Kukai Ramen & Izakaya

I ate Yuzu shio ramen.
Its taste was pretty good!
However, It was not hot enough for me.

Ultimate comfort food! Our go to for great tasting ramen, love the variety from broth to noodle choices. Bonus is the variety of small plates, that are so tasty. Love the lively atmosphere, just what one expects with an Izakaya! Service is friendly prompt & attentive!

When this location was named Kukai Ramen, we had enjoyed many a meal here. After seeing a movie at the independent film Crest Theatre in Shoreline on the evening of Fri, 5÷27÷16, we decided to check out the switchover of Kukai to Kizuki Ramen.
Well, to not beat around the bush, I’ll go ahead and say we were disappointed with the changes. First, the music volume had been boosted way up, and they were playing some annoying and trashy urban mixes.
***** Note: after I posted this review, I received a message on 6÷2÷16 from Nuri, Kizuki’s owner. Interestingly, he told me that ownership has not changed, but that they changed the name from Kukai to Kizuki to avoid a copyright issue with a French company. Nuri indicated that nothing else has changed (i.e. menu). I appreciate Nuri’s note, but the ambience and service did change since our previous visit. ******
We were seated quickly (and Kizuki has expanded the waiting area by removing tables). The menu, which did not have Kizuki’s name on it, was essentially the same, or was the exact same, menu that was available under Kukai. JP ordered ramen. For appetizers we ordered the seaweed salad. For my main course, I ordered pork Don Chas and a pork bun.
My Don Chaso and pork bun came out (before the appetizer). Then came the seaweed salad. After 15 minutes had passed since the last food was brought (and 30 minutes since my entrée had been brought out), JP’s ramen still was yet to be seen.
So JP beckoned to one of the staffers to ask about the ramen, and the guy muttered something about it still having had to be «cooked». We didn’t want to wait any longer, especially since I had received my entrée a half hour ago, so JP cancelled his ramen order.
Almost immediately, a guy, possibly the manager, stormed over and aggressively and loudly asked «Do you have a problem?», like we had done something wrong.
This person-​in-​charge blurted out, «Hey it’s Friday night, what do you expect». Well for one thing, better timing in bringing orders out. Even though, in all fairness, the pork bun and spinach salad were delicious and excellent, we explained that we were ready to leave.
The icing on the cake was when the person-​in-​charge then brought out the wrong tab. I understand that mistakes can happen, and can deal with that. But what I don’t like is rude treatment from restaurant employees.

I love noodles and I love ramen so no surprise I love this place. But yeah, if you are not ready to pay $ 15-​$ 20 for a bowl of ramen, do not come here.
I have tried a lot of different kinds of noodles here, but garlic tonkotsu shoyu ramen is still my all time favorite. So definitely try that. Snacks here are just alright. Have not tried something that I think is like very good. Just average.
Definitely pick low sodium. I am such a salty person I think the low sodium is like pretty salty already. And usually as all traditional Japanese noodle place (in Asia, the portions are always smaller), I never have enough food to get me full, so I just order extra noodles.
This place so popular and I keep running into people here all the time. But yeah, the line is super long. So be ready for the longgg wait.

Delicious! It was so nice to step into this restaurant and be served excellent ramen without having to wait in line for two hours. Most of the ramen joints I know of seem to attract a hip following and are therefore out of bounds unless you feel like standing on the sidewalk for an hour, but Kizuki, while clearly popular enough to be full up at the height of the lunch rush, was not so crowded that I felt claustrophobic.
I ordered the vegetarian ramen, and props to the chefs, because it was absolutely full of flavor and texture. It’s easy when cooking to fall back on meat as the only option for a full-​bodied dish, but this ramen was wonderful with no meat at all. I truly appreciate the creativity and consideration that goes into creating something like this so that I can share a meal with all my meat eating friends and not feel weird or left out or leave dissatisfied.
My meat eating companion got some sort of pork based ramen and absolutely loved it, which doesn’t sound striking until you find out that he’s from England and he’d never had ramen in his life. His first Japanese food ever was the week before. So props to Kizuki for converting him! It was the first meal he had in America that he said he’d actually seek out if he had an opportunity to eat something similar in England rather than reverting to his typical diet.
I also love that alongside the ramen this menu really does fill the traditional Izakaya role with all the classics – my favorite tempura, croquette, and onigiri were all on the menu and reasonably priced.
I will definitely be back to Kizuki for more of their lovely vegetarian ramen, and I’ll happily be bringing friends who don’t share my dietary constraints. Four stars for near perfection because I’ve had Hondaya in L.A., but aside from that, probably my favorite Izakaya.

This place has really gone down hill since they opened. Came for dinner on a week night and it wasn’t that busy. But they definitely acted like it was super busy and understaffed.
Everything was slow and not sure why everyone around me got served water but I didn’t. Asked for water and was rejected (rude).

Beyond excellent service here. My only complaint is that the servers and support were TOO attentive. The food was superb, the atmosphere was incredibly inviting, and everything was decently priced. The young man named Tanner I think-​embraced us with the same love and excitement that he would his own family. They say you can’t have speed, quality AND well priced food– well this place is here to prove you wrong. I will continue to be a regular here.

Last time I’m coming here. If you’re going to charge for extra sauce, give enough for the 5 pieces of karaage so I wouldn’t have to ask.
Nothing bugs me more than waiters/​waitresses not coming around to refill my water. It wasn’t super busy so I should expect my water to get refilled at least once. I’ve literally been sitting here for the past 15min with an empty water cup, well not exactly empty cuz all the ice melted while I was waiting for more water. I purposely didn’t flag anyone down just to see if it would ever get filled and I still have not seen anyone come around to even ask me if I wanted more water. There’s a lot of sodium in ramen so they should be expecting it
And the previous time I was here, my girlfriend ordered her usual Shoyu ramen which she’s been getting for the past 2 years we’ve gone here. But for some strange reason, it came with thin noodles. We asked the waiter (Adam?) and the guy tried to argue with her saying that it has always been thin noodles and said he is going to have to charge extra for the wavy noodles. But he came back after speaking with his manager and replaced it free of charge. The fact that he tried to argue is what ticked us off. We swore not to come back for a while after that incident but we came back together for the convenience factor. But I won’t make this same mistake again.
This place has gone down hill recently. I used to love coming here every week. Not sure what changed besides the name. I’m going to give my business to Aloha Ramen down the hill.

Came in today for a quick lunch — service is still nice. However, portion sizes have changed to much less. The speed of the food getting to our table was much slower than previous visits. It wasn’t terribly busy. But it took ~25 min for us to get two bowls of ramen.
The taste of the broth is still on point. okonomiyaki was still crunchy on the outside but cold octopus on the inside :(
Hopefully kizuki can keep up the good work! And keep food quality and presentation consistent.

Usually get ramen but I kept seeing people order the karaage salad and wanted to try it, but I decided to actually get the karrage don.
They gave a lot of pieces of karaage, but I wasn’t a fan of the romaine lettuce that they used for the salad. Also a decent amount of rice and the sesame dressing was pretty good.
Usually I get the spicy ramen with soft boiled egg. That’s my favorite and never lets me down.

I’m currently sitting here waiting for two bowls of ramen to come out and we ordered over a half an hour ago, sooooo this would be an appropriate time to rage, right?
Alright, so their service has gone waaaaaay down the dump. My last three visits have been completely shitty with inattentive waiters and long waits for food. It’s honestly so disappointing considering this is definitely my go to spot for ramen. I’d say I would never return again but this, unfortunately, is the only decent place I know for ramen since I haven’t found any in the Lynnwood/​Everett area. This, however, will probably be my last visit for a very long time.
Update: they decided to comp our appetizer, which I’m glad about because «geso karaage» aka calamari should not be 6.50 if it’s like six or seven pieces of fried squid on a lil plate. I’m still a bit salty and I hope that when I decide to return to Kukai/​Kizuki, they will have improved on their wait staff.

The first time I went here, all I could think was «This is pretty much what I had through my entire college experience… only it costs wayyyy more than a pack of Top Ramen.»
So I never went back.
A yearish later, I was sitting in my apartment and had a serious craving for some ramen. But I had none at my apartment and was too lazy to go to the store. Since I live literally right above Kizuki, I figured I’d give it another chance.
Glad I did!
The first time I went, I got one of the plainest things on the menu. That was my mistake. This second time around, I went for the spicy ramen, low sodium, and added chicken. It was fantastic! I went for the spiciest (³⁄₃) and it was just the kick I was looking for. I couldn’t resist wolfing down the entire bowl of broth – something I pretty much never do.
Still a little pricey for a bowl of soup in my opinion, but I was very happy with the meal. I won’t be here every month or anything, but whenever I get a soup craving, this will be my go-​to spot hands down

There is usually a wait but the ramen is possibly the best I’ve had anywhere in/​around Seattle. Some of the flavors they offer are limited which can be a bit disappointing, twice now I have tried to order something only to be told they are out. I love that there is a low sodium option though!

This is my go to place when I feel run down or just need a culinary hug… so many dine in and takeout visits to Kizuki (formerly known as Kukai).since the first visit back in August 2014. A creature of habit, I always order the Shoyu Ramen low sodium with an extra egg. Savor the hot broth, eat the non mushy vegies, happily slurp the ramen noodles, eat the hit or miss slices of pork, and end with the perfectly soft boiled egg. They clearly have this overall formula down pat with additional locations in the greater Seattle area and other cities too. This was for a visit on 3÷10÷16 at the Northgate/​Thornton Creek site after an 11 hour workday without a proper lunch. Tasty, restorative, and hits the spot.

Been eating ramen my whole life. I went to kukai to pass on the time until Deadpool started. Not impressed with the ramen. I truly have had better. Home made is the best. Don’t think I will be going back there for a bowl of ramen unless I was desperate. I had the miso ramen. Next time I feel like having ramen I will make it myself. Not worth the $ 11 bucks I paid.

Still confused by the fact that they changed their restaurant name since originally its called Kukai. *Shrugs* I think this is by far my favorite ramen spot in all of Seattle so far! I went here last night with my sister who was in town for a couple days. We usually get the spicy ramen that comes with a slice of pork (yes, 1 slice so be prepared to order another $ 1.50 slice if youre hungry), bamboo shoots and spinach. There’s a lot of sides to add into your ramen although the bowl itself would get you full. I highly suggest ordering with the Low Sodium option if your desired entrée has that because trust me, it does get very salty. You can also request a side of dried chili peppers, chili paste and add half of a hard-​broiled egg. Thinking about it makes me hungry! We also ordered the fried chicken which I don’t really recommend because the batter was very thick and the chicken was extremely chewy.
Service is great. But if you come here during prime time for dinner, be warned that it gets extremely packed and the wait time can exceed 25+ minutes depending on your party.

I love this place! The only detraction is from the parking situation and the wait, which can both be an absolute nightmare. The service can be hit or miss, but I’ve never had Bad service here.
On to the food. Seriously well made ramen. Large portions and good flavors. The textures of the noodles are spot on and never mushy or too al dente. I’ve had a fair amount of items off the menu and can’t say I’ve had anything I wouldn’t order again. There are definitely things I will order again, like the spicy miso ramen or the garlic tonkatsu ramen are my go to’s. Opt for the low sodium when you can, I promise you won’t be able to tell. It’s nice to finally have a good noodle place in the North end.

As soon as they brought out my «Chicken Rich» ramen, I looked at my boyfriend and said «Am I crazy or does this smell like a barn?»
I think the culprit was some slimy onions in combination with some pretty ‘off’ bamboo shoots. My chicken wasn’t cooked through either. I told the waitress I wasn’t into it. Her response? «You should put some condiments on it. The Ramen you ordered is fairly bland. I would order one with pork broth next time.»
Confused by her response, I took out the half-​assed cooked chicken and gave it a shot. It still smelled so strongly of a chicken coop that no amount of chili paste was going to make it appetizing.
Another server had come by before her and dropped the check about 8 minutes after our food arrived. By the time she came back, my boyfriend was already done with his food. I told her I wasn’t going to eat the barn ramen and asked if she could please take it off the bill. She told me she wasn’t sure she could do that and would have to ask someone higher up if that would be ok.
A few minutes later the manager came by, took it off the bill, handed the bill back and THEN asked if there’s anything else I would like to eat.
… maybe 40 minutes ago when I first told the server that this ramen smells like a barn?

This place has amazing food but has one big negative which isn’t a big deal if everyone in the party is an adultor has time — we have always had a minimum of 15 but usually a 30 minute wait for a table. We see a few people look in and leave occasionally bc of how packed it gets. Even when we’ve gone at what we think are off peak times (2:30pm-3:30pm on a weekend) they’ve had lines. We now bring a snack for our kid in case the wait will be long.
Now for the good — there are lines bc their good is amazing! Their chicken karagee is delicious and our son just eats that for lunch. We’ve had the spicy, garlic Tonkotsu, and the miso ramens. All 3 are great but we’ve settled on the garlic Tonkotsu (amazing flavor) and the spicy ramen (warms you up and clears up your sinuses when you’ve got a cold or it’s cold and wet outside).
Service is no nonsense and efficient. Servers are not going to stand around and chat with you but that means they get everyone’s orders in and out fairly quickly. That being said, a super friendly server did chat up our kid today while we waited and he loved it! We now live about 10 mi away and still visit as often as we did when were just a few miles away. Yummmm!

Excellent ramen. Excellent Karaage Don. Fair service. On the verge of being overpriced if not already there.

Well I thought I try it since it seems to be popular.
Long wait and the soup is not hot at all. One ordered spicy ramen. MD but it’s not even spicy at all. My soup I tried to understand the taste but sorry. It’s supposed to be garlic ramen but I can cook better ramen at home.
Place is clean and service seems to be fast but the food needs a little better. Even the kid with me is complaining about the spicy is not there.
Not worth the money.

One of my favorite Ramen place! I started going to the Bellevue location because one of my girlfriend’s introduced me to it, and then started coming to this location because it’s right next to where I work!
I love their ramen, I always order the Shoyu ramen (savory and slightly sweet) It comes with noodles, a seaweed wrapper, a slice of pork chashu, and greens. Pretty filling, this one is my favorite. For appetizers, I also always order their vegetable potato croquette (breaded Japanese panko bread crumb mashed potato that is deep fried) it’s served on a bed of cabbage and drizzled with a sweet sauce, so good! Can’t get enough of that stuff.
Prices aren’t bad either and you get a pretty heaping serving size of the ramen, sometimes I can’t even finish it.
I’ve also tried their pork chashu don and ten don when I’ve gone with friends and wasn’t craving ramen. The chashu don is basically the slice of pork you get in your ramen, but shredded and served over rice with onions and a house sauce. Their ten don is tempura shrimp and assorted veggies served over rice with a savory sweet soy sauce, both are good as well.
The service is nice, they greet you at the door and check up on you just enough. Sometimes theres a wait especially during dinner or on the weekends.

The ramen doesn’t taste good at all since it’s bitter. The bun is super tiny, and the pork belly is way too salty (as salty as bacon). Way over-​priced for the food. Also you have to sit inches away from people.

The food, service, everything was amazing! Got seated right away, our waiter came right to us. Before we knew it our food was right in front of us.

First time coming to this location and I really wish I could write a better review.
Long story short, place is nice, ramen is outstanding, but the service absolutely sucks!
We were a party of 2 and had to wait 15 – 20 minutes for a table. Normally, this wouldn’t be a big deal, but when we sat down, I noticed that the restaurant was only about 2/​3rds full. So why did it take so long?
They ended up seating us at the bar area in front of the kitchen and right next to the servers station.
So much for a romantic setting! Again, had the restaurant been full, I would not have made such a big deal.
Food came fairly quick and it was delicious. If not for the trash service, I would easily give this restaurant at least 4 stars. but.
Back to the service, our water was never refilled and our waiter never checked on us. When it was time to pay, it took FOREVER to get the check and finally pay! For being right by the server’s station, I don’t understand why the service was so terrible.
I might try another Kukurai, but I’m really not sure if I’ll go back to this location.
In the time where we are talking about raising prices to make up for $ 15 wages, these guys better step up their service quality and quick!

Normally, I’m not big on chain restaurants, but I am a fan of the Kukai chain of ramen restaurants. I’ve been to the locations in Bellevue and Capitol Hill, and am very much looking forward to the newest location opening in West Seattle. I do hope it is better than the Northgate location. While it is, if taken on its own merits, an acceptable restaurant, it is definitely the weakest member of the current Kukai team.
THE ROSES: Like all the Kukai locations, this one features a lovely dining room, very clean and done in a sort of ‘Asian contemporary’. Also like all the others, the food is lovely; my favorite is the spicy miso ramen. It’s rich pork broth is further punched up with an excellent miso, and has just the right amount of heat. Another ‘must have’ menu item is the almond tofu pudding: smooth and rich, yet light; it won’t leave you feeling like Mr. Creosote.
THE THORNS: Service leaves more than a bit to be desired. Our order took longer than usual to get to us, and we felt rather badgered by the staff to order quickly, eat it, and beat it. It is clear that this place is popular, and seeing the waiting area fill up rather early on a Sunday evening, I can understand their interest in turning tables as quickly as they can, but I do think it’s rather poor form to swoop down and clear away one diners dish while the other is still eating; it comes across as a not-​too-​subtle hint to the other diner to ‘hurry the hell up!’. Prices seem a little steepish for the portion sizes, vis-​a-​vis some other quality ramen houses (Hokkaido Ramen Santouka is a better value).
Here’s another pet peeve (though KR&I isn’t the only one that does this; lots of restaurants are guilty of this): printing on the receipt suggested tips at various rates (15 — 20 — 25 — 30%). I know this is helpful because most Americans are not that bright, and rather math challenged, but they have the sneaky technique of calculating the tip on the ENTIRE bill, including the sales tax. I believe in paying a percentage of the actual dinner, but asking me to pay 20% of the sales tax? Intellectually dishonest, if you ask me.
NEITHER ROSE NOR THORN: It is interesting to note the differences in clientele at the various KR&I locations. Bellevue is still our favorite with the more mixed, upscale family-​oriented crowd. Capital Hill is the worst, as it is crawling with the most obnoxious variety of Seattle Hipster. The Northgate location is in the middle. It caters to a younger, ‘brocentric’ crowd that populates all the new apartments springing up in the area, but they’re not as annoying as the ‘manbuns, beardos, and woo girls’ crowd that you get on Cap Hill.
THE VERDICT: Solid performance in the kitchen is marred by a front of the house staff that not-​so-​subtly wants you to ‘eat it and beat it’.
Best ramen in Northgate (though I think they’re #1 in a field of one), but not the best service in a KR&I.

First and most important, their menu says: «Our pork and chicken broths are made using the highest quality ingredients and simmered slowly over ten hours. In order to match our soups, we use three different, custom made noodles.»
I could tell the broth is homemade and thought it was totally delicious!
I ordered the spicy medium ramen. It had the right amount of flavor. Not too spicy yet had a kick. And I like how simple it was. Just pork, noodles, sprouts, greens and mushrooms. I left full.
Overall this is a great place for homemade ramen!!!
p. s. If you are ever in Silicon Valley, try Maru Ichi Japanese Noodle House in Mountain View. It is equally as good.
p. s.s. Ramen Girl is a cute movie. ;)

I’ve been here several times now. It’s probably near the top for ramen in Seattle but for my personal ramen experience, it’s just «A-​OK». Service is pretty decent, albeit the restaurant is busy and there is usually a line to be seated (everyone in your party must be present).
This restaurant is also a chain with currently 3 locations in Seattle — Bellevue, Capital Hill, Northgate. I’ve tried all 3 and in my opinion, Northgate is the best in terms of quality and service. Parking is also not a problem.
The ramen itself is moderately priced ranging from $ 10-​$ 12, with the option for extra noodles at $ 2. You can specify the type of noodles you would like, firmness of the noodle, and low-​sodium vs traditional (high-​sodium) broth. The broth could have more flavor but it’s not unbearable. I usually get the tokatsu shoyu (garlic) or spicy ramen.

Popular establishment and i’m not surprised. In a city with such a cold, wet climate if you serve anything hot and spicy I will be there. Ramen in a place like this is a no brainer and the guys at Kukai were able to bank on that and make a pretty good bowl.
Ramen: Broth was very nice while the low sodium option hit my palette right while the creamy broth made me drowsy like a warm bowl of milk. The noodles on the other hand was coily, and spongy like maruchan.
Service: ok, pretty standard service
Overall: Probably the best option in Seattle for Ramen

Love LOVE this place! Definitely my go to for some amazing ramen and super delish appetizers!
I always get the spicy ramen, extra spicy, 2 extra eggs, and low sodium. Literally melts my mouth and makes me YOSHHHH every single time! Their broth is sooo yummy. Also we got chicken karaage, takoyaki, and potato croquette-​which are my fav! They are so perf!
The wait is never too long and their customer service is always up to par.
It’s not close to traditional Japanese ramen… so don’t compare. Definitely just enjoy it for what it is-​simply a delight, especially for Seattle weather.

I’ve been to the Kukai in Bellevue once before eating at this one. Luckily it was easy to find parking in the garage. My friends and I went on a Monday night and I was surprised with how busy it was, it took a while to get seated. You sign-​in at the front with someone’s name and the # of people in your party and once everyone arrives, you put a check next to your name so the hostesses know that you are ready. There weren’t too many seats for all of us to gather around while we were waiting but we somehow managed to pass the time.
Our table was really comfy and our server was really nice and helpful. We first had an order of gyoza but there was literally only enough for each person to have one. Still pretty good. I ordered the miso ramen while everyone else ordered the shoyu since this was the first time for some of my friends to get ramen. I really enjoyed my ramen but my stomach wasn’t satisfied so I got to finish one of my friends ramen. The miso ramen had a really rich taste, there was a lot of peppers in there though which I’m not a huge fan of but I still managed. When I tried my friend’s shoyu ramen, it reminded me of cup of noodles but even better! It had the perfect amount of sodium to me
Compared to the one in Bellevue, this location is definitely bigger. I haven’t been to the one in Capitol Hill yet but I would still visit this location when an occasion calls for it. Of all ramen places though, I really like Arashi the best but this one is still good!

Always friendly, prompt, service, with consistent food. The place itself gets packed, so be ready for a wait, especially if you head in during the dinner rush. Don’t go in dying of hunger and expect to eat right away!
For my taste buds, the low sodium is plenty salty enough. Adding potato karoke as an appetizer and sake to my meal make it pretty much perfect! :) No complaints.
I will say — if you are looking for a place to hangout at length, this is probably not a good venue for that, since they keep a pretty high turnover on the tables (which is common for a ramen place — so it’s not a complaint, just a tip).
Enjoy!

I’m totally a fan of Kukai, but having only gone to the one in Bellevue, I was totally caught off guard when I stumbled across this familiar name in Northgate.
And this makes sense, since it’s tucked away in the center courtyard of the apartment complex/​theater, so its presence isn’t obvious to those passing on the street.
But just like their Bellevue location, Kukai doesn’t fail to please.
It’s a GREAT stop to make before walking over to the transit center to catch a ride, especially on cold winter days/​nights.
And the staff are very accommodating too. Obviously if you come with a group, you’ll have to sign in and wait a bit (as is to be expected at a popular/​GOOD food restaurant), but if you’re eating alone it’s likely that they’ll be able to immediately get you a single seat at the bar. You just need to mention that you’re the only person in your party. (Cue Muppets– Party of One song… or Forever Alone meme… depending on your life outlook. ;-p)
Beyond seating service, the food is just as good as you’d expect, having eaten Kukai before.
I’ve had many of their Ramen dishes (Mmmmm soft boiled egg!), but this time I wanted to go SPICY! So I got their «Spicy Ramen», and went a full ³⁄₃ stars for spice.
… OMG… SPICEGASM.
DELICIOUSNESS!
I had to pay as soon as I ordered, in order to make my bus to meet up with friends for New Years, (YES, they’re open NEW YEARS EVE!) but the soup arrived hot and prompt and in all of its fresh delicious glory.
(Yes, they’re open New Years. So sure, that means employees are working till like 10:30 on NYE, but we’re NOT going to get our panties in a bunch over this (Right… RIGHT??), because WE’RE CONSUMERS here. So an establishment being open is a WELCOME convenience.)
Anyways, I highly recommend a stop, whether you’re catching a bus or are grabbing a pre or post movie bite.
Mmmmmm YUM!

I’m a fan of Kukai Ramen but I’m more of a fan of the Bellevue location. The portions are smaller at the Northgate location, and also busier. However, we are lucky here in Seattle to have more ramen restaurants. Kukai Ramen & Izakaya is one of the best restaurant options here for a dinner/​movie night, but definitely give yourself time for the wait!

I think this is the best ramen in on the west side. Sure, they have Santouka in Bellevue, but I have to cross 520 to get there and that makes me to never want to to go. I had their yuzu shoyu ramen, and it was pretty good — lighter broth than I’m accustomed to, but good. The soft-​boiled egg was great. My only complaint is that they had only one paltry piece of pork in my bowl. My pork-​loving baby ate most of my slice.
Service was good. The manager (?) noticed our baby and stroller, and offered to put us in the corner of the bar, so we could park our stroller next to us. The corner was also the perfect space away from the foot traffic, and we were able to wedge a highchair between us.

Came by to have some ramen before a movie that is just across the way there, arrived around mid to late afternoon, so it wasnt busy when we got there. I’ve been to one other Kukai locations around town so I sorta knew what I wanted and knew where to look. Similar décor, very nice looking place.
After looking at the menu, we decided to get an order of the octopus takoyaki balls as a starter.
I decided to make a game time decision and switch up my ramen order and try the «Chicken Rich Ramen» (low sodium). It was ok, chicken broth was pretty flavorful, the ramen noodles itself was quite good, some veg and that awesome egg. It said chicken «chashu», it just seemed like boiled chicken thigh meat from the broth it was cooked it… is that what chashu means? Whatever, I ate it.
We also ordered got the «Tonkotsu Shoyu Ramen», that was pretty good! Pork broth was super flavorful, meat was good, and for everything else in the bowl she seemed to enjoy it very much.
After we received and started eating our ramen bowls for a good few minutes, I forgot we ordered the takoyaki because that came out later. Just as good as I remember it! Crispy, creamy and octopuss-​y! One of my favorite side dishes or starters.
Service was ok, not quick on the refills of water as you have to flag them down, but quick to give you your bill and run your card.
Anyways, this location was ok but quite convienient for me, so yea whatever.

This is THE standard for ramen. You absolutely can’t go wrong here!
Started with appetizer of chicken karaage (6 $), then the spicy ramen w/​regular spiciness (10 $) and chicken rich ramen (11 $). At first glance the chicken karaage is what appears to be a disappointing 5 pieces… but then you realize it’s the quality that counts. The outside is a crisp thin layer of skin, while the inside a tender softness that is completely unexpected. Every bite is lean meat and made even better in the mayo sauce. Chicken rich ramen’s broth was so hearty and refreshing. The noodles had a nice texture to them, while the egg was cooked on the outside and runny on the inside. There was SO MUCH lean chicken in the bowl. I was so full upon finish. Spicy ramen had a little kick and was equally exceptional.

Garlic Tonkotsu Ramen… I would end my review with those 3 words, since it was one of the best ramen I’ve ever had. My friend recommended this place to me when I told him we were visiting Seattle. It was one of the best things we did that trip!
The wait was very minimal, around 10 minutes. We even came during the peak dinner hour.
We started with the Takoyaki. It’s a must get to start off your meal here!
Back to talking about the Garlic Tonkotsu Ramen. The flavor was amazing! The meat proportion was perfect! I could imagine myself coming here every time I am craving ramen, which is almost once a week! Especially if its cold and rainy (like it always is in Seattle)
I will definitely be coming back when I’m in town!

I often come here when I’m running errands or watching a movie. As others have said, wait times can be long so I try to eat here on off hours. The space is clean and comfortable. The staff is plentiful but can be slow at times.
The ramen broth is flavorful and seasoned well. My noodles have always been cooked perfectly. I’ve been told the noodles are flown in daily from California. Regardless, the texture has been spot on every time for me. I’ve always been happy with my ramen but feel it’s a bit overpriced. Also, I never get places that charge extra for an egg. Of course I want an egg! Shoyu ramen is my regular order (pork tonkatsu when I’m feeling hungrier). My back up order is the miso.
I order the karaage don from time to time. It’s overpriced, often overcooked, and comprised of a small portion. Alas, I have a hard time turning down fried chicken of any kind so I continue to order it.
Overall, solid ramen but definitely not the best.

Been craving ramen for a while and then we were up in Seattle, still craved some ramen. My boyfriend’s friend recommend this place, so yeah — let’s give it a whirl!
Came here for a weekday dinner around 6pm and beat the dinner rush by a little bit. YUM!
PARKING: Underground parking structure with plenty of parking — free!
WAIT: We waited only about 15 mins for a table for 2 (just beat the dinner rush). Tables in the front part of the restaurant for smaller parties, also bar seating. The tables in the back looked like they were for bigger parties. Looks like the wait could be upwards of 30 mins if there’s plenty people!
FOOD: So many yummy options! Dare I say… the best ramen I’ve had in a long time?! I had the chicken ramen since it was one of the «different» ones on the menu (and also a favorite noted on the menu). It definitely didn’t disappoint! We also ordered takoyaki as an appetizer — also delish!
AMBIANCE: Tables are seated a bit close together, but that’s how it is. High ceilings, great décor. Very cozy place! Bathrooms are clean (and there’s a mouthwash dispenser too).
Would definitely come back here to try the other dishes!

I went there for dinner with my cousins because I was trying to avoid eating Chinese food with family again. My cousins took me here to have ramen. We got a bunch of appetizers, chicken karage, veggie croquette, and pork belly bun.
I decided to get 3 orders of the buns because I didn’t know the size of the buns, I usually don’t eat the fat of the pork, but I thought it was pretty good!!! The bun was soft and I enjoyed it. It’s a little bigger than the Peking duck buns. It came with oyster sauce, mayo, and mustard sauces.
The veggie croquette was good with bits of veggies mushed inside the potatoes. The karage wasn’t too oily and the dipping sauce that came with it was good.
I got the garlic tonkatsu ramen, it had a soft boiled egg (which I gave away), bamboo shoots, bean sprouts, and, pork slices. So I was warned already that the ramen was salty so I opted for the less sodium kind and it was still a little salty, I kept drinking water! My cousin who ordered a cold ramen with no salt dipping sauce said his no salt tasted salty. You could also customize your ramen noodles, wavy, flat or thin. I got the wavy one because I love that kind.
I told one of the guys who picked up our plates about the saltiness, he said we could get a clear broth one which is less salty and tastier for those who can’t have salt. If i am ever around, I’ll ask my cousins to take me back and try the clear broth one.
I didn’t finish my ramen because I was way way way too full!

I stand by the notion that this place is a great chain ramen place, but it has trouble standing out in the world of noodles. Let’s examine the facts. One, service is good, but there are minor misses that add up.
— Service. They have a young staff, so it’s hard to fault them, and there it wasn’t the attention per se, but the overall quality. Firstly, we ordered green tea, after one cup drank, we weren’t offered any refills, or any other beverages. They also missed the egg which we ordered, and another egg that was suppose to come with the bowl I ordered. We had a to flag someone down, before it was to come.
— Food. Ramen was good, like many reviewers, is on the salty side of things. I like mine that way, but I’m thinking it some may not. Also, when the way the food was presented, the bowls are way too big, for the small-​ish portion that was in it. The à la carte style of ordering is a little off putting, considering how the value wasn’t exacting adding up, compared to many other local ramen joints around town. Their noodles were firm, and tasty, but I wished there was more in the portion, considering it was 12 bucks before add-​ons. The add-​ons are good, but realistically, should have been included in the ramen bowl.
I’m okay with this place, it’s a-​ok, Maybe I’ll come again, but it’s just pricy for the value.