Just look at the picture says it all sorry …. Never
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 1
Service: 2
Rolf Kiener
In short, bland and tasteless. I like my starters before the main course, couldn't choose ida and got the Edamame along with the Black Garlic Noodle Soup. Edamame without salt and the noodle soup tasted absolutely boring. Portions are American sized. Worst soup in a long time...
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 1
Service: 1
Kristin Horowitz
I had some high hopes to try a new place on a night out, but unfortunately this place was mediocre for it's prices.We had the vegan ramen, and it was pretty good, neat broth, but also very bland. Noodles, broccoli, tofu. Nothing to send other people to try. We got some sushi and it was too thick, cold, didn't stay on the rice. It seemed like good fish, but too heavy handed to enjoy, and the pieces too large. Rolls were okay, nothing standing out.No service. We had to get up and ask for our water to be refilled, they didn't take our plates. It's kind of run like a cafe but not quite.The music... Jazz and new age. It didn't fit or set the mood.Much of this can easily get improved so I hope this is taken in the spirit it is given.Kid-friendliness: They didn't offer the cheater chip sticks, but they had them when we asked. Nothing not kid friendly.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 3
NV C
I love this place.I've been there many times and have always had super fresh fish and great
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Alexia Worley
BEST. PLACE. EVER. run don’t walk, seriously. The food is so amazing but the service cannot be topped. The chef gave us a free roll and two free desserts AND gave the birthday girl a box of chocolates. He is the sweetest man alive and I will give him my first born.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Jonah Shulman
Very friendly staff and people. Food was filling and owner offered us to try free onigiri. Has a young and modern
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Jacob Grossman
Great food and service. Super friendly staff. Best ramen in town. Everything we had was good.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Ramen
Inkhaus L
There’s no waitstaff, only a cashier and 2 sushi chefs running everything and it shows. Could definitely have been better w more organized
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 2
Edward B.
Location: 201 Kitchen, Downtown SLOCraving a warm bowl of ramen, our quest led us to Yelp, where Raku stood as the top contender, albeit a mile away. However, the practicality of the group won over, and we found ourselves at 201 Kitchen, just a few blocks away, despite its mediocre reviews.Atmosphere: Arriving on a Friday evening amid the post-Christmas hustle, the streets were lively, making it an ideal setting for a comforting bowl of ramen. Surprisingly, 201 Kitchen, though in the top 5, appeared practically empty, with only a random table occupied by two patrons.Decision-Making: Despite my reservations about the emptiness, the group, fueled by hunger and warm place to sit-down on, opted to stay. The hostess welcomed us with a friendly greeting, telling us to choose any table. As we settled in, we patiently waited for about 15 minutes, but no server came by.QR Ordering: Spotting the option for QR ordering, we decided to give it a shot. However, this required payment and tipping before any service commenced. To quench our thirst, I had to fetch our own water as no staff member appeared to attend to us.Ramen Disappointment: The ramen menu offered limited customization--only varying in sizes and spiciness. With a price tag of $17.99, significantly higher than Raku's $10.99, expectations were high. Unfortunately, the taste fell short, barely reaching average. The overall experience did not align with the premium price.Lesson Learned: Reflecting on the experience, it became apparent that the cost did not match the quality or service. The lesson here is to trust the collective wisdom of Yelpers. Next time, I'll heed the warnings and opt for the highly-rated options, even if it means driving an extra mile. Verdict: In the downtown SLO ramen scene, I'd recommend steering clear of 201 Kitchen. Investing the extra effort to reach one of the top-rated spots will likely yield a more satisfying and cost-effective ramen experience. #RamenRegrets #YelpReview
Best miso soup I’ve ever had in my whole life. And I’ve been all over Asia, this is the best miso soup I’ve ever had. Go get some!
William Cervantes
Very bland food, matcha tea was just hot water slightly colored. Food tasted a bit off like something was just off on every dish our party ordered. Not horrible but there are way better options.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 3
Raymond M.
There is no service here. Self service. You have to order yourself, get water, get utensil and napkins your self. Yet they are expecting tips. If you are from Bay Area or LA where there is a lot of asian food (ramen or sushi) this place is horrible. We ordered a California roll, the rice is mushy. Taste like the Safeway sushi. Very bad. We o also order the classic tonkotsu ramen, back garlic tonkotsu ramen and spicy ramen. It tastes like the instant ramen. And have to mention the meat. The meat is stinky. Seems like the meat has been in the Freezer for ages. Not to mention it is expensive. $18 for a bowl of instant ramen. Please execute me, instant ramen taste better.
Dennis Li
Was really disappointing, ramen broth and noodles were lacking in flavor and BBQ pork baos came out cold.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 1
Cody Pendo
Wonderful place, everyone was so nice and the food was
Immaculate vibes. Music is on point.
Atmosphere: 5
Just look at the picture says it all sorry …. Never
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 1
Service: 2
In short, bland and tasteless. I like my starters before the main course, couldn't choose ida and got the Edamame along with the Black Garlic Noodle Soup. Edamame without salt and the noodle soup tasted absolutely boring. Portions are American sized. Worst soup in a long time...
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 1
Service: 1
I had some high hopes to try a new place on a night out, but unfortunately this place was mediocre for it's prices.We had the vegan ramen, and it was pretty good, neat broth, but also very bland. Noodles, broccoli, tofu. Nothing to send other people to try. We got some sushi and it was too thick, cold, didn't stay on the rice. It seemed like good fish, but too heavy handed to enjoy, and the pieces too large. Rolls were okay, nothing standing out.No service. We had to get up and ask for our water to be refilled, they didn't take our plates. It's kind of run like a cafe but not quite.The music... Jazz and new age. It didn't fit or set the mood.Much of this can easily get improved so I hope this is taken in the spirit it is given.Kid-friendliness: They didn't offer the cheater chip sticks, but they had them when we asked. Nothing not kid friendly.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 3
I love this place.I've been there many times and have always had super fresh fish and great
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
BEST. PLACE. EVER. run don’t walk, seriously. The food is so amazing but the service cannot be topped. The chef gave us a free roll and two free desserts AND gave the birthday girl a box of chocolates. He is the sweetest man alive and I will give him my first born.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Very friendly staff and people. Food was filling and owner offered us to try free onigiri. Has a young and modern
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Great food and service. Super friendly staff. Best ramen in town. Everything we had was good.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Ramen
There’s no waitstaff, only a cashier and 2 sushi chefs running everything and it shows. Could definitely have been better w more organized
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 2
Location: 201 Kitchen, Downtown SLOCraving a warm bowl of ramen, our quest led us to Yelp, where Raku stood as the top contender, albeit a mile away. However, the practicality of the group won over, and we found ourselves at 201 Kitchen, just a few blocks away, despite its mediocre reviews.Atmosphere: Arriving on a Friday evening amid the post-Christmas hustle, the streets were lively, making it an ideal setting for a comforting bowl of ramen. Surprisingly, 201 Kitchen, though in the top 5, appeared practically empty, with only a random table occupied by two patrons.Decision-Making: Despite my reservations about the emptiness, the group, fueled by hunger and warm place to sit-down on, opted to stay. The hostess welcomed us with a friendly greeting, telling us to choose any table. As we settled in, we patiently waited for about 15 minutes, but no server came by.QR Ordering: Spotting the option for QR ordering, we decided to give it a shot. However, this required payment and tipping before any service commenced. To quench our thirst, I had to fetch our own water as no staff member appeared to attend to us.Ramen Disappointment: The ramen menu offered limited customization--only varying in sizes and spiciness. With a price tag of $17.99, significantly higher than Raku's $10.99, expectations were high. Unfortunately, the taste fell short, barely reaching average. The overall experience did not align with the premium price.Lesson Learned: Reflecting on the experience, it became apparent that the cost did not match the quality or service. The lesson here is to trust the collective wisdom of Yelpers. Next time, I'll heed the warnings and opt for the highly-rated options, even if it means driving an extra mile. Verdict: In the downtown SLO ramen scene, I'd recommend steering clear of 201 Kitchen. Investing the extra effort to reach one of the top-rated spots will likely yield a more satisfying and cost-effective ramen experience. #RamenRegrets #YelpReview
Restaurantji Recommends
Best miso soup I’ve ever had in my whole life. And I’ve been all over Asia, this is the best miso soup I’ve ever had. Go get some!
Very bland food, matcha tea was just hot water slightly colored. Food tasted a bit off like something was just off on every dish our party ordered. Not horrible but there are way better options.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 3
There is no service here. Self service. You have to order yourself, get water, get utensil and napkins your self. Yet they are expecting tips. If you are from Bay Area or LA where there is a lot of asian food (ramen or sushi) this place is horrible. We ordered a California roll, the rice is mushy. Taste like the Safeway sushi. Very bad. We o also order the classic tonkotsu ramen, back garlic tonkotsu ramen and spicy ramen. It tastes like the instant ramen. And have to mention the meat. The meat is stinky. Seems like the meat has been in the Freezer for ages. Not to mention it is expensive. $18 for a bowl of instant ramen. Please execute me, instant ramen taste better.
Was really disappointing, ramen broth and noodles were lacking in flavor and BBQ pork baos came out cold.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 1
Wonderful place, everyone was so nice and the food was
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5