Kyuramen x TBaar - Pittsburgh — Restaurant in Pittsburgh

Probably the best overall non-sushi Japanese restaurants in Pittsburgh at the moment. The bang for the buck is very good at this place especially when looking at the side menu.

When I first reviewed the place within the first two weeks of opening, I thought the tonkotsu broth was bland. As of yesterday, they have seemed to fix the tonkotsu broth which is now flavorful. Kyuramen is clearly the best ramen place in Pittsburgh at the moment.

The izakaya options are really good. Probably best in the area, even if not looking at price. We ordered the popcorn chicken karaage. The price is rather cheap for what you get, and it's probably one of the best karaage in the area. It's very close to a Taiwanese popcorn chicken, but incredibly crunchy and flavorful. Very good, especially considering a nearby competitor to the east of the restaurant sells a mediocre version for $16.

Yakitori here is plenty good. For $3-$6, it's a steal.

If you order the ramen, you have a choice of extra sides. I had a rather nice and large $5 tonkatsu to go with my black garlic tonkotsu ramen. I very much enjoyed the decently cheap tonkatsu, and I heavily recommend it. I just wish they could give us tonkatsu sauce to go with it.

I was given my "Tokyo style" black garlic tonkotsu ramen during the opening week. Maybe because of that, the broth was bland. However, the soft boiled egg was absolutely perfect, and the noodles were cooked al dente, which suggests they're getting the noodles pretty fresh from the chain. While the broth had decent pork fat flavor, it was not salty enough. It slightly makes sense, because they use the same broth with their more flavored versions of their ramen. However just note that since I tried this at opening week.

My friend at opening week also ordered the "spicy" (it wasn't spicy) Kyuushu style ramen, and that was perfectly flavored and salted. I'd say the Kyuushu style tonkotsu ramen is fantastic simply because it had the perfect amount of saltiness.

My second experience a month or so after opening week was the Katsuobushi pork ramen. This time, the tonkotsu broth was a major improvement. Perfect amount of flavor and saltiness. I'd definitely come back again for this.

I have also finally tried their tonkatsu omurice. It is great. Amazing in fact. Presentation is on point, and I'll definitely get it again.

Takoyaki I feel is on point. While not the crunchiest, the size of the octopus cubes inside the takoyaki is huge. It's probably equal to Kura Sushi's takoyaki. It is amazing.

Finally, I also ordered their boba and matcha tiramisu. I think TBaar has above average boba in the area, competitive with the top Squirrel Hill boba shops, especially their matcha brown sugar. Their matcha tiramisu was superb with a perfect balance of sweetness and just nice creamy flavor.

In terms of environment, the interior is just fantastic. They have private rooms which will be by reservation in the future, and otherwise you're put into either the honeycomb cubbies (amazing...) or the tables by waitlist. They do not have an online waitlist currently but plan to soon (TBD). My Wednesday night at 7PM had us at a 1.5 hour wait which gave me plenty of time to grocery shop before coming back. Note that there is a bar by the chefs that is first-come-first-serve so that you can skip the line.

The restaurant has clearly improved since opening day. I have some nitpicks on the lack of tonkatsu sauce and an option to give customers an option to make the ramen saltier upon request. Regardless, this is definitely the best non sushi Japanese restaurant in Pittsburgh. I can't wait to...

Is This What Heaven Tastes Like?

Let me begin with a question: Have you ever had a meal so good it made you reconsider your entire relationship with food? I’m talking about a bowl of ramen so rich, so layered, so unapologetically divine that you sit there, chopsticks in hand, pondering how you’ve lived this long without it.

That was Kyuramen for me.

From the moment you step inside, you’re transported—not metaphorically, I mean actually. Somehow, this place has compressed the essence of Japan into a clean, modern layout with wooden booths that feel like quiet sanctuaries. The lighting? Soft and inviting. The decor? A love letter to detail. It’s not just a restaurant, it’s a portal.

And then the ramen comes.

I ordered the Spicy Tonkotsu and I’m convinced this broth was slow-simmered by monks. It’s deep, complex, and frankly, illegal in several states for how addictive it is. The noodles strike that rare balance between chew and silk, and the toppings—soft marinated egg, seaweed, crisp scallion, perfect-fall apart deeply flavorful chashu—aren’t just “there,” they belong.

Each bite makes you pause. Not because it’s heavy—but because your soul is taking notes.

I asked myself halfway through, “Is it normal to tear up over pork belly?” Apparently yes. At Kyuramen, it’s normal. What isn’t normal is ever settling for grocery store instant ramen again after this. That life is over. You’ve crossed the threshold.

Now, I’ll admit—I came in skeptical. Pittsburgh has decent ramen spots, sure. But Kyuramen doesn’t compete with them. It transcends them. It’s in its own category. It’s like comparing a paper airplane to an F-22. They both fly, technically, but one of them can break the sound barrier.

Final verdict? If you’re still reading this, stop. Go. Get in your car. Don’t check the map. Your tastebuds will guide you. Kyuramen isn’t just the best ramen in Pittsburgh—it’s one of the best dining experiences in the city, period.

You owe it to yourself to try it.

Oh, and the surprise twist? They give you free appetizers and a drink with every ramen when you dine in. No catch. No fine print. Just generosity and glory. I got gyoza dumplings and spring rolls, and let me tell you—they weren’t filler. They weren’t “just sides.” These were golden, crispy little messengers sent to prepare me for the ramen gospel. Each bite was divine. Light, flavorful, and balanced like a prologue to something holy.

And the drinks— Ah. Thai iced tea and lemonade, both served in aesthetic glass that hit every corner of my visual craving. There’s something about sipping a beautifully layered orange-and-cream Thai tea from a glass cup that feels intentional. It’s like the restaurant is telling you: You’re meant to savor this. Slowly. Fully.

Not a single part of the experience felt cheap, rushed, or accidental. It all felt chosen. Sacred.

Now, even after writing this, it still doesn’t cover just how amazing the experience is. Hopefully you now understand that words can’t describe how delicious and divine the food is here. At this point, it’s no longer food— it’s completely transcended the label “food”, it’s divine nectar.

And now I hope you realize I’m not just writing this to write it. I’m writing it to spread the joy. Absolutely divine joy.

I would say run don’t walk, but that doesn’t give it justice. Put everything down at this moment and FLY to Kyuramen. I promise you that you’ll thank me with gratitude and joyful tears in your eyes.

Now go. Enjoy the divine nectar of the gods. You will thank me later.

A deeply...

don’t comment you have food allergies!!!

my friend & i were so excited to try this place after our play yesterday! we drove 30 min out of our way to get here during a hellish blizzard only to be disappointed which is why i felt inclined to leave a review, which i don’t do often. the atmosphere was so unique; we got sat in a private nook with a curtain-AMAZING! the lychee lime bubble tea was good though you can’t do 0 sugar…even though the menu states that as an option. i was disappointed there for sure. i asked the host a question regarding my allergies, she barely acknowledged it & actually ran away. i let that go..however i have severe food allergies, so i was nervous to come here since a majority of the menu has shellfish. but i figured it being a new place they should want to make the best impression & take things seriously as a restaurant especially one trying to get established would. unfortunately thats not the case. the server had little to no knowledge of what was in anything which is fine, i understand, she’d say ill ask & then never did & never updated me until id get the food & id ask her for reassurance because i could actually die to which she’d respond i dont think so let me ask AGAIN…after the 3rd time of me asking, she said the kitchen said everything on the table at the time was shellfish & dairy free. then the tofu comes & it looks creamy. i google the onion dressing, after already being told i would be fine ordering it, and it states there’s butter in it. after about 20 the server hasn’t checked on us but another one stopped by & i asked him. he was very quick to actually ask and return to tell me that there was dairy & he took it off the bill already & then took the food away. i know it’s annoying, but you can actually kill people. food allergies aren’t a joke & staff needs to be trained properly to handle such cases. i should’ve left immediately after the continuous lack of knowledge & care just from trying to place my order. however i decided to give the food a chance, we were starving & really enjoyed the privacy/atmosphere. the springs rolls were the best of the food; the gyoza & vegan ramen were incredibly bland, & the bao buns were too spicy to really enjoy. i know one can say well you got the vegan ramen what do you expect, well i didn’t trust anything else given nobody knew what was in the food. ultimately i paid $55 to be left bloated & with a stomach ache. so we decided to stay for a bit & chat since i wasn’t feeling great. i know we stayed a little longer than some-but we ended up being kicked out due to “reservations” when we left there was 2 people sitting by the host stand so they probably weren’t lying but i’ve never had that happen anywhere & i travel the world to eat. although i have a mature cultured palate i know my opinions are skewed, especially being in a place like pittsburgh, but the food was a solid 1.5/10. the presentation of the food was appealing though. this place has potential conceptually but the food just isn’t up to par neither is the staff. i’m sorry to have to leave a review like this, but you guys could’ve killed me & could potentially lead others like me to the hospital. that’s not okay. i’ve actually never eaten somewhere that disregarded food allergies as much...