Competent teppanyaki with genuine charm Ichiban occupies a…read morecomfortable middle ground in the hibachi dining space -- neither a revelation nor a disappointment, but a reliably enjoyable evening out. The theatrics at the grill are well-executed without veering into gimmick territory, and the chefs clearly know their way around a teppanyaki surface. The steak deserves mention. Properly seasoned and cooked to order, it holds up against pricier competitors. The fried rice is a quiet standout - better than it needs to be, which says something about the kitchen's attention to detail even on the basics. Where Ichiban earns its reputation is in the overall package. Communal grill seating creates an energy that's difficult to manufacture, and on a good night the atmosphere genuinely elevates the meal. Service is functional rather than polished, which feels appropriate for the format. The pricing reflects the experience rather than purely the food, and that's a fair trade for most diners. Walk-ins are acc lodated, making it an accessible option without une friction of advance planning. Not a destination for the serious gastronome, but an honest, well-run restaurant that delivers what it promises.

Located in the Southwest Plaza Shopping Center, in Roanoke, Virginia, this Japanese Steakhouse is…read morevery well known for its Hibachi Grill and Sushi. Last time I reviewed it I dined with a friend at one of their Hibachi tables with chef performances. I invite you to read that review and view my photographs accompanying it. It was an amazing dining experience. This time I dined at their traditional dining room next to their Sushi Bar. As soon as I arrived the friendly lady host welcomed me and after asking where I preferred to dine, took me to one of their tables there. Shortly afterwards, my friendly server arrived and took my drink order of a Coke. Then after I had reviewed their menu, I made the following order to my server: I ordered the Gyoza for appetizer and for my main entrée I ordered the Lobster, Filet Mignon (cooked medium-rare), and Scallop Hibachi Dinner which was served with a chicken broth and green salad with the house ginger dressing. The timing of the bringing out the items of my order was perfect. My server did an excellent job serving me the items of my order and making sure I didn't need anything else. This dining area had a more relaxed environment and the food was the same high-quality food. The filet was very tender and juicy. The scallops also tasted very good as well as the lobster meat that was served in a small bowl. The fried rice however tasted somewhat strange. Like if they hadn't rinsed the container where it was cooked well and it had a soapy flavor. It also lacked the flavor of Japanese butter, that it usually has when I had it served from the hot table performance. For dessert I ordered a slice of their Japanese Layered Crepe Cake. I remembered how delicious it tasted last time. This time it also tasted awesome yet not as fresh as last time. In conclusion I still highly recommend this restaurant, preferably eating at the interactive dining experience with a chef cooking at your table, unless your ordering Sushi. Then the traditional dining room with Sushi Bar would be a better option.

We've been twice and their noodle bowls are some of the best in Roanoke…read more Very clean and very tasty! Will be back soon

We were here for lunch. Friendly staff. Delicious noodle soup. Definitely worth visiting if you…read morelive nearby. Highly recommended!

Food, service, ambiance, all amazing and I was hooked from day one. I have been to bother multiple…read moretimes location which are located in Christiansburg and Roanoke. My go to are the bibimbap and tonkotsu. I've also had several smoothies, personal favs are the açaí and the green detox.

I wasn't expecting much from Rainbowl, but the chef's special burrito bowl was delicious. Perfect…read morefor quick, easy, on-the-go dining. The place is clean and the owner was really friendly. Customer service from the staff behind the counter wasn't the friendliest. Still worth a stop if you want something fast and tasty.

The atmosphere is nice....BUT...DO NOT get any seafood hibachi....the chef put the shrimp on the…read moregrill FIRST...and let it cook for at least 30 mins...by the time he put it on my place it was a piece of burnt rubber....then they give you 4 scallops...and he cooked those for 20 mins...then proceeded to cut them into small portions...and cooked it for another 10 mins....the scallops were so tough....it made a sound when you poked it with fork...just get chicken..maybe they won't overcook that...,

My son absolutely loves this place and their sushi rolls! Always the request for birthdays.read more

Sometimes in the least expected places one can find the most exquisite restaurants. Looking for a…read moreplace to eat after an upset with 419 West Restaurant for not having enough parking spaces to accommodate their booked customers, after canceling the reservation that I made through Open Table, I drove off to a tiny strip mall next door, and there I found this place called Szechuan Chinese Restaurant. After being awarded the NC Triad Yelp Squad Yelper of the Year 2024 Award at the Yelpies Award Ceremony last year, an event that honored the highest-performing Yelp Elites, celebrating their contributions and accomplishments throughout the year, I decided that this year, as an All-Star Yelp Elite, I not only wanted to be the first to discover new restaurants and businesses, and bring them to the attention of the public, but also to uncover those found in hidden paths that for one reason or another have not reached the public in its totality. And Szechuan Restaurant in South Roanoke, Virginia, is a perfect example. As I was walking towards the restaurant after parking my car, since I hadn't had an opportunity to research it to find out if it was good, I asked one of their customers who was also headed that way and he replied: "After more than 40 years of being their customer, I haven't found a place with better Chinese food." What an outstanding live testimony to the place, I thought to myself. Then as I got closer, Their windows were displaying framed articles about the restaurant. Inside, the owner was seated at his open office located in front of the restaurant, and the walls around him were inundated with framed awards and photos related to the restaurant. The owner, very friendly and hospitable, greeted me, and explained how since Covid they no longer had table service. But you would look at the menu, order and pay there, and then the food would be taken to your table in take out containers by a young lady server. As I went through their beautiful and extensive menu, he was able to notice that I was not too familiar with many of the items on the menu, so he helped me by asking me some questions of my likes and providing some recommendations. I ended up ordering a Coke to drink. A Vegetable Spring Roll as appetizer, as well as a Scallop Roll from the Sushi Bar. And as my main entrée I ordered the Pork Szechuan Style with their Fried Rice. And for dessert they had only three options Cheesecake, Chocolate Cheesecake, or Donuts. I went for the Chinese Donuts because I always wanted to try them. After ordering and paying with my credit card, I went to their dining room to look for a table to sit at. I picked a booth next to a window to provide enough natural light to be able to photograph the food nicely. The server brought me a plastic bottle of coke with a styrofoam cup with ice. The dining room was very nice and had the most beautiful and elegant fish tank that I've ever seen in a restaurant. It's a pity that they hadn't return back to regular table service since Covid is now under control. While waiting for my food to be prepared, I walked over to the Sushi counter to watch the Sushi Chef prepare my Scallop Roll. I invite you to view my photographs and videos accompanying this review to get a better sense of the place and the quality of their food. Finally, the friendly young lady brought my food to my table on a tray which she placed on the table. Both her followed-up to see how I found the food and to see ifvI needed anything else. What can I say, the food was amazing! From the Sushi to the Pork in the Szechuan sauce, to the Spring Roll, and Fried Rice. By the time I ate the donuts they had cooled down and hardened and were a bit dry inside. While I was enjoying my meal, several customers stopped by to pick up their To Go orders that they had ordered by phone or through their website. Others came with the intention of eating in but when they found out the situation, they ordered for Take Out instead. And a family who came to eat in, left when they found out the dining situation. The dining experience is not the same eating out of plastic containers. It's like drinking wine out of a plastic cup is not the same as drinking it out of a Baccarat wine glass. I highly recommend that the owner return back to the normal way of operating a restaurant. The inside of the restaurant is much too beautiful and the food much too exquisite not to do so.

service. Even on Christmas Eve when half of Roanoke wants Szechuan and things get a little busy,…read morethey are uber-professional. Dumpling SAUCE is amazing. I think it's made fresh. I would LOVE the recipe.

This place is n the market with 9 restaurants and common seating…read more Our ramen was great. They give huge portions of pork belly, which was tender and crispy outside. Egg was also good. We will certainly come back.

I had the pork gyoza and the garlic tonkotsu ramen. It's a solid 10/10 from the eggs to the…read morenoodles! However, it's a bit saltier than I prefer. I wish it weren't so salty. That's just a personal preference. You can sit anywhere you like in this welcoming food court.

They're fast They're going to get your order right…read more I go back on my lunchtime to this restaurant.

I was going to have dinner at China Fresh in Lakeside Plaza for the first time, but didn't realized…read morethat they close on Mondays, so I decided to go try out Hibachi Express instead, which was open. Hibachi Express is located in a large space on the right corner of the Plaza. It has a nice architectural design restaurant front Inside, it has a reasonably clean dining room and open kitchen. The glass or plexiglass in front of the grill looked a bit dirty or wasted with age. But the ordering counter and large menu on the wall looked clean. However, their run down soda machine situated in a back corner of the restaurant was extremely dirty and some of the drink selections were closed down. It looked so disgusting that I even didn't feel like taking a photograph of it. They also had a display refrigerator with bottled sodas. The owner and employees of the place were Chinese with knowledge of Japanese cuisine. There were a couple of customers in front of me that made Take Out orders. When it was my turn to order the owner and order taker gave me a friendly greeting and and asked to take my order and if I was going to eat in or take it To Go. As appetizer I order a House Special Egg Roll and some Crab Rangoons. As my main entrée I order the Hibachi Steak and Shrimp combination. The price was very reasonable but the the size and amount of the pieces of steak and of the shrimp were very small. They came with pieces of onions, broccoli, zucchini, and mushrooms, together with steam rice that was also cooked over the grill possibly with Japanese butter. They also has Yum Yum sauce in little bowls, and Soy sauce. Besides the owner who took the orders, and spoke English, there was also an older Chinese gentleman who did the cooking, and a lady who came out once from the interior side of the kitchen. The food was served in a regular ceramic dinner plate with plastic silverware. The food tasted well, just a little bland. For the price, the food wasn't bad, especially for those who work and live around the area, but I wouldn't make a special trip just to go eat there.