JINYA Ramen Bar - Topanga Westfield — Restaurant in Los Angeles

Visited Jinya for the first time with friends, and felt compelled to write a review due to the service we received tonight. We arrived at the restaurant a little after 7pm and were told by the hostess that the wait would be 15-25 minutes as they were waiting for a table to become available. About 25 minutes into our wait, we observed a family being seated outside, with another table available in the same section. At this time, my friend went back to the hostess and asked about the table that was free. One of the hostess tells her coworker that she is going on a 10 minute break and would seat us when she returned. I have no issue with workers taking their break; however, it was inconsiderate given these two tables were free as soon as we arrived at the restaurant. This same hostess also made a point to come over the the hostess stand and report that she had two more minutes left after being asked to seat us. Once we were seated, we were serviced by Maia, who was awesome. Maia and the two male servers that were training/trainee were great and checked in with us frequently; they were the reason for the two stars, or else it would have been zero. The food was great, especially the gyoza and Jinya bun. My friends reported that they liked their ramen (Tonkotsu Black and Spicy chicken), however, my ramen (shrimp wonton) was just ok. Maia recommended we try the Panna Cotta for desserty; it was excellent! Overall, despite the food being great, my overall experience left a lot to be desired, especially with the excellent reviews this restaurant has received from other people. I will visit again to see if the service improves, as I'm hoping maybe the time at which we visited may have affected...

The curse of Topanga Social seems to continue. Tried Jinya on a Wednesday night around 7:45, place was busy. The hostess was very friendly, gave an on target estimate for seating, everything is starting off great. Ordered a smoky old fashioned, appetizer of crispy rice with spicy tuna, and two bowls of ramen. The crispy rice came out in a reasonable time (no cocktail yet though), it was all right, not the worst or best we’ve ever had. Then the wait started.

My cocktail arrived at 40 minutes from being seated, around 35 minutes after being ordered. As someone who enjoys smoked cocktails, a tip. It takes time. In this case the glass was put on the table with an unlit smoking lid, lit on fire, smoke filled the glass then the lid was immediately pulled. It took less than a minute. About the only thing the smoke did was go up my nose. Light it at the bar, let it sit for a bit, then bring it over and remove the cap. The massive delay in receiving a mediocre cocktail pretty much killed the enjoyment.

At 45 minutes we gave up and cancelled our ramen order. The kitchen cranked out appetizers the whole time we were there, but ramen was apparently gold. We saw multiple tables around us just waiting, so it wasn’t just us.

To be clear, the wait staff was great. They comped the drink and appetizer so we could leave, they offered a free dessert to go, and were over all very friendly. The only complaint is I wish someone would have been open about the wait time on the food.

Who knows, maybe we’ll try it again when we have time to kill, but the two items we did get were definitely not...

My recent visit to Jinya Ramen Bar at Topanga Mall was truly enhanced by the exceptional service provided by Taylor. As I entered, I was immediately greeted by Taylor's welcoming smile, which set a friendly and comfortable tone for my solo dining experience.

The menu at Jinya is quite extensive, but it was Taylor's expert guidance that helped me navigate it with ease. Her recommendation of the Tonkotsu Black Ramen was a delight. The dish was rich in flavor, with the perfect balance of savory and creamy tones, just as she described.

Taylor's professionalism and attentiveness were what made my experience unforgettable. She ensured that my needs were promptly attended to, with a perfect balance of attentiveness without being overbearing. Her ability to gauge when to check in and when to give space was remarkable.

The combination of delicious Tonkotsu Black Ramen and Taylor's top-notch service made my visit memorable. Her genuine care and efficient service not only met but exceeded my expectations. It's rare to find someone who makes a solo diner feel so welcomed and valued.

To conclude, my visit to Jinya Ramen Bar was exceptional, thanks to the wonderful service by Taylor. I highly recommend this restaurant to anyone seeking a great meal complemented by outstanding service. I am already looking forward to...