I just moved to Minneapolis and will update later. Very good, but didn't WOWWWE me. First ramen place I've tried so far.
Had the popular Shoyu ramen and chicken karaage... Both items were delicious. The broth was rich and flavorful, and the pork was so tender. The chicken karaage was perfectly salted and crispy. As others mention, the atmosphere has a hipster vibe, Definitely recommend coming here early so you can get a seat.
Great experience coming in on a Saturday might. Counter service only. All of their ramen options are hearty, quick, and flavorful. Staff was helpful as well. Didn't check on alcohol options but I saw some sake. Some old school metal music greets you with a tasteful minimalist decor. Attached is the crepe and coffee place that you can walk over for dessert. $42 for two ramen bowls, edamame, and a coke :) will be back!
I am very confused by the reviews for this place. Undoubtably, the most underwhelming ramen I have eaten. We had the shoyu and vegetarian curry ramen. The broth lacked flavor (it tasted diluted and high in salt), the bowls came out lukewarm, and the portions were stingy. Folks, stay away.
I rarely post reviews, and perhaps we didn't come at a good time (Sunday approx. 6:00 PM), but I did not have a positive experience here overall. The staff was courteous and welcoming--my main concerns are with the food. We ordered the shoyu ramen and the veggie curry. In both instances, but especially the shoyu ramen, the portion size was small. The bowl should be at least properly filled with broth, it was just barely half-filled. The temp of the broth was medium to low, which in-context of the subzero temps in Minneapolis, tasted cold. The two pieces of pork belly were small and the fat-meat ratio were disproportionate. Perhaps the slices came from the ends of the belly? There was a small portion of bamboo, no green onions, a half of a small egg. The minuscule sheet of nori had mostly wilted by the time the bowl arrived. The flavor of the broth itself was salty. Yes, it is shoyu-based ramen, but shoyu shouldn't overwhelm the palette to the point where other (pork) flavors in the broth are indiscernible. Am I wrong? The noodles were actually OK in texture, but many were still stuck together. I'm not a professional, but they probably were not well-tended in the boiling water before adding to the bowl. Perhaps I will give this place another go one day. But, my experience was largely inconsistent with the other reviews, which by comparison seem overly generous.
A cozy and low-key ramen joint. The interior is cramped and charming, with plenty of tables and counter seating available. Food is fantastic with large portions and reasonable pricesI went for the Tonkotsu ramen - generally my choice when visiting a new ramen joint - and it was fantastic. The broth was incredibly rich and creamy, the pork belly was fatty and savory, and the noodles had just the right amount of bite to them.The chicken karaage was also excellent, coming out steaming hot with a crispy exterior and tender, juicy meat inside.Highly recommend making a visit to Ramen Kazama. As a bonus, there's an excellent crepe/japanese pancake/coffee joint connected!
A wonderfully cozy ramen shop. Fiancé and I ended stopping to try something new on a chilly Sunday evening. We chose to sit at the counter seats so we would also have the window view. The cashier recommended #3, the Karimiso Ramen as it was one of the most popular and it was very satisfying. A rich broth with a ton of umami. It wasn’t as spicy as I expected and that’s a good thing. The spicy pork was savory and tasty. The Torisho ramen may look underwhelming compared to the popping colors of the other ramen, but it was delightful. The broth tasted crisp and clean and for a chicken broth that usually pails in comparison to pork or beef broths, it held its own. We also ordered the chicken karage. The taste of the skin reminded me of shrimp chips, if you know, you know, and was a nice addition. The thing I wished was different would be the size of the karage pieces. Felt that it was a little too large to bite into as the chicken was molten hot and if it was cut into smaller chunks, it would save from the mouth burns. A splash of fresh lemon juice would’ve been nice on the karage too. Overall a really nice spot to get some ramen. Would highly recommend.
Continues to be a great Ramen shop! Going old school with Shoyu Ramen is a delight!
atmosphere was very hipster/yuppie in my opinion but nonetheless gave it a try, I ordered Edamame before our ton katsu ramen. Edamame was good, ramen not so much. It tasted salt-less and flavorless. I also asked for chicken instead of pork meat in the ramen and received a deep fried piece of chicken which was chewy and inedible. $55 for 2 ramen bowls with one soda and one milk tea seemed a bit steep. I unfortunately will not be returning just for the food quality.
Do not order Onigiri, very disappointing! :( Ive had very good riceballs at other places and was hoping for the best here. The rice is unsalted and the portions of TunaMayo/Salmon is almost non-existent. This is sad because the Tunamayo, what there was of it, was cooked very well and tasty. Rice was perfect too, but one riceball was cold and the other one was served hot... I was charged $4/pce, when the menu says $3/pce. Overall, just come for the ramen! Karamiso is a must have and warms you right up, very little spice. Ask for extra meat if youre a meat-lover because its primarily soup and noodles! The shoyu ramen had plenty of meat and broth was light and tasteful. Will come here again solely for ramen, will have to try their cheese filled gyozas next time