Samurai Restaurant — Restaurant in South Lake Tahoe

Pleasant aesthetic, zero customer service. New in town without companions, I thought a way to get out and around without treating myself extravagantly would be to hit the local happy hours for a discount drink, appetizers and, if lucky, a little social conversation. Wednesday, I arrived at Samurai Sushi just after 5. I was the only one there at first. There were a host and a bar tender at the beverage bar. The young woman host asked me if I preferred a table or the sushi bar. I chose the sushi bar and she seated me in a corner where I could not see through the food cases to the working area of the sushi bar as one could from almost any other seat at the bar. She gave me a menu but there was no mention of any happy hour specials on the menu or any sign-board as were advertised online. A couple came in just after and were given prime seating at the bar some six to eight seats away. In addition to me being stuck in a corner, there was a speaker blaring pop rock music immediately adjacent on the wall--not blaring through the whole restaurant but way too loud where I sat. How empty-headed the host was seating an old guy in a closed in corner next to loud pop music when the whole place was empty. Then I sat for the longest time. After a few minutes, the sushi chef appeared from a back room at the other end of the bar occupied by something on his smart phone. He made no attempt to greet me or make eye contact despite moving to a place just on the other side of the bar from where I sat, two feet away. After way too much time had passed considering there were only three guests yet four staff, the bus boy brought water and a table setting. About this time, the chef looked up at me, smart phone still held up at his chest and with no warmth in his eyes or his voice, he asked, "You know what you want?" I said, "I was wondering about the Wednesday happy hour specials." He said curtly, "No specials." I got up to leave and said, "Maybe another time" which is why I bothered to give Samurai Sushi any star at all--I might give it a second shot if it is the choice of acquaintances I have yet to meet. But first impressions last. Without some intervening transcendent experience, I will not return. On my way out, I mentioned to the host and bartender that the online ad was not simply false advertising but was inconsiderate and unprofessional leaving it posted. They both stared back at me...

I had came to Samurai a couple of times before the pandemic and it was a great experience. I wanted to try it again since I had time and wanted to have great food and experience. Man I was wrong! When I entered the restaurant it was about 6 30 pm and it wasn’t busy. I am giving it 2 stars because it the food was okay. When we entered it seemed like there was a waitress that is inexperienced or new. She sat me and my wife down and then we asked about their drink menu she said they have saki or beer. I asked her if they still do cocktails and she informed me that they don’t do that anymore. This waitress was rude when she said it. We told her that we will stick with water and she walked away. It took her 15mns to come back and take our order, we ordered the food and at this point the restaurant started to fill up. We ordered 4 rolls and sashimi and it took about 35 minutes for the food to finally come. The waitress didn’t know which rolls where which and was missing 2 rolls. We began to eat our food and about 20 minutes later we got our other 2 rolls, which I understand it got busy. The waitress was not attentive as we didn’t get soy sauce when we asked and she forgot. I had to ask the Busser for some and she did not check in with us. The other waitress came and checked in with us instead. We had asked her for the bill so we can get going. Our waitress made us wait for the bill about 15 minutes and another 15 minutes for it to get picked upafter 15. I signed it with added tip, because we know that tips are important. The food and the other waitress was helpful. The waitress that served us needs to get proper training and know how to treat customers, at least be friendly. The food was okay like I said nothing special like it use to be. This place use to be a town favorite now it’s a disappointment. Will go somewhere else from now...

I gave this place 1 star because 0 wasn't an option. If you want to get treated badly by the staff, wait over an hour to get served, pay way to much for not enough mediocre food, this is the perfect place for you. I came here with my sister in law and we were told that there would be a wait, so we happily sat down. 5 min past and a group of about 5 maybe 6 came in and were seated immediately. Granted they may have had reservations, but when my sister and law came over to ask why they were getting seated before us she got shut down and treated very rudely by one of the staff member, telling her very rudely that "theres a table over there, just sit over there, im trying to please everyone and if you want you can just leave." At that point I was ready to leave but we were so hungry that we decide to brush it aside and stay... Bad mistake. There was a party in there who was banging on tables and yelling, there were a lot of people in there so I won't complain about the wait to get our food order, but remember that group that came in before us? Well sitting next to us, they were served, ate, and left before were even saw our food and we sat down right after them! And yes the food was very disappointing there. I don't know why we were treated so poorly, I spoke to the manager because she ended up serving us and felt bad for her cuz she seemed very concerned with the way we were treated. ill never come here again, never recommend this place, and I advice you to...