Disclaimer: My reviews are intended to provide an honest account of both the positives and…read morenegatives of my overall experience at a restaurant, not just my personal food preferences. Taste is subjective, and what one person finds delicious, another may not. However, there are certain universal aspects of dining, such as customer service, cleanliness, communication, and overall hospitality, that every restaurant should strive to deliver. My reviews reflect the complete experience, not just what's on the plate.
We decided to try Hasu Teriyaki & Sushi in Folsom for the first time and brought the kids along. Unfortunately, the experience got off to a rough start.
When we walked in, there were several open tables, but no one greeted us or explained whether we should seat ourselves or wait to be seated. A female employee saw us but didn't provide any direction, so we picked a table ourselves. After waiting for a bit with no acknowledgment, I had to get up and grab menus on my own.
We spent about eight minutes deciding what to order (never easy with kids), but still no one came by. After another several minutes, I finally walked the few feet to the register and asked, "Are we supposed to order here or at the table?" The response was simply, "Yes, order here."
After placing my order, I was immediately prompted to add a tip before receiving any service, which is something I personally find frustrating. Then I grabbed our cups to fill our drinks myself, only to find the ice machine was out of ice. At that point, it felt like we were striking out on every opportunity for a good first impression.
It appears there's only one employee handling both the register and the dining area, which may explain some of the confusion. If that's the system, it would really help to have a sign letting customers know to seat themselves and order at the counter. There are only about seven tables inside, but without any guidance, the dining experience is confusing for first-time visitors.
Once the food arrived, it was presented nicely. I ordered the Rainbow Roll and Dragon Roll, and visually they looked great. Unfortunately, I found the flavors to be underwhelming. The sushi was very mild, and even the wasabi had almost no heat. I added far more wasabi than I normally would, yet it barely had any kick. For someone who really enjoys sushi, the overall flavor just didn't stand out. The kids' non-raw rolls were also just average.
To her credit, the employee did check on us twice after the food arrived, and she was friendly. I think she recognized that I was frustrated after spending roughly 15 minutes in the restaurant without any acknowledgment or explanation of how ordering worked.
Overall, the experience wasn't terrible, but it wasn't one that makes me eager to return. Between the confusing service, lackluster first impression, and sushi that was simply average, I'd probably look elsewhere next time.