Philip A.
Yelp
We've been coming to this location for a long time because the ramen is always delicious, but unfortunately, we had a very unpleasant experience yesterday.
A member of our party, who is eight months pregnant, arrived 15 minutes before us with her husband. They put their name down and asked if she could take a seat at the counter while they waited, as there were open seats available. They were told no. Thinking there might have been a misunderstanding, they explained that she was heavily pregnant, and were again told "No" because "We have to keep the seats open for customers." (There was no line.) They even reassured the staff that she would happily give up the seat if more customers arrived, yet they were still denied.
When we arrived, we saw that the entire counter was nearly empty, with only one person seated. I asked to speak with the manager, but there wasn't one present. Instead, I spoke with a long-time staff member and explained the situation. His response was, "I understand, but we also have to maintain some control here." I respect restaurant policies, but refusing to accommodate a visibly pregnant woman when the restaurant was half-empty is ridiculous and shows a complete lack of flexibility and basic empathy. When I pointed this out, he simply said, "Maybe we could be more flexible," but offered no apology.
This was not a complicated situation and could have been handled with a little common sense--at the very least, offering to bring a chair outside. We've always enjoyed dining here, but after this experience and the disappointing lack of understanding shown, we're seriously reconsidering if we'll return.