初樂燒肉 東區大安店

Overall Rating: 🌕🌖🌑🌑🌑
Fooday’s Blabbering Food Review by Dickson #254

This time I’m reviewing a Japanese BBQ restaurant in the alleys of the East District. First, I really don’t recommend coming here— I rarely give a restaurant such a low rating— our dining experience here was truly awful.

This BBQ place has been open for many years. I’ve eaten here several years ago and thought it was fine back then. However, this experience was very poor 🥺🥺, and I probably won’t visit again!

Food: 🌕🌕🌕🌑🌑
Drinks: 🌕🌖🌑🌑🌑
Atmosphere: 🌕🌕🌗🌑🌑
Service: 🌘🌑🌑🌑🌑
Price: 🌕🌕🌑🌑🌑

The bad experience wasn’t really about the food quality or taste. The food was what you’d expect from an average, affordable BBQ place; nothing special about the meat quality or flavor, just normal barbecue fare. You just cook the meat and eat it. So, the food was just acceptable.

The poor experience was more related to the overall service attitude and dining experience.

It was around last month’s Mid-Autumn Festival when a group of friends and I decided to find a BBQ place to celebrate. We picked this well-known but affordable BBQ place because we were just looking to hang out together, not for top-tier BBQ.

We chose this place also because they have private rooms where you can sing— perfect for our group’s gathering needs.

Unfortunately, the karaoke room was already booked, so we missed out on that service, but that was okay since we were late in booking.

Because we had a large group, we told the restaurant our party size upfront and booked by phone.

A few days before dining, we suddenly received a text saying we had to pay a deposit, and if it wasn’t paid within a day, our reservation would be canceled.

I personally think it’s reasonable for large groups to pay a deposit, but it wasn’t mentioned during booking, and instead, we were notified via text to complete a wire transfer for the deposit.

Given the prevalence of scams, it's hard to fully trust an account number sent via text, so I called to confirm the deposit was actually needed.

Luckily, it was legitimate, but I really think they should inform customers of the deposit requirement while booking, instead of a last-minute text notice which might be missed or mistaken for a scam— potentially leading to a missed reservation.

The deposit issue wasn’t my main gripe, just a bit bothersome.

On the day of dining, we arrived at 3 PM sharp, but were told our table was still being cleaned, so we were seated temporarily elsewhere. This temporary seating wasn’t in our dining area.

We waited for 20 minutes, only to be told that other guests had taken our tables, and we would have to split into two tables not connected together?

This was unacceptable. We reserved in advance, informed them of our numbers. Why couldn't they arrange our seating properly?

We came to enjoy BBQ and conversation together, splitting us defeats our purpose! I immediately spoke with staff because it was their problem, not ours.

The restaurant apologized, saying it was because previous guests started dining late, causing the seating issue. I pointed out again that it wasn’t our problem but theirs!

About 20 minutes later, they finally arranged connected tables for us, solving that issue, but by then, 30 to 40 minutes had passed since we arrived...

The staff apologized and promised a soft drink for each of us. However, the drinks were watered down, and the apology felt insincere.

Aside from these grievances, during checkout, I mentioned we had paid a deposit, so expected it to be deducted from the bill. Yet after charging my credit card, I found the deposit hadn’t been deducted!

I immediately alerted the staff, and they clumsily admitted forgetting to deduct the deposit, necessitating a refund and re-charge.

This made me really unhappy. Without checking the bill, I could have lost my deposit! The deposit wasn’t cheap, especially for our large group. A less careful person might be scammed out of their money!

All these issues contributed to a terrible dining experience, far beyond acceptable.

In a restaurant, besides food and taste, service and dining experience are crucial too. Because of all these problems, there’s no way I’d come back for a second meal!

Given these service failures, the food doesn’t matter as much— everything else was just too disappointing!

⭐️ Food
We ordered two group sets, which included various meats like pork, beef, and chicken, nothing special. The meat quality was basic, what you’d find in any affordable BBQ joint.

As we grilled our own meat, there was nothing noteworthy, though the portions were sufficient based on the group number.

⭐️ Drinks
Mostly, we ordered soft drinks. These were disappointing too. Soft drinks are low-cost, yet the Calpis tasted extremely diluted, clearly watered down.

Despite the promise of a free drink to make up for seating issues, setting a price cap and serving watered-down drinks showed a lack of sincerity.

⭐️ Service
I’ve mentioned a lot already— it failed on many levels. A reservation means the restaurant should ensure proper seating. Failing at this basic service is inexcusable.

No table service grilling was offered, service was limited to menu guidance and food delivery.

The billing error was a major flaw— a significant amount that, uncorrected, could unjustifiably cost customers if unnoticed.

⭐️ Atmosphere
The place is quite old; the interior isn’t new, but acceptable. However, space is tight and aisles are narrow.

While seating proximity might affect your experience if others are noisy, there is a karaoke facility if booked early, ideal for singing.

Overall, it’s just an average, small, affordable BBQ place.

⭐️ Price
Given rising costs, the set meal prices are reasonable. Not a bargain, but acceptable for what’s offered.

However, coupled with the poor experience, the money felt wasted for such quality.

⭐️ Overall
Ignoring service, it’s an ordinary BBQ joint where you can hang out. Offering space for DIY BBQ while chatting is all fine. It’s the atrocious service experience that makes it unsuggestible.

Maybe it was a one-time issue, but the experience was enough to deter recommending it.
Interested friends can see if the service is indeed always this bad 😂😂😂😂.