KC Craft Ramen — Restaurant in Overland Park

I waited until I tried most of the menu to post a review.

My first time there I knew it would be my favorite restaurant. I'm from northern Virginia where there are plenty of good Asian restaurants. I've been to a couple in Kansas/KC and they are all meh. Except KC Craft Ramen. 10/10.

Food: It's my personal preference but this is my favorite ramen ever, and I have been to Japan. I did not go to ultra-famous ramen places but I ate ramen everyday. Spicy Creamy Chicken is my favorite, KC Red second, and Miso last. They're all really good with distinguishable flavors. I just like spicy food. I saw some reviews that said they wish the broth had deeper flavor (which I assume means more authentic Asian). I'm Asian and I actually prefer the broth as is. It's exactly what I imagined and there's no surprising tastes or aftertastes. That's just me and I realize everyone is different. I only tried takoyaki in Korea, but KC Craft Ramen's is better than what I've tried. It doesn't taste very strongly of calamari, which I prefer because I don't like calamari. My husband really likes the KC Bun. The gyoza is ok. Gyoza tastes the same everywhere. My mom's homemade gyoza tasted exactly the same. Most importantly, none of the food made me feel sick. I'm highly sensitive to greasy, unhealthy restaurant food, and immediately regret eating out most of the time. Not at KC Craft Ramen. I feel really good after eating there : I wish they had Japanese curry.

Price: Price is comparable to the other ramen restaurants in the area, but the food is infinitely better. I always share a ramen with my husband. I'd still go if they significantly raised prices.

Atmosphere: Every detail is carefully thought out - VERY JAPANESE. There is happy anime music videos playing on a projector. Everything about this place is supposed to be fun and not awkward. It's very unique for the KC area.

Service: You pay before you are seated and it's first come first serve. Employees come to your table occasionally to pick up empty dishes and give more water. Since you pay before, you also tip before. I assume the tips are split evenly between all staff. I prefer this over normal US-style service because I'm an introvert and go to a restaurant to eat, not make small talk with a waiter. On their website it says no one has a designated "role" or "title". Everyone works together and can choose to learn everything including how to make ramen. From the hours I can infer the staff is the same everyday. You get used to seeing the same people every time. I'm pretty sure everyone recognizes me now. It's very cozy.

Overall: This is probably my favorite restaurant EVER, in all of the world. I had a favorite Japanese restaurant (ran by Koreans) in NOVA but this is better. I can see how this appeals to almost everyone. If you like anime and Japan, eat there. If you're going on a date and don't want it to be awkward, eat there. If you want to chill with coworkers, eat there. If you want to bring kids, eat there. My husband and I want to eat there every week until next year when we move back to Virginia. We are the type to eat at a restaurant ONCE to try it out, say "it's not worth it and I can cook this myself", and never come back. I've made ramen at home before. It takes forever and never tastes that good. In this rare case I'd rather just go to KC...

6.11.2023

On our day off, we decided to venture to the south of Kansas City in search of a new restaurant to try. KC Craft Ramen had recently opened its doors and it was on my friend Kevin's list, so we were eager to give it a shot. Owned and operated by Kenichi Ota, Akiko Ota, and Hiro Kawashima, this restaurant aimed to bring authentic Japanese ramen to Kansas City, and it definitely delivered! I was particularly excited because the noodles were made in-house. Ever since Shio Ramen closed down in midtown, I had been craving a good bowl of ramen in Kansas City, and this place was absolutely awesome!

The restaurant operated on a counter-order system but provided full service. We placed our order with the friendly assistant, grabbed our drinks from the cooler, and were then led to our table. We decided to share a yuzu sake (so good, must try!) and a beer to start. As for appetizers, we indulged in the KC bun with pork cutlet and takoyaki, and both dishes were a treat! The steamed bun was fluffy, and the pork cutlet was perfectly crispy, tender, and juicy. We also enjoyed the takoyaki, even though they made it clear that it was one of the few items not made in-house. Nevertheless, it was still delicious and well put together.

For our main course, we ordered the three signature ramen bowls: KC Black with black garlic oil, KC Red with spicy oil, and Creamy Chicken. The portions were generous, and the presentation was appetizing. The first sip of the broth impressed us both, and it was a vote of confidence for the quality of the ramen. The creamy chicken ramen was my personal favorite, while Kevin loved the KC Black with black garlic oil. The noodles were delightfully bouncy and chewy, just the way I like them in ramen, indicating that they were perfectly cooked. Kevin couldn't get enough of the char siu, which was made from his favorite cut of meat, and we both relished the perfectly prepared ajitama (seasoned egg). The creamy chicken broth was rich and flavorful, and the noodles absorbed its delicate flavors, leaving us craving for more.

The service was attentive and friendly, adding to the overall positive experience. We left the restaurant with happy hearts and couldn't wait to return. If you're looking for a great ramen place, be sure to check out KC Craft Ramen. You won't be...

Been really looking forward to trying this place and it didn't disappoint!

I was afraid there might be a wait, so we made a rez... But when I got there there was someone outside taking names so (oops) I signed in again... But the chef came out and asked how many and just took us inside... No wait.

You can order up front, I think? (This part was a little chaotic because I think they were actually opening up some tables and trying to just draw people in to fill them.) But they pulled us out of line in the little market entrance and took our order at the table.

From there, it was all five stars. Our server was so glad to have us and was so kind and helpful. We could jump up and add soda or dessert to our tab just by bringing it back to our table. The place is covered in color and fun things to look at. They have little carriers for your purse so you don't have to put it on the floor. ❤️

But my friends: the food was tops. I cannot recall why I thought I needed an appetizer... I knew the ramen would be huge. But first time, gotta try things! And I'm glad we did because the KC bao bun was maybe my favorite bite. Sweet KC style BBQ slathered crispy chicken in a perfectly squishy bun. 🤤

The Spicy Creamy Chicken Ramen was exactly what I wanted: great broth, building heat (lil chili bomb on one side!), loved the corn, so many textures, and chicken two ways: tender slices of chicken breast and a sweet glazed ground chicken. Yes yes yes.

We also did not have room for dessert, but gentle reader, fear not... We got two desserts anyway. A subtle and surprisingly light Thai Tea Cake (kind of a flan texture on a crumbly crust) and a mint chocolate chip mochi that was KoolAid ice blue and took like 15-20 to thaw but was excellent. Importantly, we didn't feel rushed to get up... Most ramen places tend to prefer you slurp happily and then keep moving, but we sat and waited for our mochi to thaw. (It's actually got more tables than you think, so they had other open spots.)

It's a little outside my usual zone but I have a feeling that won't stop me...