Restaurant Review: Crave at Mall of America: If you have been to MOA then you know that there are many different restaurants to pick from. Thinking sushi? Crave is a good choice! Or is it?

Last night I took my daughter and niece shopping. The girls wanted sushi from Crave. I can’t count how many times I have been to this restaurant. In fact, this was my go to place for a while for all my business lunches and group gatherings.

I will start out by telling you that all of us were in t-shirts and shorts – summer attire. At the hostess stand, a female employee gave us the once over and instructed another employee to seat us in the Americana Room. No bigger than a large walk-in closet, this separate space is likely intended for private parties, meetings, or when the place is packed.

While being led to this space, we noticed that there were lots of booths and tables open. Once seated I asked the host if we were seriously being seated here. She ignored me and walked away. We sat for a few minutes before deciding that this segregated seating arrangement was unacceptable.

My daughter told me it was because of all my tattoos and I assured her, in an attempt at humor, that it was the messy buns in their hair.

The waiter finally arrived as we were getting to our feet. I told him we were leaving and he asks if it is because of where we were seated. We confirmed that it was. He immediately offered to seat us in the open dining area but It was too late for that and we declined.

As we were walking out we again noticed all the open booths and tables. Once out of the restaurant, the manager stepped outside and invited us to come back in. We declined and told him they may want to refrain from seating guests in the Americana Room when the main dining space has ample seating available. It sends a very bad message.

I’m happy to report that this story had a positive ending. We opted to dine at Bubba Gump Shrimp Co., where we were welcomed with smiles and great service.

Here is what Crave Restaurant website says: “CRAVE Restaurant was built out of a passion to create a dining experience unlike any other. A dining experience where quality, local and regionally sourced food, chic atmosphere, and diverse choices offer guests the opportunity to create their own unforgettable dining experience. The energy of the restaurant is all encompassing–the buzz of guests and staff, the warm and open design, the modern sushi bar, the fresh spin on American cuisine with seasonality, and the sense of discovery around every corner. A CRAVE guest will leave knowing they experienced just the right mix of sophistication, entertainment and service in what can only be defined as The CRAVE Experience.”

It is said that satisfied customers tell 3 friends about their experience, while angry customers tell everyone they know. Looks like Crave might want to do an immediate tune-up with a few of their employees before they offend yet another group…