Restaurant Cafe Ceres — Restaurant in Narita

Dismissive and Unwelcoming Restaurant Manager — A Rarely Seen Attitude in Japan..

I’ve visited Japan more than 30 times over the years and have always been impressed by the warmth and professionalism of Japanese hospitality. That’s why my family and I were so surprised and disappointed by our experience at this hotel’s restaurant — specifically due to the behavior of the restaurant host and cashier, a middle-aged man with red-rimmed glasses (possibly named R. Kitajima per restaurant receipt).

The first issue happened when we asked a simple question about the buffet. We were just trying to understand what kinds of dishes were being served. Instead of engaging or offering any help, the host flatly repeated, “Menu is outside,” three or four times in English. He wasn’t irritated, but the repetition felt dismissive — like he just wanted to end the interaction and move on. It was unnecessarily cold and unhelpful.

Next, when we approached the same host to be seated, we were clearly three adults and a 4-month-old baby. He looked at us and asked, “Four people?” I clarified, “Three people and a baby,” and he gave a condescending laugh, saying, “So… four,” in a way that felt smug and belittling — like he was trying to make me feel foolish for clarifying. Again, it was subtle, but deeply off-putting.

Finally, when I returned alone to pay, I handed over (to the same host/cashier) the check with my credit card already placed in the folio. He then asked how I wanted to pay. I responded, “Card — it’s already in there,” but he looked confused and kept asking, while mumbling in Japanese under his breath. Only after opening the folio did he realize the card was there all along. Instead of acknowledging the oversight, he muttered again and placed the card down in front of me in a dismissive manner.

Then he asked, “What company?” I was confused, and asked what he meant. He raised his voice and repeated: “COMPANY! What company?!”, while pointing at the card — which he had just put down. It turned out he was referring to the card issuer (Visa, etc.), but again, he could have easily looked at the card himself rather than demanding it from me in that tone.

This wasn’t a language issue — I understand enough Japanese to catch the muttering, and the tone throughout wasn’t professional or courteous. There was a consistent pattern: from brushing off our questions, to the smugness at seating, to the passive-aggressive handling of payment. It left us with the distinct feeling that this manager didn’t want to be helpful, and even seemed to enjoy making guests feel uncomfortable.

After dozens of visits to Japan, I can say with full confidence that this was the most disappointing service experience I’ve had — not because of a single dramatic moment, but because of a steady string of small, avoidable behaviors that completely missed the mark on...

Ate at this restaurant (the only one open at the hotel) for dinner and breakfast buffet. Food was alright but dinner menu was eclectic which was fantastic but overpriced. Captured audience with limited nearby options. Staff is and maybe we just ordered the wrong items. Dessert... skip it. We tried the chocolate cake and the cake with fruit and ice cream. Both cakes were not good. They were so bad that we each ate only one bite from each. Go to the family mart inside the hotel and buy any sweet item and pay a tenth of the price and be much happier with...

We were looking for a place near the airport to have a relaxing lunch before departing. Weekdays they offer a "semi-buffet" which includes a main you can select from about 5 options and a small salad bar as well as curry, bread, desserts and drinks (coffee, tea, juice) The curry seems like the same as that served in the ANA lounge, which is quite good. Salad was fresh and the desserts small and tasty so you could have a couple without guilt 😆 At 3000 yen, it's a bit pricy but was a good option and if you have an ANA credit card, you can...