Mugen Noodle Bar — Restaurant in Tigard

This place is absolutely, hands down, no contest the best and most authentic noodle/ramen bar I have ever been to, and I've been all around the noodle bars in Portland. Once you step foot in the door, you really feel like you've been transported to Japan. The place is small, for sure, barely even enough room to move around people sitting or getting out of their seat, but it's so, so worth it. We went on a Saturday evening around 5:30, and while it was busy, the hostess took our order, and when enough seats were available, we sat down and almost immediately received our food. Super cool.

Food: I ordered the Curry Ramen, their Shoyu soft boiled egg as an add-on, and a Nigori sake that was recommended. Everything was absolutely delicious and amazing. The Shoyu soft boiled egg in my opinion is a must. It was gooey, delicious, and a real treat. The ramen itself was creamy and delicious, though they didn't ask, and I didn't specify heat level. Next time, I want to kick it up a notch and get my spicy on. My wife ordered the Shoyu Chintan and enjoyed it as well. I did not have a taste, as I was face deep in my own ramen, barely coming up for air between slurps.

Atmosphere: As I noted, this place is super small. A very narrow room with a long, wooden bar to eat on, likely next to strangers. I enjoyed this communal style of seating. However, everything seems very authentic, including a very cool/interesting mural behind the bar area. I knew the moment I stepped into the place I would love it. Beyond the bar, the smells, the awesome looking pots, kettles, and burners, they play low-fi hip-hop on the sound system, which honestly, just added to the awesomeness. Somehow I felt at home, even though I've never been to Japan.

Staff: Every single person we interacted with or saw working seemed to genuinely want to be there, to be helpful, to be pleasant, and to make you feel welcome. The staff joked with us and others occasionally, and not in a disturbing or intrusive way, but in a welcoming way. Top notch staff. They all seem to take pride in what they do. Amazing.

Lasting Impressions: This place is maybe a half mile from our house, which... may be dangerous. I've never been to a restaurant where once I left, I felt a bit sad. I wanted to go back in, sit down, and enjoy more time there. I wanted to get to know the staff more and have them tell me their story. Maybe next time, and there will absolutely be a next time. This place deserves all the praise you see on these reviews. Now, about dinner tonight... I think I know...

DISCRIMINATION!!! DO NOT COME HERE!! THEY DO NOT ALLOW SERVICE DOGS INSIDE. OUR DOG KNOWS HOW TO SIT NICELY, BECAUSE IT IS HER JOB. SHE IS HIGHLY TRAINED TO SIT IN SMALL PLACES. WE HAVE TAKEN HER AND SAT AT BAR STOOLS AND TO BOOT, THE FREAKING PLACE WAS TOTALLY EMPTY EXCEPT FOR THE TWO PEOPLE, HE COULD HAVE ACCOMMODATED US, BUT DIDN'T BOTHER, AND IT WAS A COLD AND RAINY DAY TODAY AND I WANTED TO SIT INSIDE! HE DOESN'T KNOW MY HEALTH PROBLEMS, MAYBE I NEED TO SIT INSIDE, OUT OF THE COLD DUE TO ARTHRITIS, BUT HE SAW THE SERVICE DOG AND IMMEDIATELY DENIED US ENTRANCE, SAYING" AS YOU CAN SEE THERE IS NOT ANY ROOM FOR YOUR DOG! YOU CAN SIT OUTSIDE WITH YOUR DOG, SORRY." OKAY, YES, I COULD SEE, THERE WAS 1 GUY SITTING INSIDE AND 1 GUY SITTING OUTSIDE. WE WENT AFTER THE LUNCH HOUR RUSH ON PURPOSE. OUR DOG MOCHA, WHO IS A HEARING SERVICE DOG WAS DENIED ENTRANCE INTO THIS PLACE! TOTALLY ILLEGAL!!!! IT IS OKAY, WE LEFT AND WE REPORTED HIM TO THE AMERICAN DISABILITIES ACT IN OREGON! I WILL NEVER ARGUE WITH IGNORANCE! I LEAVE AND I REPORT THEM TO THE ADA TO GET THEM INVESTIGATED FOR DISCRIMINATION AND THEN I POST TO EVERY PLACE THAT I CAN, HERE ON GOOGLE, YELP, FORSQUARE, FACEBOOK, X, INSTAGRAM, ANY SOCIAL MEDIA TO SPREAD THE WORD FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE SERVICE ANIMALS.I DO THIS SO PEOPLE WHO HAVE DISABILITIES RO NEVER COME TO THIS PLACE. I LET PEOPLE KNOW THAT HE IS WRONG AND IS BLATANTLY BREAKING THE LAW. I WILL GO AND EAT SOMEWHERE ELSE, THAT IS EXACTLY HOW WE FOUND RED CURRY ACROSS THE STREET! WONDERFUL TASTY FOOD AND PEOPLE WHO WERE KIND AND EMBRACED OUR SERVICE DOG AND EVEN BROUGHT HER A BOWL OF WATER TOO. THERE ARE OTHER MUGEN RAMEN PLACES, WE WILL GIVE THEM OUR BUSINESS INSTEAD OF THIS DISCRIMINATING PLACE. BUDDY, YOU LOST POSSIBLE REPEAT CUSTOMERS TODAY! DUDE! SERIOUSLY, IN THIS DAY AND AGE DISCRIMINATION IS PATHETIC AND...

Contrary to what other reviews would have led me to believe, our experience at Mugen on a Friday night was one of the most disappointing I’ve had in a while. Came in to the restaurant and said hello to the staff behind the counter and were ignored, so we browsed the menu while we waited for them to greet us for our order. While we looked down we heard “FOR HERE OR FOR TAKEOUT” (I put it in all caps cause by the second time they said it and we realized they were talking to us and not the other customers they were basically yelling). We then asked to dine in and proceeded to go sit at a table until we were ready to order.

Customer service past that point continued to be pretty bad. Our food was delivered without a word and no polite exchanges were had. Our thank you’s for the food were met with complete silence which just felt super awkward and uncomfortable.

When we got our food, the noodles lacked flavor and the broth/meat followed suit. The chili paste was the only thing that saved it. The water brought to the table was murky and clouded, which was unsettling, and the Thai tea we ordered was watered down to hell.

I get that food service is a hard job. It’s brutal. I’ve done it. But you just don’t treat people, let alone customers, like that.

Needless to say, I definitely won’t be back. I hope that Friday night was a one off and not a representation of their...