Morimoto Napa — Restaurant in Napa

I was in the area with a friend for an event and stopped by for dinner at 8pm. We looked over the menu and placed an order around 810-815pm. My server, Manny, was well informed of my food allergies to anything with capsacins (chilis of any kind, any sort of heat), tomatoes, oranges and grapefruits. We ordered everything on their seasonal menu, clam miso soup, duck confit fried rice, yellowtail egg rice, 7pc turf from the grill, and a few other sushi dishes. Around 830pm we received our cocktails, but none of our food. By 839pm a man came by with a soup dish. I looked at it and it was a plain miso soup, which was not what we ordered. When we asked to see the ticket for our order. The ticket was put in at around 831. So what was Manny doing between 810/815- 831 as to why the ticket was not placed? In addition, the ticket stated tofu miso soup, when my friend specifically stated clam miso soup. The allergy list was a good attempt, however, tomatoes was spelled wrong, instead of anything spicy it’s specifically chilis, anything made with chilis, or capsacins, and for citrus it is not all citrus, it is specifically oranges and grapefruits or any kind. Considering the fact that I have these dietary restrictions, I do not appreciate more restrictions being placed on me unnecessarily. During this time, the table seated next to us was able to order and receive a few dishes. This is alarming because food is actively being delivered to the table next to us, while we are receiving nothing. The group next to us was able to order, receive and finish a few dishes while we were still waiting for food to be served. Finally, Manny returns to us briefly (after checking on the table next to us numerous times) and says that the sashimi should be out shortly. By now it’s around 841 or so. By 846, nothing else arrived. That is a total of over half an hour waiting for food to arrive. We decided to leave. On the way out, we spoke to Lauren, the manager working that shift. She apologized, acknowledged that it was unacceptable and attempted to ask us to stay. Unfortunately, we were already starved, unhappy, and feeling disrespected as a guest in their establishment. After speaking with Lauren, we left at around 850-855. We called a few minutes after leaving to clarify a few things with Lauren. We found out that after we left, Lauren was going to put a stop to our order when it was just being put out. Therefore if we left around 850-855pm, but ordered around 810-815pm, that’s around 40-45minutes waiting for food. This was specifically the sashimi as well, which does not seem like it should have taken 45minutes to slice. Furthermore, it was a Monday night, and they did not have a full house. I do not understand why there would be a lack of service when the restaurant is not bursting at its seams with guests. Prior to this, we were at an event at Carneros Resort and Spa where the valet service lost the key to my friend’s car. We spent an hour explaining what the key looked like, who we spoke to initially, and waiting for them to go over security footage to locate the key. So to say we were having a rough evening would be very kind. Continuing on, the reason for my food restrictions is that I have chronic gastritis. My stomach and esophagus burn and erodes when I eat certain things. This erosion puts me in extreme pain and I am usually out from work anywhere from a few weeks to six months. Not eating on time, can cause flares as well. We had lunch before the event around 1pm. During the event from 3-6pm we had some snacks, but nothing in the way of a full meal. Therefore, leaving a restaurant at close to 9pm, having to go back to South Bay and pick up my dog from the dog sitter over an hour and a half away, and not having any food made my stomach feel really horrible. Now, the next day, I have reflux and burning sensation in my stomach. I have been to multiple Morimoto restaurants and have left happy. This restaurant has failed the standard that it seems all Morimoto...

I wanted to wait a few days to post a review so I could be sure my thoughts were together.

The appetizers:

I ordered the toro tartare and wagyu appetizers. These were fantastic! I haven't had wagyu before so have nothing to compare it to, but it was tender and flavorful. The tartare plating was unique and fun, allowing me to create my own bites to my liking. 5/5 on food.

The drinks:

I mention drinks after appetizers because, even though our drink order was taken first, we got them after appetizers. I got the premium sake flight and was again blown away by the quality and flavor profiles of the selection. I wish I had been given a list or it was on the menu for reference as I was unable to hear what the server was saying due to the volume level in the restaurant and at our table against the concrete wall.

The food:

I ordered the small chef's choice sushi platter and again was impressed with the freshness of the fish and variety of flavors. Again, I couldn't tell you what I ate unless I recognized it as it was impossible to hear the rushed description of everything due to the volume at our table. Still delicious, however.

The service:

This is where I was truly disappointed. I taking a look around at other reviews, it seems we were either treated differently or had a uniquely bad experience. Our drink orders were taken, then forgotten about until we ordered appetizers. Then our appetizers came our before our drinks had shown up. The table we were given was not large enough for our party of 5 so we were constantly having to rearrange to help the serving staff set down dishes. Our menus were never taken so we had to constantly find places for these as well. We all had ordered drinks already, yet while we were eating our appetizers someone came by with a couple expensive looking bottles of sake and asked if we'd like to order one. When our food came out, it came out all at once - a hot dish along with a plate of rolls that was ordered making my party decide to either let their sushi get warm or their stew/fried rice get cold. Half of our food was missing as well and had to be re-ordered and put back in. Towards the end of our meal, they started clearing dishes and utensils including items that we were in the process of using - a plate for shrimp tails, chopsticks for a plate of rolls that was still being eaten, etc. Once there was enough space to wipe the table down, they began wiping the table down to prep it for the next party before we had finished eating. Finally, our bill included a 20% gratuity for our party of 5. All in all, this level of service is not what I would expect from a fine dining experience.

I wish I could provide a better review based on the quality of the food, but the service that we received at literally every other meal during the weekend I stayed in Napa blew this out...

Disappointing Decline at Morimoto Napa - Not Worth the Hype or the Price

I had high hopes for a special evening at Morimoto Napa, but the experience was nothing short of a disaster. We had a reservation for 7pm, but it wasn’t until 7:20pm that we were finally seated. A minor inconvenience, but little did we know it was just the beginning of a frustrating night.

Once seated, we ordered two appetizers and one entree. The rockfish was the only highlight, but the toro tartare was an absolute letdown. It came drenched in a sea of soy sauce, and the portion size was laughable—barely a tablespoon of toro tartare. Years ago, this dish used to be served on a square plate with a more generous portion. Now, it’s just a shadow of its former self, not remotely worth the steep price tag.

But the worst part? We waited over an hour for our entree, a simple rice bowl, and it never arrived. Frustrated and hungry, we canceled the order, only to realize that the kitchen hadn’t even started our dish. The entire restaurant was so loud that my ears were ringing afterward, and I’m someone who regularly attends concerts. The noise level was unbearable, making it impossible to enjoy any part of the meal.

The chaos was palpable. The restaurant was packed, with waitstaff literally running from table to table (they were actually running). It was clear that they were severely understaffed and overwhelmed. As we left, I saw another customer voicing their complaints to a manager, and I couldn’t help but sympathize. So many tables were left waiting—who knows how long those unfortunate patrons sat there hoping their food would arrive?

In total, this was an almost two-hour ordeal in a deafening, chaotic environment for mediocre, overpriced food. I live in NYC and am no stranger to paying a premium for quality dining experiences, but Morimoto Napa is not one of them. The service, portion sizes, and overall quality have gone downhill drastically. What was once a fond memory has now turned into a regrettable disappointment. It feels like the restaurant is operating at maximum capacity purely to churn out revenue, at the expense of customer satisfaction and staff wellbeing.

Save yourself the frustration and go elsewhere—Morimoto Napa is not what...