anyone leaving a bad review have no idea what they're talking about. this is the closest thing to getting tonkotsu and ramen in Japan in MN. great people, owners. we are lucky to have this place! you can't go wrong w anything. the smells take me back to when I lived in Kyoto... having a bad day fix it by coming here! read more

Everything is made fresh and their *take* on chicken soup is something I will order every time.

I had a great time at Ramen Kazama tonight in the cold. The delicious broth they make for the Tonkatsu Ramen had my evening off to the right start. You order to eat by QR and water is self serve. I enjoy that personally but gotta take a star because i really do like that person to person interaction. Will be back for more the vibe was spectacular. On a cold winter's night nothing like a great bowl of ramen to keep you warm. read more

Ramen Kazama - Interior wall - Ramen Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

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I was on a fun outing with two family members who are teens. We stopped for crepes (which also was reviewed) and since there was no room to sit, we were told we could sit at the adjoining ramen business. We made a full lunch and enjoyed a delish lunch. We started out with edamame and then had an amazing ramen for our main. We all shared and we were practically fighting over the tasty bits of the soup. We were happy eaters and walked away with full belly's! Absolutely def recommend! read more

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Delicious casual ramen spot! The menu is super simple and easy to navigate which was great. I love ramen and this tonkatsu broth would rival any! The pork belly was melt in your mouth and crispy on the outside and the egg was gooey and delicious. read more

Ramen Kazama - 2. Tonkotsu Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

This is a cute little place you can order at the counter or using qr code at your table. I thoroughly enjoyed the tonkatsu ramen. It had a delicious creamy pork broth, pork belly, mushroom, bamboo and a perfectly soft boiled egg. It's the type of warm comfort food you want after a long hard week of work. I also had the gyoza which was delicious. My friends ordered veggie ramen which they enjoyed as well. I'd definitely come back!! read more

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I initially walked into the Ramen joint on the corner, but it was packed! So I walked down and recalled seeing a burger marquee. I stepped inside, mulled over the menu for a bit, and discovered that there is also a Ramen menu. This made my night because it is absolutely soup weather, if there ever was such a thing. I had the Shoyu ramen, with extra pork belly, as per my custom. It was delicious, hearty, the broth was pretty good! The food came quick, it wasn't terribly loud, and there was adequate seating! Next time that I go, I will definitely try a burger. read more

Your average neighborhood ramen spot. Was a bit dirty (the tables weren't cleaned down) but damn they had $2 tall boys which is incredible. read more

Ramen taste the best with a cold chill in the air. And with the winter months soon to roll in, I'll be looking forward to more meals like this. Kazama Ramen tonkotsu is rich and creamy. Noodle has a medium firm texture and soaks up the broth really well adding more flavor with each bite. Follow that up with a nice cold Asahi, this makes the winter months in Minnesota more enjoyable. read more

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Best Ramen in town!! I love this place I don't eat much Ramen in the summer but in the winter I'm there once a week. It's a little expensive, that being said it's well worth the money. Matthew, the owner is such an amazing human and the staff are brilliant. Not only does the Ramen make you warm and happy inside, but spending your money in a place like this does the same. read more

My second restaurant in the group of 3 on this corner, and I was impressed yet again! The tonkatsu ramen was the creamiest I've ever had. It was a pretty decent serving size. I got the small karage bowl, which was a good deal for a smaller dinner, coming with kimchi and rice. The chicken was really juicy and flavorful with the spicy mayo. It's set up in a seat yourself and order from a QR code method, which I don't mind. The servers didn't say a word to any customers the entire time, including when dropping off food and drinks, which was a little strange to us. Also, the prices were all a dollar more than the prices listed online. Overall the food was worth coming back. read more

Ramen Kazama - Ramen Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

An updated review, Ramen Kazama is still a solid and staple ramen shop in Minnesota. They have the usual regional ramen styles (tonkotsu, shio, shoyu, miso). I think they improved their tonkotsu ramen because it tastes way better as of recent. Also, they have one of the best chicken karaage in town. Here's a pro tip, Sundays for lunch they serve their tsukemen (dipping ramen). This sells out quick tho! Ramen Kazama is a must stop for sure in MN if you want ramen. read more

Delicious food! The staff is super kind and the food is very good! Highly recommend if you're looking to try new dishes. Plus they have dairy free ice cream. read more

Ramen Kazama - Ramen Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

This is a great spot, I was craving ramen and was looking for something that had a dialed in menu. You know a spot is good when as soon as they open tables and bar seats are already filling up. For the table we had edamame, gyoza, and a salmon onigiri. Everything was cooked well and tasted exactly as expected. Each of us had a different ramen and everyone enjoyed the mixture of glavors, drinks options, and the ease of ordering for our table via a QR code. It is a small operation with really good food. Great place for ramen on a rainy day although they do have a nice patio as well read more

When this place opened I was thrilled to have it nearby. It was genuine Japanese ramen. The noodles felt fresh and the portions great for the prices. I was happy to pay them. The last three times I went (hope springs eternal), the portions were small, the porc was minimal and the prices high-ish. On my last visit (for all time) some of the noodles were crunchy. Done. read more

Quick and easy service, great seating options and decorations, but ultimately really soulful and hearty tonkotsu broth along with exceptional toppings and chashu, you can't beat this spot. Please take the time to visit. read more

Ramen Kazama - 2. Tonkotsu Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

I am definitely a ramen snob! So here goes. The air conditioning is not working well, so for summer in Minnesota that did not create a perfect ramen environment. The noodle is okay, cooked perfectly but nothing special. I have eaten many tsukemen before. This Tsukemen is too sweet for my taste and the consistency is more of a curry than a proper tsukemen. The tsukemen shops typically offer delicious dashi broth at the end of the meal. Add the dashi broth to your leftover dipping soup broth and enjoy the savory soup. This is called soup wari (スープ割り). This place don't seem to offer that. The meat does not have enough fat in it. It is a little on the dry side and no crispiness to it. The egg is okay. I will try the ramen next time... ps: service is great! read more

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Truly one of the worst experiences I've ever had with a ramen place. The food is very bland and WAY too overpriced in my opinion. My friend got the chicken rice bowl and said that the spicy mayo was the most flavorful part of his meal. Everything is way too loud and over priced. Would NOT recommend!! read more

It's always a good sign when you see a hole in the wall packed with people: dining in, picking up orders...the movement of people was constant the entire time we were there on a Tuesday evening. The place is one you could almost miss if you drive by, but it's clear that it's a local favorite. We were guided there by many reviews on Google. Parking is street parking and difficult to find, we had to drive around for several minutes until something freed up. Service was rather slow and they were possibly understaffed judging by how busy it gets. Options for ramen were about 4, with a few sides and additions that can be added. Order and pay through an app, and water is self-service. Vibe is low key, eclectic (random) decor attracting an eclectic young hipster clientele. Ordered the Torishio Ramen with Karaage (fried chicken) and traditional Tonkotsu (pork). Pork was better than chicken. The fried chicken was delicious but the ramen base had a subtle almost bland flavoring for the Torishio. Tonkotsu was not bad but not the best I've had. Two sake options. Waitress mixed them up so we couldn't tell which one was which (she forgot). Earl Grey crepes were amazing and worth coming g back for! read more

Ramen Kazama - 2. Tonkotsu Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

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I moved to the east coast & still have mouth watering moments of thinking about the spicy miso ramen. I fear I will never taste this again! We'll be back, I promise! We used to go every Friday & now I look forward to the next time we're back in town. Need that broth recipe!!! read more

Ramen Kazama - Ramen Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

Best ramen in the twin cities! This place has the most authentic and delicious ramen I've tasted since moving to Minnesota. The spicy miso ramen is my favorite! Other than ramen they have tons of tasty appetizers like rice balls, dumplings, and fried chicken. The atmosphere is casual and eclectic - kind of like a cozy home vibe. I always enjoy an open kitchen so I can see the chefs at work. Food is ordered at the front counter then brought to your table. Parking can be a little tricky since it is mainly street parking only. read more

Ramen Kazama - Ramen 3. Spicy Miso Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

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I have loved this restaurant since it opened! But not after today's experience. I could not get anyone to take my order at the counter despite making eye contact. No problem, I can order at the table, but I didn't get to ask about the different sakes available (no description on the menu). My table had no utensils or napkins, and although I was brought napkins, I had to scout nearby tables for a spoon. No effort was made to restock the table. Both "Help Yourself" water jugs were out of water. The tables seemed clean, the windows were clean, but the floor was grimy, greasy and sticky - like walk-out-of-your-shoes sticky. There was *a lot* of chitchat between tall with glasses guy and shorter with long black hair lady. (No name tags) I get it, I've worked in restaurants, but why not take my order and maybe have the opportunity to up-sell? The food: Hot sake was not hot, the ramen was not hot, but otherwise okay. The servings seem smaller and the prices are higher, but that is everywhere. When I eat out, which is becoming more and more rare, I want good food, decent service and a clean environment for my money. Especially when customers can see right into the kitchen! I guess restaurants have a natural life span. I don't plan to return. There is a lot of competition out there! read more

I have been eating here every Sunday for 7+ years, and love it every single time I walk in. Kazama-san is incredibly friendly, treats his staff well, and works amazingly hard to produce excellent, consistent quality in all of his dishes. He's always tinkering with new food ideas, and every little special is a treat! The atmosphere evokes a little slice of Japan, and the drummer/rock band themes throughout the restaurant are charming! The Tonkotsu has long been my favorite, as well as the Sunday-only Tsukemen--which I hear he may start doing every day! Shhhh... Also, if you want some of the best fried chicken ever, give the karaage a try! :9 read more

Just in time for Halloween, where everyone hands out those 'fun sized' little candy bars we now have fun sized bowls of ramen! The ramen at Ramen Kazama is just as good as I remember it but the bowl sizes have shrunk. I guess this is okay. If you were peckish going in you will not be peckish going out but still don't expect as much as we used to get there. read more

Ramen Kazama - Fun Sized Tonkotsu - Ramen Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

Favorite ramen spot in the cities! Seriously this place is great. Always solid food. Never had a bad time at this location. If you go on weekends you can often see the owner himself (great guy). Service is simple as the real star here is the food. Sundays they do tsukemon and it's well well worth a visit! read more

Ramen Kazama - Karaage don kg (5pc), 1. Shoyu Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

Amazing ramen... try all the side dishes!!! Finally got to try this ramen spot and could not be more pleased. Atmosphere is casual but trendy, order at the register or sit down and order with QR code. The order links to your table and the food comes out quickly. Service was friendly and quick!! I tried the Onigiri salmon and onigiri tuna mayo. The tuna mayo was my favorite. I could come back and eat 4 different onigiri. Someone at my table got the gyoza and it was spicy and amazing. The tonkotsu ramen was creamy and tasty. The pork belly was perfectly cooked and the ramen was really fresh. I ate the whole bowl which I rarely do! read more

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This place is definitely overpriced and overhyped. The ramen broth is pretty watery and lacked flavor. The service was fine- it's order at the front then a server brings it out so there really wasn't much "service". The egg and chicken karage were the best part of the dish. What is nice though is that this ramen shop and crepe place are next door to each other and connected, making it convenient to get something savory and sweet. Parking is pretty much street parking- which want hard to fine when I came on a Sunday afternoon. read more

Ramen Kazama - 4. Torishio Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

I absolutely love Ramen Kazama! If you're looking for a low key, laid back environment with absolutely delicious food, this is your place!! Everytime I go, I order the Veggie Curry Ramen. It's so unbelievably unique, colorful, and flavorful! It features a curry broth with carrots, mushroom, potatoes, cabbage, tomato, green onion, and fried tofu. My husband loves the Tonkotsu Ramen which has a pork bone marrow broth, mushrooms, bamboo shoots, pork belly, and green onions. We also love ordering the edamame as an appetizer. Ramen Kazama is the perfect spot for a casual weekend lunch or a place to find comfort food on a cold, rainy day. They offer quick counter service and you can expect to be in and out within 30-45 minutes. Prices are also very affordable. I plan on bringing my out of town guests here as I know it will be a crowd pleaser for both meat eaters and vegetarians. read more

Ramen Kazama - Veggie Curry Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

The only ramen place I crave in Minneapolis. The Spicy Karamiso ramen is my favorite ramen in the US! It is truly my comfort food. Always add two eggs to my ramen read more

Ramen Kazama - 3. Spicy Miso Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

I write this review 3 years after my summer in Minneapolis to rave about one dish that I'm not even sure is on their menu anymore. In summer 2018, I had tsukemen for the very first time at Ramen Kazama and I was in awe of the deep, complex, umami, rich flavor of the thick broth that clung onto the perfectly al dente noodles. I was in heaven throughout this entire meal. At the time, I wasn't sure if this ramen was particularly good or if it was just average ramen and I was shook by the novelty of dipping ramen. But I live in NYC now and I've tried my fair share of dipping ramens in the city - I mean it when I say every tsukemen I've had in NYC has paled in comparison to this ramen I had in Minneapolis. I've had Ichiran in Hong Kong, which pretty much ruined every other soup based ramen for me, and I would dare say that Ramen Kazama comes close to doing that to tsukemen for me. I saw in another review that the dipping ramen may have been discontinued from the menu (?) which is quite unfortunate, because I thought it was really awesome that there was such delicious, authentic ramen in the Midwest. read more

Ramen Kazama - Tsukemen (dipping ramen) - Ramen Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

The tonkatsu ramen was rich and delicious and left us plenty full. Good portion size and really well developed flavor in the broth and chashu. Quaint little restaurant where you can order with a QR at the table or at the front. Food came out quick and was nice and hot. We need to come back to try their other offerings. read more

One of my favorite ramen broths in the city - rich with flavor. Small portion of meat in their ramen compared to other places. Cozy great vibe inside. read more

Ramen Kazama is a hip, casual Japanese/ramen spot. Expect a wait during peak hours. They have a labeled vegan curry, but that's the only vegan option as of 2022. I got the vegetable curry ramen ($15). You can choose between regular wheat noodles or kale noodles. I tried both. The kale noodles are slightly more interesting than the wheat noodles. The broth here is more like a thick curry sauce and not as soupy as I'd hope. The dish tastes okay but also has a starchy texture that bored me after a while. If you want better vegan ramen, I recommend Tori 44 in North Minneapolis, but Ramen Kazama isn't bad by any means. read more

Ramen Kazama - Veggie ramen w/regular noodles ($15), vegan by default. Decent, not amazing. Thick curry soup/sauce that was starchy. - Ramen Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

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The mariachi music was too loud to have a regular toned conversation and there was no air conditioning. Very unpleasant atmosphere but the ramen was good. Skip dining in and take it to go. read more

Food: My friend and I tried this after grabbing a crepe next door! I love ramen and this one was super tasty. I got the #1 and once I added some chili oil and sesame seeds, it was AMAZING! Venue: It's cramped in here and almost always busy in the evenings! But it's worth it to come try this super tasty ramen. read more

Ramen Kazama - Ramen Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

I'm not a ramen connoisseur but this place seems to have the (nicer) hole in the wall shops cornered with their menu and offerings. Came on a Monday night and the line was out the door. There is a new seating thing - enough there were multiple signs for the regulars. Couple beers and wine available. Couple of high chairs for the kids. Maybe I'm old, grouchy and frugal - but it seems spendy for what it is (1 noodles and soup bowl - two can cokes and 1 goyoza = $25) but good for them on getting a flourishing high demand recipe of this. I came because the reviews , I know why it's popular and the high reviews are abundant... try it out, experience the ora / decor / wine - beer selection (tell me how it is). Cheers to small businesses! read more

Ramen Kazama - Ramen time ! - Ramen Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

My first time having ramen, and it was delicious! At first, I wasn't so sure, but then I discovered the condiment area in the back of the restaurant. I got the #1 and it was more than enough delicious food! The flavor was wonderful and everything was cooked to perfection. A super nice chill (but busy) environment to enjoy a delicious meal! read more

Ramen Kazama - Ramen Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

This is probably my 4th or 5th time coming to kazama. I've gone to the one in St Paul as well. The ramen was not as good as I remembered it to be the first couple years of when they opened. Favors were good, not amazing. Noodle quantity was mediocre, feel like I could have eaten more after. I was dissatisfied when the server came up and gave me someone else's egg and I asked them if they charged me for it and they went to "check" but never came back to me. I was just super confused. I had to ask another girl for it and she never came back to follow up with me either. I had to go up to the register to make sure they didn't charge me by asking for a receipt. Overall, not that best last experience, I'll probably try to go to another ramen place next time. read more

Ramen Kazama - Ramen Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

More like 3.7/5! This is the first ramen place I've tried that I actually liked in the Twin Cities. Is it my favorite ramen place? No. I used to live on the west coast so moving back to MN I've been trying to find a ramen place to call the one. We got the Tonkostu ramen and the shoyu ramen, both were good. However, I like the shoyu a bit more because the Tonkostu was just a bit salty for me. You must get the chicken karage too! Staff was super friendly too! read more

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I have been craving ramen since the start of the pandemic. I finally broke down and did take out. The pickup went seamlessly and the ramen was almost as good as sit down service on-site. The directions provided made all the difference. Boil noodles for 90 seconds, heat broth and add broth to bowl, then add noodles and finally the toppings. This maintained the mouth feel of the noodles. If I hadn't had these directions I would have boiled the noodles in the broth and ruined their texture. read more