UOTAMIMisawaamerikamura

As a rule, you will always receive good service at a restaurant in Japan. Sometimes, though, you will come across exceptions to any rule. Case in point: last night's disastrous attempt to enjoy dinner with co-workers at Uotami. A party of six, we arrived at 6:00pm on a Sunday evening. We hadn't ma...de a reservation -- which, typically, izakayas usually don't require or even accept. As many tables were open, a sour-faced hostess admitted us and showed us to a traditional horigotatsu (Japanese sunken table) in a private tatami-floored room. So far, so good...even if the table was small for six adults. Then began a 30-minute period of near-utter neglect by the wait staff. As Japanese custom dictates, we rang a bell on the table several times over 15 minutes (but not to an obnoxious degree) to request service. In addition, we called out "sumimasen" a few times (again, in a reasonable manner consistent with Japanese custom) to a passing waiter. No joy -- clearly, the staff was overwhelmed serving drinks to a couple of large parties who occupied nearby tables following our arrival. Because the shoji-screen walls between tables are literally paper thin, the noisy revelers next door were so loud as to preclude inside-voice conversations. After 30 minutes of suffering wait staff neglect and concert hall decibels, we departed Uotami for greener pastures. I won't ever return to Uotami. Having eaten there previously, I can testify that the food is just ordinary anyway. Misawa boasts a small handful of decent restaurants but, sadly, Uotami isn't one of them. I am so over it.

Visited April 2016