Kotoyama Ramen & Sushi — Restaurant in Carmel

Went to this restaurant the first time was great waitress was magnificent. Loved the service and the food even went the extra mile to bag my to go items and ofc this waiter received a tip for his outstanding service. Went today and the waitress we had this time wasn’t really overly great. He didn’t check to see if the food was good for us until we asked for a check. Also felt like he was rushing us to order by asking if we were ready to when we sat down not even 5 minutes ago. And when it came to him servicing his other tables to leave the only thing he checked was the receipt to see if he had a tip. I asked him could he pack my food like the waitress last time and he didn’t even seem like he wanted to. I could tell the only thing he was worried about was his tip after seeing him check the other tables receipt. So when it came time to collect the check, the bill was paid and we proceeded to leave while he was standing there waiting for us to leave the table. The waitress then proceeded to follow us out of the door and say “excuse was there something wrong with my service are you forgetting something.” With the check in his hand and the pen. I proceeded to inform him a tip is not mandatory and we were not obligated to give him one especially considering that , that was all he was looking for. And asked him if it was mandatory and all he could do is stand there and say yes with the pen in his hand. When it states nowhere on the receipt that a tip is mandatory. Sad to say I won’t be going here anymore considering that this is the only reason they act pleased to service you. It should never be a moment where you are being followed and almost harassed...

My mom and I decided to spend a night in and try a new ramen place so we ordered online and went to pick it up right at the pick-up time. Once I walked in, I was told that our meal was given to a Doordash worker and needed to be remade. Alright, that's fine, it happens. It took 20 mins to reinput our meal and the manager sounded like they were confused as to how we placed our order. On top of that, our order came out to a higher total than we paid online and they had to change the total so it matched. It was another 20 mins before it was ready. Our food was ready and I asked if our drinks were in the bag. I was told "you didn't have any drinks" and then once I pointed them out, they only made me one. I asked for the second and got it a few minutes later. Just making the drinks took about 10 minutes.

I finally got our food home and unpacked everything but found out that two items were missing from our order. We had waited 45mins plus another 40 once we got there and were missing food.

The ramen is good, the drinks are fine, but if I were to come back, I would have to eat in the restaurant and not order take out. I work as a waitress and know its tough, but it felt like I was the BIGGEST inconvenience to them by asking for what we ordered and paid for. I know this location is fairly new, but there is definitely a few kinks they need...

If you love japanese culture, food, or just want an authentic experience with magnificent decor this is an absolutely wonderful place to go. First of all the food was superb, I mourn for not having two stomachs. Secondly, every single person that works here is an absolute gem along with having a great sense of customer service without acting as if they're automatons. If you come here one thing you HAVE to try is the Sake bomb. It's delicious, an interesting culture drink, and flat out fun. I won't give it away, but I even convinced one of the workers to do it for me just to see how it supposed to be done lol. Lastly, with the One Piece mural/seasoned by category on the wall as well as the rest of the decor is phenomenal. I may be slighly biased, but I can almost guarantee if anyone were to walk in and look around they'd appreciate along with love the decor/vibes this place has to offer. Overall this is by far one the most incredible places to relax, engage, and enjoy. So if you happen to be on the fence deciding where to go, I would highly advise not allowing an atom of hesitation to enter your essence when considering Kotoyama Ramen & Sushi. From the bottom of my heart I promise you won't be...