JINYA Ramen Bar - Union Market — Restaurant in Washington

Honestly I want to start this review with an apology! I’m a Latino man who immigrated from another country and the last thing I want is for anyone to be punished unfairly… I have also worked as a server my self so there’s very little that would make me mad, uncomfortable, or act like a privileged demanding nonsense person! And I have been to the 14th location several times but what’s going on with this location? Food was good as always and I really really want to say my server was good but I can’t and it’s not fully her fault! I walked in today with my friend for brunch! Expecting good food and good costumer service because I love this ramen company so much I was asked at least 4 times if I have been there before I said yes! My friend said yes! And we were given a flyer! Why are you guys reading the flyer to us like we don’t know how to read? We said we have been here before! We know what we want! Why all the memorized circus essay out loud we are ready to order! I can understand under staff like honestly it’s cool I get it! I got up and walked to the bar for water because honestly we needed it and again it was cool! I wasn’t mad but we were so thirsty! Water at the table is something so basic costumers shouldn’t even ask for or walk to the bar for…. I worked at a 3 star or less dinner not long ago kind the on the ghetto side but hey water and menus at the table were there as soon as the clients sat down! Oh and to top it off the place wasn’t packed! We were not demanding at all and I even apologize for getting up for water to the bar because I really didn’t want to make our server feel bad or like I’m just being a Latino Karen! No mam I don’t look down on people and specially servers because I know how thoughtful it is! But server came several times to pick up very unnecessary speckles off straw paper or little plates that honestly could’ve just sat down there until we were done…. I admit my friend and I were having a very intense conversation but we were not loud or disrespectful to others if anything we were talking loud because the music was blasting! We order the brunch special only to get 3 refills yeah no! I’m not trying to to get wasted but like come on! Again 20 times came over to pick up unnecessary stuff and only 3 refills of mimosas? What a joke! I still was being patient and not being demanding I was playing it cool. It came time to use the bathroom because of all the liquid I was consuming water, soup and I guess 3 punny but honestly good tasting mimosas! And booom only one unisex restroom upstairs that was occupied and I was behind another costumer and of course I’m like they must have way more restrooms downstairs and here goes silly me…! Downstairs to only 2 restrooms that were also occupied ugh… ok I waited maybe like 4 mins no worries… who gets out the restroom omg of course a employee…. Ok no worries I get out and I’m almost slammed by a super cute server with dreads carrying a tray with glasses and what not! He apologized right away and hey not your fault man! But Who ever designed the set up of that restaurant please check their license because honestly it makes no sense! I turn around the corner and who do I hear talking about my friend and I trying to guess if I speak Spanish? Yup employees around one if I believe manager…! But it was to late! I over heard and I do speak Spanish hello I’m walking around with this taco face and Mexican mustache! Like mi gente Que pasa? How unprofessional! We have our server walking around like a headless chicken while y’all gossiping in a big group? That’s a very big no! I was very bother by then! About to walk up the stairs and at the beginning of the stairs a spray bottle just chilling there water spilled all over…. If I was a malicious person trying to sue for a fall or negligence that was a very perfect moment but nope! I don’t do that! No warning weat floor signs or anything, no one around to say careful or anything because they were busy at the gossip gathering with the manager…..I wrote way more but this only lets me type very limited....

One of those poser Japanese speaking restaurants (just greet and thank in English if you can't speak Japanese!) that probably is trying to fake authenticity to justify higher charges for what should essentially be affordable noodle bowls. At least pronounce 「いらっしゃい」correctly if you are going to be throwing it around every time someone enters instead of mixing in a good and proper 「いらっしゃいませ」on occasion!

It took a long time to get my Kirin and my ramen (my ramen actually came BEFORE my beer and I made a joke about the bar seeming empty that went over the head of the manager).

In fact, every time I requested to be brought something (drink, extra spice, check, etc) and was told it would be immediate, it would instead take five to ten minutes.

Also, the tonkotsu was a little cold and I was told I would be charged an additional $1 if I wanted to go spicier than a 6/10 due to product usage (seriously?!).

At least the whiskey selection was pretty good although it was ALSO overpriced.

Anyway, I am under the impression that they have a gigantic staff to try to service as many customers as possible at the second floor tables or whatever, but this is not at all how a proper ramen bar should be.

When I have nostalgia for ramen bars in Japan, I imagine a small establishment run by a tiny staff with an overcrowded bar where people are forced to sit next to each other and actually interact and converse. Ramen is a cheap daily treat (served hot, mind you) in Japan -not some overpriced, over glorified luxury that costs the same as a visit to a steakhouse- but it is also an everyday chance to socialize and get to know other patrons as well as the proprietors.

Don't spend $20+ on something that should cost about the same as a decent quality hamburger, folks. This entire business model is selling nothing but lies in terms of intimacy, affordability, and authenticity. The least it could do is drop the pretense of mispronouncing and misusing...

I’m not a familiar customer to Jinya so let me state that first. I habitually choose independent or smaller community Ramen franchises for the known quality but I just moved to the neighborhood and I was a bit desperate for the proximity. Perhaps, I’m just not accustomed to the rip offs that seem to be a part of the normal experience for this establishment. I ordered two ramens, one for my 4 year old son, and one for myself who are both currently weathering a cold/flu. Not sure of the typical rations, I ordered one extra broth portion which was about the quarter of the original one (which already seems like a kid’s serving to be honest). I was mistaken in thinking I ordered two servings of extra broths so I was left with one junior portion of soup, one of which was extremely salty to replace to the “extra spice” that I ordered. Because we were so under the weather I attempted to call and correct the order in hopes I could pay for an additional broth ahead of time instead of having to wait around. Instead, I was instructed by the host to either place an extra broth order online (which of course is not possible without being charged for another expensive order of full item soup) or come in and wait more time for more special order broth. I am so disappointed not only because I was feeling so under the weather and lacked the energy to follow through with this but because I guess since the neighborhood is now so gentrified it is maybe the expectation of many of the local businesses to provide as little as possible for the highest possible price. What I received was lots of little containers of “toppings” and an egregious lack of quality in food from what is supposed to be one of the most prestigious and growing franchises in the city. I paid over $60 for two servings of ramen which my son and I hardly consumed. Perhaps, this review will have some significant effect on future processes...