Ryan

This is a breakfast, brunch, and lunch spot you don’t want to miss. I probably wouldn’t order any espresso drinks from here, but they’ve got a pretty decent bar selection and an array of fun entrees to choose from. My Bloody Mary was tasty, and they let us order those while we waited for our table, but I just wish it was a little stronger on the pour.

For food I ordered their house made sausage breakfast sandwich, and I really enjoyed the mix of ingredients they had on it. The spicy peppers gave it some awesome flavor. The smashed hash was perfectly cooked and seasoned as well. Definitely made me think of something I’d whip up myself when I have the munchies.

The weather was cold and wet when we visited, but the outdoor patio area looks like it’s a pretty happenin’ place when the weather is good, and the buildings to either side provide nice shade.

Get in and give it a try!

I finally had a chance to swing by the Vig in Arcadia and I thoroughly enjoyed my visit. I was greeted by friendly staff at the door, and was quickly enticed by the long and spacious bar adjacent to the entrance.

Niki, the bartender, is amazing at what she does, and I’d come back again and again for her top notch service. I ordered a beer and the crispy calamari, and let me tell ya, it’s some of the best calamari I’ve ever had. The batter was delicious (although maybe a tad too salty), and came with a few crispy fried onions and shishito peppers. Imagine a bloomin’ onion with extra fixins and a greater variety of flavor. The charred lemon added some beautiful depth with its smoky acidity. Loved it.

I’ll definitely be back, as the menu features some intriguing options and the service is exceptional.

I was in town for a day to catch a flight home and was fortunate to stumble upon this beautifully, unassuming, and cozy establishment. To my delightful surprise, my taste buds were treated to a lovely and hearty breakfast. The staff were great, the regulars were kind and helpful, and I would 100% return here.

There are a lot of Japanese restaurants in town, but after one meal here, I can’t say this one deserves another stop. I ordered the large chicken Katsu, which happened to be a whole lot of rice and chicken, and that was it. Pretty boring. Other places commonly include a variety of sauces, cabbage, lemon wedges, sesame seeds and seaweeds and hard boiled eggs, etc. But this? A tasteless heaping pile of starch and protein? Man, what a letdown.

Their prices are good, however. And the staff were super friendly. But it feels like the food is dumbed down for white folks. I’m looking for bold authentic flavors, and this fell flat. Very disappointed.

Edit: 3.3.23 came in a second time, ordered the chili yakisoba, and boy oh boy, I was blown away by how AWFUL the chicken was. It was burnt to a crisp, more dry than the Sahara, with a terrible charcol flavor. Literally the worst chicken I’ve had from any restaurant. I’ve downgraded my review from two stars to one. I’m appalled that this chicken left their kitchen and made its way to my lunch. The rest of the yakisoba was pretty good, but still very much on the dry side, and the flavor was extremely lacking.

I don’t know why, but I’m going to give them a third try. Might be because my two experiences don’t line up with the rest of the reviews. I’ll provide another update on my next experience, but I must admit, my hopes are not high at all.

3/29/23 Update. Tried their chicken teriyaki. Surely they can’t mess that up, right? But no. Once more, the chicken was overcooked, not as bad as last time, but definitely charred and dry, and the rangoons were cold and sad. My 11 and 12 year old daughters make better rangoons at home. And the teriyaki sauce? Tasted like generic store bought sauce. To be fair, it’s the best dish I’ve ordered from Tokyo Stop thus far, but after three honest attempts to get some decent food from this place, I’m giving up.

If you’re an American who loves the idea of eating Japanese food, you might like this place. If you’re looking for anything remotely authentic, get the hell away from here. If you enjoy charcoal on your chicken, you’ll absolutely adore Tokyo Stop. But if you’re my friend, I’m steering you anywhere but here. Literally anywhere but Tokyo Stop. I cannot fathom how they’ve managed to get the star rating they have, but then I stop to consider the intelligence of the average *white* American (you won’t see Japanese folks eating here, ever, FYI), then I’m not surprised at all.

ZERO stars for their food.
FOUR stars for customer service (they’re actually pretty awesome).
Zero plus four is two. And there you have it.

Looking to impress on the first date? Grab a reservation at Garden Bar and pull out some of your 401k and prepare for a presumptuous petite little picnic.

This place isn’t for everyone, and by that I mean for people like me. I probably need to earn 50k more per year to be able to afford this place. But it’s cute and cozy (unless they shove you in the back corner of the backyard with the cheap patio furniture where we were). While the inside is nicely furnished, being sat outside made me feel like I wasn’t getting the full experience, even though we dropped in excess of $100 on a dolled up lunchable platter and a few drinks.

Don’t get me wrong, the meats and cheeses were good quality, and the grazing box was neatly arranged with a pocketful of fresh nuts and dried fruits, but the arrangement didn’t justify the price tag, and nothing on it was particularly mind-blowing. Their cocktail menu is expansive, since that’s what they’re known for, but the beer menu was severely lacking, and at $11+ per pint, a bit steep. I guess it’s to keep the riff raff out; no idea why they let me in.

Our servers were friendly and attentive, when they came around. At times I felt a little forgotten in our packed little patio corner. The Walmart special furniture was uncomfortable and blah, and by the end of the evening I felt like I’d been duped into coming here. Again, I’m probably not embodying the proper bourgeoisie mindset, because I left feeling confused at what the point of what I’d just experienced was. Hearing the kids next to us talk about their Ivy League upbringings provided me with some clarity, however, and I’ve accepted the fact that I’m just not part of the appropriate societal caste to comfortably dine at a place like Garden Bar.