Another new go to restaurant for us! We love their ramen, nice rich broth (plus if you want a spicy one, they have a habanero tonkotsu!!) noodles were perfectly cooked not too soft or hard. There's a QR code menu and pay so it's very easy to place your order. Our food came out very quickly too! It's a cute small restaurant so it's definitely a more cozy vibe to it. Looks like there's a onigiri champ in the mornings too, will have to stop by for that one day! read more

Ramen Champ - Tonkotsu Ramen - Ramen Near Me - San Jose, California

Not bad! Feel like I'm pretty picky with my ramen but Ramen Champ is decent if you're looking for a quick bite. Pretty busy on a Friday night, waited 30 min around 6:30. Caught off guard by having to pay before getting our food through the QR code but it was fine. Their chashu is super thick which made it less tender. I knew this going in from looking at the photos but still wanted to give it a try. Noodles were al dente which was great, broth was ok. Also, they had spicy chili sauce and maybe soy sauce (?) on the table for your meal but they didn't have the spicy chili powder that you'd normally get at a ramen spot. Overall, if I was craving ramen and didn't want to drive more than 5 min, would come back but otherwise, if it wasn't so close, probably wouldn't. read more

Ramen Champ - Tonkatsu ramen - Ramen Near Me - San Jose, California

I've been coming to this spot for years and used to recommend it to friends. The ramen here is solid and the rest of the menu is good too. But my last visit was honestly one of the weirdest restaurant experiences I've had. I ordered the tonkatsu ramen with thick noodles. When the bowl came out, it had the wrong noodles. No big deal -- mistakes happen. I let the server know and she apologized and went back to the kitchen. I happened to be sitting right next to the kitchen so I could hear everything. The server told the cook that I wanted thick noodles instead... which made it sound like I changed my mind. That wasn't what happened at all. The server came back and asked if I wanted the thick noodles on the side or if I wanted them to remake the bowl. I asked if they can remake it. She takes the bowl back, talks to the kitchen, then comes back and politely tells me the kitchen is slammed and they can't remake the ramen, but they can give me the thick noodles on the side. She apologized again. So I asked her, "Wait... so I'm supposed to take the noodles out of my bowl and put the thick noodles in myself?" She says... yeah. LOL. I was genuinely confused. I know the server took the order correctly because she confirmed it when I ordered. The part that threw me off was the kitchen acting like remaking the bowl was some huge request. C'mon... this isn't omakase. It's ramen. If the order is wrong, just remake the bowl. I wasn't trying to cause a scene so they brought my ramen back, we finished dinner, and I left a 5% tip. Been coming here for years but after that interaction with the kitchen... I'm good. Not coming back. That cook was acting goofy. read more

Delicious Ramen! First time here, we ordered Tonkatsu Raman and Jalapeno Ramen. Both were great, we'll be back there are so many other dishes to try. read more

Stopped by for some matcha lattes and noticed they've expanded their shop to the empty store to their left. More space, but not a whole lot of tables. Seems like they have moved some tables from the original store over to the expanded space to make room for their self-serve onigiri shop. Small and tidy but with quite an assortment of onigiri and musicians ranging from $3-$6. Pick out for you items and self-checkout. Didnt pick up any thoygh since i had already had lunch. But they all looked delicious. Next time for sure! read more

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I have been here before. If I am back then for sure it's good. Restaurant is tucked away in a shopping center with plenty of parking. Since the last time I came it appears they expanded more square footage/seating. Decor is ok and tables clean. The gentleman seating is very professional and respectful. Of course I ordered the spicy ramen on a cold day. D-e-l-icious! I def recommend for all ramen lovers, a must try. read more

Ramen Champ - Spicy pork tan Tan Ramen & teriyaki karaage - Ramen Near Me - San Jose, California

The weather called for something hot. Hot soup that is. We were in south San Jose and craving something warm. After doing an online search, we came across Ramen Champ. We arrived for dinner on a Sunday night recently. The ramen restaurant is located in an older but nice plaza off Curtner and Santa Teresa blvd. 24 Fitness Santa Teresa is located in the same plaza. Parking is easy and accessible in the large parking lot. The restaurant has traditional simple Japanese modern decor. One room is spacious and bright consisting of a few tables and particularly for larger parties. The other room has the waiting area, kitchen, and only a few 2 top tables all together. The vibe was family friendly and inviting. We signed in on the waiting list and our wait time ended up being about 35 minutes. We ordered tonkotsu ramen, miso ramen, shoyu ramen, and a large hot sake. Our ramens was delicious. The meat was tender and juicy. The broths were very flavorful. Ramen on a cold night was the perfect remedy. Overall we enjoyed our experience at Ramen Champ. The staff was friendly and helpful. The option to use a QR menu was convenient. Price point for the ramen was ok. My only gripe was the ramen did not include a hard boiled egg already. They sold out of eggs so we could not order a side order of eggs. It was great to try this spot once at least but not sure when we will be back again. read more

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Specializing in Jiro-style aka "junk food" ramen with thick, chewy noodles, extra fatty pork, and a mountain of humble veggies like cabbage and bean sprouts, this homey restaurant is spare in its decor but super abundant in its portions. My party of 3 completely overestimated our stomachs in ordering two appetizers and three heavy AF entrées, resulting in leftovers for days. Wish our server had warned us, lol! read more

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Was in the area with a friend and decided to eat at Ramen Champ. Honestly, saw it on social media that they opened a little onigiri area inside of the restaurant. My friend and I came in at opening, which was I think 11am? I saw that the onigiri was all sold out! I guess the onigiri area opens at 10am, but people bought them all. I was a bit disappointed because I wanted to try some. Anyways, my friend and I were seated right away. There is a QR code for you to browse the menu and order. You would pay right then and there on the site as well. I ordered the agedashi tofu and habanero tonkatsu. I enjoyed the food! The ramen wasn't really spicy as habanero in my opinion, but it was good. Had the option to choose thin or thick noodles, which I liked. I would return back for sure. I would want to come back to get onigiri, but I guess it's a hit or miss because you won't know if they're sold out until you get there. read more

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I came here with a party of five. The wait to be seated was about 15 minutes on a Tuesday night. I liked how we had the option to scan a QR code to immediately order and pay. There was a lot of different Ramen selections, sashimi bowls, and appetizers. I would definitely like to come back again to try their other items, the food we ordered was pretty good. The portions were a lot, even had togo some of the food home. Overall, we loved our first time experience here. The service was great and food was phenomenal. read more

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Was craving some ramen and this place popped up. This place gave off a mom and pop shop owner vibe which I genuinely liked since it felt more authentic. Service was great and the servers were attentive and quick. Order Yuzu Shio Ramen - 10/10 I've never seen this ramen on any menu before so I wanted to try it out. It was definitely refreshing. Broth was flavorful with the sweet citrus taste. Noodles were perfect and the onions gave it a herb flavor. Definitely recommend order if you want to try something new first time coming here. read more

Ramen Champ - Yuzu Shio Ramen - Ramen Near Me - San Jose, California

This is purely a review of their onigiri and katsu sandwiches. A++++ would go again! Reasonably priced for such great quality! They have spam musubi too, which is what I want to try next time. But I might also come back for the ramen because that looks good too. Parking is really easy to find in this huge plaza, and the staff are quick and efficient. Just FYI the onigiri to-go is only open from 10am to 2pm! read more

Ramen Champ - Teriyaki beef, mentaiko, salmon, yuzu mayo salmon - Ramen Near Me - San Jose, California

Came here with another family for lunch on a Sunday. Party of 6. Short wait and we were given a table with two high chairs. Service was good but the ramen really really salty. I usually love salty food but this was way too intense. The fried chicken was done very well. Perfect chicken karaage. The breading was light and crispy. The chicken itself was soft. One unisex restroom. Located in a strip mall. Plenty of parking. read more

Ramen Champ - Ramen Near Me - San Jose, California

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Delicious! Three of us had lunch here today. Appetizers we had Takoyaki, Chicken Karage and Gyoza. The takoyaki was very yummy! Tender pieces of octopus in a delicious batter. Juicy and delicious! The Chicken Karage was tasty. Juicy pieces of tender chicken fried in a light crunchy batter. The gyoza were yummy too! Fried golden brown and tasty. I had the Tsukeman dipping ramen. Tender juicy pieces of pork belly in the sauce. Did your warm chewy noodles into the yummy broth. The egg was perfectly cooked and tasty. The other two had the Buta Ramen and they enjoyed it. Nice tender noodles in a very tasty garlic infused broth. The service was very nice! Super friendly servers willing to explain the dishes to you. The ambiance is warm and friendly. Nice clean bathrooms too! Yummy place and I hope to be back soon! read more

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I'm usually not in this area of San Jose, but I made the drive down because it's my friend's favorite place for tsukeman at the moment. And that's saying a lot, because we have eaten tsukeman at so many ramen places all over the Bay Area and LA together. The service was prompt and kind, no notes there! We got the Cucumber Tataki to share. Idk why I was expecting like a Din Tai Fung or dim sum kind of plating for it, so I was pleasantly surprsied when it was served as cucumber sticks! It was good, I'd give it an 8/10 and would order it again. Personally ramen wise, I got the Habanero Tonkatsu ramen, and I liked it! There was a bit of habanero that you could taste in the broth, but it wasn't overwhelming and wasn't so hot that it was making me sweat or see my ancestors. The broth itself was so unique...the way I would describe it is like it reminded me of chips! But in a good way!! It's definitely worth trying :) My friend got his tsukeman and decided on trying the max noodles, an they were thick little guys lol. Overall, yummy and will return! read more

Ramen Champ - Ramen Near Me - San Jose, California

Parking is pretty vacant and I went on a weekday around 1PM. Got seated fast and ordered thru a QR code on the table but they also give a physical menu option. I got the tonkotsu ramen with thick noodle. It was soo delicious. The ramen was both light and creamy, super balanced and addicting!!! The thick noodles were also perfect texture. I think i'll be continuing to get thick noodles in the future lol. Waiter checks in with you once thru ur meal. Because you pay when u order on the phone, you can just leave when you're done. Overall I really loved the tonkotsu ramen and the general look of the restaurant. read more

Ramen Champ - Tonkotsu Ramen - Ramen Near Me - San Jose, California

Food was so good! The service was awesome and the food came out fast! A very quiet and relaxing place. read more

Ramen Champ - Ramen Near Me - San Jose, California

I went to Champ Ramen with some friends who really like this place and were excited to return. Based on their recommendations, I ordered the Max Tuna Negitoro Don. When browsing the menu via the QR code provided at the table, the description for the dish clearly stated that miso soup was included. There was no indication that the soup only came with certain portion sizes. I chose the smaller portion, and to my surprise, it arrived without miso soup. My friends who ordered the larger sizes did receive it, so I asked the waitress why mine didn't come with soup. She explained that the mini size does not include miso soup. This was confusing, as the menu made no mention of that distinction. If there's a size-based difference in what's included, that should be made very clear to customers at the time of ordering. This small detail impacted my experience. The meal itself was tasty and well-prepared, but it felt incomplete without the soup I was expecting. It's not about the soup itself as much as the clarity and accuracy of the menu, which sets expectations for the customer. That said, the restaurant has a nice, casual vibe with modern music playing in the background. The service was good overall. The waitress was attentive enough and came around for refills without needing to be called over, which I appreciated. Overall, I'm giving Champ Ramen 4 out of 5 stars. The food was delicious, the ambiance was pleasant, and the service was decent. I would just recommend that the menu be updated to more accurately reflect what is included with each portion size to avoid confusion in the future. read more

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I got the Habanero Tonkotsu Ramen which the broth was good. Not very spicy. Meat was okay. Takoyaki came out cold :( Also service is non existent. You just order & pay on the QR code, there was no "welcome in, I'm your server.." and no check ins during the meal. read more

Ramen Champ - Habanero Tonkotsu Ramen - Ramen Near Me - San Jose, California

Seriously so good. I only like a handful of ramen places and this was legit! We came about 30 minutes before close and got greeted warmly, seated quick and actual genuinely kind service. I got the habanero tonkatsu and oh my goodness, the flavor was hitting in all fronts! The heat was immense but not so hot you couldn't taste the flavor! The pork was so tender and I liked that it wasn't diced/minced. Great portion size especially for the price. Looking forward to next time read more

Ramen Champ - Ramen Near Me - San Jose, California

We have been Ramen Champ's customer since they open for business, in my book they are simply the best ramen shop in south San Jose. They expanded their menu to start serving sushi and sashimi a few months ago and lately they are trying to start a self serve Onigiri stand inside their restaurant, customers can walk up to the table and use the tablet to pay for the onigiri they want to buy, pretty cool concept, I think this might go well with workers nearby who want to grab quick lunch without waiting in long lines. We came here to get lunch, saw the onigiri shoo so we also tried their spicy tuna musubi and it was delicious! read more

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This is a popular ramen place, so there was a bit of a wait when I came for a Sunday lunch, but it wasn't too bad (15 minutes). They have the menu QR code on the utensil holder. You can order and pay online or ask a server to take your order. You can customize your ramen (use the QR code to see all your options). * Tonkotsu Ramen 5/5 - I usually get Miso Ramen, but I heard it can be salty here, so I got Tonkotsu instead. I got thick noodles instead of thin and that was a great choice. The noodles had a good bite, slightly firm, and a nice flavor. The pork broth was flavorful, not salty, and not fatty. The chasu pork was a thicker cut, but very tender. The kikurage mushroom added a crunchy texture, and hey, anything to get my vegetables in. Overall, the ramen was tasty and I enjoyed it. read more

Ramen Champ - Lunch Special Menu Mon-Fri - Ramen Near Me - San Jose, California

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order thru our phones but the worker was nice!! i think there was only one girl serving everyone and she was so nice!! making sure everyone was good i got the tonkatsu ramen - soup was very thick and little salty! the thick meat reminded me of thit khot. very rich broth that it was kinda overwhelming read more

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Who doesn't love ramen? I've been wanting to try this place out for a while and I finally did. This place is very convenient and so techy. You come in the one server seats you. There is a QR code you scan and that's how you order. You also pay for your food and the one server comes with your food. So when you're done you just get up and leave. How convenient. If you would like to take your food to go since their portions are a lot for one person. They have to go containers in the middle of the hallway. You can wait to ask or you can just grab. I just grab mine because the guy seem like he was extremely busy. Food is good, slightly sweet. I would like to come back and try other things on their menu. read more

Fast and friendly service. Order by scanning the QR code at the table and paying as you submit each order. Good food. My friends got the to Tonkatsu Tonkotsu ramen; a garlic add on comes in the form of a small container of fresh garlic that you pour into the bowl yourself--it's good, but only get this if you love garlic because it is very garlicky. I love that there are half sizes of some of the bowls but disappointed that this option is not available for all the bowls. The mini salmon bowl could use one more slice of sashimi to balance out the the portion of rice they provide. The single bathroom was not the cleanest, and almost everyone who used it seemed to take a long time in there. read more

Giving review for the onigiris! Recently we just saw on social media that they are selling onigiris. We tried them and we liked it! So far our favorite is their Max onigiris, they are huge and $3 only. This Max onigiri can be one person lunch meal portion. Their onigiri price range is between $3-$5. Some people like Clover Bakery onigiri, but I like Ramen Champ onigiri better. For some reason Clover Bakery's onigiri make me bloated, must be from the Japanese rice quality. But not the case with Ramen Champ's onigiri. Will try their ramen one day. read more

I went here twice. Really liked the katsu curry with good flaky panko. The buta ramen was not my favorite. I usually like garlic, but the chunks are too big for me, they are roughly chopped. And the flavor is just black pepper, soy, and pork. It was okay read more

Ramen Champ - Katsu curry rice - Ramen Near Me - San Jose, California

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I might have to call Ramen Champ my favorite ramen place ever. I have been here numerous times but always fail to write a review since I indulge myself in the food immediately. It can get really busy and the wait can get long due to the minimal seating since the store is kind of small. I find the portions and appetizers to be a decent size too. Hits: * Miso Ramen is my favorite. I think it is very flavorful and I enjoy all the toppings it comes with * Tonkotsu Ramen is another banger. It is definitely a go to ramen if you want to eat something good and not too out of your comfort zone. * Chicken Karaage is super yummy. It's a good appetizer while we wait for our ramen. * Takoyaki is very good and also nice to try. It comes out really hot so be careful when you eat it! Final Verdict: Solid 4/5. The ramen is good and tasty but I have noticed some days it is very well seasoned and other times it can be too overly seasoned. If the consistency was there it would definitely be better. Overall, I would definitely recommend this place to others. read more

Ramen Champ - Miso Ramen - Ramen Near Me - San Jose, California

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I came on a Thursday around lunch time, and I was pleasantly surprised to find them so busy. But that did eventually become a detriment. While I was waiting to order some food to-go, I checked out their onigiri section and found a few I liked and placed the order through the kiosk. It was unclear if I could grab them myself, so I waited because I also wanted some regular menu items. Granted I've been here a few times before they opened up the other half of the restaurant and before they set up this onigiri bar, and service previous times was fast and easy. I felt like I waited about 10 minutes before being acknowledged. After another 5 minutes, I went towards the back and asked if I could place a to-go order. The server (I think there was only one) said just a second, and I waited a few more minutes before finally deciding to just order online. Having tried their shio and tonkatsu ramen before (both pretty good), I went with the mini kaisen bowl. Still ended up waiting 20 minutes, and another check-in with the server before I got my food. While the kaisen bowl itself was so delicious: fresh fish, great sushi rice, it wasn't worth the wait and service for me. Three stars for the overall experience, but next time, I'll know to order ahead if I'm taking it to go. read more

I heard their ramen is Jiro-style, but I appreciate that they offer other types too in case Jiro-style feels too heavy. I tried the Yuzu Shio Ramen. The flavor was refreshing, but most of the yuzu zest sank to the bottom, so I didn't really taste it until I was two-thirds done. I wish the yuzu flavor came through more evenly. The service was good and efficient. I found that they sell onigiri and I would love to try them next time. I loved the "Chee-gyu" display at the onigiri counter. IYKYK! read more

Ramen Champ - Yuzu Shio Ramen - Ramen Near Me - San Jose, California

Food: 9/10 I got the lunch chicken Karage and tonkotsu ramen with thin noodles. Amazing broth. So flavorful and rich. I haven't had it this good in a while. It was quite the treat. Would have gave it a 10 however the pork in it wasn't my vibe so I think I would order the tonkatsu tonkatsu ramen next time. Service: 8/10. We were greeted at the door and seated. Host/runner walked us to our table. I wish he mentioned that we needed to order via QR code. If we weren't looking at the napkins and chopsticks we would have never known. Other than that very attentive and friendly. Ambiance: 8/10 I like it that there is a main room and little pockets of areas for other tables. Can't quite explain it, you'll need to see it for yourself. Also while walking in you can purchase Onigiri from the table. There's a kiosk iPad for you to pay and you just pick out the ones you want. I got a tonkatsu sandwich. Very yummy. read more

Ramen Champ - Tonkotsu Ramen - Ramen Near Me - San Jose, California

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Recently came back to try their rice bowls and noticed that things have changed. They expanded into the neighboring suite and now offer more seating. The menu also seems to have changed? They offer all sorts of rice bowls now, and in different sizes. The larger bowls are huge. I ordered the chicken karaage and had to take half home. It was delicious, however. The fried oysters are also bomb and a little hidden gem in the appetizers section. These look to be positive changes, cause now I want to go back and try other dishes, not just the ramen. And I think the customers notice, cause both times I've gone back recently, they were busy. read more

Large portions! Turns out I'm not a fan of the Jiro-style ramen - it's too fatty and unrefined for me. I like high class ramen - like tonkotsu with its amazing creamy white broth, which was really good here. The karaage (fried) is also really good and large, with a crispy outside and juicy inside. I could eat the tonkotsu ramen and karaage here all day. We also tried the cold cucumbers appetizer, which is a skip in my opinion, it was just not very special. read more

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Written by Stacey (10-year-old) Me and my family love the tonkatsu curry! It also came with some warm miso soup! But we also ordered the Tonkotsu Ramen and the Buta Ramen. The Tonkotsu Ramen is also good but not as spectacular as the Tonkatsu Curry! In our opinion, the Buta Ramen was not quite as good as the others. It was very aromatic with tons of garlic, and was quite crowded with lots of beansprouts. When we saw how large the portion was, we were like:"Did they give us the wrong order? " On the other hand, when we got our food, two of our spoons were dirty, either with lipstick or even soup! I would come back, not to get the Buta Ramen. read more

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My friends and I were craving some ramen and decided to meet up at Ramen Champ. This is my first time here but I've heard great things about this restaurant. Upon entering, the waiting area had a table set up on the left for onigiri and spam masubi for take out (for lunch only). On the right there were some seats for people who are waiting for a table. We got our table 15 mins later, and were asked if we wanted a paper menu or to order online. We opted for the online menu and were able to order our food individually. Our server brought us water and thanked us for waiting. After checking out the menu and I took a quick glance and noticee the entire dining area was clean and spacious. I got the Habanero tonkotsu ramen and a matcha avalanche drink. The food came within 5 minutes! Our server was really sweet and made sure we had water and then left us to enjoy the meal! The soup is rich, spicy and decadent! The noodles were the perfect texture, and the pork was buttery and savory. The matcha avalanche was sweet and delicious, just the perfect balance to my spicy savory ramen. I'm definitely coming back! read more

Not too shabby for a small little hidden place to eat. Conveniently located across the way from Kaiser Santa Teresa. The waiter was friendly but not very attentive to our visit. They kept the door wide open and due to seating arrangements the cold wind kept hitting us pretty good. Our dishes came out in good time and were nice and hot, but again the front door being propped open and cold wind coming in did not help. I think we will definitely come back for a better experience. read more

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We arrived right before closing and luckily we found parking immediately so they didn't turn us away. First thing first, alcohol, I meant water. We were served water, soda, and hot sake. We ordered the following Takowasa, spicy chicken karaage, buta max ramen, habanero ramen, Tonkotsu ramen, and tonkatsu Tonkotsu ramen. Downed our drinks and inhaled our food, we were sent home to enjoy food coma. read more

Ramen Champ - Takowasa, spicy chicken karaage, buta max ramen, habanero ramen, Tonkotsu ramen, and tonkatsu Tonkotsu ramen. Missing hot sake! - Ramen Near Me - San Jose, California

Still good. From service to food and wait till is a lot faster now. The ramen is delicious and hits the spot every time. read more

Ramen Champ - Fried Gyoza (6 Pcs) - Ramen Near Me - San Jose, California

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Got the Habanero Tonkotsu Ramen and Fried Oyster. The habanero tonkotsu ramen had a perfect spice level and the noodles had the perfect firmness. The broth really warms you up, which was needed for the cold day, and while the pork was well cooked, was a bit more fatty than I'd prefer. The fried oyster was amazing, not too oily, and the fried crust didn't overpower the natural flavor of the oyster. read more

The ramen here is genuinely good . The flavorful broth, quality ingredients, and the thick noodle option is a nice touch. Unfortunately, the experience surrounding the food left a lot to be desired. We ran into issues with their QR ordering system, so our server stepped in and took our order directly, reading it back to confirm. Simple enough,except when the bowls arrived, only one had the thick noodles we'd both requested. We flagged it politely, expecting a quick fix. What followed was surprising. Rather than remaking the bowl (a straightforward swap that takes maybe two minutes given that the broth comes from a pod and the garnishes are assembled to order) the kitchen pushed back. The server relayed their counteroffer: thick noodles served on the side. That's not a solution. The whole point of ramen is noodles in broth. Thick noodles sitting in a dry bowl while thin noodles soak up your soup isn't the dish we ordered. When we held our ground, the kitchen declined to remake it entirely, citing how busy they were in a restaurant with fewer than 15 tables that was not full. To make it stranger, two cooks actually came out of the kitchen to look at our table. I still don't know what that was about. After that, our server disappeared. No check-in, no acknowledgment that anything had gone sideways, nothing. It felt less like an oversight and more like we were being iced out for having the nerve to ask for what we ordered. The ramen itself? Worth trying. The attitude? Not worth your money. There are too many excellent ramen spots out there to spend it somewhere that treats a simple correction like an imposition. I have never once had a kitchen refuse to correct an order. If anything, the bar for a fix is lower here, not higher. When the broth is pre-portioned and the noodles are cooked separately, there's no real argument for why a remake is such a burden. The fact that a casual ramen spot drew a harder line than any white-tablecloth restaurant I've ever been to says everything about the attitude in that kitchen. People in this area will spend freely at places that treat them well and just as quickly never return to ones that don't. Leaving a customer unhappy over a bowl of noodles that costs little to remake is about as shortsighted as it gets. I dined on 3/14 around 7ish read more