During our trip to Kaohsiung, we had dinner at Ho Chi Teppanyaki (禾鮨鐵板燒), a reservation-only restaurant in Zuoying that combines Japanese-style teppanyaki with sushi-style courses.
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From the outside, Ho Chi Teppanyaki is very understated. The entrance is simple and elegant, with warm wood tones, a glowing sign, and a quiet "you need to know where you're going" feel. But once you step inside, it turns into a full counter-style dining experience, with chefs preparing sushi, seafood, wagyu, rice, soup, and dessert right in front of you.
This ended up being one of our most memorable meals in Kaohsiung.
What Is Ho Chi Teppanyaki?
Ho Chi Teppanyaki is a reservation-only Japanese-style teppanyaki and sushi restaurant in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Instead of ordering individual dishes from a menu, the meal is served as a multi-course tasting menu.
What makes it interesting is that it is not just a teppanyaki restaurant and not just a sushi restaurant. It combines both styles in one meal. Some courses are prepared at the sushi counter, with nigiri, hand rolls, sea urchin, and fresh seafood, while others are cooked on the teppanyaki grill, including seafood, vegetables, wagyu, and steak.
If you enjoy watching chefs cook and plate each dish in front of you, this is a really fun dining experience.
Here's one of our chefs, Alan, preparing scallops for us:
The Atmosphere
The restaurant has a calm, intimate, Japanese-inspired atmosphere. It is elegant without feeling too flashy or stiff.
Inside, guests sit at the counter while the chefs prepare each course. I always love counter-style dining because you get to see the process - the slicing, grilling, shaping of the sushi, plating, and all the little finishing touches.
It feels special, but still comfortable. This would be a great restaurant for a date night, birthday dinner, anniversary, or a nice dinner while visiting Kaohsiung.
Our Meal at Ho Chi Teppanyaki
Our meal included a mix of sushi, seafood, uni, wagyu, steak, rice, soup, and dessert. I do not remember every official course name, so this post is more of a personal dining experience and photo-based review rather than a strict menu breakdown.
Also, since set-menu restaurants like this often change dishes depending on the season and ingredient availability, your meal may look different if you visit.
The Opening Courses
The meal started with small, elegant bites that immediately made the dinner feel special.
There were seafood-focused dishes (fish and scallops), beautiful plating, and a lot of attention to texture.
We also had a warm course served in a small covered cup (steamed eggs), which felt delicate and comforting. The beginning of the meal had that classic tasting-menu feeling - small portions, clean flavors, and carefully prepared ingredients.
Sushi, Hand Rolls, and Sea Urchin
One of my favorite parts of the meal was the sushi portion. The chefs prepared several pieces of nigiri right in front of us, with simple seasonings that let the quality of the fish stand out.
Some pieces had a light brush of sauce or seasoning, while others were served with richer toppings like uni or roe.
We also had a sea urchin hand roll, also known as uni, served directly from the chef so the nori was still crisp. This was one of the most memorable bites of the night. The sea urchin was rich, briny, creamy, and a little sweet, and the crunchy seaweed made the texture even better.
One of the memorable opening bites was a raw oyster served over crushed ice, topped with a bright apple jelly, a little roe, and wasabi on the side. The oyster was cold, fresh, and briny, while the apple jelly added this lightly sweet, fruity contrast that made the whole bite feel really balanced. It was simple, but so good.
This part of the meal is what made Ho Chi Teppanyaki feel more unique than a regular teppanyaki dinner. You get the warmth and performance of teppanyaki, but also the precision and elegance of a sushi counter experience.
Wagyu, Rice, Soup, and More
The later courses felt heartier and more comforting, starting with the wagyu. The beef was cooked on the teppanyaki grill and served in thick, tender slices with greens on the side. I loved that it came with different seasonings and condiments on the plate, so each bite could be a little different - a touch of salt, spice, wasabi, or creamy sauce.
After the steak, the meal moved into a warm rice course served from a large pot. This was one of those cozy end-of-meal dishes that made the dinner feel extra satisfying. The rice was savory and mixed with little bits of meat, vegetables, and herbs, giving it a lot of flavor without feeling too heavy.
We also had a soup course served in a red bowl, which was warm, rich, and comforting. After all the sushi, seafood, uni, and wagyu, I liked that the meal ended with something soothing before dessert.
This part of the dinner really rounded out the experience. Ho Chi Teppanyaki is definitely polished and special, but the rice and soup courses made it feel comforting too - not just fancy for the sake of being fancy.
Dessert
Dessert was cute and elegant. We had a small plated dessert with a decorative golden topping, along with another dessert that looked like a cream puff or pastry.
It was not overly sweet, which I liked. After a long multi-course meal, I usually prefer a lighter dessert rather than something super heavy.
Since we were there for a birthday celebration we also had a special birthday sweet.
What We Loved
What I loved most about Ho Chi Teppanyaki was the variety.
This was not just a steakhouse-style teppanyaki meal, and it was not just a sushi restaurant either. It combined both styles in a way that made the dinner feel exciting from beginning to end.
We had crisp hand rolls, beautiful nigiri, uni, cooked seafood, wagyu, steak, rice, soup, and dessert - basically a little bit of everything I love.
I also really enjoyed the counter-style seating. Watching the chefs prepare each course made the whole experience feel more personal and memorable.
Who Would Enjoy Ho Chi Teppanyaki?
I would recommend Ho Chi Teppanyaki if you enjoy sushi, Japanese teppanyaki, seafood, uni, wagyu, counter-style dining, or special occasion meals.
This is probably not the best choice if you are looking for a quick casual dinner or a place where you can order a lot of individual dishes à la carte. But if you want a more polished, multi-course dining experience in Kaohsiung, it is a great option.
Tips Before You Go
Ho Chi Teppanyaki is reservation-only, so make sure to book ahead. Seating is limited, and the restaurant has an intimate counter-style setup.
Also, keep in mind that the menu may change depending on the season and ingredient availability. If you see specific dishes in my photos, your meal may not be exactly the same.
If you have dietary restrictions or foods you do not eat, I would mention that when booking.
Final Thoughts
Ho Chi Teppanyaki was one of our favorite dining experiences in Kaohsiung. It felt intimate, polished, and memorable without being overly formal or intimidating.
The combination of sushi-style courses and teppanyaki made the meal feel exciting from start to finish. We had seafood, hand rolls, nigiri, uni, wagyu, steak, rice, soup, and dessert, all prepared beautifully in front of us.
If you are visiting Kaohsiung and looking for a special dinner, especially for a date night or celebration, Ho Chi Teppanyaki is worth looking into.
Restaurant Information
Ho Chi Teppanyaki (禾鮨鐵板燒)
Address: No. 476, Mingcheng 2nd Road, Zuoying District, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
Chinese address: 高雄市左營區明誠二路476號
Style: Japanese teppanyaki and sushi
Best for: Date night, special occasions, sushi lovers, seafood lovers, teppanyaki fans
Got questions or comments? Drop them below!