Here’s how to maximize the joy of hibachi at Nakato in Charlotte

Don’t be fooled by the sushi boat bar (the sushi boats go around the bar via a conveyor belt) – save your appetite for the hibachi.

Take in the crowd and grab your seat.

Order a sake bomb. Have the waitress do a “3…2…1” countdown for the group.

Finish sake bomb. The waitress told me, “Not a ton of people do sake bombs. It’s mostly birthday parties and Christmas.” I then wondered about these families…

Order Kirin, big bottle. Settle in.

Stare at the menu and then suddenly realize that after you put enough of the sauce on everything, it kind of all tastes the same level of delicious.

Get to know your chef. Cheer him on relentlessly.

Fire!

Try to catch a shrimp in your mouth. Yes, you must try. We failed.

Volcano fire!

Hibachi Volcano!!! #cltagenda

A video posted by Axios Charlotte (@charlotteagenda) on

Cancel out the healthiness of the vegetables by drenching them in both the yellow and brown sauces.

What’s better than fried rice? Fried rice in the shape of a heart.

Red meat calls for a nice bottle of red. Intense pours…

Even though you’re full by the time you get your entree, you’ll feel the peer pressure to crush your food until you’re uncomfortable.

Don’t be scared to get a little to-go box. It tastes good cold for breakfast the next morning…