Ichiban Sushi Bar & Japanese Grill

It’s pretty country, not a strong saki collection and no fresh mint = no mojito. Bartender felt she needed to explain the appearance of the calimari, apparently guests don’t get out much.
My food was good, good enough to make a return visit

Came for a Sunday lunch. First thing I noticed was that, despite it being smack in the middle of the day, I could hardly see anything once inside. I understand the appeal of mood-​lighting and ambiance, but I don’t think dead-​of-​night is really the kind of atmosphere you’re going for. Otherwise, the décor was stylish and trendy and clean.
As far as food, my friend and I ordered the yellow tail yuzu cold small plate as an appetizer. The fish was yummy and the yuzu vinaigrette was fresh and sweet, but the garnishes of julienned jalepenos, cilantro, and red onion felt flavorless and non-​contributory. Nevertheless, fish and sauce alone were enough to make the dish enjoyable.
We then accidentally ordered far too much sushi, which is never a bad thing and is inevitably what happens when the menu is so appealing and extensive. But as far as sushi goes, it felt pretty standard. To me, most sushi is on the same plateau of quality and taste, and only very few fall below it (Sake Café as of late) and very few rise above (Kanno in Metairie for example). We enjoyed the miami roll (mango!), spicy shrimp roll (very spicy), crunchy roll (which was oddly my favorite of the day, when usually I tend to brush the crunchy rolls aside — taught me to reappreciate a classic), special eel roll, and smoked salmon roll (I really should have just gotten the smoked salmon sashimi).
All in all, the meal was satisfactory and the service was friendly. I wouldn’t not go back. :)

I’ve eaten at various sushi restaurants since moving to Baton Rouge, and this is by far my favorite! I had the crawfish roll and some noodles and absolutely loved it!

Aside from one long meal on a Sunday at the Hibachi, this has been our consistent go to for sushi and we pretty much sit in the front sushi bar area.
Like the vibe, service is good, sushi and rolls fresh, tempura app nicely done and drink selection is good in the beer range.
With a fair amount of sushi outlets here in BR it is tot heir credit that we visit here 3.25 times out of 4.
And the owner walking around with his Community Coffee mug is a nice touch.
Only issue other than the marathon hibachi meal is sometimes snooty hostess ‘tude.
Back soon.

It was a Japanese sushi date night type of thing. I got my Aphrodite roll guilt free. I’m a hard sushi eater to please. No tempura, nothing fried, nothing raw, and should include fruit. And gods behold, the Aphrodite roll tailor made for me. We sat on the enclosed patio so we wouldn’t have to wait forever to eat inside. I hated to miss the cool show the sushi masters put on slicing, dicing, flipping, tossing, and setting things on fire, but we did get to see some so that was really neat. One thing I didn’t really like was the waiters kept making a lot of noise slicing chairs and more chairs and tables across the floor to set up for a large party that came in and sat next to us. It was very distracting how they just kept scraping chairs across the floor as we were trying to enjoy our meal. It seemed like they weren’t too worried with the other guests just the large party that was coming in. However, that is just one complaint but the food we ate was worth that little headache. Our waitress was friendly and attentive. We asked if they could steam our shrimp in the Aphrodite roll instead of tempura and they did accommodate us. We had to buy the miso soup separately because it doesn’t come with any entrees. I noticed how reasonably priced the noodles and rice dishes were, even the specialty sushi. I prefer so a noodles over udon because soba are smaller and udon are bulky and large but the waitress said they didn’t use the soba so we went with udon. To my surprise if they were udon they were much smaller and easier to eat then other restaurants. It didn’t seem like udon at all and I was glad. We enjoyed two Aphrodite rolls, miso soup, yaki udon shrimp noodles, and a glass of sweet tea. I already am ready to come back to dine.

I think four starts is just a little generous. But I’d say it’s better than three. Came here on a recommendation from a co-​worker and honestly wasn’t impressed. However, I’m comparing it to some really good sushi places. So I guess it’s relative.
Miso soup was decent
Bayou roll — not impressed. Didn’t have much flavor
Sashimi– hard to really mess up as long as the fish is fresh and good quality. So passed there. I’ve bowl is a nice touch to make it looks nicer I guess.
Spicy tuna salad — under impressed but I get this at every sushi restaurant I go to
Volcano roll– not the best I’ve had probably 3^rd best I’ve ever had so high marks here
The Kobe beef sashimi– worthless has to be one of the worst I’ve had ever. Oh and it’s $ 7 for the one sashimi style slice.
Hibachi shrimp fried rice– another disappointment. Barely rank it above a fast food Chinese restaurant fried rice.
Place was clean and nice atmosphere.
I like the nice little touches to make it look classier I guess. But for me. Honestly the food was just ok. Sorry won’t be going back. There are definitely better places. Especially for the price

+ food served really fast
Rolls are good
Wasabi shrimp is ok.
Seafood fried rice is good.
Clean
— nabe udon is bad. Soup was too sweet and it needs more chewy noodle. Noodle is not good quality one.

Really good kinda expensive but its good. I always love my hibachi better the next day. Please try the Sushi Egg Rolls

ichiban is ichiban, «the best» means as Japanese. I just ate sushi here once, but I can’t forget its taste. Please try sushi with sake in here. You can feel so happy like me.
One disadvantage is the price. Its so expansive to me, but it is worth. In the near future, I am going to stop here again.

It was good. Nothing impressive, large menu, super dark and a little smelly when you first walk in. Bathrooms need help.

Best sushi in Baton Rouge. Wish Ted Weems was there! Everyone should be his Facebook friend.

I’ve been going to Ichiban more as one of the other sushi restaurants I regularly frequent isn’t always open when I’m craving it. I’ve become a huge fan of their wok seared edamame. So good. I ordered two of them last time I was there! I tried the fried calamari and it wasn’t that good. It had absolutely no flavor whatsoever. Also, the chicken teriyaki was severely over cooked. Besides that, every roll I’ve started ordering hasn’t disappointed. I used to be quite the picky sushi eater, but I’ve branched out in more recent time. The next one I’m trying is Fire in the Hole. Sounds awesome. I’ll have to update and let you know!

Upon arrival and prompt seating, the waiter took beverage orders. Both of us ordered alcoholic beverages, and my partner didn’t have her ID, which I told the waiter would be retrieved by the time he came back with the drinks. Upon my return and expectation of drinks, i discover he hasn’t even ordered them yet. We also asked for water, and he failed to bring those until we requested a second time. Otherwise, wait service was adequate.
The menu deception was ridiculous. Marketing «krab» and «snowkrab», neither of which contains any real crab, as actual crab in nearly EVERY SINGLE roll of sushi is absolutely atrocious. I had been told negative things about this place, and frankly, I should have listened. You should, too. There are plenty other sushi restaurants well worth their salt in the area. Avoid this one.

Great sushi restaurant, always good and fresh. Service is friendly, atmosphere is nice, and restaurant is clean. It’s not my FAVORITE sushi restaurant, but they are up there and have some very delicious unique rolls. I think they have something for everyone. Even if you don’t like sushi, they have plenty of delicious cooked entrees. Hibachi is also great, great for special occasions and groups. Our favorite rolls are: Moscona roll, Ichiban roll, and Red Stick roll. Traffic can be bad in this area during rush hour.

Erhhmagerd I love eating here! The sushi is amazing, and it’s the best place I’ve ever gone to for sushi no doubt. I came here often during my undergrad days, and I’m super sad now that I don’t live in Baton Rouge anymore! I’ve gone to Ichiban once for lunch and plenty of times for dinner, and I always have a great experience with the food and the service.
Ichiban is the reason I started eating sashimi and sushi rolls with raw fish (I used to avoid anything raw). Everything tastes so FRESH! & you’ve also got to ask for the SEAFOOD SAUCE to dip your sushi in when you go! It’s the best sauce ever! Here are a few things I’ve eaten here that I often get or just really enjoyed:
salmon sashimi appetizer: pieces of fresh raw salmon on ice; super refreshing and tasty
yellowtail yuzu: yellowtail sashimi with jalapeños and ponzu sauce; I can’t eat spicy so I avoid the jalapeños.. . That just made me realize I might as well just get the yellowtail sashimi appetizer instead. .. –_​_​– Anyways! Also refreshing.
moscona roll: Best sushi roll I’ve ever eaten.. . EVER. I like the crunchiness and sweetness of the macadamia nuts in this roll.
seafood fried rice: I really like how the fried rice has different types of seafood in it. Very simple yet delicious. My favorite kind of fried rice!
bone-​in ribeye (kyoto style): Very disappointed.. . that it wasn’t available the last time I came into Ichiban! My body was so ready for the steak!
Kyoto style comes with crab meat, and you won’t regret paying a little extra for it. One of the best steaks I’ve ever had. Don’t really remember how it tasted but I just know it was really good and worth the pricy price.

Apple, Google maps, App Store and all GPS related apps; thank you not so very much for deciding to crap down and have your servers crashed 4^th of July week.
I had to go old school to try and locate this place, at the end, I was able to find it without using the phone and it was worth the little adventure.
I made it just in time before they got super busy, hostess greeted me as soon as I walked in and was seated within seconds. Waiter came in within a minute and my food arrived within 10 – 15 minutes.
On to the food, started off with an avocado roll, I love avocado and I like rice and having the two of them in a perfectly sized bite is even better. Main dish consisted of a noodle bowl «soup», my first thoughts were, «well, it looks interesting and not what I expected so hopefully it tastes good» contents consisted of carrots, chopped lettuce, chives, noodles (very nice and rich) chicken, shrimp and squid all mixed in a sweet clear broth, definitely didn’t expect the sweet part.
By the way, Judy Greer, from Jurassic world was at the restaurant. How certain am I? About 99%.

A sushi staple here in Baton Rouge! Ichiban has been around for a while and it’s not hard to understand why. They recently renovated, creating a hip edge to the place. They have a temp controlled patio that I still need to try.
Their Ichiban roll is my go-​to roll. Always super fresh, packed with fish and crabmeat, and topped with delicious eel sauce. Can’t go wrong! My husband swears that their crunchy dynamite is the best in town and congratulates himself each time he orders it.
Their menu is packed with items you expect on any sushi menu and lots of house specialties. The cheat sheet gives insight into the ingredients, but you can rest assured that they are always fresh and delicious.
Ichiban has lots of sauces and are generous with bringing side dishes of any of them. Speaking of generous… The bartenders! Their drinks are definitely worth the money. And if, like me, your palate errs toward unusual martinis, the bartender will look them up to mix just for you.
Quick tip on fail-​safe choices: edamame always perfect; rock and roll, Ichiban, or bayou rolls are amazing, baked salmon is melt-​in-​your-​mouth fantastic; fried ice cream is a delectable finale!

THIS REVIEW IS MAINLY TOWARDS OUR MOST RECENT SERVICE WE RECEIVED FROM OUR WAITRESS. I wish I could write separate reviews for service and food because every time I’ve came service and food were excellent until tonight.
Our waitress is named Laurie and I’m pretty certain she is new because none of us have ever seen her before. Now before I began my rant I always like to mention that I am a server myself so I do understand the server life but this was horrible.
So first annoyance is when we ordered a bottle of Plum Sake. While she carded us, she checked thoroughly which is no problem. We’re asian so we all look younger then we are. However when she came across my friends ID she examined it and questioned if it was new. He said yeah he just turned 21 in March. She then replies «well I just got mine in November and it doesn’t look like that.» He suggested for her to scan it and he even showed other proof of identity. She looked longer for 2 minutes all sketched out and then let it go.
Secondly, we were a party of 6 but only 4 of us arrived first. We ordered our food first and kept 1 menu. She then comes back with appetizers and asked us, «are your friends still coming? Well will they be ordering when they come?» Why would that matter… Your kitchen doesn’t close until another 3 hours what’s the rush.
Thirdly, we asked for a quite of few condiments which she didn’t bother to write down and she gave us all the wrong ones! We corrected her and she then says «so do you not want this?» No because it’s not what we asked for. she then mumbles «well they’re going to be mad» how is that our fault?
Fourthly, she forgot an entrée we ordered. The computer system is literally right next to our table… and the restaurant was no where near busy. When we reminded her she then puts it in and then had another server bring it out to us as a togo when it was for here.
Fifthly, we ordered togo but on a separate ticket. I understand gratuity is allowed on big parties but not for a togo. When I explained to her that our togo had gratuity she response with «well you are a party of 6 blah blah.» I then told her how I understand that and we will pay for the gratuity worth of the food we ate here, but do you grat those that only order togo? I hope not. (Honestly this wouldn’t have been an issue if she was a good server.)
Lastly, she stands around us and after signing our receipt she reaches across our table and picks up the checkbook. That is honestly the rudest thing a server can do. You wait until the customer offers it to you or leaves before you pick up the checkbook.
This review doesn’t explain enough of the bad service we received. Maybe she needs more training, whatever the case is we all felt that she ruined our dining. the food here is great and the owner is very welcoming, hilarious and kind. I just hope your experience doesn’t end up like ours when it comes to customer service.

Oh I am drooling looking at all the pics of Ichiban, mostly because I know how incredibly delicious every single menu item I’ve ever tried here is. Truly, as far as Asian goes in Baton Rouge, this is my absolute favorite. I don’t exactly live around the corner from it, but It is no doubt worth a drive well across town to go there.
I’ve been choosing Ichiban for years but hadn’t honestly been in years. I was immediately impressed by how gorgeous the new remodel is. They opened up the size drastically and added an awesome indoor/​outdoor type patio with comfy couches and chairs. Whoever designed this restaurant has some fantastic interior design taste.
Hibachi is always a grand attraction for Asian food fans, and Ichiban never falls short of greatness as far as the entertainment and quality of their Hibachi. You cannot go wrong with any single sushi item either. My fave that my husband and I always remember is the baked salmon appetizer. It is sheer perfection with how sweet and flaky and oh… nomnomnom I want some right now please!
Truly, if you’ve been you know what I’m talking about, and if you haven’t but love Asian food of any kind, Ichiban is a must try for anyone in the area. I’ve never found a reason not to return, and I only spoke of a few features of this fabulous establishment.

I absolutely love hibachi so when I was invited several months back to attend a birthday celebration at Ichiban, I was absolutely THRILLED. Thankfully this was pre-​Yelp days so they’ve had a chance to redeem themselves from my first experience.
Ichiban is the number one hibachi restaurant in Baton Rouge, which is a great honor. It is nestled off of Essen Rd near Zorba’s and French Quarter Daiquiris. If you blink you’ll miss it. The well-​kept exterior deserves a second glance since it is the nicest restaurant in the area. Walking up, this establishment is well-​lit and breathtaking which tells you there’s more in store.
The interior of the restaurant emits an ambience that not every hibachi establishment can achieve. A lively bar overlooks intimate booths. The bar and booth area have their own feel, almost as if separate from the remainder of the restaurant. Hibachi tabletops center the restaurant leading to dining tables and a private hibachi tabletop in its own enclosure.
The well-​mannered staff is very attentive and prompt to take your order. They offer a large variety of sushi, hibachi and even sake! The chefs are always a delight, exercising hibachi art and wit. They are very welcoming to newcomers.
The food here is delicious, simply put. They start off with a ginger salad (my favorite ever) and a soup, a vegetarian-​friendly miso or chicken broth. My usual is the vegetarian hibachi (which means I get a larger portion of the veggies that they cook for everyone else). They’re always perfectly sauteed and perfectly seasoned. The smell from all of the different foods cooked on the tabletop are very appealing. You can finish off with a handful of desserts to choose from or a hot tea.
My biggest complaint from both experiences is the lack of hibachi chefs for large parties. Both times we occupied two connecting tabletops and were told that we would have our foods prepared at the same time. Both times we scheduled a reservation in advance. And both times half of the table drooled, growing impatient while watching the opposite table get their food prepared. Each time we heard ‘Your chef will be right out’ throughout the course of prepration to the end of the opposite table’s meal.
Overall, the hibachi experience at Ichiban is great. I do not reccommend dining with a party larger than 8 for fear of hangry starvation. The food is tasty and well-​prepared and the portions are more than filling. The staff is accommodating and the hibachi chefs are very entertaining. The price is well-​worth the package as a whole. I recommend Ichiban for an intimate night out, whether to dine or grab drinks or for a (small) group outing. Either way, you’ll be pleased.