Nihon Cafe Bel Air — Restaurant in Makati

Definitely NOT recommended!!!

Arrived around 2am. We placed our order and used card payment, they said their POS is having some latency. We then decided to pay for cash in 1k for a 380+ bill, then they told us that they don’t have any change sounding pissed. Few minutes after we sat down in front of the counter, one of the bartenders just casually tapped my partner and said ‘mam, yung card ulit.’ (No excuse me, no apologies or explanation that the first payment failed.)

Menu does not indicate Hot/Cold drinks so I asked the staff if all the drinks available are iced, they said they can serve it hot/warm too. I ordered 1 Iced drink and 1 warm. When they served both drinks, 1 was iced as requested while the other one was served with ‘warm’ water and ‘ice’ on it. I approached the other bartender about it and just answered me ‘warm water naman po ginamit namin. Nilagyan ko lang ng ice.’ (I was literally speechless and walked away trying not to make a scene especially with other customers around.)

There was no indication anywhere on the establishment about a SERVICE CHARGE being applied, yet there it is on the receipt!

They’re LAZY. When we arrived there, a couple of tables were already available but the used utensils were still there. Seems like they won’t clean the tables right away until another customer arrives. So much for customer service.

Drinks are overpriced for its taste and quality. Tasted like powdered coffee with flavored syrup...

I visited the Makati BGC branch last Sunday, October 19, after my friend found the café on TikTok and wanted to try it out. Since we were already in the area and saw that they had Wi-Fi and parking, we thought it’d be a nice spot to do some work.

But honestly, the experience was really disappointing. As soon as we entered, I noticed a few cockroaches around the café. There weren’t any other customers, so we waited at the counter, and while waiting, I saw more cockroaches on the walls, cabinets, tables, and even near the cups! What shocked me most was that the cashier actually used one of those cups to serve the matcha my friend ordered.

I pointed it out to the cashier, but the only response I got was that the cockroaches were there “because it was raining.” Really? As someone who also works in the hotel and restaurant industry, I know that’s not an acceptable reason. Cleanliness and sanitation should always be a top priority, especially in a food business.

I decided not to order anything after that, but my friend still went ahead since we were already there but we no longer stayed as the cockroaches were really there even on the tables for customers. It’s a shame, because the café’s location and vibe are actually nice, but the hygiene issue completely ruined it for me. I really hope management takes this seriously and addresses the cleanliness...

If you like a place that is open for 24 hours, this is a good place to go.

I can’t really comment about the food since we just ordered takoyaki with cheese. The sauce was nice, however I didn’t really taste the cheese. The takoyaki balls are average serving size. It has a weird aftertaste though.

Our friend noticed that the chopsticks served to him has food stains which is indicative of unsanitary washing of their utensils. Their sink was filled with used plates and mugs/glasses together with the chopsticks and other utensils. Which is a bit concerning because their sink is right next to their espresso maker and cashier. So it is very noticeable when you go inside to order.

Their coffee is very bad. It had a bad aftertaste which is indicative of old beans and/or spoiled beans. The serving was big for the price. But if you’re a coffee fan: Stay. Away. From. This. Place. It’s not worth your time.

Their main dining area is al fresco so be prepared to have street dwellers ask you for drinks/food/money.

Their restroom is very dirty. Which is unsurprising since their front-of-house is also dirty, be prepared to hold your pee.

Pick this place if you really don’t have...