Sushi Lovers - Blundell Richmond — Restaurant in Richmond

First time I went to this place I woud give a 4 star rating --- although small (4 - 5 tables without sushi bar is indeed too packed for a japanese restaurant…) it got the best sashimi (Otoro = top grade Blue Fin Tuna Belly, Chutoro = medium grade Blue Fin Tuna Belly, and Kanpachi, Hamachi Toro etc.).

Also beef teriyaki is good (not too lean and have some fat… not sure why people would complain about beef being too fat, as complete lean beef is fairly hard to chew on…), and they got pretty nice Unagi don (i.e. Eel rice bowl) which is nicely done in terms of cost vs quantity / quality.

Also noticed this restaurant is somehow specifically children-friendly… this is a life saver for families with kids.

However… my 2nd and especially the 3rd visit is EXTREMELY disappointing. Hard to get a table is a usual (whenever you call to try to get a table for anything more than 4 people, they will tell you not able to accomodate you --- I was calling in the afternoon same day). The worst is that by 19:30 or 20:00 they will tell you their best fish/Uni have been sold out… anything better than Hamachi is NOT available. What is this non-sense? It was prime dinner time! How can you be running out?

My guess is most people order for take outs and those are the ones that got all the best fish/sashimi (I can't imagine what time they called)… which really makes me furious. I thought restaurants should focus on their in-house customers first, but it appears they seem to more concentrated on their take-outs… but still i think they should be able to keep enough stock to last thru the dinner time (afterall, they close at 9 pm everyday… not sure if their dinner actually starts at 6 pm but that's still only 3 hours --- if dinner starts at 7 pm then it is only 2 hours, which is an EXTREMELY short business hours if you ask me).

I always see they post all sorts of high quality sashimi/sushi with the premium fish/seafood on their FB page, but if I go in every time and at 7:30/20:00 they tell me there is none of the good stuffs (and we get crammed in super tight seatings) what's the point in even going there? I may as well go somewhere that does more realistic inventory-keeping daily with all the fresh seafood I go to Japanese restaurants for. (they are located in Railway & Blundell so not exactly close to my home)

I lost confidence in this place already, next time I will try to just call in for take-out orders, and if they still don't have decent seafood/sashimi available that I want I am not going to give them any...

My recent visit to Sushi Lover Japanese Restaurant left me extremely disappointed and dissatisfied with the overall dining experience. As an avid sushi lover, I had high expectations for this restaurant, but unfortunately, it failed to deliver on several fronts.

First and foremost, the quality of the sashimi was far from satisfactory. It was evident that the fish used in the preparation of the sashimi lacked freshness. The texture was rubbery, and the taste was bland, which is not what one expects when indulging in raw fish delicacies. It was disappointing to find such subpar sashimi at a restaurant that claims to specialize in Japanese cuisine.

Moreover, the sushi rice served at Sushi Lover had a noticeable and unpleasant odor. It was evident that the rice was either not properly cooked or had been stored improperly, resulting in a pungent smell that was off-putting. The foul odor significantly affected the taste of the sushi, making it difficult to enjoy even the simplest rolls. This lack of attention to detail in such a fundamental aspect of sushi preparation was truly disappointing.

In addition to the poor quality of the food, the service at Sushi Lover was equally underwhelming. The staff seemed disinterested and inattentive throughout my visit. It took an exceptionally long time for our orders to be taken, and even longer for the food to arrive at our table. The lack of efficiency and professionalism exhibited by the staff only added to the overall negative experience.

Furthermore, the ambiance of the restaurant did little to compensate for the disappointing culinary experience. The interior decor appeared outdated and neglected, creating an uninviting atmosphere. The seating arrangements were cramped, and the noise level was quite high, making it difficult to have a peaceful dining experience. It is unfortunate that the restaurant neglected the importance of creating a pleasant ambiance for its patrons.

Given the unsatisfactory quality of the food, lackluster service, and unappealing ambiance, I cannot recommend Sushi Lover Japanese Restaurant. It falls short in its promise of providing a truly authentic and enjoyable sushi dining experience. There are numerous other sushi restaurants in the area that offer far superior quality and service. I strongly advise sushi enthusiasts to explore other options instead of wasting their time and money at...

I recently had an incredibly disappointing experience at this restaurant, and I feel compelled to share my dissatisfaction. On the evening of December 29th (Friday), I called the restaurant at 6:30 pm to place a to-go order for the Spicy Salmon Don.

Upon arriving at 6:50 pm to pick up my order, I was shocked when the male cashier informed me, "We don't have your order." Despite my efforts to show him the call record, confirming that I had indeed placed an order, he adamantly denied any mistake on their part. Rather than acknowledging the issue, he peculiarly asked, "Who answered your call, girl or lady?" This diversionary tactic was both unprofessional and bizarre.

He showed no interest in resolving the problem and instead argued "Did you pay?". As if that wasn't frustrating enough, a young lady joined in and echoed the same sentiment, stating, "We don't have your order, but you can wait if you want." They proceeded to laugh and converse in Cantonese, leaving me feeling excluded and disrespected.

What was particularly disheartening was the complete lack of an apology for their apparent error. The dismissive and disrespectful attitude exhibited by both the male cashier and the young lady was unbelievable.

I regret to say that I cannot recommend this restaurant based on my recent encounter. The combination of lack of accountability, and poor customer service left a...