bartender

assistant general manager

busser

general manager

head chef

Mecha Noodle Bar

Having spent 15+ years in the food and beverage industry when the Columbus, OH Mecha location opened, I was excited for my first stint in a restaurant's opening crew and also my first crack at a corporate restaurant environment. I was disappointed on both counts.

While not a terrible place to work, Mecha did not prove to be very profitable as a bartender used to busy nights. This was exacerbated by other FOH staff (non-bartenders) becoming accustomed to the slow pace and lax workplace, which led to a lot of scurrying on my part with other team members moving in slow motion.

The biggest issue overall though would have to be the constant micromanagement. Coming from a smaller, independently-owned and chef-driven restaurant background, I was frankly unprepared for the amount of daily brownnosing that was required for there to be trust that I knew how to do my job in such basic tasks as routine setup and teardown of the bar.

Mecha could possibly be a boon to someone new to the FOH side of the restaurant business (order taking and overall service were a breeze (if somewhat lazy by my standards)), but for industry veterans I would not recommend working at one of their locations.

Working at Mecha Noodle Bar in New Haven was one of the most rewarding restaurant experiences I’ve had. The environment is fast-paced but team-oriented, and the staff is truly passionate about the food and the culture behind it. The menu focuses on Southeast Asian street food, with ramen bowls, bao buns, and creative cocktails that stand out for their flavor and presentation. Everything is fresh and made with care — you can really taste it. One of my favorites was the Tonkotsu Ramen: rich, savory broth with tender pork belly and perfectly cooked noodles. The kitchen works efficiently and the front-of-house team genuinely cares about customer service. What really made it special was the sense of community — from regulars who knew your name to coworkers who became close friends. Whether dining in or working a shift, Mecha delivers on flavor, energy, and hospitality. I’d recommend it without hesitation.

I'll be honest, this was probably the worst job I've worked in my entire lifetime. The management is bipolar, does not actually train you, you have to read through an approximately 800 slide training on a computer (what sense does that make in a restaurant?) 
Schedules... were NEVER out in a timely manner. There would be days where you don't know if you work the next day because the schedule has not been posted. They'd post the schedule in between two hours before or even the morning of the next day. Couldn't take this job serious in the slightest. Requirement to work here is to be a yes man and have no life.

This job promises more money than it actually gives you (10 hourly)) , people gossip about employees, managers, and customers constantly. Managers only treat you well if you work yourself to death. They put you on shifts you’ve said you can’t work then expect you to be a team player. Stop promising promotions and never following through. Lastly, be more honest that you’ll be treated poorly by bar staff despite living over at the bar doing all their work. 

My time at this company was probably the worst out of all my time in the culinary industry they act like they care about you but are super fake and bipolar the management is a bunch of kids and immature with the worst communication skills ever. There is no real structure and management is the worst people you will meet i hope they realize soon cause none of them value their workers at all i do not recommend applying here even if its your last option!!

This is not a place to work if you have a family as there is zero work life balance. Micro managing upper management doesn’t allow for a creative outlet. Couple this with inaccurate recipes and unfulfilled promises of both day to day work and never seen benefits and you get a toxic work environment.
The only thing good about this company is the salary, even the health insurance is poor.

Mecha Noodle Bar, as a group, works very hard to maintain a great  work culture for all of it's employees. The owners and management genuinely care about their employees. You work hard, learn a lot, and make good money. The hours can be long but overall, it's a wonderful place to work.

The job is very simple doesn't require a lot of you. It's a pretty standard server job. The management however can be a bit difficult to work with and that makes it hard for new staff and current staff to want to stay around as there is a constant amount of friction in the restaurant.

Worst job I’ve had in my life:
Nasty management, they steal the tips, so we all get underpaid, every closing shift they make you to clean all the place because they don’t want to waste more money paying to a someone else, so, the only good thing here it is the food.

Quality of life/having a purpose/being appreciated/competitive pay/being heard doesn’t happen anymore. Favoritism, sexism, and abusive exec team members. High burnout level. Retaliatory and gossipy/cliquey across all levels.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Bartender 8 salaries reported	$25.00 per hour
Assistant general manager 1 salary reported	$80,000 per year
Busser 10 salaries reported	$20.00 per hour
General manager 3 salaries reported	$86,667 per year
Head chef 16 salaries reported	$86,875 per year

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