Karaage — Restaurant in Metropolitan Borough of Solihull

Shockingly bad customer service and below average food Was excited to try this “restaurant” however the 15-20 minute wait just to be seated killed the excitement. Plenty of tables and many staff walking about. Wasn’t busy either so couldn’t really understand what we were waiting for!!!? We weren’t even acknowledged - seemed to be many employees walking about but not one even gave eye contact or spoke to us which was really rude. Contemplated leaved but decided to give it a chance. Eventually got seated and was waved over to a table, again with very little conversation or acknowledgement by what I assumed was the “manager”. Again, unimpressed - we were so close to just leaving and heading over to five guys. We persevered and eventually ordered a couple of starters - miso soup, dumplings and one burger/chips to share as we just wanted a little something to eat rather than a full on meal each and a couple of cokes which came to £30! The dumplings were okay, chips were about the best thing on the lot. The Katsu chicken burger was SO over cooked and dry it was barely edible, pretty disgusting and the coke tasted so weird. Like a cheap knock off cola rather than the Coke Zero it was apparently meant to be. The staff were all extremely unenthusiastic and unattentive so when the bill came and they had automatically added a 10% service charge on we couldn’t believe it! They did absolutely zero to deserve anything in the way of a tip. The only tip I have for them is try and treat customers like people and help them to have a nice experience. judging by the conversations on other tables we weren’t the only ones who were beyond disappointed with the experience start to finish. The waitress then came to take payment after we’d asked for the bill and again looked miserable as sin and didn’t even look at us or say thank you! Safe to say we would never come back to this dire excuse of a restaurant and would never recommend it to anyone. Customer service none existent and food very below average. McDonald’s drive through would have be more palatable and pleasant. The staff either clearly don’t want to be there or require some pretty intense training in customer service and how to wait on tables. Advice - Go across the way to Zizzi...

At first glance the restaurant seemed really nice, decor was nice and bright lighting. The moment I sat down I noticed how unclean the restaurant was at the table we were given. There were bits of food left over the floor at the base of the table, sticky table tops, dirty cutlery in the cutlery bowl. That should have been the red flag for us to walk out and try something else but I so wanted to give it the benefit of the doubt.

Service staff really seemed like they need guidance that they weren't getting. Drinks and food were ordered and had to be reminded since they forgot the drinks and forgot one of the food orders we gave.

Now to the food, ordered

VEGETABLE GYOZA FRIED CHICKEN BAO SOSU AE KATSU BITES one with katsu curry and one with sweet chilli CHICKEN KATSU CURRY DAIMYO SINGLE BURGER SHOGUN DOUBLE BURGER with tonkatsu sauce CHICKEN CHAHAN FURIKAKE FRIES

I must say that the salad I received with all the dishes, looked extremely tired. Also that all the dishes that had sauce included, it wasn't enough. Food was very dry.

Vegetable gyoza did taste nice.

The fries chicken bao was nice, salad was tired, not enough sauce in the bao. Sosu ae katsu bites with curry sauce, firstly there wasn't enough sauce and the sauce it self was extremely salty. The ones with sweet chilli, the chicken was over cooked and dried out.

Chicken katsu curry, the chicken was very dry. The daimyo single burger was served terribly. The salad was falling out the burger and the chicken and the top bun wasn't even positioned in a single tower, it looked like a worse version of the leaning tower of Pisa, very dishonourable.

The shougun double burger was very dry even with the tonkatsu sauce. There wasn't enough, chicken within the dishes were all bland. Karaage chicken has flavour when marinated.

This is a commercialised restaurant with a brand that doesn't reflect the true tradition, honour and integrity from Japan in serving food as well as running an clean environment to eat in.

If people want to experience actually Japanese food and hospitality then they will have to venture further out, this is no where near close.

Went with hopes but sadly won't be...

We were so disapointed in this place after looking forward to going here. We waited outside for 10 mins unsure if we could seat ourselves. I went in and was told they werent seating anyone as they were behind. The place was half empty i counted at least 7 empty tables the seats by the bar plus all of outside seating was empty. (surely it would have been better to seat people and explain the wait). We didnt mind the wait and we let others know about the situation as a que started to form. Most were unwilling to wait and went to zizi instead ( about 10 customers) after 10 mins a party of 9 came along and went in to ask if they could facilitate their party. After returning the party decided that they didnt want to wait and also went to zizi. In this time we have watched the staff inside seeming to be in no hurry. A waitress comes out and asks if were the party of 9 we explain no and that they went elsewhere. She says oh and goes back inside. A waiter comes out a couple mins later and asks us the same again so once again we explain no were a 4 and the 9 have gone elsewhere. As he goes to turn back inside we make it aparent that we are slightly annoyed that they would seat a party of 9 that came after us when we have been waiting for a while. He decides to seat us. Both food and drinks were ok nothing special. The hanami highball was pretty good but the bubble teas not great. Food was luke warm not really hot. It also came out staggered over 15 mins. Whilst eating we observed the staff. Numerous times we spotted 2-3 female members chatting in the middle of the floor. 2 member were walking around eating. 2 were drinking in the middle of the floor including the manager at one point. Eventualy a staff member ( the blue haired girl) noticed that i was looking at them and quickly came over to see if i needed something. For somewhere that charges a 10% service charge you would expect more service and...