JMK Nippon

I just had dinner at JMK Nippon’s Japanese restaurant, as I’ve done many times over the past 40 years. My family absolutely loves this place, and we’ve created countless memories here—celebrating birthdays, anniversaries, New Year’s Eve, and more. Over all these years, we’ve never had a bad experience. The food is always excellent, the service consistently friendly and attentive, and the atmosphere remains warm and welcoming. This time, Diego was our chef, and he was both entertaining and skilled—making the experience even more enjoyable while preparing a delicious meal. JMK Nippon continues to be one of our favorite places to dine.

As always we had a great time at the grill side. Our chef cooked our food wonderfully and as asked(lower sodium).

It was my first time here, I loved all decoration and felt Japanese style. Food was surprising for me , it wasn't very good. I have been to Japan many times, and I love Japanese food and also Thailand has many Japanese restaurants. They are cooking the same style, but it tastes much better. Here, it was salty and American sized portions. Suishi must provide quality ingredients and not so much rice and to big of size.

We came here for drinks and dinner and had the time of our lives. I guess the owner heard our laughter and got us a round of drinks on the house!! phenomenal service and great food we loved it.

Always an amazing experience. Our server Vince was very attentive and never had us waiting on a drink, etc- great customer service. Diego, our chef gave us the best shows we’ve seen, very personable and great conversations. Would always recommend this establishment to anyone looking for good/entertaining service and GREAT good. Will aways be back.

11/1/25 First time ever going and it was amazing. The rolls were fresh and very flavorful. My husband’s steak and scallops were perfectly cooked and seasoned well. Waitstaff and front staff were friendly and very attentive. Yes it’s expensive, we expected to be but it was also one of the best dinning experiences we have had in a long time. Can’t wait to go back again.

Been coming here for many years, and the food is still very delicious! I got the filet mignon dinner with fried rice. The soup and salad were great as usual. The chef was very fun and made lots of jokes and did awesome tricks. The waiter was great too and very attentive. The filet was cooked perfectly and the fried rice and vegetables were amazing. The yucky yucky sauce is definitely my favorite. It was a bit chilly inside and very smoky, maybe they need to clean out their fans?

Nice place and clean, but the food not so good and poorly presented and lack attention to detail. My nuguri was thick sliced and my sushi roll looked like I rolled it at home, it is over priced. My wife's meal was on the better side as she had tempura shrimp and she liked it. This place fills up fast so go early.

I just had dinner at JMK Nippon's Japanese restaurant, as I've done many times over the past 40 years. My family absolutely loves this place, and we've created countless memories here--celebrating birthdays, anniversaries, New Year's Eve, and more. Over all these years, we've never had a bad experience. The food is always excellent, the service consistently friendly and attentive, and the atmosphere remains warm and welcoming. This time, Diego was our chef, and he was both entertaining and skilled--making the experience even more enjoyable while preparing a delicious meal. JMK Nippon continues to be one of our favorite places to dine.

JMK continues to be a favorite for birthdays and special occasions. The cooks are skilled and entertaining. The restaurant has all the high end decorations from Japan. The tables are for eight and you can either have a whole table or join another's if there are not 8 in your party. I have been coming to JMK for over 30 years. They have continued to improve the facilities and menu. They also offer carry out and a more casual cafe if you don't want the show.

I have been here a few times and have always had a great experience so wanted to come back! The ambiance is lovely with the fish at the entrance. We sat at our grill for a while before anyone came and took our drink orders. We both ordered the filet mignon and fried rice. Our filet was cooked to order and was tasty. The veggies were good as well, but we wish the fried rice had more ingredients and flavor. Our drinks were good as well. We enjoyed the service once they came to us. Our chef was talented as well. I would come back!

Really peaceful, quiet restaurant. The way it was designed, makes you feel like you're eating in a Japanese garden. The prices for the food is a bit high, especially since some of the items are hit or miss. Miso soup was good, but a little salty. The salad was a bit too sour for my taste. The California roll and the sashimi were delicious. Every cut of fish was fresh and buttery. And I really liked the fried white fish with tonkatsu sauce. The shumai was a bit bland and didn't really stand out to me. Overall, $60 is quite a lot for 2 bento boxes for lunch. The service was a bit slow as well. I had to call over the waiter quite a few times because he wasn't checking in on our table to take our order and give us our check. There's plenty of parking around the restaurant so you won't have issues there. Restrooms were kept nice and clean. I came here because there were quite a few reviews on Google that were quite high, however the yelp reviews are more accurate for this restaurant.

A dinner at the JMK is always wonderful We have been going here more often as of late, and for that I am grateful. The tempura is great, and every time I go here, I always get a bento box with fried rice. On my brother's birthday, we all got a birthday pineapple. Slow service was an issue in the past, however they seem to be working on that. There isn't a way for the fook at JMK to look unappetizing. I mean, I ate raw meat the last time I was here, and I loved it. This was also the only place that made me eat mayonnaise, nonetheless SPICY mayonnaise. They have desserts you can take home by the front desk, along with little manekineko trinkets that change occasionally. Once, it was crocheted manekinekos, currently its coin banks. I once got molten chocolate cakes, and next time, if we have the chance, I shall get the strawberry cheesecake, or whatever that pink cake we saw last time we were there was

Contemporary sushi place in Rockford, probably the best place in town to get it. It can be described as classy yet casual, with a pretty nice exterior and interior featuring ponds and the like. JMK Nippon is a longtime favorite for Japanese cuisine, mostly known for the steak and sushi. For sure it's not cheap, but it's not too expensive mostly. This is one of those restaurants that opens for lunch, and closed for a bit before dinner with expanded menu options. At lunch is usually a good time to come. It has a big enough menu for most people. There's already a lot to look through. Also cocktails. Lots of great ones of these. It's about $15 for the cheapest cocktails. The Shinobi is among the ones we got the last time. It's made with amaretto, fruit punch, and Southern Comfort. The sushi is why we came though. It's about $4 for the cheapest. The Kampyo Maki has gourd strips. It's about $6 for the slightly bigger choices. The Vegetable Tempura Roll has various battered vegetables rolled up. Also there's signature rolls that can get expensive. These are the ones with sashimi and that kind of stuff. Great place for many choices of Japanese cuisine. It's got the hibachi grill where they cook stuff in front of you, if not getting any of the sushi. There's many choices of seafood, as well as many things for vegetarians.

Our favorite place! Never disappoints. Dinner for two is the best. Love the sushi too!

We found parking immediately even though the lot seemed busy. We were greeted and seated immediately. The hosts were both very friendly. We were seated by the Koy pond. The place was spacious and well decorated. The waitress helped us right away. My son got a bowl and I got chicken fried rice. He also got miso soup. The soup was well priced at $2.00. His bowl was $17.50 and my chicken fried rice was around $12. It was tasty. When I asked for some sort of orange sauce or sweet and sour the waitress kind of shamed me and said "that's Chinese not Japanese!" I said I was aware but can you tell me options that were close to that. She brought me yum yum sauce. I didn't like it much. I loved the spicy mayo sauce my son had though. He said his bowl was just a 3/5 in taste. Kind of expensive for what it included. My chicken friend rice was a 4/5. Soup 5/5. Quick service 5/5. Waitress 3/5. Kept asking if he wanted SALE MON instead of "salmon" pronouncing the s. I would go again and probably try the hibachi grill next time.

4.5 stars Full disclosure- I worked at JMK Nippon way back in 1987 (old location). While visiting Rockford, I went with my daughter and an old friend for dinner on a Monday night. I had a mixed drink that was good albeit a bit weak on the alcohol. I ordered shrimp tempura with sashimi. I chose the onion soup thinking it would be like the old days. It was a bit too salty and oniony so I would recommend the miso soup instead. The salad was good. The ginger dressing is a little different now - almost a cross between a more vinegar base with a little bit of mayo-base. Still good. The sashimi was great. Good selection. Tempura was tasty though I couldn't eat it all. My friend enjoyed a grilled fish entree. The server was attentive. The restaurant is beautiful. Very large. I was a bit surprised. Can't speak on the hibachi side but that was all they had back in '87. Wasn't able to catch the owner (my previous boss's son for whom the restaurant is named). Glad I came by.

We were there with a rather large group with a lot of moving parts and several birthdays being celebrated of multiple ages so I won't judge them on the celebration singing. Our server was outstanding however others in our group at the next table over were not as fortunate as their server was not friendly or efficient. Our server and chef did fantastic at making sure our orders were cooked and served correctly. The parking is free and plentiful & the place is totally handicap accessible which is greatly appreciated. We ordered the dinner for 2 which came with soup, salad, shrimp appetize, steak, chicken and either shrimp or scallops, vegetables and white rice however you can get fried rice for an up charge. The drinks were very good and served quickly and kept full.

JMK is a tougher one to review. No doubt it is a decent place for dinner and one of the more popular spots in town, but it always comes down to meeting the expectation level Pros: +Definately one of the more unique places one can go. The whole "cook it in front of you" thing is always a fun experience. There are traditional dining tables and sushi options if you want a different experience +Generally pleased with the menu and service +The sushi presentation is pretty solid +Always good ambience for a date night +Convenient location Cons: -Probably a good idea to do reservations. Busy nights are a dice roll -More expensive option in town -Is food quality up to par with the expectations and price? Not frequently enough in my opinion. Fried rice I got last time was really meh, and flavors have not always been impressive Bottom Line: Honestly I'd rate JMK at a 3.5, but they have more misses than a restaurant of their caliber should have. I visit a couple times a year. At least half of my visits have been kinda "meh" in recent years. I am holding them to a higher standard. They need to take it up a notch on consistent quality to reach 4 or 5 stars at the kind of price we are paying.

I enjoyed dinner here this evening. I go most places solo and was seated with a friendly group. Our Chef, Abel was friendly and attentive, keeping the group's kids entertained while also keeping a steady flow of food to everyone's plates. He was paying attention and asked if I would like more mustard sauce when mine ran out. I had a combination with steak, chicken, and shrimp. It was all great. The guy next to me had Salmon and he said that was very good. Friendly staff, great food, warm environment for groups.

We went there last year in May for mother's Day not too bad we have just left there for my birthday in April we ordered scallop appetizers they were so mutilated didn't even look like a scallop we ordered lunch for two times two because there were four of us barely any meat the chicken was cut so small it blended right into the fried rice nothing like it used to be the only things that were halfway decent was a sushi rolls

The last several times that we've (my wife and I) gone for dinner, the food TOOK FOREVER once the order was placed. Once we got our food, it was cold! JMK USED to be very busy and there was always a wait to be seated. Their business has declined! There is never a wait and always immediate seating.

JMK Nippon is one of my families favorite places for hibachi and sushi. We each have a roll we like.

We came early on a Sunday afternoon right when they opened at 4pm. The parking lot looked packed but the actual restaurant felt pretty empty. We started with miso soup which always hits the spot. We also ordered the dragon roll, California roll, spider roll, and Alaskan roll and I would rank them in that order. The dragon roll came on its own plate, tasted great, and deserves extra presentation points. Unfortunately, the other three rolls where just alright. They all tasted pretty dry and bland to me. The service was good and the place seemed nice and clean. I think next time I would opt for a bento box or the hibachi.

Teppanyaki was fabulous! We were a party of four, and the remaining seats were left empty. It was great! We moseyed over to the bar after dinner, where the service drastically declined. As in, the place was dead and we were ignored by the bartender. Whatever. I pretended I was 22 again and walked myself up to the bar and ordered. I'll just assume this was out of the norm for JMK. Everyone is entitled to a bad day.

The food has no flavor, It's so bland. A little seasoning goes a long way. Service was good but the food was not it.

We celebrated a birthday here and it was perfect! We dined on the cafe side and enjoyed a number of apps and rolls. Apps I recommend - Gyoza, classic dumpling with a great dipping sauce. Dragon Scales - Spicy tuna wrapped in Ohba leaves, tempura dipped and lightly fried, a must try! We enjoyed the smoked salmon roll, Godzilla roll, and scorpion roll! All were fresh, tastey, and beautifully crafted. They were busy for a Friday night, but we only waited 15 minutes without a reservation and our waiter was very attentive. Thanks JMK Nippon , we can't wait to come back for hibachi next time!

I LOVE JMK!!! My family has come here since I can remember and now that I live out of state it is my first stop when I am back in town. The service is always amazing and timely and the food is even better. Whether you are on the cafe or grill side the vibes are amazing and you can tell everyone is enjoying themselves. Any other bad reviewer on here needs to go get a massage and have a glass of wine lol.

This is one of my favorite hibachi restaurants. Since I live sort of far away it's always a treat to eat here. Due to Covid-19 you had to make a reservation. Luckily they were able to get me a reservation close to my desired time. We noticed that the lunch prices were really reasonable and they give you so much food. I think I had another whole meal out of my lunch meal. My husband had the hibachi steak and I had the hibachi calamari steak. We both had the optional fried rice, which in my opinion is a must-have at any hibachi restaurant. At lunch you get your choice of a salad OR soup which is fine, as my husband only wants soup and I prefer their salad. Everything about our meal: from the appetizers, to the chef show, to our entrees were stellar!! Their fried rice stands out as one of the best, still after all these years. My husband loves their ginger sauce so much that I asked at reception if I could buy some to go. Sure enough for around 8 bucks I was able to purchase a 16 oz container of their homemade ginger sauce. It was so delicious and made some of my homemade meals all the better. I can't say enough awesome things about this restaurant, it's one of my favorites for sure.

Great service. I had to remove a star because when I went they didn't have some of the items I ordered (a certain type of sake and a sushi roll). Other than that, it is a nice restaurant to visit.

We came here on a whim after visiting Anderson Japanese garden . Haven't had teppanyaki for a long time and this place brought back the fun of it. The establishment is big and beautiful with many Japanese cultural elements in the window showcases from Kimonos to samurai armor, to tea sets. The food is ok but our chef was friendly and entertaining, so he made our dining experience worthwhile. Saw several groups are in for bday, as the staff gather to sing bday songs If you visit Rockford, this place is not a bad idea.

Had an awesome experience here on Valentine's Day weekend with a bunch of coworkers. Our chef was very experienced so we already knew we would be in for a sweet show! These places are usually extremely hit or miss in terms of how salty the food is but the food here was quite decent. I'm not sure if it was just for the weekend but they also had a special that made the meal much more budget-friendly than these places usually are. Recommend!

Been going to this restaurant ever since Mas opened it up on Alpine road years ago as a teppanyaki house. He came from Benihana and my father helped him with the restaurant design and fixtures. That was then, but this is now and they've created a beautiful restaurant, very welcoming from the outside and interior, however their food has lost some luster. The Teppanyaki area seemed busy but the sushi bar and café really didn't do the place any justice. Their sushi bar itself was closed to patrons so you had to eat in the café. If you compare the beautiful design of the structure and compare it with the Sushi. It doesn't leave you with the greatest experience. You would expect a place like this to serve on traditional maple boards, with a little art and fanfare mixed in. It's just arrived on a china, small plate and the sashimi pieces were cut in half to make the plate look big I guess. The picture was supposed to be 4 pieces of maguro. In closing, I guess Mas is pretty much retired and leaving it up to his son to run the establishment. I think he needs to come back in and work his magic like he did years ago.

Absolutely love the quality of their food and the service they offer when you dine in! Perfect place to go when you want to dress up!

disclaimer ** this is being posted after the fact from August!!! ** It was ok. Honestly I think the competition is better by far. The food is ok but our server Elliott was fantastic but the air conditioning was broken or having issues clearly because it was extremely warm in the restaurant and it was a hot summer day outside with a busy weekend night! Anyway, would I recommend, if you are in the area, and like this type of food and experience, yes absolutely to try it but would I go back, probably not. We had reservations but had to wait so sat at the bar but it was warm and uncomfortable that we asked to sit in the cafe section and not the grille side (to see the show while you eat which is why you go !!! Service great, food was OK AND DEFINITELY NOT COOL AS IN TEMPERATURE

Awesome place for dinner! Best atmosphere & the food is delicious! I had the combo filet, shrimp & fried rice. My gf had the salmon which was delectable!

I wasn't impressed with the quality of the food! Maybe it was because they were getting ready to close... Not sure but I won't be back. I had the hibachi filet.

We tried coming here tonight but we failed to call ahead for reservations. Little did we know there was a homecoming event nearby and many people came here afterward. Not their fault for the crowd ---oh well

Best hibachi in Rockford. Excellent service! The inside is so cool. The food is fabulous! I 100% recommend!

Utterly disappointing. I thought I was dissatisfied with Shogun, but this was worse. First (and I'm not rating down for this necessarily), they do not offer the jumbo golden shrimp that most Teppan establishments do. Second, the decor is outdated to a severe degree. The Mai Tais we ordered were definitely watered down. The mustard and ginger dipping sauces were VERY salty. Our chef had zero showmanship. Did a decent onion volcano and the egg trick, but not much else. Didn't do the shrimp toss either. I did appreciate the vegetables being cooked before the main entree proteins first though, rather than the end. Lastly, after he cleaned his grill, there were grill particulates all over the table surfaces and grease congealed into the edges and corners of the grill; not appealing at all. Oh, a final point...there were four of us seated at our table, and both pairs were seated at the sides of the grill rather then head-on to have the best view of the chef's work.

Ordered delivery during COVID on the first day they reopened. It was an excellent experience and the food was amazing, just as good as if you were eating there. The person who delivered the food was super friendly and helpful. I'd highly recommend JMK if you're looking for a great delivery meal! Just an FYI, if you like their sauces and get a refill when you normally dine there, you'll want to ask for extra--we ran out.

Food was really good, and got lots of it. Also had a bunch of cooking stations, so a lot of seating. Definitely should try if you're in the area and looking for a great Japanese meal!

I'm sorry this has always been a favorite spot but failed miserably last night. Way too many staff standing up front by hostess stand, allowing people with no reservations to take a table in the bar area when people with cafe reservations waited. Too bright of lights in cafe Too much visible dust on all hanging fixtures above our food the lights , lanterns and masks were all covered And because it was so bright you couldn't help but notice. We had two different servers with no explanation of what happened to the first one. She disappeared There was a black hair on our salmon ceviche plate. And no, I would never say anything while there and we still had food coming. I hope JMK gets back to what it used to be. management, go take a walk through and look up in the lights lanterns and masks and see if you can see all dust and dirt.

Ambiance = 10 Food = 6.5 Service = 7 It's a decent place to go for family dinners, dates, entertaining guests, but the food has gone downhill since they were located in the strip mall off Mulford. Beautiful place though. Chefs are inconsistent --- you always pray you will get the purple or red hat guy.

The only reason I am updating my review is because the multiple times I have been here to dine in, there are always gnats or fruit flies that I am having to shoo away from my food. There has to be a way to get these under control. Not sure if anyone else continuously notices this.

We have been going to JMK Nippon (NOT Nippon'S as everyone calls it) for nearly 50 years, as it was once the only restaurant in town open on Christmas Eve--my mother's birthday. We have at least 25 years of Polaroids from those years. Between my parents, myself and a multitude of friends, we've visited the restaurant countless times during that long period. In recent years, we've noticed Mas' (the owner) absence and experienced a slow decline in the service and food. Rumors are that his children have taken over the restaurant...we're not sure. We just know he's no longer there because he wouldn't allow what has happened: This past December 24, 2023, we had the worst experience ever. In addition to being disappointed and frustrated, we are most of all, greatly saddened at the: * garbage in the grass on the walkways leading to the restaurant * seated in the café, as we waited for over an hour (no exaggeration) for our entrees to be served. This while we saw 3-4 employees joking around the sushi bar area. * the pineapple 'boats': Although I'd made reservations 20 days prior, specifying that it was for my mother's birthday, there were only 2 servings for 3 people. As we started to eat them, we noticed it tasted rancid and in examining it further, there was a stripe of pink close to the rind which we recognized as spoiled fruit. We immediately stopped eating them. * prices: while I'm reticent to mention costs because they are arbitrary and we are always willing to pay top dollar for a good meal--especially at a long-time favorite restaurant, I regret not reviewing the itemized bill. It was $155+ for. I did not want to penalize the server although she could have been much better, so the total was $200. filet Mignon with shrimp filet Mignon with lobster an inexpensive non-meat or non fish roll 4 non-alcoholic beverages (2 tonic waters) The pineapple: 2 servings of rancid fruit To my regret, we did not take pictures to document all of this. Additionally, as anyone who reads the news is aware, another JAPANESE steak house restaurant has garnered HIGHER ratings than the well-established, Rockford, Illinois institution of JMK Nippon. I don't have to emphasize that JMK Nippon is a Rockford INSTITUTION! In closing, I bluntly ask these questions: What is the intention for Nippon? Is it to continue as it currently is, knowing it will likely close within a year? Are you entertaining bids from buyers? Perhaps the competitor Shogun? We believe Nippon owes it to Rockford to be transparent about what its intentions are. We are attempting to locate Mas so that we can direct our questions and concerns to him.

The whole experience is nice. Food is prepared fresh in front of you or visit the sushi bar. It's a lot of fun with large party or thrown together with other diners. It's always excellent. The place is gorgeous winter or summer.

I've been eating here for 6 years. fantastic sushi, ambiance, and service! I highly recommend the shumai, sushi roll, and sitting on the outdoor patio

Anytime I ever visit Nippon! It's a treat! I've been going for the last couple years at least once every month or two. The food is of consistent quality, it's delicious, and good sized portions! They never balk at special requests either! Some of my favorite rolls are the surf and turf roll and the egg roll.

I'm Japanese and I always try to find good Japanese restaurant. The building and inside of it is very old Japanese style. It was fun to visit! I ate lunch box. Taste was okay but I don't recommend this place for Japanese people. I think most of their menu are American style Japanese food.

Always a family favorite! Kids love the show every time. Food is great! Gather your small group of friends and enjoy the experience!!!

I've been coming here since i was little. Nothing ever changes, which is why i absolutely love it. It's a little slice of rockford if your visiting or coming home for a visit. Everything is prepared the day of, so fresh. The staff is and has always been so attentive. The Mai Tais are truly addictive and so dangerous! So fun for a birthday, or celebration for couples or big groups! Call ahead on the weekends though and plan on making a reservation. The also typically have 50% off of sushi during lunch. You can't beat it.

Honestly, I'm very disappointed and won't be returning. I placed a carry out order and when I arrived they said they're finishing it up, yet when I got my food it was cold. Food was forced into the bag so it was overflowing and boxes were put sideways so the food spilled. No utensils were in the bag and the yum yum sauce was very clearly expired. For $80 worth of food, I expected it to be good. If I could give 0 stars, I would. HIGHLY DISAPPOINTED.

Skip the Beef Teriyaki. Not a lot of flavor. Get the salmon bento box instead. For whatever reason, there's little to no flavor in the beef, but the salmon tastes incredible

Our server was excellent, ran his tail off for multiple grill/tables. The cook however at our grill was not funny, didn't do anything with the flair you would expect and he snapped at me when I asked about not putting vegetables in 3 of the fried rices we had w dinner. Other cooks were funny and you could hear the tables having a blast, ours cook just wasn't into it. So that was a huge disappointment. The food was good.

Was there last night for date night. Will not be back. Food was mediocre. Service was atrocious. Our waiter would disappear for long periods of time. Nice guy, very bad service. We ordered fried rice (apparently an upcharge, or extra) and never saw it and were charged. Ordered a side of noodles after our meal (our fault) and didn't get what we asked for, it came right before our bill and we were billed for much more than a side of noodles ($17.50!) We paid at least $20 more than we should have for bad service, errors, and subpar food. I'll stick to Shogun.

One of the best places in Rockford hands down. Love eating here dearly