Sushi Lounge — Restaurant in Totowa

It was the worst service I have ever received at this restaurant or any restaurant in general. When we first arrived we were seated right away which was great, we waited for a waitress to come to our table for 15 min and keep in mind the restaurant was not busy at all. Then when she finally came, she got our drink orders and wanted to leave and give us time to decide what to order, we insisted no we want to order right away, she wasn’t patient we asked a couple questions and she rushed us again at that point we just ordered and we were frustrated. Now we are waiting for the one appetizer that we ordered, it finally comes out and at this point we had been in the restaurant for 40 minutes (I was only keeping track of time because I had to go catch another store before it closed). The runner puts the appetizer down and the waitress is no where to be found, I waited for 10 minutes and couldn’t find where she went then I got up to get a fork because I was unable to use the chopsticks due to my hand injury, that’s when I saw her coming out of the kitchen laughing and joking with the staff, not coming to the table to see if we needed anything at all. A gentleman who seemed to be the manager told her I needed a fork because I had asked him, she grabbed it in a napkin and wanted to walk it over to the table while I was standing right next to her I just took it and said thank you. Then she comes to the table 5 min later asking if we need anything. At this point I’m very frustrated so I stay quiet and don’t say anything but I look at my friend and tell her we have been here for almost an hour. The sushi then comes out and she comes by one more time. At this point I just wanted to leave, I waited for my friend to finish and we asked to pack up the rest and we headed out. When we were leaving I saw another employee may have been another waitress and I asked if she was the manger she said “no is everything okay, I can go get him” I said no it’s fine I just wanted to let you know that the service we received was atrocious and she just smiled and while laughing she goes “oh no I’m so sorry, I can get the manager” at that point I was like no thank you, I most likely will not be coming again. Keep in mind there was a table next to us that had a big group about 6 or 8 people and she went to them in the span of the hour that we were sitting 6 times and we saw her every time and she didn’t even come to our table all but to order, ask after appetizer and lastly to pack everything up. That is unacceptable, and needs to be addressed as I have personally worked in the restaurant industry and if this had happened in the restaurant there would have been management trying to fix the situation in any...

Went here last night for an informal little networking type gathering. I liked the ambiance and decor. I have to say, simply because it struck me as being to a rare degree, that the waitress we ended up with was simply gorgeous. I should add, of course, that Ally is a fantastic waitress - engaging, friendly, and attentive without hovering. The quality of service in general here was very good, and though they do so unintrusively, you can tell that they work sharply as a team keeping an eye on all the tables, clearing plates and glasses very promptly, and asking if you need more of anything without disrupting conversations. The sushi we had was very good and nicely presented, and they have a very solid selection/variety at the bar. Whether you want beer, bourbon, scotch, tequila, (I spotted sake but didn't recognize it), they have good options for you. An evening of sushi and drinks is not going to run cheap pretty much anywhere, but the quality of service, food and drinks here is excellent. Some may like the music, some may not, but I will say this: live DJ and yet you could sit there and have a conversation with minimal effort to hear and be heard. It almost... and this may very well be deliberate and consistent with the name, but it struck me as an interesting blend of classy sushi meets dive bar lounge with sort of club music? That might sound odd, but they make it work. If you're looking for a traditional sushi joint, this ain't it. But if you like Asian fusion, feel like some sushi and drinks, this is a nice spot. I recommend it,...

Unprofessional Experience Regarding Tipping I’ve been to Sushi Lounge in Totowa several times and usually had a good experience with the food and service. However, during my recent visit, I encountered a very uncomfortable situation. After we finished our meal and were leaving, a waiter ran after us and stopped us at the door to ask why we didn’t leave a tip. The waiter even asked if there was an issue with the service, which there wasn’t—we simply chose not to leave a tip this time.

While I understand that tipping is a significant part of a server’s income, being confronted about it felt unprofessional and invasive. Tips are supposed to be a discretionary gesture, not a mandatory payment. When I called the manager ( he said his name was “Jason” ) afterward to explain my concerns, they responded by saying waiters rely on tips for their wages and he supported the idea of the waiter running after us. Mind you he stated the waiter stayed an additional 40 mins ?? We finished our meal about 10:00PM and didn’t get the waiter for the check and one more drink until 10:16ish and left the resultant prior to 10:45pm closing time. This only reinforced my frustration, as it felt like the restaurant is putting the burden of their compensation practices on customers.

This experience left me disappointed and unlikely to return, as it disrupted what should have been an enjoyable night out. I hope the management takes steps to address this behavior and ensures their staff handles similar situations more professionally...