Today at 8:40 pm me and other person went to this restaurant and we spend 50+ dollars in food and we didn’t tip so the person serving us went outside after we left and asked us if the food was fine or not because we didn’t tip so we said everything was fine and he told us well please don’t come back never you aren’t welcome because you didn’t tip, it is optional to tip or not, it isn’t an obligation and no being welcome is not ok for them to say that to us.
Wilkey Wong
I took my family to try Kimen for the first time this past weekend. Overall, the experience was positive with a just a few minor quibbles.We ordered chicken karaage, which can be a good barometer for a Japanese restaurant’s commitment. While it certainly does not compare to the karaage we ate in Tokyo, it was pretty good. The meat was seasoned, but could have used more time in the marinade. The breading was basically just a dredge. We find this preferable to the overly thick “KFC” style you sometimes encounter. The issue was that the meat was drier and tougher than it should have been, yet there were still slightly wet spots of coating. The dish as acceptable, but compromised.I ordered the mazemen, ramen without the soup. It came with ground meat, garlic, ginger, scallions, and a raw egg yolk on top. It’s eaten bibimbap, or mix mix style. The flavor was good and intense and the noodles were springy with good chew. This dish was good.Another ordered the unagidon. She remarked that it was just good with the portion perhaps a bit on the small side. Somewhat understandable given that roast eel is an expensive item.The miso ramen is also another good test dish. Kimen’s miso ramen was quite good. The broth was rich and tasty, the noodles lively and fresh, and the pork plentiful and tender. If the rest of their ramen offerings score like this, it’s worth returning.The chicken katsudon was good. Neither outstanding nor disappointing. The meat was fresh and fried just right. Perhaps a bit too much shredded cabbage side.Two dishes came with miso soup, which was a bit disappointing for two reasons. Although the menu picture shows it containing diced tofu as is common, ours came with none. And the flavor was thin. Double the miso paste would have been more appropriate.Finally, the bowls and plates in which the food came in were all chipped heavily around the edges. Without exception. While a gentle nod to wabi sabi and the reality of a life properly lived, we felt the damage was a bit too extensive and one member could feel scratchiness or grittiness at the bottom of her bowl through her chopsticks.The decor is worth noting. All the walls were papered with what appeared to be pages from Japanese magazines or books and posters. It was very cool and provided much visual interest. There were also shelves with Japanese toys and tchotchkes. Delightful.In sum, Kimen was a mixed bag with a lean toward the positive. The flavor and textures were solid and enjoyable. The details were where there were some concessions. However, given that the staff was friendly and attentive, I think we’ll go back again to try some more eats.We also tried to upload photos.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Jeff Daeschner
Favorite Ramen in
Food: 5
Brandi Collins
Consistently superb... I have been patronizing this location for years.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Rachele Huot
I came here on a whim and learned that this place is mentioned on Squid Games! How cool!I got the spicy ramen with an egg and got some chicken kimchi sliders for later.The ramen broth was AMAZING, and I took the rest of the broth that I couldn't finish home with me. (I was on limited time).I did not like that there were so many big chunks of white onion in the ramen and picked them all out (kept the green onions). I've never had ramen with so many onions in it anyway.My friend had bulgogi in his ramen and he said it was amazing!The kimchi chicken sliders were really tasty <3 I think the chunk of chicken was a little too big for the slider, but the kimchi and sauce were really really good.The staff was friendly and service was excellent!The tables were clean.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Spicy Ramen
리띠로리
The char siu was very thick and the karaage was also very large haha I added kimchi and there was a lot of kimchi :)The ramen broth was really... clean, light and spicy, so I was happy (spicy ramen). I think it would be better if you could add something spicier!My husband ate the curry, but he said the taste was a bit disappointing, so I took one out :) Whether it's the owner or an employee, the man is very friendly and I can feel that he cares a lot about his customers, so I like it.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Chris Roper
Ordered through Grubhub, broth was tasteless, 2 skinny boiled pieces of chicken. Not worth $20 for this.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 1
Service: 3
Furkan K
First of all it was my first time visiting. I ordered take out. I got chicken original ramen, my wife got shoyu ramen. The food was not hot and meats we got was frozen meat and they reheated them and served us. I live 5 mins away so it is impossible to get cold that fast. I always wanted to try and it was not what I was expecting. Maybe its because we went there around 9 but they close at 12. I got fried oysters too. It was fine. Not good not bad. Atmosphere is cute if you like anime theme.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 2
Service: 4
Kimberley Elbin
I love the vegetarian ramen here! A really cute Iittle place and the service is top notch.Vegetarian options: The vegetarian ramen is great
Good food but beware, even for one person they force a large group service charge on you, and even before the service charge it is too expensive for what they give you.Go next door to the Block where they don't play these games and have a wider selection. I doubt I'll go back because of the billing games they play.
A small, upbeat, "hip" young adult hangout. Great for lunch or dinner. The anime posters on the walls and the mural adds to the atmosphere, making you feel like you are in an underground Tokyo subway ramen house. As someone that has been to many places in Japan like this, I must say it recreates this vibe spectacularly.I enjoy going there for my lunch breaks or to meet up with friends in the evenings for dinner. Tucked into a very authentically Asian influenced area, it makes for a cultural experience (almost).The food is always consistent and delicious. It is the most authentic ramen tonkotsu flavour I have had in VA. It just has that umami flavour I've only found in Japan.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Goyza, Tonkotsu Ramen, Original Ramen, Pork Gyoza
Roy Q
Cozy, quiet, and great food. The ramen is great and has a very savory broth. It's the best I've had in northern VA. The unagidon is another fav. The selection of sake and Japanese craft beer is very nice too.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Josy Mukwamu
Overall, this place is nice. Not too crowded. The service is great and fast. I was greeted nicely and was treated so politely. The food was good. Especially the appetizers. The only thing I didn't like was the chicken added to my ramen, which was bland. But I added some soy soy, so it was fine. I like their gyoza best from all I have tested so far.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Original Ramen, Gyoza 4pcs
Haemi Erickson
My most favorite is Seafood spicy ramen with pork based soup. If you’re spicy lover, I highly recommend this. The stuff we’re also very friendly and speaking good Japanese ☺️
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Krista G.
i got the spicy ramen and it was good they had extra chili oil so you could add more which was nice. i also got the tofu and takoyaki as apps and they were also good. id give it a 3.8
Today at 8:40 pm me and other person went to this restaurant and we spend 50+ dollars in food and we didn’t tip so the person serving us went outside after we left and asked us if the food was fine or not because we didn’t tip so we said everything was fine and he told us well please don’t come back never you aren’t welcome because you didn’t tip, it is optional to tip or not, it isn’t an obligation and no being welcome is not ok for them to say that to us.
I took my family to try Kimen for the first time this past weekend. Overall, the experience was positive with a just a few minor quibbles.We ordered chicken karaage, which can be a good barometer for a Japanese restaurant’s commitment. While it certainly does not compare to the karaage we ate in Tokyo, it was pretty good. The meat was seasoned, but could have used more time in the marinade. The breading was basically just a dredge. We find this preferable to the overly thick “KFC” style you sometimes encounter. The issue was that the meat was drier and tougher than it should have been, yet there were still slightly wet spots of coating. The dish as acceptable, but compromised.I ordered the mazemen, ramen without the soup. It came with ground meat, garlic, ginger, scallions, and a raw egg yolk on top. It’s eaten bibimbap, or mix mix style. The flavor was good and intense and the noodles were springy with good chew. This dish was good.Another ordered the unagidon. She remarked that it was just good with the portion perhaps a bit on the small side. Somewhat understandable given that roast eel is an expensive item.The miso ramen is also another good test dish. Kimen’s miso ramen was quite good. The broth was rich and tasty, the noodles lively and fresh, and the pork plentiful and tender. If the rest of their ramen offerings score like this, it’s worth returning.The chicken katsudon was good. Neither outstanding nor disappointing. The meat was fresh and fried just right. Perhaps a bit too much shredded cabbage side.Two dishes came with miso soup, which was a bit disappointing for two reasons. Although the menu picture shows it containing diced tofu as is common, ours came with none. And the flavor was thin. Double the miso paste would have been more appropriate.Finally, the bowls and plates in which the food came in were all chipped heavily around the edges. Without exception. While a gentle nod to wabi sabi and the reality of a life properly lived, we felt the damage was a bit too extensive and one member could feel scratchiness or grittiness at the bottom of her bowl through her chopsticks.The decor is worth noting. All the walls were papered with what appeared to be pages from Japanese magazines or books and posters. It was very cool and provided much visual interest. There were also shelves with Japanese toys and tchotchkes. Delightful.In sum, Kimen was a mixed bag with a lean toward the positive. The flavor and textures were solid and enjoyable. The details were where there were some concessions. However, given that the staff was friendly and attentive, I think we’ll go back again to try some more eats.We also tried to upload photos.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Favorite Ramen in
Food: 5
Consistently superb... I have been patronizing this location for years.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I came here on a whim and learned that this place is mentioned on Squid Games! How cool!I got the spicy ramen with an egg and got some chicken kimchi sliders for later.The ramen broth was AMAZING, and I took the rest of the broth that I couldn't finish home with me. (I was on limited time).I did not like that there were so many big chunks of white onion in the ramen and picked them all out (kept the green onions). I've never had ramen with so many onions in it anyway.My friend had bulgogi in his ramen and he said it was amazing!The kimchi chicken sliders were really tasty <3 I think the chunk of chicken was a little too big for the slider, but the kimchi and sauce were really really good.The staff was friendly and service was excellent!The tables were clean.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Spicy Ramen
The char siu was very thick and the karaage was also very large haha I added kimchi and there was a lot of kimchi :)The ramen broth was really... clean, light and spicy, so I was happy (spicy ramen). I think it would be better if you could add something spicier!My husband ate the curry, but he said the taste was a bit disappointing, so I took one out :) Whether it's the owner or an employee, the man is very friendly and I can feel that he cares a lot about his customers, so I like it.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Ordered through Grubhub, broth was tasteless, 2 skinny boiled pieces of chicken. Not worth $20 for this.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 1
Service: 3
First of all it was my first time visiting. I ordered take out. I got chicken original ramen, my wife got shoyu ramen. The food was not hot and meats we got was frozen meat and they reheated them and served us. I live 5 mins away so it is impossible to get cold that fast. I always wanted to try and it was not what I was expecting. Maybe its because we went there around 9 but they close at 12. I got fried oysters too. It was fine. Not good not bad. Atmosphere is cute if you like anime theme.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 2
Service: 4
I love the vegetarian ramen here! A really cute Iittle place and the service is top notch.Vegetarian options: The vegetarian ramen is great
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Pork Belly Bun, Edamame, 1 Piece Chasu Bun, Original Ramen, Miso Soup, Spicy Miso Ramen
Good food but beware, even for one person they force a large group service charge on you, and even before the service charge it is too expensive for what they give you.Go next door to the Block where they don't play these games and have a wider selection. I doubt I'll go back because of the billing games they play.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 2
Recommended dishes: Original Ramen
Restaurantji Recommends
A small, upbeat, "hip" young adult hangout. Great for lunch or dinner. The anime posters on the walls and the mural adds to the atmosphere, making you feel like you are in an underground Tokyo subway ramen house. As someone that has been to many places in Japan like this, I must say it recreates this vibe spectacularly.I enjoy going there for my lunch breaks or to meet up with friends in the evenings for dinner. Tucked into a very authentically Asian influenced area, it makes for a cultural experience (almost).The food is always consistent and delicious. It is the most authentic ramen tonkotsu flavour I have had in VA. It just has that umami flavour I've only found in Japan.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Goyza, Tonkotsu Ramen, Original Ramen, Pork Gyoza
Cozy, quiet, and great food. The ramen is great and has a very savory broth. It's the best I've had in northern VA. The unagidon is another fav. The selection of sake and Japanese craft beer is very nice too.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Overall, this place is nice. Not too crowded. The service is great and fast. I was greeted nicely and was treated so politely. The food was good. Especially the appetizers. The only thing I didn't like was the chicken added to my ramen, which was bland. But I added some soy soy, so it was fine. I like their gyoza best from all I have tested so far.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Original Ramen, Gyoza 4pcs
My most favorite is Seafood spicy ramen with pork based soup. If you’re spicy lover, I highly recommend this. The stuff we’re also very friendly and speaking good Japanese ☺️
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
i got the spicy ramen and it was good they had extra chili oil so you could add more which was nice. i also got the tofu and takoyaki as apps and they were also good. id give it a 3.8