OP added the link to the restaurant and buried among the social media info at the end of the menu is “A mandatory 18% service charge is added to all bills.” Very easy to overlook! It’s not on the website itself but only the downloadable menu.
Around here, many restaurants routinely started added 4-5% fees when the minimum wage went up. It’s not hidden; example at the top of this menu: Island Prime & C Level Menu - Steaks & Seafood in San Diego
We had a pizza place start adding a take out charge (even though you couldn’t eat there at the beginning of covid), and also raise their prices. The pizza that used to cost $17 or $18 was suddenly $25. Geez, just charge $25.
I never go there anymore.
I just looked at the restaurant. Fortunately it looks like one that would never appeal to me anyway TBH.
But I’ll keep a lookout in the future for extra charges. So far I’ve only seen a couple add on credit card fees if paying by credit. I’m ok with that TBH, esp since they tell people up front about it (well, it’s written on signs).
We haven’t stopped going anywhere due to higher prices, but it can factor in to how often we go somewhere. If there were significant hidden charges it would bug me.
The issue is that the server told the OP that the service charge was separate from the tip.
Yes, obviously, but I was responding to this comment:
I found this re tips and service charges. Service charges are taxed. ?
There are states that have limitations on taxation of services:
Sales Tax on Services: A State by State Guide | BCS ProSoft.
If I saw a service charge on a restaurant bill that was about tip-size, I would assume the tip was built in and not leave a tip. Very confusing, hopefully the intent is not to deceive.
Slightly off topic:
A SF restaurant taking the no-tip approach:
“Zazie is Proud to be Tip Free!
All of our menu prices include a living wage, revenue share, paid family leave, fully funded health & dental insurance,
paid time off, and a 401(k) with employer match for all of our hard working employees.
~No Tips Expected~”
We were leery going in, expecting high prices. Not the case…reasonable (by SF standards 
). Delicious food and wine. And very happy/caring/professional employees. H handed over CC , when receipt came back, waiter said, Nope, you’re done here. H left cash because we were so impressed with the night…
I would be ok with more restaurants doing this…
We once ate a restaurant that had a small note placed with the condiments at the far side of the table, stating prices on their menu may not be accurate. I can understand if the menus were beautiful pieces of art, and costly to replace constantly, but would have far preferred a standard upcharge known in advance, and prominently displayed in or on the menu itself.
I still find the practice of adding a mandatory service charge confusing if not misleading. Why not raise the prices of the individual items (unless expensive menus)? Doing the first assumes most people will do the math in advance (if important to their decision).
I also dislike the practice of printing “market price” for daily specials. Or verbally suggesting the daily special without mentioning the cost. Just tell me what it is.
Obviously cost often is a part of my decision making process 
My friends live in a vacation town (expensive) and they like to eat at nice restaurants. Once the H got the special, and it was spaghetti with a truffle sprinkle on top. $65! This was in 2013, so expensive now, but VERY expensive then. He couldn’t believe it because even their nice fish dishes were about $40 so this special was way outside the rest of the menu. They never went back, and it was the restaurant’s loss as they were big spenders, always order expensive wine, good tippers. And they were locals so were there in the off times, spending spending spending.
But they felt taken advantage of.
The inside joke was then, “well, I’ll pay but not if Bob is getting the spaghetti.”
To be fair, if they were into food and are accustom to spending then they should have known the cost of truffle.
I had a different experience with a couple whom we traveled with…they ordered pasta with white truffle (not black) twice while we were out. Their pasta dishes were over 100 and ours were less than 20. They had the gall to want to split the bill. After the second time we all decided not to include them while we dined out.
I this this practice is becoming increasingly common. We do not dine out much these days, when we do, and if we notice the added service charge, we do not leave extra. In general terms, the service charge, here in SoCal, is applied toward providing better wages, health insurance etc. which staff my not otherwise have. I recall when Obamacare first came into being a few years back, it was somewhat common for restaurants to add an ‘optional’ 5% healthcare fee, then, during the pandemic, it was a fee for PPE! Sorry, I refuse to pay that - IMO, its a part of doing business. We enjoy dining at Plateia, on the UCLA campus, for the very reason the restaurant does not permit staff to accept gratuities, instead, they are paid a living wage, with healthcare benefits.
