Bistro Wasabi — Restaurant in Lake in the Hills

This place use to be great, we used to go there all the time since we lived jut about one mile away in the Boulder Ridge subdivision for many years, but tonight was the worst dining experience that we ever had, we have traveled over the world and dinned in many other other restaurants including many high end places in many cities of USA and treated with smiles and great service.

The food was OK tonight but service horrible, we got the rudest attitude from our waitress, all because we were still eating the appetizer and she came out with soup and salads to place on the table, so we told her that we were not in any kind of rush (The restaurant was pretty empty any way) so that did it, then we finished our soups and salads an she was not around the empty plates were on the table for at least 10 minutes and she totally ignored us. Finally when the food came out the the plates were taken, I placed my fork on the salad plate and instead of giving me a fresh fork she took it of the plate even though it was full of salad dressing and left it in the table for me to use, then she never approached the table to ask us if everything was OK, she ignored us the rest of the night. My wife wanted more ginger for her sushi but she had to eat her dinner without it because she never approached the table anymore, it is not OK for us to be treated that way. i SPOKE TO THE MANAGER ON THE WAY OUT, SHE SAID i WILL MAKE IT UP NEXT TIME, NEXT TIME? WE WILL NEVER COME BACK TO BISTRO WASABI EVER AGAIN. Take our advice: Don't spend your money having a bad dinner, GO SOMEWHERE ELSE, where staff member are professional and know that WE THE COSTUMER KEEP THEIR PLACES AND JOBS GOING. We don't usually right bad reviews but tonight I had to do it, so other guests are aware of what they can expect when they eat at Bistro Wasabi...

​Wow! We finally got around to trying this place last night after hearing so many good things, and it absolutely lived up to the hype. From the second we walked in, the atmosphere was so warm and welcoming – buzzing with happy conversation but still intimate enough for our table. ​Our server was a total pro. Attentive without ever making us feel rushed, and she gave a fantastic wine recommendation that paired perfectly with our food. ​And the food... let's talk about the food. We started with the crispy calamari, which was perfectly light and not at all greasy. For my main, I had the short rib bolognese. The pasta was clearly homemade, and the sauce was so rich and flavorful. My wife had the seared salmon, which was cooked perfectly with an amazing crispy skin. We cleaned our plates! ​What really sealed the deal for us was seeing the manager, Lin, on the floor all night. She was helping her staff, checking in on tables, and had such a genuine smile. She stopped by our table for a moment, and you can just tell how much passion she has for this restaurant and for making sure her guests are happy. That kind of leadership and care really shines through in the food and the wonderful service from her team. ​We left feeling so happy and taken care of. We're already planning our next visit! This place...

My wife and I used to come here on date night. We stopped after two consecutive failures on the food quality. The Basil Chicken Pot Stickers are always great. The sushi seems to have gone downhill.

My wife is not a sushi fan, so she would get something like Larry David would (Chicken Teriyaki!) but I would get the sushi entree usually. Last few times, the fish was warm, like, not room temperature, but warmer. Last time, I was really choking it down and had to leave the last two pieces untouched as I could just not finish it.

I love sushi but there are two things that turn me off:

1. Too large of a piece where it cannot be eaten in one bite.
2. Warm and slightly slimy, indicating it is not fresh.

When both are combined, it really turns me off and makes me really hesitant to return. I might be spoiled as I learned sushi in a small Georgia town which had a lot of Japanese companies, and what followed were extremely excellent sushi restaurants.

Then again, you can go to Elk Grove Village and hit up Kurumaya Japanese Restaurant and see what real Japanese food is about.

I think this place has lost its mojo and maybe needs some more true sushi...