Downtown Ramen Asian Restaurant — Restaurant in District Six

I would like to start by saying, when it came time to pay, we were asked if we could leave a review on google - i didn't mind at all.

I had the spicy Miso Ramen [Small], I really enjoyed it! The most amazing noodles!!! I paid R150 for my meal which included: the Small Miso Ramen [135] and a tip [15]. I was in the R150-200 range but everyone else at the table was R200 - 250. I felt like a cooldrink wouldn't go with this meal so I stuck to water. Possibly could of paired well with a apple/grape tizer and maybe a pot of tea - my preference of course [non-alc options] and a beer is an obvious pairing or a cider for something sweeter. I did try the Peach and Grapefruit Soju's, highly recommend the Grapefruit, the Peach is good for someone who doesn't like overly artificial taste [more of an spirit taste compared to what the Grapefruit was like]. Service was great, our waitress was lovely, but I felt with the split eating areas, was a bit weird trying to catch the attention of our waitress but otherwise no complaints.

Reasons for only 4/5 stars:

BOWEL SIZES: For the ramen there was a Small and Large option, I feel a Medium option is needed, as with the small, I felt like I was still hungry and the large looked like it would be too much for me. I should've ordered extra noodles for my small.

SEATING: my table sat in the first seating area as you walk in, in the left corner, and the benches were very uncomfortable, they could do with a thick bench cushion [like he ones on outside metal furniture].

LIGHTING: The lighting sets a lovely atmosphere - hanging lights above each table - but our table had an additional light on the wall, that was very bright, luckily we had a great waitress who turned it off for us.

CHICKEN DUMPLINGS: Someone at our table ordered the chicken dumplings, she had never had dumplings before, and so when she only had 2 and asked the rest of us to eat them, we couldn't understand why, until we tried them. The filling of the dumpling was the issue, people at the table said that it tasted like it had too much cabbage - more cabbage then chicken, I likened the taste to chicken mayonnaise? [strange, i know] I couldn't quite tell why the teste was so off, it wasn't like any other chicken dumpling I've had, i wouldn't order them again.

Out of the restaurants control? The Coffee Machine wasn't working, I did want a coffee for after my meal but sadly it wasn't possible, the waitress let us know when we took our drink orders as someone tried to order a...

On 26 April I went to Downtown Ramen with a friend for dinner. We were the only table besides one couple, who ordered roughly 5mins after us. Their food was delivered to them, and shortly after food was brought to us, which turned out to be theirs. By this time, the couple had already tucked into our food, despite it very obviously not being what they ordered (we ordered two Miso Beef ramen bowls, while they ordered one Pork bowl, and a bao).

When we told the waiter as he delivered the food that it was not ours, he promptly swapped the dishes with the couple. I told him that I was concerned that they had already eaten some of the food, and he assured me that they hadn't. I then said how I'd heard one of them mention eating an egg, and he then said that they had taken an egg out of one bowl, and that he would take that bowl back to the kitchen and put another egg in. My friend insisted that he wanted a new, fresh dish, and the waiter obliged. I decided (unfortunately) to believe the waiter that my bowl hadn't been touched, and when my friend's 'new' bowl was brought around, I realised that there were ingredients in his that had not been in mine - clearly someone had eaten some of my food. My friend was also certain that his bowl was just the same one from before, now with a new egg.

After eating I went to the bathroom as I wasn't feeling well, and overheard the couple talking about how the waiter had offered to pay for their meal due to the mix-up - despite them getting their food untouched, and having tucked into ours. No such offer was extended to us.

As if all of the above was not bad enough, I then dealt with food poisoning for several days after eating. This has got to be hands-down the worst dining experience I have ever had, anywhere. I wish I could...

Avoid this place at all costs! This was possibly one of the worst dining experiences I have ever had in my life. Cockroaches and food poisoning that lasted longer than a week. 🪳

We came back here after loving it as students years back hoping to have a great ramen like the good old days. Unfortunately it just went from bad to worse very quickly.

It took about 20 mins before our food got ordered, and it wasn’t busy. Then they just completely forgot to place one of our friends orders so everyone’s food came and went by the time she got hers. Then to top it off, while she is eating her meal a COCKROACH comes crawling right next to her bowl of ramen which she called the waiter over to see, the waiter squished with his hands and put in his pocket and CARRIED ON taking a tables payments as if nothing had happened. Was so casual about it as if this happens all the time. Absolutely VILE.

They then refused to take anything off the bill as a sort of apology that we were dining with cockroaches - flat out refused! He still hadn’t washed his hands from squashing the cockroach.

If you think it couldn’t get worse - we have all had some of the worst food poisoning we’ve had in our lives and have been wiped out for almost a week.

Just save your time and money and...