Ramen Bar Kazoku — Restaurant in Charlotte

It was bustling. Very busy, but so worth the wait. We came for dinner. It was amazing. This place is a must visit for anyone who loves ramen and an authentic Japanese experience.

We walked in and we were immediately greeted by the owner. I saw the beautiful selection of alcohol at the bar. Loved the decor and the setup of the restaurant. Felt just like I was in Japan again. 5/5

We had the shrimp bun, takoyaki ball’s, yamazaki 12, kazoku black ramen, and spicy ramen.

Shrimp tempura bun was delicious and different. Warm, good crunch of the shrimp with soft delicious, sweet pillowy bun. We really enjoyed it. 5/5

Takoyaki balls were delicious. A great portion of octopus inside. They were piping hot deliciousness. I saw my bonito flakes dancing when they brought it over to the table. I should’ve gotten a video. This is the way it’s supposed to be. 5/5

Yamazaki 12 was fragrant, a little sweetness, very smooth and a nice bite on the end. Definitely getting that again. 5/5

Kazoku Black taste and smell reminded me of the Japanese ramen I had. There was a good garlicky flavor with a nice fattiness on the top of the broth. The broth tasted fatty, had beautiful depth of flavor. Time really is the difference in taste and you can’t get that any other way. I feel like I’ve said this before of other ramen places I’ve visited, but this place is a must eat. This ramen is absolutely amazing. I will be getting this again next time. 5/5

Spicy ramen was delicious. Great fatty broth with a good depth of flavor. Good spicy level. The wife loves it as much as I loved mine. We are both still talking about this place and it’s been a couple of weeks after we visited. 5/5

Our waiter Angela was phenomenal. She was quick, efficient and easy to talk to. We loved our experience and will definitely be coming...

Ramen makes everyone's belly feel warm and nice. Kazoku gets the job done for sure! I ordered the Kazoku Miso Ramen, which is labeled as spicy. Our server confirmed with me if I liked spicy things, which I was appreciative of since I can't really handle spice all that much. So she offered to put their homemade spicy sauce on the side for me. What a smart approach and shows the level of care from this restaurant. The ramen arrived with the spicy sauce on the side as expected and was appreciated by me. The broth was flavorful and delicious. It was really really tasty. The noodles had a perfect texture, the ground chicken was a nice addition, and the pork belly was good enough (although I'm not a fan in general). I even got brave enough to start pushing the spicy sauce in to mix around. The sauce didn't add too much flavor to the solid things in the bowl, but man did it pack a punch to the broth! Several times it hit the back of my throat just right, but overall it added a great flavor. My wife is a big fan of spicy things and she loved this sauce. When the meal was over, she asked for a container to pack up what was left. So that's a great sign for anyone who wants to try something spicy here.

The atmosphere here is wonderful and feels authentic. We sat at the counter because all the tables and booths were already taken. We're glad to see this place being so popular even at lunch time. One corner of the restaurant has walls painted to look like a downtown area. Several booths are decorated to look like you're in a private kiosk. And the art and Japanese text around the restaurant is a nice touch too.

Ramen Bar Kazoku is a fantastic restaurant for a warm and...

I've visited this place a few times and really enjoyed the ramen. The first few visits were great, with excellent service, but my last two experiences left me feeling unwelcome. Previously, I was able to try a few sauces at no charge. However, during my recent visit, I was told they were $1 each. After the young woman at the front consulted with the manager, I was still charged--but later found out the sauces were actually $2 each. I'm not expecting free sauces, but if the price is $1, I expect to be charged $1. Where's the customer service in that? Today, I arrived at 8 PM, and the business closes at 9 PM. I planned to sit and enjoy my meal, but the only available seating was a small table for two. I asked the same young woman if I could sit at the longer, empty table, which I've done in the past, but she told me it was reserved for parties of two or more. I would understand if the restaurant were busy or it wasn't so close to closing time, but this felt unnecessary. The energy during my last visits has been off, and I no longer feel that the service meets customer needs. While I'm just one of many customers, I won't be returning. Good customer service goes a long way, and unfortunately, this place no longer delivers it. As I sat in the car and waiting for food I watched them sit a WHITE couple down at the bigger table that was reserved for "2 or more parties" and I asked to speak to the manager and this man looked me in my face and me told he...