Aloha Ramen

***Before I go any further, CHECK THEIR STORE HOURS & DAYS. I’ve craved their sweet elixirs too often when coldly forbidden by their locked door! CURSE THAT FICKLE DOOR.***
Also, this place is dine-​in only, and leftover containers are an extra charge (but I think it’s only $ 0.50).
I can’t believe I haven’t reviewed this place yet! Seriously, I’ve come here at LEAST twice a month for the past five months. In the ramen category, I’ve had the miso, katsu tan, spicy garlic miso, curry, kimchi, kalua pork, schezuan spicy, and mahalo (a current special that I’ve had maybe 4+ times now). I’ve NEVER been disappointed. I highly recommend adding an egg to any of their ramen, because it may be the most perfect medium-​boiled egg you’ll ever have; moist and cake-​like in the middle without being runny! The gyoza and garlic rice are also absolutely delectable.
You will not go wrong at this place.
Oh, and it’s owned by the nicest, sweetest couple that does all the cooking, and the servers are ALWAYS top notch.
GO HERRRRRRRRRRRE.
Honestly, if this place had it’s own pro sports teams and mascots, I would actually be into sports.

I had one of the new ramen items called Honolulu. Absolutely AMAZING! It was exceptionally delicious and it has a giant dollop of special miso in the middle of the bowl. It was sooo good! And I’ve heard that the owner was a chef at world famous 5-​star Halekulani Hotel in Oahu for 20 years. No wonder he does amazing job to create these delicious ramens. Awesome!!!

Meh!!!
I grew up eating pretty amazing ramen. The kind where the owner/​chefs/​servers don’t really speak anything but Japanese. I travel a lot. And I also am from the Aloha land. Perhaps, my expectations were much higher because of that. Came here on a Friday night around 6 pm and of course, the place was packed and had a wait. The girl that was working there was friendly and pretty efficient. She was on top of things! It still took a while though but she did her best.
After about a good thirty five minutes, we got our table! It’s a small spot. Everything smells delicious at this point. I want it all. We ended up getting Waikiki ramen, garlic rice and katsu tan tan.
Waikiki ramen ~ very heavy for my liking. I got it with tofu. It wasn’t anything I’d write home about. It was supposed to be a spicy broth but it was neither spicy not hot in temperature.
Katsu tan tan ~ a ok. It was just over powering flavors and heaviness in one bowl.
Garlic rice ~ this I liked.
Overall, it was an a ok experience for me. The wait and the food were both equally a ok. Had a much higher expectations. Service was good. It was out of the way for me to come all the way here but glad I got to try it.

2.5 stars.
Just meh. Maybe was overhyped to me by my friends I confess. The famous fried rice was too salty, not enough flavor. Ramen was just meh. Service was decent. When I was watching them make my ramen and said it looks good, one of the cooks overheard me and asked, «Why so interested, researching?» I was like what? That was weird and she seemed scared I was going to open a similar business to compete?
Anyways, totally disagree with the good reviews. I akin it to people who rate it good as to those who think Saimin is good, when compared to real ramen. It’s not even close. I am born and raised in Hawaii so I know what I’m talking about.
Save yourself the trouble of eating here unless desperate measure.

This is definitely a fusion ramen place. I like the different spins they have on the ramen bowls. Keep in mind that this place is very small, may fit up to 15 people tops? We had a bit of a wait on a Wednesday night with 4 people.
I had the Waikiki Ramen, with tonkatsu broth and pork. The broth was very salty, although it had a very thick and smooth texture, I could not drink the broth at all, normally I love drinking my noodle/​ramen broth. The pork was also not amazing, it was not fatty and did not melt in your mouth like some of the other ones I’ve had. The taste was decent.
The garlic fried rice was pretty good. I enjoyed it more than the ramen itself.
My boyfriend had the Katsu Curry Ramen. He said he wish the broth was thicker, more like curry texture, instead of just clear broth with the taste of curry. He also said that the katsu was dry with very little meat.

Aloha Raman
Dinner on happy Friday
Review
⁹⁄₁₀
PriceUS$ 30.00
Garlic fried rice w/​chicken
I really like the garlic
You cannot stop eating although you’re full.
It is combo +$ 4
#foodie#seattle#foodoftheday#foodblogger#lovefood#japanesefood#foodexplorer#japaneseraman#friedrice#相機食先#食評#hkgirl#hkig

The best ramen in Seattle you must order the combo ramen garlic rice it’s amazing and totally too much food to eat in one sitting pay the extra fee take it home and warm it up later for dinner or breakfast. My only complaint is the size of the place it’s this tiny spot and simply put always packed unless you creep in 30
mins before close either lunch or dinner but still worth the close seated tiny tables, small waitress and stools, is life changing.

BEST Ramen EVER, loved it.
Would go way more often if I lived closer.

I would label myself a passionate ramen aficionado. Not the best ramen I’ve ever had, but I am a fan of Aloha Ramen and admire their extensive menu of ramen options. We decided to go with the garlic rice combo with the spicy garlic miso and katsu ton ramens! For others, I’m sure the garlic rice would have seemed overly garlicky but for me, it was perfect and served with a butt load of chicken. Of the two ramens, I think I liked the spicy garlic miso a little more. I just liked the extra kick of spicy to the broth. However, I did like the crunchy on the outside/​juicy on the inside katsu chicken that comes in the katsu ton! Although, after a while marinating in the soup, the katsu got soggy and lost it’s wow factor. Both the broths were very rich and heavy and left me stuffed. That first sip of the broth coated my whole mouth with flavor and left my insides all warm and happy. And the ramen itself was perfectly cooked, I thought, if not a little soggy as well. Comparing this place to competing ramen joints, I’d say you get a bang for your buck! It’s less expensive and you get a huge portion. My only complaint is the lack of veggies/​sides that come with the ramen. The ramen we ordered only came with a few things (sprouts/​green onions/​corn) and you have to order extra for an additional charge whereas other places provide more without the extra charge. (for example eggs!!!) I also thought it was strange that they charged you for a to go box too? Maybe they’re trying to go green, but sorry I don’t carry around a container with me.

If you’re willing to get adventurous with your ramen and look beyond the regular shio/​shoyu/​basic miso/​tonkotsu (if you’re lucky) that most places serve, Aloha Ramen is where you need to be. It’s tasty, cheap, and completely satisfying.
The restaurant is fairly small, with simple décor. Short waits are common, and expect much longer waits if your party has over four people. I’ve always been here in a party of two, and have never had to wait (we somehow always manage to snag the last table…). Once you get a table, you usually have ramen in front of you in ~15 minutes.
I’ve had the black sesame miso ramen and the aloha ramen while here. Both are really delicious! I’m a huge fan of the fairly unique soup bases in both (the aloha ramen has a peanut-​sesame miso base). I also keep eyeing the fried rice on the adjacent tables every time I’m here – it looks so tantalizingly tempting, and I only wish my stomach capacity were larger. Oh well, maybe one day. Until then, I’ll be perfectly content with just my ramen.

I’ve heard that they relocated so I finally found a chance to try. It is in the shopping center but it took us a while to find it.
We were lucky to get seated right away in the busy lunch time. The size of the restaurant was about the same as the old location. The menu looked about the same and they had specials listed on the wall. We ordered Katsu ramen, Wakame ramen, fried chicken and garlic fried rice. They were all delicious and come out after 10 minutes we ordered. The service was efficient and friendly. Be aware to pay 50 cents for a to go container if you have leftovers. Nice experience and I will be back.

Would give the place a 3.5 if I could. Heard about it and have wanted to try it for some time so we finally went. Ordered the Spicy Garlic Ramen ($ 10), the House Ramen ($ 10.5), an extra noodle ($ 2) on the side for child (use one of our broth), and a large Garlic Rice ($ 8).
The food was good but if you’ve been to Coco Ramen or Kukai in Bellevue, the taste is slightly under these two. The Garlic fried rice is good and heavy on… garlic. You can skip it if you’re not that into fried rice or garlic. Appreciated the friendly service. Will come back if we need a quick ramen fix and don’t want to drive to the Eastside.
What’s Good: Ramen is good and the service quick. It gives a person options on the north side for ramen. There’s several different kinds of ramen choices including a small menu of side orders (gyoza, garlic fried rice, etc.). Place is lively because it’s packed out. Service is friendly and helpful.
Could Do Better: The noodles could be a little more al dente for my preference (Kukai gets it right). The meat to noodle/​vegetable ratio could be better (not enough meat). The broth is good tasting. Something a little off. Will need to try again. Maybe my taste buds were a little off.
Tips: Get there early as this place gets packed quickly. Pay attention to the hours. We got there around 4:30 on a Sunday and it was closed. But there were people lining up for a 5pm opening as the restaurant is small. Groups of three or less is ideal. Bring your own Tupperware if you like leftovers as to-​go boxes are $ 0.50 each (eco-​friendly). Ample and free parking (same plaza as Grocery Outlet).

1. Bring your own container for fear of not being able to finish your food– and getting charged $.50
2. First thing look at the list and put your name on it if there’s a line. Be prepared to wait 25 – 45 minutes.
3. They don’t do to go orders.
Once we were seated they forgot about us and if I hadn’t gotten up as they started serving those after us.
Then we were bombarded with options on a pretty vague menu. Staff were not helpful and didn’t speak good English.
Ramen came out fast, and my husband loved his spicy pork ramen. Good flavor.
I could barely eat mine– but I didn’t get the right ramen. Who knows what ramen I got.
Most the menus I’ve seen in pics are out of date.
This is our second experience here, first time eating here. The first time we called and got a hold of no one. Went there to try and order to go. Only to wait in line at the cashier to find out they don’t offer to go. By then many more people put their names on the list and we were not able to put our name down for when we actually arrived. Considering we had no idea to put our name on a list as we’d not planned on staying, we thought it was kind of outrageous especially since they’d had it posted on Unilocal at the time.

Aloha Ramen has good ramen, but nothing to rave about.
I never went to their previous location (which apparently was much smaller than their new space now), so I have nothing to compare to. But when I did go here for the first time, luckily some of my friends were already there so they grabbed a table for us. We had a party of 6, so we already felt a little crammed in the restaurant (we were the biggest party there), but I thought it was already ridiculous that this new place only had enough seats for… maybe 30 – 40 people, if even? There were long lines outside, and when we were done eating, we were just sitting there and chatting for a few minutes before the waiter pretty much kicked us out, which I definitely did not appreciate. They said because there were other parties outside waiting that we should leave… It was definitely something that took me by surprise since I’ve never actually been «kicked out» of a restaurant before.
But on to the food… I thought the ramen itself wasn’t something I would rave about. While I’ve had worse ramen dishes at other places, I certainly have had better. The broth wasn’t very hot (temperature-​wise) when I got my dish so that was a little disappointing. While they did give me plenty of meat and noodles, I was a little thrown off that the broth wasn’t all that hot. However, the one thing I do like about Aloha Ramen is they have SO MANY CHOICES! That was a pleasant surprise since other ramen shops I’ve been to have a very limited menu on what you can choose from.
Overall, this place was simply the rating — A-​OK. I’m glad I got a chance to finally try this restaurant out, but I’m not sure if I would go out of my way to come here again.

Hawaiian fusion ramen /​Hawaiian style ramen.
Items tried:
1) Garlic fried rice with chicken — Good, but I don’t understand the hype. Not the best garlic fried rice I have ever had. For some reason I can see this with a nice over easy egg on top.
2) Spicy garlic miso ramen — Bland! The base 90% chicken broth and 10% pork, which might have something to do with it. It could have used a bit more salt. Even with an abundance of red pepper flakes and chili oil, the spiciness was pretty weak.
3) Katsu tan — sesame peanut miso broth topped with fried pork cutlets (katsu). Too watery and also bland. I am used to a thicker, hearty, tasty broth. Just not what I am used to. (If ever in Las Vegas, I highly recommend tan tan men at Fukumimi ramen).
Another let down is their noodles. Probably one of the worst. They are thick and wavy, but overcooked. Soggy.
I think this is the first time we didn’t finish our broth or ask for kaedama (noodle refill).
Tourists need not to make a special trip out here.

First time at Aloha Ramen I bought the Waikiki with pork. It was very tasty and spicy! I was feeling under the weather and a big bowl of hot ramen was the cure. I’ve been to a few ramen places before Aloha Ramen and it was what I expected if not a little better. I’d like to go again and try something different in the future.
It’s a small joint and I’ve seen a line out the door before, so timing is probably key. Also, I noticed a .50 cent charge for take-​out boxes if you don’t bring your own container. The portions are pretty big (I didn’t finish mine) so keep that in mind in case you want to take leftovers home.

Pretty good. No complaints but nothing to write home about.
Garlic fried rice keeps me coming back.

This place is so beyond awesome, I might be in love. With a restaurant and I have no shame admitting that. Previously, I was not aware of this type of ramen. Honestly, other than the package, which I would still indulge in from time to time, I was oblivious to this wonderful world of delicious. However, as of recent, I have tried a few restaurants and oooooweeee, it. is. GREAT.
I have come here twice now. I have had the Katsu Tan and Spicy Garlic Miso and both are tasty but the Spicy Garlic Miso is my favorite so far. my BF ordered the Wakame, which has a sesame flavor, seaweed, veggies and pork– not very spicy. All offer a very strong base, tasty aldente ramen noodles, fresh veggies and tender, flavorful meat (generally pork). Its comfort food and its awesome.
Also the dumplings/​gyozas are bomb. Pan seared. Fresh. YUM. Large ramen costs about $ 9-​$ 10 and I am usually stuffed. The place is TINY so be prepared to wait during peak hours (make sure you add your name to the list and are around to hear your name when it is called!). The staff is attentive and friendly so that is always a bonus! No take out. $.50 charge for to-​go items and cash i preferred but credit cards are still accepted.

Meh. That word basically sums it up about this place. I suppose I have pretty high expectations for ramen since I’m from the LA area and I’ve had pretty awesome ramen in Asia… so that might be why I wasn’t too impressed with this place. The ramen noodles here were thick and the broth wasn’t amazing. And the broth makes a huge difference. I’ve definitely had better.
But I will say that their garlic fried rice is pretty bomb, and they give you a lot. It’s an extra $ 4 if you combo it with the ramen. What I also don’t get is why you have to pay an extra 50 cents for a takeout box. Not a lot of places charge for takeout boxes but this place does…
All in all, I probably wouldn’t come here unless I was maybe in the area and really craving ramen. I’m not sure why there was a long line for this place when I came to eat here. I guess it’s because it’s a pretty small restaurant, but it’s not like the ramen was great and the prices were ridiculously cheap. I’d probably hit up another ramen restaurant if I had other choices.

WTHHHH??? No Garlic Rice!!! and no substitutes is allowed, even kimchi rice for it? Too stingy. Well, their profit for the day is definitely more important than customer satisfaction!
If you can’t even manage your inventory… rice & garlic… maybe you shouldn’t even have it on the menu.
Left with a still hungry belly and pissed.