Izakaya Shingen — Restaurant in Ottawa

I used to adore this restaurant and hadn't visited in nearly two years since my move. I was eagerly anticipating this return, but I was truly taken back by the prices today. A mere half piece of daikon is now priced at $2+(used to be full piece at lower price), and many other dishes have experienced price increase while offering smaller portions. While I understand that businesses have faced challenges due to COVID, this experience has left me very disappointed.

Edit - my reponse to owner after initial review: Thank you for responding to my comment. However, I'd like to address a few of your points:

It's great that you're ensuring fair pay for your staff during difficult times. However, a lot of people's wages, including my own, have not increased in accordance to the inflation rates you mentioned. I think it's fair to say in a review that I am disappointed I can no longer afford your prices, and I don't understand why expressing such a sentiment would warrant such a strong negative response from your side, when it is clear a large number of reviews mention the same thing - small portions for such a pricey menu.

I also don't understand why you assume I have never "publicly praised" your restaurant before, as if implying one must first leave five star reviews before having the right to say that there has been a price hike. Besides eating there more than a handful of times myself, I used to consistently recommend your restaurant to family and friends, and several of them have dined at your restaurant because of me. In fact, yours was the first restaurant that came to mind when I planned my visit to Ottawa this time during a very short stay, and I also came with a group of 4. I believe I am justified in my observations as a long time patron and supporter, and that's why my disappointment was all the more upsetting.

My initial review rightly acknowledged the challenges faced by small businesses in recent years, and contained zero disrespect towards the restaurant staff. However, you responded with such passive aggressiveness and presumptuous attacks on my credibility as a customer. In particular, you mention how there is at most a $2 price increase, when I literally have a photo of your menu from a few years ago that shows the mentaiko udon changed from $11.8 to $17.8. It's so disingenuous it's unbelievable. I am sincerely sorry that you are experiencing financial hardships in your business, but this response was totally uncalled for and unprofessional.

Here's to hoping things get better so more people can afford to enjoy...

I recently visited Izakaya Shingen for the first time and I really enjoyed the food. The location serves traditional izakaya fare and provides an intimate, but lively Japanese izakaya ambiance with adorned with beautiful red lanterns. We had ordered Japanese cocktails, a few skewers, fried chicken and oysters, as well as pork belly which were absolutely delicious and arrived promptly.

While we did enjoy the food, the service was lackluster and made the experience quite unpleasant. It would have been understandable if the restaurant was at maximum capacity and patrons were treated consistently, but this was not the case. At $100+ for dinner for two, I would have expected better service.

Upon arriving at my reservation time, we were seated at our table and left unattended while the server cleaned all the tables around us. No menus, no water.

We waited patiently until the server finished cleaning the tables. Immediately after, she asked us to move to a smaller table in anticipation of larger groups that evening despite other tables being available. We willingly moved to the smaller table - to watch them seat a couple on the very same table minutes after while a majority of the restaurant tables remained unoccupied. When we asked for the menu, we were pointed to the QR codes and were left unattended and were rushed to order shortly after while the adjacent table were immediately offered water, paper menus, and were attended to immediately.

During our meal, the server didn’t check on us and we had difficulty getting a hold of her to ask questions or order additional food. With how long we waited and the service provided, we opted to take our bills and grab dessert elsewhere.

EDIT: On November 18, 2023, I revisited Izakaya Shingen following Bobby's invitation and experienced a notable improvement in service, including increased timeliness and attentiveness. Bobby, whom I had previously communicated with, made a positive impact by checking in during the meal. This reflects Izakaya Shingen's commitment to prioritizing customer experience and valuing feedback. The enhanced service significantly improved my overall dining experience, with attentive staff and a more enjoyable ambiance. It's reassuring to witness the restaurant actively addressing customer concerns and working to elevate service quality, showcasing their dedication to providing a satisfying...

Affordable, tasty dishes in a unique Japanese atmosphere - perfect for friends or coworkers. Accessibility: Mostly accessible, a couple small steps to get in. No wheelchair accessible bathroom.

2023 January 5★ Excellent service and food was amazing. The food took a bit of time to come out and came in a random order. -curry tonkatsu Don $18 (deep fried breaded pork) amazing flavors! -gyu don $18 (beef&onion over rice) generous portion, lots of meat but I wish they offered a smaller version -karaage $10 (deep fried chicken) -salmon sashimi $9 very fresh. Don't eat the funny lettuce -spicy edamame $5.5 great flavour, not too spicy -Takoyaki $9 (deep fried octopus balls) my fave Takoyaki in Ottawa, it's not bad - eat while hot -yaki onigiri $9 (grilled rice with salmon) a must try! -zucchini skewers $1.9 tasty, lacking flavour today though

2022 December 5★ Excellent service and they were very patient to help explain the dishes/ordering. Initial food came very quickly but when ordering one take out meal it took 40 minutes. The food came out in a great order. -brown tea $2.8 very flavorful and really added to the meal! -kakuni Don $18 (pork belly with an egg over rice) excellent, great food sharing! -miso soup $4 I would not order again-not the typical miso soup I'm used to and wasn't a fan of the carrots -salmon sashimi $9 very fresh! -scallop yakitori $12 tasty but I wouldn't order it again -Takoyaki $9 very good -yaki onigiri $9 a must try! -yuzu creme Brulee $9 excellent and worth the price -grilled zucchini $1.9 tasty and flavorful

Izakaya: "A type of Japanese bar in which a variety of small, typically inexpensive, dishes and snacks are served to accompany the alcoholic drinks" Conveniently located downtown Ottawa on Bank street. There are a lot of things to do in this part of town. Can get very loud with bigger groups. Street parking only - paid or unpaid careful for no parking times to not get tickets. No coffee available unfortunately. Cash, debit, credit accepted. Staff seems very happy, friendly, and patient. Tables and cutlery were clean but other aspects of the restaurant could use some more cleaning. Your credit/debit will display as a purchase from burrito sensei.

A must try Ottawa Asian restaurant with conveniently priced small dishes - I will definitely return to try more...