Makoto Sushi Bar — Restaurant in Sydney

OMG Makoto what happened to you?

I think I totally deserve to ask this question being one of the few years regular customer of this restaurant spending minimum $70~100 every time. Visited the place recently and noticed some "changes" including a serious hygiene issue:

Dirty dishes, so sticky they even leave greasy residue on my fingertips every time I touch them. Dirty plastic food covers, so dirty that I could see some black grime buildups at the bottom. Unable to see the food inside as they are not clear anymore. Simply disgusting. Old frying oil that needs changing on time, tempura dish gave my partner a horrible stomach upset plus bad taste Under-cooked rice... please check your rice cooker to see if it needs repair.

I can understand the increase in price because it's a totally reasonable thing to do in the current Sydney retail market (especially the food sector).

I see many people complaining these days about the increased cost of living. They also often pretend as if they don't know that the running cost of businesses is also a part of inflation and give "who cares, not my problem, can't be bothered" kind of comments once pointed out. With ridiculously high rent even in the suburbs 20km from the CBD and food cost which nearly doubled in last few years plus reduced turnover I assume that the situation must be very tough on them. That is why I do not complain about the number of salmon pieces reduced and more frozen products on the rail compared to the past.

However I am very upset with the service I got last time with the place being so unsanitary and I just find it very difficult to understand why they had to save money on keeping the place clean - who will tolerate if there's a colony of germs growing on the thick layer of grease buildup on dishes while paying money?

Please attend to this matter before someone complains to the health dept and give some feedback. I would love to visit again once the place is back to it's...

I am writing to formally lodge a complaint regarding an extremely unpleasant experience I had at your restaurant today.

When I ordered sushi for takeaway, the staff member quoted me a price of around $8, and she also charged me this amount at checkout. However, when I returned a short while later, the same staff member suddenly demanded that I pay an additional $3, claiming that she had entered the wrong price and that the actual cost was $11.80.

I clearly stated that if the correct price was not the one initially shown, I would prefer to cancel the order. Yet, the staff member refused to cancel and insisted that I must pay the difference. What shocked me even more was her extremely unprofessional behavior: she raised her voice at me, accused me of “lying,” and confronted me in a very rude manner in front of other customers, which not only ruined my dining experience but also affected my dignity.

During the dispute, the staff member even stormed out of the store in anger, then returned shortly after and loudly told another customer that I was lying and spreading false claims about me. Such behavior is absolutely unacceptable and has caused me both emotional distress and reputational harm.

Although her colleague apologized repeatedly, the staff member’s actions left me deeply disappointed. I believe such conduct severely damages the professional image of your restaurant.

I would like your restaurant to address the following:

Why was the staff member able to change the price after checkout and insist on additional payment?

How will your restaurant deal with the inappropriate and unprofessional behavior of this staff member, including her public accusations and verbal harassment?

I expect a prompt and sincere response to this matter. Otherwise, I will have to consider escalating this complaint to the relevant...

FOOD: The sashimi (especially the blue fin tuna) was fresh and melt-in-your mouth good. The menu is skewed to seafood, so if you’re not fond of seafood, you may find the options to be limited. As others have already mentioned, the menu could benefit from more variety - including but not limited to the addition of more chicken options.

Word of warning, the teriyaki chicken udon was NOT great (the broth was too sweet, the panko crumbing was soggy from being completely immersed in the soup and didn’t look anything like the picture on the menu).

SERVICE: A la carte came out fairly quickly for Sunday peak hour and water refills were prompt. The lady who took payment at the counter (clearly in a position of seniority) was warm and friendly, which made up for the more reserved and dour attendants hovering around the sushi belt.

AMBIENCE One of the better aspects of my experience. Clean, spacious, lots of natural light (from the floor to ceiling windows), and noise levels were manageable.

PRICES: Prices are on the higher side for a sushi train, but that’s to be expected given the prime location.

Overall, I’d recommend this place for a quick bite during a lunch break, but won’t be in a rush to return here and probably wouldn’t bring anyone here...