Nishiki Ramen — Restaurant in San Diego

Brave one of the worst parking lots around (I’ve literally seen 3 cars and 2 people get hit in my times coming to this shopping center).

Nishiki has great fan fare as it should, it’s brand set up shop in Japan 20+ years ago and is establishing itself globally through expansion.

With the 3rd Asian wave of food coming to Kearny Mesa what Nishiki brings is house made noodles and a tonkatsu broth that is excellent and consistent. They go heavy on the traditional accoutrements like fish cake(mild) and corn and a chashu that is butter soft. The ginger might be a little much if you get it all at the beginning, but it’s great near the end. Smoke bomb is their name for the roast garlic oil that is added to some ramens to turn them black. I like the Akuma and feel like it’s probably half as hot as the death ramen challenge, are is kinda tolerable. I like their shoyu broth as well, but find it doesn’t pair as well as the tonkatsu does with the chashu heavy menu. The curry ramen adds a whole new element turning the already creamy broth creamier.

The gyoza caprese is a great flavor combination of the traditional light caprese flavors with gyoza. The chicken karaage is good, but not quite on that Korean/Chinese level. Additional soup and noodle is just $8 and a great way to do your own ingredients to that base.

Price is maybe a little higher, but I’m also a huge fan of their chashu, so I come back regularly. The décor is to me pretty boring, acclaimed design or not they have an entire wall that looks baren to the point where it draws attention to how slightly less baren the actual designed parts are. I’m not even talking about a traditional Japanese simplicity either.

The tonkatsu broth is rich, light, without MSG. the noodles are somewhere between thick and thin ramen from tajima, but more bounce. The soft egg is an option on most bowls, but to me should be standard to all. I like the bean strings for garnish and find the bowl size just about right. I’ve been here twice alone and 3 times with others. Each time has been different in terms of service. Once alone with plenty of seats I waited 5 minutes, another time no wait at all at the bar. Again no wait with a friend we had no issue basically sharing a table, but that same friend we waited 15 minutes when it wasn’t nearly that busy.

Something made me totally change my rating of them. I was recently given their survey to fill out on paper or online and when you read the criteria they are graded on for service you soon realize your visits are completely lacking. Servers name, greeting, asking questions about drinks, menu items, water refills, even the bill generally go mediocre at best. Service falls very short of what corporate considers good and looking back on it, it is pretty mediocre.

All things considered the ramen is good. One of the top 3 Tonkatsu broth’s in the city, one of the top 3 noodles in the city, one of the top 3 ramen priced in the city. I find it hard to give a 5th star and maybe not even a 4th when you consider this is a globally expanding brand, one that should probably be so good that it’s success is undeniable, well to me it’s not. To me their chashu is the king of san diego and their broth has...

Ramen- 3 stars: The food taste good but, nothing fancy. Would be like the equivalent of fast food for ramen. Also, the portion size is small. You may want to add extra noodles for your fill. Also, I got the Chicken Ramen and they had two thinly slices of chicken in the ramen which was disappointing.

Price- 1 star: $15.00 for ramen!?! I would think for the portion size you are getting, it should be at least $12.00 and if you want to add any extras, you’re looking at $2.00 for any extras, each.

Tip- O stars: They add in a 15% automatic gratuity. What? I literally was handed my ramen, got my water and then the bill. That’s all. Why did you charge me 15% gratuity when I have better service elsewhere? This is more like a McDonald’s with their service; Which is, just given your food and that is all. There is no service whats so ever and so, the tip is ridiculous!!! You definitely will get mad if you are looking to go to a sit down restaurant and want to have quality service.

Parking- 4 stars: I am usually able to find parking.

Bathroom- 1 star. Usually very dirty but, has adequate toilet paper and seat covers but, I wouldn’t sit on that toilet if I were you. Go elsewhere to do your business and avoid the bathroom.

Kitchen- 1 star: you can see the kitchen when going to the bathroom. Extremely filthy. I’m sort of scared to go back and eat there when the kitchen was in worse condition than the bathroom! It can’t be up to health code!!!

Wait time- 3 stars: it’s very busy, every time I have ever went. Expect to wait at least 30 minutes each time.

I used to love this ramen place but, I feel like the quality of food went down, the portion size are tiny, and the price of food increased so much! also, that automatic gratuity is what made me the most upset. I got zero service and don’t feel they deserve a tip at all.

I worked as a receptionist and offered way more customer service than this place did and I didn’t get a tip.

California law requires you to pay your staff at least minimum wage so, tips are extra. It’s not like they are trying to supplement their wages with tips like other states do.

So yeah, I don’t know if I’ll ever come to this location again. Maybe I’ll try another location before dismissing NISHIKI Ramen completely but, it didn’t feel worth the price to me.

Overall price my husband and I spent: $52.00

What we got: *2 bowls of chicken ramen- $30.00 ($15 each) *2 extra servings of noodles- $4.00 ($2.00 each) *1 egg: $2.00 *Side of fries- $6.00 (you get more fries with a large fries from chick-fil- a than we did here) *we only had water, no extra drinks.

Total so far $42.00

*Rest of the bill was taxes and the 15% gratuity

(Rounding down on each below) *$6.00 for forced tip. *$4 for...

This ramen restaurant, located right in the heart of Convoy near Mitsuwa Market, In-N-Out, and Bookoff, is a gem for anyone craving a satisfying and authentic meal. We stopped by for dinner on a Thursday night, and our experience was excellent from start to finish.

The wait time was reasonable given the popularity of the area—around 15 minutes. The check-in process was simple and efficient with the self-service iPad system. We were able to put our name down and take a quick stroll to Bookoff to browse while waiting. Before we knew it, we received a text letting us know our table was ready.

Once seated, the service was impressively quick and efficient. We barely had to wait after placing our order, which was a nice surprise given how busy restaurants in Convoy can get. We ordered the chicken karaage, curry ramen, and the katsu rice plate. Every dish was flavorful and well-prepared. The curry ramen was the standout for us—it had a rich, savory broth with just the right level of curry spice. If you're a fan of bold, comforting flavors, this ramen is a must-try. The chicken karaage was perfectly crispy on the outside while juicy on the inside, and the katsu rice plate offered a great balance of textures and flavors, making it a very satisfying option.

What really added to the experience was the restaurant's attention to detail. The staff was friendly and attentive, ensuring our water cups were always full and checking in to make sure everything was to our liking. The ambiance was clean and welcoming, with a cozy atmosphere perfect for a relaxing dinner. I also have to give a shoutout to the well-maintained and spotless bathroom—something that’s often overlooked but makes a big difference when dining out.

Parking in the Convoy area can sometimes be challenging, but we managed to find a spot without much trouble, which was a nice bonus.

Overall, this place checks all the boxes: tasty food, quick and attentive service, a clean and inviting atmosphere, and thoughtful little touches that elevate the experience. Whether you're stopping by for a casual weeknight dinner or looking for a go-to ramen spot, I highly recommend giving this restaurant a try. It’s the perfect place to enjoy great food and unwind in one of San Diego's most popular...