8 RAMEN — Restaurant in Town of Hempstead

Rockville Centre's a pappin' place, especially on weekends so here's the PARKING SITUATION: Street if it's not busy but more than likely the parking lot directly behind 8 Ramen is the best shot. Lot's open daily except Sundays and holidays from 9AM-6PM. Parking spaces are numbered with associated time limits: #1-5 60 min, #6-138 2 hrs, #139-148 4 hrs. Pay with credit card (VISA or Mastercard) or $1 dollar bills and coins (quarters, dimes and nickels).

8 Ramen is CASH ONLY. Luckily there are banks and ATMs conveniently close by.

Owned by a Thai couple running Tum Thai up the corner on the opposite side of the block, the husband with 20 years of experience as a chef and the wife with 8 as a flight attendant. That combination really shows in their ability to flexibly service others without compromising their vision and standards while also working to turn their limitations into advantages. Fully optimizing the small tight space through furniture with a well-thought-out layout + seasonally changing up the lighting and decor welcomes ALL types: Groups, couples and most importantly solo diners for casual cool meals and just-good-enough-for-a-date outings. Simple but focused menu. Food always comes out faster than expected and is consistently solid to very good! Allow modification and substitution for all ramens EXCEPT their spicy miso, spicy tonkotsu, spicy "8" and tom yum lobster. Well-trained, fantastic workers and great service. Always welcoming, friendly and ahead of the game, well-prepared to deliver on things before one even thinks to ask for anything.

Amazing a place as good as 8 Ramen exists here. Not what a first time visitor would expect in a predominantly white area. While RVC has history, one can't help but get the feeling there's something special brewing here and 8 Ramen happens to be among the good ones to be a part of that development. They're proof good Asian food can be found outside Asian concentrated areas. Plus they're not solely relying on the waves of what's trendy. There's intention and synchronicity. They want to offer something to the heart of RVC and I think they've succeeded. You know this place is a winner when one can't help but still come in person out of a weekly craving despite the hassles of their being cash only, their not offering delivery and potentially dealing with a queue and bustling crowd.

RECS: -TOM YAM LOBSTER TAIL RAMEN ($25) REST OF THEIR RAMEN, ESP. THE SPICY ONES PORK BUN SQUID KARAAGE + FRIED OYSTERS

Before or after a meal here, go to Village Cheese Merchant across the block on the left for cheese or sandwiches on Saturdays (usu. sold out by 12PM). Go to Five Pennies further up N Park Ave across AMC for ice cream and a movie...

This is probably the best ramen that I’ve had in New York! As we recently returned from a vacation in Japan, we were on the hunt for a good ramen place that was nearby. We were craving ramen one night shortly after our return from Japan, and came across this place. As it was very late for a trip to the city or to Queens (where we usually find good Asian food), we decided to give this place a try. And I’m so glad we did! This is a tiny place with cafeteria-like seating. I must say, the benches are a little tough to get over when it starts getting crowded! Despite that, their ramen is delicious! I love their Shoyu Ramen which is a soy sauce based broth. Their pork is cooked to perfection! You have the option to add on to the base, so I always add a different type of mushroom in addition to what’s included. I tried the garlic flakes for the first time a couple of weeks ago since my husband ordered it and thought that was delicious! If you do order this, I think it is more than enough to share for two bowls of ramen. My husband always orders the Tonkatsu Ramen that is more of a thick, milky broth. Not my cup of tea, but we both have very different tastes when it comes to ramen! Which is why this place is great for us! Their pork buns are delicious as an appetizer, although they can be a little messy! Their gyoza is nothing special, and I wasn’t a fan of their yakisoba noodles which had too many undercooked vegetables for my taste. Another little gem we found is that they have Calpico which is almost like a cream soda that we had throughout or stay in Japan! Very reminiscent of our time there! Thank you, 8 Ramen for filling our bellies while we wait to...

Although the aesthetics of 8 Ramen was appealing, I was quite taken aback and apalled by the commentary provided by the servers. As our orders were taken there were undue remarks that were openly made, e.g. "Do you want your food burnt?!" with a sarcastic laugh provided, when requesting a crispy coating on a few of the appetizers. Accordingly, this particular server also openly waited for a reaction or a response, to which we were not going to give him the pleasure of. The food overall was decent nothing to rave about, I have honestly had better ramen in Upstate New York and in the city. Additionally, when it came to paying for the bill, the servers went so far as to publicly and rather rambunctiously demand a specific amount for a tip. This behavior was rather unnecessary and ill-mannered and additionally triggered other insensitive responses and of course stares from those in the vicinity. I will never come here again especially with the current or should I say ongoing climate of the US! (P.S. I hope the tip was enjoyed!) Although this was my first time visiting this restaurant, surely this has not been my only experience in encountering this sort of unprofessionalism or rather not so subtle racial undertone or as some people indicate sociodemographic/ political projections of stereotypes/ biases negatively influencing social interaction. This is ultimately the last time I will be...