My friends and I visited and split three dishes. I ordered the garlic eggplant dish, which was the table's all-around favorite (and my go-to at a Chinese restaurant!). My friends ordered the tomato egg--sweeter than I expected-- and a stir-fried rice noodle dish, which was simple but delicious. The portion sizes were large, and we all had leftovers to take home. Our meal ended with a yummy complimentary sweet sago soup. Our server was super kind and offered recommendations for my vegetarian friend, and the inside of the shop was very decorated. I'd definitely visit again! read more

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I enjoyed my visit! I got Teriyaki Chicken and it was $10 for a very large portion! Service was very good, the ambiance was a little lacking but overall a very good experience. read more

Maki Express Ramen House - $28 total - Ramen Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

We were looking for Japanese cuisine to have during the F1 Suzuka Grand Prix and Maki did not disappoint! We had the Takoyaki, Gyoza dumplings, and Chicken Katsu Curry. Everything was fresh and delicious and added a great vibe to our viewing experience. Highly recommend and I definitely would like to try more items like their ramen and onigiri. read more

Maki Express Ramen House - Japanese cuisine for the F1 Suzuka Grand Prix! - Ramen Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Ordered takeout from this establishment. Everything was packaged well and portions were generous. Was satisfied with the food and cost of each item. Definitely get your moneys worth here. read more

The takoyaki was hands down amazing. The ramens holy. This is a hidden gem right of UC campus. I will be back. read more

Maki Express Ramen House - Tonkotsu Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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Food was good, but I don't see myself going back again. The service was fast. The place has a cozy interior with very few seats. read more

Maki Express Ramen House - Tonkotsu Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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Not the best but not the worst? Theres not much to write about this place. The tonkotsu ramen broth was recommended to us and yes it was good but ive had better. The katsu don didn't have enough egg, which I expected a lot more of. After looking at yelp im not very surprised by the health violations though lololol. Service was a little sketchy and odd too read more

Neighborhood gem. Consistent, hot, and tasty. There are concerns about food prep saftey, but I don't mind when you consider the effort and authenticity this place exudes. Check it out! I especially enjoy the Chicken Katsu curry. I usually order DoorDash, but the interior is nice and homey. read more

A tiny ramen house with really good ramen! We were seeking ramen after a visit to the zoo, and this place had good reviews so we set out to find it. And glad we did! I got the Shoyu ramen and my daughter got the Chicken Katsu Ramen. Mine was very good, with a mild broth, but I was a bit jealous of my daughter's: the chicken katsu looked amazing and her broth was spicier and more miso-y than mine. Next time, I would try the miso ramen and add butter and corn to get that rich flavor I love. The interior is quite small - room for 4 tables. The cozy space added to the ambiance - we felt like we had found a special place for lunch. I can imagine there is quite a busy carry out business, especially being so near UC. The servers were attentive and quick. We parked at a garage nearby since we weren't patient enough to find street parking. read more

Maki Express Ramen House - Shoyu Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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Terrible place. One of the nastiest place I have ever been to. Found multiple blue plastic pieces in my ramen. Why do people think this place is good? read more

My best friend and I visited Cincinnati for a day trip and on this rainy day ran across Maki Express Ramen House. We almost passed on the experience after we stepped inside and noticed the small place, which could only seat a handful of people. The tables were full but the gentleman working offered to take out number and call us when one opened. Thankfully we found shelter next door and stood outside to wait about 15 minutes. We were offered menus right away and were able to ask questions about a few of the ramen options. I chose the miso ramen with bone broth, pork belly, corn, spinach and other goodness. The broth was thick and flavorful with tons of noodles. I was hooked from the first bite - my first ramen experience. The only thing I left behind was the pork belly, which was very fatty. A small fridge offers bottled waters and sodas. I love the graphics on the wall and multiple lucky cats. This spot does heavy carry out. People came and went throughout our lunch. Highly recommend this spot and it would be a regular spot if I lived in the area. read more

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Ramen was absolutely delish, everything is fairly priced and i also ordered takoyaki, WHOOBOY i gave myself third degree burns on those but they were also very good, the people who work here are very kind and attentive and i was comfortable chillin in there finishing my meal. It is small, so I wouldnt recommend trying to stuff more than like, four people with you in there lol. Anyways im absolutely coming back it was super good read more

Maki Express Ramen House - Tonkotsu Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Wow this place was great again! Tonkotsu from Maki Ramen is da bomb! Fast and friendly service. read more

Maki Express Ramen House - Ramen Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

I met a friend of mine who was visiting from out of town on New Years Day this past... New Years Day. The plan initially was to get carryout from two different spots and meet up at a bar (so he could drink) and we could chat. We were shocked to find that like half the bars in the area were closed, and the other half didn't allow outside food (totally understandable if they have their own kitchen). I had already placed a togo order here (for "whatever you think is your best ramen" because I am indecisive and tend to trust people who take pride in their own creations), but thought I'd ask a ridiculous question. "Do you mind if my friend and I sit here and eat instead?" They were cool with it. Even though my friend wasn't buying food there, even though I said we'd be sticking around for a LONG time, and even though they had already bagged up my togo order, they smiled and said Absolutely! That's super dope of them, so they're going to have to deliver some bad food for me to leave a negative review... but they didn't do that. Instead they served up a piping hot, rich, somewhat overly fatty, bowl of ramen loaded with goodies. Every bit of it took me to a place of happiness, escaping the cold wind that occasionally blew in when someone came in for a pick up order, and warming me to the bone. The chirasu was definitely rich and heavy, and I should have probably specified a different meat, but it was also really flavorful, and the long ramen noodles soaked up every bit of what was going out. One thing to note - their hot sauce you scoop in? That's hot. Go easy on it, or you'll be needing a few napkins. Great food and good people, happy to have finally tried them out! read more

Maki Express Ramen House - a woman in a kimono - Ramen Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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5 stars? What are you people smoking, and where can I get some? The filth and health violations (noted right here on Yelp) alone are enough to ding at least one star if not two. My list of complaints: 1.) Ramen was barely warm. Please, serve hot food. 2.) Service. Hours on door say opens at 11. I walked in at 11:25 and the woman behind the counter looked at me like I had walked in on her in the shower. I came back at 11:40 and they had put out their sidewall signs so I figured now they were ready, but again got a look like I was nuts for walking into the restaurant... so I say sorry, and ask if they're still not open and the woman talks to the guy in the back and they decide it's ok for me to sit down. From there I got the bare minimum of service. And when I ordered the Tokyo Ramen she again looked at me like I was out of my mind, and after a beat yelled back at the guy in the kitchen and just sort of walked away. I wasn't sure if I was going to get food or not. 3.) Lack of cleanliness and sanitation was troubling. The dust clinging to every surface was a huge red flag, and everything behind the counter was cluttered and did not look like it was well maintained. The smell of the place was also off putting... like rancid oil and it didn't smell like anything fresh was cooking at all. And, when I went up to pay, the chef takes my card with his cooking gloves on, then after pushing buttons on the card reader goes back to food handling without changing the gloves. At this point the woman comes back up to finish the transition and was also wearing cooking gloves which she doesn't bother to remove or change after handling my card and other items at the register. Ew. So what was decent? Not much. The flavor of the broth was OK, and the quality of the chicken meat itself was good. But the overall product was average at best... the noodles were really not a good representation of ramen at all. We're talking 3 stars tops here. Just skip this place, you're not missing anything except potential food poisoning. read more

Maki Express Ramen House - So much dust - Ramen Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Went over to this place over the weekend. It's very small. Vibes are very casual. The atmosphere was so cramped that it felt a little too cluttered to be entirely welcoming. They are preparing the food out in the dining area. The ramen itself was ok. I ordered the tonkotsu ramen for $10. The main problem was that there was too much white pepper. Too much white pepper!! Too much! As soon as they served the ramen I could smell the white pepper before I ate anything. Even though the flavors were decent in the broth, unfortunately the white pepper was too overwhelming. The pork belly was unusual in that it was fatty but I don't mind really fatty pork belly as long as the taste was good. It was tender. The other ingredients were typical (menma, green onions, bamboo). Egg was just a boiled egg. Overall, I think you're gonna get what you pay since it's $10 read more

Really cool little restaurant, really friendly staff, and the food was amazing. If you like Ramen don't pass up the opertunity to check this place out. read more

Maki Express is good! This was stop 2 for us during Asian Food Week 2021. We always participate in Asian Food Week. I love food weeks as it's a good way to try new places for a reasonable price. Maki is located in Clifton. The establishment is super small. It only has two tables. I heard before COVID they had platforms that you could sit down and eat on. How cute! I guess if you want to go you better be prepared to wait. Luckily for us, we got there as people were finishing up. I also hear they have good ramen. We came for the Asian Food week specials, so we didn't try the ramen this visit. The food was really good but the service was ahhhh. The guy working was a little unprofessional. I first came in to ask how long the wait was and he scrunched his face and said huh. Then during our visit he was just not the most professional/welcoming I guess. Their specials for the week were Tonkotsu Katsu and Beef Curry, both for $10. We tried both dishes. We also had their side Ginger Salad, Gyoza, and Chick Teriyaki. All of the food was very good and flavorful, except the Chicken Teriyaki. My least favorite dish was the Chicken Teriyaki. It wasn't bad but I've had better. The veggies that came with it also had a over grilled taste. The Tonkotsu Katsu was very good and came with a good sauce. The chicken was cooked perfect. The Beef Curry was also good. The beef was slightly over cooked. It had a good flavor. The curry sauce was very good and tasted homemade. The flavors came together nicely with both dishes. The gyoza was good. It wasn't anything special but we like dumplings so they were good. The side salad was also good. I love ginger dressing. The other ingredients that came on the salad made it really tasty. Overall, Maki has some good food! The place is small so plan accordingly. read more

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If only I knew about this place earlier, I could have experienced this deliciousness more! My friend and I grabbed dinner here last week, and this is a tiny space right next to Adeep. First impressions? This place is really small with like 3-4 tables. It's ideal for takeout, but as we were dining in, it was tight. Service is pretty okay. My friend got the pork miso soup ramen, and I got the chicken katsu curry. And the food was YUMMY! The ramen was warm and nice, with the pork so soft and perfect. The katsu curry was impressive, with the chicken perfectly spiced and crunchy. We also split the shrimp shumai, but that was okay. From the price point, this place is golden. The ramen and other entrees are 8-9$, and the appetizers are about 5$. The portions are just right if you come in hungry, which I was and that is why, I forgot to click pictures of the food. I'd recommend this place! read more

Maki Express Ramen House - Menu - Ramen Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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I think this is one of the most under-appreciated restaurants in Cincinnati. Yes, it's quite small and ill-fitting for large groups, but it's such a gem and they are BYOB. Their ramen is delicious, hands down the best in Cincinnati, and they make their own noodles! I've tried their ramen with almost all of their different broths except the last one: Shoyu (soy), Tonkotsu (pork marrow, MY FAVORITE), Miso (soy bean paste) and Tom Yum Shrimp (not really a broth just a separate ramen option which is SPICY). Each broth has depths of flavor and is served with delicious ingredients (except the TYS); such as homemade Japanese noodles, spinach, green onion, soft boiled egg, sweet corn, bamboo and tender (never overcooked) pork belly. I've also tried their Udon with tofu (they also offer it with chick) in a salty/umami vegetable based broth with shitake mushrooms, carrots, zucchini, spinach and etc. Typically I add a soft boiled egg for $1.50. Their eggs are simple yet delicious and have ALWAYS had the perfect consistency. The yoke slowly oozes out into the broth adding a wonderful creamy rich flavor and texture. I've eaten here a dozen times and my love continues to grow for this place. I love it and hope you try it soon. If it bothers you that this place is small, just order a meal for pick up or through Uber Eats and trust me you won't regret it. It's worth every time and you can get a meal for under $10! read more

Truly have loved this place for years but my recent visit was a bit bad. They're no longer on DoorDash, the website isn't working, and neither is their phone number? So I came in to order and they couldn't do a part cash part card payment. The ramen rocks but I had to jump through so many loops idk if it's THAT good. Ya know. :( read more

Awesome food. Great selection of Japanese food. Will def come back. PS Yelp doesn't like me doing succinct reviews read more

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I was in Cincy for a football game and was looking for a cute, non chain, place to get some good food. I stumbled across this super cute store front and decided to pop in. I can safely say one of the best choices I could've made. I opted to sit in and eat inside, there is only about enough space for 15 people in the whole interior of the building but the food makes it worth the squeeze. Service was fast and attentive, and food came out quite quickly for it being made to order for each person. I ordered the Tonkatsu Ramen which included noodles, chili oil, pork belly, spinach, a soft boiled egg and one other vegetable I couldn't quite identify. Though this place is easily the best ramen I have been able to get and for a super reasonable price. I highly recommend popping in to eat or ordering take out from this place!! read more

Maki Express Ramen House - Tonkatsu Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Great place for quick and delicious ramen. I went here with my dad one night when my mom was out of town and that night made me feel really happy that I got to spend time with him. I 100% think you should go here if you don't have a lot of time. read more

Love this place! Great comfort food on a cold day. The food is full of spice and flavor! Very delicious local ramen. read more

Maki Express Ramen House - Tom Yum Shrimp Ramen & Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

I got this to go after work and it was good! The tonkatsu ramen was very flavorful and soft boiled egg was perfection. I love that they separated the broth from the noodles for to go so you could warm it up once at home. The restaurant itself is TEENY. Like maybe three small tables for two TEENY, but I think it works well. read more

Maki Express Ramen House - Ramen Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

AMAZING FOOD, service was quick. It was cold since the door kept opening and it's a small place so I recommend eating in-house on a warmer day. But was AMAZING! Fresh food. read more

Maki Express Ramen House - Miso Ramon - Ramen Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Cute, quaint, cozy, tiny ramen shop near UC's campus. It may hold a total of 12 people at one time, with 3-4 tables. Service was prompt, and the menu had a lot of great starter options in addition to the Ramen. We tried the fried chicken bites (I know there is an actual name for it and I can't recall), which were fried so delightfully and had the nice chili sauce on it. We tried two different ramens, shoyu and tonkotsu (which does have a slight spice to it). The noodles were solid, and the broth was warm and had a great flavor. The ramen was a great deal for $8-9 and was a nice portion, and was all I needed to feel full. Great deal overall and will be back when I feel the "Ramen itch." read more

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Looking for ramen in Cincinnati? Well this is it. Found in a tiny location right on campus. Better go during weird hours or you will be met with a crowd because this place is awesome. The tonkotsu ramen is what you want. Nice juicy tender pork belly fat is fantastic. You know the broth has got to be good if you drink it and I drink it every damn time. Curse you nice friendly man who makes my food so delicious. You are an amazing man with a wonderful talent. You want some ramen and you live in Cincinnati? Come here and stop eating out of cheap ramen packets. This is what you want! read more

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Maki Express is the best Ramen in the city of Cincinnati for take out or small dine in area for fresh ramen.

I'm traveling for work and it is always great to find a gem like this place. I love ramen. I've even tried my hand at making it myself. Way to time intensive for me so finding places like Maki Express makes it so much more worthwhile to just go and sit down and have a bowl. The place is tiny with about 4 tables, but very clean and presentable. The service is just right, but maybe they shouldn't allow there employee to sleep at one of the tables. Other than that, great. Now for the food. I ordered the gyoza fried and it didn't disappoint. The filling could of been a little less sinewy, but the flavor was spot on. I also ordered the Tonkatsu ramen with a soft boiled egg and pork chatsu and it was delicious! The right amount of spice. The pork belly chatsu was perfectly succulent and flavorful, noodles perfectly cooked and the broth was soooooo good. Cannot recommend this place enough. AWESOME! read more

Delicious ramen. Small place but very cool no shoes seating though. It's a must come if you want REAL Japanese ramen! read more

Maki Express Ramen House - Ramen Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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Having travelled in Japan and enjoyed authentic ramen, I'm always on the lookout for something that's passable here in the States. Was very happy to hear about this place, so crossed the river on my day off to try it out. First, be aware, parking in the Clifton area is a real pain in the butt, plan accordingly. Had to drive around a few minutes before I found something. The shop itself is small and cramped. Glad I was by myself, as I grabbed the last seat by the window. Wouldn't recommend sitting there in the winter, as you'll get a blast of cold air each time the door opens. I ordered a bowl of the tonkatsu ramen with extra pork chashu. The broth was amazing. It's legit. The pork chashu was nice and tender. The soft boiled egg was a little cold, and the noodles ...well, they were a little off at first. The more they steeped in the broth, the better they got. Overall, this is really good, and the price is excellent. $9 for a bowl of ramen this good - I'll take that any day! read more

Ramen was great! A+ and the noodles were very tasty. The broth was flavorful and just the right amount of spice. All around, the contents and the meat in the ramen was ahhmazing. The pork/egg/rice dish was mehh..okay... the breading was a bit bland. I recommend to just order and pickup your ramen... the service was lacking and unattentive to dine-in customers. It was kind of embarrassing to feel like I was disturbing our server when I asked for a fork...and we never got spoons either...but I didnt even feel like I could ask for them! Most of the time our server had earbuds in and I couldn't get her attention... I mean I get it. It was slow and it's not a huge space but...at least make us feel welcome!! Food was great but hospitality is important too. I may opt for another ramen restaurant in the future if I feel like eating in. read more

If you had told teenage Emily that when she grew up, she would seek out ramen as a special meal out, she would probably have looked at you like you're an idiot, as only a teenager can, and then glance at the block of noodles in her hand, let them fall with a splash into a boiling pot of water, get out the small flavoring packet and worry about the future. But here we are. I will pretty much take amazing ramen any day. And Maki Express definitely fills that craving. Yelp Cincy Community Manager Cindy took me to Maki when I was in town recently. This restaurant fills a tiny storefront near UC, and what this spot lacks in size, it makes up for in ramen that is bursting with flavor. I got the tonkotsu ramen, which is made with pork marrow bone broth. It contained pork belly, spinach, bamboo, sweet corn, green onion and a soft-boiled egg (my fave). Now my favorite ramen that I've ever had is from a restaurant called Wasabi in Chicago. (Look up my review!) But this was an easy second. The broth was rich, complex and savory. It did not taste like it had been made over as long of a time as Wasabi's, but it was still full of warm, comforting goodness. This was my first ramen with corn. I like the sweetness against the broth. Not a huge fan of the soggy spinach, though. The pork belly was tender and easy to pull apart with chop sticks. And the egg breaking open and running into the ramen is just damn sexy. The gyoza provided a great, fried start to the meal. The pork buns were a bit larger than I've had elsewhere. While I've never turned down a dish because the serving size was too large, this did make it a bit more difficult to handle. We ate on a raised platform, sitting cross-legged at a short table. The staff was helpful, though I wish the water glasses were larger than the miniature options offered. We had to have them refilled every few minutes. Maki made for a quick, filling meal. And especially if you are planning a night on the town (like we were), this ramen made for a comforting, soul-warming start. read more

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Maki Express Ramen House is the best! This place is indeed small and mighty. The location is small but the décor is mightily cute. I really love sitting cross legged on the platform. Their prices are small but the noodles are mighty! I can get a big bowl of fully loaded tonkatsu ramen with thick pork belly and char siu for $9! And they are not stingy with the broth, either. Why does ramen cost $14-$16 in Louisville? For smaller portion and less taste???!!! I simply can't do it. And those takoyakis are so yummy. I love watching the bonito flakes wave over the hot takoyaki...then I inhale them all. Parking in the nearby garage is no big deal. It'll only cost you an extra couple of bucks for the meal; totally worth it. read more

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Amazing Ramen. The fired chicken in the picture was some of the best I have ever had as well. read more

Maki Express Ramen House - Shio Ramen Chicken Karaage - Ramen Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Highly, HIGHLY recommend the takoyaki. The absolute best takoyaki in Cincinnati. The ramen is very warm and filling, and the prices are incredibly inexpensive compared to other Cincinnati options. If you're looking for a warm bowl of ramen, this is the place to go. read more

So the veggie ramen isn't directly on the menu so you have to ask for it! But it was good! Light broth & the noodles were a great texture! It's a about the same price at the places but since it's so close to UC, it's very convenient! It's kind of small but due to space & area it's located, it understandable. I'm not sure if I would go there again since I'm a vegetarian & there aren't too many options. But I would definitely recommend if you want a ramen fix close to campus! read more

Maki Express Ramen House - Veggie ramen - Ramen Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

One of the best ramens I've had in awhile. Broth was flavorful, ramen had a great texture, overall just great. Dined in & it's a tiny hole in the wall place, will probably order takeout next time. read more

Maki Express Ramen House - Tonkontsu ramen - Ramen Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio