Azia P.
Google
I wanted to love this place. My sister had a great weekend dinner here, so we booked an 8 pm reservation on a Wednesday to celebrate my mom’s 61st birthday with a party of five.
Two of us arrived at 7:50 and the hostess immediately recognized our reservation. The restaurant was nearly empty, with only two other tables seated. We ordered drinks, our third guest arrived around 8:10, and the last two guests arrived by 8:25. We ordered items at 8:15 so everyone could eat together. We were actively ordering and keeping the evening flowing.
At 8:23, we were suddenly told the kitchen closes at 8:30 and that we had to place entree orders immediately. This was the first time anyone mentioned the kitchen hours. Even if everyone had arrived at 8, ordering drinks, items, and entrees in under 30 minutes isn’t realistic. Had we known, we would have skipped entrees or gone elsewhere. Most nearby restaurants are open until 10, and that was the expectation we had. We only learned they close at 9 when leaving.
After that, service fell apart. Items were cleared before we finished, cocktails weren’t offered another round, water was only refilled when requested, birthday dessert was served with the bill, and the server checked the bill folder before we finished dessert or singing happy birthday. The rushed pace made it hard not to feel unwelcome.
To be fair, our party wasn’t complete until 8:25, but even with everyone seated at 8, no table would normally order entrees within ten minutes. The main issue was the mismatch between reservation times and kitchen hours, combined with service that did not guide or support new guests.
Food highlights: gyoza and lychee martini very good, soft shell crab tasted like old oil, tonkatsu ramen okay with tender pork but lacking depth, mochi good, panna cotta slightly curdled. On food alone this would have been a high three or low four; the service brought it down to a low three.
The space is lovely and has potential. With better pacing, clearer communication, and basic service checks, the restaurant could shine. We usually order family-style and spend well on food and drinks, but this time we couldn’t because the pace didn’t allow it. I plan to return, hoping service and communication improve, and that unrealistic reservation times are corrected, because this milestone birthday felt more stressful than it should have.