SUGI — Restaurant in Makati

I chose Sugi for my boyfriend’s birthday lunch because of how special the restaurant was to him — he had many childhood memories dining there with his family, and he was also craving Japanese food. We made a reservation via SMS and were properly seated. Unfortunately, what should’ve been a sentimental and enjoyable meal was completely soured by poor service and a disappointing experience.

As a vegan, I was initially relieved to see that Sugi offers a separate vegetarian/vegan menu. I asked our initial server, Lhen, for that menu and made it clear throughout the meal that I could not consume animal products. I ordered the vegetable tempura, which Lhen assured could be made without egg, and I appreciated that she informed the kitchen accordingly.

Later, I ordered the vegetarian futomaki, carefully chosen from the vegetarian menu. When it arrived, however, it shockingly contained crab sticks. I asked Ann, the server who brought the food to the table, why it had that ingredient when it was clearly listed as vegetarian. Instead of offering any apology or assistance, she replied with a snarky tone, saying it came from the main menu — implying that the mistake was somehow mine. This was incredibly frustrating and confusing, especially since Ann herself had earlier confirmed with me that I didn’t want any egg and was pointing at the futo maki on the vegetarian menu, so it was clear she was aware of my dietary restrictions.

While they eventually took the dish back to the kitchen, the damage was done. The mood had already shifted. And what truly crossed the line was seeing Ann and Lhen exchange looks and whisper something across the room while glancing at our table — followed by a judgmental, disgusted facial expression in our direction. It felt like we were being mocked or gossiped about just for asking for something to be corrected — something that should have never happened if my dietary instructions were taken seriously from the start. I never even received an apology for the mix-up, the attitude, or the way we were treated.

This behavior is unacceptable in any restaurant, especially one with Sugi’s reputation. Service like this — dismissive, condescending, and unprofessional — ruins not just a meal but an important occasion. What should have been a nostalgic and happy birthday lunch turned into something we’d rather forget.

Unless serious changes are made in how customers are treated — particularly those with dietary needs — we won’t be returning. I hope Sugi’s management sees this and takes it seriously. A nice restaurant is more than just good food; it’s also about how you make your guests feel. And on that front, they failed...

I am writing to respectfully draw your attention to your weekend reservation policy, following an unfortunate experience my family and I had today—Father’s Day, one of the most significant days of the year.

We planned a special celebration at SUGI and were informed that reservations are not accepted on weekends. To ensure we secured a table, we arrived before your 11:00 AM opening. However, upon arrival, we were surprised to see guests already seated—despite numerous vacant tables—and were told by the receptionist that those tables had been reserved in advance.

This directly contradicted the “first-come, first-served” policy we were told. Instead of being welcomed, we were met with implausible explanations attempting to justify the situation. As you can imagine, this was particularly distressing given that we were celebrating with our 90‑year‑old father, who uses a wheelchair. What was meant to be a joyful occasion turned into a traumatic and stressful experience for our family.

We urge SUGI Makati management to urgently review and address your weekend reservation policy. If reservations are truly not allowed, the policy must be enforced consistently. At present, it appears that the rules are being arbitrarily applied, leading to disappointment and distress for...

I had the worst experience at this restaurant. I ordered Ikura, and was having difficulty with my chopsticks because it was rather wet. I then asked the manager (possibly the owner) for a spoon so I can easily eat the Ikura as I was having difficulty. When she came to give me the spoon, I bashfully told her I know how to use chopsticks, just not easy with the wet ikura. She then told me very loudly, "Well you're at a Japanese restaurant. You should know how to use chopsticks." She then condescendingly said, "I can give you training chopsticks for kids". The worst part is how loud she was talking, and all the other customers were looking at us. It was very humiliating and insulting. I will never go back nor will I ever recommend Sugi to anyone. If they had served their Ikura correctly like other better Japanese restaurants, I wouldn't have needed a spoon in the first place. Very disrespectful! I think the manager/owner needs some customer...