Hibachi First, Wine an Afterthought
Hollins / North Roanoke · Roanoke · Japanese Steakhouse and Sushi
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · July 10, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Tokyo Japanese Steakhouse & Sushi Bar’s wine list and gave it The Lazy List — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Tokyo feels like it was assembled in about fifteen minutes and hasn't been revisited since. You're here for the hibachi show and the sushi, and the wine program knows it — this is pure afterthought territory, designed to check a box rather than add anything to the meal.
The list skews heavily toward familiar California and Washington State workhorses, with a nod to Japanese rice wines rounding out the edges. There's no real regional depth or producer story being told here — just a short roster of crowd-pleasing varietals that most tables will recognize without thinking twice. The interesting move, if you can call it that, is leaning into Japanese offerings like Momokawa Pearl Nigori and Chokara Extra Dry alongside plum wine, which at least acknowledges the cuisine. Beyond that, don't come looking for anything to get excited about.
The BTG program tops out at around five to ten options, anchored by house pours of Chardonnay, Cabernet, and Merlot at $7 a glass — which is honestly hard to argue with on price alone. There's no rotation happening here; what's on the list today was on the list six months ago. If you want something with a pulse, skip the house wine and go for the Gekkeikan Plum Wine instead.
House Wine Cabernet — $7
Seven dollars a glass in a sit-down restaurant in 2024 is genuinely rare. It's not going to blow your mind, but it's an honest pour at an honest price — and for a hibachi night out with a group, that math works.
Momokawa Pearl Nigori Junmai 300ml
Most tables at a place like this default to beer or a basic wine pour without a second thought. The Momokawa Pearl Nigori is a cloudy, slightly sweet sake that actually makes sense alongside sushi and the char-heavy flavors coming off the hibachi grill — it's the most contextually appropriate thing on the drinks menu and almost nobody orders it.
House Wine Merlot
At $7 it's not expensive, but nameless house Merlot at a Japanese steakhouse is a wine that exists purely to exist. There's nothing interesting happening here, and the Gekkeikan Plum Wine or a Nigori sake will do far more for your meal at a similar or slightly higher price.
Chokara Extra Dry 300ml + Hibachi Steak
A dry sake cuts through the butter and soy that hibachi steak gets cooked in without fighting the umami the way a tannic red would. Chokara Extra Dry is clean and savory enough to stay out of the way while actually complementing what's on the plate — which is more than most of the wine list can claim.
The Bottom Line
Tokyo is a hibachi restaurant that happens to have wine, not the other way around — and that's fine, but don't make the wine the reason you come. Stick to the sake options, keep your glass price low, and enjoy the show.
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Grocery Store
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Basic Stemmed
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Plays It Safe
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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Solid Range
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Basic Stemmed
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Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Occasional
Acceptable
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Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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