Review Ichiban Japanese Steak House - Winnipeg

Our first visit in decades and first visit ever for others. What an amazing and fun experience. Dinner for 7, prepared table side by Chef Chi. He was fun and engaging. Ha who was our hostess was awesome. We will definitely make Ichiban a regular stop for our supper club. Food was superb.

I haven't gone out since December so this was pretty scary of an experience, but the atmosphere was so amazing that I felt entirely at ease. The prices are worth it for the quality of service and interactive experience alone, but the deal is sweetened by the large amount of food you get and the fact that it's seafood cooked literally perfectly. I don't think I've ever had scallops that were cooked to a perfect texture before I came here. The hosts are super friendly and attentive and the cooks are all equally friendly and a whole lot of fun. The cook at our table was able to fit right into our group's sense of humor and it was like just adding another friend to the table. I also absolutely LOVE the Geisha drink I got. Not only was it super tasty, but the glass was beautiful and I got to take it home. I want to come back to collect them all, especially the Lucky Cat. Thank you for the lovely food, service and experience!

Our chef was funny and we went on a Thursday night so it wasn’t too crowded. If you go during the weekend, the chefs might do fewer tricks and you might have less time to enjoy (since it’s busy). I’d rate the performances here 5 stars and the food 3 stars. Overall, good place to visit for special occasions!

Always a great experience! I’ve been a loyal Ichiban customer for 35 years and it’s always a fun evening! Decided to try take out tonight and even without the “show” the food was amazing!!

Great friendly, experince. Good was good, drinks were great. Great outting for a group of friends. They have vegetarian options as well. A little pricey but still a fun experience :) will definitely be back! Have more cups to collect!

Went with a good group of friends and we had a blast. Everyone is very friendly and seems to enjoy what they are doing. Good food and just a great atmosphere. It can get pricey if you are having drinks, but as with most places that is to be expected. All in all super fun.

This is a wonderful and unique place to get dinner in Winnipeg. Such great entertainment, and delicious food. The chefs do a great job at making the dinner interactive and keeping everyone laughing. They even had a vegetarian option; it just wasn’t listed on their menu (though maybe it should be? As a vegetarian I got a little worried looking at the menu and seeing no options of food for me to eat). We loved it here, fun for the whole family.

Great experience, ambience, fun, food and service. My wife has red meat allergy so we thought it could be difficult. We were very happy with the way they accommodated her allergy issue, by frying all non red meat food first and then red meat at the end for other guests. Shef Chi was the star of the show. I could pretty much see all chefs at different tables around the restaurant displaying their skills, and patrons enjoying. The entire ambience including the dresses of servers have a wholesome Japanese cultural feeling to it, so for a while it feels like a trip to Japan

We were a group of 6, the whole staff was amazing, making our experience a great one. The filet mignon was melting in our mouth, this is how tender it was. Everything was good. I would recommend this place. It is worth the money.

We has a great time celebrating our granddaughters birthday, our chef Roger was an excellent host, great experience all round. Would definitely recommend for any occasion!

Amazing first experience! All the staff was amazing and always made sure we had drinks and everything we needed. The chef we had was newish was only there for 3 months or so and he did a fantastic job! Would for sure go again next time I am in Winnipeg and highly recommend it! You will not be let down

Class act, great food, incredibly attentive and hospitable staff, killer ceasars, and honestly worth hitting the budget for. �

average food for the price. the filet mignon wasnt too edible but the rest of the food was good. not a place i would go back to.

food was absolutely delicious service was great the staff are friendly and the chef was very entertaining that make you feel want to go back again and strongly recommend to anybody.

Chef Roger was exceptionally friendly and kept us engaged and entertained our entire meal. We were on the edge of our seats!!

We loved it! The food is amazing and we all loved the entertainment by Chef Roger! It was a nice celebration for grad and a birthday.

My one and only experience was several years ago, but will be one that I'll never forget. The food and server were great, but the manager working the night I attended was horrible. The only reason why my wife and I were able to go to her mother's 60th birthday party at the restaurant was a show and save coupon. When the time came for the bill, the server took our coupon to the register, then came back to politely inform us that their manager told them that we did not meet the minimum bill total. The coupon stated no minimum, and was from a coupon book that was paid for. Two other couples at our table also had the same coupon. The manager spent 10 minutes arguing with us about the issue, and even had the gall to suggest that we buy additional food and drinks to meet their imaginary minimum total. When I tried explaining that they could not legally alter the requirements of the coupon that they issued to increase their sales, I was informed that they "could not overide their register" to honour their coupon. I had to resort to raising my voice loud enough for surrounding patrons to hear me ask them to honour the coupon as printed. Strangely... There was no need to overide the till after half the patrons pulled out the same coupon. Even though the night was excellent up to that point, I have no intention of ever returning to this restaurant, and do not suggest them to any of my friends or family.

I am currently at the ichiban restaurant right now and the chef Roger is providing me with not only excellent food but also great entertainment!! Will come back again I love it!

Enjoyed celebrating a belated family Christmas and our grandson's 2nd birthday this evening... Food was delicious, and Roger, our chef, did an awesome job! Very entertaining!

Amazing food great service,the first time was a great experience with tasty food and the next was better the last time I went was the best, it got better n better.

Love this place! Quality and tasty food. Good entertainment too.

Don't waste your money. I ordered their sushi from STD and threw most of it out. 2 handrolls for $10 for almost empty chewy nori, dried out rice and caviar and musty lettuce. Worse sushi of my life and spent $20 for nothing.

Ichiban is famous for their entertainment. Each table surrounds a grill and the chef puts on a cooking show in front of you. My significant other and I went to Ichiban for the first time last night for my birthday. What an experience!! We were placed to be seated with anther group of 4 people at this table for the show. I had the Ichiban combination dinner, which came with green tea, soup, salad, an appetizer, an entree with Teriyaki Chicken, Shrimp, Filet Magnon, vegetables and rice and ice-cream for dessert. The chef did a great job at engaging the audience throughout the show. He also had a great sense of humour so that made the show very entertaining! For what you pay for, it is totally worth it. The food was flavourful and it came with an enormous portion. Everyone at my table had to box their food up at the end of the night. In addition, the service was excellent. <br/><br/>As the birthday girl, I was given deep fried banana and ice cream for dessert instead of the regular ice cream that came with the meal. What an excellent idea!<br/><br/>The restaurant is located next to the Delta Hotel. When you do go, make sure you park at the Delta Hotel's Parkade. The restaurant will validate your parking ticket at the end of the night so that should not cost you a dime. <br/><br/>Overall, Ichiban is definitely a place to check out for special occasions. I would totally go back again! In fact, I plan to take my parents here soon!!

A fun atmosphere, the chefs put on a nice little show. If you have a large rowdy party, they will easily accommodate you. Food is fresh but not seasoned well and fairly bland. You can easily pay the same amount of money (or less) for a much better meal at many restaurants in the city.

Had an excellent time. This was our second time coming. The chef cooks the food right in front of you. The table you eat at surrounds the chef and cooking surface on 3 sides. The meal starts off with soup followed by sautéed chicken liver with onions and mushrooms. I'm not normally fan of liver but this was pretty good. Next was a salad of cucumber in vinegar topped with minced crab. It was good too. The chef came out and was very entertaining and polite. It was a meal and a show in one. The chef started the cooking of the main course by making an 'onion volcano' where he put 3 rings of onion on top of each other on the cooking surface to make the volcano shape, filled it with oil, added a bit of water to make it sizzle and lit it on fire with a match which created a huge 4 foot high raging fire. He asked if it was a special occasion and we told him it was our anniversary, so he made the fried rice into a big heart with an arrow through it on the cooking surface and poured soy and teriyaki sauce into it to cause the heart to beat. We had the special. Filet mignon, chicken breast and lobster were cooked perfectly and very tender. Next came green tea. Then the hostess came out with a special dessert for us, on the house as it was our anniversary, which consisted of deep fried bananas topped with ice cream, whipped cream, caramel, and a cherry on top. My daughter had the green tea ice cream. She said it is now her favorite restaurant. Kids menu prices are twice that of a franchise chain restaurant but what you get is way more than just chicken fingers and a colouring book. They gave her so much food. A very unique dining experience and I would recommend it to anyone.

Well, we spent a wonderful couple of hours at the Ichiban this evening. The food was absolutely excellent, the server was wonderful. She was extremely attentive without being overbearing in any way. The chef was lovely!!! Very friendly and made us a delicious supper. And to top it all off we sat with a lovely couple from Flin Flon we had never met before and had an absolutely lovely time with them. Thank You!!!

This review is for their Sushi Bar, not the Teppanyaki, which has gone downhill. No fresh lemon for their shrimp, like really, I know produce is going up in cost but don't use a squirt bottle of lemon juice on fresh shrimp. We have been going for years, so I know where they cut corners. <br/>Anyway, we went to the Sushi Bar and ALL were delicious! The Tuna Tartar was fantastic with large chunks of tuna, and lots of it! The sushi tuna taco was also fantastic. We also ordered our staples of Chicken livers and fried rice. The only disappointment was the Tempura shrimp. They were not crispy at all.

Our party of 5 enjoyed a wonderful dinner to celebrate a special birthday this evening. When we were seated at the table, a miscommunication between staff kept us waiting 20 minutes for table service, but when it was discovered, the manager jumped into action, apologizing and offering to buy our first round of drinks. A class act and much appreciated. Dinner was superb as always and our chef was professional, courteous and playful with the guests, especially one young boy about 5 years old. We brought two "newbies" with us and the whole experience totally exceeded their expectations. We raved about the great food all the way home. Thank you!

Went here with a party of people, only to be quite disappointed with the food quality. The menu was rather confusing, and not to mention the chef didn't take steps to switch utensils for raw/cooked meat. <br/>You're really just paying for the show. Wouldn't recommend this place if your looking for quality food.

I really enjoyed dinner here recently with a group of 7 of us.  The service was excellent and the atmosphere was very fun and lively.  The chef put on a great show and got everyone involved and entertained.  The serving staff had us all doing saki bombs and it was a great time.  The food was pretty good...I can't say it was fabulous or outstanding but it was good.  Overall it was a great experience and I look forward to going back.

A little concerned about the food safety procedures. Unless I missed it I think the chef used the same cooking utensils for raw and cooked foods. <br/>Didn't really feel that I got my money's worth and probably won't return.

We were group of 8 and didn't take us long to get a table. The food was fresh, very tasty and entertaining as they prepare and cook your food in front of you. Good quality service. A bit pricey but worth it. Great place for a party of 4 or more.

A group of nine of us dined here last night. This was a great place to have a fun and unique dining experience with a group of friends. We started with a couple drinks in the lounge area while we waited for all of our party to arrive. They won't seat you till everyone is present. Our chef, Pete was very good. Just the right amount of humour and fun. We enjoyed watching him prepare all the courses. The food here is plentiful and delicious. Everyone in our group left completely satisfied. The different meats, vegetables, rice, soup and salad were all delicious. The quality of food and service is outstanding here. Great value for the price. I also ordered an avocado roll, and it was really good. Diners should expect to spend 3 hours here, but the time flies because it's a lot of fun.

Pricey but worth it. Great way to spend a night entertained by the chef! So good and overall great atmosphere. There was 4 of us and we booked ahead as it can be hard to have a place to sit on busy nights. Great place.

Well this was a favorite of Mom's some 25 years ago.<br/>The show is the show.<br/>Frankly the food quality is good.<br/>Soup hot, tasty.<br/>Appetizers good.<br/>There are way better sushi places if you are into sushi.<br/>However whether you eat the steak, chicken, seafood.  Its all tasty with the problem being it all tastes the same.<br/>But that is what teriyaki is.  Sort of overpowering the food itself.<br/>Meat cuts are tender, but close your eyes, and you likely don't know whether its chicken or steak.<br/>Drinks are novel.   Atmosphere around a table with strangers can be either great or not so much.<br/>Look it's been around for decades, If you have never gone its worth a shot.<br/>Not an annual event for me.

Fantastic performance, Food is not Japanese food at all. not even close.. I visited there for a family christmas party. <br/>Just for the entertainment, I think it was fantastic.The dinner however, it wasn't Japanese food at all. Basically fake Chinese food, maybe not even close Chinese food. They just use Japanese soy sauce instead of Chinese one for the flavour of fake Japanese and that makes the taste horrible. the Chicken lever was rubbish I was about throwing it up. I could say ingredients are not fresh. Very disappointed. <br/>They are using name of Japan as an advertising tool and under the mask of Japan is fake Chinese food. I cannot even say Chinese because Chinese food is supposed be very very delicious.<br/><br/>Dishes, plates and ball are plastic, it makes food cheep and funny serving way. The chef started cleaning up while we were eating. Very noisy. I have to say it wasn't good.<br/><br/>Mind you, if you want to spend $50 for exciting performance, then you should go this restaurant as an entertainment. But if you want to have the good Japanese food, there are much better options.

Amazing Experience! Will Return. Our first experience at this restaurant was nothing short of fun and entertaining. Food was amazing and the portions were huge. Our 2 chefs were Tommy Kim and Roger and I highly recommend requesting them as they were both extremely friendly and very entertaining. We noticed some other tables had chefs that were a bit more low key so we were very pleased with ours. Made the whole night very fun.

Good food but...... My first time going after being on my list of restaurants to go to for about 20 years :p<br/>Food was fresh, good sized portions. Setting was nice and cozy. Staff were very polite and aiming to please. <br/>Obviously the reason for going was the at the table show. Must say it was a bit of a letdown. Maybe caught our chef on a bad day. We spent most of the night laughing at other chefs and their show instead of ours. Don't get me wrong, our chef was talented at his craft, just not glitzy enough for the price you pay. <br/>Up in the air if I would go again.

Price was high service and food okay at best. The chef at the table was quite a nice guy but it is hard to overcome waiting an hour for them to take the order.

The greatest show!. Our family loves to eat here. The food is always fresh and the cooks are amazing. Our children get excited watching the cooks and we always have a good time. <br/>It's great when you can get children to eat their vegetables and we never have a problem like that here. The staff is very friendly and the atmosphere is great. We'll be back for another show soon, love the sizzle!

Had an awesome experience! Our cook Edwin helped make my sisters birthday unforgettable! Will definitely come back and request Edwin serve is again! Just perfect!

Exceeded my expectations. Went last night for my first time with a small group. I really really was impressed with the decor, the quality of the food, and loved the entertainment. Our entertainer/cook made me feel really special as a first-timer, involved me in some tricks and ensured I was well-fed. My steak was done perfectly, and the Sake-bombs were an added bonus of fun. Really engaging and I'll definitely be back!

Love it. Haven't changed in 30 years. Sushi is good, tepanyaki is great. Always impressed the the beautiful ingredients they bring to the table. The portions are so generous that if you order a dinner for one as take out, it's more than enough to feed two. And don't cheap out, always go for the fried rice.

Fun, but very slow. Our family (2 adults, 2 kids ages 8 and 12) went for dinner on a Saturday night. We called a couple of hours ahead and made a reservation for 7. The wait to get seated was nevertheless at least 30 minutes. We were sat at a table which included another family of 6 people - unfortunately crammed into a space that didn't fit, resulting in some knee-to-knee brushups with strangers at the table corners, and some near head-bumping when simultaneously taking a slurp of soup. It took at least 10 minutes to receive a round of drinks, and another 30 minutes before any food arrived.<br/><br/>My advice: make a reservation, but expect delay; request a teppan (table) that fits your group (the smallest seems to seat 6 or 8) to avoid crowding; relax and be patient. The food is very good.

Sushi = good. Go for the sushi!!! I can't say much about the teppanyaki as I only went once (was OK - a long time ago though, 8-10 years or so). I find the service is pretty slow but if you can sit up at the bar and talk to the sushi chefs they are very friendly and helpful (also nice when it's busy, you don't have to wait for a table usually). Really super fresh sashimi, some of the best in the city. It's on the pricey side and there is a "required" tip (not sure if that is still there with new management) - but overall it's a good place...for sushi. They used to have cheap sushi days but alas, not anymore. I really hope that comes back!

Always Great!. I have been here between 100 - 200 times since 1988 when I met my wife.<br/><br/>Always great food and a great time.<br/><br/>My children love this place too.<br/><br/>Always a good choice for birthdays and anniversaries.

Worst Manager Ever. The Ichiban manager who goes by Edwin Carlos conducts himself with such pride that' its unbearable to deal with him. The service was awful and he made no attempt to fix any request my group asked of him. While waiting, I over hear hear the way he manages the restaurant and how he talks to his staff. He is probably the biggest idiot ever. He is incredibly rude and lacks common sense. I've also heard about how he says nasty things about the customer who can overhear him. Of course, he is too obnoxious to realize his inappropriate behaviour. I've been here before when Lawson was the manager and had a great time dealing with him from the past. Whoever decided to promote Edwin needs a smack in the head. Probably your worst decision ever Ichiban Management.

Disappointing!. Went with a group of friends, had a reservation for 8:00. We sat in the lounge while we waited for the rest of our party to arrive, once everyone was there the hostess let us know our table would be about 10 minutes, no big deal. It was probably 45 more minutes until we were seated. Another group was seated at the table next to us about 10 minutes afterwards. The group that came afterwards was served long before us. Finally, after complaining our chef showed up at about 9:45, he turned out to be quite nice but the food was mediocre at best.

Chicken Livers the Best. This restaurant has the best chicken liver in town hands down.

Never Again. I will never walk through those restuarant doors again. Over my life time, I have had the good fortune to travel extensively thoughout our world and dine at many different locations. But it was right here in Winnipeg, at Ichiban, that I had my worst dining experience. Ironically, at Ichiban, the "experience" is part of the price you are paying for the food. It wasn't the food or the Chef and servers that created such a negative experience...it was the person at the front desk . His rude, disrespectfu yelling at our group had us, and the people we were seated with, all shaking our heads in disbelief and disgust.<br/>If, after reading through several ratings (I notice mine is not the only negative one), you still choose to visit this resturant, please follow my advice.<br/>1- show up in advance of your appointed reservation with your whole group (you'll probably still have to wait and don't let anyone from your group cancel or you will anger him)<br/>2- finish your meal in the allotted time (whatever amount that may be) or he will walk over to your table and yell at you "pay and get out"<br/>3- don't try to reason with or talk to him on your way out, as you will be told not to ever return to his resturant (no chance of anyone in our group ever returning)<br/>To clarify, our group was a group of respected, successful, middle - aged females who decided to leave our families at home for an evening and go out for a nice dinner. All of us walked away wondering the same thing....how many other people have been treated in the same manner by this man?

Worst evening. The place was packed and running behind. Once we were seated it was ok, but it took forever to get drinks and once the drinks came there was no glasses for the drinks. Waited some more. Food was good. We had someone in our party with a gluten allergy and the chef was told earlier. But he forgot every time a portion was made and then had to douse her shrimp and whatever else she had in sake to take off the gluten. Her allergy at first seemed to be taken seriously then was forgotten. <br/>For the price of everything we got no "show". He cooked the food then left. We sat for a bit and all said it was the worst time at ichiban. We were in a party mood and they killed it. Service was terrible,and dissapointing.

Go for the show!. If you're going just for the food, you're in the wrong place.<br/>Ichiban is all about the dazzle, the wow, the entertainment!<br/>That being said, it is only a one time thing. Their show is standardized, so it's only exciting the first time you see it.

Bad. Mediocre food and terrible service. Made a reservation for 9 and didn't get in for an hour. What are reservations for? If you're going to come, make sure it's with a big group or be forced to wait. Wouldn't recommend again.

Walked in on a monday night but they usually work on reservations. Arrived at 7:30pm but was paired with the 8:00 reservation and other walk-ins. It is a shared table so it's not for those looking for a romantic date. Ordered the Empress (teriyaki chicken, shrimp and scallops) and it comes with everything priced at $35. Food was okay and the servings were big. I especially like the cucumber salad and the scallops. Highly recommended! The chicken livers was good as well but I'm not a big fan of liver in general. Loved our server and chef. But if you're looking for an extra fun time, look for EDWIN. I would definitely bring my family here!

Great Experiance, Can get the same quality of Teppanyaki at Koya. Great place to try if you haven't been.Good show! The taste and quality of the food is boring.

Went here and got lost from thr hotel LOL cus i ddint know it was located in basement. But anyway, sushi is okay. There is a cutie guy that makes the sushi :p good service, not bad dish.

Great for a group. The Ichi Ban is something different than your average everyday restaurant. The meal preparation is entertaining and the food is good. I would definitely suggest the "Imperial" meal for a little taste of everything. My party left full and satisfied.

A unique way to enjoy a date, challenge yourself to be more out going. A great way to spend a night out with friends and make new ones over great cuisine and drinks. <br/><br/>Great atmosphere for those who enjoy new experiences and meeting new people. I will say many may be put off by the style of seating, considering, unless you are eating at the sushi bar, you will be seated with strangers. I believe that is the greatest charm of the place. Everytime my wife and I have gone there we met great and interesting people. Even those that seemed to have a difficult time adjusting to the atmosphere enjoyed some hearty converstation once they shook off their cob webs or social phobias.<br/><br/>It's good to try something new!

I love this place! The food is delicious and the show is fun to watch. I've gone back again and again. They don't deserve all the negative reviews.

We went for the sushi!. We sat in the sushi bar area and ordered 6 rolls & tempura and we were served with such an abundance of food, we had to ask for a to-go bag. Now one of our favorited sushi places in Winnipeg for good taste & good value. Friendly & accommodating staff too :-)

This place is just awesome! God here with a group of friends or family.

Could of been better. We went there for dinner for a friends b-day. Service service service, that totaly killed our experience there. The food was great the chef was entertaining the prices were very reasonable for the food you got. The place needs to get some staff that knows what there doing, our server has m.i.a most of the night the bus boys were only picking up half of the glasses on our table . If I were ever to go back I would ask for the oldest server there she had everrything under control in her section.

NOT GOOD FOR A DATE. Do not go here for a date to enjoy Ichi Ban. You will end up sitting beside a bunch of strangers with everyone eating from the same chef. It is a really weird feeling, especially when there are people you don't know right beside you gobbling down as much food as they can. If you don't like the sound of other people's eating in your ear, and you want to have a romantic date, go somewhere else. Food good, only in a group of 4 or more.

Not good. I dont understand why i was given liver when i didnt order it to be on my dish cause I hate the taste of liver. Also, why did everyone in my party get a piece of my lobster? Dont get me wrong, I dont mind sharing but my dish cost more than what other people ordered! If i knew that everyone gets a taste of everyones dish then I should have just got the cheapest dish! The other thing that I didnt like is that they use teriaky sauce on everything!!! My veggies and meat only had one flavor.. teriaky sauce....

Very good food. Expensive, but there are something like five courses in the meal. The cooks put on a very good show, and the atmosphere is both fancy and casual at the same time. Word of warning: don't go if you're feeling antisocial. You will be around people who want to talk and meet people. This is a nice restaurant but it is certainly not a private date type of place. Be prepared to interact with others.

Horrible service/Extremely rude staff. I went to here for a birthday dinner and our group had a reservation and it took them an hour to seat our group. It then took 45 minutes for our drinks to come out. 2 hours in, we finally got our food. On top of this, the manager was extremely rude!!! If it wasn't for the starving group of people I was with, we would have left-and should have. I will never EVER go back to this place and I am speaking on behalf of the 12 others i went there with. The food is nothing special and over priced. Save your money and go elsewhere!

Still Overpriced.. I'm going to say that I liked it, but I'm really conflicted as the prices are just too outrageous for the meal. Understandably, it is considered one of Winnipeg's foremost dining experiences, and the ostentatious prices match that.<br/><br/>The food is delicious, and the service was wonderful. For 2 superior dinners and 2 beers, we left with a $110 bill. For that kind of money to be dropped on a dinner in Winnipeg, I expected much more. Our chef was not one for parlour tricks, and not very talkative. The food was beautifully cooked, but I feel as if I could have made it just as easily.<br/><br/>So yes, I recommend Ichi-Ban. Once. And once only. Try another steakhouse for the same taste, but less impact on the wallet.

Very enjoyable, most of the time.. I really enjoy Ichi Ban. Their food has always been good. I also enjoy their sushi. The only problem is, most of the time, its about a 3 hour experiance. I went there on a double date, and because one of our friends showed up a bit late, we were forced to sit in the lounge area until she got there. Once she did, we had to wait even longer becuase I think they gave our original table away. Half hour after our reservation we got seated. It then took about 20 mins for our chef to arrive. When he did, he was decent, I have had much better other vists. Its dissapointing when your chef doesn't do a lot of fun things / tricks becuase that is about half of what you are paying for. The drinks and food are pretty over priced, but they are delish. I know this is a very mixed review, I just had the one bad experiance. I am always willing to go back, if I have a lot of money in the bank.

Herded like cattle. I tried Ichi ban for the first time with my wife and three young kids and was very disappointed. We had been to wonderful Japanese steak houses with the same kinds of "shows" in other cities (Honolulu, for example) and the kids loved it. <br/>In our experience, we were forced to wait a half an hour past our reservation time, because the restaurant waited until they had enough families to fill up their large booths. We were then herded to the booth, with my family sandwiched in the middle of a couple of other large parties. Because we didn't order as much as teh other families, we were often ignored and overlooked. The service treated us like trash.<br/> The food itself was overpriced and bland. The chefs were fine with their showmanship, but we couldn't enjoy it at all. We would never go back to Ichi ban again!

Decent Sushi.. The sushi was decent, I had a rainbow roll and it was good. I went here for a party and I was impressed. Friendly teppanyaki chef and the food was okay. I liked the chicken liver, so good! The other stuff is so-so, I liked the scallops and lobster. <br/><br/>I think if you want to dine here you can skip the teppanyaki because it's not that much - unless you like the novelty and entertainment. It's pricy. I'd rather go here for sushi.

A fun time. Every few years, usually for a special ocassion, we'll go to Ichi Ban. It's best to go with a larger group, as it's a very 'social' kind of night, and if you aren't with a larger group, they'll combine groups to fill the tables.<br/><br/>Each table is constructed of a grill, where the chef prepares all of the food in front of you, with 8 to 12 chairs arranged around him in a "U" shape, so everyone has a good view.<br/><br/>It's a lot of fun, and the chefs usually make sure you have a good time, with a standard array of jokes.<br/><br/>The food is good, and the selction is quite wide, but since everything is cooked pretty much the same way, logically, it all tastes pretty much the same.<br/><br/>One thing is that everything is cooked exactly how you like it.....and they cook a great steak.<br/><br/>The highlight for me is the chicken liver appetizer. They have it's preparation down to a science, and I've seen people who claim to detest liver change their minds once they've tried it, and order a whole serving for themselves.<br/><br/>If you have young kids and want to give them a real treat.....Ichi Ban's the place....they'll be talking about it forever, and the chefs really play it up to the kids.<br/><br/>All in all, a good time.

Horrible Sushi. Being seated had a nice touch with our waitress greeting us with warm towels to "freshen our hands". However, once we were done, she disappeared. I expected her to return in 5 mins to get our drink orders..<br/><br/>Opening the menu, right from the get go i was turned off by it. When i asked the manager what type of crab they use (it was not specified), the manager shows me a plate of imitation crab sticks saying "no one uses real crab". That manager obviously has not gone to any other sushi restaurants in the city! Even the cheap eats sushi (ie Sushi Train Madison) uses lump crab meat! Anyway, i decided to just go with the rainbow roll, even WITH the fake crab, because i love california rolls because of the avocado. The manager comes back and asks "we do not have any avocado, is this ok?" I was NOT impressed, but we still ordered it anyway. The sushi chef was nice enough to come back to us and ask if cucumbers will suffice, and because he was so pleasant, it made me friendly again haha! We got our food, and man was it hard to swallow.. i've had my fair share of sushi places, and i know poor quality fish, and ichiban serves it!<br/><br/>And then there's our waitress who did not return to check on our drink order, however a different waitress seemed to have gotten the hint after seeing the drink menu laying open in front of me *eye roll* by the time this second waitress came along for our drink order, we were half way through our meal, so you can only imagine how quickly the alcohol hit me by chugging it down because of the lateness of receiving it!!<br/><br/>Overall, i'm sure you can tell, i DID NOT LIKE this place one bit -well, for sushi at least.. I HAVE gone here for the "performance dinner"... nothing special; i could say it was an unforgettable experience, but i'd be lying to you. I remember EVERYTHING tasting the same burnt taste because of the fact that it was cooked on the same charred surface where everyone's food is cooked HA! <br/><br/>Don't waste your time (ESPECIALLY with finding parking) or money at this place.

Are you kidding. The prices here are ridiculous! And the food isnt even quality. In my opinion, if you want to spend your money, spend half on a decent meal at a fraction of the cost, and then buy a ticket to the circus. That way the chefs can be chefs and the clowns can be clowns. At ichi ban you get half the quality for double the price. Not saying that its not an entertaining experience, dont get me wrong. But the absurd prices for low budget food kinda ruins the thrill for me. And yes, not a date place. More a group thing, where u wanna socialize yet not have much intimate conversation.

Fantastic experience!. I've been there several times and I have never been disappointed! The last time I went the chef really fed off the energy of the group and did some sake bombs with us! I had so much fun catching the rice (although I did kind of spill it on one of my friends lunching to catch it!) and my husband enjoyed showing off his catching skills with an egg... until we told him it was hard boiled! <br/>This is an incredible experience and I definitely suggest it! Go hungry!

What a pleasant experience! The food was delicious, plentiful and it's very entertaining to watch the chef prepare it right there.

Nice Comedy show but.... I have a feeling the chefs at Ichi Ban are laughing all the way to their banks. The food is OK, but the real point is the show. They juggle the salt and pepper shakers, make funny jokes and generally take your mind off of the small bland portions of food. I went their hungry and after eating I left almost as hungry, only a few bucks poorer to prove it. A nice restaurant to visit but don't get caught up thinking that the show is about fine food.

BAD MANAGERIAL SERVICE. I am more than willing to express my opinion about this unfavourable restaurant in winnipeg. This dining experience was a complete disappointment. The service was slow and complicated. The manager who I believed is currently edwin something, failed to deliver great customer service. He was rude, unfriendly and obnoxious. I would not want to deal with the hassle of making reservations and having a terrible experience with the amount of money you will be spending. I would not want to deal with this restaurant or this manager again. IT DEFINITELY IS NOT WORTH IT !

Worst Service I've ever experienced!. This place does not even understand what customer service is about. I've done my share of visiting restaurants in Winnipeg, New York and even Warsaw, and nothing compares to the lousy service I received here. Went there twice - first time was just ok (predominantly due to our funny chef), second time went with a bigger group, booked in advance, showed up before time and still had to wait an hour with nobody giving us a clear idea of when our table will be ready. That was it, walked out of the restaurant and will never recommend this place to anyone!!!

For a place where the prices aren't exactly cheap this is the worst service in the city. They may as well just say we don't want ur business.

Dinner and a Show. Very entertaining, although it is the same performance each time: catch a bowl, catch an egg, pretend to catch a knife, and sake time. Still fun each time though. Definitely a group outing. <br/>You get a lot of food, and it's good food, but the food isn't the main reason to go. You can certainly get better food elsewhere.

Sake Time!. Ichi Ban is the place to go for a fun night out and entertainment. Yes, go in larger groups because sitting with unknown strangers is always a risk. The food is quite yummy and always enough to fill you up and to take some home. I've had a bowl of rice thrown at me, eggs, and had to catch a knife. I've been a total of three times and plan on returning again.

My fave restaurant. I have been to Ichban many times over the years, with large groups (up to 13 ppl) or just with one or 2. It is always fantastic. From "Sake Time" to catching a egg tossed to you from the other side of the restaurant, it is never a dull moment. The food is great and you get large portions, not to mention it is cooked right in front of you. Drinks are a little pricey but some come with souvenir cups. This is my favorite restaurant and I make a point of going at least 3-4 times a year!

Very pricey, yet deserving. Exciting place to visit.<br/><br/>Book in advance, and even then you risk to have to wait; and it is darn crazy pricey... and despite of all this, it definitely deserves every minute of your waiting and every dollar you spend.<br/><br/>Chefs are cooking before your eyes, and making a real show out of it. They are very crafty and artistic. And the food is delicious.

Great food the imperial was great service was five stars great for large group the budda drink is a must. The potstickers were also delish loved how they did up the presentation in a few words sake time our group gave it

Just Ok. For me a Japanese Steak and Sushi place should have Japanese chefs.This place doesn't. Food is ok but sushi is better at Wasabi.(Chinese)

Smoke and mirrors?. The show is worth the go but it may be the only reason.<br/><br/>This is not a date restaurant, definitely a place to go as a group, but be careful if there are 8 or more they add 15% to your bill.<br/><br/>Kid friendly for sure! The food is average though. Healthy and little over priced but then again you are paying for dinner and a show.<br/>Next time I would order a smaller dish, you get a lot of food.

I love this place. This is my favorite restaurant. Always good food. it is a litle bit pricy but you have a show, good quality of food and extrodinary service, it is totaly worth it. it is an experience.. go in a group it is nicer. but we do not mind to be with other people... always a good time... (don't wear something to tight)

Awesome Japanese cuisine with great personality. The cooks aka performers are really great: friendly, entertaining and engaging. The food is just spectacular, pricing is good for the experience you get from it. I you get one of their "dinners" there is a good chance your going home with leftovers!

Awesome value for your money!. Where in Winnipeg can you get great food and entertainment? Ichi Ban of course.<br/><br/>The entry price includes entree, appetizer, dessert, and side all cooked before your eyes by a very skilled chef with a flair for the dramatic. Reservations are essential so don't just drop in unless you intend to wait and try your luck.<br/><br/>Great venue and the free underground parking is a nice way to spend a cold Winnipeg winter evening.<br/><br/>If you can round up eight friends, you can have a table all to yourselves. That is the way to go as the show is as good as the food and you will want to take pictures.<br/><br/>Great drink options with some coming with a souvenir cup.

Let me in ... please?. Well, I tried eating there two evenings in a row. The first time, they had just closed (?? really? at 8:30 p.m.??) The second night, I was told that the only seating was at 7:00. Meanwhile, the restaurant was half empty. Is this being exclusive or just plain turning people away?

Always fun. I've been to Ichiban a few times now over the years. The food is good, almost exceptional, but the meals are a little light on substance. The sushi isn't so good. The show is the reason to go though - it's always a good time. Go with a group of friends (8 is the magic number) and you are guaranteed to have a blast with a ton of laughs.

Its alright. I've had better sushi elsewhere .... great environment though

Fun night out. This was a fun night out with a group of 8. The food was good and the service was great.

This place is big. You get seated to a group of people so you make new friends. The sushi itself is average. Rating 3 out of 5. Proportion of food served is more then enough. Recommend only if you want entertainment and a night out with friends. Oh and make reservations before going as there is a lot of people.

My gf loves sushi and I love steak so I'm going to take her here one day :)

I love the chefs, theyre ffunny and entertaining, been there 3 times and still want to go! You get to meet new people, try different things, and get a good laugh

This restaurant isn't very good I disliked it

It was as if Ichiban wanted to overwhelm the diner with a host of options to give the idea of value. While one cannot discount the value associated with sitting at the teppan with a chef cooking in front of you, the food itself was simply not up to par. There was no planning or thought into why each course was given, nor was there any truly unique or tasty offerings. Rather Ichiban gives you pomp and circumstance almost to trick the diner into believing they are getting fine dining. You will get better food in almost any other Japanese restaurant in town and there you can enjoy the show of chefs creating real Japanese cuisine in front of your eyes. Do yourself a favour and skip Ichiban.

I highly suggest you give this a try. The experience is great and the cooks have lots of jokes. Just be sure to go with a friend.