Momiji Japanese Restaurant — Restaurant in Middle Township

I’m a local and a regular customer at Momiji, but I felt compelled to write a review after a disappointing recent visit. I’ve always enjoyed coming here for hibachi, but unfortunately due to the poor service I won’t be returning.

Shortly after we were served our food for hibachi (like 10 minutes), a server asked if only I would like a box.. I assumed it was a misunderstanding and that she hadn’t noticed we had just started eating, so I let it go. However, over the course of the meal, at least four different servers would come by our table and asked if we were ready for boxes even though it was obvious that we were still eating and not close to finishing yet. A different female server came over and asked if I wanted a box again. But I didn’t quite understand what she was asking at first, and in response to my confusion, she seemed visibly annoyed. Instead of clarifying with me, she walked away ignoring me and returned with a box, handing it next to my plate rudely even though I never asked for one.

It was so baffling and dumbfounding that it became very uncomfortable and frustrating as we were eating… The staff were clearly rushing us, despite the fact that the restaurant was almost empty, with only one other party there (on a weekday around 1pm). And we had only been in the restaurant for about 30 minutes. The repeated interruptions and the rude attitude from the servers were really disappointing and made the whole experience incredibly...

The food is great and all but its not a hygienic place to eat. For such an expensive place they do not seem too be too concerned with cleanliness which is the only reason they get a 1 star rating, asides from their old scratched up plates when you go to the hibachi grill they slam dirty menu's that everyone has touched on to your "clean" old plate. The tables in the hibachi look like they are cleaned with dirty mop water, when you walk by there is a glaze over the hibachi tables and they are not cleaned properly. I believe they have dirty water in a bucket and they throw rags in the bucket and clean the tables with the same dirty water all day. they should be cleaning tables with a spray bottle and I only saw them cleaning with wet dirty wringed out rags, not a spray bottle and clean rag. another issue is the floor in the hall way that leads to the bathroom and the bathroom floor are very sticky and when you walk it makes a noise like your shoe is glued to the floor. the bathrooms are disgusting and dirty. You can only imagine how hygienic they are when haling your food why they are so dirty in every other aspect. This restaurant has pretty good food and its a shame they cannot keep it clean. I am a local and used to order take out a lot from Momiji's until I decided to dine in the other day, that will all be changing as I am grossed out...

Momiji has existed long before I began reviewing places on Google.

I remember patiently waiting for it to open in Rio Grande, excited and curious about the competition it faced with long-established Tokyo (now closed).

It's been roughly fifteen years since then. I've grown from a teen to an adult and Momiji has stood the test of time throughout.

Momiji is a very typical hibachi restaurant. They do a fun fire show with pizzazz. Seating is spacious throughout the restaurant; there's plenty of elbow room and space to get around. In my experience, they're also very accommodating of children.

The staff is always wonderful as is the owner. Food is prepared quickly and consistently fresh.

Notable standouts for me are the Wildwood roll, Ocean roll, Aki roll, and asahi roll. Their miso eggplant as well as the hasami will convert any eggplant non-believers.

Momiji has a customer for life with me. I moved away from the area to a place with a higher volume of hibachi and sushi restaurants, but they still don't hold a candle to my childhood favorite. I make the trip down for lunch and it's worth it every time, living up to the taste of nostalgia in my memories and my adult...