Good teppanyaki in Chicago

Anyone have suggestions for really good teppanyaki-style dining in Chicago? I'm constantly disappointed by Benihana, and a friend discouraged me from trying Ron of Japan.

Thanks!

J

Not sure if it's good as much as it's charming, but for a non chain teppanyaki experience, you might want to consider Zin Mi. It's a small-family-run place, been there over 30 years, a little threadbare in places, not quite as showy as Benihana, but there's a real, genuine care for the food that usually doesn't come through at the big corporate places.

Zin Mi
9219 Waukegan Rd.
Morton Grove, IL 60053
847-966-3303

nr706 wrote:Not sure if it's good as much as it's charming, but for a non chain teppanyaki experience, you might want to consider Zin Mi. It's a small-family-run place, been there over 30 years, a little threadbare in places, not quite as showy as Benihana, but there's a real, genuine care for the food that usually doesn't come through at the big corporate places.

Zin Mi
9219 Waukegan Rd.
Morton Grove, IL 60053
847-966-3303

I appreciate it - that's exactly the kind of place I'm looking for as I would rather trade a little "showiness" for better quality food. I'll give it a try!

nr - is that the place that's divided between sushi bar and grill tables? Threads on teppanyaki here and here

I haven't been back to Zin Mi very recently, but I'm pretty sure there's no sushi bar there - just the teppanyaki tables.

Ah, I was thinking of Kampai, to which we've been intending to take Sparky, partly as a reward for never making us go to the like of Rainforest Cafe...thanks!

I don't know why your friend discourages you from trying Ron of Japan. Did he/she have a bad meal there? I happen to like it quite a bit, and it appears I may not be alone: http://lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?t=17497 and http://lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?p=165519#165519 . The shrimp rocks and the food is pretty solid overall. Just be prepared to devour a lot of oil, to sit with strangers and to leave the restaurant smelling a bit like you've been cooking with oil for hours. All in all however, it's one of my secret splurge places that I like to visit at least once every year.

Hanakawa Japanese Steakhouse
411 S Milwaukee Ave
Libertyville, IL 60048
(847) 247-0091

I really like this place, it is family owned and manages to survive with Tsukasa of Tokyo being right across the street. Their Hibachi Tuna was amazing... I made the mistake of originally ordering it Teriyaki style and when I saw the chef cooking other dishes at the table in their thick syrupy teriyaki sauce, I asked for him to instead prepare the sashimi grade fillet (by my eye anyways) in a more simple hibachi style (prepared rare with a bit of soy and lemon), and it turned out perfect.

As a plus, they really have great sushi, although their Sushi chefs stick strickly to the menu... No Omikasa option.

Hi,

A few years ago, Gary, LAZ and I bumped into a couple who owned a tappenyaki restaurant in the vicinity of Eden's Plaza off Lake Street and 94. I have seen it, but don't recall the name. Of course, they claimed they were 'very good,' but I was never there.

Sorry to be so obtuse, I just don't recall the name.

Regards,

Cathy2 wrote:Hi,

A few years ago, Gary, LAZ and I bumped into a couple who owned a tappenyaki restaurant in the vicinity of Eden's Plaza off Lake Street and 94. I have seen it, but don't recall the name. Of course, they claimed they were 'very good,' but I was never there.

Sorry to be so obtuse, I just don't recall the name.

Regards,

i think you're thinking of ichigawa

I don't like Ron of Japan downtown but really like the one in Northbrook. If I know I'm going to have my last meal, it will be the lobster at Ron of Japan.

BR wrote:I don't know why your friend discourages you from trying Ron of Japan. Did he/she have a bad meal there?

In general, my friend felt like at Ron of Japan they had just stopped trying. The space is nice, but it looked like it hasn't been kept up. He says, "It's as though Disney World were somehow now being run by tired old carney barkers. You can see what it once was, but you're 20 years, and
several owners, too late."

As for the food, he says, "The food was much the same way. It didn't taste bad. It just didn't have much flavor at all. Nobody much is really trying."

Compared to Benihana, my friend said that their chef was dull, un-engaging and just going through the motions. Instead of feeling like you were there being welcomed by the chef you had rather just ended up with that unfortunate table that's too close to the kitchen.

Actually, the one thing I like about Ron of Japan is that it's not showy. The chefs don't throw food around. They don't build onion volcanos. They don't bang the salt and pepper shakers. They just cook the food.

The last time I went to one of those 'show' places (Kampai) the cook cut the end of his finger off and had to go to the hospital. If I want a 'show', I'll go to a movie.

BTW, about 12 years ago, when I worked down there, Benihana downtown on Superior (I think) had a tremendous "Business Men's Lunch Special". It was soup, maybe salad, shrimp tempura, grilled shrimp, grilled vegetables, beef, chicken and desert for $12 or $13. I think I'm forgetting something else. It really was a great deal.

I found out the hard way that the one in Schaumburg did not have the same deal. I don't know if they still have the deal. I don't remember actually seeing it on the menu when I was there. I found out about it from another patron as I was paying twice the price for half the food.

KagaTakeshi wrote:

BR wrote:I don't know why your friend discourages you from trying Ron of Japan. Did he/she have a bad meal there?

In general, my friend felt like at Ron of Japan they had just stopped trying. The space is nice, but it looked like it hasn't been kept up. He says, "It's as though Disney World were somehow now being run by tired old carney barkers. You can see what it once was, but you're 20 years, and
several owners, too late."

As for the food, he says, "The food was much the same way. It didn't taste bad. It just didn't have much flavor at all. Nobody much is really trying."

Compared to Benihana, my friend said that their chef was dull, un-engaging and just going through the motions. Instead of feeling like you were there being welcomed by the chef you had rather just ended up with that unfortunate table that's too close to the kitchen.

I would agree that it's very different from Benihana. To me, Benihana is more about the show -- mostly knife skills. At Ron of Japan, there has never been showmanship or as much interaction between the chef and diners. But I have not noticed any change in the quality of the food since my first visit more than 20 years ago. Yes, the decor could use a makeover (particularly at the downtown location), but I still think the food is consistently very good at both locations (although I too prefer the Northbrook branch).

My 13 year old wishes to go to a teppanyaki restaurant with us and a few friends for his birthday.I am not really concerned about the food as much as he'd love to see a good show.We will be coming from nw Indiana.Any recommendations that wont have to take us to the northern suburbs.Seems like the show at Ron's of Japan isnt that great.
thanks

trudie wrote:My 13 year old wishes to go to a teppanyaki restaurant with us and a few friends for his birthday.I am not really concerned about the food as much as he'd love to see a good show.We will be coming from nw Indiana.Any recommendations that wont have to take us to the northern suburbs.Seems like the show at Ron's of Japan isnt that great.
thanks

For a show and not-great food, try Benihana. Here's the one probably easiest for you to get to:

Benihana
747 E. Butterfield Road
Lombard, IL 60148

Another great place to try is in Naperville. KiKu's Japanese Steakhouse. All of my friends and family love this place much better than the BeniHana's, Ron of Japan's and Domo 77's out there. Steve and his sister own this place and have done an outstanding job of making the interier a beautiful place to look at with soothing colors. There are separate sushi and teppanyaki eating areas but you can also have your sushi selections brought to your teppanyaki table. There is a beautiful large wooden bar with a wonderful selection of sake. Not the kind that is warmed and served in little containers but wonderful smooth dry selections served chilled as they should be.

I highly recommend KiKu's as a place to try for either a teppanyaki experience or just for sushi or both! They have also recently expanded and now have separate rooms available for parties as well.


KiKu Japanese Steakhouse
www.mykiku.com

2764 Aurora ave
Naperville, IL 60540
(630) 305-3355

I feel like i need to chime in on behalf of Ron of Japan (Northbrook location only) The shrimp appetizer with the egg custardy sauce on top and the fried rice are worth the price of admission. If you are unfamiliar with the fried rice at ROJ think equal parts seasoned ground beef and rice. RoJ could use a sprucing up, but the food is still tasty.

I'd like to revive the thread for an update from anyone who's been to one of the aforementioned joints. We're thinking about taking a group out for our boys' birthday meal - the twins will be four and we think they'd have a hoot. We've been leaning towards Ron of Japan, merely because it's close. What about Ichigawa in Wilmette or a not yet mentioned teriyaki and show? Theatricality is good...

For a blow-out kid's birthday, I'd recommend Kampai. Teppanyaki is pretty much the same no matter where you go - but the chance to get appetizers off of floating sushi boats is not as common in Chicagoland. They may or may not have the two restaurants connected at this time (when we went, they weren't) but you can still start off at one and run outside to go to the other.

Mhays wrote:Teppanyaki is pretty much the same no matter where you go . . .

I disagree only because I have not found a similar teppanyaki place that makes the shrimp w/ egg dish like Ron of Japan. Ichiban in Northbrook did, but that location has been a temple for about 20 years now.

BR wrote:

Mhays wrote:Teppanyaki is pretty much the same no matter where you go . . .

I disagree only because I have not found a similar teppanyaki place that makes the shrimp w/ egg dish like Ron of Japan. Ichiban in Northbrook did, but that location has been a temple for about 20 years now.

I agree completely. And if you like the shrimp, try the lobster with the egg sauce.

However, if you're looking for a show, Ron of Japan is probably the wrong place. Alas, one of the reasons I like the place is the lack of the circus. But if you put show above food, do not go there.

For this particular adventure, show is as important as food. Otherwise I'd take the kids to Renga Tei and tell them to suck it up. That tactic usually goes over very well...

Your sushi boat photos are indeed alluring, Mhays. I do like my sushi boats. However, I don't think I can talk the gang into going to Mt. Prospect.

Harumph. I don't really need theater as much as I need... something like flying shrimp. I think that will bring my children glee. And I'm all about the glee, dammit. We've heard Ron of Japan have flying shrimp. True?

Not sure if it's the same, but Kampai has a sauce option "Golden Shrimp $10.95 The largest Shrimp available smothered in our special sauce made with egg yolk. " I'm assuming this is what you're talking about? I had it - wasn't my cup of tea, but it was like a very very eggy hollandaise without the lemon flavor, which they broiled a bit by overturning a bowl over the whole thing. I think they also offered this dish in the not-very-good teppanyaki place we went to in Orlando. Frankly, I've never particularly enjoyed the food at a teppanyaki place - but that's not what I'm there for.

Maybe Benihana doesn't offer it?

I prefer Ron of Japan myself especially for the golden shrimp but if you want a show, I would go to Tsukasa of Tokyo in Vernon hills. They do all the showy things like the fire, the onion volcano/train, the egg balancing, the tossing the food into your mouth. Especially for kids and birthdays.

They also have a newly updated place across from where they used to be located. it has a sushi bar, and a nice section for the teppanyaki. It even has a private room for parties.

Tsukasa of Tokyo
561 N Milwaukee Avenue
Vernon Hills, IL 60061-1593
Phone: (847) 816-8770
Fax: (847) 816-6205

http://www.tsukasaoftokyo.com

DrkDragon wrote:I would go to Tsukasa of Tokyo in Vernon hills.

Tsukasa is a good choice for teppanyaki. They also have the best aforementioned golden shrimp in the area, imho. 'Golden sauce' is one of the more underrated Chicagoland specialties, and unique to me in that it exists primarily in Chicagoland moreso than Chicago proper. Other locations I'm aware of offhand include Taste of Tokyo and Hanabi, both in Buffalo Grove (which, for the purposes of this thread, are sushi focused--not teppanyaki restaurants).

Taste of Tokyo
159 Mchenry Rd
Buffalo Grove, IL 60089
(847) 459-1656

Hanabi
734 S Buffalo Grove Rd
Buffalo Grove, IL 60089
(847) 215-9088

skess wrote:
Tsukasa is a good choice for teppanyaki. They also have the best aforementioned golden shrimp in the area, imho. 'Golden sauce' is one of the more underrated Chicagoland specialties, and unique to me in that it exists primarily in Chicagoland moreso than Chicago proper.

While I agree it is an underrated specialty, I don't know if Tsukasa's is better than Ron of Japan. there is just something about Ron of Japans golden sauce that makes it better. It's probably a personal bias since i've been going there since I was a kid.
I will give Tsukasa's this, the sauce does hold up to cooking, and retains it's shape and stays on the shrimp, whereas Ronnie's melts right off the shrimp.

Speaking of golden sauce. When I was dating this girl in Glendale Heights, there was a Teppanyaki in that area that would sell you the golden sauce. I don't know if they still do, but Japan 77 was selling the sauce. We would buy it there when we would try to recreate the Ron of Japan experience at home.

Japan 77
2161 Bloomingdale Road
Glendale Heights, IL 60139
(630)893-3377

Sakura is supposed to open tomorrow.

Sakura Teppanyaki and Sushi
730 W. Diversey Pkwy
Chicago, IL 60614
773-248-2882

http://sakura-teppanyaki.com/

Joined this site just to say thanks to the last poster! I was looking for a teppanyaki place in the city for my daughter's upcoming 13th birthday. Sakura sounds perfect, and best of all, we can walk there with six girls in tow! Thanks a million! Will report back here to pay it forward!