I would agree that walking into this establishment the 20% tip is pretty bad. You pay first and then get seated and this takes a longer time when it's cold and there are people waiting in line. The only thing that was good was the filter water in these large glass bottles. The broth was super salty making me drink so much water that I was full from it. Service well there is not much of any since you already paid and got charge and just get up and walk out the door. We have been eating a lot of noodles for almost 30+ years and this was one of the worst experience we have had in a long time. We were very disappointed.
Cindy C
Delicious!! Noodles were chewy, broth is flavorful, nice variety of items in the bowl. Perfectly cooked egg. Tried both the shoyu and tonkatsu. Great service, received food pretty fast. The price was a little high at $14 for the bowl of ramen and was not super filling.Would visit this place again for a bowl of hot ramen.Edit: visited again in Sept. 2019Still amazing. Love it!! Price increase to $15.Update: Oct 2022Place has gone downhill, not the same. Ordered online and waited to pickup in line for 20 mins as I saw my order in front of me. Mandatory tip for waiting that long when they could have accomadated pickup order separate from restaurant line. Not even the same quality. Sad.
Dueanphen Maag
I call or order food for friend today 9/15 but My primary complaint is their mandatory 20% “gratuity” added to every order.f you going to change 20% like this you should tell the customer while they call order food. Just tell are you okay if we change you 20% trip for carry out. If the customers might say YEs or No that up to them. But you guys not say anything about it let customer fix it out by the time to pay the bill. I think it not fairI never see restaurant change 20% for carry out. That too much for pay if you do carry out.
Miles Vinson
Years ago, I was a weekly customer. It was a cozy atmosphere and relaxed dining experience. Barstools, small booths, a television. What you get today are low lights and large round tables. Patrons grazing your chair as they navigate the layout. The food isn’t what it was, worth the wait, and I would rather go to all-you-can-eat sushi.
S Li
Ramen was excellent, but the egg tasted strange. Charged 20% gratitude in advance but was informed.
Aren P
The food is mediocre and not as good as other Ramen's I have cried. This place is a ripoff. Bill + Tax + 20% tips even for carryout and they said you can add additional tip if you like !
Raven Claw
The first thing I noticed was that the table was really sticky. The other tables I checked out were also sticy. So it wasn't just me. Even though the food was pretty tasty, it is also pretty expensive for what you get. They automatically add %20 gratuity to your bill, So you will pay about $22 for just a bowl of ramen. They do not have refills either. So do not come here thirsty unless you are ok with room temperature water.
Theonlybt
Went with my significant other and we both got the Tonkotsu Ramen, drinks (no fountain) , and an order of crab Rangoon. Total came to $56 after the mandatory 20% tip. Food was ok if it had been $10. Only go if you want to feel like someone pulled a fast one on you. Do not recommend.
Kate’O
This is a quaint little ramen shop. Service is friendly, ambiance is calming, restaurant seems clean and most of all the food is amazing!! My husband and I had the miso ramen with added pork belly, and it was good to the last drop!! No leftovers this trip!Only downfall is surcharge of 20%!! That's incredibly steep for a place that doesn't even have normal waitstaff. We just had two bowls of ramen and water, and our total came to nearly $50!!! Holy cow that's insane! Ramen was good, but not that good.
Fae
There’s no denying how delicious the food is at Ramen Tei. My partner got the Khao Soi and I got the miso ramen as well as gyoza. While everything was really delicious there were barely any ingredients inside of either of the ramens. It felt like there was a singular bite of each of the additional ingredients in comparison to the amount of noodles and broth. Even then there didn’t seem to be too much of anything for the price point. The kimchi was over fermented and tiny for the price point as well. For a restaurant that’s based solely around a specific type of a beloved Japanese food the vibe was also way off. The choice of French Jazz music felt completely off and was frankly jarring. It’s an experience. Just a passable one.
It pains me to write this review because I have enjoyed Ramen Tei’s thick & flavorful ramen over the past several years.My primary complaint is their mandatory 20% “gratuity” added to every order, even carry-out. Gratuity used to be something you would pay your server after you enjoyed a nice dine-in experience. Now you are forced to pay this additional 20% on all carry out orders. Restaurant owners should pay their employees a living wage and not expect customers to supplement it with a forced surcharge.To top everything off, you would think the portions would be consistent with the additional costs you must pay for your meal but, sadly, that is not the case. I ordered 3 identical orders and could feel a weight difference between two of them so I decided to see what was going on. The lightest was 14.4 oz & the heaviest was 17.25 oz, all dry weight without broth added.Every business is entitled to operate the way they see fit but I’m choosing to find other local establishments for all future Ramen purchases.
Steven Wake
This place is easily the best ramen place in all of St. Louis. Firstly you do have to be vaccinated and have a vaccine card on hand to dine in but take out options are available. The staff and food is top tier and they are always playing an animated movie or show. The inside atmosphere is perfect for unwinding with an Asahi beer and a bowl of Tonkotsu Ramen. I cannot recommend enough ordering the steamed buns with an order of the tonkotsu ramen and an Asahi beer.
Jeff Stanczyk
I eat here whenever I'm in town and its the best ramen in St. Louis, no competition, and I've tried just about everywhere else, including all others of note. Why do I think its the best?In Japan there is are many ramen chains. One popular one I've been to is called Ichiran Ramen. It was good, like any good chain--also, very 'middle of the road'. There are also a lot of non-chain shops, some very high end, often having a more unique take. In my taste, the other ramen shops in St Louis approximate the Ichiran kind of ramen. Some of them are quite decent. However, Ramen Tei is now the only place in town that has the other kind. Its higher-end, with more unique and nuanced flavors, and they execute well. Their noodles aren't my absolute fav, but the package is excellent.Some people dock the service. I think they are fine. Like most ramen places you don't get table service, instead you order everything up front, take a seat, eat, and leave.
Chengqing Qu
Great ramen. If you went to Japan before, you will know the soup is always that salty(acceptable). 20% gratitude is a little bit high for a ramen restaurant, but they make that clear before taking you in.
Om Sam
The ramen is suited more for the American palate. Broth is extremely salty. Egg is marinated in a sweet soy sauce. Noodles are essentially angel hair pasta (overcooked and flavorless). The only redeeming quality is that the pork has a nice char and flavor. On top of everything there is a mandatory 20% tip for mediocre service.
I would agree that walking into this establishment the 20% tip is pretty bad. You pay first and then get seated and this takes a longer time when it's cold and there are people waiting in line. The only thing that was good was the filter water in these large glass bottles. The broth was super salty making me drink so much water that I was full from it. Service well there is not much of any since you already paid and got charge and just get up and walk out the door. We have been eating a lot of noodles for almost 30+ years and this was one of the worst experience we have had in a long time. We were very disappointed.
Delicious!! Noodles were chewy, broth is flavorful, nice variety of items in the bowl. Perfectly cooked egg. Tried both the shoyu and tonkatsu. Great service, received food pretty fast. The price was a little high at $14 for the bowl of ramen and was not super filling.Would visit this place again for a bowl of hot ramen.Edit: visited again in Sept. 2019Still amazing. Love it!! Price increase to $15.Update: Oct 2022Place has gone downhill, not the same. Ordered online and waited to pickup in line for 20 mins as I saw my order in front of me. Mandatory tip for waiting that long when they could have accomadated pickup order separate from restaurant line. Not even the same quality. Sad.
I call or order food for friend today 9/15 but My primary complaint is their mandatory 20% “gratuity” added to every order.f you going to change 20% like this you should tell the customer while they call order food. Just tell are you okay if we change you 20% trip for carry out. If the customers might say YEs or No that up to them. But you guys not say anything about it let customer fix it out by the time to pay the bill. I think it not fairI never see restaurant change 20% for carry out. That too much for pay if you do carry out.
Years ago, I was a weekly customer. It was a cozy atmosphere and relaxed dining experience. Barstools, small booths, a television. What you get today are low lights and large round tables. Patrons grazing your chair as they navigate the layout. The food isn’t what it was, worth the wait, and I would rather go to all-you-can-eat sushi.
Ramen was excellent, but the egg tasted strange. Charged 20% gratitude in advance but was informed.
The food is mediocre and not as good as other Ramen's I have cried. This place is a ripoff. Bill + Tax + 20% tips even for carryout and they said you can add additional tip if you like !
The first thing I noticed was that the table was really sticky. The other tables I checked out were also sticy. So it wasn't just me. Even though the food was pretty tasty, it is also pretty expensive for what you get. They automatically add %20 gratuity to your bill, So you will pay about $22 for just a bowl of ramen. They do not have refills either. So do not come here thirsty unless you are ok with room temperature water.
Went with my significant other and we both got the Tonkotsu Ramen, drinks (no fountain) , and an order of crab Rangoon. Total came to $56 after the mandatory 20% tip. Food was ok if it had been $10. Only go if you want to feel like someone pulled a fast one on you. Do not recommend.
This is a quaint little ramen shop. Service is friendly, ambiance is calming, restaurant seems clean and most of all the food is amazing!! My husband and I had the miso ramen with added pork belly, and it was good to the last drop!! No leftovers this trip!Only downfall is surcharge of 20%!! That's incredibly steep for a place that doesn't even have normal waitstaff. We just had two bowls of ramen and water, and our total came to nearly $50!!! Holy cow that's insane! Ramen was good, but not that good.
There’s no denying how delicious the food is at Ramen Tei. My partner got the Khao Soi and I got the miso ramen as well as gyoza. While everything was really delicious there were barely any ingredients inside of either of the ramens. It felt like there was a singular bite of each of the additional ingredients in comparison to the amount of noodles and broth. Even then there didn’t seem to be too much of anything for the price point. The kimchi was over fermented and tiny for the price point as well. For a restaurant that’s based solely around a specific type of a beloved Japanese food the vibe was also way off. The choice of French Jazz music felt completely off and was frankly jarring. It’s an experience. Just a passable one.
Restaurantji Recommends
It pains me to write this review because I have enjoyed Ramen Tei’s thick & flavorful ramen over the past several years.My primary complaint is their mandatory 20% “gratuity” added to every order, even carry-out. Gratuity used to be something you would pay your server after you enjoyed a nice dine-in experience. Now you are forced to pay this additional 20% on all carry out orders. Restaurant owners should pay their employees a living wage and not expect customers to supplement it with a forced surcharge.To top everything off, you would think the portions would be consistent with the additional costs you must pay for your meal but, sadly, that is not the case. I ordered 3 identical orders and could feel a weight difference between two of them so I decided to see what was going on. The lightest was 14.4 oz & the heaviest was 17.25 oz, all dry weight without broth added.Every business is entitled to operate the way they see fit but I’m choosing to find other local establishments for all future Ramen purchases.
This place is easily the best ramen place in all of St. Louis. Firstly you do have to be vaccinated and have a vaccine card on hand to dine in but take out options are available. The staff and food is top tier and they are always playing an animated movie or show. The inside atmosphere is perfect for unwinding with an Asahi beer and a bowl of Tonkotsu Ramen. I cannot recommend enough ordering the steamed buns with an order of the tonkotsu ramen and an Asahi beer.
I eat here whenever I'm in town and its the best ramen in St. Louis, no competition, and I've tried just about everywhere else, including all others of note. Why do I think its the best?In Japan there is are many ramen chains. One popular one I've been to is called Ichiran Ramen. It was good, like any good chain--also, very 'middle of the road'. There are also a lot of non-chain shops, some very high end, often having a more unique take. In my taste, the other ramen shops in St Louis approximate the Ichiran kind of ramen. Some of them are quite decent. However, Ramen Tei is now the only place in town that has the other kind. Its higher-end, with more unique and nuanced flavors, and they execute well. Their noodles aren't my absolute fav, but the package is excellent.Some people dock the service. I think they are fine. Like most ramen places you don't get table service, instead you order everything up front, take a seat, eat, and leave.
Great ramen. If you went to Japan before, you will know the soup is always that salty(acceptable). 20% gratitude is a little bit high for a ramen restaurant, but they make that clear before taking you in.
The ramen is suited more for the American palate. Broth is extremely salty. Egg is marinated in a sweet soy sauce. Noodles are essentially angel hair pasta (overcooked and flavorless). The only redeeming quality is that the pork has a nice char and flavor. On top of everything there is a mandatory 20% tip for mediocre service.
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