Tokyo II Japanese Seafood/Steakhouse, Buffalo

Foot-high flames erupt from a tower of sliced onions, and a collective “oooooh” leaves the lips of the patrons gathered around the table fitted with a hibachi grill. Chicken, shrimp, scallops, lobster tail, filets mignon, and veggies cook right before diners' eyes before a skilled Tokyo II hibachi chef doles out each browned piece to awaiting plates. In addition to dazzling displays of hibachi meals, the eatery houses a team of talented sushi chefs who work wonders with knives, thinly slicing yellowtail and salmon and whittling plates from the trunk of an oak tree. The staff has given rolls such creative names as Black Betty, White Lilly, and Black Dragon, and the entrees it prepares includes the May Flower, a spread of 18 sushi pieces, plus a spicy tuna and tiger roll. A handful of Thai dishes—pad thai, curry, and coconut-mushroom soup—rounds out the extensive selection of edibles.