Kenzo Ramen — Restaurant in St. Catharines

I'm a frequent customer to the location in Hamilton, so I had expectations coming to this location. I apologize that there's no pictures in advance since it wasn't the best experience. My friends and I came to this restaurant at 5 pm on a Saturday, there were no customers and it was very quiet. We were a little suspicious, because there was a festival/event happening outside, isn't it supposed to be busy? We ordered the food from an old ripped menu, the selection was limited compared to the Hamilton location, and the person taking our order was rushing and a little intimidating. When our food came, the portions were so small, way less than what the Hamilton location offers. I ordered a tsukemen, the broth was supposed to be flavourful but all I tasted was salty, with few pieces of toppings. My partner ordered a tonkatsu combo, the rice was dry (like it sat out for a long time), and the fried meat was tasteless and mushy, the sauce was also not tangy like it's supposed to, and the miso soup was just plain water (no taste). They suffered a stomach ache an hour later. My other friends both ordered ramen, and again the portions were small and the taste is mid at best. He offered us water, but his fingers were all over the rim of the cups, leaving prints on the space we put our mouth on. When we paid, my friends paid with cash and he said he had no change. Why didn't he tell us before we paid, seeing us taking out cash at the table? Luckily we had the exact amount, but it's weird he wouldn't mention it at first. It came to on average $20 per person, which was not worth it at all, for the taste, service, or portion of the food. Please be aware that the food may not be worth the price, the workers are a little shady, and cleanliness may not be the best. If you really want a good meal, go to the...

I have been here several times with friends since coming down to St. Catherine’s for school. I also used to enjoy taking my family here. I’ve tried the chicken kiraage, it’s very good! I’ve tried multiple donburi dishes—I enjoyed them a lot! My friends seem to like the ramen. I’ve been here for lunch and dinner, overall great food and atmosphere. The servers are polite and attentive as well.

Don’t try the deconstructed ramen. Trust me. I was recommended it on a day they ran out of rice (which happens here from time to time). Small portion, bland and unappetizing. Took three bites—decided to leave it at the restaurant—even the friends I was with offered to take it, then tried it and declined. I wasn’t angry, just disappointed. I still feel bad about wasting 20$ on that :(

Stopped going out to restaurants in general after that, now I just cook. That’s how disappointing this dish was. I still think about it every now and then—that’s why I remembered to leave this review. I am now much more conservative with my spending—I hate the thought of wasting money. Now I carefully budget my groceries and meal portions. All of my purchasing habits, even clothing, have become more responsible—to make what little money I have truly count. I have learned to cook big and tasty meals on a tight budget. I even began researching nutrition so I could make the cheapest meals that could sustain my health—I became aware of deficits within my own diet—now I eat healthier. This dish has taught me many valuable life lessons. In a way… the deconstructed ramen has changed my life.

Thank you,...

TLDR: A cheap and sastisying way to get Ramen in downtown St. Catharines. As a chain restuarant, service is often non-existent and many menus items are unavailable for long period of time with little explanation.

Kenzo Ramen is our downtown St. Catharines branch that serves up many a tasty little bowl of salty, spicy, and sweet dishes. It was actually my introduction to Ramen which I have since happily broadened my experience with such a fantastic dish! I have since returned on several occasions to Kenzo to repeatedly find myself wanting for service as staff is often non-existent or browsing the computer terminal in the back until you walk up and ask for additional service. In addition to this the menu always seems to have a randomly rotating series of menu items that are just unavailable for any length of time. Their cheesecake being the most notorious for this. These items are also all advertised with no direction to let you know they are unavailable leading to a rather comedic ordering service when I was tried to order two things in a row, both of which were unavailable. If you simply want a simple style bowl of Ramen, Kenzo here can get you a quick fix but otherwise I would love to see some growth from...