Dempsey Robinson is serving Japanese-style flavors to the Houston community and beyond from the city’s first Black-owned hibachi food truck.
The 25-year-old Texas Southern University (TSU) alum and former football player launched his first food truck in Houston’s Third Ward in August, Fox 26 Houston reported. He moved to Houston in 2015 to play scholarship football for TSU. Now, he is the co-founder of Hibachi Bros Food Truck along with his friend, business partner, and grill chef, Philip Taylor.
Shortly after college graduation in 2021, the pair banded together to bring the first of its kind to one of the most ethnically diverse cities.
Typically cooked on a large, open grill, the popular cuisine consists of a wide variety of foods, including vegetables, chicken, steak, shrimp, scallops, and even desserts. Hibachi restaurants are popular in major cities in the United States, but Robinson and Taylor are upgrading the food truck experience with its late-night hours, homemade frozen Italian ice-style treats, and more.
“I want to be Houston’s hibachi,” Robinson said, per the Houston Chronicle.
“I want to be the people’s hibachi.”
Home of the grilled “BRO-RITO,” Hibachi Bros Food Truck features authentic Japanese-styled hibachi entrées, made to order, with five signature sauces and a variety of combo plates. They also offer vegetarian options, signature beverages, and “Samurai Ice” juices.
Celebrities like Lil Baby, Ray J, and Maxo Kream have even stopped by to indulge. The bros of the operation were also asked to throw a party for basketball star James Harden at his home in Houston.
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Robinson, a Los Angeles native, is no stranger to giving back. His love and pride for football is now offering specials every NFL Sunday at the 4501 Almeda Road location. If customers buy four entrées, they can receive one entrée for free, or buy three entrées and get a free BRO-RITO.
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Back in August, the Hibachi Bros Food Truck even hosted a “Burritos for Backpacks” supply drive to help Houston Independent School District students in need. The food truck provided a free BRO-RITO per new backpack donation per customer.
“We love to give back and help kids succeed and thought this would be a fun way to rally some community support for backpack donations by offering our one-of-a-kind Hibachi-stuffed burritos as an extra incentive,” Robinson said, per the Defender Network.
The hibachi duo has also opened a second food truck which will act solely as an onsite catering business for private parties, events, and tailgating.
For more information, visit https://hibachibroshtx.com.