• Overlooking the Chesapeake Bay, the city of Baltimore is the largest in Maryland. For tourists, Baltimore features attractions like the Inner Harbor entertainment area, the American Visionary Art Museum, Port Discovery Children's Museum and the Maryland Science Center. Visitors to Baltimore have numerous dining options to choose from, and those in the mood for a Japanese-style steakhouse can find a small number of options within 30 minutes of the city.
  
  

Sakura Japanese Steakhouse

• Sakura Japanese Steak House is a small chain of teppanyaki restaurants that began in Frederick, Maryland, in 1988. The restaurant features a location in Glen Burnie, approximately 12 miles south of Baltimore (around 19 minutes by automobile). All of the entrees are prepared at the table on the restaurant's hibachi grills. Each dinner comes with a choice of chicken liver, sauteed mushrooms or shrimp flambe as an appetizer; onion soup, salad; assorted vegetables and steamed or fried rice. The restaurant offers 13 combination dinners like the filet mignon, lobster and scallops. None of the food contains monosodium glutamate (MSG) or peanut oil. A vegetarian tepanyaki dinner also is available. The restaurant also serves sushi as an appetizer or for the main course. The bar serves hot and cold sake, three Japanese beers and 11 specialty cocktails, some of which come in a souvenir cup that diners can keep to remember their meals. Sakura Japanese Steak House serves lunch and dinner daily. Reservations are accepted, but not required. Casual attire is acceptable. The restaurant offers a children's menu. Free lot parking is available on-site.
  
  Sakura Japanese Steak House
  
  34 Mountain Road
  
  Glen Burnie, MD 21060
  
  410-768-0055
  
  sakurasteakhouse.com
  
  

Kobe Japanese Steak and Seafood

• Kobe Japanese Steak and Seafood is a small chain of six Japanese steakhouses with a location in the White Marsh Mall, 12 miles northeast of downtown Baltimore (around 19 minutes by automobile). Prepared at the table, hibachi entrees include filet mignon, salmon and lobster. Each comes with a shrimp appetizers, soup, salad, vegetables, noodles and steamed rice. A vegetarian teppanyaki dinner also is available as well as tempura, sushi and sashimi. The restaurant has a full bar and features hot and cold sake, plum wine, Asian beers. Fourteen specialty cocktails also are served, like the Kobe punch, a combination of fruit juices, lemon and rum. Kobe Japanese Steak and Seafood serves lunch and dinner daily. Reservations are recommended, particularly for large groups. Business casual attire is appropriate. Free parking is available in the shopping mall's lot.
  
  Kobe Japanese Steak and Seafood
  
  8165 Honeygo Blvd. # F
  
  Baltimore, MD 21236
  
  410-931-8900
  
  kobejs.com
  
  

Kyoto Japanese Steak House

• With just one location, Kyoto Japanese Steak House is in the Severna Park Mall Shopping Center in Severna Park, about 18 miles from Baltimore (around 26 minutes by automobile). The teppanyaki entrees are a la carte, allowing diners to build their own meals. Among the 14 appetizers are onion and miso soup, soft shell crab tempura, yakitori and chicken wings. Seventeen combination entrees are available as well as a special dinner for two. Steamed rice and fried noodles or rice are available as sides. The restaurant has an extensive sushi menu with more than 40 maki rolls. The bar serves three specialty cocktails, 16 bottled beers, six varieties of wine and sake and plum wine. Kyoto Japanese Steak House is open daily for lunch and dinner. Reservations are not necessary. Casual attire is the norm. The restaurant has a children's menu available for children 12 and under. Free parking is available in the mall lot.
  
  Kyoto Japanese Steak House
  
  568 Ritchie Highway # C
  
  Severna Park, MD 21146
  
  410-647-4500
  
  kyotojapanesesteakhouse.info