Tokyo Steak House

I have just learned that Tokyo Steak House has closed. How sad. We have spent many birthdays, anniversaries, and special occasions at Tokyo. The late Mr. Ishi kept the place as quirky as anything in St. Louis could ever be. Up until the new owner removed the banner celebrating the year 2000. You don’t get to celebrate that long anymore. Never was a place more fun than Mr. Ishi Tokyo Steak House. How can you top eating Japanese food while listening to a horrid guitar player sing Wholly Bully while you dined on your rice, noodles, salad, and steak? Or the great Mr. Ishi singing the all time favorite from the 60’s Sukiyaki?
I have one more funny story. They used to take Polaroids of the customers when celebrating a birthday. They asked my son Paul’s name which we gave them his correct name but they put David on his picture. God I loved that picture. We were able to rescue «David’s picture on one of our last visits.
RIP Mr. Ishi and Tokyo Steak House. You will live forever in my families history.

Tucked into the corner of a not so noticeable strip mall is this tiny space. The food was cheap and entertaining. But the best part of all the previous reviews was the singing and unfortunately, the gentlemen who used to sing moved away and apparently the owner has passed away. It’s a decent place, especially if you want a private party since it was empty when we were there. But, sadly I’ll have to agree that it’s the end of an era for Tokyo Steak House. Based on how empty it was I don’t see them lasting much longer.

The end of an era. This was our first time back since the owner Ishi died. We will not be returning. Everything’s gone downhill from food quality to service and it is just not worth it.

I just tried Tokyo for the 1^st time and the food was very good. The location is in a strip mall and though it isn’t new, the restaurant was clean and the staff was attentive. I will definitely go back.

The first impression was the unpleasant odor, which overwhelmed us when we walked into the restaurant. I am not sure where the smell was coming from. My first guess would be the carpet, as it looked to be packed with 20 plus years of dirt. Overall the place feels old and dirt. The chairs are sticking as is the bathroom floor.
The service was okay. Everyone seems tired and worn done like they are just waiting for the place to close.
The food was marginal and the presentation by both the chiefs was no different than watching the cooks behind the counters at any fast food place. It was not worth the $ 100 we spent.
Chief Ramsey needs to visit this place or it is headed down the drain.

This was my first time eating at a Hibachi grill. I was told that your chef really makes the experience. We had such an energetic and fun chef. He was very funny and engaging.
I did notice that another chef for another table was no where near as engaging which is unfortunate.

We were introduced to Tokyo Steakhouse years ago by a friend, and absolutely loved the place, coming here frequently over the years. I made reservations for 5 here last evening for my wife’s birthday, also knowing that my son would be home from college as well. Needless to say, this place has gone straight downhill since the last time we were here.
To start, the service was not prompt. Two members of our party never had their water glasses refilled the entire time we were there. Additionally, our salad and soup bowls remained on the table throughout the entire meal.
Our table side chef was horrendously inexperienced and appearance-​wise, looked like he would have been better suited to be working in a fast food kitchen. He overcooked everything, including the scallops, chicken, steak, salmon and fried rice. Additionally, the food was very salty. Not sure if it was a large dose of MSG, salt, soy sauce, or a combination of all three.
Normally, when we dine there, we have no chance of finishing our meal, as the chef overloads our plates, and everyone winds up with leftovers of sorts. Not this time. While the portions shrank, the prices raised.
Last, when I called the owner over (incidentally, the former owner apparently passed away and his nephew has taken over) to explain our disappointment, his first response was, «So, nobody cleared your dishes and that was the issue you had with your meal.» I reiterated all of the issues to him a second time, and his response was a very flippant, «Well, what do you want me to do about it?» It was fairly obvious that he didn’t care. The place wasn’t packed either, so it wasn’t like he was extremely busy and didn’t have a chance to speak with the customers.
The biggest shame is that this restaurant used to be a great place to go with friends and family. For now, though, there’s no way I can recommend this place anymore and would suggest staying away.

Took the family here last night. What a good time! As other reviewers noted the place inside is dated and run down. It really could use a good once over. If not for that this would be 5 stars.
We walked in hearing an old Japanese man playing guitar and singing a rendition of John Lennon’s Imagine. When he was done he came over and sat us a brought us water. The service was good and everyone working there was helping out. The food was great. I have been to many places like this and the show is better then the over cooked food not here the food was seasoned well and cooked to perfection.
We were treated to many more songs ranging from bob Dylan to April wine. Very laid back and relaxed. My kids wife and i have a new favorite place.

Ok there was lots of things wrong with this restaurant. It really is a 1 star review.
My family and I went to Tokyo Steakhouse on May 11^th 2013. My mom is a frugile person, and thought going to this Teppenyaki restaurant with a less «professional» atmosphere, might mean for lower prices. She was wrong. Whether you go to Kobe Steak House or this one, the prices are the same. But the service was terrible at this one.
We sat down at the bar waiting for the other member of our party to arrive. I ordered a very common alcoholic beverage, a Mai Tai. The man at the bar then tells us we have no rum. I find that hard to believe with so many alcoholic beverages requiring rum as an ingredient. We briefly joked about my dad going to the local grocery store and picking them up a bottle of rum.
Well mom and dad looked a little closer at the liquors in their bar and found that there was in fact rum. We just figured either the guy didn’t know how to make a Mai Tai, or didn’t want to make a drink like a Mai Tai which requires more effort than uncapping a bottle of bud light.
So then we sit down. They came out with our drinks, since I couldn’t order a Mai Tai I wound up ordering Saki. That part of the dinner was fine.
We started to order the food, and my dad asked for a steak. The lady taking our orders tells us that they were all out of the lower dollar beef and he could only order Filet Mignon. So dad was forced to order a meal much more expensive than what he originally wanted.
Mom then asked if she could order the Salmon, again, they were out of Salmon. It’s as if they purposefully didn’t stock the lower dollar meal items so we could run up a huge bill.
The cooking was very short on the skill and tricks that are traditional of Teppenyaki Restaurants. There was no catching shrimp in our mouths, or throwing the egg up in the air, and cutting it in half on his spatula. I specifically asked him to do an onion volcano, but he did not oblige. Basically he just cooked food in front of us, there was no showmanship.
We ate our food, proportions were fine, food tasted good.
We were all stuffed and needed to take our food home with us. We waited a good 20 minutes before staff started noticing us. I had to ask to have my glass refilled 2x with water. They wound up giving us boxes, and again, we had to wait another 20 minutes before the check would arrive. It’s like they just forgot about us. Three of us wound up leaving, with dad waiting to pay the bill.
So mom immediately started complaining about how the restaurant treated us on the ride home. She was pretty infuriated about all that was wrong, it was as if the restaurant was run by a bunch or amateurs. And the ambiance of the restaurant didn’t have one for the prices they were charging. They had Christmas lights around a Tip jar, you don’t get that at Kobe Steakhouse.
Dad came home about 20 minutes after we left and told us we got a bill for $ 165 with tip. Mom was very angry, told me we are never going to that restaurant again, and possibly never going to another Teppenyaki restaurant again. The best way we could sum up our experience with the restaurant is we felt «gipped». by the staff running the place.

Honestly, I don’t understand how a single review can be below 4 stars. I have been coming here for years and the food is still, hands down, the best Habachi in St. Louis and arguably one of the best I have ever been too. The inside looks like «big trouble in little china» had a baby with a Japanese woman and the baby was born as a restaurant, but that’s what makes it great! It even has its own live music with a worker who sings great songs while playing an old stratocaster! You don’t come here to impress a date or to wine and dine, you come here with friends and family to have incredible food and an unforgettably fun experience.

Quirky, throw back restaurant. Like walking into a late 70’s /​early 80’s time capsule. The food is very good and you definitely won’t walk away hungry. Went last Saturday night and it was packed. The owner of the restaurant cooked for us. He’s older than you probably remember him, but he is a master on the grill. Drink service can be a little slow, so I would recommend ordering two drinks at a time.

It’s a shame this place went down the tubes like it did. At one time, it was a bustling hibachi grill with fantastic service, food, and atmosphere. I came here a few times with family when I still lived at home a few years ago. Now, it’s hard to say how much longer they’ll be in business.
The food is still very good, the service was fine, but the atmosphere was just sad. I’m surprised there was such a glowing review from someone just this year because after my group had arrived, it looked like we were the only patrons since Obama was elected president.
Granted, it was a Tuesday night, but we were the only people who were in the entire restaurant the entire evening. There were old bedsheets covering a bunch of the tables and it looked like they were setting up for a garage sale later in the week. There was a TV situated on a table with what looked like as an asian «American Idol» knockoff playing.
Our waitress was attentive and did a good job. She got all our orders correct, even after we all had some special requests, so kudos to her. Our chef was also very sweet and friendly, though our group was a little self involved since we hadn’t seen each other in awhile and we ended up talking a lot during his preparation.
The food was still very good, though definitely not the best hibachi I’ve ever had. I remember the food being a little more stellar in years past. I would’ve loved a better variety of veggies because I don’t like onions or bean sprouts, but that’s just my personal preference. The filet was very tasty.
The prices are pretty on-​par with other hibachi grills I’ve been to. My husband and I never order separate meals because it’s always so much food, so we end up splitting the combo meals and it always works out really well. I think we spent about 32 or so with tip.
It was my birthday, so they sang happy birthday to me which was really nice, and then they sang it in Japanese. Bonus points. My birthday dessert was a bag of M&Ms and an orange. Kinda weird, but free, so I’ll take it.
Overall, a disappointment, but only because I knew how great this place once was. Maybe we came on a bad night? Maybe they aren’t usually open on Tuesday nights? Regardless, if they stay in business much longer, they should at least try to make the place a little more welcoming to their patrons.

What a let down. I’ve been to a few hibachi places before, and this one pales in comparison. We came here with a group of 8 on a Tuesday evening to celebrate a birthday and were the only people in the place. Not a good omen.
The charm that others spoke of (see the reviews for the SAME PLACE but listed as a Ballwin location — weird…
) was nowhere to be seen. The place was dingy and the tables sticky. Mmmm… bet that meant clean, right?
The service was fine. The waitress was a little strange and soft spoken but she got our orders right and filled our water adequately. The hibachi cook was very nice and personable, as would be expected. He did the usual tricks of the volcano, choo-​choo train, etc. and was entertaining enough.
The food was so-​so and I think overpriced — a few bucks more than I’ve experienced at other hibachi places but lacking in anything that I would think grants that premium. The noodles were good, probably the best part of the meal. I am used to a «saucier» noodles, but to each his own. I appreciated the garlic that others deemed unnecessary, and the cook took our tables preferences into account. The rice was lackluster. The veggies were good, but i would have appreciated more squash and less bean sprouts and onion. The chicken teriyaki that I ordered was «Meh» though hubby said the steak was good. The soup before the meal was good and standard. The salad was ok. I’ve found other ginger dressings I like more, but whatev.
We did have a birthday girl in our midst, so they sang and offered a cut up orange and a bag of M&M’s…WTF?!?
Overall, I’d give the food and service 2 stars but the condition of the location really turned me off. I felt dirty and I won’t be back.

I am a fan of locally owned establishments and no stranger to hibachi restaurants.
Tokyo Steak House is nestled within a strip mall next to a Blockbuster. Walking in, you’ll probably notice the old Polaroid pictures taped to the walls within the lobby, their unaccompanied bar, a funky distinct smell, and a karaōke machine to the side waiting for a brave soul. There are probably 5 – 6 hibachi tables and half were unused and covered. The only server there was a older petite Japanese woman who found herself shuffling between refilling drinks and bussing tables.
Onto food… I ordered the filet mignon & shrimp dinner special for $ 18.95 that included fried rice, stir fried veggies, and noodles — you know, the usual. Not bad at all… considering that the other combo plates were $ 25+! Yikes! Food was kinda blehhh, and as other Unilocalers have stated, garlic seems to be the main ingredient. I can probably go on and on about what the food should have tasted like, but this is their way of preparation and I respect that. However, our chef was entertaining and so was the other staff. I always enjoy good company around the table so maybe that made up for our ridiculous bill (18% added gratuity for party of 2+).
Mediocre food, no sushi, but the staff is great and they serve imported beer. Hooray!

Tokyo doesn’t have the best Japanese food in town. They don’t have the flashiest chefs, cleanest bathrooms or greatest beer selection. They may close early, open late or never open at all but they do have style. And class.
This is hands-​down the the weirdest restaurant I have ever been to.
I have been coming here with my family for at least 12 years and over the years Tokyo Steak House has gotten stranger and stranger. To enter this place is to dive deep into the mind of a man named Mr. Ishi… a bizarre world where a heavily-​accented man sings Feliz Navidad in June and throws the phrase «Yummy, yummy!» into his garbled rendition of Wooly Bully. Upon request Mr. Ishi will take the stage and sing a heartfelt rendition of Sukiyaki even if he is the one making drinks, serving salads and washing dishes in the back.
Like my brother, the eloquent Chip K. said, the food is reasonably priced, delicious and full of garlic. They will scale back the garlic upon request and they do vegetarian entrees upon request. Tasting the fried rice and ginger salad dressing will blow your mind-​grapes.

This hole-​in-​the-​wall probably has better hibachi than any restaurant in the area. The food is always very good (although they use a lot of garlic… that might not be a plus for some people) and the prices are pretty good for a hibachi-​style restaurant.
The atmosphere is quirky. I remember just a few years ago, they still had decorations hanging from the ceiling celebrating the year 2000. There’s a small stage in the front of the restaurant where a guitar-​wielding gentleman will occasionally stumble through hilariously inappropriate songs such as Shake Your Booty, La Bamba and Woolly Bully. The proprietor is known to get on the stage and sing along as Ue o muite aruk (Sukiyaki) is played over the speakers.
The only real problem with this place is the service. They don’t always honor reservations in a timely fashion, and sometimes they’ll randomly close early, open late, or not open at all. But dammit, I love this place too much for this to bring down my review.
If you can catch them when they’re open, you’re likely to enjoy this place.

This is the best Japanese cooking-​for-​show place I have ever been to. This is one of those restaurants where they slave away on those huge grills at your table, performing tricks like onion volcanoes and egg-​cracking feats. I love it here because it’s never too crowded and they make the best fried rice! I could eat bowls and bowls of the stuff! I also like how they combine mushrooms with your meat if you ask for it. My favorite is the steak and chicken, although they have shrimp and scallops too. The noodles are fabulous, the veggies superb, the ginger sauce spectacular, and I always leave with leftovers. Yum!

I fear these types of restaurants. Hibachi *can* be done well but every one that I’ve been to (this one included) muddles it down to «if we set things on fire, perhaps they won’t notice that the food is bleh drowning in some form of sauce.».
Well, I noticed.

This small hibachi restaurant is hidden in a Manchester strip-​mall, but tastier and cheaper than others in the area. The sukiyaki and fillet (medium rare) have always been great, and the Teppanyaki chef and service are entertaining with the standard antics. Also, don’t be surprised if the staff get up and start into karaōke or playing the guitar (Eric is so Metal).
A warning: No formal dress-​code here, so only appropriate for a formal date as long as you’re comfortable sharing the table with diners in jeans and boots, warm with sake, cheering on Eric.