Kenji's — Restaurant in Vancouver

A place so nice, I had to review it twice.

Full disclosure, this is my second time leaving a review for Kenji's. They recently underwent a menu change, and I feel like with that comes a lot of uncertainty, disappointment, and negativity (both in reviews and feedback). So, I wanted to leave another review to share my experience since trying the new menu.

For starters, the staff is ALWAYS incredible and friendly. Tonight, Andrew took care of my table and was amazing. Friendly, talkative, and very enjoyable (shout out to Andrew for being amazing).

The food and menu underwent some larger changes. Removal of options such as the BYO ramen bowls, and other favorites, seemed to leave a lot of people unhappy. Speaking for myself, personally, this gave the the opportunity to try new ramen options that I would not have otherwise picked. I have gone to Kenji's three times since the menu change, and have found something that easily supplements what I used to order, leaves me full and happy, and gave me the chance to explore new options.

The food itself, in my opinion, is still delicious. I say again, I know that I am coming at this from an angle of someone who has already openly admitted to loving Kenji's, but I wouldn't be writing this if I was not a fan of what they are now producing. I have gotten edamame for years here steamed, but they recently switched over to only having the option to have it stir fried, which was, you guessed it, still amazing.

I have tried some of the new broth options since the BYO ramen bowls were removed from the menu, and have found that the veggie broth is extremely flavorful (especially when made spicy), and the thin noodles were incredible. I had never considered having the thin noodles until recently, and they were a real treat! I will be having them moving forward for the foreseeable future.

In terms of portion size, it does seem that the ramen bowls are a little smaller in size than they used to be, however I have noticed zero difference in how full I am at the end of each meal. If anything, the ramen portions feel a bit more balanced in terms of what someone would normally eat. If you are someone who has been coming here for years and gets a smaller portion, I can see being surprised or disappointed, but I feel like the visual of how much you are being served appears or looks smaller than how much you are ACTUALLY getting (if that makes sense). In other words, I don't feel like I am paying the same price/more money for less food (based on my last three experiences).

Speaking of the prices, they don't feel unreasonable to me. I am someone who only eats with my wife, so bringing a whole family might make this a much more expensive ordeal, but I always walk out paying around $80.00 after a tip. With two full entrees, drinks, and appetizers, that feels fairly priced to me, personally.

Overall, I wanted to put this out there for people who are skeptical about the changes at Kenji's. Not everyone who loved this restaurant before will continue to love it after the changes, but I felt like Kenji's was getting so much flak for what they did with the menu that I wanted to say it's still as good as ever (at the very least, to me). Keep doing what you guys are doing, Kenji's team and staff, and thank you for always making my day better with your smiles, food, and friendly demeanors; I'm sure I'll be back again within a week for more...

Kenji's was my favorite place to eat since it opened. Their ramen WAS amazing, most notably the one called "The Couve" of which I've ordered every single time over the years of eating there around twice per month with my son and often including a friend.

I went in for my favorite ramen the other day and we were seated by one of our 5-star server's, Joey. We're always glad to see him and he was fantastic as usual.

We ordered our ramen and waited... and waited... While wondering what was taking an abnormally long time to get our food, I was observing the kitchen and noticed cooks that I didn't recognize moving in a really slow manner. It used to take no more than 10 minutes to get our food and this time it took around 25+ minutes. I would have quickly forgotten about that part had I received the same delicious ramen that I've always craved and had ordered for many years but what was placed in front of me appeared completely different.

I ordered the "Couve" and got a disaster. The classic big ramen bowls were replaced with ones that looked kid sized. The broth was reduced substantially, seemingly by half or more along with the flavor. The broth used to be rich and wonderful, now it's fairly weak and bland. The noodles were different, thin and disgusting. The toppings were different. After stirring them in, I took a bite, and it tasted like I got a mouthful of shredded iceberg lettuce (was probably a wad of thin bean sprouts). I ordered a marinated egg and got half. Normally, black sesame oil was drizzled over the top of the ramen and that was absent.

New management has come in, implemented drastic changes, and completely wrecked the Kenji's I loved. I am beyond disappointed and after many years of an amazing ramen experience, I simply have no reason to ever go back unless Kenji's comes back. If that happens, then let me know and I shall return. In the meantime, thankfully I found a newer ramen house ran by some really nice Japanese people and their ramen is authentic and amazing so at least I don't have to go without good ramen.

Kenji's, I will truly miss you ... the old you ... May...

Dearly Beloved,

It is with a heavy heart that I write to you today, not just as a fellow lover of fine food, but as someone who has shared many cherished moments with all of my loved ones over bowls of the greatest ramen we've ever had. There was something so comforting, so familiar, about Kenji's Ramen — it was a place where we could always count on delicious, soul-soothing noodles, crafted with care and passion. It held a special place in our hearts, one that was tied not only to its rich flavors but to the memories we built over every steaming bowl.

But now, I find myself struggling to put into words something that pains me deeply… Kenji's Ramen, the place we once adored, is no longer the same. The taste, once vibrant and satisfying, now feels like an imitation of its former self. The noodles, once cooked to perfection now seem off. They were undercooked, they were hard in a lot of spots and it made the overall experience disappointing. The broth, which used to sing with layers of depth, now tastes thin and uninspired… Even the toppings, which used to be so thoughtfully chosen, seem lackluster, as though they've lost the magic they once held.

It’s heartbreaking to see something we loved so dearly transformed into something unrecognizable. And yet, I know we can't change what has happened. All we can do is remember the good times and the joy it once brought us. Perhaps this new iteration of Kenji's will find its way again, but for now, I fear the essence of what we once cherished is lost.

It is in moments like these that we must hold on to the memories, even as the world around us changes. Though the bowls may no longer be as comforting, the bond we share over the love of ramen — and the memories we've made — will remain.

Rest in peace,

OG Kenji fans

P.s Your pork belly S U C K S! It’s very bland and it has a very gross texture. $50 for bunk af ramen??? Waste of money. Will not be coming back until something...