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    Umami Ballard

    4.0 (25 reviews)
    Closed 12:00 pm - 8:30 PM

    Order Umami Ballard Takeout or Delivery

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    UMAMI BALLARD ATMOSPHERE

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    Sushi burrito
    Diana C.

    We got takeout and it was all excellent! The packaging was very good, though one of the boba cups did break once we had it out of the bags and all (not at all their fault - more of a freak accident I think). The food was excellent though. I also loved the option to do combos and that the vegetarian combos were clearly labeled online. We would definitely order again and then come back.

    Build your own Poke Bowl
    Ana K S.

    There has got to be something in the Umami water because their stuff is truly addicting! The shrimp tempura on the poke bowls is perfectly crunchy (even after walking 15min to get back home) and it's also slightly sweet and all around delicious. The tuna is also amazing and I love that the bowls are hefty even if you only get a couple of free toppings. The taro boba tea was so good too! I got it with half sugar and I think that or 1/4 is the way to go if you're not wanting something super super sweet. The ramen is also incredible, though I think the poke bowl is for sure my go to now. I also appreciated the custom take out bag that came with my order, it came in clutch immediately by helping keep my food dry from the rain.

    Poke Bowl
    Patty L.

    Umami is a great place for some takeout in you're craving poke or ramen. My husband opted to build his own poke bowl, which allows for one protein selection and three sides. He had the salmon with tamago, seaweed salad, and corn on top of the brown rice. The fish tasted pretty fresh and the tamago was sweet and delightful. I do wish you could add more toppings though. I ordered the traditional tonkotsu ramen with bok choy, sliced wood ear mushroom, and green onions. The broth itself is not like a traditional japanese tonkotsu broth - it actually tastes more similar to a chinese pork bone broth since there was also an herbal taste to it. I still enjoyed it regardless however. The veggies I ordered were fresh and the noodles were nice and chewy. I give it a 4/5 since the ramen wasn't what I expected from a tonkotsu ramen though.

    Gagan G.

    Tasted pretty good! I ordered the passion fruit tea with boba. Could use more boba. No one else was there.

    Mango Bubble Tea Traditional Tonkotsu Ramen
    Camile F.

    The food was outstanding! The ramen had a delicious flavor. The pork was cooked nice and crispy, and I loved the shrimp tempura. The noodles were good, but I did prefer to have a little bit more. The mango bubble tea seemed to be made with a different type of mango base than what I am used to, and I actually liked it more than most boba places!

    gyoza

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    4 months ago

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    1 year ago

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    4 years ago

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    Gothree T.

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    2 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    4 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    4 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    2 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Yummy chicken and boba tea! So glad I don't have to go to my favorite place in China town that makes similar chicken

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    3 years ago

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    4 years ago

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    4 years ago

    Delicious food and bubble tea. The quality is also great, but for the amount you get the price is pretty steep. Otherwise, excellent.

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    4 years ago

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    4 years ago

    Love this place! Great service, food (you can customize your ramen and poke bowl) and amazing selection of teas! Great addition to Ballard !

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    Ask the Community - Umami Ballard

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    Ramen Danbo

    Ramen Danbo

    4.3
    (2.5k reviews)
    5.0 mi
    $$

    This ramen place is my favorite place, I love it so much!! I love that you can customize it to your…read moreliking and how you want your spice level to be. The soup is just wonderful it's a bomb full of flavor once you take that first sip. The service was good I would say as well. Once we're seated they take the paper that we checked off for our ramen while waiting in line the ramen comes out within 10 minutes!

    *Vegetarian Foodie Review*…read more Heard about this place from many locals, so we had to try it out. Went on a weekend and there was a huge line. We came back another time on a weekday, still a big line, but a bit shorter. We waited about 45 mins before our turn came. Ordered: 1) Classic Ramen (Regular, Mild, Thick noodles): I wanted to share with my 5 year old. I felt the broth could have been thicker. It was a bit light and not very filling for me, compared to other ramen places I have been to back in California. The flavor was definitely good though. Apparently there was some mix-up, because I felt they gave us medium spicy, my husband's ramen (medium spicy) and ours tasted exactly the same. It ended up being too spicy for my kid. She hardly ate any noodles, complaining it was spicy even after I separated them from the broth. I didn't complain to the restaurant since they were super busy that day, and honestly it was almost 10PM and we were starving and out of patience. 2) Classic Ramen (Regular, Medium Spicy, Thick noodles) 3) Vegan Gyoza: This was good. My 5 year old finished it all. 4) Strawberry Mochi Ice Cream: We loved it. We got 2 pieces in one order and savored every bite. The restaurant had limited seating and had typical ramen place vibes. The servers weren't very attentive; we kept trying to find someone who could help us at multiple instances. They seemed super busy and short-staffed. So not a great experience in terms of service, but for the food I would give a solid 4/5.

    Photos
    Inside the restaurant at 7PM
    Inside the restaurant at 7PM
    Pork Gyoza Platter
    Pork Gyoza Platter
    Classic Ramen

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    Classic Ramen
    Midnite Ramen

    Midnite Ramen

    4.4
    (142 reviews)
    2.4 mi
    $$

    Such a fun and unexpected gem! This ramen spot tucked inside a brewery is super cute and has such a…read morewelcoming vibe. The ramen was incredibly flavorful--rich, comforting, and exactly what you want. Everything tasted fresh and well thought out. I also ordered a draft root beer which was honestly so good and a fun change from the usual. We came with kids and they made the experience extra special. The kids got to pick out a Pokémon card at the bar (huge win), and our waitress went above and beyond--she was so warm and attentive. She even brought the kids Pocky for dessert, which was such a sweet touch. We also ordered the fried chicken--$8 for a huge portion, which is an amazing deal. The dipping sauce was delicious. Personally, I'd prefer the pieces to be a bit smaller, but that's just a minor preference, As well as a real utensils would be nice over plastic. Overall, such a great experience with amazing food, kind service, and thoughtful details. We will definitely be back!

    This is a great place to get your ramen fix. Its legit. You…read morecan tell they really put alot into their ramen; the broth was great, the noodle is good and the portion was perfect. You order via kiosk; and wait your order to be called when its ready. They got condiments of fresh garlic and chili oil as well. What we got: Kyoto charsu ramen (4/5) Great broth and very flavorfull. Portion was perfect. Miso Bold (4.5/5) Very very rich broth and the black garlic was great. Portion was oerfect for how rich it was. I add the spicy paste and it was great. Overall This is a great spot. I highly recomend it to anyone in the area.

    Photos
    Ramen pickup counter
    Ramen pickup counter
    Tan-tan-men with tofu, at the bar
    Tan-tan-men with tofu, at the bar
    50's Classic Shoyu Ramen with chicken. Fried gyoza shared with friends

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    50's Classic Shoyu Ramen with chicken. Fried gyoza shared with friends
    Kajiken

    Kajiken

    4.5
    (235 reviews)
    4.9 mi
    $$

    My boyfriend and I were craving ramen, but the day was too hot to want to sip on broth, so we…read moredecided to try Kajiken, which is known for its "dry ramen" concept. Upon entering the restaurant, all the tables were occupied, and we were told to wait a few minutes before being seated. We only ended up waiting about 5 minutes. The menu was very informative and provided a definition of what aburasoba is. There were also directions at the bottom of the menu explaining how to eat your ramen. Since it was our first time here, we started off with a peach lemonade soda. My boyfriend chose the No. 1, Homura, and I chose the No. 2, Pot Roast. We both ordered a raw egg on top and a side of chashu pork. We wanted to order the onigiri, but unfortunately, they were all out. After about 5 minutes, our food arrived! The presentation was lovely. We took our chopsticks and mixed everything together, just as instructed, then took our first bites, and our minds were blown. The texture was creamy, and the flavors were packed with richness. The portions were perfect, especially for the price. I absolutely loved the experience here and would totally come back to try their other aburasobas. It was so good that I wouldn't even mind sitting through traffic during a World Cup game just to get it again. Until next time!

    Stopped by Kajiken in South Lake Union for lunch and it was pretty good over all. The place just…read moreopened, so it was quite busy when I went, but service was still fast, so it's perfect for a lunch spot during the week. We had the roast beef aburasoba and the meat lover aburasoba. The food was hearty and satisfying, though a little on the heavier side for my personal preference. That said, it was quite authentic and filling. The restaurant has an open space with comfortable seating, I can see why it's already getting busy and would come back when I'm craving a more easy and hearty lunch.

    Photos
    Kajiken
    Pan Fried Gyoza
    Pan Fried Gyoza
    Edamame

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    Edamame

    Umami Ballard - poke - Updated August 2026

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