Hibachi Japanese Steak House, Portsmouth

The chefs at Hibachi Japanese Steak House ignore the old "don't play with your food" rule. Surrounded by guests at hibachi tables, chefs chop steak, shrimp, and chicken with gusto. They send flames leaping high into the air and toss pieces of food into diners’ waiting mouths—or bellybuttons. Even the sushi chefs put on a show for customers, as they slice smoked salmon and cucumbers and tuck tobiko and housemade sauces inside rolled seaweed sheets. Behind the scenes in the kitchen, chefs stir-fry noodles and hide veggies inside tempura batter.