HOKKAIDO CUISINE KAMUY — Restaurant in Sapporo

We came for Apéro (wine and snacks) and had an extremely disappointing experience. The venue was supposed to open at 3pm; we arrived at 3:15pm, but the entrance was still closed. Staff were present, but no one acknowledged us. My wife had to call out to one of the workers as the floor staff (wearing a Sommelier badge) completely ignored us. From the outset, his attitude was unwelcoming and dismissive.

When he finally sat us, he immediately started listing items they didn’t have from their menu. My wife inquired about Japanese wines, which he eventually brought. However, when we asked about the 5 appetisers plate, it took him an unusually long time to provide an answer. After that, he ignored us for a considerable amount of time until, again, my wife had to call him over.

We then asked to sample a wine, but he was visibly reluctant, making us feel like we were an inconvenience. We eventually gave up and ordered food, including the appetisers and a terrine, to which he curtly replied that they were also unavailable.

His unwillingness to serve us, lack of professionalism, and dismissive demeanour left us feeling unwelcome. It was clear he either didn’t want us there, didn’t want to be there himself, or perhaps both. Ultimately, we decided to leave, as we didn’t want to spend our hard-earned money at a place that made us feel so unwanted.

A very disappointing experience that we will not...

Disappointing Experience Despite Good Location

The location is excellent and the food is decent—above average but nothing particularly memorable. However, the service and hygiene were shockingly poor and completely ruined the experience.

First, the chef was training an apprentice right in front of the counter seats, where customers could see everything. The entire scene was chaotic, rushed, and frankly unprofessional. At one point, vegetables were dropped on the counter and still picked up and plated as if nothing had happened. This is unacceptable for any establishment that charges premium prices.

Second, there were numerous small flies around the counter, a clear sign of poor sanitation. For a restaurant of this caliber and in this location, it’s disgraceful not to have proper hygiene control.

Lastly, one of the staff members was loudly chatting with a customer who was clearly a friend, disrupting the otherwise quiet atmosphere. The conversation was casual, loud, and completely inappropriate for a professional dining setting.

Overall, this was a very disappointing experience. I will not be returning, and I cannot recommend this place to anyone who expects basic cleanliness and professional service—no matter how good the...

Arriving just after opening, I came in and politely asked if we could have dinner without a reservation. The staff in charge was unfriendly and unpleasant. We had planned to eat, but after his attitude, we only ordered drinks. When he later came to take our order, we decided to leave for another place. After explaining, he coldly said that if we weren’t ordering food, we’d have to give up the table when other guests arrived—despite the restaurant being almost empty. Passive-aggressive at best.

In contrast, the new staff member was friendly, though it seemed they hadn’t been briefed properly before taking orders.

The person in charge shouldn’t be on the floor. A shame, considering the stylish interior and...