The Hotness
The food there was great!!!    [11 Dec 2003 14:15:45]

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Recommended Dishes: everything, except the sushi and the saki

     ­msja11   

My family and I have visited Hibachi of Jenkintown regularly for quite a while. We have generally been pleased with our service and the food. Tonight was the exception!!! We went in tonight for the early bird. We were disappointed with the amount of food and the lack of entertainment the chef provided!! On my way out, I told the hostesses who made no effort to do anything. When I got home, I called the restaurant to speak with the manager. He was rude and very defensive! He kept asking me why I did not ask for him while I was there. I told him that I told his hostesses. He then called them over (he told me he was at the front counter) and was speaking very loudly to them, telling them that one of them should have gotten him. I asked to speak to his manager and he started getting arrogant with me. I am extremely disappointed with this! When I told him that I would write a letter about tonight, he told me that he would report me to the owner...why??? I am the customer...at least I thought I was.    [26 Feb 2005 19:59:37]

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     ­Anonymous   

Yummy Value
Our kids call this the "fire restaurant" - once you see the onion volcano you'll know why. It's dinner and entertainment in one. Take the family before 6pm and it's very affordable.    [08 Apr 2005 09:59:16]

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Recommended Dishes: Steak, shrimp, scallops, chicken - hibachi style

     ­Anonymous   

Too full to eat Dairy Queen
The food was fresh. Everything was great.I was so full I could not eat my Dairy Queen after dinner.    [30 Oct 2005 16:26:15]

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Recommended Dishes: Everything

     ­Anonymous   

best of any Japanese chains
Excellent quality, expertly seasoned food, many entertaining tableside chefs,and definitely larger portions than all others. Over twenty meals here and never a complaint about the quality or taste of the food.    [14 Feb 2006 13:03:59]

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Recommended Dishes: steak with shrimp or lobster combos

     ­Anonymous   

Selective ID Requirements?
As long-term patrons of Hibachi Japanese Steak House of Jenkintown, PA, my family and I have relished numerous fine meals dating back to the grand opening of the facility several years ago. Our favorite delicacy has always been the various sushi selections, which in our opinion are among the most savory in the city. We also enjoy the casual ambiance considering my line of work often requires that I dress casually and therefore, I do not feel misplaced visiting Hibachi with my family after a day at work.

It is not uncommon for us to visit the restaurant weekly and on occasions we have easily spent nearly $200.00 and offered gratitude for services at 20 percent during each visit. In fact, our frequent visits to the sushi bar have enabled us to form associative bonds with much of the staff and management. With an unofficial count of more than 50 visits to Hibachi with family and friends and with purchases totaling more than $1000.00 spent over the years, patrons such as my family are bound to make some connections with staff members.

However, on September 30, 2006 the decorum changed for my family and me when suddenly we are asked to present identification after a meal. Some of you may be wondering, “What is the big deal?”

For us, part of the issue is grounded in principle. First, we were regulars at Hibachi for years and never had a problem with credit card payments in the past. We were far from first-time, unknown patrons to the Hibachi staff and management. Second, my line of work requires a sharp sense of instinct and the ability to ask detailed questions---which I did ask of management after my families’ new experience. Replies from staff and management were frolicky in nature, scattered and grounded in falsified facts.

For example, when management was asked when ID requirements commenced, I was told the restaurant began seeking identification from all patrons making any purchase two months prior to my families’ September 30, 2006 visit. The manager’s statement is fictitious. We have receipts with purchases from Hibachi under a month in duration and we were not required to present identification. Furthermore, several groups of our friends who live in the surrounding suburbs and Chestnut Hill vicinity were never asked to present identification after recent purchases.

Certainly, we understand the significance of requiring identification in situations where the probability of making fraudulent charges are high or where identification checks might deter unlawful spending relative to individuals suspected of such behaviors. However, a restaurant consisting of a low to moderately priced menu, casual dress code, kid-friendly environment and located in a strip mall is not the place where the likelihood of fraudulent purchases occur. Perhaps the Hibachi management spends too much time devising pseudo-investigative techniques from televised detective shows.

Without going into further detail, the context of the identification request from my family was unwarranted. There was no preclusive visible warning(s) statement that the restaurant has an identification rule for all patrons after each purchase, which may be legally required, if the restaurant is acting as the deliberative counsel and requesting identification. Patrons have the right to decide whether or not they want to be subjected to the implicit undertones of ID request requirements. Without pre-warning, Hibachi is infringing upon the use of discriminatory tactics possibly with specific groups considering that Hibachi offers no universally official, regulated record/model of identification requirements until AFTER one has completed a purchase.

Also, we must not forget that America is still considered to be a democratic society regardless of its changing political climate. There are still rules and laws and Hibachi staff cannot devise its own without warning or official regulation.

Freedom of choice is an inalienable right and many law-abiding Americans, for whatever reasons may choose not to always carry identification. It is their right. Does this mean that such individuals are not welcomed at Hibachi? Is Hibachi indirectly and inadvertently implementing discriminatory tactics reminiscent of Crow? I cannot say for sure, but for some people Hibachi’s “ screened-new-identification-practices” without forewarning puts the restaurant on shaky ground.    [01 Oct 2006 12:35:41]

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Recommended Dishes: Sushi, Soups

     ­Anonymous   

Great Food
I visited Hibachi for the first time last month for my husbands birthday. Although he's allergic to seafood we had heard that Hibachi offers other types of food and are careful as to where and how they cook for people with allergies like my husband. I was surprised with the entertainment the chef offered. I ordered lobster and my husband ordered sirloin. I made sure I pointed out my husbands allergy to the chef and he was careful not to cook anything near my husband's food. We had a great time there, the food was great and a lot!    [30 Nov 2006 13:13:46]

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     ­Anonymous   

Not Worth the Drive
First time there, we were a party of 8. The message on their answering machine says reservations for parties of 11 or more. When we arrived we checked in and found that they do accept reservations for 8pp.(maybe someone should change the message?) After waiting about an hour for a table, we were seated. the food was fresh although I felt it could have been cooked, seasoned and served better. The chef seemed pretty new at putting on a show but was still pleasant. The food itself was very oily,and flavorless. The fish(red snapper) was cooked perfectly, but the filet wasn't even seared. The food was slopped on our plates(and the surrounding area.) The server left the salad plates in front of us until the end of the meal, and neglected filling our water glasses. We have been to many Japanese steakhouses...this was/is by far the worst for us. I also need to mention that the restrooms were deplorable. We take in consideration they were very busy, but with that comes responsibility. Maybe we were there on an "off night" but we will never know, for we certainly will not return.    [25 Feb 2008 09:37:45]

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     ­M.C. was dissapointed