Kobe Japanese Steak House

Looking for a good sushi roll? Look no further.
We spent the last year trying to find a place that had some good rolls, steaks and good vibes.

If you need some rolls we suggest the Big B & Paradise Roll. They were exactly what we needed. Top it off with the chicken fried rice and you are set.

The place has a welcoming vibe, good bar area and friendly fast service. Nice place to go with friends or family.

A must if you are in the San Marcos area!

Poor service...
Just when in for lunch, like I usually do.
Seat at the bar and order food.

Today, I was told we don't do that.
After I voiced my opinion about doing that many times in the past, I was given a BS excuse that it matters what day you can eat at the bar.

The food was great! We went in on a Saturday for lunch and there wasn't a long wait we got seated immediately. The service was very good! Our server was super friendly and attentive. The vibes were very positive!

My son is home from college, and this is one of his "go to" places while he's home. We went for the all you can eat lunch for $14.99. That is really a fantastic deal for all they offer. It's not a buffet, but the menu includes appetizers, soups, sushi and a few entrees. We tried the spring rolls, dumplings, chicken fried rice, garlic chicken, and several sushi rolls. Our favorite sushi rolls were the crunchy California roll, the snow mountain, the shrimp tempura and the Mexican roll. We did not care for the beef teriyaki roll or the roll with chicken. We probably won't try the garlic chicken again, either. It was a little salty for our taste. All of our first rolls were fresh and tasty. Unfortunately, our last crunch California roll was obviously premade and tasted like it came out of the freezer. The sea weed was so rubbery it couldn't be eaten. Fortunately we were pretty full by then and were happy with all our previous selections. We'll still go back. I recommend getting there early. We were there when the doors opened at 11:30. By the time we left it was quite crowded and there was a line at the door.

Our quick spot for the best Sake Bombs!!! Sushi is always on point and fresh. Check in staff is hit or miss with customer service.

If there's any childhood memories that bring back more smiles to my face in terms of eating and entertainment it has to be the Japanese Steakhouse. Started in roughly 1964 in New York this style of cooking entertainment swept across America becoming a staple in any city you go to. While the food featuring plenty of rice is the star, equally important are the chefs that put on a show. Take away either and the magic just fades away. I remember back in my hometown; one could keep buying the chefs saki resulting in a very entertaining show as the libations got rolling. It was THE experience.

Being a divorcee with my kids only coming down on occasion I strive to have as much fun as I can when they're down in Texas. So, when my kids said, "dad we haven't have that place where they cook in front of you in a long time," I knew what must be done. I scanned google looking for somewhere close with good reviews. I settled on Kobe Japanese Steak House in San Marcos and it was sufficient.

The location is extremely easy to get to and isn't in a bad part of town. My two kids and I arrived at 11am when they opened then sat at our own table. The outside is somewhat kept up in terms of appearance and inside is more of the same. In the middle of the restaurant is a Sushi station with bar stools, tables and booths surround that perimeter as if we had concentric circles guarding the raw fish! A bar hugged the left side while behind that are the Hibachi tables.

I wanted to get a rainbow roll so my kids were able to taste the fish (since it's on top) as much as the roll. One problem is it's not on the menu, which I think is a stable of any sushi restaurant? The waiter informed us they do make the roll however they were out of avocado, which in Texas is a strange ingredient to be out of in my opinion. After taking our orders he came out with our drinks and said they did have it the green goodness. I couldn't help but quote a line from Fast Times at Ridgemount High "well make up your mind..." (the rest I can't repeat here). He laughed it off and the roll came out fairly quick. The roll was middle of the road, nothing spectacular however not bad. The Salmon, Tuna, and Yellowtail were fresh but a bit bland meaning age while the rice warm and it looked pretty. I had to teach my kids how to properly eat the sushi and use chop stix so they could drink their Sprites with a pinky up.

Soon after, the traditional appetizers came out and both of my kids destroyed the onion soup. What's more is neither of them like mushrooms but ate it all. I know... I know bad parent as they used to like mushrooms however they don't have the exposure anymore. Neither liked the salad so we bartered where they split my soup and I got their salads, which is fine as I love the salad and especially the ginger dressing.

I'm not sure when a chef decides to "turn on the charisma" but I think it was early and the chef wasn't awake yet. First of all, both my kids missed the "shrimp catch" and when it was my turn the chef gave me a bad pitch. The second try was much better and I snatched it out of the air with my mouth and devoured it in one bite. We got the traditional "onion train" of which I supplied the sound effects. I was expecting a pac-man rice monster (kids out there goggle it) alas there were no monsters or fire. I'm fine with not having a fire as it was only 105 outside.....

As we were being entertained the waiter came back and filled up with Sprites with water. Needless to say, the kids had a bit of a shock. He promptly fixed it; however, he only had two tables so I'm not sure he was "in the weeds" enough to get the order wrong. The rice was perfectly cooked and tasted fine however the chicken. If you've ever made the mistake of buying chicken breast from Walmart you know how tough it can be. Yes, that was the texture of the chicken, overcooked and tough. The portion sizes were as expected however we didn't get the egg or knife show. Maybe that's not included in the lunch package?

Overall, my experience in terms of entertainment and food quality was average. The energy level was low for a Saturday lunch and the food was adequate but neither had pizzazz. For some reason I'm inclined to think this was an off day but I can't really prove it. Moreover, I won't be returning to substantiate my thoughts. I'll end by saying it's not a bad restaurant and I think dinner is probably be livelier. For my money the next time I crave a similar experience I'll look to other locations to give them a shot.

Yes, it's cheap!!! But also, you get what you paid for. I came here with my friends for lunch and for a table of 8, we only waited 20 minutes, which is pretty good because this place is usually packed.

However, when I think of Kobe, I am immediately transported to gas station sushi. Growing up in the Bay Area and eating GOOD sushi, I can't even fathom how I stomached this. There are not many items on the menu that are intriguing, and it scares me to think where the raw fish I am consuming is even coming from. I would rather pay for one plate of sushi at a great sushi restaurant rather than bad quality all-you-can-eat sushi that really hurt my stomach after consumption.

Overall, I would not recommend this place. I probably wouldn't recommend eating raw fish in San Marcos in general.

Service was ok, a lot of young people... but the food was awful. The chef managed to destroy an amazing cuisine like Hibachi... first, everything was done so quick that the food never got flavor, he spray all the food with a lot of salt and pepper, emphasis on a Lot. Even he mixed the raw egg with the rice... we couldn't eat anything so we paid and left....

The atmosphere is great and the whole crew seemed really friendly. The price was fantastic ($21 on a Sunday). I just plain was not impressed with the sushi. I am by no means a sushi connoisseur, but I've eaten sushi in several states and I sure like it. This place is a step above a generic Chinese buffet at best. I do not want this to seem like a negative review because I liked it just fine for what it was and at the price it was, but it just is not a high quality place. I'd rather spend a few bucks less at a generic buffet or a few bucks more at a higher quality sushi bar. I finished the meal off with a seaweed salad and a basic tuna roll, both very well could have been from the buffet down the road. My server was great and gets a 4, the sushi was ok at best and gets a 2, I met in the middle and have the place a 3...

Tonight I took my family to Kobe in San Marcos. It was my daughter's 10th birthday and her choice. We frequently have come here but it has become more disappointing after each visit.

First I was served hot saki with no glasses, when they finally came to the table I noticed a huge crack in one.

Secondly we ordered 2 orders of beef fried rice. Not only did it not taste fresh it didn't have hardly any beef. I asked the server for a side and was charged $5 just to get the portion that should have come with our initial order.

I did mention my daughter's birthday and there was nothing done to celebrate her milestone. Unfortunately this will be our last time here.