Kobe Hibachi Sushi Buffet

Yep. Just another example of a poorly run restaurant. A cesspool of cross contamination. This was over before the game even started.

Just not good. Sushi is basic and sub par. Many of the dishes were sweet like Mongolian beef. That was strange. Lots of seafood, but the quality you’d expect from a land locked buffet. Décor is nice but taping paper labels to the sides for servers is pretty tacky. Teach your servers the table numbering system. It didn’t seem overly complicated. Pass on this one.

The interior of Kobe Hibachi Sushi Buffet has seen better days. The hostess booth was dirty and had scrapes all over it. The size and condition of the restaurant reflected a bingo hall after years of service. The floor was extremely muddy and worn in need of a good mopping.
The wide array of food choices was impressive. However, the labels on every item were wrong. The sushi tasted decent, but the ingredients listed were never correct. I wouldn’t say any of the food was ‘fresh’. The noodle dishes had a dried crunch, proving they had been out on display for a while.
I wouldn’t return unless it was right as the place opened, to guarantee freshness of my choices.

It wasn’t our first time here… We come here lots of time. My husband loves Chinese foods. We do not have lots of restaurant choices here around Aurora and Naperville that we like that is why we keep coming back to this place.
The foods are just OK. If you come in around lunch time, the foods are still fresh. But if you are a little bit late then they are kind of stale. Make sure you come in when there is alot of people inside or just by looking at how full is their parking lot. They keep cooking fresh foods when it is crowed.

I was there with 2 friends last night, We got there at 7pm, the place was about 30% full, food was about 30% empty. People were waiting for crab legs and lobsters and they rarely refilled it. A man from the sushi line ask them if they have tuna, the sushi chef said NO MORE. REALLY? at 7pm no more tuna and salmon??? There were a lot more NO MORE. There were only 4 cooks in the kitchen. There is NO WAY they can fill the empty serving plates quickly. Food was just ok. I rather pay 20 to eat somewhere else.
The waitress said the dish carts were full, so she started to piling up dirty plates on the table next to us… yes like it is a dish cart. My friend complained that it looks disgusting. The waitress replied and said the dish carts are full. Really?
Oh by the way, the toilets were back up too.

This was my first visit. It was great. The food was fresh. The presentation was excellent and the taste was fantastic. There was enough of a variety that everyone in my party was satisfied. I look forward to my next visit. Yum, Yum, Yum!
#GreatFoodAtGreatPrice!

I wish i could give this place no stars. The crab legs and lobster were very watered down and tasteless. Despite the wide array of food choice, the taste of almost everything was disappointing. A lot of the food was very dry and it seemed like the food was sitting out for days (keep in mind we got there around 1 only two hours after it opened you think the food would be fresh… yeah no). The sushi was not good, the flavors were nonexistent and the rice was dry and hard. To add to the bad food, the service was awful. So save your money and don’t come here, definitely NOT worth $ 20 per person.
Overall this place is nothing short of horrible.

2 people on a Saturday night = $ 50???
We didn’t even get the more expensive hibachi and it was still $ 50 for bad food and sticky tables. GROSS! Everything is swimming in grease and slimy! We won’t be coming back here unless we want food poisoning!

If I reviewed this place when they JUST opened I would have given this place five stars, but it has been slowly deteriorating year by year to the point where we try and avoid eating here.
The sushi used to be amazing and always filled but lately (ESPECIALLY during weekdays) they don’t even seem to bother refilling it and there’s just a spare piece or two in each roll. It also seems like they are just using cheaper ingredients in general.
Service is great though, everyone was super nice.

disappointing. long drive here with a friend to find out how bad it was. we did come here on a weekday so we did expect it to not be that great. it was pretty empty in there when we went. but the service was pretty good.
the sushi looked a lot better then it tasted. the rice wasn’t soft. there was patched of rice in there that was hard and old. was happy to see lobsters and crab legs but turns out that it was disgusting… the lobster tasted frozen and unfresh. the crab legs is low quality also. the shell on the legs and claws was soft and there is not a lot of meat in there.
there was a few plates that didn’t get refilled like the sushi, and fruits. some of the food was cold.
overall it was bad and will not return…

I heard some nice things about this place. As I am not a big fan of buffet style dinning, I just keep that information in the back of mind. My friend suggested to eat here which made sense for our kids as they could easily choose what they want. Kobe is much better than I thought.
First, The lobby was bright and have enough space between tables. Secondly, the buffet stations are set up nicely. They have about 8 sections and serve About 8 –10 dishes per section. This setting made it much easier for us to choose and pick the food instead of a very long single line. Thirdly, they have those nice rectangle White plates which make the dishes look clean especially for presenting green veggie dishes like bok choy, stir fried spinach, and green beans
Food-​wise, they do have nicely cooked lobster which requires you come to that station at the right time or wait a bit by that section. The lobster cooked with ginger and garlic are fresh and not overly seasoned. My hubby’s favorite is the Cod fillet. Kids are, however, surprisingly obsessed with crab legs which were always plenty available. I enjoyed the sashimi and various of sushi rolls. My favorite dishes are those stir fried veggies. They do have better quality green beans and spinach than other Chinese/​Japanese buffet.
The lacking pact is the fruit and dessert section. It is nice that they have individual packed ice cream which is very easy for kids. Really not many flavor to choose from. Mini cakes were none desirable. Fruit selection was also limited.
Oh they do charge for drinks on top of 20.59 per person for dinner. Overall, I think this is by far the best Asian buffet in Western suburb area.

Kobe is my new «go to» place when I get a sushi craving. They have a good selection, and if sushi’s not your thing they have many other items. Most are seafood based, so if you have allergies to seafood, I’d suggest not even reading this review because you may be exposed to some shellfish. They update the menu quite a bit (yesterday I found scallops and pinapple on kabobs! Woo Hoo!) The staff is real friendly (one of the servers already knows where we like to sit, and what I get to drink) So I don’t know where the snobby server thing comes from in the other reviews, but I’ve never had that experience.
All in all, I’d say its worth the extra cash for the better food than you usually get at a buffet.
They also have traditional style desserts here rather than the cookies, bananas, and pudding at most buffets (although if thats your thing, they have those too!)

As far as China buffet goes (yes, all Chinese buffets are «China Buffet» to me), this one is pretty solid. There was a lot of food to choose from, and if you like chicken feet, you can get them hot AND cold here! Hollers!
Service was friendly, plates looked clean, and the food on the lines was hot! The sushi was pretty good for buffet standards, and the chicken wangs were dope! I ate the HELL out of the Chinese broccoli and there was even some double cooked pork that caught my eyeballs. And my heart.
The ice cream station was a little sketch, but you can’t have it all, Kobe. You can’t have it all.

Kobe is… okay.
You walk in and notice the upscale looking décor. They definitely went out of their way to spruce up the place that used to belong to Old Country Buffet, despite the fact that the general layout is relatively the same.
Service was great! Our wait staff was extremely attentive which was a huge plus! When we came back to our table with crab legs, the waitress was there within seconds with a claw cracker. When our tea ran out, she was there with a fresh pot, and when we finished a plate, she was there to pick it up almost immediately. Is it sad that our service at a buffet was better than at most restaurants?
Now, here’s where the «okay» from my first sentence comes into play: the food. The food is good, don’t get me wrong, but it’s not great. The sushi bar is tucked away in the back corner and despite using what tasted like very fresh fish, the sushi rolls were mediocre. Honestly though, I could say the same of a lot/​most of the dishes on the menu. Everything was made with fresh ingredients, but the preparation is just «okay». Nothing to write home about. With food selections ranging from Sushi, to Hibachi, to Fried Plantains, to Crab/​Lobster (on weekends), to Shellfish, to Pizza, to Beef/​Chicken dishes, Kobe manages to do it all, even if it’s all just «okay».
Would I return to Kobe? probably not. To be honest, if you want typical buffet food, go to golden corral. If you want AYCE Sushi, go to Sakura of Japan on 34 and Naperville Rd. Props to Kobe for the diverse menu, but sometimes more is not necessarily better.

Kobe was a bit difficult to find but with our instincts we managed. It’s behind the shopping strip on Rt. 59 by the movie theater. Upon entering we were greeted by a server who put 1 and 1 together and knew we were with the big party. Once we claimed our seats off to the buffet we go.
There was sushi, crab legs, lobster, oysters, create your own stir fry (habachi), and more. (We were here on a Sunday evening.) Of course my first move was to go for the crab legs, lobster, and oyster (
) while my brother aimed for the sushi. The oysters were NOT fresh, the crab legs were decent, and the lobster was really good esp. when the new tray was put out. The sushi was decent, some were good, some were okay. The crab rangoons were delicious, but when I finally looked at the filling it was only cream cheese, no crab, not even imitation, maybe that was why they were so good. There was a dim sum area, but none of the typical shu mai or shrimp dumplings, also it didn’t look too appetizing.
Our service was good, we received constant water refills and removal of plates.
Overall, not a bad buffet for $ 20, might come back for the crab legs and lobster, but not much else.

Been there twice and it was great every time.
Aside from the snobby servers and the high prices of drinks. the food was satisfying and a lot higher end than $ 13 per person china buffets. They have a great variety of sushi and also fresh. Always have a lot of crab legs, yum! They also have many other seafood. Chinese food, and dim sum style.
— What is not so fresh were the oysters. I actually spit some out just knowing that it did not sit well in my mouth.
But they do maintain the buffet area, it’s clean, and they are more than accommodating. My mom, boyfriend, and I enjoyed it. Spent a lot of time there the fact that it isn’t cheap and we wanted to get our money’s worth ;)
(Also they are very friendly to other Asian’s)

Like a newborn phoenix rising out of dust and ashes, Kobe has triumphantly ascended out of Old Country Buffet’s former location.
My office is close by so when a new buffet opens up in the area, me and my fellow office fatties get all giddy and start making plans with an organized fervor that our managers can only dream of.
You’re greeted with some sweet neon lights and a vast selection of food. In addition to standard chinese buffet staples, you also have hibachi, sushi, and dim sum (which are basically Chinese tapas). The dim sum was the real winner for me, as they had some really authentic dishes to choose from: Braised pork, chicken feet and pigs feet!
The sushi was A-​OK! Obvies not as good as a dedicated sushi restaurant, but there was a good selection and it was well presented. Definitely worth the price of admission.
Service was great. Our server was very attentive. She proactively gave my friend a discard plate for his shellfish and empty plates were bussed almost immediately.
My only complaint was that the floors felt kind of greasy and slippery.
Lunch here is $ 9.99. The Fox Valley Buffet across the street is only $ 6.99, however, IMO you get a lot for the extra $ 3.

First of all, if you believe you are going to a sushi buffet, you are mistaken. It is mostly a seafood buffet, above all else. And that happens to INCLUDE sushi.
This place has way, WAY more options than it’s close competitor, Nagoya. There are chinese dishes (General Tso’s chicken, crab rangoon, fried rice, etc), seafood options (oysters, clams, crawdads, white fish, two kinds of salmon, lobster tail, crab legs, various kinds of shrimp), a whole area with dim sum, a sushi buffet, noodle bar where they can cook you noodles the way you like, soup bar (8 kinds of soup), and much more. You cannot go wrong here with options!
The sushi was excellent. They did not have as many options as they do at Nagoya, but again, this is not a sushi buffet. What they did have there was high quality. When the manager came around to our table, he told us that the sushi chef used to work in NYC. Why he decided to come work in Naperville… no idea. But he’s good stuff.
I tried some new things on our little date night! Chicken feet… I was confused by them, because I wasn’t sure what exactly I was supposed to eat, its just all skin. But it wasn’t bad, just a little salty :) And the shrimp shumai was delicious, I’m so glad I tried it. If you are looking to expand your horizons a bit, I’d definitely venture here!
If dessert is your thing… this is not the place. They have the standard crap dessert lined up with nothing more. They did have rainbow sherbet though.
MORAL OF THE STORY, I liked this place. The sushi was great, the fish was great, the crab legs were great. Everything else was a bit mediocre for my taste, but it’s not like it was gross or nasty by any means. I would really think twice about coming here if you don’t like fish. The decorations are nice, definitely nicer than some of the other buffets I’ve been to. If they keep up their cleanliness and they keep good options out on the bar, then I think this place will stay in business for the sheer fact that it’s different than your standard chinese buffet.

I was a little concerned about trying this place out because of the negative reviews, but I was pleasantly surprised by what I found here. GONG! When I first walked in there was a friendly host that hit a gong and welcomed me and then brought me to a table… interesting. He asked me what I’d like to drink, but t dd take about 10 – 15 minutes to receive that drink and by that time I had polished off one plate already and was very thirsty.
I liked how clean everything was and that food looked to be fresh at lunchtime. There was quite a bit of variety here even at lunch — 4 or 5 tables full of mostly Asian foods and then the added bonus of sushi, hibachi and dim sum. Coming from a sushi lover, the sushi here is pretty fresh. It most certainly isn’t the best sushi that I have ever had BUT it is totally edible — much more so than any other buffet that have ever been to. I also didn’t try the lobster or crab so can’t comment on either of those items, but for $ 10 this is a great lunch option.

Giving this place a 5 star rating because I don’t think it deserves the 1 star that the past 2 reviews gave it, but for my experience, it was more of a 4 star. I didn’t get the lobster/​crab legs dinner so I can’t really comment on that. But anyway, was going to go to Nagoya for lunch but I guess they’re closed for the next 3 months for renovations. Weird considering I just got a flyer in the mail saying they had a winter lunch special.
I have to agree with a review below that it is weird that all these seafood and sushi buffets are popping up everywhere. But yea, so this one was new so I decided to try it out. 9.99 for lunch and 2 dollars for a drink. I went straight for the hibachi grill like I always do at these places. Got some good stir fry. They don’t have a sauce bar where you can choose and make combos of sauces. So that sucked, but overall the stir fry was fine. Not a big sushi fan, got my normal cali and philly rolls. They were alright.
When I go to these places, I like to take a little taste of everything. Most of the meats and chickens I ate here were pretty good. One of the chickens was crazy dry though, didn’t eat that one. The seafood choices are great. I ate a lot of the shrimp ones, no complaints there. They have so crazy things too like shark. didn’t try that. Got one of the fried shrimps where they just deep fry a big shrimp and you’re suppose to peel it. When I ripped off the head, there was still blood and brains dripping out redness. Didn’t know if that was how it was suppose to be or not. Pretty gross if you ask me though.
So yea, food was alright, better quality than some other similar buffets in my opinion. Our waitress was on point. Refills without asking and always cleared out plates before we came back with more food. Manager even came by hyping up the place and asking how we found out about it. Will have to try this place for the lobster and crab buffet sometime to see if the other review is legit.