Ushigoro Ginza Namiki St. — Restaurant in Tokyo

This review is for management about the service on 7/14/2025. The meal itself was excellent, and the meat quality was top notch.

We arrived around 8 PM after seeing strong reviews online. Although Google indicated “reservations only,” we’d had luck with other yakiniku restaurants accepting walk-ins, and Tabelog showed a 9 PM slot still available. We decided to try in person first.

At the front booth, someone in front kindly informed us the restaurant was full but mentioned we could reserve a 9 PM slot online. We stepped aside to discuss, but by the time we decided to book, a different person had taken over.

This second person (the host)—wearing black-framed glasses and a wedding ring—refused our request to reserve the 9 PM slot, insisting the restaurant was fully booked. I explained the previous person had offered us that exact time, but he completely ignored. We sat down in the waiting area next to the elevator and booked the 9 PM slot ourselves on Tabelog.

What followed was nearly an hour of being ignored. The host never once acknowledged us or asked if we needed assistance, despite us sitting directly in front of the booth. Around 8:45 PM, another group of tourists came in, asked if they could wait for a table, and were turned away as well. Meanwhile, I walked past the dining area to use the restroom and clearly saw 3–4 empty tables.

The only commonality between us and the other group was that we were foreigners, which was concerning.

Just before 9 PM, I showed him my Tabelog confirmation, and he continued to avoid eye contact. Finally, a female staff member came to escort us to our table. She managed to take our orders and cooked some pieces for it. They switched people again and our experience shifted entirely thanks to our server, Nagaoka (this is what we could catch from the name tag).

He was friendly, attentive, and made thoughtful recommendations, even suggesting half portions when we started getting full. His grilling technique was excellent, and he was genuinely warm—everything the front host was not. We later recognized him as the original host who had initially helped us. Without even knowing it, Nagaoka singlehandedly turned our entire experience around. This man deserves a raise and recognition. He embodies the kind of hospitality that made us want to dine here in the first place.

On the other hand, management should seriously evaluate the conduct of the other host, as his attitude and behavior needs to be checked. As we left, I hoped to see the name tag of the front host, but he was no longer at the booth. I didn’t catch his name, but he was the only one working there that evening with black-framed glasses and a...

Very bad experience as a tourist at this place. We had high expectations for the place, though the food was good, the service is absolutely the worst if you are a tourist. We had to wait 10-15 mins between each serving of the meat.. Come on, it’s cut meat why take that long? And at each serving of the meat, there is no explanation not even a single word at all about what’s served. Is that how Japanese people treat foreigners? Where is the manners??? We had no more interest to order anything further after first round of ordering. If you are tourist, please don’t come to this place and there are way better places to go rather than been cold treated at this kind of place. Will definitely never ever come back again and ask...

the one star is only for my poor experience of deduction of full course set without having the meal! :( I have booked yesterday's meal at 8:30 pm. via tablecheck. As I was in4 Kawaguchiko yesterday, I have bought 17:18 bus ticket and should arrive at Tokyo Station at 19:05. However donno why there is serious traffic jam, I arrived at Tokyo Station at 21:30!! I have only data card so I cannot call the restaurant in the bus. Finally I can only cancel the reservation in tablecheck and 100% of meal is being charged finally. I really want to try the beef in the restaurant but finally I missed the chance to try the food and I was charged as well . Therefore I have learnt a lesson that NEVER make reservation if you are...