The next time you eat at Izumi, you might notice a change in what comes with your hibachi meal.
Izumi is the Japanese restaurant offered on many Royal Caribbean cruise ships that has an extra cost to diner there. A number of Royal Caribbean cruisers noted the cruise line has made a change to what comes with your meal when seated at a hibachi table.
TXcruzer wrote on the Royal Caribbean message boards, “There have been supposedly numerous experiences within the last month where grilled vegetables were no longer a part of the hibachi dinner.”
“These individuals claim that fried rice and protein is the only thing currently being offered.”
Sure enough, others chimed in to confirm the change.
What’s changed exactly at hibachi
It appears the change is grilled vegetables are no longer offered when you sit at the hibachi tables.
The chef will make fried rice and the protein of your choice, but grilled vegetables are now omitted.
“I went to Izumi on my Allure sailing earlier this month and there were no veggies offered other than [edamame],” wrote Lucky.
NewRCCruiser22 added, “Can confirm at Izumi hibachi on Star last week the menu only includes protein and rice, there are no vegetables prepared on the hibachi table and are only available for an additional charge.”
SebagoSue wrote, “We were just on Wonder and can also confirm there were no veggies cooked separately as a side dish as there always have been.”
That person added you can still get vegetables if you choose it as one of your proteins because the meal includes up to two choices. A third choice can be added for just $5 more.
“One person ordered veggies as one of her choices, instead of a second protein and the chef cooked the same veggies we have had in the past just for her. “
Prior to this change, if you dined at the hibachi side of the restaurant, grilled vegetables would be included along with your protein and fried rice.
The cruise line has made no formal announcement, guests are noting the change as an observation.
The cost to dine at Izumi hibachi is listed at $70 per adult for dinner, and $45 per adult for lunch. Both meals are the same menu.
You can usually reserve Izumi hibachi for less when pre-booking prior to the start of the cruise. For example, on an upcoming Utopia of the Seas cruise, the cost is $55.99 per adult for dinner and $35.99 per adult for lunch.
New Izumi menu made minor changes too
Royal Caribbean rolled out a slightly updated menu at Izumi in November 2025, possibly tied to the change to hibachi.
Aside from the new design, I spotted a couple of changes to the menu, such as the cost of the fixed price menu going up from $39 to $45.
In addition, there’s a new dessert on the menu. The Izumi Chocolate Fluffy Cheese Cake has been added. That has replaced the lava cake.
Another change on the hibachi menu is that it offers just beef. Previously there was beef tenderloin or NY Steak.
Izumi is the most popular specialty restaurant on Royal Caribbean cruise ships
According to the cruise line, Izumi is the most popular specialty restaurant in the fleet today.
“Izumi is actually the most popular restaurant by volume in the fleet,” Royal Caribbean Vice President Food & Beverage, Linken D’Souza revealed earlier this summer.
It’s available on nearly every ship in the fleet. All of the restaurants have sushi, cooked food, and soups as part of its menu.
Many ships offer a teppanyaki section too, where guests are seated around a heated table and watch as a chef entertains them while cooking food.
This form of “eatertainment” has become wildly popular with cruise ship guests because it combines great food with memory making experiences.
Royal Caribbean has recently expanded Izumi to offer a to-go sushi window, and even a chef-driven experience too.
