wagamama richmond — Restaurant in London

Sadly my experience was disappointing. For context, this used to be one of my favourite chains but coming back for the first time in a while, I was surprised by the staggering drop in the quality of the dishes. However, our server Amelie was wonderful and attentive and I couldn't fault her which is what saved my review from 1 stars, although I have outlined below some issues with the service that we did have.

For a side we ordered the crispy chilli mushrooms, which were bland and the dipping sauce was uninspired and lacking in any kind of depth. The main problem for me, however, was that the majority of the dish was just batter scraps from the deep fryer, not actual mushrooms. When I say this was the majority of the dish, this is no exaggeration, this made up the bigger proportion of the dish. Whilst batter scraps could be argued by some to be enjoyable, it certainly made the dish feel cheap and unrefined. I just wish there had been larger chunks of the actual oyster mushrooms as this is what I actually ordered and what I was interested in.

For my main I had the tantanmen beef brisket ramen which has the slightly higher pricepoint of £17. Again, the broth was lacking in flavour, but - even worse - the noodles themselves were stodgy and starchy. As someone who is passionate about ramen, this dish was a travesty, and I would pick Shin Ramen cup noodles any day of what Wagamama served to me this evening. Moreover, the half egg garnished on the top was cold and seemed like it had just come out a fridge without being warmed. This is such a pet-peeve of mine, and a very easy thing to get right. Similarly, the dish wasn't served piping hot and was slightly too cool for my liking. The beef was okay, though again bland, and I also felt that the amount of ingredients in the actual dish didn't really justify the price. I really regret not sending this dish back in hindsight, but I was just ravenously hungry and had been waiting a while for it and just in the moment couldn't be bothered. The three people who I was with, whilst I can't speak first-hand about their food, they all echoed the sentiment that their food was bland and disappointing.

Perhaps the worst aspect of our experience was the large gaps between each person's main being served to them. I understand that this is how Wagamama operates and I would be willing to embrace this aspect if it wasn't taken too far. Though we ordered at the same time, I'd totally finished my main before my friend had received hers which just showcases how extreme this service style can be. This really disrupted our experience as dining out should be a shared experience of good food. It becomes very awkward for everyone dining if some have their food, whilst others are waiting long periods of time. In our case it was far too long.

Sadly, I think Wagamama is well past its prime, and what once was a really enjoyable, high-quality restaurant may have become overpriced and lacking standards. In fairness, our server was lovely, and the branding/space/and menus were all great, but following my experience here this evening, I am very unlikely to return to a...

STAFF: The staff here are always incredibly friendly and attentive. They’re efficient and never have I felt uncomfortable or nervous talking to them. They’re helpful and are happy to engage with customers and they help aid the already lovely atmosphere.

FOOD: The food here is great! Always warm - my orders have never been mixed up and the menu’s are always up to date with all the newest additions. I haven’t tried everything on the menu but the foods I have had: Bao Buns, Katsu curry, noodles, kokopanko chicken, squid etc.. are all amazing. Portions are pretty hefty but I’d rather have more than less and you get a nice lil container if you want to takeaway food you weren’t able to finish. Great veggie options but you need to like the cuisine.

ATMOSPHERE: the restaurant is quite small but I’ve never felt the need to book a reservation. I’ve always managed to get a seat (with friends) even during busy shifts. Despite the place being small the ambiance makes up for it and somehow talking & loud noises don’t seem to travel all that much. As it’s a Wagamama’s they have their signature long benches and there aren’t a lot of spaces for very intimate spots - always shared tables. But they have a couple of grouped family tables in the corners.

PARKING/LOCATION: I’ve never come here by car and while I do know that Richmond has plenty of car parks dotted around I’d tell you to be prepared for a pretty lengthy walk. I wouldn’t mind as the scenery in this specific part of Richmond is really nice but if you’re not into that you might be better off choosing another spot. It’s a long walk from the train station as well. The restaurant is situated smack bang in the middle of the highstreet opposite a Waterstones and near some shops that are very close to the green - incredibly scenic. Also a minute...

Poor Service and Disrespectful Management We booked a table for 7PM and were told to arrive 15 minutes early, not as a courtesy, but because, in the manager’s words, “if you're not here by 7:15PM, I’ll give your table to someone else.” Charming.

When we arrived (before 7PM), we were greeted by a foul smell and a swarm of flies at the entrance. We still continoued up the stairs. We informed a young waitress that we had a reservation for five people, and she seemed confused. She called the manager by the name of Nero. This was the same man who took our booking, who then proceeded to scold her harshly in front of us for not knowing where to seat us. He ordered her to clean a table near the kitchen, which clearly looked like where staff normally take their meals.

We politely asked for a better table in the main dining area, and Nero flatly refused, telling us we’d have to wait. When we reminded him we had a reservation, he said, “I have one here for you, you didn't give me a preference” pointing to the table by the kitchen. We declined as it was not a suitable place to dine, and were again refused any alternative.

We left and told him we’d be making a complaint. Appalling service, unprofessional management, and zero regard for basic...