After a pretty disappointing dinner with friends, we decided we weren't satisfied and wanted dinner part 2! We actually stumbled in here because it was the only thing open around 10. (Which I love by the way, more places in NOVA should be open later at night!) We ordered a Seafood Ramen and a Spicy Ramen. Both were scrumptious honestly. My friend's seafood ramen was super flavorful, and we requested something to make it extra spicy and they brought us chili oil which made it even better! I got the Spicy Ramen which was honestly perfect for my liking of heat and flavorful. The pork was also very nice and tender. I got a white peach beer here that I also enjoyed a lot! This place was the perfect vibe for a chill girls night. The server accidentally forgot to bring out my friends miso soup but they took it off our bill at the end so all good. I know this location is closing soon and I'm sad it took me this long to try it, but glad that I did. read more

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Stopped here while in the area for a convention weekend. Usually Friday night is ramen, which we went with here. Located in a small strip mall - this is on the corner and seems like it would be small based on the front facade, yet there was plenty of space inside - tables, and a bar to sit at. We ordered several appetizers: gyoza, buns, karaage, and takyoki. Buns was good - the meat was a little thin for my liking. Gyoza was standard and over fried and crispy. The takiyakk was good - standard. And the karaage was very good - tender white meat inside and the spicy mayo was a nice compliment. The ramen was also good - nothing over the top or trying to be anything it isn't. Just good solid ramen. Would recommend. And will return. read more

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Deliciousness - 3/5 Happiness - 5/5 I really loved the atmosphere and service at Kimen, it was top notch. The food is decent, but given its location, you can find tastier options right next door. However, the prices at Kimen are great. So for an inexpensive and tasty meal in a fun geek-tastic atmosphere, Kimen gets high marks. The place is small, but well lit and decorated. Although an impressive mural featuring Dragon Ball, Naruto and One Piece characters is the centerpiece, they have toys and other small touches throughout. They also had some delicious house sake, unique Asian beers, and cocktails. The server was very polite and attentive. The chicken ramen was the star of all the dishes, with a beautifully cooked egg and deep broth flavor (and a nice aroma too). It did come with enormous chicken cutlets that, while tasty, were a bit difficult to eat. The noodles were nothing special. I got the beef Gyudon. The sauce was nice but the beef to rice ratio left me wanting more beef, and the beef itself was sliced so thin that I didn't get much flavor from it. My son's Chicken Katsu and the appetizer chicken karaage were petty much forgettable, lacking in seasoning or moistness. Stick with the ramen (which, after all, the store is named for) and you'll walk away happy and full. read more

Kimen Ramen Izakaya - The hungriest anime charcters want kimen - Ramen Near Me - Annandale, Virginia

Cute little ramen shop. Decorated well inside. It features a bar right inside the door and anime on the walls. It's not a big place and I've seen it busy before. We've gone here several times. The broth is always delicious but consistently the pork is either super fatty and/or over cooked. Two others I dined with got chicken chasu in their bowls and neither ate it so I'm assuming that wasn't cooked properly either. This place has amazing potential but they really need to nail down the cook on the meats. We got pork chasu buns and the pork again there was tough. Our server was nice and attentive. They have a small but adequate beer, sake and I think I saw soju selection. I've ordered uber eats or door dash here before and the portion I've received Togo has seemed much smaller than what I get dining in. Again this place does a lot right and just needs to perfect a few things for 5 stars. read more

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I like how this place is open late. The decor gives homage to one piece and Naruto. It's very intimate. The staff was really quick to take our order and bring out the food. I got the chashudon. There's so much food. It could be 2 meals. The pork was smooth to eat and very flavorful and saucy. The only thing I didn't like was the ginger. They also provide you with miso soup. read more

Kimen Ramen Izakaya - Chashudon - Ramen Near Me - Annandale, Virginia

What a little hole in the wall. It has a chill and fun vibe. The staff is friendly and attentive. Now let's talk food. Shoyu Ramen and the miso ramen was delicious. Perfect portion and fills ya up right. The cold soba was perfect. Chewy soba and umami broth. Not salty and not as sweet. Also great portion. The tonkatsu was crunchy but the meat was dry which took away a possibly a good taste. But it won't stop me from coming back! Can't wait! read more

I have been here a few times and my go to is definitely the tsukemen. I love dipping noodles and they are a lot harder to find than regular ramen. This place is next to the block, service has always been pretty good. It's a casual, family friendly spot. The parking lot is big but does get crowded especially during nights and weekends. A lot of other ramen shops have opened up since this place opened but it's still a good spot. read more

Small hole in the wall place. Service was fine. I just... don't see the hype. The gyoza was fried and crispy and tasted good. The spicy ramen was a good flavor. But the meat was a bit dry, the egg was jellied a bit more than I'm used to, and there were more bean sprouts and other garnishes than noodles. The melon cream soda was a fun little beverage option. Overall it was fine. But honestly I miss tanpopo. read more

Kind of hole in the wall place, but I was craving ramen so we decided to give this place a try. I'm so glad we did! My mom got the combo meal which came with one choice of noodles and a Katsu. We were surprised by the portion size! The katsu was crispy and not overly oily. The ramen broth was very clean and the noodles were perfectly cooked. I absolutely loved my experience here and would come back! Our server was also very friendly and helpful! She made sure to keep coming to check on us which was very nice. read more

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This place is definitely a go-to if you are looking for tasty ramen and appetizers. Broth is flavorful (can be a little on the saltier side depending) and the noodles they use are more chewy and thicker than ordinary ramen noodles but has a fun texture! Their chashu pork is a little dry but also fatty which I love. Overall restaurant is a little small but usually not busy. Interior is cool-looking with manga art on the wall. Servers are quiet but nice. read more

I came here with some friends a little late at night since they close at 12AM. The place is a cute ramen shop in the corner of the building. I really loved the interior, it was nice and organized, vibes were chill. The restaurant was overall very clean and the service was amazing. There was one lady at the front who was very hospitable. She checked up on us every once in a while and refilled our waters without us asking and just really sweet. The food was good. We started with some appetizers, some spicy mussels and some shumai/siu mai. The appetizers were absolutely amazing, I 10/10 recommend getting the spicy mussels especially. I believe it was topped with spicy mayo or something but whatever it was it was really good. For the main dish, my friends got some sort of brothless ramen (I forgot the name of it) but it was not bad. I think there could've been a little more flavor to it but it was mediocre. I got the shoyu ramen. The broth was very flavorful and the egg was just cooked perfectly. Overall, it was a really nice place to dine in especially if you're looking for a late night spot to eat and relax. read more

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Ive been here twice and the second time was when I discovered how good and authentic this place is. This is a cute small ramen/appetizers if you are for a Japanese izakaya, you have came to the right place. The ramen options are solid and reasonable price. This time, I have ordered the Unagidon and it was the closest Unagidon dish I can find in the U.S. here. I have tried it in Japan and loved it. For $20 Unagidon, they give you a big portion with a lot of unagi, the flavors are really good with the eel sauce, the only I wish was there was a bit more toppings, we did ask for more ginger and it hit spot! read more

Kimen Ramen Izakaya - Unagidon - Ramen Near Me - Annandale, Virginia

I always have to come through when I am in VA. This is my R/D ramen shop. I haven't been here in over 3 years and I love that it is still as solid as I remember. I usually get the spicy pork soup less ramen. Don't be fooled, there is HEAT. And if you need more, their house made chili oil will take you over the top. They always have a good sleep tion of Japanese beer and sakes, so any of those would be a great compliment to your meal. The shop is smaller, but they make great use of the space. There are 2 bar tables for larger groups and smaller tables for 4 or less. Atmosphere is casual and a great vibe. read more

Kimen Ramen Izakaya - Kaki Tempura and Mazemen - Ramen Near Me - Annandale, Virginia

Finally ate here after eating at essentially every other restaurant in this shopping center. I loved how cute the ambiance was, it felt like I was transported to another country, and it felt homey and small town vibes which I appreciated. I know they're known for ramen but ended up getting the pork katsu curry. The flavors of the curry were deep and flavorful, and the pork was breaded well with a nice tender cut of pork. I'd wanna come back for their ramen sometime. Service was good, very attentive! read more

Kimen Ramen Izakaya - Pork Katsu Curry - Ramen Near Me - Annandale, Virginia

I ordered the spicy miso ramen from here for takeout, and it was pretty good. The broth had good flavor, but it was really spicy, so I couldn't taste anything much other than the spice. I like how the pork chashu that came with it was cut in a thick slab, and it was pretty tender, but I wish there was more fat on it because it was slightly dry. The eggs were nicely candied, and the noodles were chewy. The portion size was good for the price. Overall, this is not my favorite ramen place in the area, but I would come here again to try some of their other ramens. read more

Kimen Ramen Izakaya - Spicy Miso Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Annandale, Virginia

This place is located right next to "the block" in Annandale. There is ample parking. The donburi was stellar. My partner ordered the Gyudon and Teriyaki Chickendon. They come with a side miso soup and the portion is pretty good for $15 and $16. The place is a little dive-y yet trendy. A nice casual date spot for food and/or drinks. The anime wall is nice. Our waiter was attentive and nice. They ensured we had everything we needed for a fantastic meal. The crepe cake dessert was okay. It was hard. The mango mochi ice cream was better! read more

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FOOD The food was absolutely amazing, and this ramen was probably the best ramen I've ever had. It also helped that we had it on such a cold evening. I ordered the original ramen with a complementary side of crushed garlic, and my friend ordered the Shoyu ramen with garlic and a side of kimchi. The broth was absolutely delicious, and I found myself drinking it a little too fast compared to my noodle consumption. The toppings were scrumptious as well: the egg was perfectly marinated and on the sweeter side, the bean sprouts/mushrooms/onions fresh and crunchy, and more. The noodles didn't get too soggy over the course of the meal either. I'll definitely be back to try their other ramen selections, and I look forward for next time! DRINKS Various fountain drinks and alcoholic beverages are available for purchase. SERVICE Our waiter was very kind and patient as we perused the menu, and our orders came out quickly! We received our orders within 15 minutes of ordering and stayed for a little over an hour. AMBIANCE It's such a cozy place. The restaurant itself is on the smaller side, but the Japanese decor and lighting just make it such an intimate place to visit. PARKING Ample parking is available in a large parking lot shared with The Block, the K Market, and more. We didn't find any issues finding a spot despite coming at dinnertime. read more

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Quaint and clean little restaurant nestled next to "The Block" food hall. It was my family's first time eating at this establishment on a rainy Friday night. Arrived a little after 6PM (right before the dinner rush). The place filled fast! Service was quick...waiters were constantly topping off our water. Food came out hot and quickly. We ordered chicken katsu appetizer, original pork ramen, original chicken ramen, miso pork ramen, and chicken katsu curry. As someone who lived in Japan for a couple of years, Kimen's original broth is the best we've had since leaving Japan (4 stars)! My kiddos enjoyed the miso ramen (I'd give it a 3 star rating). The katsu appetizer is 4 stars. Flavorful and the breading was crunchy. Compared to CoCo Ichibanya Curry House (in Japan), the chicken katsu curry is 3-4 star. I thought it had too much ginger and it needed a tad more salt and a little bit of spiciness to complete the flavor. Overall we enjoyed our dinner and will return again. read more

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Kimen has become our go to for ramen and Japanese fast food. The place is small but service is very efficient. The menu is simple and price is on the affordable side compared to other ramen franchises. They decorated the interior with classic manga characters. This place is also next to the Block where friends gather for a quick bite or drink. Highly recommend! read more

Kimen Ramen Izakaya - Gyudon - Ramen Near Me - Annandale, Virginia

We stopped by when they opened at 11:30am on a Sunday, not too busy until noon. We enjoyed the Original ramen and Shoyu ramen. I ordered a side of kimchi to add to my ramen myself. It was a good flavored kimchi. I was surprised that it was a big portion of kimchi (in a miso soup bowl)- it was $2 but I was still surprised I got so much so that was nice. The Original ramen broth was flavorful without being too salty- I'm sensitive to salt so others may find it on the milder side. My friends ordered the original ramen and shoyu ramen and all thought it tasted good too. It may not have been the best ramen I've had but it was very good and I would come back. I usually go to the Block next door but I am glad I got to try it so when I'm in the area and want ramen- I know I can come here. Staff were very friendly and attentive, and the inside decor was cute with all the anime drawings and artwork. Parking is easy too! read more

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This is definitely a hidden Gem. Hands down the best ramen I've tasted in the area. Not only is the Ramen good but the ambiance is super chill. Small and very personal. They have a wall full of manga and on the opposite side posters of classic anime titles. Every time I go here I get the spicy ramen with chicken and it never gets old. Drink select it very Japanese base but that's also a plus. Service is quick and they don't bother you. Very homey feel. Some of the dish are cracked but to be honest I even like that. Definitely go and thank me later. read more

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The ramen here was pretty good; my friend and I are both happy from our lunch this past Saturday! I got the pork option of their "Original Ramen" which is the pork tonkotsu ramen for $13, which is not too bad for pricing in the area. The broth was pretty creamy and tasty and on first glance, not super oily/greasy - however, not much pork flavor. Noodles are wavy egg ramen noodles and soaked up the broth pretty well. Ramen egg is always decent and the mushrooms were crunchy and tasty! The pork chashu was pretty thick and there were only two pieces. Not the most flavorful, but the meat was pretty tender. Overall, not the best ramen in the area, but I'd still come back for the ramen and hope to try their appetizers next time! read more

Kimen Ramen Izakaya - Original Kimen Ramen - Pork - Ramen Near Me - Annandale, Virginia

The food is really good and worth the price and it's not too expensive. The service is always good and I always love the decoration and murals inside. read more

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Had an early-ish dinner on a late July Sunday. Loved the way the restaurant was decorated. There were a couple of other diners. Restaurant did a great takeout business. Three in our party. Ordered veggie gyoza and chicken karaage for appetizers. Took a few minutes for the apps to come out but they were very tasty and very hot. Good quantity of food for the price. For entrees, we each had ramen. There was one vegetarian ramen, one spicy pork ramen, and the tantanmen. Again, entrees were very hot. My tantanmen was very tasty. The broth was flavorful and there was a good amount of pork and ramen noodles. The soft boiled egg was very tasty. Only one waitstaff in the front of the house. She was very friendly and attentive. More people came to dine in as we were eating so she was busy the entire time we were there. Dinner for the three of us came to less than $80 including tip. A solid four stars. read more

Kimen Ramen Izakaya is a pretty good ramen place. It has a nice atmosphere and some pretty good food too! I ordered an original kimen ramen bowl for $13. The ramen was balanced as the toppings complemented each other very well. The broth didn't taste too savory or overpowering, and it overall felt like a wholesome meal. You get a variety of texture from the assorted vegetables, and you also get sizeable pieces of meat as well which was nice. For $13, it's pretty good! The only things that I would comment on are the quality of the noodles. The noodles don't really taste that fresh, and they have an instant ramen type of texture to them as they are kinked or bent. Overall, a good, reliable ramen place to try out! I would definitely come here again to try some of their other dishes as well (i.e., appetizers and rice bowl dishes)! read more

Kimen Ramen Izakaya - Original Kimen Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Annandale, Virginia

I haven't had ramen in a suuuper long time, so I was excited to check out this spot. This restaurant is on the cozier side with lots of cool artwork. We arrived around 2pm on MLK day and there were still people coming and going. I ordered the pork shoyu ramen. It came with plenty of noodles and pork, but it was a little salty. Egg was cooked perfectly. My husband ordered the pork miso and really liked it. We also ordered the takoyaki and it was super flavorful, but a little too chewy. The service was great. There was only one person managing the front, service, and takeout but she was nice and did great. All in all, solid ramen if we need a quick fix. I'd be interested in trying other things from the menu next time! read more

This is a small restaurant, seated on the corner of an outlet mall. They have good parking spot, the place reminds of the old small restaurants in Yokosuka Japan where I was stationed before while serving in the Navy. The staffs were great and my waiter was very helpful in answering my questions about their menu. Good place to visit, yum read more

Kimen Ramen Izakaya - Gyoza minus one... there were 4... the other one was in my belly when I took this picture lol - Ramen Near Me - Annandale, Virginia

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Girl Scouts leads to weekends full of cookie booths. When you're in Annandale you have options for a variety of foods but it was cold and we wanted ramen. The space is small and intimate with incredible murals on one side. One server was helping everyone and he was efficient without being robotic. My daughter had the Kursbota sausage and the gyoza. I had the tantamen and my wife had the traditional ramen. Both were delicious, and mine wasn't as spicy as I thought it might be, but the flavor was incredible. My daughter slurped everything down and enjoyed the broth from my wife's traditional. We will be back soon! read more

Immediately established itself as one of the top 3 ramen places in the DMV area for me (in line with Menya Hosaki and Santouka). Passed by this place many times and finally pulled the trigger to try it out and was not disappointed. The space is relatively small and probably can't sit more than 50 people max. The decoration is centered around anime/manga characters and has a very "comic" ramen feel to it. That being said the food itself came out all tasting great. The chicken karaage was well fried and the portion was pretty generous compared to other ramen shops. The shining star of the 2 bowls of ramen were the broth. The normal spicy ramen had a very rich pork base broth and just the right amount of kick. The Tantanmen was also super flavorful and very filling. My only knock (and it's an tiny tiny knock) is that the chashu slices are a bit thick and a bit awkward to work through but honestly not really a problem at all. read more

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I have been trying to find a good tsukemen place in the DMV after a life-changing experience while traveling. Third time the charm? Perhaps what tsukemen is in Japan is not what I had at this other location. So my experience at Kimen was slightly disappointing, but that isn't to say that the food was not great or that they're doing something wrong. Food 4/5: The tsukemen here was solidly what they had described. Indeed, it was a fish-flavored broth (bonito flavored) and the noodles were great. But I do wonder what it would've tasted like if it were meatier to better enhance the pork-flavor. Right now, it is a hybrid between a udon broth and a ramen broth. With this texture and viscosity, a pork broth would really up it to a 4.5 or higher. Service 4.5/5: The service was great. Cleanliness 4/5: The place is doing everything it can to be covid-safe. Ambiance 5/5: They really hit it out of the ballpark. Being next to the Block is taking on a lot of competition and the manga wall really helps this place stand out. I don't know much about manga but I believe there are homages to various famous characters which adds to why this place is such a gem. read more

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Came here on a Wednesday and was promptly seated. Temperature was taken and social distancing was enforced between the tables so I felt pretty safe. We ordered the dumplings, chicken appetizer and I got the spicy Ramen. All was very good. The Ramen was not super spicy which was good, because who wants to spend the whole time drinking water. They did offer a extra side of spicy sauce but I didn't use it. My favorite was the chicken appetizer, they taste like super juicy chicken nuggets. I also love the ambience, great place if your into Japanese anime. read more

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Service: 5 Food: 4.5 Ambiance: 5 SERVICE: There was only one person in the front seating guests, taking orders, managing takeout orders, serving orders, cleaning tables, and tallying up checks but he was super efficient at it all. Although this is a very small restaurant with probably less than 10 tables, I've come once when the person who was managing the front was having trouble keeping up. Tonight we didn't have to wait to be seated or wait awhile for our orders to be taken. FOOD: We ordered spicy ramen with pork, tantanmen with an extra soy sauce egg, and shared an order of the chicken karaage. If you like your ramen broth to be on the thicker side you'll like Kimen's version of ramen. The noodles were perfectly cooked - cooked through but still slightly chewy. My favorite part of the meal were the soy sauce eggs with their gooey half-cooked yolks. The soy sauce marinade on them was perfect. Spice level was moderate - you'll feel the heat but it's not numbingly hot! As for the chicken karaage I wish they had let it sit a minute or two longer so more oil could've dribbled out. The pieces that were on top were so light, crispy, and plain delicious, however the pieces on the bottom were soggy on the side that was touching the oil that had fallen down to the plate. AMBIANCE: As soon as you walk in you'll see a big mural on the left, and lots of Japanese posters throughout the restaurant but I kind of liked how fun it all looked together In summary, KIMEN is one of my favorite places to get a good bowl of ramen read more

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Very happy I found this place, only recently knew it existed. But glad I can get some good ramen and also good pork katsu curry. I recommend the curry here as it tasted great. I also tried the spicy ramen and that was good too. I like the art work in the store. Edameme was good too. Also this place isn't that expensive so thats also a plus. read more

Kimen Ramen Izakaya - Ramen Near Me - Annandale, Virginia

The veggie ramen is delish! The atmosphere is cozy, with great pops of wall art. I'll definitely be back! read more

Kimen Ramen Izakaya - Ramen Near Me - Annandale, Virginia

Donkatsu Curry is pretty good here and waiters are very friendly and nice. I believe they deserve good tip and very professional. Will recommend this restaurant to friends and family. read more

This place is great, but its location right next to The Block sucks because if I'm being honest I forget it's here. I've come here a handful of times and it has delicious non-pork broth (I don't eat red meat) and my husband claims the pork both ramens are also good. The decor is really fun. If you're looking for something quieter and more intimate than the next door food hall, really recommend you come here. read more

After living in Japan for several years, I've grown picky with ramen and karaage chicken. So far Kimen's chicken karaage is a winner! Batter is light, meat is perfectly seasoned and juicy. The original ramen broth is flavorful and reminiscent of the ones I had in Japan. The, chashu and egg toppings are also delicious. read more

Kimen Ramen Izakaya - Original Ramen with chicken broth and pork chashu - Ramen Near Me - Annandale, Virginia

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For all the reviews that say that the food at Kimen is just 'decent' or 'serviceable', I beg to differ. Being new to the NoVA area, the one thing I knew was that there was going to be some solid ramen. I was on a mission to find my new spot. I had tried at least five other places in the area before I came to Kimen, and it was the first place that really made me think I had found "the spot". We came on a weekend for dinner, and did not have any issues with parking (huge lot) or wait time - we were seated right away. We ordered the Takoyaki, Spicy Ramen, and Tantanmen Ramen. The Takoyaki came with 6 pieces that were fried to a perfect crisp. Both of the ramen bowls were very good - creamy, but not super oily or greasy. The wavy ramen noodles were nice and QQ. I really enjoyed the Tantanmen Ramen, as this was a more unique dish not found at other ramen places. It was moderately spicy with a generous portion of minced pork, bok choy, corn, soft egg, green onion, and hot peanut sauce. I liked it here so much, I actually came back a week later to try their curry donburi bowl. I got the shrimp tempura donburi bowl, which came with 4 huge pieces of shrimp tempura that was mostly shrimp and not just batter. The curry was very flavorful and rich, but still light enough. The donburi was more curry/shrimp than rice, but it still let you feeling full. I could barely finish it, and packed the leftovers to eat for lunch the next day. Overall, great food for a great price ($12-$14/bowl). I will definitely be coming back. read more

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Small restaurant with anime character decor. Service was friendly. We had Tantanmen and Grilled Eel Over Rice, and both were flavorful. Will definitely come back to try other items on the menu. read more

Kimen Ramen Izakaya - Tantanmen Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Annandale, Virginia

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My new favorite ramen shop! My girlfriend and I got here a little after 3pm on a Sunday afternoon. There was only one customer other than us and a few more filtered in during our time here. The ambiance was really trendy and if you're into anime at all, you'll appreciate the awesome wall mural that they have going on next to the bar. The noren divider curtain with Kimen written on it was also a nice touch to pass through on your way to the restroom. We ordered the ikageso to start and let me tell you that it was unexpectedly amazing. It completely blew me away. I had never had calamari that delicious. After I'd finished both the app as well as my ramen, I just had to order another plate of it! For ramen, I'd picked out the soy sauce based shoyu, which came with your choice of pork or chicken chashu, a seasoned egg, nori, green onion, bamboo shoots, and bean sprouts. For my order I also removed bean sprouts and added corn in for an extra dollar. The chashu was surprisingly thick and was also delicious! Overall, I don't know why this place wasn't more packed. The ramen was great, ambiance was cool, and the food came out quick! I'd probably return just for the ikageso alone. This place is a hidden gem and I will definitely be back! read more

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