KINTON RAMEN YONGE & EGLINTON — Restaurant in Toronto

I recently had the pleasure of dining at KINTON, a charming Japanese ramen restaurant that left me with a blend of positive and perplexing impressions.

There was one incident that left me puzzled and slightly disappointed. A senior staff member, who appeared to be in a position of authority, demonstrated a rather perplexing attitude towards late-arriving customers. It was close to 9 pm, and as per the official website, the restaurant's closing time was indicated as 10:30 pm. To our surprise, upon arrival, we found the large table near the entrance area already cleared and chairs turned upside down, seemed that specific area was after its opening hour at that period LOL.

When we requested a table for three adults, we were informed that only two four-seat tables were available, both of which were currently occupied. The Japanese lady who seemed to be a senior staff member, conveyed that we would need to wait for approximately 30+ minutes to be seated at a larger table, despite the restaurant not being particularly crowded at the time.

Sensing the availability of numerous two-seat tables, we proposed splitting up and occupying two smaller tables. Strangely, the senior staff member seemed reluctant to accept this solution, insisting that we wait for the larger table. It took some persuasion on our part to eventually be allowed to take the smaller tables.

What baffled us even more was the subsequent actions of the senior staff member. She welcomed a single customer and directed him to share one of our small tables without a word of explanation or consideration. This decision was bewildering, as there were still vacant two-seat tables in the restaurant.

Upon inquiring about this unusual arrangement, the japanese lady provided no valid explanation and simply turned away from us. Her demeanor shifted from courteous to distant, leaving us perplexed and somewhat unwelcome.

Overall, KINTON offers remarkable fare and friendly service. However, an unexplained incident involving the senior staff muddied an otherwise enjoyable experience. For those seeking authentic Japanese ramen and a mix of flavors and quirks, KINTON still holds promise, but be ready for an...

The food at kinton ramen is great and the atmosphere is very nice (I like the aesthetics, etc). But the service at this location was so bad the last time I went. It wasn’t busy at all (there were only 2 other tables with 2 people other than me and my boyfriend), but the waitress never checked on our table. I asked her for more water and she came back with a pitcher only enough to fill my cup and not my boyfriend’s (she did not come back again to refill his cup). Which it was okay… Until it came to the bill. She just handed us the card machine…. We had to look for the app/area where we needed to input our total amount ourselves and put it in. I’ve had instances where I’ve put in the total myself and it’s fine but I’ve never seen wait staff just leave the machine at the table like that. Obviously we didn’t leave the best tip for her. Afterwards I went to the restroom, leaving my boyfriend behind and while I was gone she went up to my boyfriend and complained to him that we need to tip more because it’s hard out here. Personally, I also work as wait staff and totally understand that it’s nice to get tips but I would never go up to a customer and complain to them about it in front of everyone else in the restaurant when the service was simply bad. I’m not sure how old this lady was, but it’s also very clear that me and my boyfriend are young university students. It was just very entitled and rude behaviour from her. Food was great as always though! Also, I’ve been to this location many times and many of the servers gave good service. But this experience has sadly tainted my opinion of this location...

I've eaten at a number of their locations, and generally speaking, the Baldwin Street location is always the best to visit.

Unfortunately, the last time I visited a Kinton Ramen, it was their Eglington Avenue location, and to put it mildly, I wish I hadn't gone.

Firstly, the cook was smoking in the restaurant, as he kept having to leave his cooking station, and though no-one was standing outside the front of the restaurant, every time the cook returned , there was that distinct smell of cigarette smoke in the dining area.

Secondly, I've eaten at Kinton Ramen enough times to recognize the signature texture of their noodles, and on this day they pulled a fast one on me. There was no mistaking the texture of noodles bought from the Loblaws across the street from this location.

And thirdly, when I mentioned this to my server, he first said it was because i ordered the thick noodles, which, according to him, have a different consistency from the thin noodles. I said I've always ordered the thick noodles and know exactly what they're like, and that this was not it. Then, my server continued to lie to me by saying that due to the minimum wage increase, the owners had changed the noodles.

I really don't appreciate being lied to and treated like I'm stupid, especially by the staff at a restaurant chain I like so much I got my kids into liking it as well.

Folks, do NOT go to the Eglington...