Toraya — Restaurant in Paris

Having lived 3 years in Akasaka, Tokyo, I was looking forward to yet again visiting Toraya Paris. These Japanese sweets are delicious... however the behaviour of the Japanese Store Manager (short haired lady) was far below expectations.

Having parked our € 5K electric mini-scooters in front of the shop, the snobbish Japanese lady ran out shouting I had to move them... and they were not disturbing anyone: everybody could see their shop window, people could pass and enter and exit the shop easily...

Upon pointing out that our mini-scooters were not disturbing anyone and that there was no other parking place available to store our precious transportation safely, the Japanese lady got furious and mean.

Being married to a gorgeous Japanese women for many years, I have been confronted with such low-class non-Japanese way of treating customers!

I was shocked about the bad treat and especially the way how she reacted. Clearly she did not understand who we were, but this aside; the store manager clearly did not have the 'Omotenashi' which one would expect in a typical upscale Japanese place.

Once again: delicious food and sweets, horrible service and attitude/behaviour by the Store Manager... so the magical...

Even though it’s supposed to be a Franco-Japanese restaurant, it’s very much Japanese—but sadly, the service was shockingly racist. The French staff only spoke to my white friend (in English) and completely ignored me (I’m Asian), even when I tried to get their attention directly.

The food was just as bad as the service. The menu is tiny, with nothing but boring rice and vegetable dishes for €15–20 or desserts that are downright weird. I tried the mochi, and it was so overloaded with powder or whatever they put on top that I nearly choked while eating it.

The worst part was trying to get the bill. We were sitting right by the counter, and four different waiters straight-up ignored me when I asked for it. Even the one Asian waitress working there looked at me, then just walked off without saying anything. I had to sit there for another 10 minutes before someone finally brought it over.

Overall, the place felt incredibly unwelcoming and disrespectful. Between the mediocre food and the rude, racist service, I honestly wouldn’t recommend this spot to anyone. Save your money and go...

Toraya is a lovely spot for a peaceful coffee catch-up with a touch of Japanese elegance. We enjoyed matcha teas alongside a selection of their delicate bean pastries and fresh mochi. The highlight for us was the monakas—we only wish we had tried them earlier so we could have ordered more!

When we arrived, the atmosphere was incredibly quiet, with individuals studying or reading alone, making the soft bird soundtrack almost the only sound in the room. It created a serene and calming ambiance, though later, as more people arrived, the space became livelier with conversation. The service was exceptionally polite and kind, and the minimalist Japanese decor added to the tranquil experience. A wonderful place for tea, sweets, and a moment of quiet...