Niwa Japanese BBQ

The AYCE deal on Sunday was fantastic! Niwa seems like a great place with friends or with a date. Service was pretty fast for getting all of the different meats that we ordered. You only have 90 minutes to order for the AYCE and there is a limit on the amount of meat per order, but because service was good we didn't feel limited by that.The quality of the bbq meats here is really high. I don't think you can go wrong with any choice for the meats, though it was great to try everything. The standouts to me were the hanging tender and short rib; both were very tender and had a nice sauce or marinade. Those were the two that my wife and I ended up ordering the most by far. The side dishes were good, I especially enjoyed the fries and the incredibly addicting corn.I'll definitely be going back!

FOODThe meat was of high quality. The beef belly was the best. However, the flavor was a bit too salty, so I asked the waiter for some honey. With the honey, the beef belly flavor was perfect. The asparagus was tender and fresh. However, the plate was huge. If your table has less than 4 people, you may want to order a half order of asparagus. The miso soup was different. It had slices of mushrooms in it. Beware that photos of the menu on Yelp lists ribeye steak but they've taken it off the menu. SERVICEThe waiters were attentive and fast. However, they did not refill my water. Other than this minor nit pick, they were very good. There is a minimum 20% tip for all tables. I would've tipped them the same amount, regardless. I generally pay 20% if the waiters are very good. I'll tip 25% if the service is impeccable and flawless (if they had remembered to refill my water). AMBIENCEMusic was techno rock. Restaurant was a bustling, busy eatery with many cozy tables having conversations. Dress is causal. I included a photo of the inside of the restaurant to give you some idea. It's a great place for a date. It's not too loud so you could have a conversation. HINTSBe sure to arrive EARLY or there will be no parking. Like get there 1 hour before your reservation time and make reservations. Make your reservation the last table or the first table of the night so that there will be parking available. They do not have a free parking lot. You have to rely on street parking or the paid parking lot next door. Do NOT park in the adjacent streets as some of those streets are not well lit and unsafe. Just park in front on the street or the paid parking lot next door. Parking is $16 for a day and $12 for 2 hours.

Food needs more Flavor. For a $40 AYCE with MANDATORY 20% gratuity on all checks this small selection with no flavor is ridiculous. The quality of the meat is fine, ambiance is swanky, waiters are fine/indifferent, service was quite slow (restaurant was not full, no one at the host stand).But Even with the sauces it's insipid. I'm so sorry but this place left me so unsatisfied. I tried quite a few things and I'm full but it's like eating bland food for sustenance rather than enjoyment.Chicken breast - 0/10Kimchi - 6/10 (as aspected)Asparagus - 6/10 (as aspected)Pork sausage - 6/10 Chicken Thigh - 2/10Sirloin - 2/10 (no smell but tasted like old liver)NY strip - 3/10 (no smell but just tasteless)Miso Skirt - 4/10 (I barely tasted the other flavor)When the best items are the veg and the sausage that should tell you something. Friend came here years ago and said it was better so maybe their quality has hit rock bottom, maybe just their AYCE sucks.I just don't recommend the AYCE when I've been to places like GEN bbq.Solution: marinate meats in a variety of marinades (don't even need to really expand the meat selection)Update: I got food poisoning from this place. I think it was the Kimchi that went off.

Went on a Sunday to take advantage of the ayce Sunday deal, and it was amazing. The quality of the meats is so good and it was very easy to grill and eat. I loved that they had a good selection of beef, and my favorite cuts were the short rib, hanger tender, and beef belly. Each meat you order has a little note on how long to cook it, which made it very easy. Some other ayce menu items I enjoyed were the corn, salad, veggies like onion and zucchini, and the furikake fries.The service was great, but the restaurant does get very busy, and the service can slow down. I thought I needed to wait for my server each time to order, but towards the middle to end of my stay, many different servers helped us with our orders, so it ended up picking up and working out. The food comes out pretty quickly, too. For the price of ayce and quality it's definitely worth it! I wish they did this on other days and not just Sundays. I highly recommend to make reservations online before coming because if not there can be a long wait.

Leaping lizards, the parking alone, almost took us out! Because this is Deep Ellum and the restaurant doesn't open until 6pm, you're going to have issues with parking. Be prepared to park in the lot, if you want the best location to Niwa and several other spots on the strip.The kicker, parking in the lot next to Niwa = $25.00 Moving on. We had reservations and were seated, upon getting there. This was our first time to visit and I must say, our waiter did a fantastic job with explaining the process and making a few suggestions based on our palette. Food Selection: We had, delicious, miso soup. My goodness, miso will always be on my list of favorite "soups". Mushrooms: They were okay, I felt the mushrooms were too big and took a bit of a time to cook. Next time, I think we will do without those. Veggies: How do you rate, veggies? Grilled onions, yes please! Garlic Chicken: Seasoned very well, but I do wish the chicken were thinly sliced. With chicken, we have to be precise on the way it is cooked, it did take a bit of time to properly cook. When you're given a certain amount of time to dine, you want to enjoy the meal without spending too much time on the meat. Garlic & Shichimi Togarashi Shrimp: They were so fresh, plump, and GOOD! Shrimp will be a regular for me, always! Hanger Steak:I ate very little of the steak, but my fella enjoyed it. Next time, I think we will get the filet mignon. I don't know what it is, but steak doesn't scream...EAT ME, when I see it. Kurobuta Sausage: My favorite, I really enjoyed these little sausages. The mustard they paired it with came with a KICK, so be prepared for it. This, and the shrimp will be my repeats. Now, the star of the night. Thank you to a fellow reviewer who mentioned the deviled eggs. Shiso deviled eggs, soy-glazed beef: The eggs were delicious, and the small touch of beef, kicked it up many notches. The atmosphere was inviting and intimate, I enjoyed every second of the experience. I can't wait, to head back!

The service was quick, extremely friendly, and accommodating! The quality of meat was way better than many other ayce in texas, so definitely take advantage of the sunday only ayce. Presentation was nice to look at and gave recommeded cooking times. The pricing felt generous and i will definitely return when i am visiting texas again.

Japanese BBQ in Deep Ellum - great location for those around the downtown Dallas area. I recommend making a reservation and taking an Uber if you are visiting over a weekend.Price for the meat is a bit high, but given the location it is expected. Marinated meats were hit or miss - some had great flavor, others lacked any flavor at all and would have benefit from either salt or MSG. Service unfortunately was not great - we had gotten our meats quickly, but after that when he had requested extra sides/drinks service was nowhere to be found. We had to flag down other wait staff to get our additional food. It was upsetting towards the end as we were getting better service from staff checking in on us from other tables then our primary wait staff member. Given the price and overall quality of the meal, we may not try this location again.

Wow, my first dining experience in Dallas was completely spontaneous, and it turned out to be an absolute blast! Our waitress was incredibly wonderful. She recognized it was our first visit and took charge of our selections, creating a perfect meal for us. It was delightful to discover that on Sundays, they offer an all-you-can-eat option for just $40, allowing us to sample a wide variety of dishes. Such a fantastic time!

Niwa is my fav dining in Deep Ellum! I was brought here by friends and immediately noticed the ventilation is great, no smelling like smoke when you leave.Ribeye cap is always out, because it's the best one! Drink menu has exquisite cocktails.Service is hit or miss.

Best food experience ever! Food is soooo yummy servers are so attentive the owner is kind, I love the food so much it's so good I could eat everyday . Best restaurant owner I've met very kind and attentive . Did I mention the food is absolutely delicious you will not regret eating here.