Reserved for a birthday dinner at 20:30. Shared a steak course of domestic sirloin and fillet cooked medium. The appetizers and salads were delicious, and both the vegetables and meat were tasty. The garlic fried rice was a bit lacking in garlic flavor, I wish it had more garlic. The miso soup was rich in red miso flavor. The garlic chips served as a snack and for changing the taste of the meat were very delicious. The desserts were also tasty.

The appetizers and the meat were both delicious. The meat was especially tender and the portion was just right. It was interesting when garlic rice and miso soup were served afterwards. I think adding pickles along with the garlic rice would be a good idea to prevent getting tired of the taste. The birthday plate was also cute.

Visited for Sunday lunch. Conveniently located in the basement of the Metropolitan. We ordered the lobster course for the group, and added a pork sauté set for an extra person to share. Overall, the teppanyaki was delicious and the meat and lobster were tasty. However, the appetizer platter, being the first dish, could have been a bit better to set the tone. It wasn't bad, but it just didn't leave a strong impression. Overall, I think the teppanyaki is delicious and reasonably priced. The service is okay, nothing too fancy, so you can go without feeling too formal.

Dinner was at the restaurant on the B1F of the hotel. It seemed like a tenant rather than directly operated by the hotel. We ordered the "Special Ise Ebi Course" for 17,000 yen, with additional meat and à la carte dishes... The appetizers were a bit lacking, but the main dishes of Ise Ebi and meat were made with good quality ingredients. The restaurant had a cozy and welcoming atmosphere. The prices were reasonable considering the quality, with course meals starting from around 7,000 yen, so I would have been even more satisfied with those options.

Around 12:00 with no reservation and no wait time, they cook the meat right in front of you, which is so lovely~♪ I chose rare and the meat was tender, with the rice at just the right firmness. The miso soup with nameko mushrooms was so good, it's been a while since I've had it but it really perks you up. The restaurant was really empty, I don't know why it was so deserted, the food was just that delicious. Maybe because it was a Sunday?

I was taken here for a last-minute birthday celebration and it had been a while since my last visit. We made a reservation and arrived after opening hours, but there was no one to greet us and the place was dimly lit. We were seated and our server started cooking without any introduction or greeting. They coughed frequently and seemed unfriendly. After finishing our meal, we didn't receive any tea and my companion wanted to leave. When I asked about the course that was supposed to be included, I was told they were preparing it. The atmosphere was so dark and eerie, and I found out they only operate with a small staff on weekdays. Despite the high price, I was disappointed with the quality of the food. It used to be delicious, but now it feels like the taste has declined. A plate of seafood from the unknown table was left in front of us, starting to dry out. Unless they make improvements, I don't plan on returning.

On a Sunday afternoon, every place is packed. But I'm hungry and want to eat quickly. However, I don't want just any place. I want a nice adult restaurant with delicious food, drinks, and a good atmosphere. I thought it would be impossible without a reservation, but then I had an idea. Maybe the restaurants inside Hotel Metropolitan would be a good choice. The food should be decent, there shouldn't be long lines, and there seems to be fewer young people, so I decided to give it a try. There are many restaurants on the first and upper floors, but on the basement floor, there are only a sushi restaurant and a teppanyaki restaurant. It's quiet. I looked at the menu and felt like having meat, so I went to the teppanyaki restaurant. As I expected, it was not crowded. I was seated at a table with a large iron plate and ordered the Chef's Special Lunch (tax included 5,400 yen). First, appetizers like liver paste and salmon are served. I had a glass of red wine (540 yen) but felt like sake would be a better match, so I switched to Shirayuki (540 yen per bottle). The second course was shrimp and scallops. They cook it in front of you on the iron plate, so it's served hot. The shrimp tails were crispy and fragrant. It goes well with Japanese sake, especially with the butter soy sauce. I enjoyed it with a salad. Then, I had a sirloin steak (130 grams) cooked medium rare. It had a nice sear on the outside and was juicy inside. I enjoyed it with rock salt, fried garlic, and mustard, but my favorite was the rock salt as it enhanced the meat's sweetness. They cook the fatty parts crispy and stir-fry them with plenty of bean sprouts. It comes with white rice, miso soup, pickles, and dried radish. The miso soup was delicious. Finally, coffee is served, and the total cost per person was about 6,500 yen. When in trouble in Ikebukuro, Hotel Metropolitan is a reliable option.

When I go here, it's usually for a family lunch in Ikebukuro, so I always make a reservation at 11:30 thinking I might be able to turn around again. It's much better than lining up at a crowded department store for a not-so-great restaurant. There are many private rooms in the back or tables near the entrance, but I've never had to share with others. I'm sorry for ordering different things every time like fillet, sirloin, salmon, sea bream, and pork sauté. The meat is nothing special, but the salmon and sea bream are cooked just right, fluffy and delicious with great sauce. The spinach and bean sprout side dishes are also good. Despite being a hotel tenant, it's cheap, you can enjoy the live teppanyaki cooking experience, get a coffee coupon after the meal, and even shop a bit at Tobu while leaving your car in the parking lot. I truly think it's a hidden gem for a great value lunch.

I was extremely anxious watching the chef struggle with peeling the shrimp at first. Then, I ordered my main dish cooked medium, but it came out burnt. I thought they would replace it, but they served the same dish again. It was a waste of money!

The lunch with strong bean sprout flavor cost around 4000 yen, with meat included.

I wish they had created a more special atmosphere.

It was delicious.

The atmosphere is fantastic.

It was not as good as I had expected.

I ordered the filet for lunch and it was great in terms of taste and portion. The female waitress seemed a bit indifferent, but the chef in a white uniform who was helping out in the dining area was very polite. When the teppanyaki was finished, he made sure to greet us properly, showing that he was on top of things. It was clear that he was originally a chef, so even though he was just helping out in the dining area, he didn't necessarily have to smile or do other things that might be expected from customer service. While the younger chef seemed stern and intimidating, the more experienced one had excellent customer service skills. It made me realize that providing consistently good and polite service is a really difficult challenge for any restaurant.

June 2014 revisit: I visited last month as well, but I came back again. This time, I ordered the swordfish after a long time. It goes well with spinach and beurre blanc sauce, very delicious. The rice was also tasty. Thank you for the meal! May 2014 revisit: Revisited for lunch with a colleague. It had been 2 and a half years since my last visit. This time, since we were two men, we ordered the sirloin and filet lunch set. It cost around 5400 yen. It was probably Australian beef, but it was quite delicious. The stir-fried bean sprouts with meat pieces were also tasty! The atmosphere was dark, maybe because the staff lacked energy. It's a high-end restaurant, so maybe they aim for this atmosphere. I was surprised that coffee and dessert were not included in this price, especially for a hotel restaurant lunch. Thank you for the meal. September 2011: I visited the teppanyaki restaurant in the basement of Hotel Metropolitan in Ikebukuro for lunch. It was a late lunch around 1 o'clock. There were only two groups of customers, who seemed to have finished their meals and were relaxing. The dim lighting and chic interior truly reflected the elegance of a hotel teppanyaki restaurant. I ordered the 1575 yen swordfish set lunch. An elderly chef prepared the meal. Salad and small dishes were served first. The fish was seasoned with salt and pepper, grilled on both sides with oil, and generously topped with a sauce made from butter, white wine, soy sauce, and lemon using petit bread. The taste was as expected, delicious. Considering it was a hotel, the cost performance was reasonable. I sat at the corner of the counter, but there was no conversation as I had hoped for. I didn't know what the sauce was until I asked the chef. After paying, I immediately left my seat, but neither the chef nor the waiter said "thank you" or bid me farewell. Should we not expect anything other than taste from hotel lunches? It seems that individual restaurants are more friendly and make you feel comfortable. Well, I still plan to visit many hotel teppanyaki restaurants in the future. Thank you for the meal.