Michael G.
Yelp
To start: we called prior to our visit to make sure they had same day availability as we hadn't made a reservation previously. The phone was answered "Hello" which was confusing... we were unsure we had called the right number since the call wasn't answered like a professional business. We asked is this "Takumi" and were met with a response of "Yeah."
We live on the West Side and work in the industry so understand that things happen, but for the price point, the service we experienced simply didn't measure up. The sushi was excellent, especially the No Ka 'Oi Roll, which was beautifully crafted. Unfortunately, the overall experience was diminished by service that fell far short of expectations for an à la carte dining experience.
At one point, our server was around the corner in the kitchen area, speaking just loudly enough for us to overhear her venting to a coworker about a phone call from a guest asking if they'd still be served if they arrived late. That kind of conversation, especially when audible to guests, felt unprofessional and took away from the ambiance we were expecting.
Worse, we ordered an appetizer that never arrived. When we were asked if we were ready to check out and mentioned we were still waiting on a dish, the server checked with the kitchen, loud enough for us to hear everything. We learned that the dish we ordered had been mistakenly given to a couple seated after us. And now it was out of stock.
The server then told us she should have mentioned they were out of it earlier, when in reality, the mistake was that it was served to the wrong table. She added that she'd "take it off the bill," which, of course, is expected but saying it like a favor only added to the frustration.
My recommendation to management: the team needs some coaching around professionalism, guest interaction, and attention to detail. "Table touches" mean little when the server doesn't know the status of the meal. Asking, "How's everything here?" while walking away, especially as we have our mouths full, doesn't prompt a real answer or create a meaningful guest connection. The restaurant itself was slow, which made the disorganized service even harder to understand. Overall, the experience didn't match the quality of the food (which was a 10/10) or the price we paid.
To top it off, I didn't appreciate being handed a Toast device with the highest predetermined tip percentage highlight already, while the server stood directly over me watching as I made my selection. A physical shoulder touch followed with a "thank you" felt overly familiar and unprofessional. It made an already disappointing experience feel even more uncomfortable.
Give two stars for the food quality and ambiance. Both were spectacular.