Dashi has been on my list forever, and it did not disappoint. I actually went right after coming back from Japan because I was missing the food and vibes, and this place really delivered. The ambience is beautiful and cozy, and the customer service was so warm and attentive. We sat upstairs in the izakaya during happy hour (Tuesday). The standout for me was the crispy tofu bao bun. The sauce in it was SO good, I honestly wish I had ordered more, especially since it was only $4. We also tried oysters for the first time (they were around $1.50-$1.99 during happy hour), and they were surprisingly delicious. We tried a few grilled skewers, shrimp, eggplant, and tofu, which were good, but not my absolute favorites of the night. The best was the egg sando. It might sound simple, but it was incredible, honestly tasted just like the ones I had in Japan, if not better. And the fries?? Perfectly crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. My new favorite fries in Durham. read more

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We absolutely love this spot. The atmosphere is warm and inviting, the ramen is outstanding, and every dish we ordered was thoughtfully prepared and full of flavor. We almost didn't come because of some of the lower ratings, but our experience couldn't have been better. Everything felt fresh, well-executed, and welcoming from start to finish. Our whole family had a fantastic dinner, and it will definitely be on our list every time we're back in Durham visiting Duke. read more

It's really hard to find vegetarian Ramen so I was very excited to try out Dashi. I decided to come on a weekday night and it was packed! I probably should've had a reservation, but thankfully there were some seats at the bar. We got the Tantanmen Ramen, as well as the Mazeman ramen. They were honestly unflavorful. I would recommend adding some type of spicy sauce to add a kick to it because it felt like I was eating plain noodles and vegetables :( The only food I enjoyed was the appetizer of vegetable dumplings and I ended up ordering this twice because the ramen left me unsatisfied. The vibes were great, a nice date night pick, but for me the vegetarian ramen was a miss. read more

I came here in a Thursday for happy hour - there were plenty of seats available upstairs, but we sat at the bar for quick service. We ordered the 3 for $5 sampler - popcorn, boiled nuts, and lotus chips. We also ordered a KFC (cauliflower) plate. The lotus chips and popcorn were good snacks, but the boiled nuts were far too boiled that they had no texture/crunch. I'm not sure if it was an over boiled batch or if they are always like that, but I would not recommend those. I did, however, love the KFC plate! It was very flavorful and had a truly buffalo wing type breading/feel! Service was very fast and the ambiance were great, so no complaints there. I would like to come bad to try their entrees. read more

Came here for dinner with a couple coworkers for dinner on a Monday. The interior was decently decorated and apparently there is a bar upstairs with a wide selection. We were seated immediately and all ordered mazemen with some skewers and they got some drinks. The service was friendly and fast but the food itself was unimpressive. The skewers were drenched in some kind of liquidy sauce that made them soggy instead of the classic glaze that Japanese skewers should come with, although I've also had skewers with no sauce at all that were better. The mazemen had WAY too much oil -- the noodles were basically swimming in it like it was a soup. Mazemen means mixed noodles, so the noodles should come with just a bit of oil to mix and coat them with, not enough to drink! I got the vegetarian version and the tofu was plain and appeared uncooked, like they had just tossed some plain tofu on top without doing anything to it, no marinating or pan frying or anything. It was all very disappointing. read more

Dashi - Mazemen Ramen Dinner - Ramen Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

We went to Dashi before a DPAC show with a small group and it was the perfect meal! Some of the best ramen in the triangle and all the appetizers were delicious. Our server was extremely kind and quick so we had zero complaints. For a group meal, it was fairly well priced too. We hope to come back soon! read more

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I wish I'd reviewed Dashi the first time we dined here. That night, it was a 4 star experience. Really good food and great service, though the upstairs space was crowded and loud. This visit, however, was completely lackluster. We drove 2+ hours and got there just as they were opening (11:30am on a Friday). Or. Should have been opening. At 11:35, still not open so we took a little walk. 11:40am. Not open. Finally, at 11:50am the hostess/server opened the door. The was a very distinct smell that filled the vestibule and it was a complete turnoff. Also, they do not serve izakaya at lunch and apparently no cocktails either (beer, wine & sake are available). As for the food, it was very good. We started with the chilled edamame; that hint of citrus was so unexpected (even though it was listed on the menu, lol). We also had the K.F.C, which featured cauliflower and was sauced with what tasted like buffalo sauce. YUM. MY. I had the Shoyu ramen and added more mushrooms. There was a TON of pork in that bowl. My husband had the Shio (no picture, alas) and the broth was really light. The noodles were also good. So we do recommend the food but I don't know that we'll be back. read more

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Just want to say that Dashi continues have delicious food and great service. It's now one of the must haves in Durham! read more

Dashi - Ramen Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

We came here during restaurant week and definitely felt it was a great deal for 3 courses! We made a reservation online a few days before and were seated immediately. We started with 2 different types of dumplings, kimchi & pork and veggie dumplings. They came out hot, fresh and crispy! And absolutely delicious and both had great flavor. they both came with chili sauce to dip with but it was not spicy. This was my favorite course of the meal. For the second course, we ordered the tonkatsu ramen, which in my opinion, was only alright. It was pretty salty and didn't have much flavor. The pork was big and the best part of the ramen for me! The portion was pretty big and we took the remainder to go. Lastly, we ordered the yuzu cake, which was sadly a huge disappointment. It tasted just like a dry, plain pound cake and had no yuzu flavor whatsoever. Our waitress was nice and attentive and kindly packaged our food to go. read more

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Gluten-free ramen is rare, so I wanted to love this place. Some bright spots, but overall a miss. Cozy room, loud brick acoustics, friendly but scarce service. One standout dish; most others fell flat. There are better options within a 10-minute walk. Vibe (Appearance & Noise): 3/5 Nice interior, albeit dark, intimate feel. Brick walls make it loud--conversation gets tough when it's busy. People waiting for tables stand at the front (the window table is fantastic but you get the noise of waiting patrons) Drinks: 3/5 We all ordered drinks--fine but unremarkable. Prices were reasonable (~$8). Food: 2/5 We had: -Donburi bowl: very good -Ramen Takantsu w/ tuna: Delicious. -Other ramens: Broth lacked richness and depth; pork was quite fatty. My friend left her bowl unfinished. -Sashimi app + cucumber salad: The salad was basically just raw cucumber with seasoning--not marinated or thinly sliced, which is not what I expected. Best bite: Pork kimchi dumplings (the sauce is key). GF note: Appreciate the option, but execution didn't land. Service: 3/5 Server was kind but largely MIA; waited ~10 minutes for the check while a large, loud group came in. Water stayed filled and food arrived hot. Would I return? Maybe to try the donburi (my friend's bowl looked solid and he left happy) or for the dumplings, but I am not rushing back for ramen. Bottom line: There are better choices in Durham--honestly, within a short walk. read more

Went for dinner and asked to sit upstairs for a better environment, excellent choice. The bar is very cozy and has excellent whiskey choices. Had the Veggie dumplings and KFC for starters, cauliflower were a big hit at the table. Ordered Miso, Mazeman, and Tonkatsu. All enjoyed. Would go back, highly recommend for authentic ramen. Noise volume was comfortable for conversations. read more

Dashi - Ramen Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

I come here from time to time, but I'm regretting my most recent visit. Ambience- Warm wooden interior - vibes are cozy and I love the izakaya space upstairs. Food quality - Has declined. The food here can be hit or miss but decent & on a cold night could pass. Some dishes are one-note. Happy hour deals are good. The edamame I received today was cooked with a rancid oil or togarashi which was offputting, and one of my oysters was rotten which I understand can be a matter of chance. Service is usually fine. During my most recent visit, they only gave me half of my to go order initially and I had to walk back after I had already gotten home to get the rest - no apology/acknowledgment of the inconvenience, which would have been appreciated, was expressed. read more

I found this place on Yelp and decided to try it for lunch. Unfortunately, it wasn't a great experience. The staff seated us in the darkest part of the restaurant. I had to use the flash on my phone just to take a photo of my food because it was so hard to see. On top of that, my food arrived cold. Overall, this was the least enjoyable ramen I've had so far. read more

Dashi - Miso Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

The food was so good and the service was fast. I will definitely come again! The only downside is that the restaurant is really dark but still an enjoyable experience. read more

Dashi - Ramen Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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Service was great, the server was very attentive and had good recommendations. Food was kinda bland but not bad.

I visited Dashi yesterday for the first time after hearing a lot of positive things about its food and cocktails. My group hit up happy hour and I really enjoyed it. The options for happy hour were plentiful- I especially liked the pickle of the day (cauliflower, green beans, and daikon radish). The edamame was fantastic. We also tried several skewers- portions on these varied, and some were really small- but they were high quality. I loved the cocktails - The Five Visions and Moscow Mule were definitely highlights. The service was kind and attentive- just right and not overbearing. I'd definitely recommend Dashi's happy hour if you find yourself downtown. read more

I tried Dashi with my roommate last night with a reservation in place. We liked the concept but less so the food. As we stepped in, our eyes took a bit to adjust to the dark lighting and we struggled to see the menus. The seating was very dim, but spacious enough that we could sit comfortably. I didn't love that I could overhear the table next to us. We shared a takoyaki hushpuppy starter and enjoyed it. I thought that it had a good balance of savory and sweet. However, the ramen that I ordered (shio) and my roommate ordered (tonkatsu) didn't have that great balance- it was much too salty to our tastes. We also both wished there was more broth in the soup! The ramen felt unauthentic and a bit high of a price point. I'd come back for the ambiance and the starters. read more

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It's a decent spot. I need to get back there to try again. It has a very cozy vibe inside and seems to be good service. Just ok outside of those things though. I will give it another try though. read more

Went here a few times but the most recent is for the New Years Omasake dinner. I love the decor of this restaurant, it's like you are transported to Japan. The service was really good. They are able to explain all the dishes on the menu and they tell fun stories about the dish. For example when describing the drinks they told us how the have a celebratory tea in Japan. The food itself during this time was really good and carefully curated. It was interesting to have a bunch of different types of meat and flavor profiles. From a seafood started to beef, to roast pork. My favorite thing was the beef and the dumpling. The dumplings were so delicious and filling. I've had many things here and they are all delicious and fresh. I definitely hope to go back again soon! read more

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The HH is spectacular! Be sure to try the following items to get the full experience. Fried tofu on a steamed bun, the oysters are $1.50/oyster, wings all decent. They also have cocktails, 10 of them for $10. The customer service was outstanding. Go now and lmk how much you enjoyed it. There's no doubt you will. Cheers read more

Just okay. I gave this spot a try while in town because I was craving ramen. I was met with a huge disappointment. I ordered the pork and kimchi dumplings which were tasty, but not worth the cost in my opinion. I got the vegetarian ramen and added an egg (for $3!). Veggies were fresh and good quality, the noodles themselves were a good texture, and the egg was done well, but the broth seemed to lack flavor and was extremely overly salted. I couldn't even finish it because the salt was so much. Atmosphere is laid back and service was great, but I won't be returning. read more

Great atmosphere but the Ramen tastes like water. Unfortunately the best looking worst ramen.

There was a private party upstairs so this was the first time we've sat downstairs for dinner. We made a reservation before a DPAC show - love that they take reservations! Food was great! I think the highlight for the four of us was the KFC - Korean fried cauliflower! It was delicious! The boiled peanuts were also very tasty! The pickled veggies were good, but probably not something we'd order again. I had the vegetarian ramen, which is usually what I get here since all of the other ramens have meat/fish in them that are not my thing. The vegetarian one is good, but honestly there are ingredients in it that aren't my thing. I think next time I might try something new and get that KFC side instead of ramen for my main meal! The rest of our party all devoured their ramen dishes. It's fun to come here on a cold/rainy night - it just seems really cozy! read more

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I had a pretty good experience at Dashi! I had been here once before and really liked it. We visited on a Wednesday night and it there were a lot of people, the only seats available were at the ramen bar. Our server came to visit us pretty quickly and we got our orders in. The boiled peanuts were really good and so was the popcorn. I ordered the Miso ramen, which I had last time and it was just as good as before. I also had a prickly pear kombucha which was amazing. Parking is also easy to find since there is a parking garage right across the street, and some street parking as well. I will definitely be back! read more

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Poor service, told to sit down and then given almost no information. Was dark and uninviting, rushed through ordering and given no explanation of the menu. Spent the entire time until our server got to us looking at drinks to be told they're not served until 4 and then walked away from. Server also kept brining over plates that were not ours. Food tasted like warm hot dog water. Literally. Don't know if meat was spoiled or something else was going on, but the "new menu" which was again, not explained to us, tasted like it was not clean. read more

Was very excited for the Omakase but the service was horrendous and the course was terribly mediocre. I've been doing a tour of Durham's omakase scene and boy did I have high hopes. The waiter literally skipped checking on my table on multiple occasions, my friend and I had to wait almost ten minutes to even be given the drink menu and we had to ask. Then it took the waiter another like five to get our drinks order. It'll be one thing if he was swamped with a lot of customers but we were watching him laugh and giggle with his co workers. I felt so irritated and disrespected. Especially because he checked on the other tables multiple times. Definitely do not recommend. read more

DO NOT EAT HERE. $18 bowls for horrible food quality. Ramen broth is watered down and tasteless, just salty. The only thing that was acceptable about the bowl was the noodles. The pork, toppings and broth are extremely poorly prepared. Takoyaki hushpuppies also tasted like frozen crab cakes at best, an embarrassing imitation of takoyaki. Thoroughly disappointing meal and waste of money and calories. read more

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This was fine! There are a lot of fun things on the menu. (Lots of cool meats and seafood especially). And the flavor of the food was good! I would love bigger portions, though. I like how there is a downstairs space and an upstairs space. And I'm good with the fact that it's kind of random which one you get. But I didn't think the two spaces were that different? I wish they were a little more unique. The service was probably the best part! read more

Dashi - Menu - Ramen Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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we almost skipped this place because of some of the reviews, but the health inspection rating was excellent, which mattered to us, and the experience itself turned out to be great. my vegan friend was so impressed with the vegan ramen option that she literally drank the broth straight from the bowl.  she thought it was flavorful, well-balanced, and thoughtfully prepared with fresh ingredients and a depth to the broth, and it wasn't overly salty, like some reviews suggested.  the staff was also genuinely friendly and welcoming. they were patient, happy to answer questions, and made the overall experience comfortable and relaxed.   Justin at the upstairs bar stood out as particularly helpful and friendly. if you've been hesitant because of the reviews, it's worth giving this place a try, especially if you're looking for a solid vegan ramen option and great service. read more

Dashi is a wonderful "date night" place as well as a fun place for superb cocktails and delicious snacks. The ramen is authentic and incredibly delicious! There are many vegetarian options on the menu as well. There are various happy hour specials for those of you who stop in after work. The first floor ambiance is cozy and lovely for that date night or a nice dinner. The upstairs izakaya has a more casual, fun vibe, perfect for a night out with friends. The service is personable and efficient. It's a quick walk to DPAC, perfect for dinner before the show. We recommend Dashi - well worth a visit. read more

our server, Sam Smith, was so accommodating to our party. the food was fantastic and it's really cute inside :) thank you, Sam Smith! love ya read more

We went here after attending a show at the nearby theatre. It was a very nice meal with some beautiful flavours. Though the chicken wings seemed a little salty at first, that didn't stop me from scarfing them all down as it still tasted pretty great. Also, the ramen they offer are served with such fresh and tasty broth. I'd definitely recommend this place to anyone in the area. read more

Dashi - Shio Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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We went here a bit late around 9 PM when everything else was closed, half expecting to wait a bit to get seated but to our surprise we were seated right away. We got in and order the wings and shio ramen. The ambience was amazing, but the food left us a bit wanting. We were wishing for it to be a bit spicier even after addithe chilli oil, but thats just personal preference and I wouldn't hold it against the restaurant. All in all it was a great meal, but the best one Ive ever had. read more

Dashi - Spicy Miso Chicken Wings Plate - Ramen Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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I was so excited to try this place given my love for ramen but I was very disappointed. The place is so nice and authentic, the staff is super friendly and accommodating. We went on a Friday evening without a reservation and the hostess went above and beyond to find us a table. We ordered the vegetarian ramen, it was loaded with mushrooms, bok choy and squash but lacked any flavor . We ordered the mushroom skewers, which had potential but were a little too salty. The chicken skewers were delicious and a hit with the little one. The pickle plate was okay too. read more

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This place could've been amazing due to the ambiance and the cool seating setup but the service and food were an absolutely let down. The food was bland and it took 10 minutes to get the soy sauce and hot sauce we requested. Additionally, we asked for plates for our appetizer and NEVER got them. The waitressing staff was talking and distracted the whole time and spilled our drinks and condiments every time they served. Took over 45 minutes to receive our food and there were only 3 tables total. I only give it two stars because the drinks were fine but I am never coming back and am deeply disappointed. Would not recommend. read more

My classmates and I (10 people total) visited Dashi for a weekday lunch. The interior is pretty small and cozy - definitely good vibes. When we arrived, there was only 1 other party so we were quickly seated. I ordered the tonkatsu ramen with pork belly chashu instead of roasted pork belly. We also ordered takoyaki hush puppies and karokke to share. I should've taken a closer look at the ramen description, because I wasn't expecting the mustard greens or pickled red onions. The ramen wasn't what I had expected based on when I've gotten tonkatsu ramen at other ramen restaurants. However, I did really enjoy the takoyaki hush puppies and karokke. Overall, we had a good experience and I would recommend trying the takoyaki hush puppies! read more

Dashi - Tonkotsu Ramen with pork belly chashu - Ramen Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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I've heard many people raving about Dashi for years and am so glad that my husband and I finally checked it out! I'll start off by saying the appetizers that we got were just alright. The Korean Fried Cauliflower and Spicy Miso Chicken Wings were a bit too salty for my liking and the wings weren't spicy at all, like the name would suggest. But the Vegetarian Ramen was so good and had a surprisingly rich, smoky taste to it - I guess a lot of flavor came from the smoked radish! We added spicy chili butter to it and it was a great addition. The Chicken Katsudon was absolutely delicious and might've been my favorite dish of the night. read more

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The culinary experience I had with the tonkotsu ramen and pork belly buns was nothing short of heavenly. The tonkotsu ramen, with its velvety, pork-infused broth, was an absolute delight. It enveloped the springy noodles and tender slices of pork. As for the pork belly buns, they were an exquisite balance of flavors and textures. The succulent pork belly was expertly charred and paired perfectly with pillowy, steamed buns and a medley of fresh, crisp vegetables. I enjoyed the way the toppings were served separately and we were able to build our own. The staff was attentive and the ambiance was very cozy, my favorite part was the choice in playlist. Well suited for a millennials ear read more

Dashi - Ramen Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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Nice location, stylish interior, friendly staff and very average ramen. I tried the Tonkotsu ramen. The broth was mild, the noodles were limp and flavorless. The pork belly was good, more NC BBQ good vs Tokyo good. This place is fine if you need a ramen fix and are desperate, but not a destination place. read more

Dashi - a plate of stuffed zucchini on a wooden table - Ramen Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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Stopped in for some apps that were great! Lots of great options here that were delish! Also very cute vibe upstairs that was more quiet. Cocktails and sake were yummy too. Waitress was attentive and nice. read more

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