Zen Ramen is a ramen shop in Maplewood next to Golden Corral. Firstly the recent demise of so many Japanese restaurants (with Ramen): Zen Box Izakaya (my fav), Masu, United Noodle Deli, and previously Origami and Tanpopo, makes me cherish the fact that we have MN establishments that will put in the time and make real tonkotsu broth. (See my previpus reviews on Ramen establishments.) I ordered the Spicy Beef Ramen. It is built on a tonkotsu base, with a spicy paste and chili oil, their own custom made ramen noodles, and a healthy helping of what looks like commercial thin sliced hot pot beef. The broth was rich in flavor, and makes me believe the claimed 10hr cooking time. The beef was previously marinated, flavorful, and tender. The half boiled egg was cold though. The fact that I'm eating this in Maplewood, across the mall, is incredible. There is nothing even close to this bowl of ramen in this part of the suburbs. I always make a differentiation between ethnic restaurants in the suburbs and the city core. There is still a lot of pressure to dump down an ethnic cuisine in a MN restaurant, especially in the suburbs. So kudos to Zen Ramen for putting out a decent bowl of ramen at a decent price. I will definitely be back. FYI. Despite the claims in the front page of the menu, I could not find corroborating evidence that this restaurant is at all connected to a restaurant or chain in Yokohama, Japan. Please comment if you find facts to the contrary. read more

Zen Ramen - Spicy Beef Spicy Beef Ramen / 牛肉ラーメン - Ramen Near Me - Maplewood, Minnesota

Had take out for chicken ramen with curry and it was amazing. Reminded me of some ramen I had in chicago that I have been craving since that trip. It was spicy and so good. The service was great. read more

This place is wonderful. It's my second time coming here but first time getting the tea. So good! Delicious! I am not a fan of boba, myself but their fresh fruit tea is top tier! I would already recommend the food, but now I'd go here just for the drinks if I wanted too. Space is clean, and open. Servers were fast and friendly. I'd come here again. To try more things. read more

See all

Hidden gem! Had a craving and this place was close so we decided to give it a try. We were pleasantly surprised. The inside is new, clean and beautiful. Staff and service was great and the food was also. No extra fees or funny business on the check! We will be back!! read more

Zen Ramen - Spicy tankotsu and curry ramen - Ramen Near Me - Maplewood, Minnesota

On a Minnesota level, this place is pretty good! But as someone from Hawaii, it's pretty mid. The tonkotsu ramen was yummy (but wasn't anything great or something that wow'd me). The dipping ramen was fun and very spicy. Chicken karaage was good, but such a tiny serving for $8. The service was okay and food came out quickly, but also not anything special. read more

See all

Great experience, I liked the taste of everything and it was great service that was fast. I would come back and I would eat inside the restaurant it was nice clean and decorated nicely read more

Zen Ramen - Tonkotsu Ramen / とんこつラーメン」 - Ramen Near Me - Maplewood, Minnesota

See all

Nice little spot for ramen. Noodles are cooked to perfection, good amount of food too - not stuffed after eat. Very flavorful. We ordered seafood ramen and spicy charshu ramen. Both are very good. We also ordered appetizer. Speed is a little slow but I am not in hurry so we didn't mind. Servers are nice and kind. Constantly checking on us read more

See all

So so so good. Looking for some warm comfort food in a chilly day?! This is the place. I got the chicken cutlet ramen. The spice and temperature were perfect. Service was great and the place is very aesthetically pleasing. read more

Zen Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Maplewood, Minnesota

See all

I made the trip all the way out to Maplewood to meet a friend and I'm glad we stopped by here. The ramen was great, appetizers were delicious, and they had lots of great boba options to pair with it. Service was super kind and gracious for letting us stay and yap for 3 hours. We got the chicken katsu ramen, kimchi ramen, spicy cucumber salad, sweet potato fries (these were so good), then Thai tea and brown sugar boba to top it off. If you're ever in the Maplewood area, this place is definitely worth a visit! read more

Zen Ramen - Chicken Katsu Ramen / チキンカツラーメン Kimchi Ramen / キムチラーメン - Ramen Near Me - Maplewood, Minnesota

Zen Ramen is tucked in between an Aldi and Golden Corral. We were a little hesitant to try them when they first opened. We were extremely happy that we gave them a try! The ramen is full of flavor, and the broth is delicious! We've had ramen broth that has not had a good taste to it. The noodles themselves are always perfect! You can sometimes tell that ramen noodles aren't fresh, but that is not the case for Zen Ramen. We have been here many time, and the service has always been friendly and quick. It's great to have a wonderful ramen restaurant in the area! read more

Zen Ramen - Shredded Char Siu Ramen / 細切りチャーシューラーメン - Ramen Near Me - Maplewood, Minnesota

See all

This is THE BEST place to get ramen. You can fight me on this, and you will lose. ROFL. The service is friendly and quick, and the food is beautiful. We got the gyoza to start, Spicy Beef Ramen and Buta-Niku Soba. Both were such beautiful, balanced bowls of love. The Spicy Beef Ramen is actually nicely hot. The pork belly in the Buta-Niku is tender and flavorful. One of the things that I so greatly appreciate about Asian food is their broth. It is difficult to find such rich, comforting broth outside of Asian cuisine, which is why I am so drawn to it. It doesn't seem to matter from which country the food comes, the broth lingers not only on your tongue, but in your soul. Both of these bowls made us feel so happy and refreshed. The noodles are perfectly cooked and absorb the broth and other flavors so delicately. All of the components marry into meal that delights as it nourishes. The cooked egg in the Spicy Beef Ramen is perfectly cooked and the yolk is just soft enough to drink in the broth. I think that we'll take other bowls to go when next we visit. Have you ever dreamed in Ramen? No? Then you need to visit Zen Ramen so that you can understand how a bowl of noodles and broth can change your life. read more

This lovely "hidden" restaurant in a strip mall is a keeper. My son made the discovery and we've gone a couple of times. The food and service are excellent as are the variety of boba drinks. The atmosphere is classy but casual. The only thing this restaurant needs is a bigger sign. It should never be hidden! read more

This doesn't look like much from the outside but it is so cute on the inside! The ramen is delicious and shown on the menu with peppers to indicate spice levels. I really loved all the choices on the menu! Service was fast and attentive and we will be back. Also be sure to try the boba! Lots of choices to choose from! read more

Zen Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Maplewood, Minnesota

See all

This is the second time that my daughters and I have been to Zen Ramen. Both times we enjoyed the ambiance and food. The most recent time, my daughter and I split the gyoza which was flavorful and just the right amount to start a meal. My daughter ordered the teriyaki pork donburi which was flavorful. I had the vegetable poke with white rice and a crunchy topping. Although the original one I ordered they didn't have, the substitute crunchy topping was delicious. There was a delightful combination of textures, flavors, and items in the poke bowl. Our server was friendly, polite, and attentive. The only recommendation I would have is that some of the booth seats had coverings that were torn and should be replaced. It's a minor detail, yet one that is in contrast to the attentiveness and beauty of the rest of the restaurant, place settings, and meal. read more

This is my family's go-to ramen place! I've tried almost everything in the menu and the servers remembers us every time we come in :) ambience is great and usually service is pretty fast! They also offer boba and poke bowls, which are pretty good! Now for the food-- love the ramen of course! Broth is so so rich and I personally love tonkotsu ramen and buta niku soba! Love all the bun options as well it's so good! As for appetizers, I would highly recommend their gyoza (perfectly pan fried), takoyaki, chicken kaarage (especially with the mayo) and sweet potato fries. I feel like you can't really go wrong! Whenever I crave ramen -- I always go here! read more

Zen Ramen - Tonkotsu Ramen, Beef Donburi, Gyoza - Ramen Near Me - Maplewood, Minnesota

See all

Great place for Japanese ramen! I always come back to Zen Ramen. We are always seated right away. I've had a couple of appetizers and love their regular and spicy tonkatsu ramen. The bubble tea does not disappoint either. Always have to get those. Place is modern and great for couples to small groups. The parking is shared with the buffet and local stores but it's not that bad. You can always find parking. read more

See all

I didn't expect much going in the door. It is in a strip mall by Aldi and very unassuming from the outside. Walking in my opinion changed immediately. It was very nicely decorated, the tables were nicely spaced out, and the table was set neatly. My dad and I each ordered a smoothie with boba, which were very good. My dad ordered stir fried ramen and I ordered a poke bowl. Excellent! My poke bowl was soooo good, one of the best I have had. I ate too much of it and was overly full after. My dad loved his dish and ate it all, he agreed that he ate too much as well, but it was hard not to because the food was so good. We went for lunch so it was not crowded at all. The servers were very patient, friendly, and efficient. Lighting was good, bright but not blindingly so. We were given plenty of time to order, eat, and pay, not rushed at all. We will definitely be back. read more

The food here was very good! The menu has a lot of variety. My 4 year old son came along with us and our server was so sweet to him! The server allowed him to ask him questions and make requests and took time to engage with him, which I appreciated. Inside the restaurant it is very modern and decorated tastefully. read more

Zen Ramen - Appetizers - Ramen Near Me - Maplewood, Minnesota

My favorite was the Pork Bun. The bun itself was warm and soft. The pork was nicely simmered and had tender bite. The sauce was the right amount of sweetness. This to go along with the Tonkotsu and a tasty Kirin, it's the perfect balance to a Ramen meal. Plus the service was amazing. read more

See all

Ordered for Lunch delivery. Customer Service did a good job of presentation. 2 pieces of crab, 2 shrimp, 1 mussel, 1 squid, 2 crab meat, 1 fish cake, bean sprouts, carrots, green peppers, with rice seasonings. Great smoky, little spicy oriental flavor, and for the price point with current cost of food, good amount of quality seafood rather than just fill it with popcorn shrimp or tiny scallops. Made my day with a great meal! Follow me for more reviews. read more

Zen Ramen - Seafood Stir Fry Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Maplewood, Minnesota

See all

THE. BEST. RAMEN. IN. TOWN. me and my husband have tried over 50 ramen places all over america and i can say hands down this was the best, most flavorful, ramen i have had to date. we went two days ago and i can't stop reminiscing about it. the service was amazing for one to two waiters having to take care of over 10 - 15 tables. the oolong boba they had as well was very good. great prices as well. this small shop is a must stop worth every mile. read more

It's all kool here at Zen ramen. Digging the fried rice and the tonkotsu ramen was on point. Extra point for the nice bobba menu; always appreciated when there is something for the kiddos! folks here R super Zen and the place was kool n comfy. read more

Zen Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Maplewood, Minnesota

See all

I grew up in the NE suburbs around North St. Paul and have appreciated the change to more diverse cuisines offered to patron/esses. Recently just moved back to northeastern suburb from the western suburbs, and of course with any move, my biggest worry is where will I get my staple foods of sushi, great Ramen, and other fixings? I decided to try this place since the menu looked promising in terms of a good and flavorful bone-based broth. For whenever I have a Ramen craving, this will be my go to since it is just a few miles away. Um...what can I say? Service is knowledgable, attentive and kind. What more do you want from service? The ambiance is nifty. Contemporary decor in the style of Japanese tapestries and prints. There are two menus: 1.) For the Ramen, other entrees and of course appetizers, drinks and desserts and 2.) A menu for specifically for poké bowls that have been so popular in recent trends as well as many options for the most experienced Boba tea lover. I have been here a handful of times and have tried the seaweed salad, Agedashi tofu as appetizers, and ramen (char-siu) tonkatsu, and buta-niku soba. For the Niku soba, I always add kikurage (black mushrooms). Review: 1.) Niku soba- the broth is my favorite. Depth, body, well rounded, and with the umami everyone wants to taste. The pork belly is...I do not know what the flavoring is! Maybe teriyaki? It is a sweet, tangy and umami flavored char siu cut thin (pork belly) dressed with sesame seeds that makes the dish along with the broth. Noodles are chewy and not gummy or unpleasant, the ingredients fresh and everything well balanced. 2.) Tonkatsu Char-Siu Ramen- I am writing about both the tonkatsu broth and the dish "char-siu" ramen. Okay, for the less than knowledgable- char siu means taking the bacon and fat back of a pig and slicing it crosswise (transverse/sectional) rather than longitudinal to make bacon. The broth is less bold and full than the Niku soba broth and yet no less tasty nor balanced. It was more pork and umami forward. The accompaniments were a full amount of additions, which would be good for a newbie "ramen" customer: Half a soft boiled egg, kikurage (black mushrooms), bamboo slices, scallions, and fish cake. A traditional broth matched with all of the additional toppings! I know this sounds silly, but I also am extremely glad to see good, well steeped tea (at least, there was no tea bag, and the saturation of flavor was great). The presence of REAL chopsticks, complete with chopstick holder, and clay (I think?) dish wear was a treat. Okay so why not 5 stars? Admittedly, I am blessed to be fortunate to have tried ramen in a myriad of places around the globe and give out five stars sparingly. BOTTOM LINE: Craving Ramen? Good Japanese appetizers, a selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic Japanese beverages, poke bowls and boba tea? Stop by here. It is beyond worth while! read more

See all

The food here was ok, not great. I was really hoping for something super tasty this day, but I found that the sweet beef in my meal wasn't super flavorful. It was midday when we went (around 12:30 pm) and it was freezing in the restaurant in mid-October. There wasn't really anyone else in there on a Monday afternoon. My friend got ramen and she said it was also just okay. Service was quick enough though. read more

Zen Ramen - Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Maplewood, Minnesota

See all

Slow. Soggy. No. We sat down to an interior that was surprisingly bright for a restaurant outside of the fast-food industry. There were four occupied tables besides ours. Placed our orders, and chatted and waited. And waited. And waited. We waited so long that my dining partner started saying, "This tray must be ours," every time a new one appeared. After the third groan of disappointment, he stopped. Eventually, our orders of ramen and fried rice came - before the takoyaki appetizer we'd also ordered. I had to ask the server to please refill the hot water for our teapot that'd been emptied during the unusually long wait, despite leaving the lid off of the pot as the standard indicator of a refill request. Let's hope the food is worth that wait, at least! Nope. Never mind. My ramen was soggy, and my soup was not balanced. My dining partner had never had takoyaki before. He tried it first and could not understand the appeal. Then I tried it and understood why he could not understand the appeal. The whole point of takoyaki is a delicate balance between all the flavors and playful assortment of textures, and this takoyaki was just mushy and bland. We won't be back. read more

Friendly service, seat right away. Fun space with wooden tables and booths. Calamari came out fast and was hot. Great breading with standard rings. read more

See all

We got this order to go and we loved most of the food, but I struggled with the kimchi ramen. The pork buns and teriyaki pork donburi were so good. I will definitely get those again. However the kimchi ramen was so spicy. I love spicy food, but this was way too much for me and I could hardly stand it. The oil burned so bad I couldn't really taste and enjoy the meal. read more

I came here for the second time today and am still as impressed as the first trip. It's great to have a high quality ramen in the North East metro, being able to come here for lunch while working at home is great. Last visit my wife and I both came. She is a vegetarian and had the tofu bun and the vegetable ramen. Note, if you are vegetarian you will need to ask for it to be made vegetarian. I had the tonkatsu ramen and a pork bun. Between both meals everything was absolutely delicious. The pork in the pork bun as well as the char su in the ramen had a surprising depth of smokiness and was tender enough to fall apart gently as you eat it, it wasn't chewy like I have had before. The broth in both bowls of ramen had a great depth of layered flavor. Honestly I liked the vegetarian a little more than the Shoyu broth, it's very well done and you aren't lacking flavor going meat free. Today I had the crab jalapeño appetizer and the dipping ramen. The appetizer was great, you can't really go wrong with deep fried jalapeño and cream cheese. The tsukamen style dipping ramen was great! They use a spicy shoyu broth on this one and it is probably my favorite of all three broths I got to try. The noodles they use they say are made locally, they are lightly chewy and hold the broth well. Just as a good ramen should. Overall I love this place and can't wait to come back. It's some of the best ramen I have had in the twin cities. I am partial to Zen Box Izakaya in Minneapolis but this is a close second and beats out the others I have had, too. Getting all this without the drive downtown feel like I'm cheating. read more

See all

First time we tried this restaurant. Had the pork donburi, seafood stir fry ramen and the spicy cucumber appetizer. Could not believe that that the donburi looked exactly as the menu picture and absolutely delicious! The seafood ramen stir fry was okay, a bit too much sesame oil. Loved the spicy cucumbers wish I would have gotten 2 orders. Will definitely go back and highly recommend!! read more

I was so excited to see this coming into the neighborhood! I haven't been able to find good ramen since United Noodles got rid of the UniDeli (I'm still in mourning), so my anticipation for this was high. I have to give HIGH marks for the service and restaurant itself. It's so clean and beautiful! All of the staff were so sweet, and the food was ready fast. I got takeout, and it was only 10 mins from the time I ordered until it was hot and ready. We got a plethora of apps. Crab jalapeño was the standout, as was the pork bun. My favorite foods of the night. We also got gyoza, which only came with enough sauce for one dip, and edamame, which got polished off quickly (so they must have been good - I didn't even get one!). The vegetable fried rice was satisfying. So flavorful and not at all greasy. Fresh veggies, too! The ramen was just okay. I kept thinking that chili oil would have helped to deepen the flavor. The pork belly was great! But it just was missing something. Next time, I'll try the dipping ramen. All-in-all, glad to see it in the neighborhood and excited to try one of their spicer options to see if that hits the spot. read more

See all

We recently moved into the area and this was the only ramen place in Maplewood so we'd thought we'd try it. The first time we were there, they must have been short staffed because the wait was over 45 minutes with no water or any service so we (and some other patrons) haut left. This time , we did get around to ordering two tonkotsu ramen and a takoyaki (doughie round balls with octopus in the in the middle). The takoyaki was very good, stingy on the tako (octopus), but the flavors were there. The ramen was the complete opposite. The broth wasn't rich nor deep enough in flavors, the chasu pork was almost inedible. We won't be back for ramen but the takoyaki for a snack for sure . read more

Zen Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Maplewood, Minnesota

See all

This place was very modern and clean. The menu is very organize with pictures. Every dish that we ordered was great, but the fresh milk tea was delicious. Would recommend to anyone to check this place out. Their customer service was also excellent. read more

See all

Portions are small and the noodles were uncooked, decent price for beer though. Service was quick as well

Zen ramen is not bad I've been here 3x. I've had just about everything except for any if the donburi. The food here is exceptional. read more

Zen Ramen - Ramem - Ramen Near Me - Maplewood, Minnesota

Great service and on our first chilly night, hot soup! The restaurant is warm and inviting. Give it a try. read more

Zen Ramen - Pork Belly. - Ramen Near Me - Maplewood, Minnesota

Food and service were good. Good atmosphere; very nice for strip mall location. Loved the flavor and spice level of the Chicken Curry Ramen, rich umami flavors. The noodles are fantastic! A great firm texture and homemade flavor.Wish the temperature of the broth was hotter; it got cold pretty fast. My husband said the Kimchi ramen flavor was good but a little bit too spicy for him. We would eat here again but more than likely order from Door Dash so we can heat broth to temperature we want in microwave. read more

This place is a hidden gem! The decor is clean and modern and the service was excellent! The food came out quickly and was very fresh. The appetizers were definitely the highlight! We had takoyaki, fried calamari, crab jalapeño, age-dashi tofu, gyoza, and harumaki. I'd order them all again except for the harumaki (it was kind of bland). The ramen was very good and the noodles were done perfectly. I had the spicy beef ramen. The beef was tender and the broth was flavorful. There's a separate Mooshi Tea menu that has bubble tea and poke bowls. I had the mango salmon poke and have tried a few flavors of bubble tea. All were delicious! I will definitely be coming back! read more

Chicken curry ramen was tasty with a little spice. Spicy cucumber appetizer had excellent flavor. Super fast service and food came out quickly. Not a bad value either. read more

We've come here twice and have been impressed both times. The service is quick, attentive and very friendly. This place never seems busy which is a shock to us because of how great the food and service is. The space is clean and spacious. Highly recommend read more

Zen Ramen - Appetizers - Ramen Near Me - Maplewood, Minnesota

See all

Excellent service and the food is fantastic. Great spot for date night. I love the ambiance of the airport read more