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.