As a lover of Kengo I had extremely high expectations for this place and I'm sad to say I was slightly disappointed. There's a difference here between Kengo and Kato where you can tell Kengo was a passion project and Kato was fulfilling an area of opportunity. That being said the food was still well cooked and overall was tasty. The ramen was flavorful but we could tell the noodles weren't fresh or housemade which is definitely fine as they tasted like high quality noodles but for the reputation of Kengo we expected a little more. The salmon dish also was a ton of rice with a tad of salmon The staff was overwhelmed even for this small place and it felt like a revolving door with people trying to come in and out. That being said our server was very nice and was trying to manage as best she could If you're looking for decent ramen this is an option but if you're looking for something exceptional this will disappoint read more

Kato Ramen - Salmon Ikura (half) - Ramen Near Me - Toledo, Ohio

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Not going to lie was sad they were out of the seafood ramen the day I went so I tried the vegan option instead and it was absolutely delicious! My brother had the spicy ramen and also said his was fantastic. Will have to come back again to try more off of the menu! read more

Kato Ramen - Vegan creamy cashew ramen - Ramen Near Me - Toledo, Ohio

Totally worth a detour! A fantastic atmosphere, lovely business, wonderful menu, tasty food, and loyal customers. So many folks visiting were long-term customers who knew the staff by name. I decided to get the Duck Ramen based on the Yelp reviews--it was so perfect. A HUGE duck leg, perfectly tender. I also got a side of Japanese potato salad, which I really enjoyed. One small critique: it was covered (crisscrossed to the extreme) with mayo which was overkill. read more

Kato Ramen - Duck ramen - Ramen Near Me - Toledo, Ohio

Finally came here and it did not disappoint! Came here on a chilly Saturday for lunch and it hit the spot. We sat right away! There a couple of tables or bar seating. They have draft beers, bottles, sake, seltzers, and n/a. Lots of options. There are rice bowls, apps, and ramens. We got the special ramen which was a duck ramen, shoyu/tonkatsu, and pork belly baos. Everything was amazing. Rich broth and melt in your mouth pork. The duck leg was spectacular. Crispy skin. Cannot wait to go back and try other ramens. The service was speedy and everyone was so nice: read more

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I've finally gotten to try this most daughter after ramen lunch spot in Toledo. They are the same owners of the Sushi restaurant next door, so they do not offer reservations. You simply put your name on the board at the start of every morning to ensure your seat. We got here around 1 and were lucky enough to have a seat available. We ordered the post popular ramen and the most popular curry with rice. The ramen was delicious and the curry was flavorful. These guys really know how to run a restaurant read more

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The food was delicious! The experience was great! The people were friendly! The atmosphere was cool!

Every time i go to Kato Ramen, i have a wonderful experience. Servers recognize and welcome me. The server always waits on me immediately and brings hot tea and a menu. i had the pork tonkotsu ramen, which was delicious. Always perfectly made to order and hot, which was great on such a day. I had a good conversation with a businessman from Vermont. I just love this place. I wish I didn't live 30 miles away. Reasonably priced, high quality food. One final note: they now offer made onsite chocolate chip miso cookies. So delicious! Highly recommended. The restaurant is cozy and welcoming. read more

To be frank, I'm not that into ramen. With that being said, this place is 5 star! Anything Kengo touches is magic. The interior is small and basically identical to Kengo sushi next door. Kengo sushi is also five star! Anyways, try the ramen, the potato salad, or anything. You won't be disappointed. read more

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This place is hopping on a Saturday afternoon. Bar & kitchen seating along with tables, but it can fill up fast. Check the specials board above the bar - there's always something interesting there. Four taps of beer - one is dedicated to Sapporo Reserve. Sake, beer & wine are also available. I had the day's special, shoyu duck ramen. Delicious! read more

Kato Ramen - Shoyu duck ramen - Ramen Near Me - Toledo, Ohio

In town for a conference, quick lunch and great decision with Kato! Service was prompt and helpful in menu choices. Small and intimate venue, the place was packed, always a good sign! The food was delicious, I thoroughly enjoyed the spicy miso ramen with chicken and egg. Came back the next day for lunch with a coworker! All around 5 out of 5. Thank you! read more

Kato Ramen - The quaint, beautiful venue, with the chef's kitchen right in front of the bar seating - Ramen Near Me - Toledo, Ohio

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Our waitress Taya was wonderful very attentive and made sure we were happy the entire time. Only issue was we waited around 20 minutes to get our appetizer which is not a huge deal. Our food was wonderful we would definitely come back! read more

Kato Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Toledo, Ohio

Ramen is my favorite food and this is some of the besttt ramen I've had. I love the various broth options and have tried the spicy miso and shoyu and really enjoyed both! Service is quick and efficient as the restaurant model is "slurp loud, eat fast". You sign up for a spot at the door and the lines tend to move quickly. The food is amazing, my only complaint is that the hours are so limited. I'm not ever hungry for ramen at 11am and wish they were open later into the day for after work/dinner! read more

Kato Ramen - Spicy miso ramen - Ramen Near Me - Toledo, Ohio

Man o man. I moved from Chicago to Toledo and thought my delicious ramen days were over. Then, Kato Ramen smacked some sense into me. It's always bustling because the dining room is small and their hours are light. Open from like 11-230p every day, they close at 430p on Saturdays. They have the noodle bar up by the chefs and seats around the restaurant. I go with the spicy - it's packed with flavor. You're not going to cry eating it, it's probably a 5-6/10 but you can add spice bombs, which I recommend. Can't wait to go back and try the other styles. read more

Kato Ramen - Sake - Ramen Near Me - Toledo, Ohio

The service and food was amazing. I would definitely recommend for an authentic ramen experience. The prices were a bit high though. $18 for ramen is insane read more

Food is fantastic. served in bowls of goodness. These noodles are special and the love shown in how it's prepared is epic in every way

The food is always Amazing. I've traveled to different areas to try their ramen and nothing compares to kato ramen. 10/10 every time. I get the spicy miso typically and my husband has loved the bacon ramen. Highly recommend! read more

Kato Ramen - Spicy miso with extra chicken and bacon ramen (make it spicy) - Ramen Near Me - Toledo, Ohio

The food is delicious! The pork belly is so tender and the ramen was amazing! The staff are friendly and the service is quick! It is a smaller place. I will definitely come again! read more

Kato Ramen - Tonkotsu ramen - Ramen Near Me - Toledo, Ohio

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Food is good and always comes out fast! Always getting the spicy miso with it extra spicy!! The noodles are cooked perfectly. Won't lie, I have not ventured out to any other bowl. Friends have gotten the shrimp tempura buns, potato salad, and cucumbers all look delectable with no complaints. My biggest thing is the size of this place, the check in process gives me anxiety. As of late it hasn't been as busy which has helped the check in process. Would be back. read more

Kato Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Toledo, Ohio

10/10! I wish I could have this every week. I was nervous about trying the ground chicken.. but it ended up being so delicious! Service was quick & personal. Everyone was nice & friendly. I loved it. The inside was quaint and cute. Will definitely come back again. read more

Kato Ramen - Spicy miso add egg! - Ramen Near Me - Toledo, Ohio

WOW, WHAT A COOL PLACE!!!!! My niece and her boyfriend have been telling me about this place for some time now and I finally got the chance to try it yesterday. I am so glad I did! This place is amazing! The staff appears to be genuinely glad to work here! The food is GREAT. The place is clean! From the hearty greeting from the kitchen staff when you walk in, to the patient wait staff, very willing to answer any questions one may have about the menu. I had the shoyu and it was awesome! The broth was soooooo flavorful, the noodles had a perfect "bite", the jammy egg was perfect, just a great meal! I've never really had "real" ramen. Oh, I ate plenty of those "ramen" noodles back in college (waaaay back when) and this was just a completely different thing (thank God). I really had no reference. At first I thought it was going to be similar to pho and it's not. Pho has so many different spices (star anis, clove, cinnamon, cilantro, etc), in a way, one could say it's exactly the same thing, but different! They're both served with some type of protein, noodles and broth, but the means to the end are totally different. Both soups are AMAZING and I don't think I could say which one is better. Chateau Latour or California Screaming Eagle? Porsche 911 or Audi R8? Gibson ES-345 or late 60's Les Paul (OK, this is easily debated...). Anyway, the point is, one shouldn't have to choose. Kato for Ramen and Phoxy for Pho! You won't go wrong! read more

Great food, fast delivery This is the best way to get your dinner Will do again Look forward to it read more

Absolute perfection! Noodles, broth(s), service... everything is delightful. read more

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Have been here multiple times and enjoyed my ramen. The broth is delicious and portions hearty. I've also tried their bowls: poke and beef. The fish was very fresh but I wish that bowl had a sauce or something. Spicy miso or tonkatsu ramen are my go-tos. read more

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This was the Ramen I've been craving since I left NYC! The creamy pork broth is perfect! Service was very attentive. The place is small but service is quick. If patrons don't linger long you can usually find seating. If it was better for larger groups, I'd give it 5 stars. Otherwise this is the best Ramen place in Toledo. read more

Ever since hearing about it, I've been wanting to try Kato Ramen for a couple of weeks ago. Furthermore, the 5 star rating promised that the food would be top-notch. The reviews were right. As soon as you enter, you are welcomed with "irasshaimase" and the smell of ramen broth. The decor is nice. I felt it suited the establishment just right. My party was immediately seated, and our waitress was cordial and friendly. We were ensured that what was to come was delectable. I ordered Seafood Ramen with Nori and Chili Flakes minus the mussels and scallops (see the photo attached) and it was so damn good that I was blown away. The dashi broth combined with the chewy yet fresh-tasting noodles was delicious. The shrimp was good as it paired well with the dish itself. The kimchi was a nice touch, and the Nori was a satisfactory topping for the ramen. The other members of my party ordered the vegan ramen. It was delicious, and they enjoyed it. Overall, I really enjoyed this restaurant, and I will consider returning. read more

Kato Ramen - Seafood Ramen + Nori without mussels & scallops - Ramen Near Me - Toledo, Ohio

Kengo has done it again. Ramen bowls so delicious and bursting with deep flavors. If this is the soft opening they are bound for success. Went early at 11 and lucky to get on the list. Once inside the place was packed in anti of a deliciously satisfying bowl of ramen. We ordered the Tonkotsu and the Spicy. The Tonkotsu is a creamy pork based treat while the spicy had such a buttery umami flavor. Looking forward to more. Oh and they offer carryout read more

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Jackpot, as far as I'm concerned. I second all the fellow Yelpers praising Kengo for doing it again. First off, ramen places are few and far between anywhere in the States, so it's easy to imagine how rare it might be to find a *good* ramen-ya. Every State I've lived in, every family vacation I've taken, every company trip I've gone on.. pretty much every time I drive by one, I'm tempted to stop and try. And I've done exactly that as far back as I can remember. Of course, failing most of the time. That's why it was super exciting to hear Kengo was opening up a ramen place, knowing the sort of standard Kengo puts himself on. He offers a simple, no frills menu of 4 types of ramen with a la carte toppings you can add. 1. Shoyu (soy sauce) based 2. Tonkotsu (pork broth) based 3. Miso (soybean paste) based, but spicy 4. Veggie based Wife chose her favorite shoyu, and I opted for tonkotsu with extra side of noodles. Interestingly, they offer two different types of noodles depending on which ramen you get. Shoyu came with curly noodles, which is the type I'm used to seeing, but the tonkotsu came with "straight" noodles. I put it it quotes because they were still slighty curled, but definitely different texture and taste. Either way, they were both cooked to perfection. I immediately regretted ordering the side of noodles after seeing the portion. I was definitely used to smaller portions at other places, but the portion here correlates with a slightly higher price tag. Broth for both were also great, although I want to give more props on the tonkotsu over shoyu. This comes down to personal preferences, but the shoyu broth was slighty on the salty side for me. But tonkotsu? I'm not exaggerating when I say that it was *the best* tasting pork broth I've ever had. Again, my experiences are limited to the States and Korea, but my gosh, if I don't call this one a perfection, I don't know what. Anyone whomever cooked with pork will realize how important it is to try to neutralize the boar taint out in order to prevent it from overpowering anything else you do to the dish. As much as this sounds a no-brainer, not that many cooks pay enough attention to it. Kato's shoyu broth turns out to be a bowl of creamy pork perfection. Never in a million years I would have thought I'd find a near-perfect ramen-ya in Toledo, OH. I feel very lucky to have done so, and my fellow Yelpers who live in the area should not only take my word for it, but should get out there and try what I consider to be as much of an authentic bowl of ramen. Nothing but love to Kengo for making this happen. read more

OH.MY.GOODNESS!!!! I finally made it out to Kato Ramen!!!! This place was a complete experience!!!!!! Absolutely everything here was incredible! The fun and vibrant atmosphere, the friendly and incredible service, and of course the food!!!!! Today I had the vegan ramen with a spice bomb, and a seaweed salad. Get here early!!!! There was a line out front waiting for them to open, and it was full within minutes of opening. There was even a group standing outside waiting to get in when I left! #supportlocal #buylocal #slurploudeatfast read more

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This place was incredible. Great service and amazing food. The ambiance was super quaint and legit

Small place, limited seating. Delicious food, ample servings, friendly staff. Definitely recommend

Oh man. OH MAN. I hate how good this food was. Because now I'm gonna be sitting here thinking of every reason possible to find my way back downtown for ramen. First let's talk location. Of all the downtown spots, I do prefer St. Clair. It's got easy street parking. Inside it's busy. Not a ton of seating, you grab what you can, all over the place. My anxiety was SCREAMING. But the staff was so damn welcoming and kind, they must have seen the panic on my face, they found me two seats and instantly, I was calm. The experience changed from panic to fun that quickly. The menu is limited. It seems to be several broth bases, with customized additions, changing often. We started with the Japanese potato salad (absolutely delicious. Not sweet, like a mustard based salad, but savory and perfect.) and the pickled spicy cucumbers (also very tasty, but I preferred the potato salad). The Tonkotsu is a pork based broth, and let me tell you, I saw God. Garlic chips, pork belly, chili string, perfect noodles and I added a soy-soaked egg. I will get this EVERY TIME. My son opted for the Shoyu, a chick broth, and it was so, so good. If you're looking for an entry level ramen for someone who's used to what they make at home, this is a great first step! I want to say I'll be back to try everything, but that's a lie, I'll back back for the Tonkotsu. Again and again. read more

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Heard a lot about this place, finally stopped in and it lived up to the hype! I've never been to a ramen restaurant and it was my first time trying ramen outside of a college dorm (much better). Was blown away by the ramen bowl, and their kimchi was great too. Service was quick for how busy they were and our waitress explained the menu well. It's louder in here since it's compact and there's music playing, which creates a unique experience. FYI they don't take reservations, and with the limited hours they're open it will usually be packed and a little bit of wait. Well worth it, will be back! read more

Kato Ramen - Shobu bowl - Ramen Near Me - Toledo, Ohio

Great ramen spot with options for vegetarians! Love the ambience and location is ideal right downtown with plenty of street parking. The only downside is the hours, wish they were open longer during the day! read more

5 stars all around. Amazing ramen, staff is super friendly and inviting. Who doesn't want a chorus of greetings upon arrival and goodbyes on departure? read more

Outstanding food, service, and atmosphere. Very enjoyable experience! Highly recommend getting an egg and the spice bomb - I had the Tonkatsu ramen and it was phenomenal. read more

Kato Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Toledo, Ohio

This place is tucked away next to the sushi restaurant of the same owner. You add yourself to the list by writing your name on the window right outside the door. I managed to skip that process by opting for the small bar. It's the perfect size to eat your ramen and head out all in 40 minutes or less. I ordered the Spicy Miso with a spice bomb and soy egg--the ooey gooey yolk mixes perfectly! These add ins were extra but delicious. Service was unwavering. They get you in and out and will offer to box up your leftovers. The entire staff even shouts 'BYE Thank You!' when you open the door to leave. You might not think Toledo when you hear ramen but you should. I'll be coming here every time I come back! read more

Kato Ramen - Spicy Miso + soy egg+ spice bomb on side - Ramen Near Me - Toledo, Ohio

The flavors, the people, the vibe... Everything about this place is fantastic. Kato Ramen is a quintessential Toledo staple. read more

Kato Ramen - Vegan ramen - Ramen Near Me - Toledo, Ohio

A unique experience. Great food. Fun atmosphere. Today i had seafood ramen. Very tasty. read more

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Very cool ramen place located in downtown Toledo. The windows all have blinds in them so you can't see in, but as you walk through the double doors it invites you into a ramen bar setting. As you enter the restaurant everyone in the kitchen greets you. Plenty of seating available and I enjoyed sitting right in front of where they make the ramen bowls. Very quick service and great staff. Definitely would come back next time I am in Toledo area. read more

Kato Ramen - Spicy cucumber - Ramen Near Me - Toledo, Ohio

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Finally made it to Kato. So glad I did. First seated at the bar but asked to move to a table when one was available. Bar stools not very comfortable. Music was a little loud and with the size of the place seemed louder. Service was fast and friendly. The ramen was out of this world. Had the spicy miso ramen. Can't wait to go again to try another selection. read more

Kato Ramen - Spicy miso with egg and wood ear mushroom added. - Ramen Near Me - Toledo, Ohio