Ramen Don — Restaurant in Birmingham

In the past 11 days, I have been to this place 3 times because I've been impressed with each visit!

First visit: I ordered the Kotteri Pork Ramen and my friend ordered the Miso Pork Ramen. Second visit: I ordered the Kara Miso Ramen (with extra order of pork chashu and extra portion of ramen noodles). Third visit: I ordered the Shoyu Ramen, my friend ordered the Chicken Paitan Ramen and we shared a portion of Karaage. (Photos are of my own dishes and hopefully in order)

TLDR: all of these dishes are 100% worth eating!

Kotteri Pork Ramen: This being the creamiest and thickest ramen broth, I was reminded of Japan right from the first sip and I knew this would not be my last visit here. The authenticity really shone through with each bite and sip by how thick and rich each one was. The smoky, tender pork chashu was also very delicious, this restaurant does it right! This is a lot to finish if you're a light eater, but if you're after a rich and hearty dish, then this is perfect for you.

Kara Miso Ramen: The broth for this dish was so incredible! The miso sesame tare backed up with some spice packed so much flavour and it gave such great complexity to the broth. This one came with lamb chashu; tender, flavourful chunks, which was easily my favourite meat of them all! With this, I ordered extra pork chashu, and extra ramen noodles, which is recommended to be given when you're ready for them so it can be prepared fresh! If given too early, they can soak up too much broth and become more soggy.

Shoyu Ramen: I'm usually not a fan of shoyu ramen because in the UK, I find that lots of places tend to have broth that just tastes of soy sauce, resulting in an overpowering and very very salty dish, but here, the soy flavour was subtle, yet strong enough to create such a harmonious, umami filled broth, which balanced so well with the sweet soy chicken. There's an option to add Yuzu juice to the broth (Yuzu is a citrus fruit which has both sweet and citrus notes) which I asked to be brought out separately. I highly recommend adding it in during the second half of eating this dish because the broth instantly transformed into something completely different, adding a level of sweet citric flavours which absolutely amazed me!

Karaage: A simple plate of deep fried chicken served with a spicy kewpie mayo dipping sauce. The chicken was very flavourful and tender!

All dishes came with al dente ramen noodles (firm to the bite and was great with every broth) and a half Hanjuku Egg (marinated soft boiled egg which creates a jammy, rich egg yolk which were always so perfect)

The decor is very simple, with a toilet on site, there are long tables inside along the windows and walls, one long table in the middle and a long bar counter where you can be seated as the staff prepare your food right in front of you. This seating arrangement is similar to traditional ramen spots in Japan where you may share a long table with others as everyone enjoys their meal, so don't worry too much if you have to sit next to strangers! The customer service has always been so friendly and very pleasant and that combined with amazing food, this is definitely the go-to spot for ramen without a doubt!

This place is located off of Broad Street, hidden behind Jimmy Spices/ The Soloman Cutler Wetherspoons, you have to go down the ramp or stairs on either side!

Kotteri Pork Ramen - 9/10 Kara Miso Ramen - 9.5/10 Shoyu Ramen -...

Genuinely just try it. There will be difficulty in me encapsulating how truly great the experience was; no matter how great a picture I paint, it's better.

I don't post flowery reviews often, look at my others for example, this is a straight 5star all round. I would genuinely not be surprised if this ended up being a Michelin star restaurant some day.

We were served by Liam, the headchef, he took our orders immediately, was warm, hospitable, amicable, and accommodating. He was completely willing to alter a few options on the menu from myself, to a ridiculous level, of which even after changing my mind, kept a positive and lovely attitude.

We spoke of the decor, anime, games, and card games. He was completely authentic and it was clear he cared about the aesthetic and brand deeply.

The food was surprisingly prompt. The vegetables were fresh, with good colour and texture. The meat cooked well and seasoned. We finished it entirely clean plate.

The gyoza were genuinely the best we've had. The chicken karage and katsu curry blows wagamamas out of the water. Likewise for price. Please if you're thinking of going to wagamama just walk the 100 yards here instead.

If you have kids do bring them, they have a screen playing anime, with posters and decoration to match. Liam also asked if we had the time to try a boardgame out. I can't stress enough how blown away we were from the service. I tried tipping him, further upon the service charge. He made me aware of the charge, I insisted anyway on top of it, but he refused to accept it. A literal complete gem of service in this part of Birmingham In which a lot of shops seem to be more of a revolving door.

The food could be exceptional but his service alone elevated it that much more. We will definitely be back, and his attitude and attention are the largest part of it.

Please just try it once and...

One of the best restaurant experiences I’ve ever had. This was our second visit this week—we’re not from the area and honestly just wish we’d discovered it sooner! Even though we’re heading home, we’ll definitely be coming back with friends—it’s that good.

The quality of both the food and the service was just as incredible as our first visit—consistently outstanding. We were greeted with such a warm welcome, even given little games to enjoy while waiting for our food, which added such a fun and thoughtful touch. Both the head chef, Liam, and our waiter interacted with us throughout the meal and made us laugh the whole way through—it felt like dining with friends rather than strangers.

As for the food—wow. I’m a huge ramen lover, and this was hands down the best ramen I’ve ever had. I ordered the duck ramen, and it was next level. The duck was unbelievably tender, melt-in-your-mouth soft, and the noodles were perfectly springy. The broth? Like a warm, aromatic hug for your belly. You could tell how much attention and care went into every element, especially with the open kitchen giving us a glimpse into the process.

This place has made a lasting impression on me and set a new standard. Anything less just won’t do now. A true gem—I can’t...