Woodfire Jotic — Restaurant in Johor

Visited here from SG as we heard good reviews about the food. Walked in as a family of 8 people at around 8.15pm on a Sunday. We assumed it was a free seating as there was nobody at the entrance to attend to customers. As there was a long queue, we entered to find a seat. One of the workers stopped us and said we must place an order before finding a seat. Theres no waiting area, just a queue leading out of the restaurant. We were confused as that meant all 8 of us had to stand in the queue, and theres a high chance that once we placed our order there wouldnt be a table available for us. Sure enough, once it was our turn in queue, there wasnt a table available to accommodate 8 of us. We resorted to splitting into two tables, which is fine but could have been avoided if they had a proper seating system in the first place (like other restaurants). While we were queueing, we observed other patrons walk in and proceeded to “chope” a table. Not sure why theres a difference in treatment, it is up to the restaurant to provide the explanation. We also observed other unhappy patrons who were left stranded with no tables but had already ordered their food.

This problem could easily be avoided if workers seated the customers upon entry, ensuring customers have a seat when their food arrives and controlling the crowd.

Is the food quality enough to make up for the unpleasant experience?

We received our food at approx 9.15pm after prompting them about our order. We werent bothered by the wait as we only had waited about 40 minutes. (note: we ordered 3 burgers and some fries and drinks) We approached the workers as we noticed multiple families who ordered after us getting their food way before we did. I politely asked what the eta for our food was and was given a dirty look by the worker with him sternly saying “wait.” without looking at my order. The cherry on top was finding hair in the burger (see image of the shroom burger). We decided it was a waste of time and energy to pursue so we just ate quickly and left.

All-in-all, the food quality was not bad. But was it worth the unpleasant experience? I dont think we’re ever coming...

I ordered the stuffed cheese. I like the beef patty as it was juicy and tender. The bun was soft too. But, as I read the menu, the gourmet and stuffed cheese doesn’t have much difference. The difference was only the sauce where gourmet burger uses salted egg sauce and the stuffed cheese uses beef coney sauce. I was expecting the stuffed cheese to have a literal stuffed cheese lol. It was just one slice. And the sauce was wayyyy too sour to my liking. I’m so sorry, but the sourness was too overwhelming for me. Maybe I should have ordered another menu.

I asked whether it is halal when I first arrived. And the staff said “of course it is halal”, but they didn’t put any certification, so I had to look it up online.

We asked about what is beef coney sauce and the staff answered “it’s a beef sauce” 😅

We asked whether it contains any nuts as my friend has nut allergies. He just said that it doesn’t contain any nuts without providing further info, so we had to ask each ingredient.

I completely understand that people can be tired or have personal problems. But, it’s not that I did something wrong, right?😅 I made sure I asked politely. I have never complained about customer service. I am not asking to be treated politely. But, please just treat me the way you want to be treated as a person🥹

I am so sorry if it was annoying to ask about halal certification and product information. It would’ve been better if you just put the info on the menu if it was bothering when someone asked.

I am so sorry😞 I completely understand that the staff might have a bad day or worked too hard...

I am writing to express my deep concern regarding an unfortunate experience we had today, 10th July 2025, with an order placed at your Stadium JDT, Johor branch.

As part of a team lunch, we ordered 15 Stuffed Cheesy Chicken Burgers as part of the meal, assuming — based on the name and description — that these were entirely chicken-based. However, only after consumption did we learn that the spicy sauce used in the burger contains beef.

This lack of clear ingredient disclosure has caused significant discomfort and distress, especially for team members who strictly avoid beef due to religious reasons. In a country like Malaysia, where we pride ourselves on being a multi-racial and multi-religious community, it is crucial for food establishments to be sensitive and transparent about ingredients that may conflict with customers' dietary restrictions and beliefs.

As a food service provider, it is your responsibility to ensure that all non-obvious ingredients — particularly meat-based additives or sauces — are clearly communicated on the menu or by staff at the point of order. This oversight has not only shaken our confidence in your brand but has also put several individuals in a highly uncomfortable and distressing situation.

We urge your team to take this matter seriously and implement immediate improvements to your menu labeling and customer communication. Transparency around ingredients is not just good service — it is a matter of respect, trust, and cultural...