Tasty Bowl — Restaurant in Fairview Heights

The service and kitchen will kill this restaurant. Let me explain starting with the Kitchen:

1. When orders are placed per table you are to stagger the cook times. Example (I do not know actual times this is an example!) if it takes 10 mins to do the sushi and 5 minutes to do the ramen, you start the sushi and then you start the ramen so both leave the kitchen at the same time. Orders going in to the kitchen should be coming out of the kitchen roughly at the same time. If half the table orders ramen and the other sushi, by how it is happening now only half the table can eat at a time.

2. Whoever is making the sushi is killing your order times. I understand that this could possibly be made to order but when most of the sushi is cold, why is it taking longer than the hot food? This again falls under the stagger cook times.

3. This is more so a who runs the restaurant thing, you need to re-think your plate sizes. You have this large platter for an order of sushi and it looks like there should be more sushi as the plate dwarfs the order. You can still be fancy but without making the customer feel like they are being scammed. Many restaurants do this, make the platter fit the order to where it looks more but it is exactly as advertised in the menu.

Service:

1. When a company is understaffed, I understand having to repeat yourself gets tiresome BUT you should notify customers. That way when they have to sit and wait for a table when looking at empty 10+(it was not busy for a Saturday night) available tables it makes more sense.

2. It should not take 5-10 mins to get your drink order after you place it, especially when it is slow.

3. Should make sure all the food is coming out to the table at the same time. (Yes, the kitchen makes it but it is the servers that catch this blame!)

4. Servers need to check periodically on the customers, to see if they need anything NOT just when they buss the table. This also includes letting the customer know if there is a hold up in the kitchen! (Cold food when its suppose to be hot will reflect the server not kitchen!)

5. If a customer orders milk off the menu and it comes with ice (according to the server its a house rule) then the server should explain that.(No, it is NOT a typical thing!)

6. Servers NEED to help each other out! There were other servers who looked at our table and our empty glasses. We even tried to get help, they ignored us because we weren't their table. There was a group of servers just hanging out by the registers looking out at other tables but again, not their tables so they did nothing.

If your staff works like independent contractors only working for their own benefit this business will fail. The food is decent, the layout and decor is nice, the service will tank this place.

Just to note: I personally have worked in restaurants both front and back of the house for over 20+yrs. So, I understand what does get reflected on the server vs kitchen to those who have never worked in...

My family of 5 tried Tasty Bowls today for the first time. We arrived and were seated right away. There were multiple large groups. It seems to be popular for birthdays and celebrations. The hostess gave us menus, small slips of paper, and a pen, but nothing was explained at that time. We looked at the menu to see how to proceed with the "Yummy Bowl" option, which despite being their name and claim to fame, is not listed anywhere on the menu. After a bit of a wait, our waiter came to take drink orders and attempted to explain the buffet option. However, when we asked about an unlimited option that was mentioned in their reviews, he was completely confused, so we just all ordered the singular Yummy Bowl and hoped those that wanted the option to upgrade could once the first bowl was finished. The only directions we were given were to fill out our slip with our name, table number, and type of rice and go fill our bowl. I will say I appreciated the taster spoons for the sauces, so that you can try before committing to a sauce. However, make sure you're looking all over for signs on how to proceed because at the top of the buffet, there is a sign to put your sauce in a separate bowl, rather than in the bowl with your protein and veggies, like at a place such as HuHot. I got nudged by a worker when I almost put the sauce in the wrong bowl. Really the explanation phase of the whole process is lacking, and we were left wondering if we actually got our money's worth because we didn't understand the process at all. Also an unfortunate part of the process, if you go to the side of the buffet nearest the cooking station, there is not enough room for 3 people across: one person at the buffet, the staff moving the bowls down the counter to the cook, and then other customers going back to their seats. So as I was filling my bowl unaware, I was bodychecked from behind by another patron. Just a poor design when so many people are required to be in the same space. Our bowls were delicious. The meat was a bit dry, seeming as it is pre-cooked and then cooked again. But overall decent food. Once my husband's first bowl was finished, he and one of my son's who wanted the unlimited option again asked our waiter about this, and this time he understood, but told us we had to say that at the beginning. We had but by this point, we had seen enough of Tasty Bowl and decoded ro cut our losses and go home. Over $100 for 5 single bowls, 5 waters, and tip...we just didn't leave feeling like this would be a place we returned to for the value...

On our monthly get together of Male & Female friends we choose different places for luncheons 10-15 people approximately. Someone chose Tasty Bowl and the place wasn't crowded & in fact seating for all of us together. Entrance to their parking lot is a little off-putting depending on what direction you arrive at their location. Plenty of parking which is free. Staff was excellent, very amiable. The way you order is oddly different wherein you go over to a counter and place an order of what you want for lunch. Some items on menu is pre-made & according to their website it's created by machines but served by humans. Once you choose, you go back to your seat. For some they had numbers, & others they called names. I ordered from the Appetizers from my seat, because I actually didn't understand or like the procedure. So I ordered Shrimp Tempura, wasn't Shrimp Tempura. Friend next to me ordered Shrimp Tempura & that's what she received, my order was fried shrimp. I ordered a salad like she did also, I didn't get that either. I ordered the Crab Ragoon and it was tasty. Even though waiter was writing down my request, he didn't bring what I asked for. I actually pointed to menu just in case he didn't hear me thru cross talk. My friend who sat next to me had no complaints & I would say my shrimp tasted like that which you buy out of frozen food at grocery store. I just prefer seasoned shrimp. Some Friends didn't like their rice nor meats chopped in it. There were others they did like it. A couple of friends had visited the facility before and was looking forward to returning this week. So I conclude that whether you will like it or not, it depends on your Culinary taste. The ambience and the servers are very Amiable. In spite of the confusion with what I ordered I enjoyed my afternoon there, but I prefer ordering off menu only, from the table. I believe myself and one other person didn't gather to pick a meal, the two of us just kept it simple. They have a pretty big menu & I can't begin to name the items, but menu is on...