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    Kajiken Ramen

    4.3 (84 reviews)
    Closed 11:00 am - 10:00 pm

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    Recommended Reviews - Kajiken Ramen

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    Homura mixed up with yogurt added for creaminess.
    Kim Loan L.

    Neat little place serving dry ramen. Full of flavor and spice. Added yogurt sauce and fried onions. Everything was so good! Dominick was great, very knowledgeable and attentive.

    Nikumori Aburasobo (spicy minced pork, pork slices, green onion and choice of egg)
    Melody K.

    First off, the service from Kenzey was excellent. She was very friendly and very attentive, always made sure our water glasses were filled. She was great! I met my friend for lunch here because I love ramen but never had Soupless Ramen. We met at 11:00 am, right when it opened. The vibe is modern, casual, fun murals. It has both indoor and patio seating. I ordered a beer while looking over the menu. My dish I got was the Nikumori Aburasobo (spicy minced pork, pork slices, green onion and choice of egg) and my friend had the Tonkotsu Ramen. To note: my friend does not eat pork so they were kind enough to substitute the pork with ground chicken. when the dishes came out the were hot and looked good. I thought my dish was OK, the poached egg was perfect, but the whole dish lacked flavor, was not spicy to begin with at all. I had to add a lot of hot oil to it, which I try not to eat so much oil. The noodles were heavy and by the time I finished, I felt I had a lead ball in my stomach. I think I'm just not used to eating soupless ramen... but I'm glad I tried it, but won't be back. My friend liked her Tonkotsu Ramen though. If you haven't tried soupless ramen you should and judge for yourself. Atmosphere: modern, casual, fun murals. Service: excellent. Food: OK

    Wagyu Roast Beef
    Dwayne O.

    Kajiken Ramen Desert Ridge Soupless Ramen sounded intriguing Gyozas I believe came 5 to an order were good Wagyu Roast Beef was very flavorful, very full of different spices and combinations. After a while became kind of thickening, don't know if that was because of the yogurt, to almost to an overload. Have to say, got to the point where I could not eat anymore, so took home about a little less than half. I actually reheated it at home a few days later, added chicken broth and hom made Char Siu and the flavorful sauce was actually disbursed very nice and the broth was excellent. Kajiken Original was ordered by my daughter and she enjoy her selection, good and full of flavors throughout her meal. The restaurant is pretty good size, close to the AMC Theatres, very casual atmosphere and good service. I would come back to try other bowls.

    Wagyu beef
    Kathleen W.

    I thought they did well in highlighting the raw quality of the individual ingredients, their flavors, and the sauces. I personally love their thick egg noodles and their mushrooms were great. The meat was okay, in both dishes they were a little firm/chewy, not as tender as expected. I really liked the wagyu dish though because the garlic cream sauce that came with it was so unique, so I'd recommend giving that a try. It was pretty filling too. I'd come back for it. We loved our server. Inside was trendy and clean. All I can say is, these are Los Angeles prices in Arizona and I'm not sure if we're ready for that lol. But overall, worth giving it a try! (Just be open-minded, it's very different from ramen and that's okay! It's not meant to be the same!)

    Eating area
    Derek K.

    Lower prices and more food? Yes please. My partner and I enjoyed a huge variety of food since they were trying a lower priced menu, which brought us in. Great miso soup, rice that tastes like clouds, extraordinary ramen and so much more yummies. What else can a place provide? Chopsticks that are sturdy Plates that look Michelin star And some very helpful staff. I believe that if the owners change up the seating and refine this place that it could go far. Definitely a place to bring a friend or two and try every option imaginable!

    Homura Ramen w/ poached egg
    Wil L.

    We arrived and there was no one at the door to greet after standing there for a bit. We order off the iPad at the host stand and turns out that wasn't the process to be seated. Abura soba is a soulpless ramen with sauce instead. Once we got seated we ordered the original Kajiken ramen with char siu and homura ramen with minced pork. Our app was the chicken karaage. Soupless ramen was new to us but so glad we tried it. Both ramens were very flavorful. The noodles had the right amount of chew mixed with the toppings and sauce. The karaage tasted less crispy than others ive tried. It came with a seasoned mayo but there was a small jar of vinegar that the karaage tasted much better with.

    Becca W.

    We tried Kajiken at Desert Ridge and now I get why people like it. Abura soba is basically ramen with no broth, just noodles mixed with sauce and oil. Sounds simple, but it's actually really flavorful. I got the Kajiken Original. The chashu was thick and tender, the egg was perfectly jammy, and once you mix everything together, it's savory and very satisfying without feeling too heavy. It's a pretty good size restaurant, and the servers were nice and friendly. We went around 3pm, so it felt more like a tea-time snack than a full meal, which was kind of nice. If you're into ramen but want something different, this is a fun change. I'd come back.

    Back: Mushroom aburasoba  Front: Homura aburasoba
    Stephanie L.

    Our party of 5 came on a Saturday afternoon to celebrate my aunt and uncle's birthday. It was a 30 minute wait list which was accurate. The host was rude when my aunt thought he pointed at a table for us- "Nope definitely did not say that but I can help you," and when we told him we'd joined the waitlist "Yep you joined 5 minutes ago." We asked about dining outside since there are tables and heaters but the host said they weren't staffed for that. The potato croquettes appetizer took a good 15+ minute wait and was also pricy at $8.50 for 2. Afterwards when our food was being brought out, my Wagyu roast beef was brought out first- a bit of a faux pas as dishes should be brought out together? Everyone except my brother opted to mix in the chili oil and vinegar- otherwise it was too dry. My husband's Homura was reminiscent of dan dan mien and I preferred it to mine, as the minced pork was "soupier." Overall it was fine. Nice to try something new, but I need broth!

    MM Keema Curry Aburasoba
    Julia M.

    Our fam of 3 love ramen and had tried a decent variety but not brothless. We did not know what to expect with Abura soba and were pleasantly surprised. Homura and Keema curry were rich and full of umami. As expected, hubby enjoyed my curry bowl so much that he didn't give it back after we swapped to try each other's. The spicy minced pork in the Homura was not spicy for me so I asked for chili oil. My son (10) got a regular tonkotsu ramen and loved it too. The decor was clean looking and we enjoyed the art work on the walls. The owner and a gent who appeared to be a chef were very friendly and attentive to our needs (while our server was more just doing her job). Overall we were really happy to have a new option so close to us and will definitely visit again!

    Nikumori
    Mike L.

    Came by on a Sunday evening. Very busy as the waitlist was 2 hours. Finally was called to be seated and after reviewing the menu, it took awhile to put our orders in. It also took awhile to get our orders out. We get that it was busy and didn't greatly affect our overall experience. Notable appetizers included the Takoyaki and Potato Croquettes. Both were done nicely and were piping hot. For our Aburasobas, we went with the Kajiken Original, Nikumori, and Soboro. Each bowl was well portioned and well seasoned when mixed properly with the sauce at the bottom of each bowl. There is extra chili oil and vinegar at the table if you feel the need to fine tune the flavor. Overall, a nice experience with very friendly staff. Not really my type of ramen as my heart belongs to the broth version, but worth a try!

    Homura
    Ashley W.

    Stopped by Kajiken this afternoon with my husband and was thoroughly impressed! The restaurant is open and it is clean! Looks so nice on the inside and designed well. It's a very comfortable spot and the tables are big enough where you can have multiple food and not feel overwhelmed. We were seated right away and the service was quick! I feel like I barely looked at the menu and he was ready to take my order. They're on top of it! Once we ordered the food was out shortly after! We ordered the Nikumori and the Homura, both were delicious. We didn't have any to spare. No left overs! We devoured our plates. We highly recommend adding some chili oil and vinegar as it completely enhances the flavor! Those that think, "I'll pass on the vinegar," just add a little, you'd be surprised! The pics look good still but don't even do these dishes justice. Once you mix all the different ingredients together, every bite is heavenly! It's creamy, savory, with umami flavor! My husband left saying, "I don't think I'll ever need the broth again." Well done and if calories didn't count I'd be back tonight!

    Sam L.

    Glad to see places like this arrive in greater Phoenix. Ika geso karaage was sublime. It had a very clean fry - crisp, tender, and flavorful, cannot imagine any possible way it could be better Chashu rice was a bit disappointing. As one of my fave accompaniments in any ramen shop, there was far more sauced rice to chashu, which was also charred to a crisp Aburasobas were tasty and representative of the dish so definitely worth the visit if you have not had a soup less ramen dish before.

    Chili sauce + vinegar
    Sheau Yien H.

    Came here during the soft opening! Waited about 20 minutes which felt reasonable. The space is not too big or too small! It looks like it can fit about 25-35 people. Tried their nikumori and wagyu roast beef. I love how savory the dry ramen is, and the pork chashu goes really well with it. The wagyu roast beef though felt a bit dry and was different from what I expected. Next time, I'd probably stick with minced pork or chashu slices instead. Side note (personal opinion): the dry ramen tastes even better with a bit of vinegar and you can find vinegar and chili sauce on the table! Also tried the oroshi ponzu karaage and ika karaage. The karaage was soft, moist, and savory, and it pairs really well with their tartar sauce. I loved the ika karaage!! The squid pieces were the perfect size and went great with the chili sauce + vinegar combo (both are on the table, and you can mix them yourself). Really hoping they open online ordering soon since they're so far away TT. Can't wait to be back again!!

    Potato croquettes and chicken karaage

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    21 days ago

    The food was super good! Service was excellent, Carlos made sure to check in on us to make sure we had everything.

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    Good customer service, great food, came out fast, went above and beyond. Free mochi !!! :3

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    The service is amazing! The owner even is there to take care of the tables the food is amazing!

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    Ask the Community - Kajiken Ramen

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    Full Moon Izakaya - Best Ramen in Phoenix 
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    Full Moon Izakaya

    4.4(135 reviews)
    9.9 mi
    $$

    Let's get the most important thing out of the way:…read more You need the crispy rice with spicy tuna. It's not a want. It's a need. I pop in here probably once a month. I'm assuming it's a family-owned joint because the one and only guy working front of house always takes care of me. He's awesome. The place is cute. It's tastefully decorated, and they have a very-on-brand, ginormous full moon light on the wall that's illuminated from behind. It's super cool. I've only ever seen a couple other diners in there with me at any time. The food comes out super fast, which is great, because I'm hungry as soon as i step in the place. The prices are reasonable, the portions are generous, and the food is always good. If you're in the area, this place is a must-stop.

    We found this place by accident. My daughter and I arrived around 6pm on a Saturday. There were no…read morepeople there. Slowly others started to arrive about half hour later. I ordered hot sake and it did not disappoint. My daughter got a Ramune, miso soup, and shrimp tempura roll. No complaints! Miso soup was missing tofu that day. Apparently they were all out. Nevertheless the soup was very nice! I got two specialty rolls. The names escape me at the moment. The menu doesn't have a huge selection of rolls but I found what I like and both were VERY good! Good amount of fish vs rice. Everyone is very attentive. Service is very good. The ambiance is interesting :) nothing fancy but not too bland either. There are full moon/moon related decorations. The rolls are also named with the Moon theme in mind. Overall very nice and we will be back to try their ramen !

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    Nishikawa Ramen - Nishikawa black

    Nishikawa Ramen

    3.9(941 reviews)
    12.8 mi
    $$

    Nishikawa Ramen is a small little ramen shop decorated with anime posters from Naruto, One Piece,…read moreand Dragon Ball. There were also cute little trinkets of My Neighbor Totoro. Upon entering, we were free to seat ourselves and chose a booth by the wall. It was not busy at all and the service was quick and friendly. We started off with a large sake bomb paired with a Kirin Light ($15). We then ordered two Tonkotsu Ramens, one medium spice and one hot spice ($15.99 each). Honestly, the hot spice level did not taste spicy at all, so I would recommend going extra hot if you like spice. They also provide chili powder on the table if you want to add more spice yourself. The ramen broth itself could have used a tad more flavor. I lightly added some soy sauce to the broth which is something I often do to add a little kick. I loved all of the toppings included, from the green onions to the kikurage (wood ear mushroom). My favorite part was the pork chashu, which was really tender and delicious. I also appreciated that the ramen came with a full soft boiled egg rather than half an egg, and the egg was perfectly runny. Before leaving, we ordered their tea special that was buy one get one. We got a matcha milk tea and a cafe latte which I forgot to take a photo of. I felt like the cafe latte could have used a little more sweetness to balance it. Also, I found it neat that Nishikawa offers a rewards program, not something I see often at ramen shops. My true rating would be 4.5 due to some of the criticisms I mentioned above, but overall I still had a good experience. Thank you for serving us. Visited 5/2/26

    This place was good but the service could use some work. I went in during the mid afternoon for an…read moreearly dinner and was seated right away but the waitress didn't give me a menu. I sat there for several minutes and when she came back, she asked if I was ready to order. I asked for a menu and then she tapped this little sign on the table that had a QR code on it. I guess they want you to use your phone to look up the menu but then she brought me a printed menu and a glass of water. I had about a minute to look at the menu before the waitress came back and asked what I wanted. I ordered the small portion of the chicken karaage appetizer and the Nishikawa Black Ramen. Both items came out at about the same time. The chicken was good and there was a lot which somewhat surprised me because I thought they had given me a large portion by mistake. The only downside was that the plate was really small so the chicken kept tumbling onto the table. The ramen was just ok. It came in a really big bowl and there was a lot of broth and toppings but relatively little noodles in comparison. It was more like a bowl of soup. The slice of pork was huge but a little bit chewy when I was expecting it to be tender. The egg wasn't sliced so it was difficult to pick up the entire piece with my chopsticks. The chicken was $7 and the ramen was $18. I would have been ok just getting the chicken, perhaps a large portion for $12. I wouldn't get this particular ramen again. With tax and a tip my total was a little over $31 which isn't the most I've spent at a ramen restaurant, but it wasn't cheap either. I wasn't offered a refill on my drink until after I had paid and was ready to leave. In fact, I only saw the waitress once after my food was brought out, and that was when she brought me the bill. The rest of the time she was somewhere in the kitchen.

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    JINYA Ramen Bar - Central Phoenix - JINYA Tonkotsu Black* with Mushrooms

    JINYA Ramen Bar - Central Phoenix

    4.0(332 reviews)
    12.7 mi
    $$

    Jinya Ramen is one of those spots that just gets it right. Welcoming service from the jump, and the…read morespace delivers--plenty of seating, a solid bar, and a great patio when the weather's right. The ramen is rich and flavorful, but the real draw is happy hour (3-6pm) with a strong lineup of food and drinks that make it easy to linger. Bonus: right next to Paris Baguette for an easy coffee/dessert follow-up. Great vibe, great value, and an easy go-to--plus it's on InKind.

    We walk in on a Sunday evening roughly 7pm party of 2. The place was not busy, but steady…read more The hostess was very nice and accommodating, she sat us and advises our waiter would be with us shortly. Our waitress comes to us and takes our drinks and orders. She came back to advise us that they were out of the cucumber salad. I ask if she could add something to my order (I wanted to add an egg to my ramen, not on the side but in the ramen) to which she acknowledged. Roughly 10 mins later, a new waiter brings me out an egg in a bowl! I politely told him I asked for it to be in my ramen, not as a side. He looks at me as if I've lost my mind, then asks if I want it in a to-go box... why?? I told him a second time, that I asked for it to be on my soup, the ramen! He walked away. Another 15 mins goes by and yet another server comes and brings out our food. Everyone around us is getting service, like multiple times, but we have yet to see our waitress. We asked a 3rd waiter if we could get sauces, which he brings out. We eat our food, and guess what...? Still no waitress. We finish our food and had to ask a fourth waiter for a to go box, and finally our waitress comes out and asks if we need anything, to which I tell her, no, we've already been taken care of! She walks away with what seemed like an attitude. Brings our check. Another 10 mins goes by and we don't see her... every other table is gettin their service from their waiters/waitress and we don't. So we get up and pay for our bill, ourselves at the hostess table. Our waitress comes up to take our bill, doesn't say anything at all. No, I'm so sorry I'm waiting multiple tables, or hey sorry I'm working both inside and outside, nothing. Besides the less than par service the food was really good!! If she would have at least communicated to us, how busy she was or is or anything, this would a be a totally different story.

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    Zu Izakaya

    Zu Izakaya

    4.5(1.9k reviews)
    15.7 mi
    $$

    Popped into this place for our last meal before leaving AZ and it did not disappoint! We were the…read morefirst people in. When we walked in it had a very fishy smell, so it kind of made us second guess our choice. But we went for it anyhow. The greeter/server was very pleasant and sat us. It was very clean inside with ample space between seat. We browsed through the menu and started with our usual edamame and pot stickers. The edamame was salted well throughout where a lot of places just put the salt on top only. We ordered a couple varieties of sake which were both good. Out of all of the things we ordered the karange skewer was just a little more oily than were use to, but still good. The spicy salmon roll had really great flavor and the lollipop roll was probably one of the better versions that we have had. The musubi was giant to say the least, it was good, but offered a bit too much rice. Overall the food and service was great and we were very happy that we ended up here!

    On a Sunday evening, after checking out the Desert Botanical Garden, I was looking for some food in…read morethe area. I came across Zu Izakaya and it's great reviews as one of the options. I love Japanese food so my decision was made. I drove over and parked in their complimentary lot. Ambiance (3.5/5): I've been to Japan and there are plenty of izakayas there. Think of them as small bars which often serve solid food. Zu fits that bit. It's a relatively small restaurant, probably seats about 30 people. and it's pretty no frills for a Japanese spot. I was seated at a booth in the corner of the restaurant. They have free WiFi which is always a good touch. Service (3/5): Service was friendly, though a bit inconsistent. My waitress wasn't as attentive as I would have liked. The type of service where you have to flag them down to get what you want and to close out. Drinks (4/5): Zu has a nice menu of Japanese and Korean beverages, including sake, soju, Japanese beer, and more. With that being said, I just had an iced green tea. Food (4/5): I got a nice variety. I went with the Japanese sausage off of the grill menu, the OBI mayo roll off of the sushi menu, and the cheese corn off of the appetizer menu. Let's start with the sausage. It's a small item, two small sausages, but absolutely delicious. The sausage was bursting with flavor and basted in a sweet sauce. Minus the portion size, perfection. The cheese corn also hit the spot, but the execution was off. The corn is served on a hot platter, and unfortunately some of the corn on the edges was badly burnt. The type of situation where they should start over. Which they didn't. Lastly, the OBI mayo roll is essentially a California roll with marinated warm shrimp on top in a mayo sauce. I didn't love the hot and cold combo (shrimp and sushi), but outside of the temperature, it was a delicious roll. All in all, a very food meal. My only gripe with Japanese food is that it can get expensive quick. Given that Zu is in Tempe, I was hoping that prices would be a little cheaper. With that being said, they do have a solid happy hour (and reverse happy hour) with both food and drink specials. Next time I stop by, I'd like to check out some of their Korean options. I focused on the Japanese stuff this time (which makes the majority of the menu). Next time around, the bulgogi is calling my name!

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    Harumi Sushi Bar - Downtown - Hot Havana Roll (~$17)

    Harumi Sushi Bar - Downtown

    4.6(3.2k reviews)
    16.7 mi
    $$$

    My partner and I originally chose this place because we heard they light one of the sushi rolls on…read morefire, which immediately sounded like something fun we had to try. Funny enough, this actually wasn't even the exact restaurant my partner had been thinking of when he brought it up, but honestly I'm so glad we ended up here anyway because the food was REALLY good. We ordered the flaming ohmygod sushi roll, and man... it was amazing. Not only was the presentation fun, but the sushi itself actually tasted incredible too, which sometimes isn't the case with more "gimmicky" menu items. It was so good that I literally ordered another roll to-go and took it on the plane back home with me because I already knew I'd be craving it later. That alone should say enough about how much I liked it. I also tried the matcha martini, and it was honestly one of the best cocktails I've had in a while. It had the perfect balance of matcha flavor and alcohol where neither one overpowered the other. Sometimes matcha drinks either taste way too earthy or completely lose the matcha flavor under the alcohol, but this one was super smooth, flavorful, and really well done. The restaurant itself also has a really nice atmosphere. They offer both indoor and outdoor seating, and the indoor area definitely has a more upscale vibe than your usual sushi spot and that makes the experience feel a little more elevated and perfect for a date night. On top of all that, the servers were super friendly and provided genuinely great service throughout the meal. Everyone was attentive, welcoming, and made the experience feel really comfortable and enjoyable. Overall, this place completely exceeded my expectations. Great sushi, fun presentation, amazing drinks, friendly service, and a really nice atmosphere. I'd absolutely come back again.

    First time here and I was not disappointed. All of the staff were friendly and helped each other…read morerun food and refill waters, which isn't something you see much of these days. We were there at around 5pm and it wasn't too busy, but there was a steady flow of diners coming in and out. Seating is ample, with outdoor, bar, sushi bar, and regular table options. I ordered two rolls: hot havana and mango roll. Both were delicious and the mango was juicy! The purple rice was super fun and set them apart from other sushi spots. I also ordered the miso soup to start. The food came out quickly. My only "complaint" is there aren't a ton of classic roll options. But this is a more upscale sushi restaurant, so it isn't surprising. I will keep this place in my list of spots to hit when I'm looking for a bite to eat in DTPHX.

    Photos
    Harumi Sushi Bar - Downtown - Bar/waiting area

    Bar/waiting area

    Harumi Sushi Bar - Downtown - Mt. Fuji Roll (~$17)

    Mt. Fuji Roll (~$17)

    Harumi Sushi Bar - Downtown - Bite View

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    Bite View

    Kajiken Ramen - ramen - Updated May 2026

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