Housed in an old Pizza Hut in front of (you guessed it) a strip mall along Independence Boulevard, this unassuming restaurant is probably one that you pass with some regularity. Independence is, after all, one of the primary routes through the East Side of Charlotte.
But if all you do is race by on your way into the city, you're doing yourself a great disservice by not stopping in, because the Hibachi Grill really has done a great job with what they have to work with (which is to say, not much).
This should be apparent by the fact that they are still there, some years after they first opened. This particular strip mall has gone through numerous changes, and business in this particular area of Independence haven't done well overall with all of the road work, yet they have managed to stay open throughout.
Once you step inside, you will definitely be struck by the dinginess of the place - it is certainly true that they haven't wasted much on the inside, but that's okay. You can hold that against them.
What they have done is taken that effort and put it into the food. It's nothing monumental, mind you, but simple hibachi-style food, cooked on an open grill. You can get a number of varieties - steak, chicken, shrimp, and combinations mixing and matching them.
Unlike other similar restaurants that give you tiny bowls of sauce, they will also give you a massive container of sauce to boot. And their lemonade and sweet tea is among the best in town. Really. You can also find sushi here, but I'm not sure if I'd suggest going just for that.
One note - this isn't one of those places where they cook in front of you. The kitchen is mostly open, but you aren't sitting around the open cooktop. They cook it in back and bring it out to you. The food is just as good, but you don't get the show. You'll need to go elsewhere - such as Kabuto or Nakato - for that.