Wagamama

[Stoveding]

Aibu to think they are not a cheap restaurant and therefore could afford to have a decent number of waiting staff.
The service is ok, but the levels of stress of waiting staff seem to be off the scale. They are like blue assed flies poor things, and I always feel awful when I have to get their attention for something.
Aibu to think the nations favourite restaurant could use some of their bottom line profit to make their workers job less awful?

I think it is dreadful tbh. You never see any Asian looking people in there do you?

I think it is dreadful tbh. You never see any Asian looking people in there do you?

Blimey what a thing to write, and yes, I had dinner with not just an "Asian looking person" but actually a real live Asian person a few weeks ago in there.

It's just a bloody restaurant. 🤣

Well....I do dislike Wagamama because to me it isn't "real" asian food, which I love. However, the same can be said of Indian, Chinese restaurants etc etc that are in the UK. So it's the same for nearly every cuisine.

I loved it when they first opened. I used to go to the Bloomsbury one as a poor student and it was really cheap but healthy and delicious. Like most chains that expand relentlessly it has lost it's way a bit. Prices have propelled upwards over the years, food can be really mediocre and restaurants a bit shabby at times. I do love the pickles though

" It's just a bloody restaurant. "
well yes, true. However if you go to eg Won Kees, (cheap Chinese chaff in Chinatown) there are lots of Chinese people eating. For me it's a recommendation tbh.

It is bad Japanese good. The ramen is wrong, wrong, wrong. As are the gyoza. Where is the bloody pork option? Japanese food is at least 80% pork based ffs.

I love the food but it is is very overpriced for what it is.

They are pretty good if you have kids with you, they make sure they are served first.

'However if you go to eg Won Kees, (cheap Chinese chaff in Chinatown) there are lots of Chinese people eating. For me it's a recommendation tbh.'

Ha - yes, I love Wong Kee because the staff are so incredibly RUDE. It's pure entertainment watching it all play out. It's almost always rammed in there though.

oh the young waiters in Won Kees are not half as rude as their fathers and grandfathers were.
I used to eat there a lot when I was young and single and indeed sitting on the ground floor was great fun, watching horrified tourists run away screaming.
However I must say, if you bring small children with you, they are perfectly charming..

We all love Wagamama, the kids menu is really fresh and tasty

I like it but I'm completely unrefined.

I dislike Wagamama. The food is very bland and there version of adding flavour is just add chilli oil. It is also very overpriced.

Always the same food, uncomfy benches.

I've never been. I don't even know what kind of food they serve.

Anglicised Japanese, from what I can gather.

I love Wagamama. It is what it is, they tell you the food will be brought out when it is ready and not at the same time. I don't particularly mind sharing tables as it is the norm and nobody pays any attention to anybody else. I went last week and we had teriyaki chicken donburi and tonkatsu with some garlic fried greens which were delicious. I hadn't had the tonkatsu before and can highly recommend it. Plus where I live it always has a high proportion of Japanese customers as well, but that may be because the only alternatives are Tye Pye Dong and Chinese takeaways for anything at all resembling Asian food.

I like it, tasty quick food, it’s a treat lunch with my team when I’m visiting our London office or equally a quick dinner when I’m on my own in the evening.
Yes, the food comes out when it’s ready, just like it does in pretty much every restaurant I ate at whilst living in Asia, you just get used to it and to be honest it’s more expected that people are sharing all the dishes in a lot of Asian restaurants rather the having one dish each. The Wagamama’s main courses are more designed to be one each which I guess is a minor issue but it’s so quick anyway it really doesn’t matter much.

I can see how it doesn't appeal to everyone but we love it for a quick meal while shopping, the food tastes like it's freshly cooked rather than reheated, we don't mind the canteen style.
We had one bad occasion where a member of staff accused our kids very loudly of writing all over the benches - they didn't, it must have been the previous occupants but she didn't believe us. We raised a complaint in writing when we left but I stayed away for a number of years, it left a very bitter taste.

I get a bit addicted to wagamamas; the pickles and dressings in particular. For those who know more about Japanese food, can you recommend a chain that is better than wagamamas but not ££££?

They don't use capital letters except in response to letters of complaints.

We're fans too, nobody ever claimed it was authentic anything - and frankly having eaten 'authentic' chinese, thai and malaysian food locally while based in Singapore I'd say be careful what you wish for sometimes (pig bladder soup anyone?). It's freshly made tasty vaguely japanese ramen style, and we like it when out and want something not so formal. There are four in Amsterdam, all busy pretty much all the time and I've never noticed staff issues in the two we go to the most.

I have one of their books - it's a cooking style I like, fast and fresh once you have the basics stocked.

Absolutely love Waga and really miss it now that I'm rural

Nations Fave though?

Surely Nando's or Spoons

Both criminally overrated more so than Waga which is at least fresh and tasty

FACT
if you go anywhere else for really amazing ramen it is cheaper than this awful place.
Max - it’s the same price.

They are expensive FOR the quality. Which is shockingly bad.

OP London really isn’t “the nation” just sayin...

That aside, it may depend where you go. The two nearest Wagamama’s to my home have really excellent service.

Just vote with your feet.

I understand if you’re not in London, then it’s ok. But try and find a local Japanese or Asian. And talk to them.
They’ll be loads cheaper
@Imsorrylhaventaclue why do you need a chain?

Anyone eating this is London is an idiot. Simple