Meijo Sushi — Restaurant in Imperial Beach

I want to say Meijos Sushi restaurant is like a love and hate relationship for me. I sometimes like them, I sometimes don’t. As with their service, servers have been so inconsistent. You will get one server that’s attentive and friendly (very rare) and will check on their table(s). Then you get a server that’s bare minimum. Zero personality, nowhere to be found but standing around at the back close to register/sushi bar area playing tiddly-winks, dum dee dum….staring at icoulds. For those bored servers, pretend you’re busy and move around. Just to make clear, Meijio servers are not rude or mean, they just lack basic customer service essentials. I call, pleasantries. For example, upon entering the restaurant, sometimes they greet you and sometimes they don’t. Again, inconsistent.

Today, Saturday afternoon, only two other tables were being occupied. Therefore, not busy. Our young looking male server took our order. As we waited, we figured why not offer us drinks. Basics, right. We had to ask for drinks. Our dish then arrived in no time. Cool. Foods always good and we’re happy. How about asking us if there’s anything else we need and from time to time, fill up our cup with water, or offer another drink. And so, he leaves our table. We don’t see our server in our space anymore until our bill comes. He comes over to our table with the hand machine and NOW he asks if there’s “anything” we need. Unbelievable. We pay and say thank you. Keep in mind, we didn’t call him over for our bill, he came over on his own. I guess he was paying attention after all.

My family and I have been Meijos fans since 2009. We’ve got other members of family, relatives and friends to try out Meijos. They like the food, but service is a hit and miss.

When all fails and we don’t want to drive to another sushi location, but we’re feeling sushi, soup, and teriyaki bowls, Meijos is our go-to all the time. We live a couple miles away. By the way, their teriyaki bowls are the best tasting in town, a little on the skimpy side compared to other restaurants, but their bowls are delicious.

As for the inside of the restaurant, it’s small with Asian decor, a sushi bar with bar stools, a TV, and semi-cozy, depending where you sit. The outside patio and front entrance needs lots of attention (fugly)… suggest get plants all over, some decent tables and chairs, maybe individual umbrellas for each table, some hanging lights to brighten up the outside. Lights are attracting and inviting. Use the patio to mazimize space when the inside is pack. Although beauty is in the eyes of the beholder, the look outside of the restaurant is just as important as the inside. I rest my case.

I have never had a bad experience at Meijos, same as with my family and friends. There’s really not much to rave about but certainly want others know service has never been tops or a priority. I say, basic customer service training will be a good start for all new servers.

I would still...

Worst experience ever...im allergic to avocado i clearly asked for no avocado. When i seen the avocado in my food i asked for food to be replaced and the woman said to hold on went an spoke with a man and then refused my correct order. When i explained the severity of my allergy the girl said she can't help me i asked for the manager. When the man came over to me i handed him my food and asked why i cant get my correct order and he said because its not his problem. I then asked when will the owner be in he said tomorrow i then asked for the mans name and he said im not giving you my name to tell on me and laughed then took my food and told me their refusing my service. When i asked the girl his name he told her something in Japanese and she refused to tell me his name i explained i wanted it so when i speak to the owner and she laughed in my face and said he is the owner. When i argued back that she said he was the manager she said now you cant have your money. So not only do they lie but steal money and also try to force people to eat food they are allergic to because they dont listen when you place your order. So they would rather be sued for someone having an allergic reaction then replace the order or return the customers money. So sad that they steal when they make so much money and its sad they lie and laugh in customers faces. Stop being cowards and speaking Japanese talking crap and speak english. Quit being cowards and stealing peoples money instead of correcting your mistakes a mistake that can kill people who have...

Food was good, portions fair for price but I didn't like the service at all. Had to stand up to get the waitress's attention, and the manager/owner constantly treated me not as a customer, being informal with me(Not sure if it's due to me looking like a high schooler although I'm 25). When I first arrived waitress paid me no mind, man at sushi bar asked " what do you want to drink?" Not even a greeting, told him a bottled drink Calpico, which was followed by him asking "Do you want to go get it?" should've stood up and left to be honest.

Later at the end I complimented the food and he said "You're welcome" waitress/cashier ignored me when I left. Had to stand up to get her attention for getting take out box.

Place was mostly empty as well so it wasn't as though they were busy.

I know Japanese food places other than this that are just as good if not better, will definitely not return again. Unfortunate seeing how my family and friends liked the place when we went together other...