I am officially an abura soba fan! I've never had real "dry ramen" before. It's been all over social media with people in California talking about it, so when I saw a place opened in Baltimore, I knew I had to try it. Also, it's the first chain location in the US! So cool. The restaurant is right by the Johns Hopkins - Homewood campus. Parking can be a little difficult depending on the time and day. Lucky for me it was midday on a random Monday, so I only had to circle once and found free parking a half a block away LOL. The storefront is pretty unassuming besides a small sign at the bottom of a high-rise. Once you walk in, it automatically feels like you've been transported and the hostesses great you in Japanese. It was just me, so they sat me right at the bar that faces the kitchen staff. Within minutes, every seat at the bar was full and I was elbow to elbow with other patrons. The menu is well curated with enough options to satisfy anyone, but without feeling overwhelmed. I ordered the Honmura abura soba and the takoyaki. Both seemed to come out super quickly, but I was very distracted watching the workers put together orders like a well-oiled machine, even though the restaurant had only been open for a month at the time. My noodles were delicious! I wish I had remembered to put the chili oil in earlier. I found the fish powder a little tiring towards the end, but still super tasty. When I added a bit more vinegar, it seemed to cut the oil and heaviness of the dish better. The takoyaki was piping hot and great. I love me some octopus balls haha. Happy to have a great addition to the Baltimore area! Can't wait to go back and try another noodle next time and just eat my way through the menu. Welcome Kajiken :) read more

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The service is kind, attentive, and immediate. A Hopkins friend and I went during lunch hours - space is a bit tight so try to get there as soon as possible or during hours that are slower. For menu recommendations, ask the people there ;) I've had the original and it was the first time I had a maze soba or aura soba! It was far more flavorful than I had expected and the pork was tender. We both shared an appetizer of the fried octopus ball. The crispy skin sealed the soft, fluffy, rich interior. Much thought is placed on the presentation of the food and the consistency of it across all customers. I really appreciate the place! I'm excited to try the other menu options. I will say the food is on the pricier end considering the restaurant chain also has decidedly located on a college campus. But, if you're at Hopkins or visiting an area and are craving for some ramen - this is the place to go! read more

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Uber Eats review: Awesome ramen, great packaging, quick prep, pickup, and delivery. I'd highly recommend the end product of delivery apps for Kajiken meals! They prep it quickly, package it better than any other ramen spot I've tried locally, and the flavor is soooo good! The pork belly chashu is tender and delicious, the noodles are tender and the perfect texture and thinness. The mushrooms and nori are a nice touch, and I recommend adding Bok Choy. Tonkatsu Shoyu is absolutely delicious. Eat more! read more

Today was their soft opening. They serve this unique soba with soupless noodles. It was udon like noodle with soft pork slices, bamboo shoots, sesame oil, chili oil, and vinegar. We also tried their gyoza and Tonkotsu ramen. The soup was quite porky which was little too strong for me. I didn't see any ramen place around JH university so this is a good edition to the food selection for the people. read more

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I love love love the ramen here! Perfect spice level for me! The service is quick and friendly and the ambiance is perfect to go catch up and have a nice dinner here! read more

Great go-to ramen and mazesoba place! Their homura aburasoba is great if you like spicy as well as their original. They provide chili oil for everyone who likes to spicier food as well, which is a plus. At times, their service can be lacking, but this has really only happened once for my group. There is usually a wait time for dinner, but they seat and serve you quickly afterwards. Definitely a great place if you're looking for close ramen. read more

Kajiken - Ramen Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

Finally, a serious ramen place! Kajiken gets it right - you choose the noodles, wet or dry, and all the toppings. Choice aside, the ingredients are top notch, fresh, and perfectly cooked. One taste of the fried squid tentacles and you'll see how they take this stuff seriously. The flavors are deep and intricate, and each of the ramen toppings stands on its own, even when mixed with other ingredients. And, of course, the crystal ball dessert is a show stopper if you need a visual treat! Definitely coming back to Kajiken as soon as I can! read more

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I'm OBSESSED with Kajiken I went through a phase where I ate here once a week for a month. It's one of my go to spots when people are visiting Baltimore. For appetizers I love any of the 3 below - Kaki fry - Gesokara - Karrage I love the dip that comes with all of the options, but I'd say the gesokara is my favorite. The food is packed with a lot of flavor and you can customize your noodles by adding or removing sides. They have options for pescatarians and vegans as welll! My family really enjoyed it. My top 3 favorite ABURA SOBA - Homura - Old Bay Ebi - The Original I do recommend making a reservation and making sure your whole party arrives on time. They're super busy and a little on the smaller side in terms of size. They have bar seating but that can get packed too. The service is fantastic and not much of a wait on the food. Which is surprising considering how busy they are. This is one of favorite restaurants and I'd encourage everyone to try it out. It won't disappoint read more

Kajiken - Homura : Noodles with spicy minced pork , poached egg, scallions , nori, menma and chives - Ramen Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

Super good compared to JHU campus food. No choice but to rate it high. We got the matcha crepe cake, homura don, sukiyaki don, and two ramen which were all real good. read more

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I really enjoyed this meal! I ordered the Sukiyaki aburasoba which is a type of brothless noodle. Sukiyaki is noodles with sliced marinated beef, onion, and scallions. This dish was super tasty. I enjoyed how flavorful the noodles were despite there not being any broth! The beef itself was fairly fatty for my liking, but I did still enjoy the marinade. When you enter, there is a computer where you can add yourself to the waitlist or order take out! read more

I've been to Kajiken now twice and it is the BEST ramen ever! They have a very unique concept which is brothless (dry) ramen which can be customized in any way you want for a nominal fee (starting at 50 cents) to add different toppings that change the flavor of the dish. I had the Keema curry to start which was super flavorful. Our amazing waitress Aisatta gave us tips on what to order and add to our entrees to give us the full experience. I highly recommend adding a poached egg to your dish. It makes the dish so creamy and delicious. The original is also amazing! Most recently I had the Honmura which I loved! It is salty, spicy, savory. Can't miss. I added extra chili paste and let's just say my nose was running from the heat! It's good as is on the menu. I have also tried the karage appetizer which was delicious as well. I can't wait to go back and try different dishes and appetizers. Must leave room for the array of desserts they have! read more

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The ramen itself was okay. I wouldn't say it was outstanding or anything but didn't disappoint. While the Yakisoba was much better, likely due to their specialty being abora soba, the ramen left much to be desired. The variety of additional seasoning available, such as sesame seeds and garlic flakes, helped. However, the ramen itself was mediocre and definitely was on the airy side. The service was good and the environment definitely leaned towards being authentic. If it was possible I would put it at a 3 1/2 stars Definitely go for their Yakisoba rather than ramen. read more

Kajiken - Tonkotsu Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

My family loves the dry noodles. Most of their appetizers are yummy. Their octopus puffs are yummy too. read more

Kajiken - Ramen Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

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Didn't realize this was a chain in Japan, but I'm stoked they are here in Baltimore. I've been to Tokyo, but I've never had soupless ramen or mazesoba. So I was glad to have tried it because it's delicious and something I crave. This restaurant is located near Hopkins University, and it's not a big space so depending on when you go there might be a wait. I've had to wait once, so I walked across the street to Barnes & Noble. They have bar seating and table seating which is great. If you come alone, sitting at the bar is a great option if there is a wait for tables. I've ordered the squid karaage, chicken karaage, sukiyaki and the chicken version. All very good. The wait staff is all very nice and they offer mobile payments which is quick and easy. Looking forward to my next visit. read more

Kajiken - Squid karaage and chicken karaage - Ramen Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

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Yum! I love Kajiken when I'm looking for something a little bit different to eat. I am a BIG ramen lover, but as someone that loves a good broth, I was initially weary about wether or not I would enjoy broth-less ramen... But my worries were quite foolish in hindsight, because Kajiken knows what they're doing. I've tried three different types of ramen here, but I'd like to emphasize the vegan option! It's not only new, but it's absolutely delicious. I'm a meat eater, and this was my favorite item I've tried from them so far! The service and food comes out fast, but I wouldn't recommend this spot for takeout since your meal will taste best hot! Don't forget to stir your ramen for about 20 seconds when you get it in order to unlock its true flavor and power. Enjoy! read more

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I went there a couple of weeks ago, it was ok.. I just was not a fan... Had the tebasaki wings, personally i can make those, and mine are better. I ordered the standard cold noodles, the was a taste in it that i couldnt get over, may be the nori or something. Needless to say it was just ok for me. read more

This ramen took me back to Tokyo! The noodles were on the thicker side but deliciously chewy and filling. The sauce was the perfect compliment for a summer ramen! I got the origins with chashu and I added a half of a soft boiled egg. I will say that the additional toppings were super affordable. This place fills up fast so go early or be ready to wait a bit but the service is equally as fast! read more

Kajiken - The original - Ramen Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

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During the lunchtime on Sunday, we had to wait 15 mins for seating. They were really quick to take our order and bring it out. The ambiance was like traditional soba-ya and the waiters greet and say goodbye to you in Japanese. I had the old bay ebi soba noodle which I finished thus dish quickly. I loved how they took the local flavor of old bay and coated that in the shrimp. In my opinion, they need more old bay but personally I love a lot of old bay. I know their quality food is good because I've been to their partner restaurants and cafes too. I highly recommend this place if you're in downtown Baltimore! read more

Kajiken - Old bay ebi - Ramen Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

The inside is very clean and the staff are very friendly. My first time having brothless ramen and it was a 10/10. read more

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Best noodle shop in the Baltimore area! The texture of these handle pulled noodles is to die for. They are so chewy and flavorful and unlike any other noodle shop I've been to before! I got an egg on the side (highly recommend)! Kajiken is always busy making service a little on the slower side, but nonetheless will definitely be coming back! read more

Kajiken - Ramen Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

I checked this place out after seeing a tiktok about it. A friend and I went without a reservation on Wednesday evening and had about a 15 minute wait. As we were walked to our table, we were greeted in Japanese by the entire kitchen staff which was cool. Once seated, our server was extremely quick and asked us what we wanted to order the millisecond we sat down. She was extremely attentive and provided us with a lot of different recommendations. Ultimately, we both decided on the "original" and split an order of gyoza and the fried chicken. The gyoza was tasty and very flavorful, as was the ramen. The friend chicken was a tad oily for my taste, but it was well seasoned. All in all, the restaurant was great, and I will be back! read more

Kajiken - Ramen Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

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First time checking out this spot after getting recommended by a friend! Appetizers were fine with takoyaki being the table favorite. The mendaiko don was VERY underwhelming given the size of mendaiko given for the price. The ramen was fantastic!! Definitely recommend the sukiyaki over the shoyu as it was more flavorful and the noodles were bouncier. Service was great and the ambiance was warm. Downside was the long 30minute wait, but it was worth it. read more

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I have heard such great things about this spot, but I was very underwhelmed.. Street parking available..plz be mindful you are a rock throw away from Hopkins so it can be tricky but very possible... The restaurant offers in & outdoor seating, but it was raining, so we opted to sit inside. Warning - this is a very very tiny/tight space unless sitting in a booth.. We had a 15-minute wait, which was appreciated, I expected a longer wait time.. The hostess wasn't very personable, but everyone isn't, so I let that go... We were seated in the back at a 2 seater that had enough room for the condiments tray, water & a menu.. Ok, small table - nothing to fuss about.. The waitress came rt away and asked what we needed.. We ordered Gyoza and a Seaweed Salad as appetizers. Once apps arrived, we ordered Main Courses, which was a bit of a wait... Once the food arrived.. it looked amazing, but once we tasted it... lacked flavor.. Very very bland... As we ate, the hostess requested the table next to us leave..I assume once u pay? it's best u leave Anyway... the apps were amazing, but the Ramen is to be desired.. ***Very limited menu*** read more

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Very good. Much better than the previous ramen place (peko peko), which honestly wasn't very authentic. I got the homura, which is one of the dry ramens (abura soba). The noodles were thick and perfectly chewy, the poached egg added a lot of creaminess to the dish, and the meat was delicious. Overall a great experience and cohesive dish, and their chashu pork is pretty good as well. We also got the age tofu as an appetizer and it was good, flavor was nice and texture of the tofu was good. Also, when entering the establishment, the staff greet customers similar to the way that ramen shops and izakayas do in Japan, which added to how authentic the place felt. read more

Kajiken - Homura - Ramen Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

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TLDR: Very tasty mazemen brothless ramen. Very popular location with no reservations so come at off peak hours or be prepared to wait. Vibe: 4/5. Located in the heart of Homewood/Hopkins, Kajiken is a welcomed addition to the dining scene. Parking can be a bit difficult in the adjacent area, however if you expand your search a few blocks away, you should have no problem grabbing free street parking with only a short walk. Kajiken has a lovely interior that embraces the ramen bar vibe. Upon entry, you are greeted by a memorable floor to ceiling ode to ramen tapestry. Inside, the majority of the restaurant is occupied by a ramen bar counter straight out of Japan. There are 4 top tables available in the back of the restaurant for those with larger groups. Service: 5/5. Considering how busy this location can get, the staff at Kajiken does a great job at serving their guests. My party of 4 came on a Saturday right when they opened at 12 noon and were seated immediately at a 4 top in the back dining room. The waitress was great at explaining the menu and was punctual at taking both our food and drink orders. Both appetizers and mains came out in record time and paced well one after the other. Overall, I couldn't ask for a better service! Food: 4/5. As noted on the menu, Kajiken is known for their mazemen style ramen, which is a brothless version of traditional ramen. With this style, they use a different noodle which tends to be plumper and more robust than the typical alkaline ramen soup noodles. Along with the noodles, there are several unique dry spices and oils that make up the flavor of the dish as well as various proteins and veggies. For lunch, I ordered the honmura mazemen which included spicy minced pork, menma, poached egg, fish powder, chives, scallions and nori. After being thoroughly mixed, the ingredients played very well with each other, offering an umami bomb in every bite. The springy chew of the noodles was outstanding and definitely the most memorable part of the meal. Others at my table opted to order the soup based tonkotsu ramens, which I felt lacked the flavor and memorable experience that the mazemen did. The soup based ramen used a thinner style noodle which just didn't have the awesome springy mouth feel of the brothless noodz. Appetizer wise, the karaage and fried squid were perfectly fried and the perfect bites to prime our taste buds. Overall, highly recommend giving Kajiken a shot, just make sure to go with a mazemen! read more

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Wow! A friend of mine recommended this place via Instagram and they did not disappoint. I made a reservation a few days in advance for 5 people. Originally, I was running behind and the hostess was able to accommodate the late arrival by moving our reservation to 15 minutes past the original timing. We were seated in a booth area for 4 people and they provided an extra chair for the end of the table for our 5th person. Their specialties are the Aburasobas and it was delicious. I opted in the The Original with added Mentaiko (Fish Roe) and Kimchi. I ordered the Gesokara (Fried Squid) which is enough for two people, but I was so hungry that I was able to devour it myself. When you get your noodles, make sure to mix the noodles with the sauce on the bottom and I finished that dish with so much vigor, I nearly wanted to get another bowl. All around, my guests enjoyed their noodle dishes and we finished with dessert. I got the taiyaki with ice cream (choice of vanilla and matcha). The Taiyaki was fresh with a crispy exterior and piping hot interior of red bean. I wish I could come here everyday - it's oh so good. read more

We went to this restaurant twice for dinner. Food taste great (reminded me a bit of Japan), we had the spicy tonkotsu, niku miso, takoyaki, salad. Service was good too although I do think to give a bit of breather time vs keep on asking if we are doing good every few mins and worst asking if we would like to pack our food to go while we are still working on it. Place is clean and ran efficiently. Highly recommend especially you are visiting JHU Homewood campus. read more

First walking in it was very cute and quaint. Tables are cozy and music is at a level where we can enjoy conversation/ listen to it. The service was fairly fast I don't think I waited more than 10 minutes for food to come out. Karage came out first- it was a fluffy crispy, chicken was pulled well. In regards to spice level if we we're describing it as a "kick" then I'd say the orange dipping sauce was like a tap. Nothing crazy but a fun party in your mouth. The original noodle was chill- nothing crazy- I would say that I probably wouldn't order it again, it was good but boring. The Suki* was good it was giving a gyudon taste. The tomi was also good. I would order both of them again. I would recommend this as a fun date night but I'm not sure if I would frequent. All in all I would give this place a 4.2 on the Baltimore food scale read more

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After browsing their website, I discovered that this is their first location in the U.S., originally from Nagoya. Now isn't that a feat for Baltimore? I thought they offered tsukemen but they are known for abura noodles or noodles coated in their special sauce. While their main focus is on the broth less noodles, they do offer ramen as well. I went with the original which comes with chashu and menma. There are multiple other toppings to go with it but at an extra cost. The fellow next to me told me that he researched on how to eat the dish where the noodles are mixed for 40-60 seconds so all the noodles are coated in the sauce. I also got to try the sukiyaki noodles that came with thinly sliced beef and onions. Between the two, I liked the sukiyaki more. The beef was marinated well and it had tons of flavor. I thought the portions were decent although at first glance I didn't think it was enough. It isn't friendly to those that have dietary restrictions and want to give this place a try. I would love to come back to try their ramen. read more

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I was in the area and excited to try this new place. I was a little curious about their signature bowls, but really wanted to try the ramen. After about a 35 minute wait. We were seated at the bar and I couldn't help but love how cute the decor and restaurant looked. I got the spicy ramen and it was perfect. I did add pork belly to mine because it didn't come with it. I also added bamboo. This is one really good bowl of ramen. I can't wait to try other things on the menu here! read more

Kajiken - Ramen Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

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Eat here!! Get whatever the servers recommend!! Everything was delicious even my 8 year old enjoyed everything!! read more

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Relatively new Ramen spot in Charles Village with traditional ramen and unique zarusoba (dry noodle) options. Went twice the week we were in Baltimore. Always good to start with the traditional then go more adventurous from there at your pace. Appetizers we liked: Gyoza - 8 pieces per order Fried Octopus tentacles Fried Oysters All there combinations were delicious among our group of 7. Flavor: well-balanced with options to spice up with chili oil, grind your own fried garlic and sesame seeds, as well as white pepper. Fried appetizers were well executed with crispy texture and no oily aftertaste. Thankfully they are opening one up in our city soon! Great find! A regular spot whenever we visit Baltimore. read more

Nearby the Johns Hopkins campus, my cousins and I decided to stop in for a quick dinner. You'll want to start off by finding street parking nearby, like any other city. The restaurant was a great choice! The building itself is a bit narrow in construction, and there's both chair/booth seating, booth seating (on both sides), or bar seating. The tables themselves have extras you can add to your meal if you wish, such as sesame oil and rice wine vinegar (I think). For appetizers, we ordered the gyoza which I'd recommend. The chicken karage was good and came with two sauces - one was creamy and the other seemed soy-sauced based. As for entree, we ordered The Original (brothless ramen), and added sweet corn. We also ordered the Tonkotsu ramen which was delicious. Both are good, and it just depends on what you want - with or without broth. You can also add a bunch of toppings at an additional cost if interested. As for dessert, the matcha crepe cake was awesome, with a side of red bean and whipped cream. The restaurant service was quick and the waiter was nice. read more

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Wow, Kajiken is definitely the best ramen in Baltimore by far. I was not a fan of Peko Peko which was a previous occupant of this store, and I'm so happy that such a delicious ramen restaurant has replaced it! I would 100% come back for the tonkotsu shoyu ramen and the karaage. The karaage was perfect -- juicy, crispy, with great flavor (slight ginger flavor). I though it was interesting that they provided two "sauces" -- I enjoyed the grated daikon sauce. My only qualm is that there's only 5 pieces! I want more! The tonkotsu shoyu ramen was pretty perfect. The mix of tonkotsu and shoyu broth creates the perfect balance of richness and savoriness. The chashu is not overly fatty and the torching gives it some nice smokiness. The noodles are the thinner noodles and pair perfectly with the broth. The egg is perfectly jammy (though only half of an egg, again I want more). The original aburasoba was great. It has thick noodles which have a good texture, and the flavor is good. I would definitely choose the tonkotsu shoyu ramen over this, but this is also a very solid option. I like that it's not too rich unlike some similar dishes I've had before. The edamame was nothing to write home about. I'm not sure if it was the quality of the edamame or the cooking, but it was not tasty. Overall the prices are very reasonable coming from a Boston resident, and it's certainly the best ramen I've tried in Baltimore. Looking forward to my next visit! read more

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So Kajiken is a popular Japanese ramen chain and I am just SO EXCITED they opened their first US location right here in Baltimore. I love this city and it's great to see restaurateurs recognizing that we are indeed a food city. All of that would be a moot point if Kajiken wasn't delicious, but thankfully it is! Kajiken specializes in brothless ramen which I had never experienced and was honestly skeptical of coming in. However, after trying it I am a true convert and am excited for my next round. With brothless ramen you have vinegar and chili oil at the table that you can add to taste along with any additional toppings you got. The overall experience is both unique and tasty. For those wanting classic ramen, they have that too. My wife ordered the classic broth ramen and it was just as good as my brothless. Greatly enjoyed every bite - make sure you get a poached egg on the side and don't miss out on the Karaage (fried chicken appetizer). On top of the excellent food the space, service, and price point will not disappoint you. Can't wait for my next meal! read more

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I was hesitant to order the soupless ramen but glad I gave it a shot! Ordered the original and added a poached egg, roe, fried onions, and the chili oil. It was pretty damn good. Only one thing I'll have to get used to is how the hostess yells everytime a new guest gets seated. I get it.. but it does get annoying since they have a pretty high turnover rate. But try it out! read more

Kajiken - Original soupless ramen - Ramen Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

this place is so good. my friends and i come here all time and every time we're in town. parking in charles village can be annoying but you can park in the garage right above. around lunch time there is usually a wait because the place isn't huge. they also don't serve alcohol. and the food is so amazing!! i love to get the teriyaki toki, the flavor of the sauce in the bottom of the soba has amazing flavor, the chicken is always cooked and seasoned very well, and i love the toppings they have on the table. my friends also like the pork abura soba and we all like to get the chicken karaage. dessert is also great. i was shocked to find out this place is a chain, the food tastes of such great quality read more

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Came here to get a quick meal with my sister who attends Hopkins and was very surprised at how good the food is. We ordered a bunch of small appetizers like the tofu and karage, though it's a bit disappointing they don't serve beer since these are literally drinking foods. I ordered the original mixed noodles and it was very delicious. The noodles were thick and chewy, with the sauce being a perfect balance between savory and a little spicy. Prices are actually solid, so I can see students coming here on their lunch break grabbing a quick meal at the counter. read more

My friends and I arrived during the dinner rush on a Friday night, so we waited about 15-20 minutes. We were able to score outdoor seating. I'm a big ramen person and recently moved to the area, so have been trying to find a decent spot. Kajiken has ramen and mazesoba (mixed noodle soupless ramen. I ordered the Tonkontsu and Karagge chicken. There was nothing super special about the broth or ramen. My friend doesn't eat pork or pork-based products, so it disappointing the restaurant didn't have a chicken or miso broth alternative. He had to choose the vegan noodle dish. I'll also add we waited the standard 20 minutes for our food to find out that our order was accidentally "discarded", so we ultimately had to wait another 15-20 minutes. They gave us free drinks (Salted Plum Sprite) which was okay-- though we had asked for a discount on our food for waiting longer and that option wasn't available. From experience, I've had dishes slightly discounted or received an extra dish for most inconveniences. Overall, it was a subpar experience and not a place I'd recommend for people looking to satisfy a ramen craving. Pro: Aesthetic Ambiance Con: Ramen Food service read more

Kajiken - chicken karage - Ramen Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

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Love the food. Its a perfect place to people who wants ramen broth or no broth. You pick sides and they put it on the side so its perfect for you. read more

Kajiken - Ramen Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland