The food was delicious, presented attractively, and authentic. The portion sizes were a bit small for the price, but we just got to try a few more appetizers. Some in my party were not familiar with Japanese food, so it was a good way to introduce a range of various dishes and options. The staff was very friendly and helpful, with great recommendations. The parking lot is a little strange, be aware that you can't drive around the building.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
William Heineman
Absolutely gem! The Tonkatsu Ramen and Unagi Don were wonderful!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Georgi B.
👎🏽😕 The rice in the Katsu Curry and Gyudon was hard, dried out and cold. It was either undercooked and left out or more than a few days old. I'm quite disappointed bc getting fresh rice at a Japanese restaurant is the bare minimum. 🙅🏽♀️😣 Other notes: Very small portions and very over priced. We also ordered the Agadashi Tofu and Okonomiyaki, again small, small portions and over priced. 🫤 Growing up with all these dishes, I was excited to find an authentic Japanese restaurant in the area. It was v disappointing 😓. If the food quality and flavor were improved, the portions and price would be more understandable, but I really have nothing positive to say about the food 😶🌫️. The staff was very friendly, and the restaurant was cozy.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 1
Service: 4
William Widmyer
Easily one of the best restaurants in the triangle. Don't let the location & size fool you.
Elizabeth D.
Great customer service, scrumptious food, and impeccable vibes. Whoever is in charge of the Playlist deserves a raise.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Kai
Tucked away in a quiet plaza, though sharing space with a rather conspicuous Starbucks, this restaurant is a pleasant surprise for those seeking thoughtful, well-prepared Japanese fare. The appetizers were light, refreshing, and clearly made with quality ingredients, a promising start to the meal. Our waitress was gracious and attentive, offering helpful recommendations that led us to those very appetizers before the main event.
The ramen delivered on its promise: deeply aromatic, well seasoned, and generously portioned for its $17 price tag. I opted to add black garlic oil for a mere extra dollar, a small decision that noticeably elevated the richness of the broth; definitely worth it. Is it as authentic as the Japanese ramen I frequently consumed in NYC? Not quite, but I believe with further refinement, this can potentially be achieved.
Altogether, the experience struck a strong balance between quality and value, making it a solid choice for casual Japanese dining with just enough finesse to leave a lasting impression.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 5
Zachary H
The seasonal Tsukemen ramen is unbelievable. The atmosphere is relaxing and the staff are extremely attentive and friendly. Would also recommend the Tonkotsu ramen with garlic oil and the agedashi tofu....all are absolutely perfect.
Suneel Vanga
Food was flavorful . Service was fast and atmosphere is lively.
Would’ve loved a touch of spice but otherwise it was good.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Bao Bun with Vegetable Fritters, Oyakodon
Sharvari Phadke
We recently tried Shinmai Shokudo and we loved it! Being a vegetarian it’s hard to find options for myself in a Japanese restaurant, but Shinmai had quite some options. We started with “Moro-Q” its a crispy fresh cucumber tossed in wasabi salt and dipped in sesame oil - it was very refreshing and didn’t kill our appetite instead it got us more hungry! The. We tried Vegetable ramen and Spicy Tan-Tan and both dishes did not disappoint! I will highly recommend this restaurant to try out.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Mags
Food was absolutely delicious. The ladies working were so nice. Food came out so quick we were in and out in 25 minutes. We had just made a drive from Wilmington and wanted comfort food before going to the airport. I'm so glad I picked this place. Will definitely come again next time I'm in the area.
We ordered Doordash - the photos are my husband's Chicken curry Don. Yes, the bowl is the size of a SMALL cereal bowl. Yes, it is litterly 1/3 full befor even tasting it. I was furious that this is less than a can of soup full for 20$! Ridiculous! 1/3 full befor even a single bite?!
The taste is fine. its just fine. But $20 for this portion is insulting and frankly scammy as heck.
Do Not Waste Your Money Here
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 3
Dante Ryan
I just had the most amazing lunch here. I was buying a computer at the Starbucks next door and my wife told me we should try this spot. Little did I know it would be some of the best Japanese food I’ve ever had. Good food would have been enough, but the service took things to another level. I met the owners who greeted my wife and I, and recommended some of their favorite menu item. The environment, the mocktails, the welcoming people. Truly a special establishment. I highly recommend this place! And apparently they are opening a Japanese/ Italian spot in Cary soon so… 👀👀👀
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
C Yan
I order 1st ramen on the menu and a glass of water that’s all. Finished in 10min. Charge me $22.25 cuz I used a credit card (extra 3%) and tip 15%.
Place is fancy. The ramen really sucks, no taste, the size is small. Noodle like steel wire.
Idk what is going on for the good reviews. This is the worst ramen RTP.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 1
Service: 3
Thanh Phan
The dipping ramen was a letdown; the noodles were undercooked and tough and the $20 price tag only included one small piece of meat. Be aware of extra charges: they add a 3% credit card fee and calculate the suggested tip on the post-tax amount. Not worth the price.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 1
Service: 5
Bruce Su
Small dishes are good. Okonomiyaki (pancake) is special. Takoyaki has crispy skin when freshly served. Korokke is also good. Steak (sliced beef) is alright. Tokonsu ramen has the raw blood smell, especially the pork chop slice, thus not good
The food was delicious, presented attractively, and authentic. The portion sizes were a bit small for the price, but we just got to try a few more appetizers. Some in my party were not familiar with Japanese food, so it was a good way to introduce a range of various dishes and options. The staff was very friendly and helpful, with great recommendations. The parking lot is a little strange, be aware that you can't drive around the building.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Absolutely gem! The Tonkatsu Ramen and Unagi Don were wonderful!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
👎🏽😕 The rice in the Katsu Curry and Gyudon was hard, dried out and cold. It was either undercooked and left out or more than a few days old. I'm quite disappointed bc getting fresh rice at a Japanese restaurant is the bare minimum. 🙅🏽♀️😣 Other notes: Very small portions and very over priced. We also ordered the Agadashi Tofu and Okonomiyaki, again small, small portions and over priced. 🫤 Growing up with all these dishes, I was excited to find an authentic Japanese restaurant in the area. It was v disappointing 😓. If the food quality and flavor were improved, the portions and price would be more understandable, but I really have nothing positive to say about the food 😶🌫️. The staff was very friendly, and the restaurant was cozy.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 1
Service: 4
Easily one of the best restaurants in the triangle. Don't let the location & size fool you.
Great customer service, scrumptious food, and impeccable vibes. Whoever is in charge of the Playlist deserves a raise.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Tucked away in a quiet plaza, though sharing space with a rather conspicuous Starbucks, this restaurant is a pleasant surprise for those seeking thoughtful, well-prepared Japanese fare. The appetizers were light, refreshing, and clearly made with quality ingredients, a promising start to the meal. Our waitress was gracious and attentive, offering helpful recommendations that led us to those very appetizers before the main event.
The ramen delivered on its promise: deeply aromatic, well seasoned, and generously portioned for its $17 price tag. I opted to add black garlic oil for a mere extra dollar, a small decision that noticeably elevated the richness of the broth; definitely worth it. Is it as authentic as the Japanese ramen I frequently consumed in NYC? Not quite, but I believe with further refinement, this can potentially be achieved.
Altogether, the experience struck a strong balance between quality and value, making it a solid choice for casual Japanese dining with just enough finesse to leave a lasting impression.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 5
The seasonal Tsukemen ramen is unbelievable. The atmosphere is relaxing and the staff are extremely attentive and friendly. Would also recommend the Tonkotsu ramen with garlic oil and the agedashi tofu....all are absolutely perfect.
Food was flavorful . Service was fast and atmosphere is lively.
Would’ve loved a touch of spice but otherwise it was good.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Bao Bun with Vegetable Fritters, Oyakodon
We recently tried Shinmai Shokudo and we loved it! Being a vegetarian it’s hard to find options for myself in a Japanese restaurant, but Shinmai had quite some options. We started with “Moro-Q” its a crispy fresh cucumber tossed in wasabi salt and dipped in sesame oil - it was very refreshing and didn’t kill our appetite instead it got us more hungry! The. We tried Vegetable ramen and Spicy Tan-Tan and both dishes did not disappoint! I will highly recommend this restaurant to try out.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Food was absolutely delicious. The ladies working were so nice. Food came out so quick we were in and out in 25 minutes. We had just made a drive from Wilmington and wanted comfort food before going to the airport. I'm so glad I picked this place. Will definitely come again next time I'm in the area.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
We ordered Doordash - the photos are my husband's Chicken curry Don. Yes, the bowl is the size of a SMALL cereal bowl. Yes, it is litterly 1/3 full befor even tasting it. I was furious that this is less than a can of soup full for 20$! Ridiculous! 1/3 full befor even a single bite?!
The taste is fine. its just fine. But $20 for this portion is insulting and frankly scammy as heck.
Do Not Waste Your Money Here
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 3
I just had the most amazing lunch here. I was buying a computer at the Starbucks next door and my wife told me we should try this spot. Little did I know it would be some of the best Japanese food I’ve ever had. Good food would have been enough, but the service took things to another level. I met the owners who greeted my wife and I, and recommended some of their favorite menu item. The environment, the mocktails, the welcoming people. Truly a special establishment. I highly recommend this place! And apparently they are opening a Japanese/ Italian spot in Cary soon so… 👀👀👀
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I order 1st ramen on the menu and a glass of water that’s all. Finished in 10min. Charge me $22.25 cuz I used a credit card (extra 3%) and tip 15%.
Place is fancy. The ramen really sucks, no taste, the size is small. Noodle like steel wire.
Idk what is going on for the good reviews. This is the worst ramen RTP.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 1
Service: 3
The dipping ramen was a letdown; the noodles were undercooked and tough and the $20 price tag only included one small piece of meat. Be aware of extra charges: they add a 3% credit card fee and calculate the suggested tip on the post-tax amount. Not worth the price.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 1
Service: 5
Small dishes are good. Okonomiyaki (pancake) is special. Takoyaki has crispy skin when freshly served. Korokke is also good. Steak (sliced beef) is alright.
Tokonsu ramen has the raw blood smell, especially the pork chop slice, thus not good
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 4
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