Avis sur Nakato Japanese Steakhouse

Got here early to avoid the crowds. Was seated immediately and waitress took our drink order quickly. Drinks came in a timely fashion and soon the meso soup and house salad with ginger dressing was served. I ordered the shrimp and red snapper plate. Great fun watching the chef cook everything in front of us. The snapper didn't have much flavor, but the shrimp were big and juicy. All in all a nice night and dinner out.

Staff was friendly & service was decent. Place felt clean but dated. Have had better tasting hibachi rice elsewhere; here lacked a few seasonings. Meats & veggies were flavorful. Grill served noodles & broccoli & carrot that other, similar Japanese steakhouses do not offer with entrees; however, place seems to be cutting corners here & there compromising overall quality. Prices seemed higher than other similar places we often eat at in our city (not CLT).

Beware! If you are newer to the area you will want to make a reservation if you’re wanting hibachi! We didn’t realize and drive 30 minutes, got there at 5:00 p.m. and were told we would have to wait until 9:30 for 3 spots at a hibachi table. Luckily there were still tables available for regular dining and at the bar. We sat at the bar and had the NICEST server. The sushi was wonderful and the hibachi meals that we were still able to order from the kitchen we great! Definitely a good place to come with family and friends.

Made reservations for 7pm. We arrived around 6:15 and let the receptionist know we were there, albeit a bit early. She was extremely friendly, found the reservation and told me they would send a text when our table was ready. No problem. I’m always early, so I expected nothing more. Not a problem enjoying conversation with my party for a half hour or so. Ten minutes later, I received said text and our table was ready. Pleasantly surprised, we made our way inside. Beautiful restaurant with lovely modern decor. Very clean and professional looking. It wasn’t “gaudy” or tacky. Once seated, our drink orders were taken in minutes. Our drinks arrived in less than 3 minutes. Our waitress was very pleasant, friendly, and patient with our questions. Our orders were taken, and our appetizers arrived promptly with the soup. Soup was hot and fresh and very tasty. The chef then made his way out, and confirmed the order taken prior by the waitress before he started to prepare the meal. This is the only reason there isn’t 5 stars. My vegetable order and my wife’s were incorrect. After telling them the corrections, the chef and waitress still couldn’t get the order right. We finally made it as clear and precise as possible and everything was made correct with their apologies. Everything was amazing. The noodles, soup, shrimp and vegetables. We all had NY strip with chicken. Our steaks were cooked to perfection as ordered and melted in your mouth. The hibachi rice, a $2 up-charge, which is a bit of a “Nickle and dime” tactic, is a bit unnecessary, but I understand. (For the record, boiled white rice is included) However, the rice was perfectly cooked and sauced. Chicken was thoroughly cooked, but not over cooked. Food was great, service was almost perfect, and the chef was great and had a great personality and made the dinner enjoyable. Prices were par for the course for the quality of food. Shrimp sauce was impeccable!! Ginger salad dressing was very good as well. One of the party members had sushi, and said he could have ate another order. This was our first time there, and it won’t be the last. My son, 12, asked if we would be coming again half way through the meal. A couple small hiccups as mentioned in the review is the only reason I didn’t give 5 stars. It was very crowded and had a wait. I would suggest making a reservation, especially on a Saturday night. Great job Nakato staff!!!!