Izakaya Meiji Co. — Restaurant in Eugene

You guys! these people make one of the best Ginger soda or mocktail ingredients around. You got a $5 deposit on a bottle and then it's I think 16 or 20 for either a pint or a quart. I love their food I love this ginger add-on even more. I've made ginger lime margaritas, ginger sodas, And I actually have trouble drinking straight water and staying hydrated I just put a tiny bit of this in my 21 ounce water bottle and I have had been so hydrated!

The food is lovely, though the portions are a little small for the price point.

They're cocktails are well balanced, they have an incredible whiskey selection and I love their sake selection as well.

The atmosphere is incredible. This is definitely a spot that is decorated in such a way that it could easily fit in in New York or Chicago. Hah except it's a lot bigger.

I hardly ever go out anymore, but one of my friends drove down from Portland and we decided to celebrate here. My server was, nice, they had a really cute outfit on, but seem like they were having a really hard day. It's not that it was really busy it just must have been something personal. It felt like they didn't want to be there. Which, as a fellow human I get, I have also been a bartender and a waitress and some days are just rough. However, as a patron, since I hardly ever go out it was kind of sad for me. This is my one night out for the month and it was sub par.

Examples: (Not trying to nitpick just wanted to give a constructive and honest review)

The menus here are beautiful but they're kind of heavy, and they threw the leather menus down and it kind of scared my friend.

Tonality, When we asked for things I felt like I was bothering them. This might not have been the case, different people have different tone inflections in their voice, But again, my friend also felt this way. I think authenticity is really beautiful, and needed for us to have honest reflection in all kinds of interactions, however, in customer service, putting on a little bit of a persona to help your patrons have a nice evening, I personally think helps to create a more easeful atmosphere.

When we ordered another round, they forgot. They told us they were going on break, which is fine we were talking and going to be there anyway so we just waited. But when they got back it didn't really seem like they were abashed, or sorry. ( Now, to be fair they did say that they were sorry but again that comes down to tone of voice and delivery) You can say "I'm sorry", and then you can throw out a "oops sorry".

All of this to say I had a lovely time with my friend, and again, this might have just been an off everything for this person. This is my perception, not a fact, take it with a grain of salt, heh or miso.

But when Google asked me to review this was my authentic experience. Who knows, is it better constructive criticism to have a conversation with the person in the moment the evening you're there, or is it better to have some space to reflect on a Google review?

Overall I will definitely be back, I...

I came here for my birthday last night with my parents and friend. We arrived at 6:30, asking for a table for 4. We were told there would be a 30 minute wait for an outside table, of 45 minute wait for an inside table. We were placed at a standing table outside while waited. During this time, we were given limited service with no communication about our table we were waiting on. I told the server it was my birthday, which he quickly acknowledged, and then walked away.

An hour later after standing in the cold, I asked the server about our waiting time. We watched as groups of 2 were immediately being seated at tables that could accomodate 4 people. I didn't want to be rude- but we had been standing there for a long time with my older parents. A different server asked for our name, went to check with the hostess, who exchanged confused glances. We had been forgotten, and were told we would be put at a table, inside or outside, next.

We were seated at 7:50, inside. The new server took our orders, and the dish on the specials menu that I had chosen "ran out 30 minutes ago". I ordered a Nigiri and a chicken skewer, which came out a few minutes later. As I ate the chicken skewer it seemed a bit rare, but I wasn't concerned until I looked at the biggest chunk on the small skewer. In the dim lighting I had to shine my phone light on it, and it was obviously pink and undercooked. The server took back my plate, and again, I didn't want to be rude, so I didn't say anything, but it was obvious that the chicken was undercooked.

Eventually the rest of the plates came out, which were extremely underwhelming, including a salmon Massaman curry, which was really bad.

At 9:00 we asked for the bill, and the server was confused why we didn't want a dessert menu. We were so jaded by our 2.5 hour experience at that point, we just wanted to leave. The server at this point apologised and recognised that the chicken wasn't quite cooked, and took the item off of the bill, along with a drink. This was fine, but it didn't make up for the truly horrible experience and waste of a birthday dinner.

I hope my experience was rare, as I'm confused about the great ratings with this restaurant. It was the worst restaurant I've been to in a long time. The drink menu was the...

Well. It starts with the fairy lights and becomes an experience of illuminated moments that elevate the evening.

This was my second time coming. My first visit happened with the love of my life...so I had not expectations that this visit could match that.

Yet when we walked in and we're lead to the bar as requested, it began with the inevitable personality of our bartender Jean. He carried himself with the charm of Vanna White and the confident if rascally flirtatiousness of a court jester who secretly doubles as the monarch...

The bar was accentuated by lights placed strategically to help move the eye up through the several shelves. My friend started with a delicious sparkling Vouvray Brut from Domaine du Petit (? forgot) that came in a gorgeous coupe. It was chilled and delicious but I swear the coupe they poured it in also enhanced the experience because of its elegance. I ordered the painkiller, which was wonderfully frothy and having been shaken with ice, garnished with a piece of fresh pineapple, and sprinkled with a dusting of no nonsense nutmeg.

We ordered the Ikura Onirigi for each of us -- which was as delicious as I remembered! Don't kill yourself, it's so good you really won't want to share. We also ordered the Japanese sweet potato which came smothered in a miso sauce. If you don't like salty ask for it on the side, it allows you to enjoy the sauce without feeling like the potato loses itself. The garlic steamed broccoli with black pepper was very on point and disappeared quickly. The miso butter shiitake mushroom caps were a favorite for my friend as was the spicy tuna poke. What I loved about that dish was the balance of avocado chunks and minced green onion. But it does really have a kick so be prepared…

Perhaps my favorite dish was the agadashi tofu -- if I'm honest I always judge a Japanese restaurant by this signature appetizer. I had ordered it on my first Meiji: It was delicious then and it was delicious tonight. Highly recommend.

My friend ran into another singer while we were there, and we made friends with our bar mates readily bc it was a friendly bar, with Jean creating a conversational culture of engagement. Super cool experience the second time here, too.

Looking forward to...