Xina Restaurant — Restaurant in Toms River

CHECK YOUR BILL. I asked for my bill and intended to pay cash. The waitress did NOT ask me if I was paying by cash or credit card. She brought the bill and at the bottom there was a credit card processing fee, even though I was paying in cash. I confronted her about the situation and was told that their system automatically “defaults” to charge all dining patrons a credit card processing fee, REGARDLESS of whether they are actually using a credit card. When I explained to the waitress that this was inappropriate, she said that she just issues the bill the way the manager/owner tells her to, and that it’s not her doing.

So I spoke to the manager/owner, and he confirmed that they automatically charge all dining patrons a credit card processing fee, EVEN WHEN THEY PAY CASH. I insisted that it be removed from my bill, and he did that (by handwriting on the bill). I said that I didn’t understand how he could sleep at night. He responded by telling me that I was lecturing him and he wasn’t interested in being lectured. He apologized to me, but when I raised the fact that, if this is how they do business, countless other people (cash payers) have potentially been scammed by this, he didn’t seem to really care. He did not assure me that the issue will be fixed going forward. He said that he does the books for the restaurant and that it’s not a lot of money at issue. But think about it, it’s approximately a 3% fee. Consider how quickly 3% ON ALL CASH PAYERS can add up.

I have since reported this issue to the local police (who offered to meet me at the restaurant to address the issue with the manager/owner, but I could not get there today because of an ankle injury). I intend to continue to expose this issue in other ways until and unless the manager/owner responds confirming that it will be corrected going forward. I also intend to send friends there to check up on whether they actually do fix it. I will also go back myself to confirm. And if it’s not fixed, I will...

It was our anniversary and my boyfriend and I had a reservation here to celebrate. We arrived during a torrential downpour but needed to get inside to ensure we didn’t lose our table. We ran up to the side door not realizing it wasn’t the main entrance of the building. Because it was a monsoon outside, we knocked on the glass in hopes they would open the door. To our surprise, a woman who we later found out is the owner, approaches the glass door and yelled at us that we needed to go around to the front, scolding us like children, rather than just explaining we couldn’t come in that way. When we got to the front entrance, the best response we got from the hostess was that everyone had to go around the front. Soon after being seated, the same lady walks past our table and glared at me as if I had done something wrong. I asked “excuse me” and let her know that it was our first time there and we didn’t know there was a front entrance. While sitting there in our now soaking wet clothing she proceeded to tell us we were disturbing her guests by trying to get in that door and when we explained that we felt she was being rude the best response we received was a “whatever” and she stormed away from us. If this weren’t our anniversary we would have and should have gotten up and walked out right then and there. We ordered our dinner to find a hair in our sushi roll (photo attached). Happy anniversary to us! We will not...

I don't get the hype. I've been suggested this place by so many people over the years. I tried it twice this summer.

My tuna roll came with scales both visits. While some restaurants will put a cut piece of tuna into the roll, this restaurant puts was seems to be tuna scraps in it, which explains the scales (pictured). The salmon is trimmed poorly, as my Naruto roll had chewy pieces that I had to be spit out--I couldn't even finish this roll. The coconut shrimp roll, however, was outstanding (pictured).

The menu is misleading--they didn't have duck either time, fat belly tuna either time, and sea urchin was also not available on the first visit. (The menu has multiple duck options...too bad we never got to try them). Both times, we were not told of the kitchen being out of the items until we browsed the menu and had decided what to order... then had to change our minds. Very disappointing.

Weekday lunch was not crowded at all. We sat 4 people at a table comfortably. However, weekday dinner for 2, we were smooshed between two other tables. Felt very uncomfortable. Tiny table could barely fit the appetizers and drinks.

Price was very fair. The food is decent. Sushi is on par with Uminoya in Toms River. Koi restaurant & Shogun in Toms River are both better options in my opinion.

Overall, not a bad restaurant. But for the hype, I was let down. There are other better options...