Simply Ramen and Gyoza — Restaurant in Bee Cave

I really wanted to love this place and support a local business, but unfortunately, our experience at Simply Ramen missed the mark.

We started with the Japanese pan-fried dumplings (8 pieces), which are described as house-made daily and crispy on the outside. What we received was far from that. They were soft, not crispy at all, and honestly tasted identical to frozen soup dumplings you can pick up at H-E-B. I love those for what they are, but when dining at a restaurant, you expect a bit more care and texture.

The food came out surprisingly fast, which can be convenient but in this case, it made me question the freshness and prep. The ramen itself was...fine. Not bad, not amazing, just your standard bowl with no real standout elements.

The biggest disappointment, however, was the sushi. I've never had sushi served with chopped fish inside. He stated that's normal when ordering spicy tuna. The texture was very mushy, the flavor was lacking, and it didn’t taste fresh at all. I couldn’t even eat it. It was obvious hadn't touched the dish and he just brought me a box. When I asked about the chopped fish, he explained it was "normal" to be served that way and left the check. I typically wouldn't ask for food to be removed but in this case, I couldn't justify paying for a dish that was barely touched.

To top it off, our server Joe had a noticeably bad attitude. It felt like he didn’t want to be there, which made the overall vibe even less enjoyable.

As a food content creator, I want to support local spots. I want to share good meals with my audience, tip well, and help bring traffic to businesses that deserve it. But I also value honesty and transparency and sadly, this visit didn’t deliver on food, service, or experience. The ambience and atmosphere of the restaurant was the only thing close to enjoyable.

Hoping this was just an off day, but I personally...

The ambiance of the restaurant was truly great, it was cozy and inviting. The food was absolutely delicious, every dish was well-prepared and full of flavor. The flavors were well balanced and it was clear that the chefs take great pride in their craft. The presentation of the dishes was also impressive, they looked as good as they tasted.

One of the highlights of my dining experience was the robot that was present in the restaurant. It was quite a unique and cool addition, it made the dining experience more interactive and fun. The robot was quite impressive, it moved around smoothly and was able to bring the food to the guest. The waiters/waitresses no longer have to carry the dishes.

Although I had a great experience overall, I didn't give it a full 5 stars because the restaurant forgot to include the egg in my ramen, which was a disappointment. I understand that mistakes happen, but it did affect my overall experience. I'm sure they could've fixed it if I'd asked but was on a lunch break.

If you're looking for a great dining experience, I highly recommend this restaurant. The ambiance, food, and service are all top-notch. Just make sure to double check your order...

I'm sorry to have to change my review from 5 stars to one. I used to love coming in here and ordering the vegan ramen with steamed tofu. Today May 13, 2025 I came in and ordered vegan ramen with steamed tofu. I was served fried tofu and I pointed it out to the server. The server insisted it was steamed tofu so I tried it. I was clearly fried as it was brown and gristly. I called the waiter over again and told him it was definitely fried tofu. He explained that it was brown because it had been marinated. I insisted it had been fried. He went to the kitchen and came back out and explained they didn't have any tofu that wasn't already fried until their supplier comes back tomorrow. I told him I do not eat fried tofu so he said ok and walked away. So I left without eating and I won't be back. I can't believe how the server was insisting over and over again that the tofu wasn't fried and then finding out for himself from the kitchen that it was and then walking away from my table. I would have stayed and eaten my ramen without the tofu but by that point I could no...