JINYA Ramen Bar - Culebra — Restaurant in San Antonio

We love the other Jinya location but when this one opened up we were thrilled because it was so much closer to our home. However, we never expected that the experience at this location would be so unique and extraordinary.

The atmosphere firstly was so clean and chic. The entire staff greeted us enthusiastically as we entered. The hosts were very accommodating with our seating requests and very patient. We noticed during our evening that there was dedicated team members everywhere to clean and help out with refills and running. It was pleasant to see such lovely teamwork 💜

But the true star of our night was our server Athenus. Though we've eaten Jinya many times she provided unique recommendations. She also made sure to help me redeem my rewards and earn points right at the beginning which most servers never care to do. She even interacted kindly with my sister who loves Japan and told us some interesting facts about Jinya's authentic sourcing.

Of course the food was amazing. I ordered the Chicken Wonton Ramen and at our servers suggestion added an egg. Easily the best bowl of ramen in my life with the gyoza sauce drizzled on top.

We also redeemed 200 points fir a free tapas plate which came with gyozas, a tuna taco and 2 crispy chicken. It was delightful!

When our server learned it was my mom's birthday she was glowing and so excited to celebtate the first Jinya birthday with some panna cotta and singing. This dessert was lovely. So creamy and rich and perfect for sharing.

Now, she told us her name was Ray for convenience but at the end we learned her real name was something long that started with an A. Athenus I believe. She's a rock star.

You absolutely have to come to this trendy and welcoming spot for good ramen and...

If I could give 10 stars, I would. No—scratch that—Isaac at JINYA Ramen deserves a Michelin star, a key to the city, and maybe even his own anime series. Let me explain…

I walked into JINYA thinking I was just getting some ramen. What I got instead? A full-blown, soul-healing experience. From the moment I walked in, Isaac greeted me like I was family—no, royalty. He had this warm, confident energy like a ramen-loving Jedi. He knew the menu inside and out, recommended the Spicy Chicken Ramen with that perfect level of heat, and somehow read my mind when I was torn between the crispy chicken and the bun. (Pro tip: get both. Don’t play yourself.)

The food? Insane. The broth was velvety rich—the kind of broth you think about days later like an ex you never quite got over. The noodles had just the right bite, the toppings were stacked like edible artwork, and don’t even get me started on that perfectly seasoned egg. I literally paused mid-bite, looked at my friend, and said, “This is what peace tastes like.”

But back to Isaac—this guy was everywhere. Checking in at the perfect time, giving extra napkins like a mind reader, even dropping ramen facts that made me feel like I was at a TED Talk with broth in my hands. He made the whole vibe feel special, like he wasn’t just serving food—he was crafting moments. He lives the JINYA culture.

Bottom line: Isaac made this the best ramen dining experience I’ve ever had—and I’ve eaten ramen across four states. If you’re going to JINYA and you’re lucky enough to have Isaac as your server, you’re in for a treat. And if you weren’t planning to go to JINYA soon, let this be your sign. Get your life together and GO.

Ramen, vibes, and Isaac. That’s the...

I have loved this ramen restaurant for years, especially at the original location. When I heard they opened a new location closer to my house, I was really excited. The food is still good, just like before. However, the customer service at this new branch is extremely poor.

Many times when I’ve come to eat here, I arrived before other customers, but they served those who came after me first, even though I had reminded them multiple times. One or two months ago, I came with my daughter for dinner. The restaurant wasn’t crowded, maybe under 10 customers. Yet we had to wait over 15 minutes with no one coming to take our order, while the staff stood around chatting and laughing among themselves. I had to stand up and call them over before they reluctantly came to serve us. Since then, I decided not to dine in at this location anymore.

However, because my daughter still loves the ramen here, I occasionally order pick-up. But the service still isn’t any better. Today, I went to pick up my order and paid, but the cashier was visibly annoyed and unfriendly. I could see my order was already ready on the counter, but they didn’t hand it to me. I had to wait a few more minutes until another staff member came over and gave it to me. When I asked why the woman at the counter didn’t give it to me earlier, they just said, “Maybe she forgot.” Honestly, that’s terrible service.

I really hope the restaurant can improve the customer service at this location. Good food alone isn’t enough if the...