Toshokan In Aust - North Browning

Ingredients were top notch, service was nice, but the experience felt off the entire time we were there. It's hard to explain but when fine dining restaurants put together an amazing experience they do it in a way that makes it look effortless, and Toshokan felt like they were trying too hard. Experience aside, the food was good, but not amazing.

The food is always amazing! The chef is super personable and very talented! The staff are friendly and attentive. They create a 5 star experience!

First of all, I haven’t eaten here, but I’m a person that believes the service is a reflection of the atmosphere. It is Memorial Day, I wouldn’t want to be working either but woman as a hostess is the most unfriendly and least welcoming person I’ve encountered in quite a while. She wasn’t helpful when asking about the restaurant, or about getting a reservation probably because they are booked up for 45 days which is alright but getting cocky as an early restaurant is not how I’d like to be approach things

I’ve been sitting on this review for a while. I’m definitely not one to tarnish any 5 star ratings!! My experience was mixed. In part by the fact that I’ve spent countless moments at midnight trying to get reservations with no luck. When I finally snagged my first res, I was shocked to be sitting next to a guy that had been multiple times (even in the past week). Most of the others also had the good fortune to be “frequent patrons”. There was one other person who said she’d been trying to grab a reservation for a while. TBH, really didn’t sit right with me. As we all know, these reviews are opinion based only. I can only give my honest assessment of my experience. The vibe seemed catered to a younger crowd for sure. I definitely felt out of place. The “F” word was used quite liberally by the staff. No big deal, just kind of off pudding when you’re paying so much. Again, I realize this may not be a popular opinion. Unfortunately we also got on the topic of church camp and “those types” which stung quite a bit since I have a strong faith base. Not really the fault of the staff but she was very much in agreement to the conversation. I am not suggesting that the chef participated in any of these convos because he didn’t. Yes, the food and drinks were absolutely delicious. I got the extra cocktail menu where we get a fun drink paired with some of the courses and also participated in the extra course which was way too fishy and slimy for me. All in all, my bill was slightly over $400. Since I just didn’t have the best experience, needless to say, it was too expensive for me. My biggest suggestion would be to not go solo.

Hands down the best dining experience I've ever had. GL getting a res, but it's worth the effort.