Cheryl C.

I've eaten here pre-covid and now. Not so much has changed in terms of seating. There is plexiglass between some sections that cannot be distanced. Sanitizer is available upon entry, masking is required until seated (obviously). Vaccine passports are also checked before seating. We had made reservations 2h in advance for a table of 4 adults and 2 children, but still had to wait about 20 min upon arrival due to larger groups not leaving in a timely fashion. Menu is pretty much the same and can be viewed with QR code. I am excited that they have takeout/ meal kit at home options now too. The menu is quite extensive in my opinion and portions are still generous. My 2 kids could share a bowl of ramen and be satisfied with it, but there is a kids menu as well. Kids were automatically given plastic dishes and cups with spoon & forks. Overall, presentation was lovely for the dishes. Everyone liked what they ate and were able to eat all their ramen. The sushi roll was a little too much food for myself and for my in-law, so we ended packing up half a roll each.

Hector I.

Sushi and ramen restaurant. Located in the strip mall on Calgary trail. This restaurant is perfect for first time sushi people. I somewhat know about Sushi so for me this place is a bit lack luster. We ordered tempura, and veggie sushi rolls overall the food is decent but nothing extraordinary. The prices seemed decent and the service was prompt and courteous. Recommend if you wanna try Japanese food for the first time.

Erika G.

Over the past decade ramen has exploded in Edmonton (and everywhere else) and there is one restaurant that spearheaded the movement when it comes to this city: Nomiya. Opening their original location in 2011 (there are now three), I am fairly certain that they were among the first to bring ramen to Edmonton. In fact, I'm pretty sure this is the first place where I ever tried real ramen myself. Since then many other ramen restaurants have opened their doors but we certainly have Nomiya to thank for trailblazing the way. Edmonton Journal named them Best Ramen Restaurant 2021 and I was very much looking forward to paying them a visit once again. You'll find the OG location in the Calgary Trail South area, basically a long, multi-block strip of shopping plazas sandwiched between Calgary Trail and Gateway Boulevard. It's a very popular stretch that contains plenty of shopping and a small handful of "actually good" restaurants, Nomiya being one of them. Back when I first visited the restaurant was much smaller, but since then they have taken over the unit next door, doubling the restaurant's size. The decor is still beautifully authentic, using red and black as classic accents. I loved the striking use of torii (Japanese gates) throughout the space. The original side of the restaurant feels more finished and more decorated, whereas the addition side seems to have less of an identity and is more or less just tables in a room. It's cohesive enough though. I like that there's also an option to be seated at the sushi bar for a more one-on-one experience with the sushi chef. I'd love to try that! I had made a reservation in advance because it never hurts to have one. The various servers who helped us were all very friendly and happy to answer any of our questions. Nomiya specializes in ramen, tapas, and sushi, so it's a bit of a choose-your-own-adventure type of experience. You could go the ramen route and dine on huge bowls of soup. Or you could go the sushi route and sample a variety of different items. And that's just the tip of the iceberg. However, I would venture to say that Nomiya is a ramen restaurant, first and foremost. The drink menu usually includes several fun special cocktails but I was in the mood to keep things simple and went for a Ramune (Japanese style marble pop - $5.50), a very classic non-alcoholic beverage choice. Four different flavours are offered and I chose the lychee one this time. If you've ever tried one of these before you know that it's a whole activity. The drink comes with a plastic plunger that you use to jam a marble (yes, a marble) down into the neck of the bottle, thus opening the top for consumption. I'm not sure if this is the most efficient way for a bottled beverage to work but it sure is the most fun. The marble rattles around while you drink and you spend most of the time plotting how you'll get it out of there. I liked the flavour a lot. It tasted like carbonated lychee and was very enjoyable. There are many appetizers to choose from and I found one of my favourites, right from the streets of Osaka: Takoyaki (Battered octopus fried to perfection. Topped with bonito flakes, okonomiyaki sauce, Japanese QP mayo, and shredded nori - $6.95)! All of the food arrived very quickly and these were no exception. The dish included four takoyaki balls, complete with dancing bonito on top. I noted the use of okonomiyaki sauce, however there is no actual okonomiyaki on the menu! They should do those! (It's a savoury pancake that originates from Osaka.) Usually cooked in a special molded pan, I wouldn't be surprised if Nomiya has one for the preparation of their takoyaki. The perfect little spheres were golden with a nice soft bite to them, just like the ones that I had in Japan. Within the batter are bits of chopped octopus, which were nicely tender. These things are fun to eat and the toppings complete the whole flavour experience. On this visit, my intent was to lean mainly to the ramen side, since I do believe that this is where Nomiya shines. There are nine different types to choose from, all using different flavour profiles and preparations. Each one uses a base of tonkotsu broth made over many hours from a special recipe. I was delighted to find my personal favourite style on the menu; Shio Ramen (A favourite among many Japanese locals! The tonkotsu based soup is seasoned with homemade shio (sea salt) flavour - giving this ramen a well balanced flavour of pork and a light creamy broth. Topped with 1/2 ramen egg - $13.75). This type of ramen has solidified itself as my ramen of choice and not all places offer it. I was very happy to see that Nomiya is serving it and I couldn't wait to give their version a try! At first glace, I was pleased. This shio ramen looked the part. It mainly comes down to the milky broth, slices of chashu (Japanese braised pork belly) and my personal favourite, the ajitama (the marinated egg). Armed with my chopsticks and ladle-like spoon, I was ready to

Kihm S.

This is only my second time at this restaurant and I had to come back for the dragon roll. First of all, not only was it creamy and delicious, they flame it up on your table. Hands down, my favourite thing to order from this place. I also got the katsu curry. I was afraid it would be way too spicy for me but it was quite mild. It was the perfect amount of spice and the katsu was tender and crispy. I do wish it came with more vegetables as it only had one piece of carrot and potato. It comes with miso or salad. I chose that miso and it tasted like your regular miso soup. Overall, I would highly recommend this place. Fast and friendly service. I will be back to try other items on the menu.

C W.

I have had the Tonkotsu Ramen at their downtown branch (pretty good!) but came into the Calgary Trail location with some Tantanmen in mind, on the way to the airport. The building is uninspiring from the outside, but forget about that... Calgary Trail is one big ugly strip mall, with lots of good food hiding in drab buildings. Within 30 seconds of entering, I am already happy; I hear Japanese being spoken in the kitchen. That's good. I am a sucker for a little rice with my soup, so I order the Kani Ikura mini Domburi. And it's good. Real crab, a dozen little salmon eggs, some wasabi and nori strips. And the a surprise: a nice little layer of Tenkasu(tempura flakes) between the rice and the crab. Nice! House made it seems... not from a box. Soup? Good. Peanutty with lots of ground pork. Lightish broth, so I added a little Chili. Better, but that's up to you. Noodles have a nice bite. Turns out they make them in house. My server shows me their machine. Full on Japanese They are good so I buy a couple servings to take home, uncooked. I'll serve them to my kids in my own broth, lurking in the freezer for just such an occasion. I'll be Dad of the Year, for a day at least...

Janis M.

Great sushi - this is NOT fast food! Lots to recommend- fresh handmade noodles, great sushi selection including rolls. Sushi platter delux is excellent. See photo for piece of toro - thick and delicious. Presentation is excellent. Eggplant dish is sublime. Also had tempura yams with crispy light batter. Dragon roll is flamed at your table- wowee!

Emily T.

OK, so the first time I visited here I tried the bento box lunch and it was okay but nothing amazing. Several months later however several people told me to try the ramen, and OH MY, this is now a 5 star rating but ONLY for the ramen. I tried the Tan Tan Ramen and it was definitely the best ramen I can recall ever eating. Usually I eat the noodles but end up leaving some or most of the broth ... nope, I was spooning up every last drop of that delicious broth right to the bottom of the bowl. So, here is my updated review - do check this place out, but ignore everything other than the ramen!

Phebe T.

Are there any Japanese sushi fanatic out there? One of the best sushi house in Edmonton can be found on Calgary Trail. It is the Nomiya Restaurant. This quaint little restaurant is nicely tucked between Yogurty's and Wild Wing. Parking is widely available but their restaurant has limited seating. If you have not been to it, it's high time you tasted some quality stuff. This isn't your daily Eat-All-You-Can restaurant because literally everything on this restaurant's menu speaks volume and taste. It has a mid-range pricing. Not too pricey that it hurts your wallet/purse. So, before you take a peek at their menu, please do yourself a favour. Wear a bib! You know you'll be drooling in no time with their many many impeccable offerings. They offer quite a good variety of items such as ramen, donburi, appetisers, noodles, sashimi, sushi, salads, bento box and some pretty dessert to finish off the palate. The last time I was there, I had the Century Egg Maki for $15.50 which contains hamachi, salmon belly, and avocado with century egg sauce, tobiko, and green onion. Every bite was heavenly. What can I say? I even dream of it in my sleep and needless to say - that sweet tasty dream made me drool all night long. YUM! YUM! YUM! I also had the pleasure of trying the TAN TAN - Ramen flavoured with homemade peanut paste and spicy sesame, ground pork, peanuts, green onions, and nori. The ramen are served in a huge massive bowls. Enough to fill you up to the brim. For only $12? That is plenty of bang for the buck. To finish off the palate, I joyfully picked the black sesame Mochi ice cream. This is actually made of pounded sticky rice with an ice cream filling that YOU do not ever want to miss. The texture just went perfectly well. They do have other flavours such as chocolate but I highly recommend going for the black sesame ice cream - only because the flavour works. The inner décor of this restaurant is clean and simple. Sticking true to the Japanese style with a nice little bar area facing the sushi prep area. I find this to be quite entertaining actually especially when for the super independent diners or a group of diners. There is always a comfortable cosy spot for diners from different walks of life. Nomiya Restaurant has definitely won a place in my top places for sushi in Edmonton. I give it a blazing 5 star for being so consistent with their service and the quality of the food. Needless to say, I will be back for more. What else are you waiting for? Now, go hungry and fill that belly up with some goodness of Nomiya. Your body and soul will be very pleased.

Liz Y.

Ever since I moved I've missed eating ramen so I was so excited when I heard a new one was opening and booked a date to go. Since I read they do not take reservations and because I had a group of 7, we went at 5pm (they open at 4:30). Most of us decided on ramen and the food arrived 7 minutes after we ordered. I definitely enjoyed their broth as it was flavourful. I had the spicy miso which in my opinion could have been a little more spicy because I love spice but still very good. I heard the tan tan ramen was missing something but shoyu(soy sauce ramen) was delicious. We got refills on our tea often and I enjoyed our service. Also there is a 2.50 charge for a green tea pot but unendless refills of hot water from what I saw. By the time we left, all the seats were taken but no line up yet. If it was closer, I would go more often!

Jonny M.

Since when does Nomiya have two locations? I've only ever passed/been in the one on Calgary Trail but their second spot is somewhere in Ellerslie. Who woulda thunk? If anyone reads this blog, then you know I love ramen. I should also probably divulge that I'm not the biggest Nomiya fan - that's what bad experiences will do to you, leaves a sour taste in your mouth. The ramen I had was weak, flavourless and just was not good. Well, we were stuck South side and given that it was a Monday, options were limited. I was in the mood for something soupy so we decided to give Nomiya another shot. Hey, at least I give places second chances right? I was here for one thing and one thing only. Ramen. They have several options on the menu but I decided to play it safe and ordered their tonkatsu. I wanted to try their cold ramen but it's only available June 1 - September 30. - Tonkatsu ramen ($12.50) - four slices of chashu, nori, corn, green onion, bamboo shoots and noodles. The chashu was thin but tasty with a bit of fat on each slice. The texture of the noodles wasn't bad but not as good as the ones I've had in Calgary. Same with the broth - it was okay but nothing to shout from the rooftops about. I didn't hate it, so that in itself was a win. - Salmon sashimi ($12.50) - I'm not 100% sure how much it cost for 5 pieces of salmon (heck, it's not even an option on the menu) but my friend wanted solely salmon sashimi and precisely 5 pieces. I think it worked out to around $2.50/piece. I really wasn't paying attention, oops. I ate a slice and the salmon was decently sized, neither big nor small, but tasted fresh enough for Edmonton standards. - Fire cracker maki ($13.95) - Tempura unagi, seaweed salad, salmon, green onion, spicy sauce, and tempura crumbs. My friend ordered this and pretty much ate it all to herself. I tried one maki and for me, it was very meh. The spicy sauce was tasteless and mundane. Reminded me of Frank's hot sauce. Not a fan. I still have no idea why Edmonton doesn't have any dedicated ramen only shops. Yuzen only has ramen Saturday's at lunch while Ninja Club, like Nomiya, does both sushi and ramen. For heaven's sake, someone take notes from Calgary and do it right. If you're desperate for ramen, Nomiya is very, very mediocre. Do yourself a favour and skip out on the sushi options.

Esther K.

Ambiance/Atmosphere: 10/10 My first experience walking into the restaurant was positive. The restaurant looks fairly new and the décor is modern, charming and appropriately decorated with a Japanese theme. I love the Japanese style wood frames used throughout the restaurant as room and booth dividers. The cherry blossom tiles in the bathroom were also a nice touch. The restaurant itself is intimate and cozy and offers comfortable, family-style dining. Food (quality, portions, presentation): 9/10 I came into the restaurant knowing nothing about it except that it said it had ramen on the sign outside. I instantly was subconsciously comparing it to another Japanese noodle house in Calgary that is quite popular. I was definitely excited to try the ramen to see if it was up to par with what I had in mind. The main focus of the restaurant is that it is a ramen restaurant but they also have sushi and other Japanese dishes. The menu boasts 7 ramen dishes - tan tan, spicy miso, tsuke-men, vegetarian, miso, shoyu, shio, with prices ranging from $8.95 to $11.00. They all looked delicious but in the end, I settled on the tan tan. I chose it because 1) it was cold and rainy that morning in Edmonton and I wanted something thick and hearty to warm me up and 2) the description of the dish was similar to another ramen dish that I always eat at another Japanese noodle house in Calgary. My friend ordered the shio ramen. We also ordered the lobster roll (at the server's suggestion) as well as assorted tempura and some assorted pieces of sushi. This was a lot of food for two people but we wanted to indulge before we had our drive back to Calgary! Our food arrived promptly and the portion sizes were generous. We were very excited to try the food and it certainly did not disappoint. Tan tan - Pork soup base seasoned with spicy sesame and peanuts. It had minced pork, green onions and was topped with peanuts. The broth was thick and hearty and full of flavour which I loved but I understand not everyone wants this type of thick broth in ramen. My friend tried my ramen dish but liked her shio ramen better. The noodles were perfectly cooked (I hate mushy noodles) and I thoroughly enjoyed my tan tan ramen. It was also quite comparable to a similar ramen dish that I enjoy back in Calgary. Shio - The ramen came with bean sprouts, green onions, nori, egg, and slices of pork. Of course, I had to sample my friend's shio ramen. From the other reviews I read, I think shio means salt in Japanese. Ironically, the ramen was not salty; it was light and clear and savoury. I also enjoyed this dish but would prefer to save it for a hot sunny summer day because of the lightness of the broth and noodles in the shio ramen. The lobster roll arrived as we were in the midst of devouring our ramen. We ignored the roll for several minutes as we continued to enjoy our noodles, at which point, the server came up to us and suggested we try the roll while it was still hot. ZOMG, I cannot even begin to describe how unbelievably good this roll is. But first, I need to explain. We ordered the lobster roll at the server's suggestion. It was listed as a lunch special on the board at the front of the restaurant and it wasn't on the menu so we honestly had no clue what was in it when we ordered it. Secondly, because he asked us to try the roll before it got cold, I stuffed the first roll into my mouth without taking a second glance at what was in it. Upon the first bite, my taste buds were treated to the most flavorful mixture of tastes - all the ingredients were fresh and delicious, the fish on the outside was seared perfectly and melted in my mouth and the sauce on top blended everything together in harmony. Good thing I took pictures of everything! The lobster roll had avocado and unagi on the inside, topped with seared salmon and a special Japanese mayo sauce and roe. After the first bite, we quickly polished off the rest of the roll. We also told the server that this roll should be added to the permanent menu. He agreed. The assorted tempura and pieces of sushi came shortly thereafter. These dishes also did not disappoint and were cooked well but they were nothing special compared to other Japanese restaurants. We finished our meal feeling (extremely!) full and satisfied. Pricing: 9/10 The pricing is comparable to most Japanese restaurants in Calgary. I don't know why other people were complaining about the ramen prices in their reviews. The ramen prices range from $8.95 to $11.00, which I think is great value for your money, considering that you pay almost $10 (or more!) for pho at some Vietnamese restaurants in Calgary. Overall: 9/10 Highly recommended and I would definitely come back to this restaurant the next time I am up in Edmonton. I can't wait to eat the lobster roll again and try out some of the other ramen dishes.

Tiffany T.

This review is based off of the ramen. My boyfriend and his parents came here for sushi and ramen. His mother ordered sushi and the rest of us ordered ramen. (I ordered the tonkotsu and my bf and his father ordered black garlic.) The sushi came out first and about 15 minutes later the ramen came out. Presentation was nice, I was excited to taste it. And honestly, mine had no flavor. The egg and the chasu was probably the only flavorful items. I was pretty upset with the texture of the noodles and the flavor of the broth so I switched bowls with my boyfriend and tried the black garlic. It tastes the same as mine, just with a burnt garlic flavor. Not impressed at all. I'll be back for the sushi though, that was actually pretty good. Well, for the few pieces I tried; Saba mackerel sashimi, ninja roll, and dragon roll.

Priya K.

I like this place because it's one of the few ramen spots in Edmonton. I've been here many times and tried several kinds of ramen. My favorite is the spicy ramen except I prefer to have no toppings in it. I like plain and simple ramen with pork and an egg. The ramen wasn't oily or heavy, just really flavorful and spicy. I also ordered the rolls, which aren't bad at all. Couple of reasons why it gets a lower rating: the ramen made with peanut sauce is not good at all. It tasted like peanut butter and the broth was super thick! I also wish you could order an extra order of noodles to add into the broth when you're done the first round of noodles. I like my ramen! :)