Kyoto Ramen — Restaurant in Gurnee

I've been excited for this place to open for over a month. I was waiting before they announced a date and when they finally did via Instagram and I saw they were offering free gyoza to the first 30 tables sat I was ecstatic.

That's where the disappointment began. My friend and I arrived at 3, the time quoted in the Instagram advert, and promptly found out from someone leaving the restaurant that they'd actually opened an hour earlier and given out all the free gyoza already. I figured "well that sucks but hey at least there might be a good local ramen option" so I was still pretty excited at this point.

I waited in line for 45 minutes, I was prepared to wait and didn't really care but this number will come back up later. After we'd sat down my friend and I spent about 5 minutes looking over the menu and used the button on the table to call the waiter over.

When the waiter arrived at the table we placed our food order, miso ramen for me and seafood ramen with added pork chashu for my friend, and chicken karaage for us to share, and my friend asked what was in one of the drinks on their drink menu. The waiter replied "Some sec and like some food coloring, I think." He was so uneasy to provide that answer that it was clear he had no idea what was in any of the items on the menu.

Then, we started to wait for the food, twenty minutes go by and I hear the runner ask our waiter why we don't have food and what we ordered. The waiter repeats the entree order but forgets the to mention the chashu, the appetizer, and the drink.

Another ten minutes go by and finally my friend's seafood ramen shows up, but without the pork chashu, they claim they ran out, and without the mussels that the menu claims are meant to be in it. Looking at photos from what appears to be yesterday's soft launch on Google, they forgot the mussels that time too.

After the seafood ramen was delivered to our table, the table next to us that had just sat down maybe five minutes earlier was mortified that they were already out of chashu 3 hours after they opened for their grand opening and decided to just get up and leave. They remarked about our 45 minute wait time and the fact that the meal was not even prepared correctly as well.

When the ramen was delivered my friend felt it didn't appear appetizing, it didn't seem like we were ever going to get what we ordered or end up having a good experience so I again used the button to call our waiter over and told him that we would be leaving since it had already been 30 minutes and I'm not sure we're ever going to get our food.

I also noticed one other fairly concerning problems on top of my direct experience. All of the staff in the restaurant wear these black gloves their entire shift, they touch their faces, their clothes, bring out food, clean surfaces, and pick things up off the floor with these gloves on and do not change them.

Overall, this was a pretty bad experience and I don't think I'd go back unless they committed to running this like a real restaurant. I feel bad for everyone involved that their grand opening went so poorly but this is not a good experience. I didn't really care about the wait times or the disorganized staff, I care that their inability to be professionals rendered this an entirely...

This will be lengthy...Good location, nice ambiance/decor, service needs much improvement. Went for our first time here last night (Wednesday night). We arrived at 4:40, place opens at 4:30. It's really cool inside with the decor. But unfortunately that's the only positive I could say. Our "server" maybe also bartender since he spent all his time behind bar filling ice, greeted us when we walked in, said sit anywhere. Handed menus and walked away. No conversation made.

We wait for him to come back, 10 mins later, when be doesn't my bf calls to same guy behind bar do we order up there? Guy comes back to our table (still only ones in Restaurant). Takes our order, doesn't ask if we want anything else to drink. So we figure, forget it save our money, stick with water brought from menus.

Gyoza app comes out. Looks good, tastes good. I liked room temp of it, my boyfriend wished they were warm not room temp. No app plates with it (someone) else posted this too, just main plate with app then i guess youre supposed to eat over Napkins on table?. Same guy serving and us still only ones there. It's almost 5:15 now. Realized there is "call button on table" we decided forget plates, dinner will be out soon.

I got Meatball ramen, he got seafood ramen and we got beef noodles to split. Ramen were good portion, room temp, not hot. Beef noodles? Small portion for sure for the price of it, pretty bland but good with Sriracha added. Eat food, server never comes to check on is.

We sit and wait long enough for boxes. Never checks on us. So we use "call" button. Doesn't ask how food was we ask for boxes. I was going to try dessert. But when he brought our box, brought check too and left everything on table without saying word.

5:40 now, still only ones in restaurant. I paid cash, couldn't wait to get out of there fast enough. Customer service to me is HUGE. I work at a restaurant as a server (casual dining) and would never treat my customers this way, ESPECIALLY being a newer restaurant. Unfortunately for price of food/portions (expensive compared to other Ramen, and service) we won't be back, we will keep going to our place in vernon hills While getting stuff together- about 6 now, someone else comes to dine.

Update from morning: boyfriend sick all night with stomach issues. Only thing we had different were ramen. I'm ok but yet I barely ate mine. Will be tossing all...

So it was my first time coming to this location. I’m going to be honest I have high expectations as I’m heavy into cooking in general and creating my own concoction of ramen, I also have a cousin who’s a Michelin Star Chef, and have had my fair share of A1 level Ramen from a variety of places!

To be fair, this is a great spot for Ramen being in the northern suburbs. My girlfriend and I had the TanTan and Tonkotsu Ramen. Portion of both broth, noodles, and condiments are fair. I just think there might be something missing in the broth (flavor wise). Not sure what would be the core focus of this place, as far as food chain, or fast food type. Just in my humble opinion, perhaps the broth could use a longer cooking time to really get all the flavor with some added ingredients. The egg was a little bit more fully cooked than expected. Overall I would give it a 6 or 7 out of 10. However, my girlfriend on the other hand would rate it a 9 or 10/10. One thing I would like to suggest as well is include extra hot/spice options. Spicy powder, chili oil, etc.

Overall the ambiance is amazing. The neon lights, decorated walls and separate rooms for a more intimate setting is just right. I’m also happy that they are open until 11pm as I do have those late night munchies and nothing is normally open outside of the fast food chains.

We came around 8:30pm so service was fair. It wasn’t crowded at all. Very friendly staff, and Sam ( I’m guessing the owner) is very welcoming. I hope this place stays for a very long time next to my friends place within the same plaza at Gurnee Donuts.

You have won me over to continue supporting local...