Naruto — Restaurant in Albuquerque

So I delayed this review contemplating if our experience was as unpleasant as I think resulting in us both getting a cold or was it mere coincidence. We were happily enjoying a date out and looking forward to some good Ramen , usually we head to O ramen where it's enjoyable . But have heard great things about Naruto , so full of hope we entered the restaurant and we're seated very quickly , which was nice . The waitress was prompt and polite, their menu is limited and won't substitute meats out if you can't eat pork due to religious reasons but at least the narutos are free . As we sit there eagerly waiting on our pricey meal with all the sides we enjoy , we hear coughing where the kitchen / back room is . Dismissed it as it could be as simple as someone choking on their own saliva , as I have done too many times before. We continue to hear the coughing, but the employee seems to try to go back to the side room to cough and not around the cooks, or so we thought . But as that employee coughing was setting out our chicken sides to be brought to the table, he made a slight cough over it . Alright, again, humans being humans and I'm sure more unsanitary things happen in other places I'm not aware of and the cough didn't seem too bad . But as we got our Ramen which was luke warm at best, with box tasting bone broth and lack laster breaded chicken , we continue to hear this employee's cough getting worse and worse . Sounding congested and well , sick , we notice this employee coughing into his hand and then playfully interacting with the chefs touching bowls etc and then the final straw coughing where the food was being prepped . So we couldn't stomach eating anymore , we were both grossed out and couldn't stop picturing the spray from coughing covering our food which honestly didn't seem hot enough to even kill off germs. We ask the waitress , if her coworker is alright , if he has a cold or not because they aren't taking measures to enjoy our health and we were uncomfortable . The waitress seemed genuine in her concern, but she approached an older woman and told her about our complaint and how we couldn't even finish more than half our food . The manager or whoever brushed it off , and the waitress went to the back and asked her coworker who stated he wasn't sick but those coughs didn't sound like asthmatic , but muscus congested . So we paid the outrageous bill for a meal we couldn't eat in peace , enjoy or even consume so we weren't hungry and left . Days later me and my boyfriend both got a cold and was sick . Coincidence? Maybe ? Horrible management? Yes. If you hear your employee coughing make them wear a mask at the very least , or compensate the guests who are disgusted trying to eat their food knowing if that's allowed what other health code rules are being ignored ? Can't stomach...

I recently dined at Naruto, this is not my first experience, but this is the worst one yet. Here’s why.

Service: The service was extremely poor. Despite the restaurant not being busy, they are always in a rush, (fast does not equal quality) When we finally did receive our food, it was brought to the wrong table twice before arriving at ours. Additionally, the staff seemed disinterested and inattentive throughout our meal. To make matters worse, they often rush to bring the bill even before we are done eating, making us feel unwelcome.

Food Quality: The food was subpar. I ordered the black tonkatsu and Naruto ramen both of which were bland and undercooked. The portions were small for the price, and the presentation was lackluster. One dish arrived cold, and we had to send it back to be reheated. The chashu pork or pork belly is practically all fat, prepared by boiling it, which makes it unappealing and unpleasant to eat. Unless chewing on boiled bacon is your thing…

Cleanliness: The restaurant's cleanliness left much to be desired. Our table was sticky, and the floor around us had not been swept. The bathrooms were also in a poor state, lacking basic supplies and needing attention.

Value for Money: Given the high prices, the overall experience did not justify the cost. The poor service, mediocre food, and lack of cleanliness made it feel like a waste of money. Charging almost $2 for a canned soda is ridiculous, especially when almost every other establishment offers them for $1 with refills. And when you consider consumer prices, almost 3 ‘orders’ of soda from them can buy you a 12 pack of soda, they should be ordering their supplies from a distributor, rather than cutting corners and hiking prices by buying from the grocery store

To-Go Order Experience: I have called many times to place a to-go order, and to this day, they have never picked up the phone. Having to go in person to place a to-go order is a hassle, especially if one is sick and trying to get food to feel better. Their to-go meals are often pre-batched to save time, yet they don’t have enough time to answer the phone for a to-go order.

6 Ambiance: While the decor was somewhat appealing, it did little to make up for the other deficiencies.

In summary, my visit to Naruto was deeply unsatisfactory. I would not recommend this restaurant to others and will not be returning. It is my hope that the management takes these issues seriously and makes the necessary...

So, I went to Naruto after not going there for a long time because I don't live anywhere close to this part of town. It's a place that I used to enjoy and I would take many of my friends and colleagues to. I knew I wanted a meal I haven't had in years and that is the curry ramen. I am also a huge lover of Gyoza (potstickers) so I ordered that as well.

I received a can of overpriced soda (no offer for water) and when I got the Gyoza, the first thing I noticed was I only got 1 packet of soy sauce. This kinda took me aback because although no one is doing COVID protocols one packet of soy sauce was something that happened during the hight of restrictions and at this point I realized that I think I am in for disappointment and that the quality of the restaurant will have taken a hit and boy was I sadly right.

I have been to many places with Gyoza (including in Japan) and I would get something better than that. At any rate, I still would munch them down because they are hand made. Another thing I noticed is that the Gyoza was BLAZING hot. Which I don't mind, but it tells me that they might have been overcooked and had a really odd color.

Then the main course. The first thing I noticed was the amount of curry broth was incredibly low for the amount of ramen in the bowl and I deeply sighed. I was disappointed. Then I wanted to try the brisket. COLD, rubbery, and some parts hard like jerky. Seriously? I had 3 slices of brisket and 1 was tough as hell, one was alright, and the last one I could have used as a hammer and wasn't edible and had major discoloration. I set it on a napkin because it absolutely disgusted me. I was incredibly disappointed because this is supposed to be the highlight of the dish. I asked if the brisket is supposed to be cold, and and the answer was "yes". I was taken aback by that too because sorry, no it's not. It shows that you just made brisket DAYS ago and you just put it in the refrigerator and didn't cook any for quite awhile.

If you can't keep brisket moist, don't serve it. This was the WORST brisket I have had in my entire life.

I finished the rest of the ramen disappointed because the noodles didn't taste right either as I continued though the curry ramen and finished my bowl.

It was a disappointing experience and I know that I don't be back to Naruto for quite some time (again) until this gets fixed. To close, of you are going to charge for overpriced cans of soda, at least do Mexican Cokes,...