One of the most romantic experiences you can have during a dinner date is when the chef comes out and cooks your food in front of you.
Not only does it make the experience of dining out more memorable, but it also allows you to see the care and craft that every chef brings to their dishes.
If you want to set something up for your partner or just enjoy the extra touch provided by some restaurants, you may wonder what restaurants cook your food in front of you.
From hibachi restaurants to steakhouses, here are some places where they cook in front of you.
20 Places Where They Cook In Front Of You
1. Benihana
One of the most famous places to watch your chef cook your food in front of you is Benihana.
Benihana is a hibachi-style restaurant that offers Japanese-inspired food and American favorites like steak, chicken, and seafood.
At Benihana, your chef doesn’t just cook your food in front of you.
They put on a show.
It’s almost like an art.
If you like a little entertainment with your dinner, then Benihana is the place to try.
In addition to cooking your food, you’re also able to sit back and watch them prepare other dishes, too.
Since everyone sits relatively close to one another, the show goes on until you leave the restaurant.
Benihana is one of the best places to go if you want a chef that cooks your food in front of you.
2. Fogo De Chão
Another great restaurant where they cook your meal at your table is Fogo de Chão.
This is a Brazilian restaurant that eventually opened up a restaurant in America due to high demand.
One of the things that set this restaurant apart from the others is that they specialize in the art of churrasco.
Churrasco is a grilling technique that exposes meat to heat over a lengthy time.
It makes the flavors bolder and the meat extremely tender.
Fogo de Chão’s extensive menu features dishes like steak, seafood, chicken, lamb, and a market table.
Their market table has the freshest ingredients and foods that they could find that day in the local market.
As such, some of the most flavorful food you can find appears on that particular menu.
When it comes to cooking in front of you, the chef or waiter comes to your table and puts the finishing touches on your meal right before your eyes.
It makes the experience even more intimate and special.
Fogo de Chão is a great option if you want something Brazilian-inspired and have someone cook at your table.
3. Shōgun
If you’re in the mood for sushi or teppan steak, then you might want to head to Shōgun.
It has a hibachi-like dining room that also features fine dining.
The restaurant got its start in 1980 in Pasadena, California.
Its popularity quickly saw it opening more restaurants throughout Southern California.
One of the reasons Shōgun has become so popular is the skillful way that their chefs cook your food.
They’ll display the accuracy and skill of Samurai swordsmanship by slicing and cutting your food right in front of you.
Because the restaurant is relatively open, you’re able to watch them cook every meal that comes in.
Along with enjoying Japanese food, you can also try your hand at drinking sake.
Shōgun is one of the best places to eat if you want to watch a real performance at your table.
4. Dons Bogam Wine Bar & BBQ
If you like the idea of a hibachi restaurant but want something a bit more intimate, then you might prefer dining at Dons Bogam Wine Bar & BBQ.
This hibachi restaurant leans more towards fine dining.
While you can still sit close to the chef if you wish, you also have the option of having a more private table where you’re still able to watch the chef work.
This hibachi restaurant also serves Korean food rather than Japanese food.
It’s an ideal place to try if you’ve never sampled Korean food before.
One of the draws to this restaurant is the fact that your food gets cooked by Master Chef Woo Kim.
Kim has had years of experience and has always wanted to share the best of Korean cuisine with the world.
He prepares your food with a style and grace that only a master chef can provide.
Along with great Korean dishes, you can also sample a variety of wines, beers, and sake.
5. 99 Favor Taste
If you’re in the mood for Chinese food, then you should head to 99 Favor Taste.
It’s a hot pot restaurant where you can enjoy practically anything.
The chef or waiter brings your selected food items to your table, then helps prepare your hot pot.
You’re then able to add ingredients to the hot pot yourself or have your waiter do it for you.
There’s no shortage of different ingredients that you can put in your hot pot.
As such, you’re basically able to make any kind of soup or stew that you want.
Besides offering traditional Chinese hot pot dishes, 99 Favor Taste also offers Korean BBQ dishes.
You can enjoy traditional Korean dishes if you’re not feeling like eating from a hot pot.
99 Favor Taste is a great option for those looking for a more relaxed experience with a waiter who helps prepare their meal at their table.
6. Nikko
Another popular place to get food and have it cooked in front of you is Nikko.
This is a Japanese restaurant with a sushi bar.
It’s the sushi that is primarily prepared in front of you.
You’re able to sit at the bar and watch the masters at work.
Nikko isn’t just popular for its sushi or food either, however.
It has a lively atmosphere on the weekends.
You can often find a DJ and live music playing on the weekends with people dancing or just having a good time.
Along with the sushi bar, the restaurant also provides private dining if you want something a bit more intimate.
On Sundays, the restaurant even turns into a sports bar with people coming in to watch their favorite teams on the big screen.
Nikko is a great restaurant because it caters to so many different people.
7. Gyu-Kaku
If you want to eat at a restaurant that’s more interactive, then you should consider dining at Gyu-Kaku.
It’s a Japanese BBQ with a twist.
You actually cook your food yourself.
Every table has a small charcoal grill where you can prepare your meal exactly how you want it.
A waiter comes to your table to offer ideas or recipes and can also help you prepare the meal.
However, it mostly is up to you to ensure you get it right.
Not only can you watch your partner attempt to cook your food, but you can also watch the other diners.
It’s a fun experience that puts a bit of a twist on the hibachi experience.
The meat you’re working with at Gyu-Kaku is of the best quality.
They age their Angus beef for 21 days to make it more tender and flavorful.
If you want to impress your partner, then you should consider taking them to Gyu-Kaku.
8. Del Frisco’s
If you love a good steakhouse, then you’ll need to try Del Frisco’s.
This steakhouse features some of the best in fine dining.
For one, they often have wines that pair perfectly with certain menu items.
Some of their waiters also specialize in wine and can help you decide which one to choose based on the dish that you want to have.
Some preparation of your meal occurs tableside at Del Frisco’s, too.
While the chef won’t be grilling your steak at your table, your waiter can put on a bit of show in preparing the meal for your table.
They also help serve your wine.
You can also take part in special events that occur at the steakhouse.
Sometimes when a new wine gets released, the winery will host a special event at the restaurant.
If you’re a steak lover and a wine lover, then you should experience Del Frisco’s.
9. Sakura
Sakura is a Japanese steakhouse and sushi bar.
It’s also known for its seafood.
The restaurant got its start in the late 1980s and now has several restaurants throughout the United States.
Aside from also having a children’s menu, the restaurant has tons of different seafood options.
You can also combine seafood with your steak if you’re feeling particularly hungry.
Like many other sushi bars, the chef cooks your meal in front of everyone.
You can watch them slice the meat and prepare it for your table.
Sakura is another great Japanese restaurant where you can enjoy a unique experience with great food.
10. Arirang Hibachi Steakhouse And Sushi Bar
Another great place where they cook the food in front of you is the Arirang Hibachi Steakhouse and Sushi Bar.
There are a few things that set this hibachi restaurant apart from the others.
For one, kids are able to eat free.
Secondly, it has a drinks menu with some powerful beverages that you won’t want to drink around the kids.
Their drink menu offers some of the best Japanese alcoholic beverages around.
Since it’s a hibachi restaurant, you can also expect a grand performance from their expert chefs.
They’ll put on a show while they prepare your meal.
The tables are communal, as well, so it’s a great way to get to know your neighbor.
Besides offering steakhouse menu items, you can also get sushi and sashimi at their sushi bar.
11. Boucherie
If you want a real French dining experience without having to travel to France, then you might want to eat at Boucherie.
Boucherie has several locations throughout New York City, but one of the most special is Boucherie West Village.
At this particular restaurant, you’re able to sit at the butcher counter.
At the butcher counter, you can watch the chef cut and prepare the meat that you and those around you are ordering.
It’s a great way to see how the restaurant prepares and cooks the meat that it serves.
The other Boucherie locations also offer some form of experience, too.
In particular, they specialize in offering cocktails.
They’ll sometimes prepare them right in front of you.
Besides having intimate service, you’ll find the food at Boucherie to be delightful.
It serves French cuisine that’s authentic to the country.
The atmosphere of the locations is also ornate and lavish with some of the locations even using genuine white marble.
12. Ko Sushi
For a while, Ko Sushi wasn’t operational.
They had closed down for several months.
When they opened back up, they showcased a new menu and focused on providing the best seafood ingredients possible.
They get their seafood from some of the freshest fish markets in the world.
If you’re a fan of seafood dishes like shrimp rolls, smoked salmon, or tuna teriyaki, then you’re probably going to enjoy the food at Ko Sushi.
Since it’s a sushi bar, you can also expect them to prepare your food in front of you.
Ko Sushi doesn’t allow photography or recording inside of the restaurant, so it’s an experience that you have to enjoy firsthand.
13. Yoon Haeundae Galbi
One of the best Korean restaurants you can eat at is Yoon Haeundae Galbi.
Part of the reason that this restaurant is so famous is its Haeundae cut.
Named after the owner’s father, the Haeundae cut is a special type of cut that makes even the toughest meat tender.
As such, it makes tender meat even more tender.
Yoon Haeundae Galbi specializes in bringing Korean food straight from Busan to foodies in New York City.
However, it puts a contemporary twist on the menu to make it more attractive to western diets.
The restaurant also has hot pots where the servers come and help you arrange your ingredients to use in the hot pot.
With the tables arranged in such a way as to let you see the chefs and bartenders at work, there’s plenty to watch at Yoon Haeundae Galbi.
14. Texas De Brazil
If you want the best that Texas has to offer while also enjoying a bit of a show, then you might want to sit down at Texas de Brazil.
This restaurant features a traditional Texas steakhouse with a twist.
The churrasco culture is at its heart.
Part of that culture is serving the meat and cutting it in front of you at your table.
They’ll even let you cut your own meat if you want to.
The churrasco style of cooking is all about letting the meat cook slowly.
By the time it reaches your table, you have a juicy and tender piece of meat just waiting for you to sink your teeth into it.
Another great aspect of the restaurant is that the salad menu gets changed daily.
The chef curates it each day based on the fresh ingredients they’re able to get in the market.
Texas de Brazil is a great statehouse that features comfortable and familiar food with a bit of something extra.
15. Genki Omakase
If you want to mix Japanese food with a fine-dining-level presentation, then you should eat at Genki Omakase.
This restaurant has some of the favorites that you would expect from other Japanese restaurants.
However, it also has House Specials featuring the freshest ingredients the restaurant can get.
Each is carefully prepared and presented to make a lasting impression.
Its O’toro special, for example, features smoked tuna with a dribble of caviar on top.
All the food is prepared in front of you by an expert chef.
Like other Japanese restaurants, you can expect a bit of a show.
Another great feature of this particular restaurant, however, is that you’re able to get a meal with multiple courses.
For example, you can get a 17-course meal for $96.
A 13-course meal is also available.
Of course, if you want just a single dish, then there’s no shortage of rolls and other dishes that you can enjoy, too.
16. Sagano Japanese Bistro And Steakhouse
Sagano is a relatively new Japanese steakhouse that saw a huge increase in popularity due to the lack of a Japanese bistro in the Detroit metro area.
It opened up a new location and has enjoyed a lot of popularity since.
Like many other Japanese restaurants, Sagano has an area where you can sit close to the chef and watch them prepare your meal.
They also have tables a bit further away if you want something more intimate and private.
Despite the distance, you’re still able to watch the chef prepare your food.
Sagano has a lunch and dinner menu featuring traditional Japanese food as well as other classics.
For example, you can get coconut shrimp and a Caribbean Fantasy which features a roll with cream cheese, shrimp, mushroom, and asparagus.
It’s a relaxed and casual atmosphere, so it’s an ideal place to eat if you’re looking for something a little less stuffy.
17. Bua Thai Ramen & Robata Grill
If you’re in the mood for Thai food, then you should head to Bua Thai Ramen & Robata Grill.
It has an open kitchen, so you’re able to watch the chefs prepare your food as soon as you put the order in.
It may not be quite as flashy as a hibachi restaurant, but you may find the process entertaining all the same.
The restaurant is also quite intimate and casual.
18. BD’s Mongolian Grill
If you want something interactive, then you need to go to your local BD’s Mongolian Grill.
The restaurant allows you to choose and make your own stir-fry dish.
They provide the tools and ingredients that you need.
You can have fun with your partner or friends while you work together to make the perfect stir-fry meal.
If you’re not a fan of preparing your own meals, you can also ask the chef to make a stir-fry dish for you.
You can watch them prepare the meal right at your table and get a few ideas for later.
BD’s Mongolian Grill has restaurants in eight states from Florida to Colorado.
It’s a fun and relaxed restaurant that focuses on customer interaction.
19. Zest Ramen
Zest Ramen is a Japanese ramen restaurant that features an oyster bar.
It also specializes in providing different kinds of sake.
If you love a good ramen dish, then this is the restaurant for you.
It has an open kitchen, so you can watch the chefs prepare your ramen or oysters.
You can also sit back and order one of their many sake drinks while you enjoy the show.
20. Maru Sushi
One last place where you can watch them cook your food is Maru Sushi.
This restaurant features sushi, seafood, and grilled dishes.
You can enjoy signature dishes like Blue Mango which contains spicy tuna, avocado, mango, kampyo, shrimp, eel sauce, honey wasabi aioli, and wasabi tobiko.
It also has a series of different rolls and vegetarian dishes.
You can watch the chef cook the meal from the bar area or the seating area.
The bar area tends to have the best views, however.
You can also get your fill of sake and other alcoholic beverages.
Maru Sushi has several locations throughout Michigan.
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