Transit Café. — Restaurant in Chatan

We did not have a good experience mainly because the food was just not good, but the service was off as well. The ambiance is really great, but I have no idea how anyone would continue to eat here. I've eaten here 4 times over about a 10 year period. Years ago, it was really good, but the last couple a few years back, it just wasn't. I was skeptical, but figured with great reviews, maybe it was better than in past years. Side note: (I saw a large pile of slightly cooked steaks just sitting out in a pan at room temperature to be thrown in a pan to heat when someone ordered a steak, which seems unsanitary). But truly 4 out of 5 of the plates we ordered were just flavored poorly. The shrimp was shell on, small, and tasteless. The stew was just ok, the others were so bad that two of us went home hungry. We walked out looking for somewhere to grab something else. We also ordered dessert because it liked really nice, but it just wasn't good either; I REALLY wanted to like this place and especially their dessert. The bright spot was the spicy noodle dish my son was lucky enough to order was really good.

The service was also terrible, which is surprising in Japan. We were sat right away and with an empty restaurant, it took a long time for them to get to taking our order. Then they came and asked us to move to the bar, which was not comfortable at all for a party of 5 with a child. They still had tables, but said they were for people who had made reservations only. The issue was that they never asked us when we walked in if we had reservations as the restaurant was very empty and then, upon their mistake, refused to let us sit at a table. There were a couple of clear tables the whole time we ate as well. We wouldn't have stayed if we had known we would have to sit it the bar looking at the cooking area. It also wouldn't have bothered me if they had told us that upon arrival.

We were a bit upset, but since we were there to celebrate my husband's birthday, we decided the food and what was left of the ambiance might be worth it. Sadly, it wasn't worth it. I would not recommend eating here, but I would really like to love this place; it's...

Pretty great place! I really enjoyed the cheese fondue and they have an amazing poke bowl! The view is excellent and the atmosphere is pretty well thought out!

The only thing that I’m not a huge fan of is their QR menus. They sometimes don’t load properly and it’s annoying to have to take out your phone to order. I understand maybe when they are busy. But when I’m the only one in the restaurant at 11am on a Wednesday… I feel it takes away from the experience. Lastly the hours! They are sometimes wrong! And it’s quite annoying to show up and have an establishment be closed when they say they are open.

Overall if you catch them open it’s definitely worth all the quirks to try the food. I definitely will be coming back. But keep in mind it is less of a cheap eat. So prepare to drop a little extra $$ on your lunch.

UPDATE After the restaurant reopened from construction they have taken away the QR codes!! In my personal opinion a great step in the right direction! They also posted a sign that hours will be shifting. (Hoping they stick to them because in the last two ish weeks I’ve shown up 3-4 times on times they were supposed to be open and they weren’t) The menu has changed! In some good and disappointing ways! They have much more options for the lunch menu although they took away the beloved poke which breaks my heart! Luckily the cheese fondue remains!

Overall making steps in the right direction love to see the improvements to...

My time spent at Transit used to be a spot for great food...now it's simply a Transit station to the toilet.

There was a time, long ago before covid, where I reveled in the glory and flavors that Transit Cafe graced me with. That is...until my last visit which shattered that lofty dream. A night out with my family and an order of the garlic shrimp. Every last portly creature appeared as though it had been caged and malnourished through its sad life. The chef's work on the little nibbles did them further injustice...overcooked to the point the shell had bonded to the meat.

After a 10 minute battle to get to my actual food and piecing off the remains of the carcasses presented to me I realized I'd need a substantial meal...you know, more than what a seagull would scavenge from the beach.

My concern over food safety was raised when I noticed a pile of meat left to sit on the counter during my hour long skirmish. A stray piece of beef plucked from the organic mass from time to time. My fears were realized the next day when I became far too acquainted with the porcelain throne at home than I would've liked.

Suffice to say, I've written off Transit as a sad loss of the war of good food and flavorful fancy. I doubt I'll be back to visit the husked grave to pay my respects anytime soon...it's simply too...