Zen Box Izakaya

Probably one of my favorite restaurants in the twin cities.
Not only is the food great, but you feel like you are in Tokyo the minute you walk in. With loud chatter, the pub feel, and the absolutely necessary Japanese food smell, the experience was amazing.
There’s much hype for their Ramen dishes, which were good but not my favorite — but the Yakisoba is great.
Don’t forget their happy hour specials!

Being that it is winter time, we, the west coast people, are craving some ramen and good Japanese yakitori. Ofcourse I UnilocalED and found this place.
We were all excited to try this place because of good reviews. But to my HUGE disappointment this place was a disgrace.
We ordered the following:
1) grilled squid– DO NOT ORDER. No flavor at all. Needs salt and seasoning. We tried the sauce and still did not add any flavor. At all. Avoid pls!
2) beef tatami– again DO NOT ORDER. Not seared correctly, no flavor. Little vinegary for me too.
3) chicken karage– good. Can’t go wrong with friend chicken. If this was bad, I would give this place a 1 star
4) buta kakuni– braised pork belly. Was pretty good but again you can’t go wrong with pork belly
5) ramen with chase– good broth, thick and flavorful.
I’m giving this place 2 stars for the ramen and other dishes because I have had way better Japanese ramen and yakitori /​izakaya both in LA and SF. Read my reviews for Kokko and Sanjoku ramen in mitsuya market. Trust me… I know what good Japanese food should taste like when prepared properly because my Hunnie is a Jap and used to be chef himself for 12 yrs so I am spoiled with his cooking and with the restaurants /​chefs who cooked for us.
If I’m back in Minneapolis, will probably just stick to american new places and avoid any Japanese locations.

Casual dining at the edge of downtown. I tried the tofu yakisoba, for the great price of $ 9.50. This entrée was a tad on the greasy side, could have used a better variety of veggies, but was otherwise tasty & a large portion. We also had the chicken curry, which was our first time trying Japanese take on curry. This dish is much thicker than Thai style curry we typically order, and spiced differently. The chicken was served on a separate plate & fried.

Went here for the first time today and ordered the kimchi ramen. It was very good and flavorful.

I love this place– everything I’ve tried has been great! The wings– the ramen– the sake! Happy hour is literally one happy hour– but– the service is great, friendly and prompt. My vegetarian sister is even addicted to this joint and she is super picky.

Definitely echo everyone’s sentiments about making a reservation for dinner. We had a 20 minute wait but then were seated right at the front, facing the walls where the chefs were busy on the other side. It was the first time I was at dinner with someone but faced a wall.
On to the good stuff: apps were shrimp tempura with the homemade ponzu (citrus soy sauce), and takoyaki I think (octopus balls). Before you freak out, it is octopus shaped into a ball rather than the testicles of an octopus– I had to explain this to a friend.
Drinks: sweet sake flight — all three 5oz drinks were very good. Only one was actually what I would call sweet.
Entrée: pork belly ramen. We shared between two people because it is a rather large dish. The pork was delicious but everything else was just ok for me. I don’t think this establishment is for me but I recommend it for Ramen officionados

When I found out I had this gem two blocks from home, it was a great day. Now when my fiancé is out of town for business, I fill the void with ramen, donburis, and udons on the reg.
Everything that I’ve had here has been awesome. I really do think that Zen Box has one of the best ramens in town and it’s usually what I order when I visit. It’s a nice joint to stop by for a solo dinner and I’m always ready to face the Minnesota winters with some tonkotsu broth in my belly.

Came to the cities for work and read up on the top ramen places to eat. This place was in the top 3 so I figured I’d try it. They did not disappoint! I ordered the sashimi kimchi and the tuna and salmon was so fresh and the kimchi was spicy just like I like it. Tried the tonkotsu ramen and OMG the broth and pork was amazing. I love good ramen and this place served an outstanding bowl! Will definitely go back again to try all the other items on the menu. Also, forgot to mention that the service was great.

Had outdoor seating which was nice, enjoyed people watching!
Service was good, friendly, and efficient.
Food was so so, my salmon had too much sauce that it lost its original flavor. I gave this place a four star because they have Shochu drink which is hard to find at most Japanese restaurants.

We went out for a double date and decided to try out Zen Box — we heard from many people that they had great ramen. We ordered it my mind he best way — a bunch of meals for us all to share– the special ramen was great — the drinks were wonderful, parking was only so-​so but what do you expect from downtown

Six of us tried this place for the first time. Because of the company, it was good. But this review is for the restaurant, so I need to be objective.
Upside: 1. didn’t have hard time finding seat though it was Friday.
2. Server was super fast, efficient, friendly and knows the menu well.
3. Mochi ice cream was as good as any place. Green tea Mochi is the best. They were out of red bean mochi. I got mango Mochi, which was way too sweet for me.
Downside: it was one of the less authentic Japanese restaurant in my opinion.
1. Very small portion
2. Didn’t taste good, for example the yaki soba was too Chinese cuisine like and tasted way too off to be Japanese. We tried 7 different meals and shared them.
3. I had a cocktail. It was awful barely no alcohol, tasted bad. Their bar is awful. Maybe stick with beer or wine here,‘don’t expect any good mixed drinks here.

I had heard a lot of good things about this place, especially the ramen. Considering I am always looking to find authentic ramen around the area, I decided to give this place a shot.
My boyfriend and I went to Zen Box around 5pm on a Saturday — right when it opens. Surprisingly, there was already a small line of people waiting for the restaurant to open. Pretty good sign. Nevertheless, we were one of the first people in the restaurant. I always get miso ramen, if available, at a Japanese restaurant and my bf always gets the gyudon (beef bowl). So naturally, we decided on that (it also gives us a good baseline to compare each restaurant).
The service was prompt and friendly. The food came out quick and both our meals looked amazing. The ramen had a slightly creamy and flavorful broth and nicely done noodles (not too soft!). I thought the ramen was one of the more authentic ones I’ve tasted in the United States. When I was done eating, I almost wanted to order another because it was just that good. My bf liked his gyudon as well. I was happy to find that the white rice here is also cooked well.
Overall, I really don’t have anything bad to say about my experience at Zen Box. The food was delicious and the service was spectacular. I guess if I had to mention something negative, it would be that the price is a little steep for the amount of food you get, but that’s to be expected for Japanese food in the US.
Definitely recommended!

This place is Fantastic!!!
I came here with some friends for the first time hoping that they were offering an authentic Ramen experience. They definitely didn’t disappoint.
There’s plenty of street parking out front and is very easy to find as it’s right on the corner and isn’t hidden away.
The location is pretty big with lots of seating, and I really liked the ambiance and the wall decorations. There was a short wait for tables on a wednesday night, so that was a bit surprising, but i soon found out why when our food arrived. There’s always an option of sitting at the bar if you want!
We ordered a few appetizer items to start. First was the Takoyaki, it was fresh and the squiggling/​waving bonito flakes were very entertaining. Next was the Zenbox wings, they were large and crispy covered in a deliciously sweet sauce. Finally, we had the gyoza, they were house made and not the frozen kind, pretty tasty.
I think we all ordered the same option for our ramen, Tonkotsu ‘tonzen’. The broth was super rich and full of flavor. The pork belly was delicious and fatty, and all the other add on’s paired perfectly well. I’ll be back to test out the Miso and the Kimchi versions very soon!

Service was amazing. I couldn’t decide what to get and our server, Heather was adorable and talked us through the menu. I ordered the chichen yakisoba and we got the buta no kimchi to share. Buta no kimchi was killer. I highly recommend. My friend got the ramen and let me try some. Sweet heavens, it was so freaking good. I wish I hadn’t wasted my time on the yakisoba noodles. Don’t get me wrong. They were tasty. But the ramen is where it’s at!

I really liked this spot for location and ambiance. Restaurants on Washington are so much easier to find and park at. Zen Box has been on my list for a while because they have ramen events where chefs from Japan come in to cook for the weekend. I have yet to make it to one of these, but I decided to check out the restaurant.
They have a little patio where you can bring your dog. The inside has many Japanese figurines and flag decorations with your traditional kitchen island to see the chefs at work. My friends and I were seated and perhaps it was the white noise of cooling systems or other patrons but we had a hard time hearing our server. Conversations among my table was fine, so perhaps our server was soft spoken.
We ordered two appetizers before our meals, and both were delicious. The Gyoza is pretty standard but my favorite was the sweet yam tempura. Soooo amazing.
I got the donburi which fell below my expectations. I’m used to donburi that comes with an egg and a lot more vegetables. This just had the rice and meat. It was pretty uneventful. My friends got some sashimi which was great and a stir-​fry dish. Pretty hard to go wrong there unless you decide to get food poisoning.
Overall it wasn’t bad but I will want to go back and try some more things before a final judgment.

Zen Box Izakaya serves the most authentic and tasty bowl of tonkotsu ramen in Minnesota. It took two tries and a day full of ramen consumption but I am certain of this conclusion. Kyatchi serves a chicken broth ramen with pork, but that is not what this review is about!
Anyways, service is friendly and fast. You walk in to be immediately greeted by the host/​hostess. They open at 5p generally and the past two times I’ve been there has been a packed room by 530p. Being new to the city and knowing no one else I sat at the bar during both my visits. I highly recommend seating yourself with a view of the TV if you’re not a ‘talk to your neighbors’ type of person. It seems to be a subtitled version of Japanese game shows — the last time I watched two teams develop the strongest wire/​rope for a tug-​o-​war. Quite enthralling.
The dining area is quite spacious and comfortable — you never feel like you’re squeezing between tables as you move about. You are surrounded by iconic Japanese and animé décor, along with a vast collection of superhero action figures. The kitchen is somewhat open so you can see parts of the preparation process (I really love this).
As for the tonkotsu ‘tozen’, my first attempt was spoiled by some aftertaste in the noodles — perhaps baking soda? However, the second visit was much improved and allowed me to appreciate the taste of the pork broth. The bowl is well presented with wakame and ginger on top of sesame and pork, with perfectly crafted ajitama (eggs). I prefer an even fattier broth but this one in particular is tasty enough without the fat. Portion size is as expected for a bowl of ramen at this price. Price is steeper than what I would like, but other competitors are similarly priced for an inferior bowl.
Overall I would have to say this was probably a 4-​star ramen but in the setting of Minnesota, that comes out to a 5-​star in my book. An additional perk is their restrooms — they have foot pedal door openers. That’s an automatic +1 in my book.

This place brought me so much happiness. It was a blend of awesome service and delicious food.
Our server was incredibly sweet and helpful. She answered all of our questions and make suggestions. One of her suggestions was for the Buta No Kimchi, which is essentially kimchi and pork belly stir fried in crack sauce. AMAZING. I also got the Tonkotsu ramen which was gorgeous and delicious. Broth was amazing. Silky. We shared the edamame, which was good. Lychee drink was light and refreshing. I can’t wait to come back and try everything. Loved every part of this place.

I that is all. I’ve tried ramen from the east, west, north, and here in Midwest Minnesoooota! Slurp slurp:
Thumbs up:
–Love the location, parking is OK
–Variety here they even have vegan ramen options on Tuesdays woot woot!
–Bento boxes and other tasty options for lunch and dinner
–Ok $ meh
–Friendly sushi chefs
Thumbs down and here’s why I can’t give more then 3 stars for now:
–Inconsistent customer service. I have been here a hand full of times and it’s either really good advice or not so good service. I have been here during their down time and rush time, makes no difference.
–Salty ramen one day and just right the next. What gives?
Oh the ramen teeter totter is killing me softly Zen Box!
Slurps up!

I wished I didn’t live 500+ miles away or I’d probably spend my life savings on this place.
My boyfriend and I had just gone to a basketball game and wanted to try something that was really close and would warm our souls on a cold March night. We were hoping for a ramen place since Omaha doesn’t have any to offer, so this was our chance to get some in our system before our weekend was over.
Overall, I am super impressed — so impressed that I can claim this as probably being the best I’ve had — EVER. I’ve had ramen from Cali, Hawaii, and other big cities, but this is by far my favorite. The miso broth was perfect, not too salty and full of flavor. The noodles were cooked perfectly as well, somewhat in the sense of «al dente», the egg had a runny yolk, the fish cake was tasty and the kimchi on the side was sour and crisp. Did I mention they have karaage chicken? Like I said, too bad I live so far away.
Service was quick and friendly and I really enjoyed the laid-​back/​bar feel with a touch of Japanese décor. Food came out fast and finished in probably less than five minutes. Easy five stars. Hope to be back soon!

Zenbox is probably one of the best places to get ramen in Twin Cities. Of course, it may not compare to ramen shops in NYC or LA, but it’s probably as good as it gets this area. I always thought of Zenbox first whenever someone mentions ramen in Twin Cities.
I had the Tonkotsu Tonzen — ramen in rich pork bone broth, and I love, love, love the soup base! It was very rich and creamy. You can tell from the taste that this pork bone broth was boiled for hours at the lease. I also really liked the ingredients as well especially the tender pieces of meat and the soft-​boiled eggs (one of my favorite things ever)!! I guess the noodles can be better (i.e. chewier). Masu’s noodles taste slightly better, but the soup base and ingredients cannot be compared to Zenbox.
I also had the Aburi Salmon, which was flame torched. Very impressed with the ponzu sauce!
Overall, just a great experience! I would go back to try other small dishes and possibly some of their drinks. I heard about the lychee sake from a friend :)