Kabuto Japanese Steak House & Sushi Bar

The worst service I have ever had at any restaurant and the manager could care less about it. We were sat and it too our server 15 mins to come to the table and when she came she came with the soup and no beverages because she never came to get an order. We ordered the dragon roll and a combination with all 3 meats sub filet and she messed that up. While the chef was cooking I inquired about our sushi and that’s when we were informed that the sushi chefs had left for the day. The server sends the manager and he looks at us as if we did something wrong. I have never in my life seen such blatant disregard for poor service. If there is a corporate office I hope this reaches it. You guys were horrible.

The food was very good. The waitress was very inventive. The only thing is my I felt so sick after eating it. I’m not sure if it’s just my stomach not being able to handle it or what but I felt terrible. The staff at the front was very friendly and talkative

Great place! Very entertaining! Both the sushi and hibachi are excellent… family owned too, and the owners seem to always be there involved with the restaurant… I can definitely appreciate that.

Went for the 50% off sushi on Wednesdays (it’s also on Thursdays both lunch and dinner) and I was pleasantly surprised. The sushi was awesome and fresh, and all sushi is included in the 50% deal, no limited menus or restrictions. I’ve been trying to find decent, budget friendly sushi since I moved to Charlotte, and this is by far one of my top choices. They don’t have too many specialty rolls, so if you’re looking for extravagant sushi you won’t find it here, but still a solid sushi menu and just enough specialty rolls to make it worth it. I sat in the sushi bar area which is small but I believe they have more seating in the back at hibachi stations. Over all go on a Wednesday or Thursday for a good deal!

I’m not a huge hibachi fan, but my husband loves it. This place has really good hibachi, if you’re into that. You get a ton of food. The chef put on a good show. Actually, after he was done cooking, he told me that he had accidentally shorted me on shrimp and that they were cooking more in the back to bring out to me. I was really impressed with his honesty, because I never would have noticed that he hadn’t given me enough.
The service was great, too. My drink never got low. My only complaint is that it’s pretty expensive. The next time my husband craves hibachi though, we’ll be back.

Excellent service. Chef was entertaining and very good. Food ehhhhh a bit bland nothing really popped and was just mostly sort of bland. And seems a bit pricy compared to other Japanese steak houses in the area.

Very delicious and huge amount of food! I went with a group of 5 and one was a child. We all loved the food being made in front of us. Our waiter was great and joked around and didn’t just do his part and leave.
We had the chicken and steak hibachi and everyone’s food was cooked deliciously. The child only wanted noodles but the chef was so kind and even gave her some chicken and rice.
The rice, noodles, veggies, and meat were cooked to perfection and the other people that were sat with us were fun to be around also! The portions were amazing! So much food that I took about half of mine home!
I would recommend the hibachi to anyone who is hungry and loves to have their food cooked directly in front of them!

They don’t serve sushi on Saturday nights, I was so disappointed! We were seated fairly quickly but waited over an hour for our food. It was nothing special, pretty basic compared to what I’ve seen elsewhere.

We had reservations on Valentine’s night, and even though it was for 8, we were sat closer to 9. However, this is partially assumed in busy holiday occasions. The servers were all friendly, and helpful. Checking on the possibility of substituting something out, and making sure drinks were filled. The chef was amusing and had our food cooked to order quickly, and still put on a show. (I had ordered the filet and shrimp)
My only complaint, and this wasn’t something the restaurant could have helped, was the party that was sat at the table with us.

We were happy with the experience… Stick with the traditional Saki though, the favored versions are simply syrup added which takes away from the punch and heat. Drink a few Saki’ 2 compliment the food — U. R. eating Japanese!!! Our chef was very entertaining & better than past experiences with other places in the category.

Great food. It’s your average show hibachi. Ours was not that great because there was a small child at the table who was terrified of the loud noise and the flames. They did take her outside. The plum wine was delicious! If you want good hibachi and have the extra cash I’d recommend it.

4 stars for ½ price sushi on Wednesdays and Thursdays! Nothing incredibly inventive here. Basic sushi and good hibachi, if you choose to sit at one of the cook-​in-​front-​of-​you tables.
Not super accommodating of special sushi requests, but that could’ve just been the waitress. Overall the rolls were good for a great price. The sushi rice wasn’t mushy (a huge pet peeve). And the service was efficient.
Don’t come here for ambience, but if you need a cheap sushi fix, this should do it.

Our cook lacked the organizational skills to get the meal on our plates so that we could enjoy it without an item getting cold. But, he was pleasant and courteous, and I made it enjoyable because he was trying.
The owner should clean the carpets and be sure that all cooks are ready to entertain and get the food on your plate in a timely manner before they are called to service.

I was actually in search of another place that serves hibachi, but I went here instead after seeing that it was closer and had good reviews as well. I must have been there on a bad day because the service was slow, the food was bland, and the price/​portion was sad.
I ordered the vegetable hibachi with salad, no soup because it’s made from shrimp-​based broth and I’m vegetarian. I waited almost 25 mins before my food was ready for take out. The hostess handed me a bill, which was about $ 11 and some change and I inquired if she had charged me for the soup as well even though I did not buy any. (They couldn’t even replace the soup for one that was vegetable-​based). She said that they still have to charge you for it. Alright, that’s fine. I look inside the takeout box to make sure my order is correct, and inside is the most pathetic portion I’ve ever seen: full of rice and a tiny portion of chopped up vegetables. The salad wasn’t a real salad either: chunks of browned iceberg lettuce with a few shreds of carrot.
I was pretty upset about this so I told the hostess that the portion was a pretty bad size for $ 11 and they didn’t even have enough vegetables in it. She gave me this «ummmm» look and stepped into the office with the cash register. I waited about a minute or two and she never came out; I left.
So the service was slow, portion was terrible for the price, and no one came out to address my issue. Oh well, just my luck– but it gets worse: I get home and start eating my meal anyway, but it’s so bland that I have to add my own soy sauce. The ginger dressing for the «salad» was fine and the best part was the chili sauce– it was actually spicy and not oily. Good job Kabuto.
I might return to try their sushi, but I definitely won’t be getting anything else here again, and I wouldn’t recommend getting takeout from here as well.

Can I just say I absolutely love this place! I was actually a waitress here back in 2005. I left because I moved back to los Angeles California and yet I have not found a place that is as good as kabutos. They have benihanas out here yet still not up to kabutos level. I would really love to see a kabutos out here! I think I might just take a flight to north Carolina to have some kabutos. Great owners and staff. Try the shrimp sauce on your rice. The best!

I love the food and the prices. Wed and Thursday sushi half off. Hospitality and great customer service. He owners are very nice and the waiters treat you with respect.

Great quick fix for sushi! Wednesday and Thursday 50% off sushi cannot be beat! Quick service and relaxed atmosphere.
I ordered two of their specialty rolls: dragon roll and Carolina Sunrise. Decent for the price but the dragon roll tasted a bit bland. The crab salad on top of the Carolina Sunrise had a bit of wasabi kick to it. I was expecting more of a volcano roll crab salad on top but this was a nice surprise.
My cousin got the lucky 7 and jack pot rolls. Lucky 7 really hit the spot! Most of their specialty rolls consisted of shrimp tempura.

Good food and service and karaōke night on Saturday is hilarious. The hibachi is great and if you want cheap decent sushi go for it! Very simple rolls and a menu where you check off what you want. Enjoyed it.

Word of mouth made me skeptical of this place but in not one to shy away from a restaurant because of what people say.
The restaurant– it’s what you would expect of an establishment on this side of town. Bigger than what I thought. Nice little setup though.
The show– not as impressive as other Japanese restaurants I’ve been to. While the guy talked to is a lot and made us laugh, I didn’t see much flying through the air like I’d hoped.
The food– fried rice and the steak was good. He cooked it to a nice medium rare, suggested a mustard sauce that was incredible paired up with it

This locally owned family restaurant has been a favorite amongst University Area residents for years now. Located just across from the University, in the back of the Harris Teeter, Kabuto’s is probably the best Japanese style Hibachi and Sushi spot in the University City Bubble.
I LOVE their sushi. Their fresh-​water eel is unmatched. I also love their California roll (sometimes I add salmon to it). The sushi is always made fresh to order. The rice is always soft and the wasabi is strong just the way I like it.
Although I am partial to the sushi bar located in the front of the restaurant, I have on the rare occasion, sat in the back, and partaken of the hibachi experience their fun and entertaining chiefs put on. The experience is always entertaining and the food is always above-​par.
There’s nothing not to like about this place. The service is ALWAYS exceptional. I have been here well over 50 times in my time in Charlotte and have never had poor service here. There is always plenty of parking located directly in front of the restaurant.
Kabuto’s is one of those rare establishments in the University Area that are worth driving to if you don’t live in the University City Bubble. Though I don’t live in the UCB anymore, Kabuto’s is one of the few places that I still return to dine at on a regular basis.
EAT AT KABUTO’S!