Toki Underground

The hype and wait times here are sky high.
I made a reservation (best decision ever), and I knew this place was small, but I had no idea it was only counter space. I wish they had tables, since I came with 3 other people. The music was a little too loud, and that coupled with the bar style seating made conversations difficult.
Overall, the service was good and well-​paced.
I ordered the red miso ramen. I’ve never had ramen with pulled pork as opposed to slices of pork belly, and I preferred it this way.
I honestly just wish the broth had more flavor and that some flavor had been imparted to the noodles. At the very least, I wish it had been served with chili oil.
My dining companions really enjoyed the dumplings, but I did not partake in that.
I found the price a bit high, if there had been more flavor, then I don’t think I would have felt as unhappy about the price.
My biggest complaint was with the glasses of tap water. All of ours had a strange, fishy odor.
I could see the appeal, but it’s not for me.

Absolutely love Toki underground– it’s intimate, mature, well organized, chill and fresh. Both the entrees and cocktails are creative and complexly delicious. I come here whenever I want that umami satisfaction in a dark hip hovel.
Just note that you don’t want to come here with a crowd– seating is bar-​style so come with 2 friends, max.

Food is ok, but I got particularly turned off when I was looking for a table for 1, saw no less than 3 empty bar seats at 8:40 pm and was told it would be a 30 min wait. I politely inquired if they took reservations (which would explain why I would have to wait rather than rake the clearly empty seats that dominated the two bars, but was told they only take reservations until 6pm.
So no good excuse for why I cannot sit down when a ¼ of the seats are empty.
I’ve eaten before and the food is tasty, including the kimchi. I was told the kimchi was served from the mother of one of the chef’s. Not sure of that’s true or not, but I do think it was damn tasty.

Good, but not THAT good.
Made reservations for 3 at 5PM on a Friday. Was sat within 10 minutes. I got upstairs and couldn’t get over how tiny the restaurant was! There are 20, maybe 25 seats, all bar stools. It was a tight squeeze for sure!
Service was prompt & friendly. We ordered right away and got the fried chicken buns + Toki Underground Ramen with Pork Belly.
The fried chicken buns were SO good! I would solely go back to that restaurant for that dish & highly recommend it.
The ramen was just alright. I’m definitely a traditional ramen person so I think that was part of the reason I was not a huge fan of it. While it was good, I kept thinking the entire time of how I would prefer a bowl of ramen from my usual place than this bowl and that this wasn’t quite satisfying my ramen craving. I think for a person who is looking for a different twist on ramen, this place would be great for you.
All in all — definitely a good experience & one you need to try at least once while you’re in D.C. since the restaurant is so unique. I would go back for the fried chicken buns ASAP, but I’ll pass on the ramen!

We came around closing time Saturday night, (midnight) and were seated fairly promptly. I was extremely excited — finally getting to try the most recommended ramen place in DC! It’s hidden above some bar, and you wouldn’t think there’s a restaurant. It’s fairly small; I can see why you usually need reservations. Bumper stickers on the wall like the back of someone’s skateboard. Some rap song playing. This wasn’t the high end place I expected given the rave reviews… But my mind was about to be blown.
The ramen… was perfection. I had the curry ramen with fried chicken and I’m still thinking about it. The noodles were thick, and the spices were perfectly complementary. I basically wanted to lick the bowl clean because the broth was so delicious — and I’m not really a soup kinda gal (I’m from Texas). I was very full afterwards, which is not something I usually feel after eating only noodles.
They give you a tasty little rice tootsie roll type candy with your bill. Which topped it off perfectly. As thousands that have come before I’m telling you… GO HERE FOR SOME DELICIOUS FULFILLING RAMEN THAT YOU WILL DREAM ABOUT.

Host wasn’t very pleasant and the ramen wasn’t anything special to be honest. I really didn’t like the fried chicken, I don’t know if it’s a permanent fixture on their menu or a novelty thing they’re playing around with. I’ve tried Momofuku as well and these two places just didn’t live to the hype. Marumen in Fairfax is just as good if not better and I don’t have to trek to DC to wait in line.
This place is tiny so it’s very easy to keep it packed and create unnecessary wait times. The décor and ambiance is pretty neat though with the animé wallpapers near the kitchen area.

Good and tasty but not sure it’s worth a 2 hour wait. We’ve been wanting to try Toki Underground for a while but have held back because of the infamous wait. Got here at 5:15PM on a Saturday because it opened at 5PM and we wanted to avoid the long waits. No dice. We had a 90 minute wait but grabbed beers and mussels two doors down.
We were seated about 7:30PM. The waiter was awesome. Very friendly. Knowledgeable about the menu. Gave good recommendations. This is what servers should be like at every restaurant! We tried a variety of foods: fried pork dumplings, fried chicken steamed buns, Toki classic ramen soup, and fried chicken dan dan mien noodles. Everything was tasty but nothing that blew me out of the water nor led me to think «It was definitely worth a 2 hour wait!» Would I go back? Sure! If I were with a friend who never had gone before and we could sneak in at lunch without a wait, I’d definitely go and grab another noodles plate. I’m certainly glad I went. I love the atmosphere and food is good but not spectacular.
The fried dumplings didn’t seem to be super special — not that different from what we’ve made at home before.
The steamed buns had a great sweet taste. They were really close to being great but there was something left out and I just can’t place my finger on what it might be. Maybe they’d be even better if served with the ingredients stuffed instead of like a taco. I don’t know.
The Toki classic ramen was good. In terms of ranked against other local joints, I’d put Sakuramen and Daikaya slightly above Toki for the taste of their broths but place Toki ahead of both for its noodles. I found the pork to be in a clump that was actually a little tricky to separate throughout… yes, even though it was pulled.
The noodle dish, fried chicken dan dan mien noodles, was my favorite. In my next visit, I’d like to try another noodle dish but wouldn’t be opposed to getting it again. I dabbed in some of their homemade endorphine sauce, which gave a nice kick along with the chili garlic paste. Splitting the soft egg and letting it ooze all over made for an awesome combo.
Overall, pretty darn satisfying. I’d give it 5 stars but can’t get over the wait and the food being good but not over the top. Certainly a nice place to try if you’ve got time and are looking for decent ramen or noodles! And, if you don’t finish it all, ask for to-​go containers then heat it up the next day!

This tiny restaurant was on the dine and drive tv show with Guy, it also made many Washingtonian news paper, I had to try it.
Came out here for lunch with a couple of my co workers. Parking was a pain, we had to find street parking. I also hate this part of D.C., crowded and dirty looking. Anyway, I ordered the classic toki ramen and that was delicious. I paid extra for the chicken add on. There was flavor everywhere in that bowl.
I also ordered the chicken bao and omg that is amazing. You get the crunchy fried chicken taste along with its spicy flavor on a hot bun. $ 15 bucks for that dish tho. Definitely one of my favorite dish there.
I also had the fried and steam dumplings and both were deliciously flavored. This place is so tiny, if I’m ever in the area, I would definitely dine here again.

This place is as cool as DC gets. First off, they do not have a street sign, so look for a flower logo and go up the stairs.
Everything is delicious. Like, steamy, spicy, ramen-​perfection. We got Abura Tsukemen, which you just have to trust me and get. SOOOOOO good! The Toki Classic Ramen was also fantastic.
It’s communal seating, which makes it a fun place, but not good for a group or serious conversation. Also, it only seats about 20 at a time, so make reservations.
If you are trying to impress cool friends from New York or London, bring them here. ;)

It was late and there was a 2 hour wait on H street. This is a very small ramen bar with mostly high bar stool type seats along the wall with a few tables. But they will take your number — and I almost gave up on the wait when they texted me. So — out came an awesome bowl of ramen with some fried chicken.
Pros:
1) Great Taiwanese flavored Rame with unique toppings that you don’t normally find elsewhere
2) Price for the trendy/​Hipster H street– around $ 12 vs. $ 20+
Cons:
1) 2 hour+ wait for 2. Do not bring a deep crew here
Def. come here on an off-​time so you can get in and enjoy this experience. A lot of people are already waiting in line before dinner opens.

First thing first: get here before 5pm (opening time) because there will be a line. This place does not seat a lot of people, so expect a wait or perhaps make a reservation if you plan to come anytime after.
Toki Underground was a fun experience. It definitely aims to serve the younger crowd with the hip area, the music playing, and the layout of the restaurant. I must say, it’s a place that plays loud music and the lights are very dim. So I wouldn’t recommend as a place if you want to converse with others while eating; it’s more of an eat and get out environment.
I sat at the end of the bar, which at first didn’t seem like a great spot, but I later on found myself wrong. I had the perfect view of watching what happens in the kitchen while watching drinks being made. The service was spot on! We were always checked on with our drinks, and they were very friendly with a smile although the place could potentially become hectic (but then again, we came early during opening hours).
Now down to the ramen. Note: this was my first time ever experiencing Ramen that didn’t come in an orange wrapping with a spice packet. I understand that ramen is different based on the region and that this place was specifically Taiwanese ramen. I ordered steamed dumplings as an appetizer, which were nice and sour. And I ordered the «TOKI CLASSIC» as my main dish, which came with pulled pork, egg, spinach, and I ordered fried chicken in it. My favorite was the fried chicken. My date ordered «endorphin sauce» to come with his ramen, and it was spicy. Dipping my fried chicken in it was definitely a good idea. I honestly thought that the food was DECENT, but I expected it to be better based on the hype of the place and the prices. Yes, we’re in DC; yes, food isn’t cheap. But this is precisely the reason why I am giving this place 3 stars. Prices are steep for the food that you are given.
Thank you Toki Underground for taking my real ramen virginity. My first time was fun, but I don’t think I got the full-​package understanding of how great ramen can actually be based on this place.

Yes. The hype is real on this place. We tried to go a couple weeks ago but they were closed without any notice so we ended up going to &pizza just down the street. Today we made sure to call and ensure that they were open. Stopped in at about 12 and the hostest said there was a 15 minute wait so we left our number. Went to the farmers market that was right on the corner and as soon as we got there we got the text that our table was ready (about 4 minutes had passed). We turned around and went back and then waited another couple of minutes so the «server could catch up», which we thought was a little odd.
Sat down at the bar and immediately decided on some pork dumplings to start off with. They were good, but nothing that absolutely blew me away honestly. I went with the classic and added pork jowl and belly. It was phenomenal. Perfectly balanced and great flavor. My girlfriend got the kimchi bowl after going back and forth a couple of times. She really liked it, however I thought it was a little too spicy (maybe I’m a wimp). She was unable to finish it all at once, both because it was a little too spicy and it was a lot to eat, however overall she was happy with it.
Definitely a great option to geat some solid ramen that is an absolute must try.

I am always a little wary of places with as much hype as Toki Underground has gotten, so I have actually kind of avoided this place. MY MISTAKE.
This places lives up to the hype and then some, and is totally worth whatever ridiculous wait time they give you. We went at like 8 on a Tuesday and had to wait over an hour and I still stand by that statement. Pro tip: their website does have limited reservations, so if you can plan in advance (like, weeks in advance) try that.
Not only was service impeccable – which, for a place that’s always this slammed and has to see a lot of hangry faces says a lot to me – but the food was BEYOND what was described to me. I haven’t experienced another ramen place in DC or elsewhere that comes close. My boyfriend got the kimchi and I got the red miso, and we had to switch because the kimchi wasn’t playing with how spicy it was, and he can’t really handle a lot of spice. So, if that’s a problem you also have, inquire with your waiter before you order. We also took saki recommendations from our server, who told us to get the tears of dawn, which was excellent.
I love the graffiti and art and little touches all around the restaurant, as well as the music. It’s not a luxe place to impress a date, but is definitely cool. That said, I’d still take my mom, who is lovely but decidedly not cool and she would love it anyway because the food is so well worth it, and it (at least in my opinion) doesn’t try too hard or make you feel like you have to be on a street art level of cool to be there.
Seriously, go.

Love the ambiance of the restaurant. Also it’s a bit tricky to get to since it’s connected to the pub next door but nice how you can order you drinks next door while waiting and can bring it upstairs when they’re ready for you.
We ate at the bar and was able to see them cook. Interesting to see Caucasians cooking my ramens. Lol
Pork buns– yummy
Dumplings– so good! Must get!
Toki Classic– it was good, best broth out trying my friends ramens. it comes with a poached egg and not a soft boiled egg. I had better ramens
Extra egg– the egg is so interesting! It’s soft boiled but you can crack it not all and it just slides out!
Extra pork belly– I expected thin cuts but it’s one Fat almost burnt piece of pork belly. I don’t recommend it.
Hitachino red rice ale– this beer was really good
Ballast pt red pepper draft– tiny glass and you can actually taste the pepper. So interesting!
The restroom sink is interesting too! You have to check it out and don’t walk outside of the restaurant like I did when I was looking for the sink.
Overall, love the vibe but I had better ramen before and it’s a bit pricey.

I love ramen.
I love places with vegetarian ramen. There were a few options to visit but this was one that I assumed would be better than the others. I don’t think I’ll be visiting any others in the upcoming future but I was happy with the choice we made. We put our name on the reservation list and we were told 20 – 30 minute wait but it only took about 15 minutes. I really enjoy the text wait list so we know when to come back. The restaurant is tiny, not a lot of seating so I can understand why there is a wait if it’s popular.
Ordered the vegetable dumplings, that sauce doh. It was so good and fresh. I loved it, my boyfriend isn’t a huge fan of veggies so he liked the sauce just not the dumpings as much as I did. I ordered the vegetarian ramen and there was a lot of flavor and so many noodles! He ordered the Taipei Curry Chicken and he kept telling me how he wished I ate meat so I could see how good the chicken tasted. I think he wished he had more noodles but he stole some of mine.
Tip: the bathroom doesn’t have a sink in it, it’s outside of the bathrooms built into the wall. I was so confused when I was trying to figure out how to wash my hands, I almost panicked haha.
Overall, really good place to eat and I’m glad we got to try it, he’s never had ramen before! Good first impression! :)

Ate here several times through out the years and was never really sure how I felt.
I absolutely hate the pickled ginger in their ramen. I did keep in mind that this is Taiwanese style ramen so it’s different. For people who do like bits of ginger in their broth; I can see why they would like it so I didn’t let it affect my rating. It doesn’t take away from the fact that they do make good ramen, tsukemen, and apps. The broth is still rich and delicious. For add ons I did enjoy the pulled pork and pork cheek. The nitamago egg is always on point. On the other hand, I think the pork belly is obnoxiously big and tastes somewhat like lighter fluid. The karaage fried chicken gets all soggy and I’d rather eat it separately. Weighing in all these factors, I can definitely avoid what I don’t like and make myself a pretty good bowl of ramen except for that damn GINGER!
Ultimately it’s about personal preference and I prefer my ramen Japanese.

It’s hard to find the restaurant, just look for «The Pug» and it’s the small door to the left of it. Take the stairs leading up to the restaurant and put your name down. The wait is long, so don’t come hungry and be prepared to wait anywhere from 1 – 2 hours! They take reservations from 5 – 6, and then it’s all walk-​ins after that. At least they take your cell # and text you when they’re almost ready. The best thing to do would be to go grab a drink and snack nearby, and The Pug was where we decided to grab a beer and snacks from the vending machine.
I digress. When we were finally texted to come grab our seats, we hurried up and put in our order. We ordered:
The spicy crispy fried chicken buns — this is a rather large dish that comes with 4 bao buns and plenty of spicy chicken karaage. It also comes with some veggies and sauce that you can add to your little chicken bun. This is definitely a dish that you must order.
My friend and I split the Classic Toki Ramen and added on the pork belly. I highly recommend adding on that pork belly, because it was cooked to porky, fatty, juicy perfection. The Classic Toki Ramen comes with pulled pork, a poached egg, green onions, and nori. I kind of wish they had an option to add bamboo shoots and sprouts, because I love having that extra crunch with my ramen. Oh well. The noodles were on point, just the right amount of chewiness and bite.
I’m so glad I got to try this place, it was definitely one of my favorites during my visit to DC. Stay hungry, my friends!
**Update: I almost forgot to mention… the music! LOVED the hip hop blasting in the restaurant… I heard some songs I had forgotten about and it took me back to some good days of when hip hop music was actually awesome. It’s pretty loud in there, so be prepared to talk loudly. It’s not a place where you can have an intimate, quiet conversation…

How. Am. I. This. Late. To. The. Game.
Absolutely fell in love with Toki Underground this past weekend as it is embodies everything I look for in a DC eat. Great food in a hole in the wall that doesn’t make me feel like I’m a try hard. The fact that the weather was in the single digits made the ramen taste that much better as well.
Some pro tips — as I’m sure you all are aware by now, this place only takes reservations from 5 – 6, and is walk in afterward. The wait is normally 1 – 2 hours, and was 2.5 this past Saturday (it was Valentine’s Day weekend so this came expected). The key is to put your name down and go grab drinks at a nearby establishment. Toki is located right above The Pug, but the seating is limited and we wanted to watch the Dunk contest so we went to Atlas Arcade next door instead (reviews to follow).
Once our table was ready we got a text and walked back to sit at the chefs table where all the action was. 90’s hip hop playing. Animé on the walls. I was sold before we even ordered drinks.
FOOD — Started off with crispy fried chicken buns, which were good but let’s face it, if you want buns you’re going to David Chang for those pork buns (Momofoku). I got classic Toki classic Ramen with an extra poached egg and extra order of pork belly (recommended for those with big appetites), and my friend got the abura tsukemen. Very much enjoyed the Toki Classic but my friend complained about how salty the tsukemen was, and after experiencing a few big name ramen spots in the area my advice is simple — stick to what they’re known for.
Lastly, the Toki monster — their version of an old fashioned would definitely be something I’d recommend as well.
All in all Toki keeps its promise with staying true to the character of H street, and to everyone who just skimmed to the bottom — just go!

I’ve been in search for the best ramen spot in the DMV area and Toki did not disappoint. The noodles were bouncy and chewy as they should be, I was lucky enough to sit at the chefs table and got to see them make it. The chef would cook the noodles, taste the noodle to ensure it is cooked correctly then, but it in a cold water bath to stop the cooking process. The soup has great depth of flavor, not overly salty. You can taste the hours of flavor infused in the soup.
The pulled pork meat served in the original is not super flavorful, so that it doesn’t take over the flavors of the soup. It’s a meat component that adds a bite to the dish. Cooked perfectly, not dry at all, still moist when pulling it apart, and no it’s not because of the soup.
The pork belly add-​on was super delicious! If I could have one add-​on, this would be it! Fatty goodness!
The pork cheek is essentially a taiwanese style (soy sauce, rock sugar, rice wine, star anise, five spice powder) braised pork cheek, tasted like home, a little salty but still very delicious.
The fried chicken karaage add-​on is tasty, it should have been served on the side though, the crunchy exterior got all soggy in the soup. So just be sure to tell your server to put it on the side if you decide to get it.
The egg that comes with the ramen is not the standard egg you get at other ramen places, the egg whites are still in liquid form, I slurpped up my egg with some soup in one go, it tasted fresh and went down smooth. I prefer the egg whites to hold their shape, but i’m an egg lover, i’ll have eggs any way you serve them.
The cocktails here isn’t bad, but there’s copycat down the street, I’d walk over there for drinks. Would I come back for ramen yes I definitely would. I want to try their curry one and other goodies on their menu.
Plenty of street parking.
Is this the best ramen spot in the DMV in my opinion? Nope, but it’s definitely my #2!

I like Toki Underground’s ramen and think it’s one of the better ramen joints in the DC Metro area. However, it’s not authentic Japanese ramen, but more Asian fusion ramen.
I went with the Toki Classic ramen, which comes with pulled pork, a poached egg, green onions, and nori, and added Karaage fried chicken. The ramen was tasty and the noodles had a nice chewiness to it. I’d skip the fried chicken next time. It lacked seasoning. If you get it, ask for it on the side instead of in the ramen so it won’t get soggy.
This place is really small, as is most ramen restaurants. If you don’t come here right at opening, you’re guaranteed to wait. Not a good option for large parties. If there is a wait, they’ll take your number and text you when a table is ready. It’s on H Street so there are plenty of bars and whatnot to kill time.
*I’m a dummy and had trouble finding this place a few times. There is no big sign with the restaurant’s name. Since the name is «Toki Underground», I’m thinking it’s a downstairs restaurant, but no, it’s actually on the second floor. There’s only a label on a door. Look for The Pug.