★ 5

Ramen was fantastic. Broth was great. Ingredients were fresh and delicious. Definitely worth the stop

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★ 3

This was some of the most mediocre ramen I’ve had. We seemed like the first customers of the day so maybe that’s why? It tasted like reheated food. Broth lacked flavor, noodles tasted off in terms of texture and chewiness.

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★ 5

Did not know this place was even in the city of Madison. I love the atmosphere service and food. Very clean inside and our host was very professional. Food was delicious and alot for the prices. Fresh drinks clean plates and cups and just a great place to bring your family or friends. The pictures in my case don't do the food or restaurant any justice but believe me it is good to go. I will recommend this place to anyone looking for good Japanese culture.

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★ 5

Ramen was good. Strawberry matcha latte................very good..........I learned how to eat ramen with chopsticks. I like the water cups and the water pitcher. Bowls are big.

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★ 5

Really good ramen and dumplings.

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★ 4

Had high hopes for this restaurant as my spouse and I both love Japanese food.

Appetizers, we ordered the Karaage and the Takoyaki. Both were on par with the quality of dishes that we have enjoyed in Osaka.

Both of us ordered the Pork Katsu Curry Omurice and we were disappointed. The curry was watery, flavorless and bland - it almost seems like they are not using the full portion of curry roux required to give the spice/mouthfeel/viscosity for this kind of curry. The eggs were unseasoned, greasy and honestly disappointing. The pork cutlet was small. Nothing was seasoned well.

I will give this place another go and try their ramen next time, as I'm hopeful it's of better quality!

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★ 4

Sense Ramen kid closed down downtown this has been the place a frequent. The broth is very full the serving size is excellent. I generally get the volcano ramen with the chili oil on the side and it is very spicy. 8/10 would recommend.

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★ 5

Absolutely amazing food and service. Highly recommend

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★ 4

I had the volcano ramen, garlic miso ramen and karaage chicken and all were very good. I would definitely go back if I were in the area

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★ 5

Had pork and chicken ramen on 2 separate occasions; both were piping hot and full of flavor. Excellent service also. The signature milk tea with soft chewy boba was perfect.

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★ 5

Wish they had more business to have local ethnic restaurant stay open

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★ 5

I love it here, sure it's a little pricy but the portions are HUGE.
They have gluten free and vegetarian options which is great because (I have celiac) I can enjoy my food without feeling left out by eating a salad while others have a huge meal.

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★ 5

I had the volcano ramen and a strawberry matcha latte. The ramen was perfectly spicy. The pork was tender and flavorful. My favorite part is the marinated egg, so yummy!! The matcha latte was creamy and delicious! We've been here before and will definitely be back!

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★ 5

Hands down one of my favorite restaurants I’ve ever been to. I go here at least once a week. My favorite ramen is the Volcano Ramen they serve here. The service is great, particularly from the young man named Angga

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★ 5

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★ 4

Overall a positive experience and would go again. Ramen was good and I appreciated the added bok Choy in the Ramen. My only complaint is that the noodles were slightly overcooked. I’m also used to the Karaage being more breaded and crispy. Service was great despite there only being one server.

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★ 5

Love this place! For vegetarian options, all of the fried apps are great (potato croquettes and avocado especially!) and for entrees I love the avocado and cucumber roll and the fried rice. My partner loves the vegetable udon. I wasn’t expecting this hole in the wall to be serving up such delicious food. What a gem in the neighborhood!

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★ 5

The food was so good we forgot to take before pictures! We were celebrating a birthday and the staff really went above and beyond for us.
It was very family-friendly and welcoming - our toddler very much approved!

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★ 5

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★ 5

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★ 1

I rarely want to speak on bad experiences I have with restaurants, but this has just left too much of a bad taste for me to completely ignore.
I decided it was just one of those nights to want to grab some type of dinner with my family after my son's sport practice, which resulted in us skipping the true white and blue (Culver's), and heading to Zen Ramen to try it as we rarely say no to Asian food.
The only highlight of our whole experience as a family was being able to pick a table to sit at as we first walked in but from there it went downhill so very quickly.
As we seated ourselves, our server came out with plastic kids plates and cups (which one cup was dirty my husband noticed and got our waiter to kindly take it back, asking for a new cup).
The restaurant was in no way, shape and or form was busy at all. With only our family and a couple who was seated two tables away, it just us all in the restaurant. But so much time was spent at the restaurant with us waiting for periods on end.
Our server came back with the cup and walked away quickly with no water was served for any one of us.
I tried to ignore it and as soon as our waiter came back, we quickly put in our whole order (drinks, apps, and main dishes), with my husband asking for our appetizer of Gyozas and his order of sushi to be brought out early before our main dishes, so we had something to pick at. Again we sat for a long while, waiting.
It came to our server bringing out our soup first (that was included with our main dishes), which during this my husband spoke up asking for water which our server finally got us water and left the pitcher at our table.
A handful of minutes later we were served our gyozas and sushi, which to be totally honest was a complete letdown. Presentation and taste if graded was a F. The gyozas were burnt to a crisp with seeming as if it were microwaved beforehand and then pan fried on both sides, and the sushi looked just as bad as other reviewers photos on other reviews on here. Definitely underwhelming to say the least. With a few bites into the appetizer/sushi our food (main dishes) came out within minutes after. We felt so overwhelmed and disappointed at the same time, it all led to just feeling like corners kept being cut.
My husband's food was not like the picture, whatever egg was in his food was ice cold. My son's kids meal of the fried rice was bland and tasteless, and my steak fried rice tasted only of black pepper. I was juggling my baby on my lap while trying to eat which he kept putting his hands near the food, which resulted in him dipping his hand into my soup by accident.
It was then we finally got asked if we would like a highchair which we refused (because honrstly what was the point at this point of time), but our server brought one out anyway after everything.
I was so upset at this point with every single thing, my husband wasn't feeling good, that I wanted out so bad. I tried to maintain peace and remain calm for my son and baby, but I was aggravated at the point of terrible service, terrible food and overall terrible experience that I asked for boxes and the check. With still tipping despite all this, bill was $80.
In no way, do I feel this was deserving at all for this whole thing, as it left not only me but my whole family and I still feeling hungry but sick at the same time, upset and me wishing I listened to my husband who said he was fine with Culver's.
For this price, Niji near East Towne would have been better.
A word of advice from someone who just had their first and last experience here (Monday, July 7th, 2025 around 7:20pm), proceed with caution.

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★ 4

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★ 5

Went in on a whim with my grandkids today for lunch. Spectacular all around. Our waiter was so patient explaining the menu, made suggestions for the kids (who eat ramen often in the PNW), gracious service, incredible flavors in all our dishes. Generous portions so we all had leftovers! The moshi was great, too. The waiter gave my granddaughter a bag of sweets before we left—how lovely! I highly recommend and can’t wait to go back.

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★ 5

Amazing! Ordered online and took it home and couldn’t be more pleased. Cannot wait to go back. Best ramen in Madison.

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★ 5

Love the inside of this place, was so cute and well organized and clean. The food was amazing, I seriously recommend the duo dish.

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★ 5

The food was great. Flavorful broth with savory slices of pork. Highly recommend the volcano ramen for those who like a little spice. Service was exceptional and accommodating for our group of 7. Would definitely go back!

Forgot to take pictures of the food but they have an unusually tall and thin cactus that caught my eye.

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★ 3

Takeout - it was ok. Not better than grocery store sushi. Kind of bland and no wasabi. With the amount of reviews I hoped for better. Maybe dine in is better?

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★ 5

Our waiter was beyond amazing!! Annga you're awesome!! Great brown sugar boba tea, edamame and sushi!!! We had the avocado cucumber roll and the tempura shrimp rolls- best I've ever had, very fresh!!!! Beef udon yaki was very good too!!

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★ 2

Small and quiet spot with parking outside the city. Ordered garlic miso ramen. Presentation was nice but did not taste as good as it looked. Noodles were soggy and overcooked, even by appearance before digging in. The two pork pieces were nicely charred on the outside but were thin, dry and chewy. Pork broth was drowned out by the amount of garlic. Also had some miso soup but too much salt.

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★ 2

We got the pork bun appetizer and the pork was really dry, the buns were a tad cold and also dry, it crumbled and broke apart. The overall taste for those weren't amazing. All it had was shredded lettuce inside and the sauce straight up tasted like Mac sauce from MCDs lol. We got tonkatsu ramen and volcano ramen, again the chashu was dry & tough. I had to really twist and pull to even get a bite. The ramen was ok not the greatest. The katsu chicken was good though. Overall, we regretted trying it out instead of just going to Strings, but at least now we know.

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★ 5

My kids and I enjoyed our dining experience at Zen Ramen and will definitely be coming back! We ordered the pork katsu curry omorice, beef gyudon, and the chicken paitan ramen, plus boba teas, and all of our orders were phenomenal!

Special mention to Sabrina who was very patient, very attentive, and very pleasant despite our multiple additional to-go orders.

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★ 5

Do you want ballin' authentic ramen? Come here, don't even think about it. Haven't had a bad meal and the boba is on point. 6/5 stars.

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★ 1

consistantly has gotten orders wrong, I gave them a try a few times now and orders are not correct.

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★ 4

Different restaurant from last time I was there. The waitress was kind and service was good. Unfortunately, food was not hot...barely warm. Meat (chicken katsu and pork belly) was dry and chewy. Veggie tempura was very good, along with the miso, but also both were hardly warmer than cold. Not sure if I got too much at once and they sat in the back to be served together, or if they are precooked and warmed. I will definitely go back to try the ramen and have more tempura, and if they are served hot then I might go back a third time to try the katsu and kakuni bao again to see if they're dry or not. I took a lot of food cold because it was ice cold by time I sampled a bite of everything, but it's almost too dry to eat as leftovers.

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★ 5

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★ 5

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★ 5

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★ 5

Food amazing staff amazing drinks amazing atmosphere amazing. 1 million out of ten

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★ 5

Everyone including my 16 month old granddaughter loved the food . Exceptional

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★ 5

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★ 1

How is this a 4.6 place?? The scallops were rubbery, shumai clearly store brought and takoyaki were mushy and it wasn't done cooking inside. Volcano ramen advertised was pork based but it was clearly miso. The omurice were bland, rice was hard and no seasoned at all. Also, where's the beauty of omurice? Where we the skill? Just bland, flat, overcooked egg.
The only okay thing there was the service. Food is sooooooooooooooooo bad.

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★ 5

My boyfriend and I tried this place for the first time and it was amazing! I got the vegetable soup udon and he got the chicken teriyaki. Both were delicious. Our server was very friendly and the entire place looked so cute and clean! Can’t wait to go back !

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★ 5

Service staff is great and has the best chicken katsu in town tbh.

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★ 5

Great Food and Service!! Coming with friends is a great choice 😌💖 Atmosphere is amazing here!

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★ 5

Great place. Delicious Raman 👍

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★ 5

Amazing service and the food was delicious. Have been here multiple times and will come back again

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★ 5

The food was excellent and the vibe was immaculate. Love this place!

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★ 5

Amazing service! And vibe was great for a late night ramen craving!

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★ 5

Great food and service!

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★ 5

This is some of the best ramen I've had in my life and I love ramen shops. The service was great. The food was stellar and the music and atmosphere was all amazing.

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★ 5

There ramen was great and a lot of favor.

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★ 1

Sigh...

This past Sunday 02/16/2025 was our first time in Zen Ramen Lounge, we were craving some boba an wanted to try a new place, we live all the way on the west side and went all the way to this place that is 25 min away from home, to this restaurant with 4.6 star rating that we thought was going to be amazing.
IT WAS NOT!
We got there super excited to try their boba but the experience there was unpleasant, nobody acknowledge us, nobody greeted us, the only person that was there didn't even take a moment to at least inform us that it was going to take a WHILE.
After 20 min, they guy finally comes to the register but still doesn't acknowledge us, doesn't welcome us, the phone rings, he grabs the call, the phone rings again and grabs the call again and FINALLY he asks us what would we like, without any friendliness, without any eye contact, no great costumer service AT ALL. I told him my order the clearest and calmest way, he didn't get it the first time so he asked for clarification which is okay, repeated the order to him and we thought that he was going to make our drinks right away for all that time he had us waiting but no, there he goes again to the area were they prepared the drinks, this place had no organization, we waited 20 MINUTES to get our boba drinks, but wait, it gets worse. During those 20 min, they guy whom I believe his name is Zach J, at least that's what my receipt says, barely had milk tea for our boba milk teas, tells us after being charged $2 dollars for cheese top that he "just checked and doesn't have enough cheese top and it will mean that he needs to make more (which he didn't) but will see what I can do" which was really frustrating because if he knew he didn't have enough he could've said that before he charged us or at least offer a refund. He did not apologize one time for all the time we were waiting just for two simple milk teas. He finally gets to the part of the cheese top and when I tell you we were getting sprinkles of cheese top that's exaggerating, at this point my wife and I are upset at the fact that that was clearly not the regular amount you get for cheese top, especially when we payed $2 extra for cheese top, ARE YOU KIDDING me!!! We thought that maybe the guy was going to at least have a gesture of giving us a coupon or something for all the time waiting and not getting an actual cheese top toping but he DID NOT. This guy was SO DISRESPECTFULL when he had the audacity to throw both of the straws at us, UNACCEPTABLE. A caucasian lady came during those 15 min for a pick up order and she actually had a boba drink, he gently handed of the straw and drink to her, he did not throw the straw at her like he did to us. This did not make me feel welcome as a Latina and LGTBQI+ women, that gesture of him spoke a lot. We did not mentioned one thing those whole 15 min that we were just observing him for him to act that way towards us. We were there 40 min for 2 drink only! INSANE!!!!
First and last time there, do not recommend this place if you're looking for a great customer service experience DO NOT GO TO ZEN RAMEN LOUNGE.

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★ 5

Thank you. Owners so kindness to take care my kids ☺️☺️

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★ 5

Our first visit...can't wait to go back. We tried the gyoza, fried tofu, Tonkatsu, Zen Ramen, the Ramen duo, and the Tokyo Chaahan. You can tell great care goes into the ramen broths...exploding with flavor and a beautiful presentation. The service was friendly, timely and authentic. A great experience. Definitely check this place out!

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★ 5

I’m from Reedsburg, so I drove about an hour to visit this ramen shop, it was definitely worth it! the server was kind and friendly, i even accidentally shattered my cup and he told me that my safety was my top priority. The reason I rated service as 4 stars is because we did wait a while to get our menus, about 5 minutes, and a few other times we had to wait for other things, such as drinks. The food was amazing though! I got the savory steak ramen bowl, it was a tad bit too salty for me but aside from that it was amazing! i love the hand pulled noodles! The other people i was with got the beef teriyaki bowl, takoyaki, chicken katsu yakitori, and the fried chicken wings. And for dessert we got matcha cheesecake and strawberry mochi ice cream, the mochi ice cream is 5.99 for 4 small mochi ice cream balls of whatever flavor you choose. Overall the establishment was a great experience!!

Source: Google

★ 1

Came in to get some Ramen for lunch. Started out by ordering the Gyoza and it came out quickly. We ordered 2 bowls of ramen and waited about 20 minutes before the server came back to ask if we wanted anything else besides the ramen, we said no thanks just the ramen. After about an hour server came back and asked “ Do you guys want anything or are you just hanging out?”…. I said no, just waiting on the ramen… Server asked if we ordered already and we said yes and then he “remembered” and said he put it in so doesn’t know why it’s not out yet. We paid for the Gyoza and left because couldn’t wait another 30 minutes for it to be made.

Source: Google

★ 5

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★ 5

Madison Winter Restaurant Week 2025

We came here for a good deal on ramen, and I’d say we definitely got our money’s worth. The lunch menu features prix fixe options (photo attached), where you can choose an entrée—either ramen, udon, or fried rice—and pair it with a variety of small bites. Since there were three of us, we decided to order the entire menu, and we enjoyed every single bite of it! 😋

A word of caution: it was a full house when we arrived, so I’d recommend making a reservation if your party is larger than three. Even so, the staff was incredibly accommodating despite being busy. They moved us from the bar to a table as soon as one became available. Props to the team for staying flexible and kind under pressure! 🙌🏽

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★ 3

We ordered the Chicken Katsu, and they didn’t give us any rice. The Classic Tonkatsu, their most popular item was very bland and the pork wasn’t great either- very fatty. We even asked for no bamboo but they included it regardless of our clear request.

The Miso soup was very watered down. We’ll go to Strings downtown next time

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★ 5

Its the best ramen I’ve had in Madison

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★ 5

I really liked the ramen.

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★ 4

Excellent food, superb atmosphere, and great service. We were checked in on consistently and any and all requests were met with expedited speed. We even got a free t-shirt. Very cool place.

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★ 5

Stopped in for a snack. Server/hostess was very accommodating. Had the chicken katsu yakitori special and the pork belly bao from the main starter menu. Will definitely come back for a full meal🤌🏼

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★ 2

Came here with my partner after reading all the amazing reviews but our experience fell short of expectations. I ordered the volcano ramen, which was pretty good, but my partner's classic tonkotsu was very bland--it just tasted like milky water and wasn't salty at all. We both ordered extra mushrooms and they arrived cold. Our waiter was very kind, but untrained, which wasn't his fault. Do not waste your time with the boba--it is plain milk with flavoring at the bottom. There are AI generated photos of the interior on Instagram that are very misleading. I've had better ramen for half the price. My partner and I will not be back.

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★ 5

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★ 5

Loved the food. Perfect amount of goodness. I will now be a regular. Only minus is there are no fountain drinks. Great meal

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★ 5

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★ 4

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★ 5

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★ 5

The ramen was amazing! Ever since Morris ramen closed we've been looking for a new spot, and this is it

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★ 5

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★ 5

Love their food!! Their drinks are amazing. Excellent customer service!! And they do carry out too!!

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★ 5

Ordered delivery and it was arranged perfectly with broth separate so I could heat it up a bit and have it nice and hot and fresh. All of it was so good, particularly the egg and noodles. I can’t wait to try dining in soon!

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★ 5

They have an incredible option for ramen that are all really delicious and the service and atmosphere are wonderful

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★ 3

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★ 5

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★ 5

Amazing food and service, our three kids loved it!

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★ 5

I have a severe shellfish allergy and Tyler went above and beyond making sure our delivery order was created without any cross contamination. The communication was flawless. I always feel a bother or a pain with this allergy but he made me feel the opposite. His compassion went a long way and the ramen was absolutely delicious with full of flavors. Thank you Tyler for everything and the extra dessert to ease my bf and I's minds on the situation, you rock and we will be eating here again in the future!

Source: Google

★ 5

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★ 5

We were greeted promptly our server gave her name however I forgotten it. She was very helpful with her suggestions and attentive throughout our stay. Everything was seasoned perfectly not drowned in sugary sauces. The house salad with a light miso soup comes with each entree. We added the crab salad and we're pleased with the tang and spice. Katsu Bowl Beef was new to us and I highly recommend it. Volcano Ramon was delicious. We also had a special I think it was a lamb dish that was very good. Topped it off with the cheesecake that was light and fresh like none I've ever had before. This is definitely a place that we will come back to. We have tried several Korean restaurants in Madison that all tend to Americanize their sauces with heavy sugar. That is not the case here. Kudos to the chef!

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★ 5

My son recommended this restaurant to me and I reaĺly enjoyed it. We got three dishes to try and ate family style. The chaahan fried rice with beef, chicken curry and beef katsu bowl. Each dish was served with a side house salad and a soup with seaweed. Everything was seasoned perfectly and the food was very fresh. I heard the ramen is fantastic as well though I did not try it yet but do plan to go back. The staff was very kind and service was fast. We did not have a wait time at all.

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★ 2

The food is sooooooo no taste, disappointment.

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★ 5

Excellent ramen, best of Madison.

I lived in Madison for years and only recently visited Zen when I came back to campus for an event. My wife and I love ramen and we have had ramen in major cities around the world. While not quite on par with the very best (e.g. LA), it is truly excellent and well worth a visit.

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★ 5

Reminds me of Japan🤩

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★ 5

Been here twice now with several other people. Best ramen I've ever had. The service is top notch and the family that runs this shop are fantastic people. I wish them the very best and will return again.

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★ 4

My husband and I had a craving for Ramen and instead of going to our normal.place because everything was blocked for VPs visit...I googled and came up with Zen Ramen. Walked in, and the service was prompt. Young woman was so welcoming and kind. I asked for a glass of water while I waited, and she was so gracious and prompt.
Staff wanted to make sure I was taken care of and not waiting. I watched as people came in and were greeted promptly. We ordered Gyoza, Garlic Ramen and classic Tonkotsu. WITH an extra egg(so yummy). We tried the Gyoza, and it was ok(only reason not 5 stars).
OMGOSH... one sip of the broth...SO SO GOOD!! Husband felt the same! We WILL be back!! Was absolutely delicious! What a nice Eastside suprise!!

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★ 5

Yuzu Ramen is the way to go. It was very tasty!

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★ 5

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★ 5

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★ 5

Food was amazing. Service was amazing. Could not recommend more! Suggest the Mochi Ice Cream, Chicken Udon, Beef Teriyaki, and House special ramen.

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★ 1

I got DoorDash, so I honestly can’t speak to the atmosphere or the service But I’m giving one star because I honestly am scared about the food safety of this place. I would not trust this place for any dishes with meat in it. I got the Zen Ramen and the chicken that it came with was pink in the middle and slimy. The ramen itself had no flavor and the mango boba was super tough and hard. If you’re looking for boba I’d go to Le C’s and I’d make ramen at home before I eat this place again

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★ 4

Not the most welcoming of hosts or incredible variety of dishes, but the food is scrumptious. I'm definitely going back to try the other dishes.

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★ 1

Worst Boba tea I've ever had. The guy didn't mix it, it was 90% milk with paste on the bottom. Most of it was ice so...90% ice then milk. And when I said...um...I wanted Boba he just threw them on top and covered it with whip cream...just awful. But I paid over 6$ so I drank it. It makes me not even want to try the food.

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★ 5

Delicious food in a friendly atmosphere. Great service as well. I ordered the volcano ramen and it had the perfect amount of spice. Definitely coming back!

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★ 5

Had lunch here on a weekday, steak ramen was excellent and atmosphere was nice and quiet.

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★ 1

We were disappointed in our food. I asked for chicken on my soup and got pork. The hard boild egg and sparse vegetables did not look fresh. My son ordered a dish that was more flavorless fried batter than anything else. I hope they can do better for others in the future. The atmosphere and our waitress were nice.

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★ 5

The zen ramen is absolutely delicious especially the egg and broth.
P.s only get chili oil if you truly trust your spice tolerance

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★ 5

Ramen was delicious.

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★ 3

First time trying this place. I ordered for pick up, fried calamari and classic ramen.

Walked in and my food was sitting in a bag on a table by the front desk with no one around. Noon on a Thursday and the place was empty.

The calamari was terribly overcooked, barely edible, we threw most of it away.

The ramen was good, but noodles with the few pieces of meat and egg with some veggies was hardly worth the $17 we paid for it.

Would not recommend or return.

Source: Google

★ 5

A nice quiet restaurant for a casual meal. I got the Volcano bowl and kakuni bao. The Volcano bowl was delicious and spicy, so only order it if you can handle heat! The bao was perfect as well - the tangy dressing was a good contrast to the pork. The steamed bun was nice and fluffy as well.

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★ 5

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★ 5

This is a hidden gem! I'd never expect to find such amazing food tucked back in this shopping center. Totally recommend, and will be coming back.

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★ 5

Stopped in at 1 PM on a Saturday. The tonkatsu ramen was perfect, the service was just the right level of attentive, and the atmosphere was smooth jazzy. This would be a nice place to take a date. I’d drive out of my way to return.

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★ 5

Everything was very good. The food was amazing in every way. All the people there were very nice! I can't wait to be there again and enjoy everything. I hope your place stays up for a long time and you are successful with it!

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★ 5

So good !! so very good..

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★ 5

Great service! Wonderful food!! So glad I found you!

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★ 1

I'm not trying to be mean at all whatsoever

I'm not sure sure how this place has as high of a rating as it does. Madison people have terrible taste in food and I'll never trust another review lol.

I had the volcano Ramen, which had absolutely no flavor at all whatsoever. It tasted like Boiled water with noodles and some spicy oil. I give it a 3.5 at BEST, and my man gave it a 7.5 (he's white and used to bland food, I'm black and used to flavor. Take from that what you will)

The chef special wings were just battered and fried wings with salt

The veggie tempura was bland and some too hard to chew, I think the asparagus were just end pieces so that's why.

The gyoza were just the frozen kind that you deep fry that have the mushy inside.

The Fresh orange juice tea was divine that was an 8. I ordered it initially and she brought my date his wine, but she did not bring me my juice; however when I got it, it was great.

And i think the katsu chicken or whatever it was are chicken gizzards and had a weird chewy texture which made me think gizzards maybe so be mindful of that if you order them.

I would not come here again, They need to get the flavor together.

Source: Google

★ 5

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★ 5

THEY DONT HAVE SUSHI. Not sure how it works to update their Google listing so giving them the benefit of the doubt on that. As the only reason I went there was the Google photos showed sushi. So heads up on that.

Otherwise it’s a great ramen place! Small, nice atmosphere and ramen was great. Service was great too. Takoyaki was fire, had the miso ramen with chili oil on the side. Delish. They have soba and other options as well.

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★ 5

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★ 5

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★ 3

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★ 5

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★ 5

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★ 5

Really good food!

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★ 5

Super yummy! Very nice staff :)

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★ 5

Best ramen spot I’ve had in Madison. You get a big bowl compared to other spots at the same price.

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★ 5

This place is great. I had the Volcano Ramen. It was excellent! Service is great. Parking is easy, it’s a great spot for a casual dinner with friends or just a quick meal.

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★ 5

The best ramen I’ve had, server was incredibly nice.

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★ 5

Quite location, food is amazing. Honestly better than any of the other places in Madison

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★ 5

The combo fried rice was loaded with perfectly cooked shrimp. The beef and chicken chunks were large and delicious. Crispy wings are a must. My wife's volcano ramen was delicious too. Super flavorful broth!

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★ 5

Excellent and speedy service. The volcano ramen was to die for!

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★ 5

Stopped in here on a rainy day for some good ramen. I ended up getting the Volcano Ramen with my partner, and it was incredible. The place was decently busy so we did wait quite awhile; however, the wait was worth it. Our server was incredibly friendly, the atmosphere was nice, and the music was great too. I would definitely reccomend!

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★ 5

Got pretty good food here and would recommend folks come to check it put. Also the owner is open to constructive feedback to the food and very friendly

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★ 5

First time eating here and have to say; excellent food, served quickly in a clean, attractive restaurant. We will definitely come back and I highly recommend. Had a number of appetizers, but recommend the Volcano Ramen, kakuni bao and salmon poke special when available. I wish this restaurant was in my town.

Source: Google

★ 5

The restaurant had a nice and classy presentation. Although it wasn't busy, it seemed they were short-staffed. The wait time was a bit longer than expected, likely due to the limited staffing. Regardless, the waiter was very nice. I ordered the Volcano Ramen, which was delicious. The noodles were tasty, the egg perfectly cooked with a solid but not overcooked yolk, and there were plenty of generous toppings, especially the pork belly. I would definitely recommend this restaurant and would visit again.

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★ 5

Flavorful ramen at a good price.

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★ 5

I have eaten here several times now since they opened. The service is always lovely and the food is fantastic.

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★ 5

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★ 5

The melon was a wonderful way to end the meal

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★ 5

Fantastic ramen!! The server was so friendly and helpful. Definitely eat here!

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★ 5

Really great volcano ramen 🍜😋 perfect level of spice! And the passion fruit green tea was so yummy!

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★ 5

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★ 5

Had the gyoza and volcano ramen, and both were fantastic 🤩 the noodles were absolutely delicious
We also got to try some test menu drinks and they were all delicious. Loved the drink I tried (pictured) the best

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★ 5

Excellent food, nice clean place with friendly staff ☺️

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★ 5

Delicious ramen.

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★ 5

The food was quick to come out and delicious!

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★ 5

Ordered to go and it was delicious worth every penny

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★ 5

Some of the best food I've ever eaten food is so packed with flavor you can tell the food and ingredients are treated and handled with respect and love. I will definitely make this my new restaurant I go to everytime iam in Madison. I definitely recommend this place.

Source: Google

★ 1

Ordered from here please DON’T eat here! I normally don’t review places, but their food was so gross and we found Mold on the Kakuni bao and the service was very rude to top it off. Please check your food before you eat it. Even the house salad tasted nasty and made me sick.

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★ 5

This is a great little spot! Food is always good as well as the drinks and service.

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★ 5

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★ 5

This was our first visit. We will absolutely be back. Everything was fresh and delicious. The prices were very reasonable and the service was great. Wonderful option for a casual atmosphere with upscale flavors!

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★ 5

Excellent spot for ramen. But, lot of other great Japanese dishes too. I got the Volcano Ramen myself, and broth was really rich with a great spuce balance. Restaurant also got the approval of our 10yo, which is quite the feat!

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★ 5

Used to be a great sushi place, now it's a Ramen place. Great food, great service, and good atmosphere.

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★ 5

Amazing! My server suggested their chicken Yaki Udon and it was so delicious!

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★ 5

The food was amazing. Quick service too. The location is really convenient too. The strip mall it's located in is really becoming a place to spend a full day. Not too far away from Lake Monona either.

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★ 5

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★ 5

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★ 5

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★ 5

Good size portions and wonderful taste and quality with everything we ordered. Can't wait to come back again

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★ 5

Excellent food and service. Large selection of ramen and appetizers. Portions are plenty and if you can’t finish, containers to take home. Prices are very reasonable for the quantity and quality of the food.

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★ 5

Got the tonkotsu ramen and I couldn’t be happier- the broth is rich, smooth, and delicious, and the noodles are wonderfully springy (no mushy overcooked noodles)!
Lovely atmosphere, reasonably priced. Will certainly be back!

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★ 5

Everything was incredible!

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★ 5

Such a great experience. Nice atmosphere and ambiance. Great service and excellent food. Yum!

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★ 5

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★ 5

Went there for the first time last night. Food was fresh, tasty, and hot. Very friendly owner.

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★ 5

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★ 5

My husband and I have been here twice in the last 1.5 weeks! It is so yummy! I love the tonkatsu ramen with chili oil on the side and my husband has been loving the volcano ramen! Fast and delicious. Give it a try!

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★ 5

Thoroughly enjoyed the ramen! Great portions, too. Usually I’m left wanting more after going to a ramen place, but Zen provided a filling meal.

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★ 1

Ramen wasn’t hot. Noodles weren’t fresh. We were the only ones in the restaurant, probably for good reason.

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★ 5

Great little ramen spot. I'd love to see some tsukemen on the menu this summer, I don't think any of the other ramen shops in town have done it yet.

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★ 5

The atmosphere is very calm and welcoming. The food was great as well. No complaints here :))

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★ 4

Nice place with good food although a bit too salty for me. But don't be disappointed that THEY DON'T SERVE SUSHI. Older reviews and photos show sushi, but that was the previous business. Go to their website for the current menu. Also, do not order the Hana Awaka saki unless you have a big sweet tooth - 34 grams of sugar in a 8 oz bottle for 16 bucks.

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★ 5

Great new option for good ramen in the neighborhood. Glad I don’t have to drive all the way downtown now for a good ramen place!

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★ 5

Been here a few times, and it’s great! Delicious food, fantastic service. The gyoza and pork buns are AMAZING. The Classic or Yuzu were our fav ramens. Will def be back.

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★ 5

I got the volcano ramen with a side of gyoza for lunch and it was heavenly! The best ramen I have ever had! The gyoza was perfectly crispy but still so tender. Highly recommend checking this place out if you’re in the area!

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★ 5

Got Wagyu Beef ramen (temporarily available) and my boyfriend got the Zen ramen (pork broth with fried chicken topping,) and both were delicious as well as filling! My all-time favorite was their takoyaki which is hard to find, especially when it's as tasty as theirs! We visited when they were celebrating their grand opening and would highly recommend this place!

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★ 5

The best ramen I have had. Owner Tyler is fantastic. This place will not disappoint

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★ 5

Definitely the best ramen in Madison. I ordered delivery for volcano ramen，karaage chicken and takoyaki，all of them are yummy and worth ordering. Ramen and soup are packed separately，serving size is large and soup base is rich. Will order again

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★ 5

Very good! Highly recommend!

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★ 5

Great food.

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★ 5

Super tasty

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★ 5

I've tried almost all of the ramen places in Madison and nowhere comes near as close as this place. The noodles, broth and meat are out of this world! Service and atmosphere are amazing. So happy to have finally found my favorite ramen in Madison

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★ 4

First time at Zen Ramen. We liked the food and the vegetable tempura appetizer was very good.

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★ 5

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★ 5

Got the volcano ramen. Very spicy but still enjoyable and delicious!

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★ 5

Great little ramen place with remarkably good food. I expected a mediocre ramen place, cuz it's in an old strip mall, but the food here is amazing. And it has a really cozy mod atmosphere that feels thoughtful and not cheap. Our server was clearly new, but he was doing his inexperienced best. He'd probably get 5 stars after a few weeks on the job.

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★ 5

The food was great, atmosphere was very chill and the service was excellent!

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★ 5

We went for a quiet birthday celebration. Service was amazing. Food came out quickly and was warm and delicious. It is very clean and looks like it has been recently renovated. We will be back!

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★ 5

They have gluten free rice noodles for the ramen and it was absolutely delicious! The waiter was super friendly and the restaurant itself is very cute.

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★ 5

I had a wonderful lunch of vegetarian miso garlic ramen with egg and very tender tofu that melted in my mouth, along with vegetable tempura with a delicious sweet and spicy dipping sauce. Service was very friendly, helpful and efficient. The decor is very attractive. I will be back and probably get the same thing again.

Source: Google

★ 3

Came here on a Saturday. Party of 4. No wait.

The ramen here is overcooked and the Thai tea is too sweet. There was a lot of hype around this place with the owner studying from Tokyo or something. I think this place caters to the American palette.

Source: Google

★ 1

VEGANS, AVOID THIS PLACE!
We ordered the tempura sprouts (as in Brussels sprouts) and were given broccoli & asparagus tempura. The menu also says it’s vegan, but it was served with an aioli (egg based). We could have let this go, but… They have one bowl of ramen listed as vegan, but what they don’t tell you is that unless you sub different ramen noodles, it’s not vegan. All of the noodles are egg-based. Nowhere on the menu does it communicate that the ramen noodles are egg-based. When I complained, the server merely pointed to the gluten-free ramen option. I asked why the ramen I ordered which says vegan wasn’t automatically vegan and just came with the different noodles. He merely pointed to the substitution again. Now I’m sick with stomach cramps.
Won’t ever be back.

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★ 5

We enjoyed our evening at zen ramen! I had the yuzu ramen which was really good. We wished that there were a beef broth or chicken broth ramen for my partner who doesn't eat pork, but their vegan clear broth was ok. The atmosphere was very cozy and it's nice to finally have ramen on this side of town. There was omurice on special that we were excited to try, but it was off menu for the night when we were there. We hope to try it next time!

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★ 5

I highly recommend Zen Ramen Lounge! The Zen ramen was so delicious and the service was just as great.

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★ 5

The handmade noodles had a wonderful texture. I like how they give you all the toppings on your ramen instead of making you purchase them separately. The decor was surprisingly upscale.

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★ 5

Awesome Gyudon!

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★ 4

I read about Zen Ramen in the Caps Times and it did not disappoint. I ordered the Garlic Miso Ramen (pictured below) and my partner ordered the Classic Tonkotsu. The best part of both dishes was the perfectly seasoned ajitama (egg) and the broth. The Garlic Miso broth has a delicious and funky punch, perfect for garlic lovers. The Tonkotsu broth was creamy and surprisingly light, maybe even a tad undersalted. The noodles for both bowls were a little too soft for our preference and may benefit from slightly less boiling time. The chasu (pork), while flavorful and plentiful in both bowls, was slightly dry. It’s so nice to finally have a great ramen spot on the East Side. We look forward to returning soon to try their house Zen Ramen, Volcano Ramen, and Boba! 🌋🍜🧋

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★ 5

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★ 5

Everything was wonderful here. Would highly recommend.

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★ 1

Food: The food was terrible. Not a fan of the egg whites being half cooked and having a brown outer color. The meat was very dry and bland. I ordered the volcano ramen and the spices were fine but that was about it. We ordered 4 different dishes(volcano, classic, yuzu and zen) but everyone felt sick after 4 bites.
Things got really bad when it came to the Takoyaki. Immediately, when we opened the appetizer, it had a bad fish smell. I ate 2 pieces and now am going to suffer the rest of the day and I will be spending time in the toilet for the rest of the work day. I wish I had taken pictures of the food but we couldn't stand the smell and chucked it as fast as possible.
I wish I had a better review since this is a recently new restaurant that opened in the area back in Oct with great reviews. Don't go here for lunch as take out. I hope its just a bad day for the restaurant. Hope to hear from the restaurant.

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★ 5

We had a wonderful meal. The staff were very nice, and our ramen was delicious. We'll definitely be back!

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★ 5

Amazing. Haven’t had better ramen since Japan. Every ingredient, every detail is mastered by Chef Tyler. And served in a lounge atmosphere with great music, lighting, full bar and furnishings. Go go go!

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★ 5

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★ 5

Best ramen I’ve had in Madison and especially the shumai

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★ 5

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★ 5

I brought someone here on a first date and couldn't have been more happy with my decision! It was quiet enough for us to have a nice conversation but there was music that was just loud enough to drown out the conversations of other guests. The atmosphere was welcoming, the decor was not overwhelming and the lighting was not too bright. We did not opt in for drinks, although there is a bar available with a small selection. The service was great, we got everything we ordered in a timely manner and we were also given our space, our server was very kind. The food itself was delicious, I myself have not been to a restaurant specializing in Ramen, so I went with the house "Zen Ramen", a neutral choice with chicken. I would certainly visit again!

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★ 5

The Volcano spicy ramen was so good and the service was great. We’ll definitely be going back!

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★ 5

This place is a GEM!!! The server greeted us immediately and showed us to our table. He was very patient and served our food to us timely. The food was amazing. I got the beef Katsudon and I'm giving it the Keith Lee rating of 10/10. I highly encourage eating here.

Beef Katsudon 10/10
Miso Soup 9.2/10
Gyoza 9.6/10
Chicken Fried Rice 8.0/10

Source: Google