cute lil ramen spot. the spicy tonkotsu was really good. the broth was flavorful and i feel like it…read morewas a great portion size.

Maru Ramen is a Japanese ramen restaurant focused on hearty bowls of noodles, flavorful broths, and…read moreclassic comfort dishes. We walked into a relaxed and casual space that makes it a good spot for a warm meal, especially when we were looking for something filling. The interior feels calm and comfortable, with a laid-back atmosphere that encourages settling in and taking your time with the meal rather than rushing through it. The lighting is soft, and the seating is spread out enough that the room never feels cramped. The ramen is the main highlight, with the broths being the biggest part of the experience. We tried a few different options and found the tonkotsu had a rich and aromatic flavor, with a creamy texture that gave the bowls a satisfying depth. The Spicy Tonkotsu added some heat while keeping the broth flavorful, and the Black Tonkotsu brought a deeper roasted flavor profile that stood out from the more standard options. The portions are generous, and the bowls feel like a complete meal rather than just a quick noodle dish. The noodles themselves had a good chew, and the toppings, including the chashu and soft-boiled egg, were well prepared and added to the overall composition of each bowl. The appetizers are also worth trying, especially the pork buns, which are a popular choice and pair well with the ramen. We ordered the takoyaki and chicken karaage, both of which added some variety to the meal and made the restaurant a good option for sharing. The karaage was crispy and well seasoned, and the takoyaki had a soft interior with a nice exterior texture. The menu has enough options beyond ramen, including katsu dishes and other Japanese favorites, so there are choices for different cravings. Service was one of the stronger parts of the experience. The staff was attentive and helpful, and the food came out hot and prepared quickly. The pacing of the meal was comfortable, and the team checked in at the right moments without hovering. It can get busy during peak hours, but the overall experience still feels organized and the turnover moves efficiently. Maru Ramen is a solid ramen spot for anyone looking for flavorful broth, generous portions, and a comfortable dining experience. The combination of quality ramen, good service, and a relaxed atmosphere makes it a place worth returning to when you are craving a satisfying bowl of noodles. It delivers exactly what you hope for from a neighborhood ramen shop: a warm, well-made meal that feels both comforting and complete.

A coworker and I came here for lunch and we both ordered the Reaper Ramen. This is easily our…read morefavorite ramen spot so far. Other places tend to serve thin slices of pork belly, but Oni Ramen gives you nice, chunky cuts that really stand out. My coworker even added extra pork belly. We both ordered it at the hot level and it was awesome--definitely did not disappoint once again. The young lady who served us was friendly, attentive, and great to deal with. We love this place and will definitely be back.

Didn't really enjoy my experience at Oni in Richardson, unfortunately…read more There is a kiosk to order your food and they bring it out to you once it's ready. There were only like 2-4 other people dining at the restaurant at the time we visited, so it wasn't more than a 5-10 minute wait. When my ramen came, I noticed dried up food on the outside of my bowl, and the ramen (Oni Reaper) was not my favorite. The broth almost tasted cheesy. I also tried the broth of the rich tonkotsu (not pictured) and it lacked flavor. I'll probably give the deep Ellum location a try... eventually.

First time trying Shabu Shabu and we are sold! Not only was the food fire but the service was A1…read more (Shout out to Brenda who did a live demo and walked us through step by step!). We ended up choosing the following: -Shrimp Tempura (3/5): standard tempura but a little heavier than I'm use to. -Fries (5/5): seasoned well and crispy! -Soup Base: Sukiyaki (sweet & sour) and Tonkatsu (creamy pork broth). Our fav was the Sukiyaki. -Meats: A5 Wagyu, Wagyu Toro, Pork Belly, green mussels and Salmon Rose. Fav- Wagyu Toro. -Noodles: Ramen (thin) A casual vibe to the Resturant but still nice. Went during a slower time so it was perfect. Will definitely return!

I've been coming here on and off for 10 years. It's delicious. Very friendly staff and great…read morequality food :)

Finally got to try Mr Max after living here for almost 6 years. I was never able to get into the…read moreIrving location as it was just too busy. The stars were aligned correctly and I was able to come to the Richardson location right when it opened. As someone that's a huge fan of Izakaya's - Mr Max did leave a little bit to be desired. Food quality was great, don't get me wrong - however I feel like for the cost, the portions are a little bit on the small side. The menu is also a little limited - this location has been open a while already so I assume they aren't going to expand the menu beyond whatever is already on there. I guess I've just been spoiled with other Izakaya's having pages upon pages of things to choose from. The dining area is quite nice, though I heard the og Irving location has tatami style seating - which this one does not. Not a deal breaker for me. Staff was nice and restaurant was clean, just wish their portion sizes were at least a little more "Texas" sized for the price. Other diners I went with said the noodles are better at the Irving location but I can't speak to that as I've never been there. All in all still a nice dining experience.

Love the new location of Mr Max - since they opened last year we've been at least 5 times and IMO…read morethe quality is as good as the original location in Irving (which also happens to be our favorite Japanese spot in the metroplex). The ambience is definitely less classic izakaya style (no taking your shoes off or sitting at the bar watching the chefs work in the kitchen), but all of our favorite dishes that we've tried at the Richardson location have been spot on. We like to do shareable small plates style, even for the "bigger" entrees like ramen and the house curry, and we're always stuffed at the end of our meal. Service is pretty good and personally I love that this location is much closer to where we live and usually also much less busy than the OG location; better for us to walk in whenever we want :) Can't wait to return soon!

We ordered food for to go. Packaging was nice…read more Godzilla roll was delish , even the next day it was still crispy. It was rolled then deep fried. The food was really fresh, you could tell the cooks passion from the food taste. Unagi don - eel over rice. It was good, then again I don't know how anyone can botch this dish. It was tender, good quantity of eel, they didn't skimp on the eel. Miso soup was ok , not watered down. Some places actually water down their soup, not this restaurant. Please come and support this local business

My friend and I went in during a weekday lunch. There were only a couple other guests aside from…read moreus, but service was still slow. That being said, the sushi was pretty decent! There is a generous amount of fish and less rice, which is what I prefer. The cuts of fish are also generously sized for the nigiris. The seafood was pretty fresh and good for the price. Overall, not my favorite sushi I've ever had, but I still enjoyed my meal.

We visited on a Monday evening with a party of 6. We called ahead and were told a table would be…read moreready, but when we arrived, the server still had to push tables together for us. The restaurant wasn't busy at the time, so it was no big deal, but worth noting. The service was actually the highlight of the night, and earned this review one additional star simply because of the effort involved. Else it would be a 3 star review. There was only one server running the entire front of house while the restaurant got progressively busier, and only two chefs in the kitchen. Despite being swamped, the server worked her tail off. She didn't mess up a single order for our large group and kept things moving. I greatly appreciated her hard work. Appetizers (5/5): The wait for food was noticeable due to the staffing, but the appetizers were worth it. We ordered the Edamame, Yatai Gyoza, Agedashi Tofu, and Takoyaki, and all of them were delicious. Entrees (3/5): Unfortunately, the main courses were a bit basic compared to the starters. The Tonkotsu Ramen was strictly average; I've definitely had better broth and noodles elsewhere. If you are looking for the top-tier quality izakaya, Mr. Max Izakaya in Irving is hands down better option. However, you have to wait an hour for a table there.

Yatai is part of a large plaza filled with other restaurants, hot pots, grocers, and a Tai Kwondo…read moredojo. We had scouted it out online, looking for a ramen place near where we were staying in Plano. Unassuming on the front, the inside is an amazing atmosphere with a vibe straight from a Shinjuku street stall. The wait staff was polite, and very nice. The chef was working away inside the replica street stall. The food arrived quickly, and was delicious! So much flavor! Everything new was somehow even better than the dish we tried before it. So good, so tasty! If we come back for another visit, Yatai is now on our list of restaurants to eat at again!

We finally got to check out Loro for family dinner and absolutely loved it! This restaurant is the…read moreperfect mix of Asian and smokehouse flavors! As soon as we sat down we ordered a round of drinks (my lychee martini was DELICOUS) and a Chicken Karaage. Unfortunately, we quickly noticed that there was a hair in the chicken. We let our waitress know and they were quick to replace the dish for us, no questions asked! The flavor of the karaage was delicious so definitely glad they were quick to fix this issue. One of the people dining with us has a serious fish allergy and the restaurant staff was super accommodating and found something that he could have off the menu. They went so far as to remove the glaze from the brisket since it included fish sauce. Overall the food and the drinks were delicious and the staff was great! We will definitely be back to try more of the menu and enjoy their outside dining area when the weather is nice!

Maybe I came on the wrong day, or maybe the grease needed to be changed, but overall the experience…read morewas disappointing. I ordered the Thai wings, and when they arrived, I immediately noticed an unpleasant smell. I took one bite and sent them back. They had no real flavor, and the smell made them hard to eat. I then got the crispy chicken sandwich. It was somewhat salty, but it also tasted like it had been fried in old grease, which left a bad taste in my mouth. My wife ordered the fried ribs. After asking for some sauce to go with them, they actually ended up being the best thing we ordered. Even so, the lingering aftertaste still reminded us of old grease. The drinks were decent, but overall this is not a place I would come back to or try again.

Spacious & airy interior; back area can host big parties & patio seating available…read more Appetizers - summer salmon salad (good tongue twister) & karaage with choices of dipping sauce & either kale or taro chips with parmesan. The karaage really didn't need any sauce, tasted fine by itself. The taro chips were quite addictive, good for scooping the salad. Miso ramen broth was not too creamy; pork belly was a little bit on the leaner side. Abura ramen (brothless) is a nice option during hot weather - ginger garlic sauce gave the noodles good flavor since it's broth-less & the noodles weren't drenched; the tonkatsu had a nice crisp. Other sauce & protein options available as well. Will try other menu items next time!

Visited Ramen Belly a while back during their soft opening and the overall experience was decent --…read morefood was good for the most part, and the staff were attentive throughout. Upon entering the restaurant, we were led to a kiosk to place our order before sitting down at a table. We ordered the potstickers, abura ramen (brothless), and ramen in a blanket (ramen sandwiched between two tonkatsus), plus they gave us an order of the short ribs on the house! To start, the potstickers were very good and I liked that the filling was braised pork as opposed to the traditional ground pork, but the short ribs were on the tougher side. Moving onto the ramens, I really enjoyed my abura ramen; the flavors were great and the house pickles were a refreshing touch! However, while the ramen in a blanket is a unique take, we wish there was some sort of dipping sauce on the side because the tonkatsus were a bit bland otherwise.