Ramen Nagi - Palo Alto (CA)

4 /5 Brian Kim: I understand the hype. I think customisation is unmatched. Amazing noodles and mushroom. Great pork! I did think the broth (despite my customisation) left a little to be desired. It was creamy, but on the saltier side despite choosing less salty. Atmosphere is a bit loud, but nice.

4 /5 Elizabeth Sanchez: Plan to wait to get in. Its very popular. My son went on a Saturday night and waited 90 minutes to get in. We went on a Monday night and waited 40 minutes. The Ramen is delicious. The dumplings and the edamame are great. I especially enjoyed the sauce for the crispy dumplings. The original broth is very good, lots of flavor. My son got the black ink broth and his GF got the spicy red broth. They said both were very good. My husband got the green broth. Its a basil broth and I was afraid it would taste like pesto, but it doesnt! Its very mild and has a fresh herbaceous flavor. Service was okay. They forgot one of our appetizers and the edamame. We had to chase those down. Otherwise, solid bowl of Ramen and fun night out!

3 /5 Bryan Roos: First and probably my only visit to the Palo Alto Ramen Nagi. Went for a mid-week, early lunch, and walked in without the famously long wait in line. The person at the door, explained the menu process, with a quiet voice, and we struggled to hear him over the general noise of the restaurant. Spouse and I ordered the Black King and the Red King, along with the karaagi. Both the ramens were fine, but not overly remarkable or memorable. The karaagi arrived after our ramen was on the table. It was warm, but not hot, feeling like it had been pre-made and sat for awhile. There were some juicy, and some overcooked pieces. The crust was crunchy, but a bit dense for our taste, overpowering the chicken inside. Was still drinking water to cleanse the palate several hours later. The cost is fine, as long as you don’t add a bunch of extras, though the bowl feels a little empty without an egg and seaweed. The staff is a mix of super helpful/attentive, and slightly clueless. In summary, they are famous on the social networks, and might not be worth the typical 30 minute plus wait, unless you really need the photographic proof that you were there.

5 /5 Natasha A.: I went to Ramen Nagi with two co-workers, and it was my first time trying it. The ramen was absolutely delicious. There was a line, but the wait wasn’t too long. We also ordered the crispy gyoza. It was just okay. We tried to order takeout for two other co-workers, but they only had small containers instead of the large ones, so the food had to be packed into two separate containers. The service itself was great, and the staff were very attentive. I’d definitely go back! This is definitely a place where the food is best enjoyed fresh rather than to-go. By the time we left, the line was wrapped around the building. So go early!