Toyama Express Japanese Restaurant — Restaurant in Charlotte

Tonight my husband and I took an out of town friend, Sam, to Toyama, and had the most bizarre experience... Sam's order was brought out to her with a side of spring rolls, and without the carrots that usually accompany it. The restaurant was fairly busy and there was a line, so we shrugged it off, and ate one of the spring rolls.

About fifteen minutes later, a server came out and berated us for not returning the spring rolls to the kitchen. Sam explained that she hadn't been there before and didn't know the spring rolls weren't included with her meal; the server repeatedly insisted that we pay for the spring rolls she hadn't ordered. We refused. The server then snatched up the remaining spring roll (with a bite missing) and stormed off.

But she wasn't done with us yet! The same server returned soon after to continue bullying Sam to pay for the spring rolls. Again Sam refused and asked to speak to a manager (conveniently not in tonight.) The server scolded that because of our "dishonesty," another angry customer inside had not received their order.

Choosing not to comment on the fact that we were not responsible for the kitchen correctly filling other customers' orders, I reminded the server that even if Sam returned the spring rolls, it would not have been food safe for them to serve the food she had touched to someone else. To the amusement of the other diners around us, the server continued to argue her point, ending by saying that "next time" we should do the honest thing and return the food that had been mistakenly brought to us.

There won't be a next time after the incredibly strange, rude way we were treated. It's a shame; we like the food and have gone to Toyama fairly often -- but there are plenty of other restaurants in town that will not harass their customers for a mistake made by the kitchen.

P.S. Two spring...

This place is amazinnnnng! Best food ive had in the university area. They give you a ton and I am always able to make two big meals out of it. They have the best shrimp sauce too. I buy it for when I make hibachi at home. I go once a week and usually get the steak and chicken habachi combo with fried rice, zucchini and onion and sweet carrots. I loveee the sweet carrots. Soo good. Highly recommended.

Update 3/13/18

I continue to go here at least once a week to get my hibachi fix. I loveee their food and the prices are hard to beat for the quanity & quality. I have read a ton of negative reviews on here about the staff being unfriendly and I decided to address that. The last half a dozen times or so I've gone in I have focused in on how they treated me as well as the other customers ordering and waiting while I was there. I must say I am lost and confused on why people say they arent friendly. Having worked in the food service business for many years I understand the stress and crazyness of the environment. They are ALWAYS packed and the place is a madhouse. People need to keep that in mind when they go here. Give them the benefit of the doubt that sometimes people become stressed out and may not be as friendly as someone who sits on their ass all day making 5x the hourly rate. The staff here do a great job and imo treat the customers well. The food however is fantastic.

5/8/18

Still go here weekly and...

I just spent $45.88 there at the Toyama and it will be the last of my money they get. They don’t offer a kids meal. So they suggested a side order. I got him the $5.25 side of shrimp. That was cooked with broccoli and seemed a fair portion. I asked for a shrimp sauce for his order and they wanted to charge me $1. I explained the he didn’t get it I wasn’t asking for extra. I understand if they charge for extra. The stated that even with $5.25 order of shrimp I had to pay if I wanted sauce. All I have to say is this, I bet it cost about .05 - .10 to make. I hope they enjoy the savings. Even one more visit from us would more than outweigh their loss due to stupidity. We typically eat out 3-4 times a week. With 3-6 people. We enjoy the strip mall style Japanese in Mt Island about once a month. I looked on the web for a place closer here in the UNCC area. We chose Tomaya because the picture looked a little nicer. Even though several are closer. Well, we will go to one of the others next time and based on our experience will make it our place. I hope Toyama enjoys their nickel cost savings. Oh, the food was ok. No better or worse than any other. Portions were good. Price was about $1 more for a combo than similar places we eat. $45.88 was 3 adults and a child. Service was fast in getting the food but a little disorganized in...