This is Tokyo by way of Shibuya, not a ramen joint that pretends to be Japanese. A modern, urbane bistro aesthetic, calm confidence, and culinary precision that quietly signals: we know exactly what we're doing. No street-food cosplay, no shortcuts - just ramen, sushi, sashimi, and dumplings executed with almost irritating perfection. Everything tastes fresh, deliberate, and house-driven; convenience food is conspicuously absent. Service is friendly without being theatrical, knowledgeable without being pedantic--precisely the way it should be. Having been to Japan countless times, I can say this without nostalgia or leniency: this is my new star and the best Japanese bistro in Houston. Quietly excellent. Effortlessly modern. Entirely legitimate. よくやった read more

THE BIG: Ramen and bar spot in the Heights neighborhood of Houston. Very big interior with a bar and open kitchen. Plenty of parking in the lot. THE BLACK AND WHITE: My parents and sister was in town and we decided to take them to this ramen spot because we heard great things. The wife and I also had our newborn son which the restaurant was able to accomodate. Foodwise, we got the yuzu shio, tonkotsu tan tan and tonkotsu shio ramen. Let me tell you the yuzu shio was amazing as it had alot of citrus yuzu taste. Since it was Happy Hour, we got the karaage skewer, shishito skewer, tsukune, and crispy bok choy. All was good except for the tsukune. It seemed a bit undercooked and the flavor just didn't hit for me. To wash all the down, I got a sapporo and sake, which was refreshing. THE FINAL BAMBOO: Overall, we spent around $110 for everything. Foodwise, alright. However the ambiance and night drinks with the bar looks like alot of fun. read more

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Appetizers are okay, but ramen is where the party is at! I came at around 6 p for dinner with my in laws. Medium sized restaurant that filled up by 7p. Ceilings are high and they blast music. It was happy hour so we ordered a bunch of apps to share and I got the Yuzu Ship. Broth is very very clean with a hint of citrus. It was delicious! For the apps, I thought they were all interesting, but nothing amazing. Overall, solid place for ramen. read more

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For a ramen chain that originated in Japan, this place was superb. There is ample amount of seating and an open concept kitchen. Axel was our server who did wonderfully to accommodate our order. My husband ordered the tonkotsu chashumen which was a lighter and richer broth that reminded me of the Umakacchan Japanese Instant ramen back home. Very delicious and recommend. I am a person though that likes tsukemen (dipping noddles) so I tried their spicy one with a side of yuzu and it did not disappoint. We also were craving hamachi so we got the hamachi hand roll which was very fresh and yummy. They also have a happy hour which is going in all day every day, but could end at any minute. read more

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The food, vibes, and drink selection here was great! I loved the food and would recommend it to anyone looking for ramen (or sushi)! read more

Afuri - Ramen Near Me - Houston, Texas

I didn't get to try their ramen, which is what they're known for. However, all the appetizers were pretty good! My personal favorite was the Salmon Poke Tacos. The Citrus Hamachi Roll and Crispy Eggs were recommended by the server, but I personally felt they lacked flavor and could be skipped. That said, they were pretty unique appetizers. The Crispy Bok Choy and Shishito Skewer were tasty! Service was really good as well. Can't wait to come back to try their ramen. read more

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Another new ramen spot in the Heights, this time located in a newish plaza on Durham. The interior is more spacious than you would expect and there's plenty of parking in the back. Service is decent and while the restaurant was fairly empty, the food came out quickly and the staff were response. Their menu is not done well; it's three separate pages with front and backs; it makes no sense and is sloppy design. We got the fried chicken and fried egg as appetizers; both fairly tasty. The ramen ordered was the tonkotsu chashu men, which is just a pork broth bowl with your standard toppings. The ramen was solid except for the chicken chashu, which I found unappetizing in texture / taste and took them out. The broth is decent but on the light side, and the noodles had good texture. read more

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My go-to ramen spot! The chicken yuzu broth ramen is amazing full of flavor and super satisfying. The service is solid, and the space is clean with a nice, modern vibe. Definitely one of the most authentic ramen experiences you'll find in Houston. read more

I went to Afuri on a weekend night and was surprised at how empty it was. The restaurant has a huge parking lot, so parking was very easy. We tried the crispy ramen eggs, the tonkotsu chashu men, and the tonkotsu shio. Everything tasted great and the flavors were really comforting. We also ordered a couple of cocktails and they were very yummy. Overall it was a decent spot, not too expensive, and I would definitely go back. read more

Afuri - Tonkotsu TanTan - Ramen Near Me - Houston, Texas

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As a celiac/gluten-free diner I really appreciate this restaurant. The menu is well labeled with GF or GF optional and the wait staff are familiar with dietary accommodations. The ramen and sushi are both delicious, the service is fast and friendly, and the ambiance is trendy and inviting. We have been several time and will continue to frequent. read more

Very good but I need to go back. The spicy chicken app was great. Lots of flavor. There are lots of other things on the menu I want to try. Service was great. I went for lunch. read more

Afuri - Lunch menu - Ramen Near Me - Houston, Texas

This ramen spot has broths with depth and nicely cooked chashu, both important factors when I make the decision to go for a piping hot bowl of noodles! With plenty of shared parking and quick and efficient service at both the bar and dining table, Afuri proves to be a great addition to the Heights. Their menu offers a variety of ramen, tsukemen, and mazemen as far as noodles, and then some donburi, sushi, hot and cold small plates, and a great selection of beverages (cocktails, beer, sake, wine, and non alc options). A fun addition to the typical menu at Afuri includes flights! Yes, flights of sake, soju, or whiskey! While I've only had their ramen and tsukemen here, I have several other items on my mind. Besides the regular menu, their happy hour or lunch combos are a good deal too. From takeout experience, they seem to also package ramen well for transport. Everything that should be separated is done so nicely. This spot is great for the solo diner or for groups. The clean and modern ambiance makes it a Heights favorite. read more

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The ramen here was relatively decent, the service was good despite there only being 1 waitress during a busy time. I would return to try other dishes on their menu. I ordered the Yuzu Ratan & Basque cheesecake. read more

Afuri - Basque cheesecake - Ramen Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Afuri Ramen is a Tokyo-based chain known for the their delicate, yuzu-infused ramen. The chain has expanded international with a location in the heart of Houston's Midtown. As a big fan of yuzu, I was excited to see how the wonderful gentle, acidic flavor would translate into a bowl of ramen. Sadly, the ramen did not live up to the hype and its visual representation. The gentle, acidic yuzu flavor I wanted to experience way too overpowering and it was actually hard to enjoy. From the tough, dry chashu to the pickled ginger in the Tonkotsu Shio, each element felt like separate components rather than a cohesive well-composed bowl. While we tried several items includes Buta Gyoza, Crispy Bok Choy, Tonkatsu Shio, and Yuzu Ratan -- everything was just average. Table water stored in glass container had an extremely off taste, which the restaurant may want to address by replacing it more frequently. read more

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They have pretty classic Japanese flavors for their ramen broths, which is nice and clean tasting. I didn't like most of the appetizers, but the salmon taco was pretty good and fresh. The shoyu broth had a lot of flavor and I enjoyed the thin noodles that had a nice texture. I might go back if I was close by and wanted a clean authentic ramen flavor. read more

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My boyfriend and I were craving ramen and found our way here. I believe they have all day happy hour every weekday so we were able to get normal dishes and try their salmon taco, which was pretty good! The ramen was solid, not our favorite we have ever had but the location is convenient to our home and the happy hour prices were good. We got a ginger lime yuzu mocktail and it was very gingery but good if you're not wanting an alcoholic drink that night. I think our favorites was the Brussel sprouts and the ramen egg! read more

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Stopped by with my friend on Saturday for dinner they weren't super busy so we got a table right away. The restaurant is very pretty, it's kind of dim, and overall it has a nice vibe. Our server was really nice, he was one of two servers and even still he was really attentive. We started off with the Shrimp Tempura Roll, it was good we both enjoyed it. I had the Tonkatsu Shio Ramen, it was good but it lacked a bit of flavor and I think my friend felt the same way about her ramen. The restaurant is so nice that I'd definitely come back and try it again. read more

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Beautiful interior with a nice ambiance. Definitely a good place to bring friends and out of towners. I had high hopes as this is a Japanese ramen shop with locations in Japan. Unfortunately I ventured a bit too far outside of my pallet and did not select the right item on this trip. Yuzu ratan ramen- 3/5. Unfortunately there the yuzu base is a bit too sour for my tongue so it tasted too acidic for me. I would've preferred the more traditional tonkotsu so I will try that next time. The chashu pork was actually great as it was crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Strawberry milk tea- 3/5. Heavy handed in the ice. Not viscous. Fruity flavor mixed with coconut water There are many options like tsukumen and donburi but I did not get a chance to try on this trip. They also had a happy hour menu that I will try next time. read more

Afuri - Strawberry milk tea - Ramen Near Me - Houston, Texas

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3.5 Went to Afuri on a Saturday night. It wasn't too busy and it's nice that they have a spacious parking lot in the back. I was surprised to find out that they have all day happy hour on Saturday, so I just opted for happy hour bites since I wasn't super hungry. I tried the edamame, spicy pork taco, and spicy hamachi handdroll. Everything was pretty good - the only thing of note was that the seaweed for the handroll wasn't super crispy which is what I look for in a good handroll, but it was still tasty. The reason it's a 3.5 instead of a real 4 is due to the service. It took what felt like quite a while for our server to come and take our order, and throughout the night she was not very attentive to us and even to get the check a different server noticed us looking around and asked if we needed anything. read more

Let me begin by saying how great it smelled when I walked into Afuri this Sunday late afternoon.. My sense of smell was in overdrive with everything that is great about the smells of sizzling meats and spices of all kinds , and so much so that my mouth was watering, I couldn't wait to order and eat! And not to leave out how aesthetically appealing the actual inside of the building is arranged .. That being said, the ramen noodles i ordered did not live up to said buildup....I ordered a ramen bowl called Yuzu Ratan because that one promised "spicy" goodness and comparable to the other options I figured that was my best option to deliver the heat I craved. Man, did it NOT deliver!! It " looked great mind you, as you might think in the photo I left, but looks in this case lied! It lacked depth of flavor, and richness in broth and layered depth of flavor is everything when eating ramen. It tasted very light and soupy like maybe a bowl of pho , but without the lovely flavors or aromatics, and slightly watery..And I don't mind thin noodles, but these noodles were weirdly too thin ..Perhaps they have other treats on the menu that won't disappoint, but sadly if I'm craving ramen, I will not seek this one out... read more

Afuri - Great looking, not tasting... - Ramen Near Me - Houston, Texas

I came here with friends after the rodeo for a late night bite. It was around 930 when we arrived so not busy and we were seated right away. We ordered an assortment of appetizers - fried chicken, dumplings, and fried egg, plus several types of ramen. The fried egg was delicious and the chicken was so good. I enjoyed the ramen, especially the spicy one. And I had a glass of house bubbles. Reasonable prices and good service. @azfitfoodfun read more

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Really had a good time here! The food wasn't too expensive and tasted good. I had the tonstanksu ramen which is not bad - I added spicy but beware it's VERY spicy! The salmon hand roll was okay. The crispy bok choy was AWESOME. The karaage don chicken was very yummy. Even though it's called "ramen and dumpling" I didn't see many dumpling options. We will come back again soon! read more

Afuri - Ramen Near Me - Houston, Texas

Had a really delicious lunch here recently - large restaurant with plenty of seating, and better yet - parking! So rare in this area. Staff was very friendly and attentive throughout our visit. I opted for their lunch special which consists of a fountain drink, small plate appetizer, and any ramen. I had the crispy gyoza and tonkotsu ramen and both were a hit; I have been thinking about how delicious it was and want to go back soon! Glad to have another solid ramen option in our area. As another Yelper says - the crispy bok choy is legit. My friend ordered it and I had major envy. read more

Afuri - Ramen Near Me - Houston, Texas

We came across an ad on fb and see adequate rating reviews so we gave it a try to support another restaurant in the Heights of Houston. We were pretty disappointed and probably not returning. First impressions, clean, new, spacious with certain seatings range from bright (closer to the bar) and dark (toward the wall on the left). Service: disappointed! Our waiter initially pour water over the table onto the menu. He didn't realize it the whole entire time and did not give us any extra napkins throughout. Never once he would refill our water drinks. He kept asking if we need anything without really paying attention to what happened at the table. He couldn't explain the menu to new customer to explore different options and tried to explain in a way to get this job over with. The two kudos for service are that our waiter asked for allergies and accommodating with our off menu alcoholic drink. However, when payment at the table, I found it rude to stand in front of customer before giving tips (I feel a certain pressure) and also was told to skip the survey part. I guess they don't need to know how to improve. Food: plain and not tasty! Hotate carpaccio - all I can taste is the after fishy smell/taste of the not so fresh scallop drenched in excessive yuzu sauce.. The silver lining to this dish is the fresh herbs and strawberry. Ramen: broth is plain & nutty, egg noodle thin type similar to Chinese rather than Japanese dish, mushroom and scallion are excessive in the bowl without taste and I guess was added for texture but not even taste good, pork - 1 slide of thick small pork piece without any seasoning, egg - perfect cook but taste like boiled egg without the shoyu seasoning like most ramen places we had. Drinks: the 2 stars I gave are for the amazing drinks (cocktails) they had and the clean new facility. Their cocktails were so good and a tad more on the sweeter side which I like. They do have quite a large variety of drinks/sake and you can also request off menu drinks. Overall, I'm not quite sure I would be back for their food nor their service. We went on a Sunday night and it's not even crowded. We definitely recommend their operation manager for this chain to make some changes before another potential ramen place might not be able to compete with so many ramens options out there in Houston. read more

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Afuri Ramen & Dumpling has a lot going for it--friendly staff, an open kitchen concept, and some standout dishes. My favorite was definitely the karaage. The crispy skin, mild hint of spice, and well-balanced seasoning made it a must-try. It was perfectly fried and full of flavor. The ramen was good but didn't quite hit the mark for me, especially considering the price. I was expecting a bit more depth in the broth, but it was still enjoyable. The drink menu is also somewhat limited, which was surprising given that they have an indoor bar. What really stood out was the open kitchen design. No matter where you sit, you get a clear view of the chefs preparing and cooking meals, which adds a unique touch and gives the place a lot of character. Overall, a solid spot for ramen lovers, on a Wednesday night the place was pretty packed! read more

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When I heard that Afuri was a ramen chain that actually started in Tokyo, I was optimistic and skeptical at the same time. Deep down I'm hoping it would come close to what ramen actually tastes like in Japan. In reality I'm just hoping it isn't another Jinya. Apparently this chain is popular for their Yuzu flavored ramen, so I had to give that a try. But turns out that as much as I love anything that is citrus flavor, ramen is not on that list. I could not bring myself to enjoy that overpowering taste of orange in my savory ramen broth in the same way that I love pineapple on pizza. Fortunately they had other ramen options on the menu besides their Renown Yuzu ramen. The Tonkatsu and Miso were both solid ramen where the broth didn't taste like an oily bowl of random seasonings. Love the option for thick noodles, which were very chewy/bouncy. Chashu and soft boiled egg were cooked perfectly. Not quite at the level of ramen I've tried at Japan yet. Not quite at the level of the Ichiran chains in NYC either. But nonetheless it definitely passes as one of the better options for ramen in Houston. #358 read more

Nut allergy friendly: Some drinks have nuts (pistachio) and they have one ramen with nuts, but the dishes I ordered were okay! Parking: Plenty in the lot in the back We dropped in around 6PM on a Saturday evening and got seating easily, but they got packed by 7PM! Order to Appetizers: 9-13 minutes Order to Ramen: 23-27 minutes Service: Spectacular. Very attentive, and even celebrated one of our birthdays! For five people, we ordered: -Hotate Carpaccio: ?/10 I didn't try this as I have a slight strawberry allergy, but it was well received around the table. -Spicy Tori Karaage: 8/10 Would say they nailed the flavor, excellent presentation, but it does not hit the crispiness necessary. Not as crispy as Korean Fried Chicken but very solid for Karaage. Five pieces made it perfectly sharable with our group. -Everyone got their own ramen and I got the tonkatsu tantanmen (4.5/5) and tried my friend's tonkatsu Shio (3/5). I didn't realize my tonkatsu tantanmen did not come with an egg; highly recommend adding one. Overall, they are very light on the proteins (one piece of pork) which is very disappointing. The thick noodle is far superior to the thin noodle in my opinion. Excellent texture, perfect amount of noodle. The shiitake mushrooms were excellently cooked and paired very well. Drinks: -Endomame (3/5): I didn't like this as much, but my friend really enjoyed it. I'd recommend if you enjoy mint flavors or muted vegetable flavors. -Lychee Afuri Chuhai (4/5): Basically like a lychee cream soda. Mix it up and use the straw because drinking from the top basically was just seltzer water. Desserts: My friends got a basque Cheesecake and said it was delicious! I did not sample because of the nuts. Overall, might be the best ramen in the area, competing with several long standing places in Houston. Awesome to have them around. read more

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Overall a nice clean bowl of ramen that was a break from the heavy, oily consistency that you generally find. There were also other food offerings to add to or if someone in your party isn't feeling ramen. We tried a sushi roll and dumplings which were both average. Parking isn't too bad! Located in a shopping center with a quite large space compared to other ramen locations. A great option if you want high quality, clean ramen... read more

Afuri - Ramen Near Me - Houston, Texas

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One of my friends comes here almost weekly and raved about the yuzu ramen so I just had to try it. I quite like the atmosphere here, it's more of a modern Japanese restaurant. While the citrus taste was strong in the yuzu shoyu ramen, I didn't feel as if it was overpowering because the saltiness of the soy sauce base helped balanced it out well. Took albacore donburi to-go for a friend and he absolutely loved it, said the tuna was extremely fresh. Next time I come, I'll need to try the tsukemen. read more

Afuri - Yuzu shoyu - Ramen Near Me - Houston, Texas

Well lit and modern decor. Multiple seating layouts with near open kitchen design while getting to watch the chefs in the back. Smells like burnt Korean bbq so we definitely smelled after leaving the restaurant. Service was relatively slow, but servers were attentive, and food service was even slower. Can't switch out for thick noodles for the Shio unlike other ramen shops where you can switch between thin and thick noodles. Be careful-- Long wait starts at 7pm. Intro to whisky- suntory, hatozaki, tenjaku (my favorite). Tori Karaage- 5/5 came with 2 pieces of shishito peppers and great breading. Buta gyoza- 4.5/5 amazing crisp and flavor and comes with 6 pieces Tonkotsu shio-3/5 overcooked pork chashu but good bold broth Tonkotsu tan tan- 3/5 egg noodles were too chewy and stuck together as if left out for too long. Broth was good and pretty spicy. I came here for my bday dinner and they have a rewards program but you need to sign up ahead of time in order to get the $15 coupon. So I couldn't make use of it since I signed up the same day. Unfortunately we didn't like it enough to come back other than their karaage. read more

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Ok this is now our favorite ramen place in Houston (and I think we've gone to almost all the places believe me) My husband had just gone to one of the locations in Tokyo two months ago and he says this is about 90% as good as the one over there. I got the yuzu shio ramen and I have to say the broth is so refreshing and tasty. Paired with a citrusy drink would make this perfect and bring out that flavor. The noodles are also good but the toppings are average. We also had gyoza and the crispy bok choy. The gyoza didn't taste like it came out of a box compared to many other ramen places that serve it. I do wish it came with a better sauce to dip it in though. read more

Afuri - Bok choy - Ramen Near Me - Houston, Texas

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I really really really wanted to like this place since it came from Japan and it's hard to find a ramen spot with a yuzu flavor profile, but the food left us feeling meh. Ordered the Yuzu Tsuyu (dipping ramen) and Yuzu Shoyu and both definitely had hints of yuzu but nothing noteworthy. Noodles were okay, seasoned egg was not very seasoned, and the broths/ noodles were both warm, not hot for some reason. Needless to say, they became cold very quickly and took away from the experience. Hoping it's a one off, because I heard so many good things! read more

Afuri - Ramen Near Me - Houston, Texas

I visited here about a week ago for lunch. There were a few groups waiting, but we got seated right away at a table for two. The place was pretty busy given the amount of staff there, so it took a little while for someone to greet us. Since it was our first time, we ordered a few items to try: the Buta Gyoza and Spicy Tori Karaage. The gyoza was good--crispy on the outside, but the inside was a bit chewy for my taste. Still, it was tasty! The Spicy Tori Karaage was the highlight. It was perfectly seasoned, crispy, and was a large portion. We also tried the Albacore Tataki, which was fresh and delicious. For rolls, we ordered the Spicy Tempura and the Vegetable Roll. The Spicy Tempura was fantastic and had that nice crunch that I love in a tempura roll. The Vegetable Roll was fresh and light. Both rolls were small though so I wouldn't recommend just having those as a meal. The plates came out as they were ready rather than in a set order. I noticed some mix-ups with dishes going to the wrong tables probably due to the new staff. I also ordered a handroll, which never arrived which was probably sent to the wrong table. They're still working out some kinks with service, but I'm sure it will improve. Overall, I'm looking forward to coming back to try the ramen! read more

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Afuri is one of the new ramen places in Houston so I had to check it out! We ordered the gyoza and brussel sprouts to start. I think I preferred the brussel sprouts, lots of flavor and healthy to boot. I ordered the tonkotsu ramen which was standard. I couldn't really notice a difference from other restaurants tonkotsu. As others have said, not too many dumpling options. Service was friendly and fast. It's a bit dim with the lighting at night but it is a trendy new spot. Lots of parking available in their parking spot. read more

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The restaurant itself is decorated nicely. Tons of brightly lit parking lot. Service was okay but slow, but they were slightly busy and had a couple of people waiting to be seated. The food itself was decent besides the ramen. The charsiu that came with the ramen tasted like it was cooked in burnt oil, as that's all it tasted like. The broth was very light and lacked the depth of flavor of any other ramen I had here in the US or in Japan. Also, I ordered a side of bamboo, which tasted like it came out of the can and onto the plate. The gyoza was crispy and was very juicy as for the sauce it just tasted like mayo and sriracha. Overall nothing too special here that I noted from my experience. read more

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Got to visit this Tokyo based ramen shop that just opened up in the Heights! There's ample parking as it is in a strip. We came on a weekday afternoon and the place was pretty empty. It's amazing how big the dining area both inside and outside. They can definitely fit a lot of people in here! We were seated right next to the room where they make the noodles. It's all glass so you can see the process. Pretty cool to see a ramen shop actually make their own noods. For appetizer we got the spicy tori karaage - the karaage itself was good and it sits on spicy mayo which was nice. For ramen I got the Tonkotsu Tantan and my wife go the Yuzu Shio. The Tantan had a good creamy broth, ground pork and big pieces of shiitake. My wife didn't enjoy her ramen as much as I did mine. She did get a chicken broth and may have been too light for her. Service was also pretty fast, but like I mentioned we were the only ones there. I am a little confused though as to where the dumplings were on the menu. Maybe I had to ask. Overall I had a solid meal, and unfortunately my wife thought it was a miss. Still willing to give them another shot in the future. I still prefer a couple places in the area over Afuri in terms of go to ramen spots, but it's a nice addition and everyone should give them a shot. Also cool that they have a big inside dining area and a nice patio with TV's outside. read more

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Waited about 45 minutes for a table on a Saturday and the place was pretty busy. Once they let us know our table was ready we were promptly seated and our orders taken. However, it did take quite a while for our food to come out, but it was rather busy as they have just opened. Our waiter was fun and helpful, but towards the end as he got more tables he followed up with us less and less. We ordered the scallop carpaccio for an appetizer and this was absolutely delicious. The strawberry and scallops paired nicely together. As for the ramen I got the tonkatsu shio which was a little too porky for my taste. The broth was alright in my opinion and the egg that comes with it is not anything great to write home about. The chashu itself was tender and smoky and the noodles were cooked perfectly. Another thing is you cannot customize the noodles (thin vs thick) and after the waiter explained why I understood. I got to try the tantan tonkotsu as well as the yuzu ratan. The tantan tonkotsu was my favorite--rich, creamy, and spicy. The yuzu ratan was interesting because it almost tasted like a fusion of tom yum and szechuan flavors. The restaurant itself is super open with lots of seating, and the kitchen is open to view as well. You can watch them cook all parts of your ramen, and you can watch the noodles themselves be made. read more

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Newly opened place with a great ambiance and lighting indoors. I liked the open concept of the kitchen that allows you to watch the cooks/staff prepare some of the dishes! The food was overall delicious! I was disappointed with the crispy gyoza appetizer as it was quite flavorless and oily. The sauce made it marginally better but not enough to make up for the taste. The star of the night was the Yuzu Ratan ramen! Definitely made up for the gyoza - the ramen was jam packed with lots of flavor and the broth had so much depth and even a slight kick. read more

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Felt checking a new spot for Ramen on a chilly evening in Houston. We passed this shopping center enough times. First impression was wow there is a ton of seating for a ramen spot in Houston. We were quickly sat since it wasn't too busy. The waiter took a bit to come over to take our orders. We started off with the edamame. The flavor was good. It almost had a hint of citrus. We liked that overall. I personally decided to try the albacore don which I thought would be more of a poke bowl. It had the tuna, raw onion and rice. The sauce was good and by the end had a kick. Overall though most of it was missing flavor. The parts without the sauce was meh. The ramen that my husband had had a great broth. Missed the name of it. Sorry! The noodles and broth definitely good. The dry noodles with dipping sauce had a different flavor. More like dipping in soy sauce. Overall I feel of the entrees I'd only want to do the ramen again. As far as the service, I was disappointed that we didn't really have anyone one come back until it was time to check out. There was beyond enough employees working. However they were all too involved in their own conversations instead of checking on customers. I would have liked the chance to order more sauce or a drink. While it was a nice location, I don't believe I would go back on my own since there are better options around that do the same thing for a better cost. read more

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Afuri is a Japanese restaurant specializing in ramen located in the Heights and has become one of my favorite ramen places in Houston. I have noticed that tonkotsu ramen is more common and popular among many ramen restaurants in Houston. However, I personally prefer something shio ramen, which has a chicken broth base. Afuri has both! I have tried their Yuzu Shio (without the yuzu), Tonkotsu Shio, and the Tonkotsu Tan Tan. You can also customize your own ramen bowl with the shio broth, which I thought was neat. All three broths were great. The shio was light and refreshing and was one of my favorites. The tonkostsu shio was rich and light and not as heavy as other tonkotsus I have had. The tonkotsu tan tan was another favorite. Spice tolerance is subjective, but I would say it is not that spicy. However, there was a nice depth to the broth, and I really liked the thick noodles that come with it. They were bouncy, and you can tell it was made in their restaurant. We had a tuna tartare, which was fresh, but I do wish it has more than four gyoza chips. I also had an albacore tuna handroll on one of my visits during happy hour. It was fresh and reasonably priced. The inside is very very spacious. There's some free parking in the back, but it is shared with other establishments in the plaza. The staff and service were nice and friendly, and everything came out in a very timely manner. Overall, a Afuri has become one of my favorite ramen restaurants in Houston. I especially really like their shio Ramen and tan ran tonkotsu. read more

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