Kobe Steakhouse is one of my Favorite restaurants in Orlando to visit on my Birthday!
Kobe Steakhouse is a family favorite for birthdays. They offer the birthday girl (or boy) $15.00 off of their meal and a cupcake!
Kobe Steakhouse is casual fine dining in Orlando. Average cost per person is about $25.00 for a decent meal. But the meals can be much more expensive depending on what you order.
That’s why we save it for a special occasion like birthdays. Recently I helped celebrate my Moms’ 60th birthday at Kobe’s Steakhouse.
When you first walk into to Kobe Steakhouse you're greeted with a lovely setting. They have ponds with coy fish. Plus they have natural plants and trees. It's really inviting.
You can make reservations (which I would recommend) if you plan on having a large group of people. Normally if it’s just two people they can fit you in. Either way it couldn’t hurt to let them know your coming.
The tables seat ten (eight comfortably) so if you have enough people I would recommend going as a bigger group. Otherwise you'll be seated with strangers.
They wait until they have enough to fill a table to seat you. So plan on waiting a bit especially if it’s dinner time.
During the time you're waiting you could go to the bar and get a drink. My husband Chris and I like to share a hurricane.
It comes in a special cup that's filled with fruit and alcohol. In the middle there's a little dip that's filled with highly potent alcohol (this part comes lit on fire.) It’s a great conversation starter and also fun to drink!
Once your table's ready you’re lead into the dining room. Each room has four large grills (hibachi) that have seats placed around three sides. The other side's for the chef. Everyone gets seated and takes a look at the extensive menu.
If you go to Kobe Steakhouse between the hours of 5pm and 6pm you can get happy hour prices. They have a food menu and drink specials during this time.
One thing I saw that was a pretty good deal was scallops and chicken for $14.00 Plus they have sake for $3.00 and appetizers for $3.00-$5.00.
So if you can’t afford the night time prices maybe you should visit during these times. Plus it isn’t as busy so you get seated and served faster. And you pretty much have the place to yourself.
This was great at my Moms' birthday party because I had reserved seating for 5pm. I didn’t even know they had happy hour! So my entire family had a feast and it cost me a little over $200 with tip for eight people. Not bad!
The meals all come with soup, salad, rice and noodles plus whatever meats you choose.
Everyone orders their meal and drinks plus any appetizers they would like. *They have great sushi and vegetable egg rolls that can be ordered to come out before the meal.* After everyone has ordered they offer you a hot cloth to wipe your hands and face.
Next they bring out the appetizers or if you didn’t order any they bring you soup. The soup is just a simple broth with mushrooms in it. It’s very tasty though.
Next it’s onto salad. It has a nice sweet vignette type dressing on it. I’m normally not a huge fan of salad dressing but I love this stuff!
Even my father in law likes it and normally he doesn’t eat dressing at all. Gotta love that even the pickiest eaters are satisfied!
After everyone is done with the starters the chef comes out. This’s where the true Kobe Steakhouse experience begins.
The chef makes sure he has all the raw ingredients the meals. He individually goes over the orders with each guest. Then he gets started.
If you get the bad luck of getting a new guy it may not be as much fun. You’ll want someone that knows what they’re doing because that just makes it more fun.
They start by cooking the meat and vegetables. Everything for the entire table is cooked together (if you don’t like something or are allergic they can cook yours separately if you let them know.)
During the time that the meal is cooking the chef is usually interacting with the table. Cracking off the wall jokes about how things are “Japanese” style.
Like when our chef was adding egg to our rice he rolled the egg across the grill and called it a “Japanese egg roll.” It’s always fun to play with these guys because thay like having a good time too.
My favorite part of the entire experience at Kobe Steakhouse is when they cook the onion for the meals. They stack it up ring by ring and add oil to it.
Next they turn the lights down (which are already low to begin with) and then light the onion on fire!
There used to be a Kobe Steakhouse down the street from me that burned to the ground. I don’t know if this trick was to blame. In any event it’s cool to see (watch your eyebrows though). It looks like a little onion volcano.
After they light the onion they add it to the other vegetables. As they are cooking your meal you can interact with other guests or with the friends that you brought.
Although if you have a large group (like we did for my Moms’ birthday) it’s hard to talk to the people across the table.
Unless you are smack dab in the middle you’ll pretty much be talking to the two or three people around you. So sit next to your favorite person.
Your meal is presented to you in pieces. First the veggie’s, then the meat,then the noodles and then the rice. I like to save a little of each thing so I can mix it all together.
They give you two dipping sauces. One white that reminds me of mayonnaise and one red that has ginger in it. Most people love the white one and actually request all white (if you love it you can buy a bottle of it at the bar.) I don’t much care for either.
If you’re a meat and potatoes person that likes huge portions of both, then Kobe Steakhouse is not a good choice for you.
The meal I got with scallops and shrimp gave me about five or six pieces of each. And Chris’s meal with steak brought about four or five ounces worth. Some people would argue that it’s not worth the money. But everything is delicious!
I love Kobe Steakhouse because of the ambiance and the entertainment of watching my food be prepared right in front of me.
Plus they make it a lot of fun on your birthday. Not to mention it’s one of a few Orlando, Florida restaurants that give you a discounted birthday dinner.
If you do go for a birthday at you can buy a birthday cake and picture for $10.00. The staff comes in banging a gong and making a real production.
They put a paper Kobe Steakhouse hat on the birthday girl or boy and snap a photo while they are bright red. It’s fun to witness.
If you’re there in the evening you'll hear this a few times because this’s a birthday tradition for a lot of people. Although it’s a fun place to visit "just because".
If you’re looking for a quiet,romantic evening,Kobe Steakhouse may not be a good choice for you. It’s very lively and interactive and, well.....loud.
So if you want something intimate you may want to check out Café Italiano in East Orlando, Florida.
At the end of the meal you’re presented with the check. Make sure to check and see if the tip has already been added. I’ve heard they add it to even small groups of two.
Just double check and ask if you’re not sure. Of course you can always leave more if you really enjoyed yourself.
If your looking for some casual fine dining in Orlando Florida Kobe Steakhouse fits the bill. “Japanese style”!
**Update**
Kobe Steakhouse is always a great place to go on your birthday. For one it has a great atmosphere for large parties. It’s interactive and fun to watch. And two, you get up to $25 off you meal!
They start out by doing these tricks with their knives and just getting the group going. It’s a lot of fun. It’s a show but also they are making your food.
They pretty much stick to the same script. If you go to Kobe Steakhouse over and over you’ll come to expect certain things to occur. For example, the eggroll is a fun part of the show.
Another part of the show that can’t be missed is the onion volcano. It’s always good for a few gasps and a lot of laughs. I think this is how one of the Kobe Steakhouses burnt down though so be sure to back away when it occurs.
And then of course if you go to Kobe Steakhouse on your birthday you’ll get your own special Happy Birthday song. Here you’ll see our friend Derrick take over on the drums.
They stopped giving out the cheesy paper hat but who knows it may make a comeback.
Some Orlando Florida Kobe Steakhouse Locations:
Kirkman Road
5605 S Kirkman Rd
Orlando, Florida 32819
International Drive
8350 International Drive
Orlando, Florida 32819
Lake Buena Vista
8460 Palm Pky
Orlando, Florida 32836
Return from Kobe Steakhouse to Orlando Florida Restaurants
Return to Orando-Florida-Local Homepage
