Bizen Gourmet Japanese Restaurant and Sushi Bar
| Address: | 17 Railroad St, Great Barrington, MA 01230, USA |
| Phone: | +1 413-528-4343 |
| Rating: | 3.8 |
| Working: | 12–2:30PM 12–2:30PM 12–2:30PM 12–2:30PM 12–2:30PM 12–3PM 12–3PM |
Location
Photos 100
Reviews 7
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Robert Turner
Dont believe the hype. Long review, but if you are going to spend the money, read it. My girlfriend and I had one of the worst dining experiences either of us have ever had last night. To start the menu is very large. Too large in my opinion. Close to 30 special rolls, the same on a special fish menu, over 30 appetizer specials with pictures on a separate menu and the regular menu is long and unorganized. When you sit down and try and take all this is you have to question how this restaurant can possibly deliver all this at a high quality of its reputation. The answer is, they cant. We decided on an app, two small salads, a special roll and individual pieces of sushi to share. The app, the "dynasty" was a chopped up scallop and shitake mushrooms baked in a spicy sauce. Way too spicy. So spicy we asked for a side of rice to cut the heat. We then tried to order some sushi from the specials menu. They did not have four of the five fish we tried to order. We changed our order and then tried to order a special roll. We got lucky on our third choice as they didnt have fish to make the first two. It was lees a choice and more a suggestion from our server, a roll made up of tuna, eel and avocado for $18. The salads came out soon enough under dressed in a too oily "vinaigrette." Then the wait came.... 10 minutes.... 20 minutes.... 30 minutes and the first apology from the server... 40 minutes and the roll arrived with another apology.... 50minutes.... 60 minutes and another apology.... 70 minutes and our server came by to let us know that they didnt have another of the fish we ordered and would we like to replace it with something...no thanks....At this point we are the last table and are no listening to the service team argue with one another and we were lucky enough to hear one server explain how she keeps her tips in her underwear...great 80 minutes and our 8 pieces of sushi arrived. We ate the sushi quickly enough. It was OK. Tasted fresh enough, but nothing mind blowing. We asked for our check which came very quickly. I asked our server why we had to wait so long for our dinner. She explained that lots of people were ordering sushi. To which I brought her attention to the fact that we were siting in a sushi bar. She was apologetic and said if I wanted to complain more I could go talk to the owner/chef as it was his fault the food came out so slow. This is the point were I ended my part in the conversation. I paid the bill, left no tip for the first time in my life and walked out never to return. The chef offered to comp us dessert, but this was way too little way too late. We sat down at 8:20pm and left at 10:20pm. The bill was about $120 for the two of us. Our meal came out to a buck a minute to wait. Upon reflection I should have expected this experience. When I think about the scope/layout/length of the menu....the fact that most of the special rolls have some type of fried component in them...the fact that the menu is not accurate with respect to the restaurants fish inventory.....the fact that the servers try and sell you the most expensive rolls. There is no wonder why we had the experience we did. I believe the reputation of this restaurant is undeserved based on my experience. A smaller menu, with less items, that is easy for guests to negotiate and servers to sell would create a quicker dining experience with a higher quality of food and service.
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A Private User
Ive read my fellow reviewers. Im in my head, not theirs, so I cant knock their opinions. Heres mine. Ive been to Bizen several times. I make a Fall run to the area, and have skiid the rather modest slopes several times. This restaurant is a nice place to enter on a crisp autumn day, all the moreso in the chill of winter. Ive sat at the sushi bar and at various tables including the small ones near the front window. Im a people watcher, so starting with a drink, perhaps a bit of saki, and appetizers and miso soup brings the place into focus. Im a transplanted New Yorker, perhaps that gives me an edge on tolerating a chief complaint of other reviewers. But Im not real tolerant of loud intrusive conversation or cell phone chatter; I dont recall being put off here by this. Ive actually entered into a few friendly cross table conversations with other patrons. I think I can tell fresh from unfresh fish and have been quite well satified in this regard. Ive never felt abandoned or ignored by wait staff, either at the tables or the sushi bar. On one occasion, I was up for a weekend for skiing. My family left earlier (rained out) and I went to Bizen early evening. This was the first time I had sat at the sushi bar rather than table service. I believe I was somewaht scruffy, having come direct from skiing. It happened that the owner was waiting on customers at the sushi bar. We dont know each other, except in the causual manner of a patron and proprietor; he may have remembered me from previous visits, or not. He tended to me, offered me suggestions, inspected the fish he selected for me. Our interaction was direct, professional, spiced with a bit of humor and warmth without effusiveness or clamor. He did what a good waiter and savvy proprietor knows how to do...meet the needs of the customer. Put simply, I came to the restaurant hungry and alone, on a cold night. All my needs were met. Right now its Sunday, an Autumn day, and Im heading to Great Barrington, where I expect to top off my day with a visit to Bizen.
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Ariel Rose
I have to be honest, I grew up going here as a child and loved it. Fresh fish, great service (although sometimes a little slow/busy). Now though, things just don’t taste as good. Menu of rolls isn’t very interesting, it feels Bizen has slipped over the last few years, which makes me sad, because it used to have really great sushi. Even the rice wasn’t up to how it used to be. I hope things improve and they remake the menu.
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Sputni Sat
Alles etwas anstrengend zum bestellen, wenn man sich nicht gerade mit der japanischen Küche auskennt. Essen war okay. Vegetarier finden auch was. Essen an sich ist okay. Ambiente ist etwas nüchtern.
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寿恵布川
どうしても、日本の味が忘れられなく、メニューにない 「おむすび 」をお願いしました。サトウシェフは、快くシャケと梅干しのおむすびを作ってくださいました。美味しくて、涙が出そうでした。また、おむすび頂きに伺います!
BI
Bill Rosenblatt
Stick to anything that does not involve the kitchen or the waitstaff and youll be fine. That is, pull up a seat at the sushi bar for the best sushi in the area. Otherwise, forget it. It used to be that the food was decent even if the service was incompetent. Now both are.
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Dan Randall
The lunch was perfect. I had the bulldozer. In the future I will order it as the Afghanistan. The owner Michael told me how to place the order in the future. Hes a sharp man who knows his trade. Please try this place. My wife and I have been going for many years.
