Great place for ramen! Not only was the food good, but the service was great also! Food is flavorful, fresh and well presented. I would highly recommend and will eat here again. ????
We LOVED the baka bento bowl!! We got it with karaage chicken and the flavors were awesome. We also ordered the miso ramen which didn't taste bad but next to the bento bowl it wasnt really memorable. The baka bites were pretty good but prob won't order that again. Def wanna try the other ramen at some point
Fusion styled Ramen! So tasty and combinations were so good. We had the regular miso and Mala miso Ramen. We also had some chicken bite as and those were fantastic. We were so happy with our meals and the service was spectacular. The owner was very nice and waitstaff friendly and helpful. Also, they were pet friendly which made the decision to try this place easy. No regrets and will return.
The customer service is A-1, let's start with that. They didn't have any ponzu sauce available but instead of just telling me they didn't have any, the chef offered to make his own version of ponzu sauce. Absolutely loved it. I appreciate the small little things when people will go out of their way because it doesn't take much effort and it makes a world of difference. The lady (she was young but maybe she looks young but we'll give her the respect of a lady) that charged me up was very kind and had a great attitude. I got the habanero ramen and at first I wasn't too fond because I haven't had the type of noodles that they used for the ramen and I wanted a creamier broth. But oh man, eating more and more of it, I was into it. Pork was cooked very nicely. Love me a good sear. The noodles grew on me. The broth had a weird way of having a taste of flavor to being so damn rich towards the end. Pretty enjoyable experience. I saw in other reviews some other bowls that look creamy as hell so I'm coming back when I have the chance and I'll ask for a recommendation. Let's see if I post another loving review. :)
Quick, easy, delicious. Had the Tonkatsu and some sake. A delicious solo treat. The space is medium but spacious. Came at 7pm on a Thursday and had no wait. 10/10 would come again.
02/05/2022: 4.5 out of 5 - Came to try Baka Umai as a recommendation from my friend, as it's his favorite ramen place (He must live close by as he eats at Baka Umai as often as he can). ?Masks are required which is expected, but this establishment isn't partaking in any of the Social Discrimination Policies that some restaurant owners/management are choosing to do.Now moving on, all orders are done at the counter. Kind of the thing these days. However, do check out the Special Menus that's at the counter. Some surprising items that caught my interest, which may catch yours.The staff are incredibly nice and accommodating. They were quick to respond to our requests and make some good suggestions, which just adds to a relaxing and enjoyable meal.The space isn't as big, but it's a comfortable use of the space. Also, the space is quite clean, to include the vents above, which is always one of pet peeves when eating out. Cleanliness says a lot about the business, the owner/management, and the employees.Now, for the food...we HAD to order A LOT to get a sense of what we're getting into. All in all, WOW! The flavors in the broth were amazing, along with some side dishes. There were a few side dishes that sort of threw me off, but it was because of the combination of flavors that I wasn't prepared for.All in all, at the end of any meal I often will ask, "Would you come back?" Of course. There were things on Baka Umai's Special Menu that I would like to try, but most importantly, it's because of our initial experience that is drawing me to come back for more. And, of course, not being reference as "others" by a form of discrimination.So, if you ever get a chance and find yourseld in the neighborhood, definitely try Baka Umai once and decide for yourself.Enjoy!
I appreciate when a restaurant takes a traditional dish and makes it their own. Sometime the results are...questionable, and other times, they're a hit. In Baka Umai's case, the latter is absolutely true, and some of their creations have taken the name of the restaurant to heart, because they are truly "baka umai" ("crazy good/stupid good")!Wanting to feel the heat, I went with the Habanero Tonkotsu Ramen, preferring the superior flavor of habanero to that of the more extreme Ghost Pepper or Carolina Reaper (although I'm definitely tempted to return and test how hot these two are!). My newly pregnant wife felt similarly, although wanting to be cautious, and ordered something a bit milder, further down the Spice Lover's Menu: the Mala Miso Ramen. As I was finishing our order, I happened to spot one of my favorite sakes on the shelf behind the register, and ordered a bottle of Ippongi Hannyatou Spicy Umeshu "Hot Devil" to complete the meal.The Habanero Tonkatsu was everything I wanted it to be: spicy, hearty, warming, and filling, a little oily, and with enough heat to get me sweating. Much to my surprise, my wife felt hers could be spicier, which filled me with great joy: I have trained her well! It only took a few years, but she's finally entering the big leagues when it comes to her spice tolerance! I'm so proud!Everyone working the restaurant was exceedingly pleasant, friendly, accommodating and helpful. The restaurant interior was clean, amply spaced, and there are a handful of tables outdoors for those with dogs or a preference for cold winter nights (not us!). Prices are quite affordable, with the two massive bowls and a not-cheap bottle of sake running us less than $50.We are blessed with a robust selection of ramen restaurants in Portland (traditional or otherwise), but if you're looking for something a little off the beaten path (and into the pepper fields), Baka Umai is the place to be. They truly live up to their name; it's stupid good!
My husband and I love ramen noodles especially when it's handmade noodles.We decided to check this place out and it was delicious. I couldn't finish my bowl (was too full ?) but my husband sure killed his bowl and mine lol my daughter got chicken katsu and she loved them. Chicken was not dry, it was moist and crispy. My husband and I got the tonkotsu ramen and yuzu ramen. Definitely recommend this place, service was great as well.
Very friendly and fast service. Beautiful decor. I got the tonkatsu ramen and my husband got the shoyu. The broths were delicious but could have been hotter (which would have warmed the eggs). The noodles in the shoyu were really good, but the ones in the tonkatsu were a bit thin. Pork belly was delicious. Good experience overall!
Very friendly and fast service. Beautiful decor. I got the tonkatsu ramen and my husband got the shoyu. The broths were delicious but could have been hotter (which would have warmed the eggs). The noodles in the shoyu were really good, but the ones in the tonkatsu were a bit thin. Pork belly was delicious. Good experience overall!