Ramen Belly — Restaurant in Plano

New ramen spot in the happening part of downtown Plano with spacious seating area and plenty of natural lighting. My girlfriends and I attended the soft opening and the entire team was so friendly and welcoming -- such a fun vibe! Vanessa was such a gracious server who consistently checked in on us as my friends and I were still chatting when the appetizers came out so promptly. I noticed kiosks available for ordering but that might be for take away orders or during rush hour.

The slow braised pork pot stickers were a hit at our table with its crispy pan fried wrapping and tender pork nestled inside. The grilled short ribs complemented well with the house made pickled cucumbers -- a balance of cool refreshing and warmly grilled. The sumo shrimp was an indulgent appetizer that combines crunchy, creamy, and savory flavors with its lightly battered coating along with the rich tangy cream cheese. We opted for something "light" by the time we finished the appetizers so we ordered the poke bowl while my other friend had the tonkotsu ramen. The base of fragrant, soft, fluffy rice in our poke bowl was layered with a hearty serving of cubed ahi tuna/salmon, creamy freshly sliced avocado, pickled cucumbers, topped with fresh crispy wonton crisps. The house made sauces for the bowl had a nice kick and umami flavor to it. My friend's ramen consisted of a rich, creamy base with tender chasu. To cleanse our palate, we tried the chef's dessert of the night, a pot of creme style of decadent cheesecake topped strawberry puree and Oreo crush giving it a nice layer of textures.

This is in a great location so it's clear Ramen Belly has potential. Whether you're craving a comforting bowl of ramen or want to have some sips and bites before an outdoor event at the nearby venue, this is...

For me, Nishiki is #2 ramen in Dallas annd Ramen Hakata is #1 in Dallas so far.

This is a Vietnamese owned Japanese Ramen restaurant.

Vietnamese are one of the best chefs who do know how to prepare, cook and present the noodles very nicely!

The type of noodle severed was the best one I've tried in Dallas so far, and served perfect. The base toppings were not satisfying but I have no complaints, 5 stars so far.

However, Tonkotsu soup was not milky white but dark and I would have believed it was beef broth if you told me it was beef. I frankly don't know what I was tasting but I do know it is not authentic tonkotsu. 3 stars.

I've just edited my review below because of owner's amazing response!

Excuse me but... Yes, Tonkotsu means pork bone...AND it needs to be vigorously boiled and simmered for hours and hours until it is "emulsified." Are you insisting that you invented the new kind of tonkotsu stock no Japanese dare to attempt????? Or was it a pork bone soup based Southern Vietnamese noodle you served me?????

Now that I found out about your total ignorance, I give you 1 star for whatever the "tonkotsu" ramen I had.

Added below per Owner's edited response: Thank you for admitting Your "Tonkotsu" is not the Japanese Tonkotsu.

Paitan is the traditional japanese technique while Chintan is the chinese technique that is also practiced...

My husband and I had the chance to make Ramen Belly’s soft opening with a limited menu and it did not disappoint one bit!! It was busy, but easy to find parking nearby. We were greeted right in the door and ordered quickly. We had the yummy shrimp & short ribs apps, before moving on to a brisket ramen and pork belly aburra ramen for our main dishes. Everything was absolutely delicious! The brisket and pork belly literally fell apart when we picked it up. Flavors in the apps and main dishes were rich, well balanced, and all the food came out promptly and hot!

The service staff was attentive and very accommodating. Management was excellent and super friendly, even stopped by for a chat. We loved our first experience at Ramen Belly! We are very excited for them to be a part of the Downtown Plano area we love so much and can’t wait to go back for the full menu experience!...