Artisan Ramen — Restaurant in Milwaukee

I am re-editing my entire review after my experience on Saturday night. I'll start off by adding that I have worked food and customer service jobs most of my life so I am a very understanding and patient customer. My experience here tested that patience and I was close to blowing up on the manager on duty.

I am a regular customer here - I often come in or order delivery for lunch since I work just a 10 minute walk away from this place. My lunch experiences have all been wonderful, timely, and pleasant. The manager on duty during weekday lunch is friendly and engaging and wonderful. It was my favorite ramen place in town and I originally gave the place a 5 start review because everything was perfect and their food was delicious.

Imagine my disappointment when I finally got to share this place with my significant other - and it was a total embarrassment. The restaurant was busy but since it's a fairly small establishment, it wasn't anything that should've been unmanageable. The waitress pointed to a table instead of seating me and giving us a menu. We waited a bit for our food to be ready - not a problem, but when it finally did arrive, it was lukewarm and missing the soft-boiled egg (my favorite part). It took me about 15 minutes to wave the waitress down to get us the soft-boiled egg and when she brought it out to us, the eggs were as cold like she'd pulled them out of the fridge. This made them taste awful with our now cold ramen.

When it was time to pay and leave, we were brought the bill and put down our card almost immediately. An HOUR passed by and no one came to pick up our check so we went up to the bar to pay. The manager on duty took my card and set it on the counter and ran off to do something else. She checked out three or four other tables while we stood there - she kept glancing at us like we were bothering her and she didn't know why we were there. A couple other tables were paying and some offered to let us go first cause we'd been waiting - the manager kept saying she'd help us next and then ran off again to do other things while shooting us odd glances. 45 minutes after giving her my card, I shouted at her, "DO YOU STILL WANT US TO PAY FOR OUR FOOD OR NO?" She apologized and asked me if I was paying with card or cash. I told her, "I GAVE YOU MY CARD ALMOST AN HOUR AGO." She panicked and started running around asking people if they had seen my card. She LOST MY CARD. After a few minutes, the waitress found it and we were finally checked out.

We had to pay extra for parking because we were there longer than we had planned to be. We also had kids and a babysitter at home that we needed to get back to. We arrived around 6pm and did not leave until almost 9pm (we spent probably 30 at most talking and eating). I was absolutely enraged. The waitress was constantly huffing about how customers were annoying her and moving slow while the manager was running around like a headless chicken without actually completing any of the tasks she was starting. If you can't handle ten full tables on a Saturday night (NOT busy, esp for a Japanese restaurant during ANIME CON), then you shouldn't be a manager. This kind of experience is what makes regulars never want to return - I was embarrassed for raving about this restaurant for weeks to my significant other only for us to be so disappointed and...

Our first time visiting Artisan Ramen was on a Thursday evening shortly after they reopen at 5PM. We did not have a reservation, and we were lucky we arrived when we did, because the restaurant filled up quickly by 6PM. We received excellent and friendly service throughout dinner, and were especially impressed with this (thanks, Israel!)

We started off with the Pork Gyoza for an appetizer. These were tasty, although the dumpling itself was a little thicker than usual, but I’m guessing this was because they are made in house. Both of us ordered ramen, which is build-your-own. We both did the Tonkotsu (Pork) broth, and I went for the Shoyu (Soy Sauce) base and Classic noodles, while my dining partner picked Miso base with Chili infused noodles. The noodle selection is nice; most ramen places don’t have so many noodle options, but again, this goes back to the in-house made ingredients. The Classic noodles were good, but I think I would try something else next time, maybe the Squid Ink. I preferred the Chili Infused to the classic, and I also liked the Miso base better than the Shoyu. We both did the Japanese Spice level 2, which wasn’t that spicy, so our server was happy to bring out a chili paste they make in-house for us to add – this really kicked things up a notch! Definitely spicy, and a nice added flavor. The pork was done well, and the add-ins were solid (more mushrooms and no cabbage please). I’ve never had broccoli in ramen before though and would have preferred something a little more traditional like bok choy. One thing that could be easily improved upon – the ramen didn’t come out piping hot like usual. It was warm, but it seemed like the broth had been hot and with the addition of cold ingredients, the whole dish ended up being just warm.

Our experience at Artisan Ramen was pleasant. The great customer service we received had a big impact on our over-all impression. Even though the restaurant was full shortly after we got there, we wouldn’t have noticed as the level of service did not go down (thanks, Israel!). We purchased a Groupon to check out Artisan Ramen; this made things a little better price-wise, as the ramen was a little pricey compared to other ramen places. Happy hour deals are not encouraged to be used alongside a Groupon, which is a little disappointing. The ramen itself was tasty, although the noodles were not my favorite; they were a little too spaghetti-like and chewy (just in comparison to other ramen, not to say they were unpleasant). I would visit again to try one of the other noodle varieties, and hope for the ramen to be hotter when...

I just do not like the Ramen here at all for a place named after Ramen. It doesn’t taste bad at all, but certainly not worth the price. Literally, everything else is fine (not excellent), except the Ramen. The broth doesn’t taste authentic. The toppings are fine, I guess. Actually the meat is pretty dang tough. Terrible quality honestly. And the noodles kind of taste sweet, which is weird. Even the appetizers and the other dishes are fine, but I’m Asian, and this Ramen is just not good. It can probably satisfy and fool non-Asian people, but not me. I don’t know what needs to be changed, but I would definitely say the broth is not rich enough and it tastes like it was already premade or bought from their supplier. It doesn’t taste like it was completely made in house. That is also why they don’t have tonkatsu Ramen because that has to be made in house. Shoyu, shio, and miso, you can use paste, salt, or sauces. You actually have to slow cook the bones to make tonkatsu.

I would really recommend not making those noodles homemade anymore because nobody seems to like them looking through the reviews. I would recommend focusing on the actual toppings and the broth.

And I understand Milwaukee has truly no authentic Ramen. There’s no Japanese people in the city but for a place named after Ramen, you would expect more, and I can think of other places in the city that don’t highlight their Ramen and have better Ramen. The Ramen here is akin to Fusion Poke. And that isn’t even a full service restaurant. There’s no wait staff or anything.

Service and atmosphere and everything else is perfect when I go in; I’m just so disappointed by the Ramen. I know that it’s so easy to buy the produce and the meat for such cheap quality for a cheaper price and slap $20 on top of it. I’ve worked in the industry before. But honestly, like it’s kind of shameful. And I know this because I’ve worked in restaurants that do the same thing specifically serving Ramen in Milwaukee.

For good Ramen, go to Kawa or Hungry Sumo. It’s not authentic either, but it is miles above this. Ever since Redlight Ramen closed down, there is no more authentic Ramen...