Ramen Tensho — Restaurant in Brisbane City

I rarely leave reviews, especially negative ones, but I felt compelled to share my experience at this ramen shop in hopes it might save someone else from the same frustration and disappointment.

Let me begin by saying I had high hopes for this place. The pictures online looked promising, the menu sounded authentic, and I was genuinely excited to enjoy a warm bowl of comforting ramen. Unfortunately, that excitement quickly turned into regret the moment I walked through the door.

☹️ Customer Service – Absolutely Terrible From the moment I entered, the staff made it clear that my presence was an inconvenience. I stood at the entrance for several minutes without being acknowledged, despite making direct eye contact with two staff members behind the counter. No greeting, no "we’ll be right with you"—just indifference.

When someone finally approached, they seemed impatient and dismissive. I asked a simple question about the broth options and got a half-hearted shrug in response. It felt like they didn’t want to be there, and they certainly didn’t want me there either. The lack of basic courtesy was shocking, even by rushed lunch-service standards.

During my visit, I also noticed other customers receiving similarly cold treatment. One couple next to me had to wave down a server multiple times just to get napkins and water refills. Another table was ignored for so long that they ended up leaving before ordering.

🥴 The Food – Oily, Unbalanced, and Unappetizing I ordered the tonkotsu ramen, which is usually my go-to favorite. What I received, however, was a bowl of disappointment disguised as food.

The broth was extremely oily—so much so that there was a thick, shiny film floating on top that made every spoonful feel heavy and greasy. I understand that tonkotsu broth can be rich, but this wasn't richness—it was excess. There was no depth of flavor, no umami kick, just an overwhelming slick of fat that coated my mouth unpleasantly.

The noodles were overcooked and soggy, lacking the usual bounce and bite that ramen noodles should have. The pork belly was dry and bland, and the egg—typically a highlight—was over-boiled with a rubbery texture and a yolk that was more chalk than creamy.

To top it off, the dish was lukewarm at best when it reached my table, which made everything feel even more unappetizing.

🧼 Cleanliness and Ambience – Not Great Either While this wasn't the main issue, it's worth noting that the shop wasn’t particularly clean. Tables weren’t wiped down thoroughly, the floor felt sticky in spots, and the overall vibe was far from welcoming. When the service is bad and the food is worse, even minor cleanliness issues stand out more glaringly.

🚫 Bottom Line: Avoid This Place There are far better ramen spots out there that serve delicious food and treat their customers with basic decency. This place failed on both fronts. Between the oily, subpar food and the rude, inattentive staff, there is absolutely no reason to return—or recommend it to anyone.

If you’re craving ramen, do yourself a favor and find another restaurant that actually cares about the quality of their food and...

Had dinner there about a week ago, it was a very uncomfortable experience. Firstly the ramen was oily, some might argue that it's rich but it was oily for us. Place was extremely cramped, shoulder to shoulder so if you're a plus size i dont think you'll be able to move around or even sit down. The worst thing was the way they conduct business, very rude (and greedy, I presumed?!). This was the first time I've seen a business with so many rules to allow them to maximise their profits. Surely I do understand as a small business you'd want to make the best turnover in a period of time but no reason to treat people like that. You argued with customers next to other customers while they were eating. Refused to understand a genuine mistake (could possibly be yours) and not let people dine in because they (accidentally?!) placed a takeaway order? Then you moved another customer to a different seat while he was eating just so you can rearrange to fit more people in your restaurant? Me and my partner couldn't continue eating because it left a bad taste in our mouths witnessed the whole drama unfold. If you ran a business, it's inevitable that you would have some issues with diners but this is not the way to solve the problems. It wasn't the first time we've been here but it would be our last time. The couple that you kicked out probably been here no less than 20 times, I happened to see their royalty card. So much for supporting local business. Better spend your $ somewhere that treats you better, like a...

Great food, service, everything. This is a long one and a bit of a hot take but this place is deserving of a much higher rating.

As this place is a small venue with limited seating, they rely on high custom turnover in order to survive. (As do all businesses)

The one star reviews that Tensho has been spammed with shows a complete lack of understanding and consideration for the business and its operation.

As someone who has lived in Japan, it was common practice to limit seating times, and the business owner has a right to enforce that and minimum order. If you're not a paying customer, make room for those who are. Stop being selfish. "The customer is always right" mentality is one of the worst things to happen restaurants and small business owners. There is no excuse for poor service, but if there is a line out the door, and you are choosing to take up two seats and share one bowl of ramen; go elsewhere.

The ramen and service here has always been stellar and I have not had a bad experience in the years that I have been coming here. Please give this business a chance. It's a very authentic experience and I've always enjoyed the nostalgia from my days in Tokyo.

There are so many places closing down these days, I would hate it if Tensho had to close their doors as well. I'll be...