“ We had a lovely lunch experience! The staff were attentive, the service was fast, and the price was very reasonable given the quality we received. We were also surprised with a piece of matcha cake in celebration of our anniversary. ”

“ Amazing quality of the food, especially the beef. We were impressed from the first bite. They also give a lot of food. We had a really full stomach after the meal. ”

“ Everything was excellent just as you would expect from a restaurant by Nobu. And their price is very reasonable considering the quality of the food!! I loved that chef was quite approachable and he answered every question we asked with joy. Ambience of the restaurant is romantic and it's a perfect place to simply enjoy your food. ”

“ Wow!! I cannot believe we found this gem! Seriously the best Kobe and Wagyu on the planet. Yes, way out here in this tiny little town near the base of Mt Fuji. This restaurant is absolutely beautiful. If you're lucky enough to find yourself anywhere near here, make a reservation and be ready to spend some cash because it's not cheap but it's worth every yen you can muster up. Oh, did I mention the caviar? mmmmmm ”

“ We went there for lunch and were pleasantly surprised. This is a chain, and we were a little apprehensive. There aren't a ton of options for food in Hakone but this is definitely one of the best. There weren't a lot of people but service was good. Excellent wagyuu short ribs, the meat just melted in your mouth. The salad was decent, nothing to write home about. Phenomenal roasted garlic fried rice. It was great to see the chef preparing the beef in front of us. The portions weren't huge but it was definitely enough for us. The lunch menu is a little cheaper than the dinner menu which was nice. Decent selection of sake and japanese whisky as well. I had their Nobu house sake and it was pretty good. Would 100% come back when we visit Hakone again. ”

“ Food was all delicious! It's a little expensive but we anticipated that ~ the steak alone made it worth it. I had the Kobe sirloin & fillet and it melted in my mouth. Every portion was perfect! It all taste so good. Service was great. The servers were super attentive. It was a Monday night, so it wasn't busy at all. I love the minimalist style ambiance of the place. Quiet & Comfortable. ”

“ I don't know who comes to Itoh to eat cooked seafood, but it's not us. We came for the Kobe beef. The restaurant is teppanyaki omakase style where you watch the chef cook in front of you. However, there are also tables in the middle of the restaurant should you opt to order a la carte from the menu. After starving ourselves for the entire day, my husband and I were hungry. The Kobe beef dinner sets we selected came with several small dishes. For an additional cost, you can also get garlic fried rice, grilled local vegetables, foie gras, half a lobster, etc, as add-ons. The small dishes we ate leading up to our main course were tasty fillers and built up our anticipation to the main course. The crudo salad, truffle bisque, daikon with beef tendon, grilled red snapper with miso and arrabiata proved to be more than enough food for my husband and I, even if we did order the foie gras and grilled vegetables as add-ons. The chef seared the foie gras perfectly. We watched impatiently as he grilled it, then plated it over toasted bread and topped it with mushrooms. It was the perfect two bite dish. Finally, the main course was served. Both the Kobe beef sirloin and fillet were melt-in-your-mouth delicious and tasted amazing. Oh, how I wish there were more pieces of Kobe beef to eat. Throughout our dinner, I watched vegetables being grilled and served to other tables. It looked beautiful, and I wanted some, too. So, we ordered some and I was not disappointed. One can never have enough vegetables. We wrapped up dinner with our final course - a mango panna cotta. While it may look simple, this panna cotta was actually elevated and tasted very good. We were full but just could not resist eating the rest of it. Overall, Itoh by Nobu is a good deal. I don't know how much Kobe beef goes for in other parts of Japan, but I know eating it back in the U.S. costs a lot more. And you're not going to get any small dishes and still have to pay tips. ”

“ Didn't reserve a special dining package with our hotel, we were far enough away from Gora's main hub to walk back into the rain, so I suggested Itoh. I had heard of Nobu being from the states but had never tried it. I figured that with the current exchange rate and the fact that we'd probably never come back to Hakone again, this fancy dining opportunity would be a once-in-a-lifetime steal. Atmosphere: it was a Wednesday night and we were the first to arrive for dinner (if you can go during lunch, it's even more affordable). The exterior design matches the forest of Hakone. Once inside, the dim mood lighting showcases the chefs and the foods they prepare. Once we left, two other parties were dining and the restaurant remained quiet and the patrons whispered in awe of the food. Service: they were incredibly kind and with limited Japanese, we were able to secure a reservation two hours before eating here. The staff speak English very well and were able to print the menu into English for us, as well as verbally explain it to us also. Food was prepared with utmost care and precision. As we left they offered to call us a taxi and as tradition, bowed to us as we exited. We choose set courses. I had the lobster while my husband got the smaller portion of the fattier wagyu they offer but other than that we were given the same courses. octopus: woke up the palette with a strong citrus flavor. Yuzu, lemon? I forget but paired nicely with octopus and micro salad corn soup: smooth, delicate, warm, truffle flavor wasn't mindblowing zucchini: the best zucchini we've ever had, so juicy and paired with a sauce reminiscent of a hollandaise sauce, rich and fatty rice: our least favorite but not bad tasting at all, well-cooked ingredients that felt a little inexpensive thrown into a bowl, helped me feel like I wouldn't be starving after this fancy dinner seabass: crispy skin, the olive sauce paired well to bring earthiness wagyu: you should get the wagyu here, we had two weeks previous gone to an all-you-can-eat wagyu steak place, and the steak here at Itoh BLOWS IT OUT, OF THE WATER, my husband still talks about this steak, it's the best we've ever tried lobster and scallop: kinda hard to eat while watching someone eat the wagyu beef but still a very well-cooked seafood course, love that they cook the shell so the innards get soft and becomes a dipping bowl of sorts for the lobster and scallop, well seasoned tomato: cute presentation and execution, light, refreshing, varied textures made it fun and playful, and the sweet and cold combo let me know we were coming to a close coconut cookie with tea: they asked if we preferred coffee or tea, chose tea, and were handed a cup with optional cream and a sugar cube, so comforting after the meal coupled with a small moist sweet All in all: we left full and satisfied, the menu good mix of familiar foods, fancy touches, good portions, and an elevated environment. I still don't know what hotel course meals are like, but this was a magical place. ”

“ When we planned to come to Hakone, my better half started to look up places to do, see and of course eat at. She knows I always wanted to eat Wagyu A-5 from Japan and she found the perfect place. As most know the Name Nobu in the dining world is famous and Itoh Dinning by Nobu did not disappoint on all levels. From the nice landscape of a traditional Japanese garden and well organized trees that shades the restaurant is what I would wish to have for my home, to the stone walkway that leads up to the entrance is so perfect. You open the door and see such a nice décor of sophistication and eye appeal that made my mouth drop. It's like me looking at my wife for the first time. We sat right in front of the chef so we could watch him prepare our food. We went here for lunch as we were going to spend the day at a museum and garden. We ordered the Special A5 Wagyu Set. At that time it was 9,000 yen but it is now 11,000 Yen for the 140 grams which would be a little less than $110 US depending on the exchange rate. They also have a smaller one at 90 grams for 7,800 Yen The set contained umami soup which that day was their potato soup that tasted so good that I wish I could of licked the cup that it was served in. For the Nobu Style Hors D'oeuvres, we were served Yellow Tail sashimi drizzled with a ponzu dressing. The Hakone salad had a nice light dressing that didn't overpower the fresh greens. You have a choice of bread or rice, of course we got the rice which was nothing like we are served back home. The rice was like soft shiny almost translucent that went well with the oh so tender Wagyu A-5 that you could cut it with your chopsticks. Just when you think the meal was done, they brought out a small dish of veggie pasta. I was on cloud 9 that I don't even remember what it tasted like. For dessert we were served a peach sherbet that made our eyes roll back and I don't even like peaches. I highly recommend coming here if you are in the Hakone area. Don't forget to see the other sights along the way. Pro tip: Look at my video to find this hidden place as it is down one of the side streets. There is no signage with the exception of a menu board in front of the gravel parking lot. Make a reservation especially if you plan to come here for dinner. Learn to speak some Japanese or get yourself an electronic translator. While most know a little English, we don't want to be pompous and expect everyone to speak to us in English. ”