Trattoria Vivace Ebisu — Restaurant in Tokyo

The whole experience in this place felt like I was not in Japan anymore. Not because of the rustic European decor, but the shockingly lackluster food quality and service.

The daily special grilled beef costs 2100 yen and I have never had a worse piece of beef in my life. For the first time ever, I struggled finishing a grilled beef plate. I regularly buy the cheapest beef from Gyomu and cook it in the cheapest pan, and it tastes 10 times better than this. It was so tough and chewy that my jaw still hurts hours after. And they have the galls to charge 2100 yen for this abomination!

It gets worse, they also charge 550 yen each for cover charge. Normally, when restaurants charge this in Japan, they bring you a small welcome plate. They didn't even bother here! Just a 1100 yen surplus in our check for nothing.

I am adding a second star because the food arrived fast and the roast duck plate that followed our beef was actually not bad. Or maybe it felt like the softest piece of meat on earth after that beef. Honestly, it takes effort to serve a beef that tough. Did you go hunt a buffalo in the mountains of Tibet or something?

All in all, I never thought I would have said this but do yourself and your wallet a favor and go to Saizeriya instead. 1 small appetizer+2 main (including an inedible 1)+ 3 glasses of wine...

【驚きの広さと美味しさ】

Tucked away just minutes from Ebisu Station, Trattoria Vivace Ebisu surprises with its unexpectedly spacious dining area hidden beyond the entrance. Despite the intimate front room, the back opens up to a larger space perfect for casual gatherings. The meal began with a refreshing green salad and a medley of marinated olives, followed by a rich and creamy liver pâté served with rustic bread – each bite smooth and flavorful. The vegetable spaghetti arrived al dente, perfectly coated in a fragrant olive oil and topped with a generous dusting of Parmesan. The highlight, however, was the tender chicken simmered in a rich tomato sauce – comforting and robust. Dessert was a silky panna cotta, delicately sweet with a hint of vanilla.

Service was attentive, with dishes arriving promptly, but the overly loud music made it difficult to maintain a conversation without straining our voices – a minor but noticeable distraction. Despite that, the overall experience was satisfying, with thoughtfully prepared Italian fare and welcoming service.

【Features】 🚃 3 minutes walk from Ebisu Station 🍽️ Order: Vegetable Spaghetti, Chicken in Tomato Sauce, Panna Cotta 👫🏻 Moderate wait time 🎵 Music played: Cozy but too loud for conversation 💰 Payment: ✅Cash and Credit Card 🔙 Would I visit...

Truly had the worst service I’ve ever experienced in Japan here.

It initially caught my attention when the young waiter brought my beer and it was dripping beer noticeably down the side of my glass.

Our waiter was then fairly in attentive literally just staring off into space. It wasn’t busy but he was clearly not present.

We initially got our appetizers quickly but after that, no food came out for a long time. We finally asked and turns out our waiter either didn’t put the order in or didn’t communicate that the kitchen should start working on it.

Either way, he had no clue we didn’t get out food or how long we had been waiting. This shows an absurd lack of caring.

As for the food, it was subpar for the most part. In particular, the yellowtail carpaccio was disgusting—it tasted very fishy and I honestly wonder if anyone In the kitchen even tried the fish before serving.

0/10 overall. This restaurant really should look into who they hire and how they train their staff. Truly bad experience and a lack of caring for the customer shown by...