Always a fun experience going to Kotobuki! The sushi is great, the tables are unique and the…read moreservers and staff are always very friendly and helpful. Ambiance is always nice and calm when we come for dinner. I'm sure we'll be back again next time we're in town!

SKIP Kotobuki in Norfolk - Worst Sushi Experience EVER…read more Kotobuki in Ghent is a disaster. I gave this long-running spot a second chance, after a poor first experience, and it was a mistake. A friend insisted we return, and the service was shockingly bad, the sushi was subpar and the overall experience was the worst. From the moment you walk in, Kotobuki screams neglect: dead plants, servers dressed like they're doing yard work and a pervasive smell of old fry oil. We had reservations for the "traditional Japanese" sunken-table room, where we removed our shoes and climbed into our seats. One dirty pair of slippers sat at our table, while a random pair of construction boots lay abandoned nearby. The "ambiance" was completed by 70s soft rock -- Lionel Richie instead of "traditional Japanese" music. Our server took my order for a dirty Stoli martini, then disappeared for an absurd amount of time only to return and say they couldn't make it -- with no explanation. We hunted through the limited menu while our server vanished completely. The owner eventually stopped by, and I had to specifically request a sushi list. Tired of sitting cross-legged, I briefly put my feet into the pit under the table. Rather than place my bare feet on the filthy floor, I slipped my shoes back on for a moment. That's when the owner's daughter stormed over and aggressively accused me of saying, "Screw you and screw Kotobuki -- I'm not following the rules!" She launched into a rude, insulting lecture about "Japanese custom" while I sat there stunned. I immediately took my shoes off again, just to de-escalate, but the evening was ruined. No customer should be verbally assaulted over something as basic as not wanting bare feet on an obviously dirty floor. In an awkward position, not wanting to ruin the evening, I ordered my food. The sake was watery and flavorless, the house salad was sad, wilted iceberg lettuce drowning in bottled ginger dressing, and the sushi arrived lukewarm with questionable rice that called for a palate blinding amount of wasabi. It was boring, poorly prepared, and far below average. This was one of the worst dining experiences I've ever had. Hand to God! Had this not been a special evening with a dear friend, I would have walked out the second the owner's daughter chastised me at the table. Management at Kotobuki clearly doesn't care about customer service or basic standards -- especially when family members are allowed to treat patrons this way. "Japanese tradition" doesn't excuse poor hygiene, rude staff or substandard food. In America, we have health codes for a reason. If you want decent sushi in Norfolk, go literally anywhere else. Kotobuki is just a lazy dive. There's nothing special on the menu, very little sushi selection and nobody seems to care. If you choose to ignore this warning, lower your expectations folks, you are about to be disappointed. The only thing good about this restaurant, is the opportunity to tell you how much it sucked.

Went here Wednesday around 5 PM after doing some grocery shopping nearby. No customers inside, so…read morewas immediately able to order. This was my first time trying iron grill, so I was excited to see what it was all about. I decided to try the steak and chicken hibachi (8.5/10) I think it was pretty tasty and flavorful, only thing was I felt like the portion of meats could've been a little more compared to the large portion of rice and they loaded the vegetable portion with a bunch of onions; whereas, I would've liked more zucchini. I also tried the iron grill roll (9/10) I thought it was very good and would get it again. Didn't have too long of a wait for the food and you could see while waiting that your order was being freshly made and prepared, so that was a plus. I'll totally be back again to try more of their rolls and other hibachi combos. They also have teriyaki combos so I would like to see what the difference is regarding flavors. My overall rate of experience : 8/10

Extremely fast service but the food was mediocre. I guess I prefer my "hibachi" a little more…read moregrilled. The meats didn't have a hint of that grilled meat flavor and that was dissapointing, it's almost like boiled chicken with teriyaki sauce.

Ordered 2 teriyaki chicken and fried rice and it was amazing! Worth the drive and the money…read more Service was efficient and I was in and out. Definitely recommend for anyone looking for Japanese dishes in the area.

We've been seeing TikToks about this place so my husband and I decided to finally give it a try! (I…read morethink he tried it when it was located somewhere else, but we went to the new location.) Ofcourse when we went, they happened to be closed (it was during their normal operating hours, but i think there was something specific happening for them at that time) so we went back that evening to grab some takeout. When my husband came home with the food, it was still nice and hot. we both got the chicken and fried rice but I got the spicy one. they both tasted great! I was a little surprised by the prices and the quantity - good, but not OMG. I think it's because we just had the chicken and fried rice from the mall and their prices were the same but their portion at the mall was a bit more. both tasted great and I would recommend trying it, but I wish the portion size for our takeout was a little more.

Straight gas, best ramen I ever had. I drool just thinking about this place. i recommend it to…read moreeveryone!

Visited the Norfolk Osaka Ramen location after already familiar with the VB and Chesapeake…read morelocations. I've gone to the latter two locations several times in the past. There's paid street meter parking outside the restaurant. We went during weekday dinner time which I am glad. I don't want to think about where else we should have parked otherwise during busier times/semester. The service here is incredibly slow. We were seated in front of the register with 3 people working the floors and only us being the diners, too. Food tasted ok. Broth was lukewarm/tepid due to the ice cold toppings added straight out of the fridge. The chashu tasted great. Noodles were nice and chewy. Too bad I felt like I was eating out of a bowl of spit. I think I prefer going to the Chesapeake or VB locations. This location is not worth paying for parking and be frustrated waiting for everything including receiving utensils and checks.

Miso / pork broth base is fantastic. Eggs were fabulous but we also got yakatori and it was totally…read moreraw chicken everything else was great. Our server was lovely. I prefer the VB location though for sure.

The Ramen we got and the gyoza were very good. The service was quick. I will definitely be back.read more

Great service! Everyone was so nice, food came out quickly and everything was so fresh. Quiet…read moreplace, cute interior. Will be back soon!

Kyushu Japanese Restaurant is one of those places where the location might make you pause, but…read moredon't let the outside fool you. The moment you step inside, you're walking into a restaurant that is ready to welcome and serve you. I was greeted when I walked in, and because seating was available, the waiter told me I could choose where I wanted to sit. That immediately made the experience feel relaxed and welcoming. I ordered the miso soup, vegetable rolls, and the taco sushi. This was my first time trying taco sushi, and let me tell you... I don't think I've ever tasted something so good that it brought tears to my eyes! That taco sushi did exactly that. It was absolutely delicious and easily became the highlight of my meal. I will definitely be back to explore more of the menu. If you're in the area, don't let the location throw you off, step inside and give Kyushu a try. Highly recommend!

I don't know why the reviews are so terrible. My food has…read morebeen pretty good everytime. Chicken hibachi with noodles was good. The teriyaki chx sub was good but kind of small and had wayyy too much sauce. Tasted good though

Genuinely the worst California rolls I've ever tasted, the sloppy rice immediately made me spit it…read moreout. The chicken Japanese rice bowl wasn't bad but wasn't good either just straight up mid.

suuuuuper yummy food here! i ordered ahead of time and they were still making it by the time i…read morearrived but it was still hot and delicious. service was nice and they were communicative! i love coming here for lunch since it's so close to my job too.

I may have had too high of expectations for Sakura Express. There grand opening is still going on…read moreuntil 8/20 with 20% off. When you walk in the place looks so pretty with all the Sakura flowers and art work. For dinner, I ordered chicken and shrimp teriyaki with mixed veggies and rice. The new restaurant and the grand opening made it so busy. My teriyaki meal was a little mediocre. The shrimp was great and the chicken was alright. The mixed veggies made it too soggy with the cabbage with the broccoli. In addition, I also ordered a sweet potato roll. The sweet potato roll was the star or my meal. I really enjoyed the roll and it was the best out of everything I ordered there. I would like to return for their lunch specials and try them again on a less busier day.