Okinawa Ramen&Hibachi — Restaurant in Spring Hill

Tried this place out after finding out they had recently opened, and we were really excited to hear that Spring Hill had gotten a ramen shop!

Walking in you can immediately tell a lot of love was put into the atmosphere of the place - they really went all the way on the Japanese/anime theming and it was a fun ambiance. I think my only real piece of constructive feedback on the atmosphere I can give them is to maybe dim the lighting in the dining just a tad, it is currently really bright and the white lights take away from the presentation the kitchen is taking time to put together!

As for the food:

I started off with a Taro Milk Tea, and it was great! It was brought out to us by the owners child and she was adorable, she put a smile on our face.

My fiancé and I ordered multiple appetizers. The spicy edamame and gyoza were great. The pork belly buns we got were a complete miss for us unfortunately - the pork belly was thin, dry, and just didn’t have a lot of flavor. We also ordered a side of kimchi - and while this may be on us for doing so at a Japanese restaurant - we didn’t really enjoy it. It tasted very ‘perfumey’ which we’ve experienced in some store bought brands before.

Unfortunately… neither of us liked the ramen served here. I ordered the Miso ramen, and my fiancé ordered the Spicy Tonkotsu. My miso ramen broth had the right color and consistency, but it just had a sour taste to it I’ve never experienced before at other ramen shops. The same pork used in the buns was used for the chashu in both of our bowls and had the same issue as the buns. The soy egg we were served had a completely runny yolk (completely liquid and seeped into the broth) rather than a jammy center, and definitely hadn’t soaked enough soy. My fiancé’s tonkotsu base was lacking flavor and didn’t have the thick creamy consistency you’d expect from a Tonkotsu, it was really watery. Finally, although this might be preferential, I was a bit bummed on the noodle quality - they resembled cup noodle quality (dry brick) and didn’t have the chew you’d want from ramen noodles.

Service was okay - we had a kind waitress, but my biggest gripe is that one of the bus workers just checked for empty dishes way too often. As soon as we’d finish a plate he’d be there and ask to clear it. I appreciate how attentive he was! I just think he could maybe lower the cadence quite a lot and still be doing a great job.

as is I can’t recommend this place for the ramen - I really enjoyed the atmosphere and there were some good items served (Gyoza, Edamame, milk tea), but the ramen and buns were huge let downs. I’d prefer that this place cut down on the amount of different ramen bases they’re offering and just nail a few bowls rather than offer too many different options and not really nail one.

I’d be willing to give it another shot down the road, I can tell the owners put a lot of care and love into the place, and I hope they can improve on the food quality so they can be a go to spot for us here in...

Great atmosphere and decorations. You can tell they have put a lot of time, effort and money into decorating the environment. The dishes I've tried so far have been amazing. I had the hibachi my first visit and the steak and veggies were really good. The fried rice anywhere never tastes as good as it does from a real hibachi steakhouse where they make it in front of you but just add some yum yum sauce and its good to go. The fried gyoza/pot stickers were exactly what i was looking for! I have also tried the Taro (my favorite) and the pudding boba tea. It really is great boba tea and I'll probably order one every time i stop in. My second visit I had the spicy pork ramen and I thought it was great. I don't have all that much to compare it to as I typically just eat some shin ramen at home on weekends but I really enjoyed it. I also spoke to the waiter and he told me they are able to customize any of the ramen dishes you order so if you want yours a certain way don't be afraid to ask!

On to the last part where I think they struggled the most was just the basic service. They have a lot of employees working but still seem to struggle to get to tables in a timely fashion. Both times i've visited, the water I order seems to be forgotten. I received my boba tea and appetizer before I received my water the second visit. I also ordered 2 chicken Bao but never received them. I'm not sure if they were aware or just never put them in because they didn't try to charge me for them. That being said, this place was BUSY! I get its a new restaurant and they have lots of customers lined up to get in so I think its a mix of being overwhelmed by the amount of business and being so new that they just haven't found their rhythm yet. Fortunately, one of the managers approached my table after my meal to ask how everything was and if we experienced any issues during our meal. She was very kind and it was really appreciated.

I really think this place is a great addition to the area, we really need a good ramen place and I look forward to coming back and trying even more items on the menu. Foods great, atmospheres great, I just think they still need some time to work out a seamless...

Me and my friends were excited to try out this place because it was close to us, and relatively affordable. Upon entrance, we were greeted with a beautiful interior and friendly staff, that quickly got us seated and started off with drinks. I have no complaints for the service, our waiter was very friendly, attentive, and quick. We were a party of four, and ordered a few appetizers to begin with. I ordered the coconut shrimp, and the presentation was beautiful. However, the coconut flavor was overpowering the shrimp, and the shrimp itself lacked any flavor beyond coconut. The outside was nice and crispy, but I wasn't a fan of the coconut shreds they included in the batter. My friend ordered the chicken katsu, and the calamari. The chicken katsu was average, it was crispy but lacked flavor and the chicken inside was thin. The calamari looked a lot different than I expected, unlike your typical calamari, this one is a lot thicker in size, and was not crispy at all. The only redeeming quality was the flavor, and the light batter was not crispy but this did have flavor. As for my entree, I ordered the chicken ramen but asked them to make it spicy, and they did! The broth was flavorful with a good amount of spice and chicken flavor, the chicken in my ramen was soft and perfectly cut. The eggs were soft boiled and tender, and complimented the rich broth. While the ramen was good, I don't believe that I would come back to order more food. To finish the night, I ordered the brown sugar tea boba, which was phenomenal. The drink itself had a prominent tea flavor which I loved, as most places lack on this aspect. The boba itself is soft, chewy and sweet enough to where it does not overpower the drink. Overall, I would come back to this place only...