Solid ramen spot. We got spicy and regular tonkotsu ramen bowls. The broth was extremely flavorful, noodles cooked perfectly as well. I really appreciate how the eggs are marinated, I find many ramen restaurants will serve ramen and not marinate their eggs, but the eggs definitely elevate the dish as a whole. The pork belly was cooked perfectly, crispy while still melting in your mouth. The only part of the bowl I personally didn't love was the greens, in my own opinion I think it would've been perfect without them. There inside of the restaurant is dim lit and super chill feeling. When we were there there was someone singing as well! There is street parking along the road. Overall it is a great bowl of local ramen. read more

1981 Ramen Bar - Tonkotsu Ramen - Chicken Wings Near Me - Lowell, Massachusetts

This was the worst ramen I have had in a long time. I got the Vegetarian Ramen and the tofu was bland and the toppings were weird; I've never had arugula and cabbage in ramen and I will not be eating that combination again. The noodles were super thin and tasted like instant ramen. Not impressed and a waste of $20. The staff were friendly so I'll add a star. read more

1981 Ramen Bar - Vegetarian Ramen - Chicken Wings Near Me - Lowell, Massachusetts

Haven't been here in forever & it's still a great spot! Went for some drinks and a few apps. The espresso martinis were great (thank you to our bartender Rakada). We had some edamame and cucumbers to share and they were nice and fresh. Will be back again soon! read more

1981 Ramen Bar - Espresso martinis were spot on! - Chicken Wings Near Me - Lowell, Massachusetts

Tonkotsu ramen is bomb. You can get no spice or kick it up. Cocktails were good too. Wife had Tattoo Girl Riesling which went well with the spicey ramen. read more

Jimmy and his team delivered last night. I had the Tonkotsu Ramen with Chicken and Corn added to it. It hit the spot. Everyone was friendly, and the drinks were amazing. Must try the Lychee Martini. This was my first visit, I'll be back for sure. read more

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Service was attentive and pleasant, quite busy on a Tuesday night, loud. Ordered the cucumber app, it was okay but definitely not worth $9 for 10 small pieces. Spicy miso was good but I've had better, pricey and it only had 2 pieces of chashu. I also asked for extra broth and was charged $2 more and it had the same amount of broth my BF had for just a regular order. Pricey ramen for this area, but if you're in a pinch and have no other choices, this place isn't bad, just expect to pay more. read more

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Small and busy interior with additional seating out by the busy street. The food was nothing to write home about and service was a tad slow when I dined. read more

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Funky little place with cool vibe and fantastic, authentic food. Nice bar with classic cocktails, too. I've been 3 times and it is consistently good read more

Ramen wasn't amazing but it was takeout, wings were really good, everything was overpriced tho

Ramen 1981 did not disappoint. The ambiance was on point with mixed of new beats and throw backs. The table service was good but the bar (drinks) was mmm yum! Lychee sake bellini!!! RAMEN! That's why we went there, of course. We had the boa flights for starters, the pork is my fav. Ramen was BOMB! I got the tonkotsu, really hit the spot. Overall great experience. For those of us on the out skirt of Boston, it's a must. We will returned. read more

1981 Ramen Bar - Chicken Wings Near Me - Lowell, Massachusetts

It was okay, nothing spectacular. Service was mediocre, drinks were not very tasty or strong, pretty crowded inside. The food was decent, one dish was too spicy to enjoy though. I haven't gone back since, take that as you will. read more

Yummy ramen noodles and great service. The tuna tartare is outstanding, it's like ceviche with citrus and mint. Bao buns are delicious, especially the duck. The service is very friendly. I suggest that you get some apps and split a bowl of ramen. I think the miso pork is the best!! read more

1981 Ramen Bar - Duck Bao - Chicken Wings Near Me - Lowell, Massachusetts

Worst customer service I ever come across these ppl have no greeting skills looks like they just hate to be there. I didn't even try there food I just walk right out bc one of there staff was so rude. Will never step foot there ever again. These ppl definitely need some training . read more

So we tried marinated cucumber that not marinated. Its very fresh, and sauce pour on it. We wont try this again. My Tonkotsu Ramen tasted good with a big sliced grilled bacon (pork belly)? I typically need to order more protein but i dont hv to here its hits the spot. The only problem is w my ramen sticks together. I just dont eat it i ate the loose one only. Broth isnt as flavorful as zuru zuru but its pretty good overall read more

1981 Ramen Bar - Marinated cucumber - Chicken Wings Near Me - Lowell, Massachusetts

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Absolutely terrible table side service, had to go find my server to ask for a refill on water and for them to run our check (after waiting extremely long for both) and I cannot stress enough DO NOT GET SEAFOOD HERE. I had the worst food poisoning of my life after getting the Fried Shumai. I've tried to get in contact with them twice for a refund and have been told multiple times that they don't have a manager present for a few days, which I could've guessed based on how this place is run, and on this most recent call I was simply hung up on after hearing there wouldn't be a manager for a few days. Want to stress, I've worked in food service for years, ranging from dive bars to fine dining, I have a lot of respect for what it takes to be in the service industry, and this was the most appalling experience I've ever had. Do not come here. read more

Smoked chicken ramen was amazing. Best part of downtown Lowell experience. Great broth with noodles and corn. read more

1981 Ramen Bar - Excellent - Chicken Wings Near Me - Lowell, Massachusetts

The Steamed Baos are amazing! I've tried the Pork Belly Confit and Koji Aged Crispy Chicken ones and they both are packed with so much flavor. The Tonkotsu Ramen was so yummy the only thing I would recommend is removing the cloves from the pork belly. I chewed on a few pieces of cloves which made the for unpleasantly strong taste. Besides that it was so flavorful and the pieces of pork belly were huge! read more

1981 Ramen Bar - Koji Aged Crispy Chicken Steamed Baos - Chicken Wings Near Me - Lowell, Massachusetts

First time here last night- had cauliflower and dumplings for appetizer, and some ramen. Had never been to this restaurant before waitresses made some good suggestions. Food was great and so was staff. There was a guy that they needed to call police for and she handled it perfectly! Great service and food- i will be back! read more

I was so excited to try this place out. Unfortunately the day I went they were understaffed in the kitchen and didn't have a full menu available otherwise I would've ordered some of their buns to try! This is really good ramen for this area. The noodles were the highlight for me. They cook the noodles al dente exactly how ramen noodles are supposed to be. The broth was decent and most importantly not too salty. It was a good portion and definitely satisfied my ramen craving. read more

1981 Ramen Bar - Chicken Wings Near Me - Lowell, Massachusetts

Heard of this place from the "only in Boston" insta account asking people to name their favorite ramen place in boston environs. Saw some mixed reviews on google (grumpy staff/food too spicey) and despite the high rating almost got scared off. I'm writing to add to the positive reviews in case anyone's on the fence about coming. We sat at the bar and Leeanna couldn't have been nicer. She mixed us up delicious takes on margueritas and old fashioned (Japanese whiskey). When I mentioned that some people had said even the mild dishes were too spicy she suggested we get the spice on the side. (Great idea!).Everything we got was delicious: dumplings, duck bao and one of the pork belly ramen plus mochi for dessert. We liked it so much I could see going back. So do give 1981 Ramen Bar a try! read more

Beautiful amazing food. Friendly and kind staff. Tasty cocktails. Good beers. Cute place. Lowell is looking good and lucky to have this spot! I'll be back. read more

After coming here from time to time to enjoy some ramen--and to avoid Boston madness, I highly regret to write that the meals and service here have totally tanked. I use to enjoy coming here since the ramen was pretty good. We placed two orders of the koji chicken baos appetizers and it took nearly 30 minutes to receive. Another party that came in 15 minutes after us got their baos before our party...I was very disappointed about that. But whatever. 10 minutes later, our baos came out. But only one order when we placed two. I'm guessing they might not have heard us clearly. But whatever. The chicken breading was so crispy--it felt like chewing on crystal rock candy. Our party ordered ramen (of course that's mostly what they serve) and requested all spicy. Absolutely no spice whatsoever. They rate there spicy from 1-3 and we all ordered 2...since it use to have a good kick. There's instant noodles out there that has way more fire then what we had yesterday. The flavor of the soup was mediocre. It just didn't hit the spot like it use to. The soup wasn't as thick as it use to be and it just tasted bland. Overall, I hope the folks there that night enjoyed their ramen. Unfortunately I left in disappointment and will get a ramen rebuttal else where. Cheers read more

1981 Ramen Bar - Tonkatsu ramen, looks like everyone else's. Lol - Chicken Wings Near Me - Lowell, Massachusetts

Wow. My friend and I wanted a good bowl of noodles, and we were beyond pleasantly surprised with 1981. I got the veggie ramen with an egg and she got the beef. Our appetizer was the fried shumai - it was pretty spectacular (small but tasty). She remarked how perfectly cooked it was both during dinner and afterward. Pricing is what you'd expect for a nice night out. Atmosphere is as they say on the site - laid back. We will definitely be back! read more

Good Raman and drinks and amazing music on a Wednesday date night!! Next time will try another item on menu Besides the yummy Ramen ! Lol read more

1981 Ramen Bar - Ramen - Chicken Wings Near Me - Lowell, Massachusetts

Really wanted some good ramen and was intrigued by past reviews, but we had a mixed experience. Four pieces of over fried, dried out gyoza for $10? Um, no, I don't think so. It was a real turn-off. The tonkatsu miso ramen, on the other hand, had a nice broth, but really, really fatty strips of pork belly. I know pork belly is supposed to be fatty, but show me a little meat, please! And the soup could have used some more generous fillings. Will probably stick with Chashu Ramen in Worcester, which makes a glorious saimin. read more

Came here with my girlfriend on a Saturday night - Pretty busy place, but seated quickly and given decent service. Food was overall decent, not anything amazing. Was acceptable. 2/5 wouldn't go out of my way to come back if you're in the area and want ramen. read more

Tonkotsu ramen is our favorite!!! I've also tried the chicken and the veggie ramen. Never been disappointed with this place. My favorite ramen place in Lowell. read more

The atmosphere is everything I want it to be, but it wasn't overall "yay I'm a fan." I sat at the bar since I was on business and not with anyone. I ordered edamame to start and some veggie ramen, my jam. When the bowl came out I though WOAH, YES PLEASE. The bowl is super deep and seems awesome, but it actually made it pretty difficult to eat, a little awkward actually. There wasn't enough broth for the amount of stuff and noodles, more broth more broth! The broth and flavors weren't deep but it was good. Service so slllllooooowwww. The girls seemed more interested in each other and playing April Fool's tricks on their parents than customers. I felt ignored the entire time and they were standing in front of me. I could barely get water without waving my arms in the air. When they did pay attention, it's like I was annoying them. Some people may not appreciate the music either. read more

1981 Ramen Bar - vegetarian ramen + the egg. DUH. - Chicken Wings Near Me - Lowell, Massachusetts

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The food was amazing, honestly I didn't really expect to much for a Ramen place in Lowell MA, especially after coming from Japan, but the food was really good! We had a baby and the staff did everything possible to accommodate and make it easy, our server Chan helped us and made sure we were good and taken care of was super polite and helpful, would definitely recommend! read more

Really delicious ramen bar in downtown Lowell. I have gotten the pork belly confit baos which are flavorful and soft. The Tonkotsu ramen comes in a big bowl and is a favorite when I am home. read more

1981 Ramen Bar - Tonkostu Ramen - Chicken Wings Near Me - Lowell, Massachusetts

Delicious! Great meal! Appetizers were really good (pork and chicken bao). Tonkotsu Ramen was deliciously spicy (spiciness #3). Loved it!!! Service was good too. I'd love to go back, it's really good, but it's a little too expensive. I'm penny pinching. ;) ($14 for a bowl of ramen? Really? $8 for two tiny bao sandwiches?) read more

I grew up in Lowell, and have spent a lot of time out of the area in recent years, so I was excited to hear that there was a ramen spot that had opened up downtown on Merrimack. I ordered the tonkatsu level 2 on the spice -- and it was just the right amount. Definitely spicy, but not too much. I thought the chashu was actually some of the most tender I've ever had in ramen (albeit a lil on the fatty side) -- and was very good. And one of my litmus tests in ramen -- the egg. It was really good, and perfectly gooey. :) Overall, I'd be happy to come back, and the service was attentive and welcoming. Glad to see this spot here in downtown Lowell! read more

I was hopeful when reading the reviews, but was sorely disappointed. I love bao, and the bun itself was fine. We got the fried chicken and duck ones. The fried chicken one was a regret -- nothing was happening. It was just the pickle + jalapeno + chicken. There wasn't flavor. The duck one was fine for me, but my friend didn't even get through half. It didn't taste like duck to either of us though. The worst part was the ramen -- the broth was super fatty and thin. When left alone for a few minutes, the top would form a film that you could see. There wasn't much flavor, and the toppings were inaccurate. It didn't feel right that it was called a tonkatsu ramen despite the spin they put on it. The service was good, but I won't be returning. read more

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Solid ramen bar restaurant in downtown Lowell that had a nice buzz and vibe from the waitress, to the food runners to chef's. Started off with 5 star sticky crunchy wings that had the right ying yang to them so good that I polished them off in minutes of being served. The duck bao buns were a slight disappointment, the duck needed some rendered fat and a crunchy duck skin to really make it sing. I had their signature ramen with grilled pork belly and added crunchy chicken that was spot on. I asked for medium spice and I got zero spice, I was expecting more of a sweaty kick. The ramen broth was good, it could have hotter in temperature, and to me the standard ramen noodles were just boring. Overall I enjoyed the whole dining experience there. read more

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Stop sleeping on this place! The food is so good and the drink menu is plentiful! I can't wait until the live music comes back because they have an amazing singer who should have a record deal already singing routinely. If you are in the downtown area of Lowell it's a no-brainer to stop in. Also, they are enforcing the Covid rules like they should. I specifically noticed them correct 2 people who were dining tell them in a polite manner to wear a mask to use the restroom. read more

Eaten there many times and food is always good. Best Ramen between here and Cambridge Ma.

Need to update menu on Yelp. Many changes for items no longer available at restaurant that we were looking forward to. broth needed more flavor. Ramen bowl had plenty of noodles etc and was filling. read more

The ramen is amazing here. I always go for their Tonkatsu ramen and I'm never disappointed. Highly recommend

I have been here once before, and the menu still makes me hesitate to come here more often. I can double up on appetizers or choose from their limited ramen selection. Also, two of their items (an app and ramen dish) were out. I think they should add something to their menu to avoid this. I went with the vegetarian ramen, was banking on the broth being nice and sweet (which it was) and then spicy level 1 to kick it a kick :D This worked very well in my favor! read more

1981 Ramen Bar - Chicken Wings Near Me - Lowell, Massachusetts

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Atmosphere: pretty busy but our group of 6 was seated quickly and the waitress brought over extra chairs, did not feel cramped at all, lighting was nice and there were places to sit outside Service: Service was excellent, we were given two water pitchers and finished dishes were cleared away quickly. One of my friends had the chicken ramen and it was too spicy and they brought it back and filled it with more regular broth without an issue. Food: This was my first time having ramen like this and it was absolutely delicious, I got extra noodles but wish there was more broth, felt as though I couldn't really drink any of it until the end or else my noodles would literally be sitting in nothing. The pork was really juicy. I got the mild heat and thought it was perfect (I do not like spicy food). My friend got the level 3 spiciness and she enjoyed how hot hers was (she does like spicy stuff). Overall price was pretty good and I would definitely go back, it's a hip little place and great for a date night or for college students to hang out read more

1981 Ramen Bar - Chicken Wings Near Me - Lowell, Massachusetts