This is my favorite ramen restaurant now. I mean, Slurping Turtle is a close second, but Tensuke Express is typically on my mind when I'm getting hungry on the weekends. The Kenny Center plaza is full of great Asian eateries and markets (don't get me started on my love for Belle's Bread), and today, Saturday at noon, the plaza was mobbed with people. Stepping into Tensuke Express, which might have changed names to Tensuke Ramen now, you image this is what it would be like to walk into a fast casual restaurant in Tokyo. I have eaten there at least a dozen times in the last six months, and I've yet to order something I don't like. Today was the Shoyu ramen (chicken broth with soy sauce) with spicy pork kimchi. The heat was no joke, but not overly spicy. My typical go to is the Miso ramen with cut chicken breast, which you'll dream about at night. Order anything. You won't go wrong. Walking around the Japanese market next door or popping in Belle's Bread close by makes this place more than just a place to eat. It's a fun outing. read more

i love tensuke LOL clearly precovid (2016-2019 indoor review and pics) uhhhh i forgotten how many times i've eaten here. it's probably the most affordable and staple of japanese food in cbus. i love a lot of stuff on their menu and i think that if ya wanna get japanese food that isn't ramen like donburi (rice bowls), udon/soba, etc etc-- tensuke is always delivers and is so solid. i know that their lines and waits are usually longer which i don't mind at all and the free water and plentiful dining space are always so great. i really like their beef rice bowl, tonkatsu, soba/udon, spicy pork bowl, kakiage the topping. i love this place and i cant wait to stop by when i'm back in columbus read more

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Tensuke Express is a nice expansion of the former version of itself. Wanting some good Japanese comfort food, I visited here twice in the past four months during my business trips to C-Bus. I had had the ramen here and it's pretty decent. I had paired it with a small curry rice bowl. Yum! I've also had the pork cutlet with beef curry. It is served over rice and comes with a miso soup. If you're hungry, this is the dish to get! Soooo good!! read more

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A favorite place to stop for a quick meal in Columbus and also to pick up bread at Belle's. It's quality fast food - everything is self service and they give you buzzer after you order. During busy times, it may be hard to find a seat. But if you are shopping at the center and need a quick meal (forget about those nasty food courts at the mall), then Tensuke Express is the place to checkout. Food is not bad - it's fresh and clean. read more

Tensuke Express - Noodles Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

I'm just a girl sitting here in front of a veggie ramen bowl, asking for staff to give me more. (Notting Hill remake, here in Columbus, Ohio - starring me and this ramen) The noodle was perfect. I loved it. It was so satisfying. The flavor was just right, delectable, not too salty or whatnot. I ordered the Veggie Ramen with Chicken Cutlet topping. It had soft boiled egg that just comes along with it, and other sorts of bonuses. We also had a takoyaki, and Soba with Kakeage. It was both really good. We came here during an inclement weather, -9 degree snowy temperature outdoors. Imagine the sort of refuge this chic, cozy place gave us as we walked in with the yummy, scrumptious aroma... as well as the warm soups, tea, and and lovely Asian vibe and faces in the middle of Columbus. read more

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Tensuke Express is a solid Japanese restaurant that has been met with success at Columbus. At apparent by all three rooms of tables being packed to the brim. I had the udon. It was average. The restaurant advertises that they don't use msg, but the majority of dashi brands have msg inside them. The offerings at the market for msg-free dashi was slim, so maybe they meant that they don't put extra msg other than the amount of msg the dashi broth contains. But the restaurant is convenient, and they have a variety of options such as udon, curry, kaarage, etc. The parking is convenient, and the Japanese population is actually sizable compared to other states other than California. Lunch rush is super busy. You may have a hard time finding a table. But the food comes fast, and the tables end up being cleared fast since everyone has to clean their own table. I also appreciate all the mixed recycling options they offer at the disposal area. read more

Tensuke Express - Udon! - Noodles Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

It's like a supermarket sorta restaurant. Go to the counter, order, grab a seat and wait for the buzzer to go off. J-pop stuff is playing, if you're an anime fan, you may have some fun guessing where the music came from. There's also takeout and to-go materials in the front, along with tea. All self serve! Takoyaki, excellent!! Most places are just flour with squid flavoring, but this ? Actual octopus pieces/chunks inside! Chicken Karage, nice, crispy, lightly fried. The inside is soft and moist, not cooked to death like many other chicken karages out there. Plain and simple, yet very delicious. Tonkatsu Ramen, pretty good. As close as you can get to a true, authentic, japanese tonkatsu Ramen. Although broth isn't home brewed from scratch, it's still really good! The grilled chicken ramen is a very solid ramen. Nice potion, a good balance of meat, veggies, and plenty of noodles. read more

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Great place for some casual Japanese food on a weekday evening. They get pretty packed on the weekends so seats can be hard to find. I love that they're right attached to the market, so you can get your errands all lined up and feed yourself on the way. I've gotten their curries a couple times - they're always super generous with the portions of curry and katsu. Definitely one of those places on a regular rotation, and great place for to-go food too! read more

Tensuke Express - Japanese Beef Curry Rice with Pork Cutlet - Noodles Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

Tensuke Express used to be one of my family's local go to restaurants, and we were surprised with the recent rebranding to Tensuke Ramen. They unfortunately have made some severe price increases and menu reductions to go with the name change. We were never big fans of the ramen here (we prefer other options in Columbus), but have always loved the chicken cutlet and curry dish. This dish, which just a couple months ago was $13.90, came with two chicken cutlet "servings," beef curry, rice, and miso soup. A good amount of food for what I considered a fair price. Now, the menu only offers a "chicken curry" dish at $13.50. The chicken refers to the few small pieces of dark chicken meat mixed in with the curry; it is tender and flavorful, but not as tasty as the beef that used to be there. If you want to try to recreate the old meal, two servings of chicken cutlet is an extra $6.50. So total price for what was under $14 earlier this year, is now $20. On top of that, no miso soup and the curry has dark chicken meat instead of beef. The current curry chicken dish will not fill most people on its own as a dinner, and will require more protein, or other sides. While the food is still good, it is too expensive. I can understand the need to slightly raise prices each year, but this is too much and too sudden of an increase that does not match up to the offering. There are also fewer menu options now, including no yaki soba. read more

Tensuke Express - Image of menu item from 2 months ago - Noodles Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

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This is a great spot for great Asian cuisine! They had great noodle dishes and a cute vibe inside! You place our order at the counter and pick it up when your pager goes off! They had great options for everyone! The ramen dish with pork was amazing! The spicy chili add to the dish was a game changer! The soba noodle dish was also fantastic! The flavor was incredible! For these two dishes and drinks, the total was $25. I think it was pretty fair considering how delicious everything was! The inside of the restaurant is so cute! Food came out fairly quick and service was friendly. I would definitely come back here for lunch or dinner, and would recommend anyone to try this place!! read more

Tensuke Express - Noodles Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

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Delicious ramen in one of my favorite shopping malls. The ramen was delicious, a little oily for my taste. The spice was perfect, the noodles cooked to the perfect level. Everything was wonderful! I am on the search for Columbus' best ramen, and this is no doubt in the top 3! read more

Tensuke Express - Tonkatsu ramen - Noodles Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

Don't come here for the ramen. It's a giant bowl of mediocrity. Get literally anything else and you will see why people line up out the door. The curry katsu is probably the best in Ohio outside of my kitchen. The curry udon is delicious and the takoyaki is wonderful. They pile you with so much good food, you may not even have room! read more

I love going to Tensuke market to pick up some quick and fresh sushi but a couple weeks ago was my first time going to Tensuke express and of course I had to try the ramen. There is a huge parking lot so parking shouldn't be an issue. When you enter, you order at the register and then they give you buzzer for whenever your food is ready so you can know when to go up and get it. The noodles were cooked perfectly and the egg was delicious. The broth was a little oily and pork was really fatty. I usually like a little fat but it was a little much for me. I have been back since and tried the ramen again but with shrimp tempura and it was great. I really want to try the beef curry so I definitely will be back to have that. If you want great ramen, you should definitely come here! read more

Tensuke Express - Create Your Own Ramen with spicy Tonkatsu broth, and pork - Noodles Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

Excellent Japanese grocery store with a great selection of grab and go sushi and other items you can pop in the microwave. Everything is always fresh and the fish counter NEVER smells! Excellent customer service and same people own this grocery store as Akai Hana so you know the sushi will be awesome! I make my own poke bowls now. You can go next door and buy pre made sushi rice. Then pick your fresh sushi, poke sauce and some fresh veggies and make it yourself. I'm here at least once a week! read more

Love Tensuke Express's ramen! Their soup is flavorful and rich. Noodles are prefect texture, not super chewy. Their staffs are always super nice while taking order. The only thing is sometimes it's hard to find seating inside. Generally, I have someone find seating while I wait in line to order. read more

Tensuke Express - Miso ramen with Chashu Pork - Noodles Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

I have heard many great things about Tensuke Express and decided to try out the beef curry with the pork cutlet and rice. The curry was cooked very well with great flavors. The pork cutlet was crispy and retained all it's flavor which was amazing. This will be my go to place when I have cravings for a great curry and cutlet. read more

Tensuke Express - Beef Curry Rice with Pork Cutlet - Noodles Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

This is a great place to come for a quick fix of Japanese food. It's located in the popular Kenny Center right next to the Tensuke Japanese grocery store. They have a good amount of space inside, and it's brightly lit and decorated with lots of brown and yellow and white colors and has a modern, clean feel. Their menu board mainly highlights their noodle bowls, but pick up a menu right by the entrance to find they actually have a lot to offer here. I tried the Zaru Soba (cold buckwheat noodles) with shrimp tempura. It was very good! The cool noodles are perfect for a hot day, and the tempura was very well-prepared as tempura should be and was very non-greasy and non-oily. The noodles were well-prepared as well and were not mushy but had just the right amount of chew. It was a bit on the pricey side for a fairly small portion (just right for lunch, though). They only sell sodas in cans and have no soda fountain which is a slight negative in my book. Keep in mind on weekdays they are not open all day but close for several hours between lunch and dinner. Overall this is a very good place to come for a quick fix of Japanese food! read more

Tensuke Express - Interior - Noodles Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

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We love all the spots in the Tensuke family! My kids love trying new foods from different places and Tensuke allows us to do this. Great selections and fair prices. We love getting sushi or noodles to go or eat in, and there's always a delicious treat for afterwards and something to take home for later. read more

I've been meaning to try this restaurant for a long time, so I'm sad to say I thought Tensuke Express was 'meh'. I didn't find the soup satisfying, it came to us lukewarm so the broth got cold fast, there wasn't a balance of toppings in the soup (like way to much lukewarm spinach), and after eating it, there was an oil slick in my mouth. That being said, I liked the diverse menu with create-your-own ramen; the restaurant itself was spacious; and A+ on the garbage sorting area. read more

Tensuke Express is one of the few establishments in Columbus I visit on a regular basis. Overall, the experience is excellent every time and I would definitely recommend people check it out if they're looking for some fast casual Japanese food. I have tried most of the items on the menu and can say that you won't be disappointed by most items. However, there are a few standouts. The curry rice with pork cutlet and the chicken karaage are incredible. The udon is also consistently delicious. Personally, I am not very impressed with their ramen broths. The noodles and toppings are good, but I've definitely had better broths elsewhere in Columbus. Despite this, the bang for your buck is undeniable. Not only are most menu items under $10, but you get a generous portion of quality food and don't have to tip since it's not a sit-down! I can honestly come here several times a month and not feel (too) guilty about my wallet. Another plus: you can grab sushi from next door and eat it here. ;) I'm not sure if I can evaluate the service, since it's mostly self-serve except for the ordering part. On a busy weekend lunch, the waits could get a bit long; up to 20 minutes to order, 25-30 minutes for food to come out. That can be a bit annoying and I think they can definitely improve on that. Oh, the place is also super cute. Excellent as a place for friends to grab a meal and hang out. Food: 4.5/5 Ambiance: 5/5 Service: 4/5 Price: 5/5 Overall: 4.5/5 (Really wish I can give half stars) read more

Tensuke Express - Beef curry rice with pork cutlet, comes with miso soup. California roll on side from next door. - Noodles Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

I have to give yet more kudos to this restaurant. They have such an easy online ordering process, I customized my ramen EXACTLY the way I love it and it was perfect. I did add the kakiage to my dish and it was absolutely delicious, very light and flavorful. I'll definitely get that again! Our order also included a rice bowl with pork cutlet and chicken karaage which is served with a lemon wedge. The orders were ready right on time and perfect as ordered. I have never had a mistake in my orders here and we have been frequenting this place for years, through all it's changes and growth. The bonus is that it is right next door to Sushi 10, so you can get hot dishes from one, and cold from the other and that makes my whole household happy. read more

Tensuke Express - Tonkatsu ramen with kakiage and boiled egg, so delicious - Noodles Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

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Tensuke is a casual but delicious ramen restaurant that is a hidden gem. I've been here a number of times, and have never left feeling anything but happy about the visit and the food I've eaten. You order and pay at the counter and wait for the pager to signal your meal ready on the counter for pickup. This place has a build your own ramen menu, which is always a little intimidating for me to try. I've ordered a seafood ramen every time I've visited (and every time vow to try something different) and it has been perfect. The broth is unbelievably good. They have a fantastic selection of appetizers, and all that I have tried has been very tasty. I tried the kimchi pork tonight, and I can see that I will be adding the same to each future meal. The environment is very casual but comfortable, and the food is great. This is one of my favorite places to eat in Columbus and highly recommend a visit. read more

PREFACE: *Pre-COVID19 back in December and January* Tensuke Express is a quick, order at the counter, pick up your food, and find your own seat Japanese food experience that reminded of the food courts in Asia (not your American food courts that serve fast food, but solid quality vendors with a selected menu). As many others have stated, they have expanded and are connected with their market next door that you can buy freshly rolled sushi and nigiri, or bowls and bring over to eat. Their service is spectacular and friendly, and the decor is modern, simple, and clean. I usually stop by after picking up some groceries from their next door market, and my "go to" is their Tonkotsu Ramen with braised pork. It's simple, hits the spot on a cold day, and appeases my ramen craving. I plan on dabbling at other menu options next time. read more

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I agree with the previous review. I used to love Tensuke Express, but their portions are noticeably smaller recently, and the noodles are different. Service here is still fine, and the vibe of the restaurant is great. I usually get ramen to go. But the different noodles are a huge bummer. They taste like nothing. Also the portion is nearly half the size, for the same amount of money. Maybe new management? No idea why these changes. I am very sad that I'll be looking around for a new ramen place. read more

Quality Japanese food, very good considering it's basically part of a supermarket. You can order udon, soba or Ramen and customize it with your broth and toppings. Pricing is great as the udon is under eight dollars, and the ramen is just under nine. I like that there is an option where you get dumplings inside your noodle soup. For broth, they have miso, pork and soy. They have spicy kimchi ramen and curry udon, yum! Order at the counter, and then pick up your order when it's ready. Self serve water cups, and for everything else just ask the counter staff. read more

Loving this place! It's a cheaper alternative to Fukuryu Ramen so I was pleased. I came on a Tuesday evening around 6:30 with three others and it wasn't all that busy. Lots of young adults were eating in here but there were still a ton of tables available. Service was great! The lady at the register greets you in Japanese and she was really nice. There's a white and yellow color scheme that is just so relaxing and welcoming. I didn't mind the subway tile which I am typically opposed to. They play some really calming piano music in the background too! Bathrooms are down a hallway and down the stairs. The stalls were kinda tight but it was really clean! So I ended up ordering udon with kakiage which is a vegetable and seafood patty. It was shrimp and something else. It was pretty good! Flavorful and you could tell they made the noodles themselves. If you don't finish the broth, you can pour it out! They had a nice assembly line to rid of your trash! Bunny points for being organized! My friend also got udon. One had shrimp tempura. She liked it but wasn't super impressed. She thought the soup was salty. She had been before but just thought it wasn't spectacular when she tried the ramen. My other friend got a mini udon which is half the price! And she got it with a mini shrimp tempura rice bowl which she thought was delicious! She also thought the udon got salty towards the end. I honestly didn't eat much of the broth so I really didn't notice this. Another friend got the rice with curry and had the pork cutlet. This is one of her favorite restaurants so she loves everything on the menu! We also got a shared order of takoyaki which was a ball shaped batter of octopus. It was really good! The meal was super filling! I finished all the noodles but couldn't eat the broth. The price is definitely a steal! read more

The broths are kinda lacking in flavor and if you want some more flavor such as protein or spice you'll have to pay for it. But the hand made noodles are really good. If you're looking for someone with a bit more flavor I recommend slurping turtle in Easton as the ambiance is also better. read more

The spicy Kim chi ramen was pretty bomb. Service was fast and helpful. Perfect spot to warm your belly one a chilly day.

Maybe it was an off day, but I was pretty disappointed with the curry here. It was lukewarm, and my girlfriend's ramen was barely warm as well. The flavor was ok, but it tasted just like the curry cubes you can buy and make at home. Next time I'll just go next door and buy a curry box and make it myself. The location is really cute though, which is part of why I was so disappointed. Maybe it was a fluke, but if I do go back, I won't get the curry. read more

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This is the most authentic Japanese food you will get outside of Japan. I was stationed in Japan for five years so I would consider myself an expert on the food. The curry is spot on with the beef and veggies, the chicken cutlets are cooked perfectly, and the rice is expertly made. The beef and onion bowls are the exact replicas of those from Yoshinoya and they are super delicious! The beef is super tender and their pickled radish adds a nice bitter addition. The kimchi is some of the best around and has a nice spice to it. When you walk in it's always packed and you immediately grab a menu. When you're ready to order you will walk up to the counter and they will take it. Once your order is placed you can take a seat and wait for the buzzer to go off. You bus your own tables so make sure you follow the directions when you're done with your meal. read more

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The ramen here is good, not great. It's a bit pricey for no protein aside from the half egg. Usually authentic places include a couple pieces of fatty pork, seaweed, etc. The portion was smaller than expected given the large size of the vessel/bowl. The broth was the star for me. The noodles were good but not great. I've certainly had better. Note that if you like things spicy like me, the 50c they charge is just a condiment container of sauce. It is good though. read more

Tensuke Express - Noodles Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

Yesssss! I can not express more of my yelp-logy that has saved me so much time when visiting different cities. Found this place and went through the food pics and was still skeptical because of the quality of the food. Places tend to lack quality when they mass produce but this place has turned it around. Pork cutlets were so crispy and good. Their rice is phenomenal too! One good thing about being Asian is, I can freely criticize if the rice is cooked well or not. So thumbs up to this place. Price was so affordable. Their chilli oil was on point. I think, it's sesame chilli oil. Service is fast even though they had mentioned that it would be about 20 mins due to lunch rush. If you are in C-bus, you've to come here! read more

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A friend of mine introduced me to this beautiful restaurant! I was so excited to eat at one of the best spots known for phenomenal ramen. I will bring friends with me when I come back.The staff was so helpful with an allergy we had and I couldn't be happier about our experience here. read more

Horrible ramen bowls. I have had better from food trucks. Spent $48 on three ramen with chicken bowls. Ordered for carry out and was told I would receive a text. 20 minutes later they found my food aging under the service counter. Broth was not great. Chicken was only a few pieces. Noodles were firm and undercooked. We were all surprised because of the great reviews and packed dining room. read more

Tensuke Express is very great Asian. It's located around so many other great restaurants it's easy to miss. There's even several sushi places next to it. It may not look like much inside. The food is worth giving it a try. It may be kind of busy for lunch. It's made fresh so it takes longer. The restaurant is counter service like a cafeteria. It's usually bustling inside with Asians so you know it must be good. The menu features several kinds of noodles. Among these are ramen and udon, and then there's a choice of proteins. You can get beef, seafood, or tofu. Be aware that bonito flakes are tipped on it. This is made from fish so if you don't want it tell them. It's about $8 for a bowl. The udon noodles are thick and the vegetable broth terms with fresh tofu and vegetables. If you like you can eat with chopsticks. They also have silverware if you prefer. I tried Tensuke Express because somewhere else was closed and glad it was open. If you're there check out the market. This is owned by the same people so you can go there while you wait. read more

Tensuke Express - Udon Bowl - Noodles Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

I've been searching for the beautiful combination of crispiness and thickness of a cutlet. This place nailed it. Price was decent definitely for the amount of food given. Tasty and fast service. Tip: definitely recommend a side order of cutlets if you love them. I'd recommend pork since chicken is dark meat. Pork is very popular! read more

I and my daughter stopped here for lunch. I ordered Udon and Cold Soba. My daughter loves soba noodles and she ate 2/3 of the serving(she's 2y11mo). The dipping sauce was too sweet for me, but my daughter liked, so that's ok! I liked the Udon noodle. Chewy texture made me happy!! But, the broth was lukewarm...it should be hot.. read more

Tensuke Express - Udon and soba(no seaweed) - Noodles Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

This is a go-to for us. Love this place. Fast and delicious ramen, and I've liked everything non-ramen I've tried too. read more

Tensuke Express - Menu - Noodles Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

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Still my favorite ramen shop. They are always consistent with their broth and noodles. Their prices are really good too! This place has better noodles than Fukuryu and Meshikou, in my opinion. One of the only reasons why I keep coming back is because of where it's located. Next door you have a awesome little store where can pick up some snacks to take home or some lunch for tomorrow. A very very short walk will take you to an amazing Japanese bakery where all the goods are fresh and delicious. This place will always be my favorite to go to. I have recommended it to littlerally everyone I know. read more

Tensuke Express - Noodles Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

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This place was great. I should have tried it during the week, rather than a Sunday afternoon. 40 minute wait, but I'm glad I waited. I got the beef curry with chicken and I will admit it was delicious. I only knocked off one star because my wife and I got 2 pieces of beef in the curry, that's it. It did have carrots and potato, but somewhat beef to call it beef curry. Still delicious. read more

Tensuke Express - Noodles Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

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