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    Kishimoto Mendō

    4.8 (27 reviews)
    ModerateRamen
    Closed Closed
    Updated 1 month ago

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    Fontaine C.

    Kishimoto Mendo is a sister restaurant of Menya Rui, the ramen spot that has lots of hypes in the city. The ambiance and restaurant decor is cozy - designed similarly as Menya Rui. The style of service is set up the same way as well. It's pretty much self- service. As far as food, it's phenomenal. I highly recommend the Shisito Peppers as appetizers and Tonkansu Classic on the menu. The price is reasonable- about $30 for both items.

    Tonkatsu classic
    Alex R.

    Fabulous new ramen spot by Menya Rui. Different style of ramen with a decadent broth in the tonkatsu style. We got there a bit before they opened, knowing that a line forms quickly at Menya. Similar to Menya, you can grab your own water and you order through your phone at your seat. Nice ambiance inside with a set up that encourages you enjoy your food and then clear the way for the next guests. We tried the wings, potato salad, and shishito peppers in addition to the tonkatsu ramen. I don't know that I have ever had a broth so rich, very yummy! The pork melts in your mouth. I am normally a hard core egg person but in this case, I think it is ok to skip the egg. Still great, but the broth and pork bring all the richness you need! Might be the best ramen I have had to date.

    Chasyu Rice Bowl
    Abigail R.

    Just wow! This has to be the best tonkotsu in St. Louis. We stopped in at around 2:30pm on a Saturday and we were able to get seated pretty quickly. You order at your table and we decided on the red tonkotsu, classic tonkotsu and chasyu rice bowl. The rice bowl came out first and the pork was rich and delicious and everything worked beautifully. Our ramen came out next. I got the red tonkotsu and my partner got the classics the broth was incredible and the additional spice from the red miso paste was incredible. The noodles were perfectly cooked and the toppings and meat were to die for. I'm sad this isn't closer to where we live but it is worth the drive. Can't wait to come back and try more of their selection. Still dreaming of the ramen. The restaurant is pretty unassuming from the outside but the inside made it seem like you were transported elsewhere. The staff were incredibly helpful and kind! 10/10 across the board

    Stephanie K.

    Kishimoto Mendō just opened less than a week ago and I had the privilege to check it out! I knew i was going to like it, because I absolutely love Menya Rui. Tonkotsu broth was thick and creamy like it was supposed to be and as usual, the noodles had the perfect chewiness. Quick service! Spacious. Japanese bar style. Street parking!

    Nan N.

    Super excited about this new ramen location! Kishimoto just opened yesterday in U City. It's owned by the same owner as Menya Rui, which hasn't been my favorite, but I was excited about this tonkotsu-style ramen and wanted to give it a try. We waited about an hour. I love the vibe of the restaurant, though I wish they would play more Japanese-style music. The ramen broth is so rich--I absolutely love it! I prefer the original Tonkotsu Classic noodles compared to the thicker Gyokai noodles. The shishito peppers were quite bland, and I would love to see more variety on the menu, but I will definitely be back for more ramen. The staff members are very nice; I actually ordered an extra ramen bowl by mistake, and they were able to refund me. Also, you have to add the eggs since they don't come with the bowl--they are so worth it! Highly recommend checking this place out.

    I dug in before this photo, sorry!
    Elaine S.

    Yep it's legitttt. I can easily say that this is the best tonkotsu bowl in STL. After months of anticipation, my first time at Kishimoto on opening day did not disappoint one bit! We got the tonkotsu black (classic tonkotsu with black garlic oil) and tonkotsu red (classic tonkotsu with a dab of spicy miso), and also the pork rice bowl. Y'all, the noodles were solid with a satisfying bite. The broth was not overly rich/overly powering; it was flavorful and addictive. My honest critique is similar to my Menya Rui experiences, which is we really have to order extra add-ons such as egg and extra chasu to make the ramen bowl really worthwhile. Egg is not included in the standard bowl and they only give you one thin slice of chasu. I do wish they give you the option to order extra noodles (kaedama). Separately, the chasu pork rice bowl was really delicious! The rice texture and mix-ins were scrumptious - we ate this as an "appetizer". Service was great! It was well staffed and the staff were attentive and accommodating. We were seated quickly and efficiently. The space is well utilized and it has about 3-4x the amount of seating as Menya Rui. It genuinely didn't feel like today was their opening day. Kudos to the entire team. This is an amazing asset to the Delmar Loop (alongside some truly great recent additions such as Noodle Story, Movoc, Zhang lala). The loop is truly in great hands. P.S. adored the city pop music playing in the background

    Welcoming sign
    Seth T.

    The ramen was absolutely delicious. Rich in flavor and texture. The restaurant was clean, sleek and cozy. The service was excellent and whole experience was top tier. If you are new to ramen, this is a great place for your first time.

    Tonkatsu Red ramen
    Jana K.

    The interior was modern, well-lit, and clean. The ordering process was also very easy. You scan a QR code to view the menu, place your order, and pay directly from your phone. The seating arrangement is a little unique. You may be seated facing other customers, but there is a wall divider between each side, so you still have privacy. Overall, the process was simple and convenient. The servers were also very nice and attentive throughout the meal. Everyone was respectful and provided great service, which added to the overall positive experience. The Tonkatsu Red Ramen was good, although I was expecting a deeper, more umami-rich flavor. The broth tasted a little salty at first, but as I continued eating, the other flavors started to come through more. It wasn't spicy, but could be for people who don't do well with spice at all. The ramen came with one piece of pork chashu, a couple strips of bamboo shoots, and mushrooms. The shishito peppers, however, were amazing! The sauce was tangy with a subtle soy aftertaste, and it paired surprisingly well with the ramen. Definitely my favorite part of the meal.

    Restaurant seating
    Kevin C.

    I typically like the idea of ramen more than it tastes - specifically with tonkotsu which I find often times is too rich. This bowl of ramen, however, was better than I expected. The broth had great flavor and was rich but not excessively rich. The aromatics with the scallion, ginger, and garlic were on point. The texture of the noodles was perfectly chewy. The slice of chayu was extremely tender while having a nice sear on the meat - I wish you got two slices instead of just one. The ajitama egg is added separately as an additional cost. And if you're like me and finish the entire bowl, the bottom of the soup gets a bit salty. But overall, it was a very enjoyable meal and truly does justice to a classic tonkotsu. Service was very kind but I had to wait 25 minutes for my bowl (it came out very soon after I kindly asked my server to follow up on the status of my meal). I like the seating and decor of the restaurant as well - much more spacious than their sister restaurant, Menya Rui. I would give my experience a 4.5/5 stars.

    Tonkotsu Classic
    Anna G.

    I didn't know if I was a ramen person, but after having the Tonkotsu Classic I'm converted. It was incredible and I can't wait to come back. Make sure you add an egg!

    Tonkotsu with ajitama (marinated egg, extra)

    The ramen is really damn good. Been here a handful of times now and the quality is always consistent. We've ordered the appetizers before but the ramen is absolutely the star of the show. Noodles with a slight bite and the richest broth you could imagine in the Midwest probably. On that note, avoid if you can't stand super heavy or greasy soups (and hit up Menya Rui instead, which offers clear broths). Service doesn't really exist, you fill your own water cup as you walk in and order via QR code. Seating is bar style. Good ambience considering the small space, open kitchen and can see some good authentic Asian ingredients haha. Service is fast and the intention is that you eat fast and don't dally as well - this is common in East Asian ramen shops. Slightly annoying that you have to pay $1.50 for an egg, which IMO should be standard in a tonkotsu ramen/baked into the price but that's a small complaint. For better or for worse I'll be coming here to get my tonkotsu fix for the foreseeable future.

    Mindy P.

    New ramen place? I wouldn't miss it! Don't be surprised that they don't have signage outside their restaurant. The interior is modern and comforting. Perfect for solo diners, but even with my friend, we were comfortable eating next to each other. It's a self-ordering system with a QR code, and I personally like this system because it's fast and efficient. Food also came out super fast! The peppers and potato salad were deliciously excellent! Most importantly, the tsukemen was outstanding! I opted for this instead of a traditional bowl of ramen with broth because it was hot outside. The noodles are cold and you dip it in the broth, and I was absolutely blown away by how tasty the combination was! I told my friend that I'm pretty sure I would be thinking about this when I got home, and I was right. It was just that good! Highly recommended!!!

    Dani C.

    OMGGG... this is my new favorite place to eat ramen in STL. The quality of the noodles is phenomenal, staff helpful and friendly. It's super clean and in the heart of Delmar Loop. If you didn't try it yet, I challenge you to try and see with your own eyes what I am talking about!!!

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    Ask the Community - Kishimoto Mendō

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    A server at my hotel highly recommended this place to me and my Malaysian friend, and it was a…read moregreat suggestion. A Japanese ramen shop that also happens to serve Singaporean style Curry Laksa and Char Kway Teow, and they certainly hit the spot. Owners and staff were friendly. Nice place to enjoy some great noodle soup and then some. Place is on the smaller side and not meant for parties bigger than 4.

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    Where has this place been all our lives? We've completely been sleeping on Mai Lee and now it's…read morebecome one of our favorite restaurants. The food is absolutely phenomenal. The bún bò Huế is hands-down one of the best we've ever had. The broth is rich, flavorful, and perfectly balanced, and we keep telling ourselves we're going to order something different... but we can't stop coming back to the bún bò Huế! The shaking beef is incredibly tender and full of flavor, and the beef curry is another standout that's absolutely worth ordering. Everything tastes fresh, especially the generous plates of herbs and garnishes. The cilantro, basil, bean sprouts, and limes are always fresh, crisp, and plentiful, which really elevates every dish. The service has been outstanding every time we've visited. Everyone is friendly, attentive, and welcoming, and the restaurant is always clean and inviting. The menu has such a huge variety that we've officially decided to make it a date-night challenge to work our way through the entire menu. At this rate, that may take a while because we keep ordering the bún bò Huế over and over! This place is an absolute gem. If you enjoy authentic Vietnamese food, do yourself a favor and give Mai Lee a try. 10/10, highly recommend.

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