Akira Steak House & Sushi Bar, Smithtown

At Akira Steak House & Sushi Bar, the food is only half the allure. Sure, there's a massive menu of traditional Japanese dishes, including chicken teriyaki, shrimp tempura, and more than 40 sushi rolls. There are also creative sushi-bar appetizers, from sushi pizza to seafood dumplings dunked in guacamole. But what stands out is the showmanship that permeates through the restaurant.

Amid flickering flames and sizzling morsels of meat, hibachi chefs wow diners with their lightning-fast knife work and food-juggling skills. Nearby sushi chefs wow in their own way, creating delicate dumplings shaped from slivers of tuna, folding Love rolls into cute heart shapes, and adorning sashimi platters with orchids.