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‘Sick Of The Disrespect’: Sushi Restaurant Gets Review Bombed Because Owner Is White

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(Photo by MIGUEL MEDINA / AFP) (Photo by MIGUEL MEDINA/AFP via Getty Images)

Alexander Pease Contributor
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An Australian-born restaurant owner, who set up shop in New York City, is experiencing a flurry of negative online reviews for being white and owning a spot serving sushi.

When Sushi Counter opened its doors, it was committed to serving affordable, Australian-style hand-rolled maki in the Big Apple where prices are typically sky high, The Publica reported. Recently, however, the restaurant has been subjected to negative reviews by online users who were put off by the fact that the owner, Alex, is white.

One vocal chef, Eric Rivera, took to Twitter in a now-deleted thread to shun Sushi Counter for being owned by a “colonizer” white-woman, suggesting she has no place serving the widely-popular Japanese favorite, The Publica noted. (RELATED: Sushi Place Shut Down After Cops Find Meth In Soy Sauce)

This is not the first time that Rivera has dubbed others tied to the the culinary industry as colonizers, according to his Twitter posts.


Sushi Counter had previously received positive reviews by NYC sushi fans, according to the outlet.

The owner reportedly deleted a TikTok page she made documenting her journey of opening the business, The Publica noted. The backlash also came with a flurry of negative Google reviews. (RELATED: Woman Allegedly Takes Up Restaurant Booth For Hours, So Waitress Gives Her A Surprise)

“There are plenty of good AUTHENTIC sushi spots in this city and prices aren’t crazy. I suggest going to one of those. This is a colonizer sushi spot ran by a woman who thinks she can do better than actual Japanese people,” one reviewer wrote, the outlet noted.
Another reviewer, wrote, “Enough of the gentrification! The last thing anyone needs are blonde hair, Australian white women appropriating Japanese cuisine … We’re sick of the disrespect inflicted upon our cultures by white people, enough is enough,” the outlet reported.

After Twitter users drew attention to the negative reviews, many jumped in to offset the one-star reviews.

One reviewer gave the restaurant a 5-star rating, saying, “I could have cried when I saw this place. Just like back home!”