Hibachi term
Teppanyaki 鉄板焼き
Teppanyaki is cooking on a flat iron griddle (teppan) — the tableside grill Americans know as "hibachi," where a chef sears steak, seafood and vegetables in front of you. It's dinner and a show in one.
A word people get wrong
In the U.S. this is almost always called hibachi, but a hibachi is technically a small open charcoal brazier. The flat-top theater with the onion volcano is teppanyaki.
Postwar origins
The tableside teppanyaki steakhouse was popularized in Japan in the mid-20th century and brought to America by Benihana in the 1960s, where it became a birthday-dinner institution.
Insider tip. Sit at the teppan itself, not a side table — the cooking and the showmanship are the entire reason to order it.
Where to try Teppanyaki near you
Top-rated hibachi spots on Yes Ichiban with real, orderable online menus:
Kabuto Sushi, Hibachi & Lounge
East Norriton, PA · ★★★★★★★★★★ 4.4
Kiku Fusion Sushi & HibachiMonroe, MI · ★★★★★★★★★★ 4.5
OSAKA SUSHI BAR & HIBACHI STEAKHOUSEFARGO, ND · ★★★★★★★★★★ 4.4
Fyhre HibachiCarle Place, NY · ★★★★★★★★★★ 4.3
Shogun Sushi and HibachiMankato, MN · ★★★★★★★★★★ 4.3
TOYO JAPANESE SUSHI & HIBACHIOXFORD, MS · ★★★★★★★★★★ 4.5