Neon Market — Restaurant in Bengaluru

I visited this place last evening after hearing that they serve some of the best Ramen in Bangalore — so naturally, my expectations were high.

We went over the weekend and had to pay a non-refundable cover charge of ₹900 per person, which seems to be the minimum spend they’ve already decided for each guest.

About the Restaurant:

Ambience: Well-lit and true to its name, the place gives off a full lounge vibe with upbeat music — quite contrary to traditional Japanese settings. They should promote themselves as Japanese, Korean, and American, because the atmosphere reflects that blend. The furniture could use an upgrade, but there’s ample seating available.

People and Service: The staff were amazing — helpful from the moment we made our reservation, to getting seated, explaining the menu, suggesting options, and following up on our food. However, the service setup could improve. Having one dedicated server per table who can keep track of the order would really enhance the overall experience.

Food:

Tacos (Spicy Pulled Mushroom): A good balance of flavours. Slightly sour and mildly spicy, which paired well with the umami of the mushrooms. The cream cheese on the side added richness, but a spicy salsa or pico would’ve made it even better. 4/5

Focaccia Grilled Cheese – Chilli Basil Tofu: The sandwich was perfectly grilled. However, the chilli was missing in the scrambled tofu. It was cheesy but not gooey or creamy enough. The soup on the side brought in a nice spicy kick. That said, ₹600 for the sandwich feels steep — maybe they’re using premium ingredients, but still on the pricier side for me. 3/5

Ramen (Spicy Korean-style with Tofu Katsu): A wholesome 750 ml bowl with a great noodles-to-broth ratio. The broth was full of flavour and the tofu katsu was delicious. It wasn’t overly spicy or garlicky — everything came together really well. However, I missed more veggies. There were very few mushrooms and I couldn't find any kimchi cabbage. 4.5/5

Overall: The spice level is mild, definitely below Indian standards, but that helps in appreciating other flavours. It’s an interesting experience, but may not hit the mark if you're expecting bold, spicy profiles. Rating: 4/5

Mochi: Visually appealing. The version here focuses mainly on the filling inside, which is quite different from other types I’ve tried before. 4/5

Is this the best place for Ramen in Bangalore: Not the best, but I would never say No to...

Trying out ramen noodles has been on my bucket list for so long. I have saved a bunch of top ramen places in and around Bangalore. One day, while scrolling through my feed, a reel popped up about Bangalore's midnight food culture, showing Neon Market; the name was catchy, and what caught my eye was the ramen. A midnight food joint in Indiranagar, it opens at 12 a.m., I guess, but to experience the vibe, you need to go after 10 p.m. Before going, I checked the reviews; they were pretty good, and someone commented it was better than Naru Noodle Bar. I went yesterday around 11 p.m.; the tables were all occupied, but we were seated within 5 minutes. There was a cover charge of 900 rupees per person i guess it was due to weekend rush, which is redeemable at the restaurant. Just like the name, the interior highlighted neon lights; the glass walls around the shop had a tinted effect that reflected all around the shop, so you could watch everything.

I tried their spicy Korean-style chicken ramen, the double burger, southern fried chicken and waffles, and a mixed berry smoothie. All the items came exactly as we finished each; I don't know whether we were fast or they took their time. We started with the ramen. This was the first bowl of ramen my friend and I had tasted in our lives; we had no idea what to expect, and I gotta say it was worth the wait. It was absolutely fantastic: the noodles were cooked to perfection, the broth was spicy, the chicken was juicy and tender, and the egg was fabulous 👌. Altogether, within 5 minutes, we both finished an entire bowl. Next came the double beef burger; it was good but not great, cooked to perfection, but we felt the meat lacked flavor, maybe it was the cooking style. The smoothie was good; I liked it, but my friend said that since it was berries, it had a funny aftertaste. Finally, the chicken and waffles! I absolutely loved the soft and crunchy waffles with the hot honey. I didn't like the combo taste of chicken & waffles, but alone they were perfect; the waffles had a buttery taste, and the honey elevated the flavor.

I absolutely recommend everyone try and check this place out. One thing I forgot to mention: the super friendly waiter who took our order even suggested we try the smoothie.

One more thing: the restroom at Neon Market is the most unique bathroom I have ever been in...

They have a false marketing campaign going on over Instagram from their official handle mentioning ramen bowls at half price from Monday to Saturday from 12am-1am. On reaching the place they'd straight up deny any such offers and expect you to pay up a full charge. PLEASE BEWARE AND ASK BEFORE PAYING THE COVER CHARGE UPFRONT.

Edited after the official reply: Woah! I'd like to see the video please. And as it is my video, please feel free to post it publicly on your channels. Ohh wait, I don't think you'd be able post the video, because THAT NEVER HAPPENED!! I just mentioned to the hostess that the marketing is false on IG. And if the IG post is 8 months old and the policy is changed now, then I wonder who's responsibility is it to update the post. That also might be the customers responsibility to perform complete due diligence before coming to a restaurant, right? Maybe put up your GST number as well to let customers verify if it's a legit business. Because why would you update or delete the old video especially when it's driving customers into the false marketing trap. I've completely lost the trust in the number of reviews you have after your false accusations.

For any new customers checking reviews, just check the pattern where all lowest rated reviews have replies which threaten with making the CCTV footage public. So either all dissatisfied customers have had an argument with neonmarket or it's their planned strategy to respond to low ratings.

Honestly I had nothing against the restaurant, but just wanted to clarify the marketing campaign error. But the impolite response from the team is what I feel really bad about, they didn't even confirm which customer is complaining before blaming the customer. I am pretty sure I didn't even mention my name to the hostess as we left the restaurant without entering. But instead of empathizing with the customer and trying to understand why this problem occurred, they chose to blame. And now I have seen this is a pattern in their replies, where all dissatisfied customers get a reply which puts back the...