Service here is absolutely terrible. Decided to treat my parents to some dinner, and made the mistake of coming here. First of all, the hostess couldn't decide where she wanted to seat us. We walked to the back of the restaurant before she decided she wanted to seat us up front. As others have pointed out, no smiles, no friendliness. The chef was the only one who provided any decent service at all. At the end of the meal, we paid and made the mistake of staying seated at our table. The hostess then hunted me down and let me know that my tip (15% on a $150 bill) was not good enough for "this type of restaurant" (after we had already tipped the chef as he was leaving our table). She then proceeded to write down the "minimum" amount that we needed to tip, which ended up being almost 25%. I see no need to tip 25% when our drinks were never refilled, and soup/salad bowls were not removed for the duration of the meal, and the table was sticky as if it had not been properly cleaned. Needless to say, we really should not have tipped at all (besides for the chef), for this type of "service", and definitely will NOT be going back. Two stars because the chef was really friendly and put on a show for the toddler we had with us. Other than that, put up the extra money and go to Benihana. It's definitely worth it for the service, and much better quality food.
(2)Dream Marketing A.
There food is some of the best I have ever had and there customer service is great. Love the sushi!
(5)Haider S.
Been sitting here for forty minutes and have yet to be asked if we wanted something to drink. I hope this is my last review for the night.
(1)Sarah W.
This is my favorite place for sushi! I have been going here for almost 15 years. They know me by name now (and order). I have tried other places in the area but I continue to come back here again and again!Pricing depends on what you get and I normally get alot so cost for me is usually around $25-40. They serve quality sushi with quality. I don't care what other reviewers say I think this is a great place.
(5)Minhee K.
Always a favorite place of mine to go. The boyfriend & I love hibachi food. We always get one roll, and two entrées, and of course I get sapparo beer. Filet mignon is my favorite, as well as the spicy garlic shrimp. That spicy garlic is good on everything, like my fried rice. The Tokyo sauce (eggyolk) is just OK to me, the bf loves it on everything but I think its too orange looking and heavy compared to some other places I've been.
(5)rayna a.
I wanted to give this 0 stars, the place, esp the rug was so dirty and they rushed us through the meal.
(1)Odranre B.
Good food. Plenty of parking. Located on a strip mall. Lots of elbow rooms inside. Friendly staff. Entertaining. Average per person including tip roughly $35
(3)Renee A.
I enjoy the food here very much.....garlic batter is one of my favorites! Waitstaff and hosting could defiantly be improved but over all decent place. However last couple times of been there they cram packed our groups at one table, allowed to comfortably seating us all around the hibachi grill and manager seemed to be bothered by our concerns! I was also very disappointed to hear my FAVORITE Hibachi chef Chatt, was no longer working there : ( He was the main attraction...always making people laugh, which made the environment a fun and inviting one!! I was told he moved out of the country but was SHOCKED to find out he just moved locations to Kabuki in Glendale Heights!! I'm disappointed for the misleading information! The trip to Rok Bonkis no longer seems worth it to me : /
(2)Adam K.
We sauntered in on a Friday night. Myself & another person from the city promised by my two dumbest friends that they would take me to their favorite restaurant. Let me repeat. These are my two dumbest friends favorite restaurant. That should have been red flag #1. Then they told me it was in Arlington Heights. Crimson & pink polka dot flag #2. Walked in and sat for 5 mins looking at a dirty corner of the grill, she asked for a drink order I said makers Mark. She asked me to repeat. Makers Mark. I then was Asked to write it down. That was a first. Orange and green striped flag #3. They didn't have it and gave me a slimy rag that was lukewarm. I had to go to the bathroom to wash the slime off my hands from the towel, felt like some soap was on it. The bathroom was a bleak affair, not just in appearance but substance. They look like high school bathrooms. Very sad. Food wasn't terrible, but standard hibachi fare should be tasty & fresh, no? No. Swordfish wasn't fresh. The chef told me so. He seemed very sad. Did I mention it was Friday night? It was. I'm sitting in Arlington Heights, with 2 dumbasses & the other person who is wondering like I am why we didn't just go somewhere in the city since we both live there. Before the thawed out fishy tasting $20 swordfish, the chef made us a tasty noodle dish, highlight of the evening, oh and before , a bland 'ramen' soup which had spaghetti noodles in it. Not ramen. That's seriously the only requirement for ramen noodles. Ramen. It tasted very watered down also. Before that was a salad of iceberg lettuce & mayo mixture with cabbage. Yeah. Nobody there on a Friday = y am I here? Place is huge also. They five you a massive amount of food however, and for that act of humanity & because they had a 20% off Yelp coupon I got off my phone they get an extra star.
(2)Gregory B.
Walked in, and was greeted by the overpowering stench of ammonia, reminiscent of a urinal. This could only mean bad handling of seafood. Sat down and noticed old food crusted on the (allegedly washed) trays and plates stacked at the teppan grill. Sayonara, sweetheart.
(1)Daniel S.
The tip tier Japanese steakhouse for years! Top notch teriyaki sauce. Top level ginger dressing Good sushi Good yakisoba (included) Great place for Japanese habachi.
(5)Craig S.
One of the best sushi/hibachi restaurants around. If you like Benihana's, you will love this place. Their food is MUCH better and the cooks make the experience more fun. There are lots of choices ranging from basic chicken to filet and lobster. Everything will be cooked fresh, right in front of you with whatever seasonings you like. Give this place a try, you won't be disappointed!
(4)Wayne H.
I don't make it to Hibachi restaurants that often, but when I do I prefer Rokbonki. This is due to the lack of Hibachi restaurants in the city. So if I am craving Hibachi it requires a trip to the burbs. Of the ones I have been to in the burbs, none of them can compete with Rokbonki. The food is amazing! My favorites are the filet mignon, chicken, and shrimp. All the items included with the meal: soup, salad, shrimp appetizer, and fried rice are delicious as well. The orange egg-yolk sauce is a staple here that you must try on your shrimp appetizer or fried rice. Be warned though it is super fatty and greasy. I'm talking heart-attack city. I have had a couple rolls here in the past and they are pretty good too, but I tend to stick to the hibachi items. The chefs are always friendly and entertaining. This place is fun for dates and for parties. If you have never been to a Hibachi restaurant, Rokbonki is definitely worth the drive!
(5)Mr. V.
Rokbonki is always a special treat! Excellent food, service and atmosphere! The chefs are so personable and entertaining. We always try to find places that top Rokbonki, but Rokbonki always prevails! :)
(5)Brenda Lee J.
So the hub and I figured we would give Rokbonki a try to essentially 'change up' our hibachi ritual. The meal began with a light soup of broth, mushrooms and green onion. It was good---not memorable, but good. Next came the mayonnaise-y salad. We were hungry, so we ate more than we probably should have. Salad was OK. Then we gradually moved on to the starters, veggies, noodles (something unexpected) and fried rice. The shrimp appetizer, veggies and noodles were very good, especially the noodles which appeared plain but had a nice flavor to them---more flavorful than the rice. Between the two of us, we enjoyed filet, chicken, Tokyo (golden) shrimp and spicy garlic shrimp. The garlic shrimp was super garlicky/spicy. Topped with breading---not exactly what I was expecting, but passed the test. The sauces they provided were different than what we have had elsewhere, but they were good: teriyaki, ginger and the irresistible horseradish. There was WAY too much food to handle, so we took home a ton of leftovers, but lapped up our sherbet to top off the meal. Overall, we had to compare this restaurant to our regular fave: Kampai Japanese Steakhouse. Although many would find Rokbonki as surpassing the mainstream Benihana (and we would agree), we will not likely return as we find that Kampai simply blows this place away. We loved our Rokbonki chef, Kevin, who was very nice and entertaining. But we love the quality, the flavor and the price at Kampai so it will remain our favorite. All in all, if you're looking for a cut above the average, Rokbonki will certainly deliver the fill and flavor with leftovers to prolong the gluttony. But, if you're ready to upgrade to the next level be sure to give Kampai a fair shot. We think we'll welcome the quality and flavor as much as we do.
(3)Kelly S.
Excellent, but when we asked if we could add grilled onions to our filet meal, they told us it would be an extra $4.95!
(4)Sherwin C.
An unexpected restaurant near Kohls that looks really small from the outside but is actually quite spacious on the inside. It is dark inside without many decorations but the food is really what drives people to come here. Like any other teppanyaki place, you expect to see a show from the chef. The cooking is not overly loud or slow like some other places but with how busy the restaurant gets you can expect it to feel really crowded at peak meal times. The prices seem to be a bit cheaper than other similar restaurants with big portions. There are a couple things I think Rokbonki does much better than other teppanyaki places. First, it offers it full menu of non-grilled items. Second, the service is great and all the ingredients are very fresh. Third, they do watch the amount of salt and sauce in your food if you ask the chef. Fourth, the pacing of the meal is very good and you don't have to worry about starving while you wait for your food. Last, the chefs are friendly and don't really mind if you take pictures, even with flash (to be courteous though, if you're going to use flash you should avoid aiming directly into the chef's eyes, stand up and aim down). As for the food, make sure you are hungry before you come because you're going to eat a lot. All the entrees come with soup, salad, appetizer, vegetables, rice, entree, and dessert. I was quite surprised at how fresh all the ingredients were throughout the meal because this has been a bit of an issue before with other similar restaurants: Here's what I thought item by item: Salad: Relatively standard for a Japanese restaurant Soup: A little salty for me, very tasty Grilled shrimp appetizer: Relatively nice and light. Cooked perfectly with the right amount of salt. Grilled vegetables: Quite well done, I could taste the umami in this although the vegetables were still crisp and moist but not overly salted or sauced. Fried rice: Could have had a stronger egg flavor and been seared a bit more for flavor but I think this is purposefully kept a little lighter because of how tasteful the entrees and vegetables are. When you mix everything together the harmony is quite good so I guess the fried rice is just right for the food. Shrimp Tokyo style: Believe it or not, this yolk sauce is actually a bit lighter than what I'm used to for golden shrimp. Still, it's delicious and very smooth and not recommended if you need to watch your cholesterol and fat intake. Once you start eating this shrimp preparation, you pretty much become addicted to it forever. I liked it since I do find some other versions to be too salty. Grilled scallops: Wow... really tasty with crispy edges. I could eat this all day. You may want to ask for it to be light on salt since it's really better just to enjoy the natural flavor of the scallop without anything extra, except maybe sesame seeds. It's tempting to add the egg yolk sauce to this to make it seared and smooth at the same time though. Grilled calamari: It's surprising, most people probably aren't used to eating calamari in any form other than fried. But teriyaki calamari is very soft and delicious. Grilled fillet mignon: The beef was cooked surprisingly well, exactly at medium rare as requested and soft. For those who don't eat much steak, cuts such as ribeye and new york strip are more tasty and fatter while fillet mignon is really juicy and used for the texture. Keep that in mind when you choose the type of steak you want. Chicken teriyaki: Surprisingly not as sweet or salty as other places but with a great texture (since they use fresh chicken instead of already presliced and marinated chicken with lard like some other restaurants). The mushrooms they include in this are delicious. You get a choice of chocolate ice cream or rainbow sherbert at the end, a lighter way to end the meal since you're practically guaranteed to be really full by the end and will probably take something home. I've never tried the maki, sushi, or sashimi but they look like huge portions for the money as well as the tempura appetizer that's the size of a whole plate. Maybe next time. A little more pricey than eating at Sushi Para, but between the two you don't have to leave that little stretch of Dundee Road for your Japanese food needs.
(5)Steve W.
Teppenyaki-style Japanese restaurant that gives you dinner and a show. Choo chooo! Here comes the train! (Really it's not a train, it's just some onions being pushed along the grill, so use your imagination). The little tricks the chefs at Rokbonki do during your dinner are entertaining and great for kids to watch. I admit that after coming here for the last 15 years, I just want my food, so I've lost a bit of love for the show. The Food here is typically very heavy on the oil, as you will notice while it's cooking in front of you. The menu has various options to choose from, like chicken, filet mignon, shrimp, scallops, squid, or tofu, prepared in terriyaki, or a spicy garlic seasoning. The meals come with rice, salad, soup, veggies, and a shrimp appetizer. The fried rice is really the best thing on the menu, and maybe the best fried rice in the suburbs, so don't skip on that. The sushi is typically fresh, and while not very unique in terms of offerings, is a decent way to start the meal. This is a great choice for a group meal, especially for when the kids are in the group.
(3)Kelley M.
So-so...
(2)Ed R.
Great place if you like Hibachi, their sushi is good too, a lot better than Beninannas. The only thing that can and needs improvement is the service(wait staff , bar, host), but definitely we'll be back . we loved the place!
(4)Marlo P.
Been here for the first time a week ago and I kind of had mixed reviews about it. I've worked at Benihana so I know how that's like and I've always eaten at Tsukasa but wanted to give this place a try with all the cool reviews it's gotten. The place is crowded and very dark. I'm not too fond of crazy tight places and this place was getting there. The chef was entertaining but I've been to so many of these teppenyaki places that it's hard to WOW me each time. The soup was good. The salad, I'm not too found of creamy gingery dressing, so it was alright I guess. The food? Well, that egg yolk sauce was way too heavy than what I'm used to. I liked how they gave noodles with their meals because most places don't. But other than that, the food was just OK. With all the other teppanyaki places around I don't think I'll be back to this one. But it's not a total failure and definitely worth to try it out at LEAST once.
(3)Mike F.
So much better than Tsukasa and Benihanna. I took my wife for our 9th anniversary and had an awesome meal. The spicy garlic batter was awesome, and the fillet mignon was some of the best I have ever had. You get a lot of food for your money, but be prepared to shell out $100 if you include drinks with your meal.
(5)Angelica S.
It can be a busy place, so it is best to avoid those hours. But it's a great place. I love the food and you get your bang for your buck. I always leave with a food baby. The service is pretty good, the chefs are really entertaining. Everyone I have encountered is very friendly and funny. You get a cool show as they cook for you. I actually prefer this place to benihana. The sweet rice is too die for. I have always enjoyed the food here. Yummy!
(5)Jun K.
Hands down best deppanyaki (stove top) restaurants. The fried rice is as good as it gets. Add a dollop of their 'Tokyo' (egg batter) to it! The filet is super tender and delicious. I have tried probably everything on their menu and the filet and shrimp combo has to be my favorite. Either spicy garlic or tokyo shrimp, you cant go wrong! As many of these similar places have a known name or better atmosphere yet they lack in food quality. Take the whole family and be entertained by your personal chef as you enjoy the good eats of this family owned gem.
(5)C. G.
Always a good time! Great b day dinner with family and friends!
(4)Lucy E.
This is by far my favorite Japanese restaurant. I've been to quite a number of them, and this is still my favorite for teppanyaki. The owners have known me since I was a kid, and remember me. It's kinda like cheers... you know, where everyone knows your name? They always ask about the family and how life is, so customer service by far is AMAZING! The food is amazing, the chefs are nice, the presenation is awesome. For anyone that is a fan of golden shrimp (the one with the egg yolk sauce) theirs is by far the best, at least in Chicago! My go to meal is the combination of filet mignon, scallops, and tokyo shrimp, and I usually have another full meal left over for the next day! If you want bang for your buck, and maybe a choo choo train, volcano, or some flying eggs to go with it, this is the place to go!
(5)Kelly C.
This place is so good! A friend and I have ventured out of the city numerous time to go there - and that is saying something with so many great dining options in the city! I tried a Jap steakhouse in the city and it just didn't compare to Rokbonki! I've never had anything bad there, everything from the salad to the entree is beyond tasty. The fried rice is the best I have ever had...and this is coming from someone who can typically take it or leave it when it comes to rice. The scallops and filet were cooked to perfection. I also love that the servings are so large I have lunch the next day - score! I will definitely be back!
(5)Neal M.
I keep coming back here, and am never disappointed. The trick is to come early (right when they open) or late (around 8:00). if not, you do feel a bit like cattle going in and out because they have so much turnover of customers. As usual service is pretty good (not great). But the Food is AWESOME. Garlic shrimp appetizer is a must, Filet is always Med Rare like I ask for it, and hibachi Scallops are GREAT. Portion size is more than generous, but then again you are paying for it.. Again, I will be going back. If you like japanese steakhouses, go here, they set the bar with thier food. Sushi is also very good considering it isn't thier main focus.
(5)Will G.
Great for Groups & Birthdays. Best Hibachi Grill in the Midwest. Awesome Terrickyi sauce.
(5)Kristin F.
I've been here a few times and have always had good food and entertainment. Tonight, on valentines day, I thought it would be fun and entertaining. I brought new friends who have never been and I was disappointed. The chef was in a bad mood treated us like we were scum and wanted nothing to do with our table. The service was just as bad. I thought it was part of the show at first. Turns out it wasn't and we all ended up in in bad mood. I was shocked. I was looking forward to a good time with some good friends and entertainment. I will never return. As for the food, the chef didn't listen to how we wanted our food prepared, everything was over cooked, mediocre. Overall completely disappointed and was completely discriminated against! What happened to one of my favorite places????!!!!! My new friends had a horrible experience and don't want to go back, and nether do we. They need a new staff and better service. This place has gone down hill. They need to improve or will probably go out of business.
(1)Kaplan K.
BEST HIBACHI, HANDS DOWN.... that is, if you're a TRUE "foodie"! Having just moved back to the state recently, the first place I stopped for dinner with friends was ROKBONKI. I did not get a chance to see my favorite chef "Chad". I owe him the great honor of weaning me off the 'kiddie' chopsticks as a young man, and taking the time over very many meals, to teach me the proper chopstick technique. For that, I am forever grateful. I usually order the same thing EVERY time, and I've always walked away (or been carried) as satisfied as humanly possible! My standing order is: Two soups, Two salads, Two orders of Steak Teriyaki, and two fried rices. We got lucky this time, and had a really funny chef, who had us laughing until our faces hurt. Mostly because he was a little hard to understand over the busy restaurant noise. All in all, exactly what I expected, my favorite place to eat in this entire state. Most recently, I went in to purchase a gift certificate for a wedding gift, obviously in hopes that it will guilt them into inviting me along when they use it!! Everyone in the suburbs knows, if you care more about the taste and quality of the food, rather than the atmosphere or what's trendy, you choose ROKBONKI over every other place (including, and especially, Tsukasa). If you're looking for a place to down some Saki and hang out with some friends, Tsukasa is probably your best bet. Just choose what matters to you most (:
(5)Spencer H.
If you enjoy Benihana's then you will enjoy this restaurant just as much if not better. The experience & quality of food is just as good as Benihana's but for a lower price. The staff was nice & the food was excellent. I've always enjoyed the food & experience when I eat here. This is also an excellent restaurant to bring a date, a group of co-workers or a group of friends for a birthday dinner.
(5)Jinah Y.
Went last night to celebrate an anniversary after reading some great reviews--and I have to agree with the masses! The waitstaff was attentive and very polite. The chef was friendly and knowledgeable. Most importantly, the food was incredible! I had the Filet & Calamari combo while he had the Filet & Salmon. The soup broth was rich, salad was decent, vegetables & noodles were great, shrimp was flavorful, fried rice was delicious but it was our entrees that really impressed me. The seafood was cooked to perfection and the filet was melt-in-your mouth good! In fact, I had leftovers and intend to have them today for lunch. I am salivating thinking about it now...
(5)Donna H.
We've been coming here for over 25 years. I've eaten at similar restaurants all over the country and this is BY FAR my favorite! Another great meal with great friends last night. Had a fantastic chef that was very entertaining and as always and the food was delicious!! Love this restaurant!!
(5)Jennifer P.
My boyfriend and I went here with his cousin and his cousin's wife - apparently they love it. It was our first time at Rokbonki. I thought it was just "ehhh." The place was VERY dim, and the walls are white(ish) with no decorations, so the atmosphere was just very bland and sort of depressing. Our chef was Chat (not to be confused with Chad). He was cool, but kept on flirting with the wife, which got old after the first 30 minutes. The other staff was pretty nice as well. It took a while to get refills on drinks and such, and the restaurant wasn't crowded by any means, so I didn't know why it took so long. The way they served the food was a little... hmm, I think sporadic is the word. I don't know what else to say about it. Sure, we got our little salad that was floating in a puddle of dressing, then the soup, then our appetizers were put on our plate when Chat divvied them out. Finally, we got our entrees, but all at different times. My chicken (the least expensive at $15) had some burnt bits, so it really wasn't all that good. I don't know... I really wasn't impressed and thought it was too overpriced for the experience and the atmosphere. (And trust me, if the food was fab, the decor could be lacking!) I probably wouldn't go back unless I was going with people who absolutely insisted on going. There are FAR better hibachi places at comparable prices.
(2)Ali R.
Food - 4 stars Service - 3 stars Ambiance- 2.5 stars 3 stars overall. My family and I headed over here for a family celebration. We thought we would try something a little closer and since Rokbonki had good reviews on Yelp, we weren't hesitant to try something new. First, the good. The food was cooked very well and the chef was quite charming. They use less salt and sauce here (if requested) which I appreciated. The meat was cooked perfectly and the quality was very good however not the best I've had. The service was odd at times. We were not allowed to even sit down until our whole party was present. I can understand if we were a smaller group but we filled the whole table. And then, once we were seated, we were ignored for at least 5 minutes. Eventually the service picked up but the waitress was a little bit too chatty at times and would just stare at us. The ambiance is pretty poor. Extremely outdated and low lighting. The green carpeting needs to be replaced as do the menus. I understand a restaurant may want to focus more on food, but if we're spending $40+/person, it would be nice to dine at a restaurant that gives their space a little TLC. Their combinations come with soup, salad, veggies, fried rice, meats, appetizer, and sherbet. Not a bad deal but still left some to be desired. We probably won't be back but I'm glad I tried it out.
(3)Bobby E.
AMAZING EVERY TIME! I have been coming here since 1989, when I was 4 years old. The food is outstanding! I travel across the country for work and try to find Hibachi restaurants to try out, however, nothing compares to Rokbonki, and I am not being bias. This place is always good. The portions are nice sized, the sushi is fresh, and everything always tastes delicious! I don't think I have ever had a bad meal here. Even when I bring people who have never been to Rokbonki or any type of restaurant like it, they fall in love instantly. Definitely worth the experience!
(5)Dale Z.
My wife and I's favorite place! So , to respond to other peoples obsession with the lack of decoration.. do you really need all the smoke and mirrors when the food is that good? The salad and dressing is a good start.. and then the soup.. I have cravings for that soup. The sushi is good too. Not the best thing on the menu there, but it isnt shabby either. The rice.. this is the best fried rice anywhere. I like mine with either the egg yolk sauce or the stuff they put on the spicy shrimp.. I could eat pounds of this stuff. and then you get the seriously good stuff.. the steak.. these are beautiful cuts of meat that come out.... nice color, nice size.. and even better.. they taste amazing! The chefs.. there was a time we knew them all by name and they knew us.. Bob was always our favorite. A world without Rok Bonki would be a sad world. Kudos to you, Rok Bonki!
(5)Jackie G.
Like many of the people who have given this place high marks, I've been going here with my family for years. I didn't love the ginger salad dressing as a kid but now have come to crave it. I personally enjoy ordering the combination meal with filet mignon and scallops. Other members of the fam splurge on the hibachi shrimp that comes topped with a rich egg-yolk sauce. Sometimes they pay extra to get it on the fried rice. Also like other yelpers, I'll admit that the service might lag at times, but I forgive that because I enjoy the food so. To avoid wait times, my family usually goes early and makes reservations. The chefs vary but know more tricks than those at similar kind of establishments, in my opinion. I enjoy supporting this non-chain restaurant.
(5)Jessica S.
Best Japanese Steakhouse around with some of the most entertaining chefs. Their sushi isn't the best, but that's not what you should be ordering when you go here. Get the filet mignon dinner with a tokyo shrimp appetizer! You will go home stuffed and happy!
(4)Pierre D.
TOKYO SHRIMP = AMAZING !!!! Went here for a friends birthday celebration and the food and service was top notch. The chef was making jokes no stop and some of us mistook his name for "Chef," when it really was "Chad." Yes, I'd agree the setting is not the greatest and the location is not prime by any means. However the food and drinks are excellent and more than make up for this. I'd rather have better service, and food than a fantastic location anyways. The parking situation is acceptable. In the end, if you looking for an authentic Japanese hibachi grill/type restaurant this is the place for you. I would drive back from Naperville area to go there again at the drop of a dime.
(5)Lena M.
Not too bad for a Friday night. Hubby wanted a steak, but Jameson's down the street was busy with a long wait so we YelpMobiled Steak and came up with Rokbonki. There was no wait, great for a Friday night at 7pm. The place is rather dim and plain. The service was prompt and we had our orders taken quickly. Another family of 4 joined us within 10 minutes so we were happy about the prospect of being able to eat soon. Our chef was Tom. He had a great personality and some of his jokes were pretty funny. That's always a plus! I was happy when he showed up because he opened the vent above letting more light shine on our area (seriously... it was dim). Sad part, when he was done cooking & left a busboy came and closed the vent part making it dim again. :( Hubby & I ordered the Filet, Scallops and Shrimp (Tokyo style of course... smothered in that amazing artery clogging heart stopping rich egg-yolk sauce). When our chef showed up with the food our eyes popped! WOW! Those were the biggest filets we have ever seen in a Japanese steak house! A total plus in my Irish steak-loving husband's eyes! Everything was cooked well, the fried rice was a little burnt (I'm Chinese and I know burnt fried rice). Overall, the meal was good. The best part we noticed the next day... Neither of us had to get up several times that night downing glass after glass of water to cure our salt induced thirst!
(4)Joseph F.
This is one of our all-time fave places!! Have been going there since it opened!! Have tried many other places, but they only lead me back to Rokbonki! Food, service and excitement every time!! Can't go wrong with this place!!
(5)Elle J.
Went here tonight on the suggestion of two friends, both of whom know I love Ron of Japan - they swore I'd like this place too... NOT! Poor service, rice was WAY too sweet, mai tais were WAY too sweet, soup had like 5 noodles (literally), salad was lettuce with a tiny bit of dressing dumped on, veggies were tasteless, steak was gristly (not trimmed at all - my husband's steak was almost inedible due to the fat & gristle), egg sauce was too salty (and they charged $1.00 per dollop - Ron's is free), and to top it off we were seated with a bunch of religious nutcases (albeit not the restaurant's fault) who had group prayer twice. The one plus was the spicy garlic shrimp - really good. For $117.00 + tip, it should have been much, much better. I will not be going back.
(1)Susan H.
Calling all sushi lovers! I know it's a Japanese steakhouse but they have a very nice sushi bar inside. They now have a new chef! He worked in Vegas and LA. He gave us two different items that we had never had at any restaurant, with very different flavors. Andy did a great job with the food, and has great ideas and aspirations of changing the sushi menu. We have been going here for at least a year, with average sushi close to home. This was the best meal we have had there so far, and we have high hopes that it will only get better. He wowed us with a pepper seared tuna appetizer, with his own sauce. Super friendly as he chatted with us at the sushi bar for over an hour.
(5)Courtney P.
Our family has been going to Rokbonki's for about 20 something years now. We remember when it was only one room with about 6 tables. Now it is a larger with more tables and a seperate sushi bar area. A lot of people go there for the hibachi cooking but their sushi is pretty darn awesome for the Midwest. (Sorry you haven't had sushi until you have sushi in the Pacific Northwest.....) The staff is awesome and friendly. They always remember us because we always celebrated major occassions there. We have our favorite chef, Chad, who we always request. Not only is he an awesome chef, but now he is a member of the family. He even came out to sing karaoke with us one time. (He didn't sing....just watched us sing!) You can't beat Rokbonki. Hands down the BEST Japanese steakhouse I have ever been too and Rokbonki will be a part of our family celebrations until they close their doors or we all die...whichever comes first.
(5)Nicole M.
Been to Rokbonki a couple times and I don't plan on going back. First time I went the Chef was a lot of fun, making joking and what not. The food was not good very blah, no tasty. The second time I went, I went for sushi with some girlfriends and the hostess/waitress was very rude! But the sushi chef was nice and the sushi was so--so. Not worth it for the price.
(2)Marc R.
We have come here a few times, and sat at the sushi bar every time. The restaurant got a new sushi chef in January and he is awesome. He's very personable and very entertaining to watch while you're eating. The sushi is phenomenal. I've been to more sushi restaurants than I can count, and Rokbonki outranks them all. We usually get a spicy tuna, alaskan, and then one or two of his specialty rolls. The last time we went we got one with garlic shrimp tempura, which sounds strange but was amazing. The sushi is delicious, even the presentation is beautiful, and the sushi chef is great. Even if you're just going for the hibachi, order some sushi rolls first and you won't be disappointed!
(5)Steve G.
Rokbonki is not what you expect from your "traditional" Japanese steak house. Sure, the waiters yuk and holler. They make a grand show of slicing your onion and choo-choo'ng it across the table. They flip shrimp at your face and ham up their Japanese accents. But the food is absolutely fantastic. I challenge anyone to eat the spicy garlic shrimp and not crave it for an entire week. The taste sticks with you for days. And the fried rice is magic. It's a shame this place is way out in the burbs. I was introduced to it at a family party, and I've been making the trek at least a couple times a year ever since. Many of the waiters are pretty low key, which is nice. Watching an onion turn into a flaming volcano is neat the first couple of times. But by your third visit, you're happy to just stick the onion in your mouth. If you're turned off by exploitative patronizing showmanship, give this place a try anyway. Try to look past it and treat yourself to some amazing, well-cooked food.
(5)Raul B.
Great service good prices... And delicious food
(5)Jenny R.
I don't even know where to begin about this place. This is going to be an off-the-wall, all over the place post b/c there's just too much to say. I've been coming here since the early 90's and I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE it. For years, we used to come here for my birthday...they would give you this weird pineapple thing and take a picture of your table and hang it up on the wall. How anyone could say that Benihana (a chain? come on) is better than rokbonki is beside me. The fried rice is to die for. The egg and garlic shrimp is called tokyo shrimp, and it tastes like heaven (despite the fact that it's a heart attack on a plate). Their teriyaki sauce is AH-mazing...you can buy it. Don't get a mai thai unless you have a designated driver. My personal fav is the teriyaki filet mignon...ugh SO freaking good. The sushi is pretty good too, but usually I'm too busy stuffing my face with soup, salad, fried rice, veggies, shrimp, and meat... If you want to have a really entertaining meal, request chaz as your chef. He's awesome.
(5)Cris H.
Found this restaurant through yelp and we weren't disappointed. Our chef was great, the food was great, the seafood was fresh and the kid's menu was great for our boys. Would recommend to anyone that loves hibachi.
(5)Nate C.
Got to go back here for another birthday celebration. All I can say is Wow! I got the filet mignon and tokyo shrimp this time, and boy was it great. The steak was so tender and delicious. I couldn't even compare it to the steak at some famous steak joints. Another happy time and great meal at Rokbonki.
(4)Samantha H.
The food here is amazing from the soup to the entrees. Despite the fact that we had a reservation, we had to wait, but once we sat down it was great. Our chef was David, who was not only talented with his cooking, but hilarious and friendly. I will definitely go back!
(4)Ron S.
Been coming here for years with the family on any occasion possible. Sadly I think the quality has slowly slipped over the years but I still cannot deny the Rok
(4)AJ H.
Rokbonki is great for birthdays and dinner with friends. The service can sometimes be really slow, especially when ordering from the bar (try the great plum wine), but usually we are having so much fun talking to each other and interacting with our chef that we don't really notice. The amount of food they provide is massive. As a vegetarian, the grilled vegetable meal is great, and they are always sure to cook my veggies first before any meat hits the grills. Vegetarians should note that the soup is not vegetarian... I was mislead on my first visit and nearly tried the soup.
(4)Lisa C.
It was not what I was expecting and was pleasantly surprised. i did not know it was a habatchi restaurant and the hostess just sat us at a grill table rather than asking us if we wanted to sit at the sushi bar. Regardless, we were able to order sushi at the table and the crunchy sushi was different and delicious. The dragon roll was 'normal'. The egg yolk stuff was outstanding. The wait staff was very accomodating; however, we felt that they 'rushed' us even though it was last seating and the restaurant was clearing out. The wait staff seemed to push the meal along. But, once we paid the bill, they did not rush us to leave. I would go back to try other egg yolk stuff and other crunchy sushi.
(4)Heather Z.
Went there for the first time and thought it was alright. I recommend the filet with the taryaki sauce its Delicious! The performance from the chef was wonderful he was funny and our food tasted amazing! However we had to ask another guy who was not our server to refill our drinks. The place did not look to fancy but it was a nice place to go get some Japanese food.
(4)Courtney K.
After reading the only other review, I knew it was my mission to comment! Rokbonki had humble beginnings; not until a few years back, they only had six tables. They're packed every night at dinner, so they bought out the store next to them for more space for their customers, and a sushi bar. Let me also say that the strip mall they're in doesn't have very good luck with business, and for such a tucked away place, they thrive!! The food is the best Japanese hibachi grill in the state bar none! I've been going there since I was 7 (1990). I have to comment on the other reviewer's post: First, yes, their ambiance is lacking, but it's not terrible, just plain; the food is what REALLY counts, and it is too good. Secondly, let me say that Benihana is crap. I've been there, and the restaurant itself is okay, but the food and the cooks aren't anything to talk about (or even burp about :-) )-I digress- Rokbonki's chefs are excellent, and they try to interact with their customers. Also, it's a Japanese restaurant; I expect to see Japanese people cooking (unlike those you'll find at Benihana), I don't think that Mexican people know how to cook Japanese food as well. Just like I wouldn't expect to go to a burrito bar in Chicago and see a Japanese person behind the heat. My only regret is that there aren't more Rokbonki's around the state so that I wouldn't have to go to the other, blah, Japanese steakhouses! Thankfully for now, I live not too far.
(5)Abraham P.
Great food, chefs, and service. When their not busy. Every time me and my girlfriend go there everything has been spot on at the restaurant. The times we went were not crowded at all. One day the place was packed. When we got to our seats me and my girlfriend and the couple next to me who ordered water didn't receive it until 10 - 20 min into the cooking while the other group next to me received their beers on a timely matter. Depending on chef you will get a different experience every time. The food is still good even with different chefs. Except on a packed day where they didn't do anything special with the chicken my girlfriend ordered and the couple next to me with the late water also complained about the lack of cooking of their chicken. Overall: If you go on a day where the place is packed expect some sort of bad service other wise i enjoy the place a lot.
(4)Megan T.
I am a fan, however prices wise it is expensive and you feel like they are rushing you out sometimes during the weekend. I would have given 5 stars except for there is a newer and much nicer place in the area with the same prices and great food. Rokbonki's compared to this other place is not as nice and needs updates. If you have never been here I would recommend it the food is wonderful.
(4)Marc E.
Visiting my girlfriend and she took me here. The food was absolutely delicious! But it is expensive so it's best to only go on special occasions. I had the lobster and chicken which was fantastic. They give you so much food so you do feel like getting your money's worth. It's a lot of fun to the chefs make the food right in front you. It was a very enjoyable first time experience. If you want good Japanese hibachi then go here.
(5)Tommy A.
If I could go 3.5 I'd think about it, but for a full Japanese hibachi experience, this probably belongs right at 3. Considering the price is on par with other Japanese hibachi steakhouses, I think there are better out there. I know there are on the far south suburbs where I use to live, but this was my first try in the Northwest burbs. Soup was decent, nothing special, and same with the salad. I love ginger dressing and I found this one kind of flat. I like other places dressings better when they have a sharper ginger taste to them. The veggies came next and were good. Although I don't think they loaded them up with garlic butter as much as some other hibachi's do. May be a bit healthier, but who cares, I like my garlic butter! After veggies was fried rice and I'll say I enjoyed this a lot. They added a little teriyaki in the rice and it was excellent. In fact their teriyaki in general was excellent. I didn't order anything with it but sampled my girlfriend's chicken teriyaki and the sauce was awesome on there as well. My entree was the filet and Tokyo (egg yolk) shrimp. The Tokyo shrimp was a little different than I was use to. It had a hint of pink color in it, it was also a bit lighter tasting than other egg yolk sauces. However, it was still very good. The shrimp were a little tough and maybe not the best quality, but I still got a lot of enjoyment out of this part of the meal. Their egg yolk sauce albeit different, it is very acceptable and good. The filet had good size for a filet, they didn't short change you there. I ordered mine medium rare, and the chef cooked it properly. I would say this steak was good, not great. Like a few things at this place, it was enjoyable, but the flavors just didn't quite pop. I would put both of the dipping sauces in this category as well. I absolutely love the ginger sauce these places give you. This one didn't have a bad taste, but it had kind of a light flavor and once again didn't pop. The seafood sauce here was altogether interesting. It tastes like most other seafood sauces, but has a tremendous amount of horseradish in it. Now I love horseradish, but I kind of don't want it in my seafood sauce. As for the other facts of the meal. The service was mediocre, not terrible, but they could of stopped a bit more often. Our chef was pretty damn good. Personable, good at cooking, put a fun show on with the tricks, and made the experience better. They also accomodated us nicely with our bday party of 6, giving us a table with nobody else there. I know this would never happen with the Benihana's of the world. With that all said, for the price, I'm not sure if I'll be coming back. It is a 15-20 minute drive for us, and I think we could do better within the same distance. But the place isn't horrible either, it's middle of the road.
(3)Andy K.
I went here for the first time last night. The food was delicious. It's pricier than other Japanese steakhouses I've been to like Japan 77. Our table was pretty much ignored for about the first 20 minutes that we were seated. It took about a half hour to get water. Also, our chef wasn't really anything special. Still, the food was pretty good. I'd go back again, but I'd rather not go on a Saturday night right before Christmas when it won't be so crazy there.
(3)Steph P.
Before tonight, the last time I went to Rokbonki was in 1999 for Turnabout with my group of friends (crazy!). My brother tells me that it is still a popular place with the high schoolers for Prom, Homecoming, and all those oh-so-important events of adolescent yore. Now that they've moved into half of the space that Pacific Buffet used to be in, the waits are not so bad. Overall, I'd say that the food here is alright though on the greasy side for Japanese food and pricey. I remember getting the Tokoyo shrimp in 1999 and thinking it was the most amazing, creamy dish ever...and tonight I looked at the 1/2 cup of what is practically mayo on my plate, juxtaposed with the pool of oil that had collected in the middle from the servings of veggies, shrimp, and fried rice given beforehand as part of the combo...and well, I just don't feel the same way as I did so many years ago. My dad's filet mignon and chicken (hibachi style) combo was pretty good, cooked just right and simply. The teriyaki chicken that my mom ordered, on the other hand, was WAY too sweet to the point that it is tiring. My brother like his veggie combo, but admitted that it was just ehh. Service was ehh...I was sorta annoyed that they screwed up the Diet Coke but didn't offer to replace it free of charge, which just adds insult to injury when they charge for refills. What I DO love about Rokbonki is that the setup (having the chef there to chit chat with) takes the pressure out of family dinners. You don't actually have to talk to each other! And you've always got the cook to fill in your awkward silences! Our chef made the meal for me cause I got to talk to him about San Francisco, Filipinos in Japan, and got some tips on the good Japanese places to eat in the burbs. p.s. They serve sake, Kirin, and Sapporo.
(3)Oleg K.
First of, I've been to more then a few sushi restaurants and Japanese steak houses and on more then a couple of occasions made my own sushi. So I guess I could definitely qualify myself as an amateur expert when it comes to sushi. The food itself wasn't bad. I mean it was nothing special or out of the ordinary, that you would find in any sushi restaurant. If you consider that this was a Japanese Steak House then it would make sense that they would concentrate more on that, then the sushi bar. What made me write this review, is that this particular restaurant had really crappy service. Maybe it was because my family and I wanted sushi and got a table at steak house instead. Regardless, it didn't matter most of the waitresses(including ours) had no idea what they were doing. And when we finally started walking towards the exit, after paying our bill - our waitress noticed that we were leaving by saying[with complete surprise]: "Oh! You are leaving? Well have a good night then!..."
(2)Jason P.
This place is the best restaurant for the Japanese hibachi grill experience. The chefs are very entertaining and will talk and joke with you the entire time that they are cooking in addition to putting on a good show with the food. It is FAR better than a place like Benihana where the presentation is only mediocre and (at least from the time I was at Benihana) the chef didn't understand English. If you live in Chicago or the burbs, definitely give it a try.
(5)S to the izzo F.
Pretty good Hibachi style steak house. The ambiance is lacking. the decor is plain and strip mallish.... and you sit around the same grills like other Japanese steak houses. However the Garlic and Egg yoke toppings for the shrimp here are excellent. They make a pretty good fried rice too. Every once in-a-while I get a craving for them and have to make the trek out here to get it. it's always fun to sit and meet knew people and watch the chefs do their thing. Benihana's is much better but they don't have the Garlic and Egg Yoke!
(3)Tom T.
Pushy hostess, burnt food, bad sauces. I did not have a great experience at Rokbonki. I was there on a Monday, business slow. I was there early and had reading material with me, so volunteered to wait until others arrived to share a hibachi table. The hostess insisted I get seated. When seated, she insisted I order right away. I again told her my preference was to wait for a group, she wouldn't hear it. As the chef began preparing my meal, a fun group of four was seated at the next table, now the chef is in a hurry. My scallops were cut in half to make them thinner, which defeats the flavor profile of a scallop. They were burnt, and had too many sesame seeds on them. The sauces were ginger and horseradish, with horseradish recommended for the scallops. I love horseradish, but neither of the sauces "worked" with the scallops, and they were too burnt to eat them alone. I search everywhere I travel for good hibachi so saddens me to say I won't be back to this one.
(2)Dave C.
This place is a solid place to go to eat. It's been around for a while and has been pretty consistent in both taste and portion. The chef's are great entertainment compared to some places, but I would say the food is just average, sometimes waay to greasy for my taste. The fish is fresh so the sushi is good. The decor and ambiance is just awful. I feel bad for the workers, because this place is so dark and gloomy, and in the tight space there are usually 4 or more tables cooking at the same time, which smokes up the place pretty well, not helping the cause at all. Maybe it's just me, but the place, due to all its years, isn't the cleanest place and again all the tables going at the same time doesn't help to make it seem any cleaner. All in all average teppan, needs some renovation on the decor.
(3)