Genki Ya - Brookline — Restaurant in Brookline

TL;DR: This place shamelessly charged a completely unjustified “big party fee” to three 12-year-old kids. This kind of brazen, dishonest behavior — exploiting children just because they can — is disgraceful and inexcusable.

My 12-year-old son and two of his friends went to eat at this restaurant, and to our shock, they were charged a “big party fee” – an outrageous and completely unjustifiable charge for a group of just three children. There is absolutely no way a party of three should qualify for any kind of “large group” fee.

Afterwards, I called the restaurant to ask from what group size they start applying this fee. They told me it only applies to parties of six or more. So why was it charged to a group of three kids? It’s hard to see this as anything but an attempt to take advantage of children who may not know better or feel confident enough to question the bill.

This kind of behavior is not just unprofessional – it’s dishonest, exploitative, and deeply inappropriate.

Parents, be warned: do not let your kids go here alone.

As adults, we will also be staying far away from any business that behaves with such nerve, dishonesty, and apparent disregard for basic...

Went to this place hearing the good reviews. We were seated quickly but it took a good 40 minutes for the server to take our order and another 45 minutes to receive the food. The teriyaki beef that they served was very tough and rubbery, lacked any flavor. The sushi was average. The Mai tai was watered down and not aesthetically appealing too. No one came to check on us to see how the food was or how we were doing. Also waited another half an hour for the dishes to be cleared and for the check. Overall it was an unpleasant experience for a place I had higher expectations for. The server ran behind us to ask where’s the tip? In a rude manner as if he was entitled to receive it regardless. I replied calmly that the service was poor, and he said something under his breath rather than clarifying what was lacking. Train your staff to deliver prompt service, to be polite to customers and make them feel welcome in the first place. Quality of food must be improved based on the menu prices. Wouldn’t return and ruin...

I've ordered their salmon roll, eel roll, and crazy maki and loved it each time. Their portions are generous, the fish is always fresh, and the presentation is attractive. I would say Genki Ya offers the best sushi I've had in Boston so far.

In terms of hot food, I recommend the agedashi tofu, which comes with a delicious and fragrant broth. It's filling enough to be its own (decently healthy) meal paired with rice even though it's listed as an appetizer.

The Japanese curry chicken katsu also comes with a great portion, and the chicken is nicely crisp without being greasy or overly salty.

When I ordered the curry chicken, the restaurant kindly gave me a complimentary miso soup, which was tasty and not overly salty like so many miso soups I've had at other Japanese...