Last year for my birthday I was looking for something out of the ordinary with my restaurant choice, so I decided to do something I’ve never done before, and that is eat hibachi style. Me and boyfriend went all the way out to Hilburn, New York to eat at a hibachi restaurant for the first time. Mt. Fuji is located right at the border of New York and New Jersey just below Bear Mountain State Park. The first thing you see when you arrive is a beautiful and large red gate that sits in front of a spiraling tree-lined road that takes you to the top of a hill.

At the top of the hill is a beautiful 45 acre property that houses an iconic restaurant. If you have the time, I recommend you to walk around the property and take in all of the beauty that surrounds it. On the grounds you will find cherry blossom trees, gorgeous fixtures and statues, and a wonderful koi pond.

I was already blown away and pleased before even stepping foot inside Mt. Fuji. However, once inside I was greeted by a breathtaking view of the mountain. In the fall it’s surely not a sight to miss. For all of the nature lovers that enjoy watching the leaves change color, this is the perfect restaurant to get front row seats to all that fall foliage has to offer.

I’ve always seen fun videos of hibachi chefs doing tricks and singing songs while preparing a meal, and I was finally getting the chance to experience it firsthand. And let me tell you, it’s as fun as it looks. Eating at a hibachi restaurant is truly entertaining. It’s perfect for large groups, children, families, birthdays, and date nights. Expect to see your rice and noodles being used to form words, onions being used to create flaming onion volcanoes that light up your table, and a full on musical performance from your chef.

Mt. Fuji offers lunch, diner and super Sunday brunch at The Views ( a different section of the their restaurant). If you choose to eat hibachi style, you have quite a few options for your entree. You are able to choose from either bonzai chicken, samurai steak, filet mignon, bamboo shrimp, scallops, salmon, or hibachi vegetables (for my non-meat eaters). We ordered the bamboo shrimp hibachi entree, which came with hibachi shrimp appetizer, Mt. Fuji onion soup, fresh green salad, fried rice, Asian noodles, vegetable medley, and bamboo shrimp. The shrimp was sauteed to perfection, the onion soup was tasty, the salad was fresh, and the rice and noodles were delicious. It should be noted that if you order the hibachi vegetable entree and you would like your meal to be vegan, ask the chef not to use eggs when cooking the fried rice.

Overall, I had an amazing time at Mt. Fuji. I truly enjoyed watching my food being prepared in front of me. It was a delight to laugh and talk with the person preparing my food while enjoying the spectacular view of Bear Mountain. Mt. Fuji is a great place to go with family and friends to enjoy a delicious meal outside of the city, while filling your soul with laughter.

You can watch a quick video about my time at Mt. Fuji below: