Kinkaku Japanese Steak House {Review}

Kinkaku Japanese Steak House {Review}

On a recent visit to Pigeon Forge, TN, my family and I stopped to eat at the Kinkaku Japanese Steak House, located right off the parkway. They offer both sushi and hibachi meals, as well as lunch and dinner specials.

 

We have a family favorite Japanese steak house back home that we visit probably once a week because they offer an awesome lunch menu and sushi prices during the day. Even the grandkids will ask to go there and we normally fill a whole grill table when everyone hears where we’re going!

Kinkaku has a number of tables as well, and there was no wait when we arrived for dinner. However, we were seated with another family who was already eating their soup and salad, and now had to wait for us to order and “catch up” to them so the chef could come cook for us.

The chef was okay as far as entertaining; I’d probably say average skills based on other chefs at the restaurant and other locations. We all ordered hibachi meals as well as a few pieces of sushi to share.

The sushi was fresh and they did have an extensive list to order from. We are not beer or wine drinkers but I did notice multiple options, along with soda and tea.

Overall, I would probably not return to Kinkaku unless they had some major changes. Not only was the food “just okay”, but the service was slow, the chef wasn’t memorable (which you expect in this sort of place) and the prices were higher than I’d expect for that level of quality.

They also had a leaky ceiling which appeared to be an ongoing problem and was quite ugly.

As a side note: My daughter and son-in-law had eaten here several years before and remembered it being a wonderful place. Hopefully they will improve again and we can try them once more on a future visit.

You can find the Kinkaku Japanese Steak House website here for more information.