Fujiyama is located on Hwy 100 in West Allis near the intersection of Oklahoma Ave., and there is also a location in Brookfield. I am unfamiliar with the Brookfield location and thusly limit my review to only the former location.
I have been to this restaurant before but have never had the hibachi. Outside of Milwaukee hibachi restaurants are far and few between, and I have usually gone to Japanica in Greenfield the past. However, I have become very disappointed with the entire establishment in the last five times I have gone. Why I had continued going there is still a mystery to me. Their service has become terrible (the waitress uninterested in your attendance or needs), the hibachi performance completely lacking (did the chef even want to be there?), and the atmosphere inappropriate for the Japanese theme (strictly Chinese music plays while Chinese staff speak loudly in Chinese as they goof off around a nearby table and waiters that don't even recognize the most basic Japanese food names, even those written on the menu). I decided it was about time for a change in my hibachi restaurant.
Fujiyama's food in the past has always been top notch, some of the best Japanese food I have found this side of Milwaukee save Kyoto on 76th and Layton and Sakura Japan in downtown Waukesha. It's prices are very reasonable; the service, superb; the menu, extensive; and food, completely authentic. It seemed a reasonable assumption that the quality of their hibachi be consistent with the rest of their menu.
My assumption proved to be correct. For their hibachi you are given a light soup (standard of most Japanese restaurants) and ginger-dressing salad along with the option of noodles or fried rice with your meal. I have never seen any Japanese restaurant offer noodles instead of rice, so I thought it to be a nice service. The entree itself was absolutely fabulous, and I could not have received better from a $$ restaurant. For a lunch portion of under $10, it is a very generous portion. I had ordered the chicken and I cannot stress enough the strong attention the chef put into making sure it was cooked to perfection. He frequently checked to make sure it was done and cooked evenly. The end product was a savory teriyaki chicken breast of the most tender consistency I have ever had. Everyone agreed around that it was the star of the dishes, although only praises were given to their own food.
While the food was even better than we all expected (and the persons I came with are not partial to Japanese food at all), the service really shined. The show the chef provided us was very typical of any good hibachi show (e.g. the volcano, peeing fireman, ect.), but it did have a few unique tricks and the chef was very energetic. He got a laugh out of us (many members of my family are hard to engage) many a time and really provided a fun and friendly atmosphere. The waitress was timely in delivering our food at appropriate intervals, I have absolutely no complaints there. I do really want to highlight a certain generally under appreciated member of the staff; the busser was a key player in my enjoyment while there. She was very apt at her job (my tea cup was never empty as were the other drinks on the table) and so adorably friendly. I wish she had been wearing a name tag so I could have given her proper accreditation at the restaurant.
Overall, I incredibly pleased with our service and food. Both were excellent and I really don't think any restaurant could exceed them in excellency. Indeed, my mother kept repeating at the end of the meal that she was 'stunned' with our lunch. I think we found our new hibachi spot.
