Kotobuki — Restaurant in Town of Smithtown

I am giving 2 stars not because the quality of the food. The food is honestly pretty good quality. My 2 stars is because I ordered takeout through their website. Their website links you to a "chownow" website to order. I saw it would be about an hour until my order was ready and it was no problem. When I called to check the status the person on the other line acted like they didn't have my order and then told me after a few minutes that they have it but it'll be another hour....after I already waited an hour. I explained that I ordered an hour ago and the website says it's ready, so I didn't understand why they are telling me another hour. She then explained rather rudely that it was an hour from when THEY see it come on their end. I then asked her, how much longer until our order is ready. She had a side conversation with somebody in the restaurant and then she yelled "15 minutes" and hung up on me. So, 15 minutes go by and I go in and check and the hostess was obviously flustered and I get it, it was busy and everyone was frustrated and waiting for their food. However, flustered or not, you are not to give your customers an attitude especially if one wasn't presented from the beginning. I asked where my food was, and she told me they were "packing it up and it will be another 5 minutes" so I said "ok I'll wait here" (because honestly, it should only take a couple minutes to pack up some food) and she yelled that I had to get out and wait outside, so I obliged and left. I gave her another 15 minutes. Total time waiting 1.5 hours. So I went back in to ask again and she told me I had to get out and wait outside and they were still packing it up, now I was getting a little annoyed with that answer so I did retort that "how long does it take to pack up food?" she gave me the same "5 minutes" answer and I left..what else was I supposed to do, they already had my money and I was waiting all this time anyway. After a total time of 2 hours go by, they bring our food out. I left and went home. All the hot dishes we ordered were ICE COLD. So, it was evident that our food has been sitting around for probably an hour. I am not upset about the wait. It was the nasty attitude that came...

Came in to give a try and support local eatery. It is very underwhelming establishment. From the moment you come in, wait staff looks a bit lost, tables are so close together that you would assume it's a one big dining party having dinner. No sense of separation. Person who was our waitress was very unprofessional and rushed to get the order in. When it came to entrées our sushi entree was left out which caused sushi chef to unwrap everything and make our dinner order on ALREADY cleaned for the night counter, which wasn't very pleasing to look at. To make it even more confusing...our hot sizzling entree came along with the sushi entree so we had super cold hand rolls and sizzling hot entree on the table at the same time. Goes without saying by the time we finished sushi that sizzling entree was already just slightly warm. So, what was the point of ordering sizzling entree if we ended up eating it at slightly elevated temperature. Also, we asked for utencils to help with consumption of rice and other hard to grab food, she gave us ... 1 single TEASPOON... thankfully we are married and don't mind sharing saliva.... anyhow towards the end she just rushed to give us the bill and get out. This establishment is not for date night or quality time spend together. At most, a place where you would come to take out but again why choose this place where prices are competing with Insignia and Aje53 and service is slightly better than what gas station clerk would offer. Save your time and go else where... somewhere where your visit will be valued and good service will be provided along with quality food that is worth it's price. Next morning we didn't even remember that we went to this place, this is how unmemorable and mediocre...

Last Friday, my wife and I found ourselves wandering through the Hauppauge, NY neighborhood after 9:30 p.m., searching for a place to eat. Having been to Kotobuki before, we decided it was worth revisiting—and it turned out to be a wonderful choice.

We both started with hot green tea, which arrived alongside warm towels to cleanse our hands. Oh my God—what a soothing therapy for the hands before dinner! The tea was piping hot, with a grassy, fresh flavor that instantly awakened the senses.

Next came the asari soup, a ritual must-have for me. Its delicate, savory broth was hot and satisfying, with just the right balance—not overpowering, but deeply comforting. We followed it with an otoshi salad, a mix of pickled cucumbers offering intriguing flavors. While it was enjoyable, it’s not a dish I’d personally crave again.

Our main dish was a standout: fried soft-shell crab, served beneath a crisp julienned salad and topped with a small ball of avocado and tuna sashimi. It was packed with flavor—each bite a delightful contrast of textures and tastes.

Service was prompt and attentive, and the food arrived quickly. Everything was delicious enough to make us want to return—and recommend it to others looking for a satisfying...