JINYA Ramen Bar

Reviews 3

TR

Troy Herman

I do find myself a "fan" of the new Ramen shop in town, but there were some exceptions to keep it from a full 5 Star rating, but they earned the 4 stars very easily. I appreciated the location just on the edge of the Domain shopping and traffic areas. Its a great little spot to go in, get your ramen fix, hang with friends, and then go about your way... Inside it is a comfy community styled seating with swivel stools and a nice bar to hang out at. Just as you expect in Japan and other community eating cultures, so that was a pleasantry I personally liked in the atmosphere. Overall we had a great meal and the staff really did a great job in seating and serving and rechecking to make sure your drinks were full and the meal was satisfying. That was very much appreciated. In our group we ordered 4 different types of ramen bowls and 3-4 different appetizers, so we got a great perspective of all the flavors. We ordered: - crispy chicken - pork gyoza - Jinya Dynamite - Tonkotsu Spicy - Jinya Tonkotsu Black - Spicy Chicken - Jinya Chicken Ramen Notes on the above order: - crispy chicken was good - pork gyoza = was crispy and had good flavor - Jinya Dynamite = was more savory than it was "spicy" in my personal taste, but I am not sure if I would personally order it again - Tonkotsu Spicy = was "touristy" spicy in our opinion - Jinya Tonkotsu Black (heavy broth) = was good, but didnt have the same portion as everyone elses - Spicy Chicken = was "tourist" spicy and the waitress spoke to the cooks to get the hotter extract they keep in the back (and not on the tables) for us. That add much more heat! (props to the waitress) - Jinya Chicken = no complaints My only withdrawal of the fifth star came with the fact that when we all got our ramen, we heartily enjoyed our servings, but I quickly noticed that my portion was much smaller than everyone elses? Odd. I noticed that everyone else had their bowls filled to the brim with noodles and broth and mine was at least one inch lower than the others... without causing a fuss, I just accepted it as it was. It was a busy day (Saturday) and asking for a possible correction may have delayed our meal longer; so I ate my portion as served and had great conversation with those I was with. I honestly wish I would have had more or at least the same portion as others. I could not tell if the "heavy broth" bowls simply did not get as much or if they overfilled the regular broth bowls. A little puzzling, but still tasty. I will come back for everything here is tasty and I hope to try another different ramen bowl so I can experience a new flavor and taste. Additionally, as noted above, if it is not spicy enough for you then ask the staff to see if they can get you the spice that they use in the kitchen and not just the one that is on the table in front of you. It provides that extra kick that you desire.

JE

Jennifer N

Im torn between its good and its okay, the ramen is pretty much consistent as it gets, but the small plates I wish I could say the same. The menu has changed a little since they first opened, the offer other dishes besides ramen and more small plates now as well as a special of the day. The rice bowls are much better than the ramen in my opinion. Every time I give the gyoza a chance it comes out burnt to a crisp, so thats pretty much a fail. The small plates/appetizers tend to come out long after the ramen has so thats pretty disappointing. Some dishes arent quite available during lunch time either, due to prep time. The ramen is plenty, make sure to alter your dish if there is something you dont like because you will have an extremely hard time getting rid of it. I always alter my dish in one fashion or another, I love the seasoned egg and the brussle sprouts. The meat isnt much so if you are a meat eater you may want to order another portion of it for your dish. The pork tacos are pretty legit, except its tiny tiny and semi expensive if you think about it. The crispy chicken is a little too much for me at times, but if you are on a cheat day, it might be your thing. The dessert is a hit or miss at times. I typically like the panna cotta, but sometimes they have ran out or it taste like freezer burn. The mochi on the other hand is pretty spot on, but I think its the same mochi you can buy at the store, I dont think they make it there, Ive tried to ask but no one has given me a straight answer. The atmosphere is okay, I wouldnt say its my favorite out of all the ramen options in Austin, however its saving grace is that there is usually little to no line. The terrible part is they are always yelling when people come in, I get they are welcoming you, but over the course of the meal you may want to stab your ear drums out with your chopsticks. Its a gimmick that they need to drop and just have the hostess greet you instead. The restaurant itself is well maintained and in good shape though so it would be great if they quit yelling. There is outdoor seating that is more spacious and less obnoxious than being inside with the yelling. The service is so so, some of them are more attentive and friendly than others, some of them do the bare minimum. Parking can be a nightmare for sure since its on the same street as all the bars. Id say its a good alternative to waiting 30 minutes in line, but I wouldnt tell you its the best place on earth.

JO

Joseph Shield

tl;dr - This is one of those places that purposely built a large kitchen and bar and few tables to drum up intrigue and make the place seem popular, when really theres less than 20 people sitting inside. The prices are similar to Ramen Tatsu-Ya so save yourself the trouble and get better food by going there instead. Disclaimer: Never actually got to try their food. Let me tell you the tale of some hungry Ramen lovers. We went in with a group of 4 on a random Tuesday night, around 8pm. There was a large group of people pressed between the bar and the front window, in what seemed like a line, so we stood in front of the door and waited. As people left, at some point an employee would come and ask the first people in line if they had 2 or 4 or however large the table was that just opened up. Like this the line dwindled over the next half hour until we were in front. About four times our group was asked if we had 2 people, to which we repeatedly replied no. Then a group of two behind us would get seated. Eventually the employee asks if we want to sit outside, since there was lots of open seating out there. The group behind us, also four, says "what?" and she repeats the question. Before we can answer, the other group says theyll sit outside, and so they get the table instead! Still our group says fine, its cold out anyways; well continue to wait. Another 15 minutes pass and we havent heard from an employee in a while. The group behind walks in front of us and just organizes seats at the bar and guiltily tells us "well theres no hostess." Fine. Fed up with this, hungry, and almost an hour later, we walk out. Theres got to be a better system than this. Pagers, text messages, names on lists, anything wouldve made the wait better than this.