Oreryū Shio Ramen Jingūmae — Restaurant in Tokyo

Rating: 3.0

We decided to visit Oreryū Shio Ramen Jingūmae for a casual evening meal after reading a number of recommendations online. Arriving around 8:00 p.m., we found a short line outside, but the wait time was only about 10 minutes. Considering the size of the restaurant, quite spacious for a ramen shop, the customer turnover was smooth and efficient.

At first, things seemed promising. Unfortunately, our impression quickly shifted once seated. While the table setup was acceptable, the overall atmosphere revealed a restaurant that has clearly passed its prime. The most striking issue was the ceiling, patches of mold were clearly visible. This not only created an unpleasant environment but also set a very discouraging tone before we had even ordered.

Still, having already committed, we decided to give the food a fair chance. Sadly, the dishes did not redeem the experience.

The Shrimp Wonton Ramen, though generously portioned and reasonably priced, was deeply disappointing. The broth lacked depth, umami, or any memorable flavor. The wontons themselves were coarsely minced, with shrimp pieces containing unpleasantly large chunks and cartilage that made the texture unenjoyable.

The Special Tonkotsu Ramen fared no better. Despite looking appetizing when served, rich broth, hearty noodles, and a visually appealing bowl, the flavor was flat and uninspiring. Tonkotsu ramen is supposed to be rich, creamy, and soul-warming, but this one felt hollow, as if the essence had been lost along the way.

The only redeeming dish of the evening was the grilled chicken, which was well-prepared, flavorful, and tender. Unfortunately, one good side dish was not enough to save the...

The ramen was extremely delicious. We arrived around 11am (the opening) and had no wait. You order your food (and pay) by machine outside, then come inside and give the waitress your tickets. She asks what type of broth you want (chicken, beef or pork - we got pork, as she said that is the best/most common), whether you want your noodles soft, medium, or firm, and spicy or not spicy. We were a little intimated about ordering by machine, so we watched someone else do it first. You put in the money first, then select what you want, and it returns your change. It has a picture of each item, as well as a brief English description, which helped a lot. We ended up ordering the two types of ramen shown at the top left of the machine, a standard ramen (which comes with roasted or boiled looking pork) and a special pork ramen (basically the standard one with an additional piece of breaded and fried pork). Both were REALLY good. The broth was white, almost like cream, and tasted rich and amazing like it too. SO flavorful! I would get either one of the dishes again. We also got an order of gyoza with garlic, which was good. These are the best noodles we've had in Tokyo so far. Would definitely recommend! The restaurant doesn't have its English name out front, but you can find it by following a map - it's in a cute alleyway with other nice looking shops and restaurants, and it has a bright red sign up top with a large ordering machine out front (see red sign down the alley pictured in my...

Worst experience of our lives. After seeing this place recommended by many on social media for being one of the best local ramen restaurants, my husband and I decided to try it, for starters the place was hidden and the walk from the train station was far too long, then we were told we had to pay upfront for the meals and use cash only without any receipts, which isn’t very professional for a restaurant, we ignored that and hoped the food would be well worth it. The minute we entered the restaurant you could see the EXTREMELY dirty floors and the BLACK MOLD covering all the walls, which is a major health hazard. The water cups we received were not properly cleaned, and after receiving our ramen dishes we still wanted to give the restaurant one last chance, they had zero flavor !!!! AND THEN TO TOP IT ALL OFF, there was a cockroach walking under our table. We informed the staff and they brushed it off as if it’s a normal occurrence to have cockroaches in an eating and cooking space. We stayed seated a bit longer and as I was moving my noodles around I found an INSECT in my noodles.

Honestly, not only am I disappointed but I’m also beyond disgusted by...