August 8 Upper James — Restaurant in Hamilton

Went there for lunch today and it’s the first time we had been there since they reopened. The food was the same great taste, but the server really dampened the experience. We drove all the way in from Welland to treat a family member to lunch for their birthday, so we ended up getting there right at 11:30 AM when they opened. We went in and of course the restaurant was empty. She sent us‘s length away from another group of people that got there when we did. In this entire entire empty restaurant lol I politely asked if we could sit somewhere else just to have a little little bit bit of privacy because the entire restaurant was empty besides us and the other group. You could tell she was slightly annoyed by that request, but moved us about four tables over. The rest of our lunch she basically avoided our table like the plague. And when we were finished our meal, I pulled out my wallet and held my debit card in my hand signalling that we were ready for the bill because she never once stopped by our table to ask how our food was or if we wanted any other drinks or anything. She cashed out about five tables that arrived after us, meanwhile, I had been waiting to get her attention to cash us out. We were sitting right beside the cash register and POS system. When I was ready to finally flag her down because she kept ignoring our table, I overheard them say she was on break. I ended up asking one of the male servers to cash us out and he did so right away. She came back from her break just as we were getting up from our table and she didn’t say a single word to us. No thank you no have a good day, nothing. Meanwhile, she had gone to all these other tables all smiley and welcoming to everyone but us. Anytime I interacted with her it was just a no expression face. I think I sat there for about half an hour to 45 minutes waiting to be cashed out. I don’t like to bother servers because with my experience as one I know they get busy. But you could tell she was going out of her way to avoid us And I feel it simply because I didn’t want to sit next to the only people in the restaurant. It’s like getting onto a bus and only one person sitting on it and you sit directly beside them. Just doesn’t make sense? Very weird. And very weird...

This our 2nd time at August 8 since reopening. Let me start with positive first. The food served is very fresh, flavourful and finger licking good. Everything ordered was hot, perfectly cooked and sauced. We ordered over 70 items and out of those items, the fried calamari(squid) was horrible. It was fried into stiff and tough pieces to the point that I almost choked on the tentacles. I sent that dish back advising the staff that they were inedible. Also, something happened this time as on our first visit, items did not arrive to our table. Our first visit, we ordered shrimp tempura and it never came to the table. It was extremely busy so we didn't say anything. We thought to give them another chance, so we came back with my grandson. My grandson ordered 2 handrolls, but they were not delivered. The most annoying thing is that we had to alert the servers 2 times that the handrolls were never delivered. And the wait to have those handrolls delivered was so long that my grandson was getting upset. Pretty sad when you have to ask 2 times for something not yet delivered and nobody comes back to check if you received the order yet. Also, we ordered shrimp tempura, 2 orders of steak and beef ribs, we only got the one order. We alerted the staff again that the tempura was not delivered. Once alerted we had a long wait again. It was so disappointing not to get what was initially ordered on an IPAD. All orders should be at the kitchen's finger tips. So how can this happen??? Since it was our 2nd visit and in both instances food ordered was not delivered, it must happen all the time on purpose as we saw other tables around us also alert staff about missing items. One lady was quite upset because she was there with her 2 young children and their items were forgotten after numerous reminders. This is not the best customer service! Actually, it turned me off from coming for 3rd visit....

I’ve been to plenty of all-you-can-eat spots, but August 8 stands out for its consistently high-quality food — fresh sushi, perfectly steamed dim sum, and lightning-fast service. The variety is great, the presentation is sharp, and the whole experience feels way above your typical AYCE.

But what truly made this night memorable — what elevated it beyond just a great dinner — was Randy, our host.

To say Randy was excellent would be underselling it. He was on another level. From the moment we walked in, he greeted us with genuine warmth, as if we were old friends coming home. His presence was calm, confident, and magnetic — the kind of energy that makes a place feel instantly comfortable.

He didn’t just take care of us — he anticipated us. Before we could even glance at our drinks, they were topped up. Right as we started discussing what to try next, he appeared with thoughtful, spot-on recommendations that somehow always hit. At one point, we looked up from our conversation and realized he had already noticed our empty plates and was clearing them with a smile — like a ninja with manners.

Randy has this rare gift: he made us feel like we were the only people in the room, even though the restaurant was packed. And yet, he wasn’t overbearing — just perfectly present, with this effortless grace that made everything run smoothly. You could tell he genuinely cares — not just about the job, but about people.

This wasn’t just good service. This was world-class hospitality — the kind you usually only find at luxury resorts or fine-dining establishments. Randy belongs in that category. Honestly, if I could give six stars, I would.

Give this man a raise. A promotion. A restaurant of his own. August 8 is lucky to have him — and I’ll be back...