Raijin Ramen — Restaurant in Tucson

Overhyped summarizes Raijin Ramen up quite nicely. I have been to many places in town for ramen and I must say I wasn't impressed with Raijin at all. It just seems like a place for U of A students to flock to and pack the place up because it's so close by. First thing I was disappointed in was the wait time! Took about 30 to 35 minutes to get a table for two around 6p. Second, I would say some of the staff were fairly unprofessional. One waitress was super hard to understand due to her thick accent, the other asked me what I ordered like three to four times. He would walk off then come back and ask what I got, go off pause for a bit and then come back and ask again. This happened when I was ordering and also when I asked for my check. Third major thing I was disappointed with were the portions received for the price paid. As you can see in the picture the bowls are very small and you don't get much of anything. For $12 I expect more than one piece of charshoo without having to pay another $2-$3 for one more additional piece. Perhaps the egg could stand to be a bit bigger, oh wait you can pay $1 for another one! Just seems like they're price gouging at this point. While some might argue it's a perfectly proportional meal and it very well might be. But who goes to a restaurant to have a proportional meal? When most go out to eat it usually is a splurge! As you can see the appetizers were also drab looking. The gyoza were completely soggy as opposed to how they're supposed to be, crispy on the bottom and soft on the top. I wouldn't be surprised if it's just frozen out of the bag rubbish. The fried octopus was decent with the lemon and the sauce. The noodles weren't bad they were nice and firm and springy and not mushy. The broth was alright, not great not bad. There are better places to go that give you way more bang for your buck. Yamato comes into mind! Same price with better portion size and more toppings. I added a picture from Yamato (white bowl) so you can see the staggering differences in portion size etc. I regret spending 30 minutes waiting in line for some mediocre at best ramen. I'm pretty sure I could of gone in the future after the hype dies down and be seated instantly. 1/5 will not come again unless I read about...

Service: 3 stars

We walked in at 5:00pm on Sunday and stood in line for maybe 10 minutes which was not a big deal. The host/guy came out and asked for out names and my partner said my name and for two. Then jokingly, my partner, said "his name is two" and the host made a sarcastic laugh and said I've heard that one many times already. So before we even walked in to the restaurant we were already getting bad service because someone was in a bad mood or having a bad day. Perhaps you shouldn't work for customer service. This host guy also kept printing passive-aggressive papers and posting them on the door in regards to Yelp reviews. Unprofessional. Don't waste your time/energy on what people write on Yelp, they either like the food or not. Let your service and food speak for itself. Clearly, service is what's lacking.

Our server, however, was good. She was pushy at first but then realized it and gave us some time to look over the menu, which is not extensive but has a lot of details. After that she was great and kept up with us.

Food: 5 stars

The menu was very simple. The food was amazing. My partner had the Tonkotsu and the flavor was the shiznits. All the flavors were balanced and in great harmony. Not too salty yet not bland. Very filling. I had the Veggie and was really good too. If you're vegan/vegetarian it's the only choice but it has so many veggies in it that it's worth it and very filling. I will definitely be back to try more.

Appearance: 5 stars

The place was very clean. Great atmosphere. Cozy. Can't wait until they set their patio up. That will give them more seating area and hopefully move the line faster.

Price: $$$

I thought it was a bit pricey for a fast casual dining joint. $28 for two bowls of soup and no appetizers was more than I wanted to spend. Soup is mostly water so a serving of soup can't be more than $2 to prepare....

Craving a serious bowl of ramen? This hole-in-the-wall Japanese joint might just be your new go-to. Don't expect fancy décor – this place is all about the slurp-worthy goodness. And let me tell you, that broth? Boom! Flavor explosion with a texture to match. They could maybe pretty things up a bit, but honestly, who cares when the taste is this good? Bonus points for serving it piping hot (just the right temp – no tongue-burning here!). The noodles were perfectly firm, and if you're a big eater like me, don't even hesitate – order the "Kae Dama" (noodle refill!). A new experience is for like a double dose of ramen goodness, get the Double Ramen! It’s basically a whole other bowl of noodles in that already amazing tonkotsu broth! The karaage was savory, but the chicken was a tad dry – a minor letdown. The takoyaki, though? Super fun! Think creamy squidball deliciousness. My only gripe? The octopus bits were a little shy and got lost in the creamy sauce. Service is efficient – they get the job done quickly, no time for long chats. Fair enough. A heads-up: this place is a bit of a hidden gem. Drive slow or you'll miss the driveway! Parking is cozy, so park smart. Perfect for a casual bite, a quick meet-up, or a small group (four people max, I'd say). A little background music and maybe some misters for the outdoor seating on warm days would definitely elevate the experience. Even with a few minor hiccups, I'll definitely be back for that amazing ramen. Highly recommend for a satisfying and...