Cafe East — Restaurant in Sugar Land

How do I begin? My family and I have eaten @Cafe East for close to 20 years. We've stuck with Cafe East and have been loyal customers, this entire time. My family has not just spent hundreds...we've spent thousands. I've grown very close to Sandra, Lam, and others, who know us by face. My uncles, aunts, cousins, and family have even used the party space in the past, and still patronize Cafe East after all these years. I have even brought business clients, yet the last two times I brought my 3 sons to dinner with me.

This Thursday evening 04/20/2017 We sat down to eat at Cafe East, ready to enjoy our dinner. My husband has not been able to come with the family the last 2 times. So I was left with 3 small children, and 2 are legally disabled. I had gone up to get my 3 year old more food and finally got to sit down to eat. My middle son who has been diagnosed with Autism had gone back up to get food, and I allowed him because I wanted him to feel more independent. He knew the rules and had done exceptionally well the last time. Unfortunately...children will make mistakes, and special needs kids may forget things at times. I was seated and had taken the first sip of my drink and hadn't even tasted my food when Amilio (manager when Matt the owner isn't available) came over and sternly told me I that my son touched the food and I had better watch my kids next time. I was literally shocked. Not that Amilio came over to speak with me about my son, but that he did so with such disdain and rudeness. I immediately reprimanded my son and apologized, but Amilio replied...."Watch your kids". He surely had gone too far by this time. Sadly....this type of ridiculous behavior and lack of compassion is exactly why I have determined that picketing this establishment is necessary. With the 8000 followers, social media scene and business clients who have all eaten at this resturant, we will never set foot in Cafe East again. I immediately explained this to Amilio. What I had issue with was how he spoke to my family and I, and how he made my disabled 8 year old son feel. My son said Amilio spoke to him in such a terrible manner and he was extremely sad. Disabled children already feel different and embarrassed at times, and for an adult to speak to a child in such a derogatory tone is unacceptable. I too am a business owner, and would never treat any client in such a way. To attack an innocent child verbally is disgusting and deplorable. After Amilio spoke with our family in the manner that he did, we had words....in which I reminded him as I am now reminding Matt(owner) that customer service is everything. To ruin almost 20 years of patronage which accumulates to thousands of dollars because you don't value "All" of your customers, and that means the disabled and minorities, is foolish. Customers are the reason they have jobs. Don't spend your money here any longer and you don't have to. Please spread the word. Perhaps they do things different due to cultural differences. From this moment forth I encourage you to patronize American owned and run businesses. I lost $36 odd dollars and didn't even get to eat...and my children had just begun to eat. I always tip my waitress/waiter because it wasn't her fault that the manager and owner don't appear to care about customers and how they express themselves to families. America....dont waste a dime. If you're not treated how you deserve, they dont deserve your hard earned dollars. I will report my experience to Emily Aiken and suggest you do the same if you or your family...

This was our third time dining at this establishment. Food is always good; the sushi bar could use a bit more variety, especially some sashimi for non-rice eaters like myself. Wait staff has always been friendly and attentive.

The reason for only 3 stars is because of what happened this evening. We came in around 4pm (Sunday Sept. 16), the place was pretty crowded. Some of the staff were taking their lunch/dinner breaks, including a man who I originally thought was a customer. He was standing near the kitchen entrance next to the dinner rolls. A female kitchen worker came out with a platter of pork dumplings to be put on the buffet. But this man stopped her, picked up the dinner roll tongs, and helped himself to several dumplings, then put those same tongs right back on the dinner roll platter! I asked the woman about it, she said he was a MANAGER!! I asked her for his name, and she first said she didnt know his name. I asked, "You dont know your manager's name?" She very nastily said, "He has a Chinese name, and I don't know Chinese!", and walked away. I asked the woman running the register who confirmed his name... Matt! REALLY! Doesn't sound like a Chinese name, nor very difficult to pronounce much less remember! When I told him he should replace the tongs, he rolled his eyes, angrily picked them up, then had the dumpling lady replace them. He passed our table several times, but offered no apology.

I don't believe the staff should be helping themselves from plates not yet on the buffet, probably filling their plates in the kitchen is more proper. But a MANAGER doing that, then using tongs which are for something totally different, then putting them BACK is just nasty! Matt needs to be filled in on BASIC proper sanitary rules! Not sure I'll be returning if Matt is running...

I've been coming to this place for years, and not once have I ever complained even when I got bad service - still always tip well. Today was the very first time I have ever said anything. As I was eating, I realize a black hair embedded into the cheese of the stuff crab so I called the manager. The manager signals the server to see what I wanted. I told the server that I found a hair in the stuff crab stuck in the cheese, so she called the manager over. Right away, without even asking me what's wrong or if everything is okay! He started pointing at the napkin that I placed the crab shell on saying "what's that! What's what!" Treating me as if I was trying to get a free meal. So naturally I got offended and kind of raised my voice at the man and said; "that's hair!" Pointing at the hair that I pulled off the cheese and placed on the napkin. Then he said to me "you're still eating right!" And at the time I was planning to continue since I figure it was only on the crab and no where else so I said Yeah! But he just smiled and walked off. Didn't even apologize or anything. After sitting there giving it some thought, his action and response didn't set well with me. So I decided this was going to be my last visit to this place and took a picture so I can post a comment for everyone to see.

Update 10/11/16 It appear as though this place and Lucky Village on Westheimer is run by the same people. I saw that same manager there too. Both places are on my NEVER...