Ajisen Ramen Waterloo in Waterloo

During my visit today , I noticed that one of the attendants appeared a bit inattentive and drowsy, as my food order was neglected: While I understand that everyone has off days, this impacted the overall dining experience. I hope this feedback can help improve service consistency in the future. :) Vegetarian options: Vegan harvest

The best Ramen in the area for me! And dont miss their maple syrup sake.

Absolute pork Katsu and chicken karaage

Best vegan ramen I ve ever had!! Staff was super friendly, prompt and knowledgeable about the menu. We will definitely be back soon.

There is something that makes their ramen so addictive. The Spicy Ajisen Ramen is amazing, but perhaps no for the weak ones due to its spiciness but by far my favourite ramen in town.

Mediocre ramen with stingy protein portions. I ordered the sliced pork and it only had 2 thinly sliced pieces. I also asked for some chili oil and it tasted DISGUSTING. Almost as if it was made with old/used frying oil. Also seating is very cramped. Many times during our meal we had other peoples derrières in our faces and food, including the servers.

I have been here a bunch of times since it has opened up. Always great service! The blonde server with the glasses was very friendly and attentive.

Best ramen in Waterloo!! Very decent sized portion. Food was delicious. Staff were very nice! Will 100% come here again.

Delicious food, very good service and atmosphere.

Definitely the better of the few ramen options in KW. They have SO MANY vegetarian options!!! The spicy Mala broth is amazing, and unlike other places, their vegan ramen actually has protein in it (beyond meat and tofu)

Ive enjoyed Ajisen three times now and each time was a great dining experience - lovely staff, interesting appetizers & delicious ramen of course. They even have craft Japanese beer (try Dai Dai.) Favourites so far are Tom Yum Shrimp, Black Garlic Filet Mignon (with udon noodles) ramen and the apps chicken karaage, crispy brussel sprouts and octopus balls were great too. Combine your visit before or after a movie at the Princess across the street for a fun night out! Vegetarian options: There are vegetarian ramen and appetizer options.

this is the best ramen I ve had in Kitchener-Waterloo since moving here two years ago! the service was great and the food came out super quick and the restaurant was beautiful. I m giving it 3 starts because the music is actually so bad and I want them to see this review so it can be changed . or like turned down to a half volume even

It was quite literally the best ramen Ive ever had. All the servers were so nice and sweet, and even helped us know where to park lol! The spicy miso karage ramen was fantastic and puts any other ramen place in the area to shame to be honest. The matcha cheesecake was so good as well. They should start selling fluffy Japanese cheesecake, too; it would be a hit!

The nicest experience I had with Ramen Noodles !!

Servers were both attentive and pleasant. Ramen was 8/10 - that is to say, very good. I would have liked maybe a couple of extra ingredients in the standard bowl. They seem to use shaved or very thinly sliced pork. I would prefer the conventional, thicker pork which has better mouth feel. Egg was still a little runny which IMHO is just right for ramen. Spicy miso had some decent heat which I expected but appreciated. If they can keep the standard this high, this place should be on everyone s rotation.

Me and my girlfriend waited to be seated for more than 15 minutes, both server s noticed us but didn t bother to come, there was plenty of empty tables. We left.

A good meal even for people (myself) who arent big on ramen, they have a nice variety of side dishes and appetizers and everything tasted extremely fresh. Ambience is excellent, although we sat near the door/front windows and were quite chilly - even without the door opening. The service is the only reason for the -1 star, unfortunately. We ordered just fine but were not asked if we wanted drinks, and our table was seemingly forgotten about after the food came. Other tables around us had to get up to find someone to come by. Overall would return simply for the variety and freshness.

I was seated promptly by the staff upon arrival. The interior is extremely pretty and atmospheric, with some cool simulated fire effects at some tables (I think it s steam?). I got the spicy beef ramen with original broth and it was delicious. Overall, great experience eating here at Ajisen s newest location.

Food is good! Seated quickly. Curry was good but was too salty and definitely needed more rice with it. To me portions of curry were a little small and they only gave 4 small pieces of chicken for $16. The ramen was good interesting flavour combination. Classic ramen but better than Kinton and most ramen chains I would say :) Table didn t come with full menu and we re only given the bigger menu, food came out in 10-15 minutes, our table didn t come with the Japanese chili powder thing. Not sure what it was but we wanted some but it was on other tables not ours. Vegetarian options: Yes

Good ramen, great decor, served relatively fast.

The ramen tastes great! The price is reasonable! Elegant environment! Attentive service!

Very convenient location and excellent service. The food was very good - not the best ramen I ve ever had, but was very tasty and I would return here. The pan fried dumplings were cooked very well. I also enjoyed them a lot. Vegetarian options: They had very vegan friendly sections of their menu.

I tried spicy chicken ramen. It was too salty and couldn t taste. Had to left the broth. The staff were friendly and the ambiance was so nice. Getting a parking is very different. Parking: Getting car parking is very difficult during peak hours.

We were so excited that an Ajisen was opening closer to home. Normally we would plan a trip to Toronto, not usually just for ramen but... We would always make a point of going to Ajisen on Spadina. Then we heard one was opening in Waterloo and it did not disappoint. Ramen was 5/5, service was 5/5, and the atmosphere, although different than what we were used to was still 5/5. If you love ramen, you need to definitely check this one out, it will not disappoint! Try the spicy beef with a pork katsu to start!

best ramen spot in waterloo to date

Strongly recommend their Ajisen Original ramen. Don t order the Pork Katsu. It s not juicy at all and super hard on both inside and outside. Don t order any of the mini rice. Portion is too small. *why did I try rice at a Ramon place :(

Excellent ramen! My wife got the chicken karage and I got pork Katsu...both were very tasty and the service was attentive and friendly.

Amazing place with an amazing atmosphere, when i walked in with my family we got seated right away! The food was delicious! Kid-friendliness: Wasnt a kid size for the food

Ordered the Tom yum steak with vegan Tom yum tonkatsu broth and spicy shrimp with vegan spicy Mala broth. Both the broths were too minty for our taste, specifically the spicy Mala broth. Felt like I was drinking mouthwash. Maybe that s what they meant by numbing. The protein comes on the side. The steak for the beef ramen was well cooked and delicious. The shrimp was cooked well too, but was not shelled which was a bit disappointing. For the appetizers, we ordered Fries, the karage chicken bun and the soft shell crab bun. The buns were amazing but the crab and chicken weren t too enjoyable. Overall an okay experience food wise but the serving staff is courteous and service was super quick.

Good ramen. Flavourful broth and melt in your mouth chasu

Best vegan ramen

So delicious, literally can t wait for the next time we come in. Dietary restrictions: I have a peanut allergy - they don t have peanuts in the kitchen. Food : 5/5 |

Good prices! nice atmosphere and super tasty food!

We had their Spicy beef with spicy mala broth and the spicy beef with the spicy miso broth. Both were fantastic. Waterloo has got one of the best spots for Ramen now. The staff was very friendly and attentive. Thank you

Lovely Ambience, the food was so good,being my first time trying Japanese noodles,it was a ,and our server Micah was so friendly and accommodating to us,I would definitely come back

This was my first time trying Japanese noodles; with the help of Micah, a warm staff member with a beautiful smile, I got the best meal, which I would rate 10/10 coming back for more!

Beautiful interior and ambience. Great food and options! My only constructive feedback is service at times was slow, but they re new and busy, so I get it. Food : 5/5

Fantastic and filling tonkastu broth with succulent braised beef. Honestly my new favourite ramen spot. About $20 each

First time trying Ramen, loved it! My wife also had the sizzling steak and she said it was delicious! We will definitely be coming back!

Loved the sizzling steak! Great service and recommendations from our server Joanna. Well be back to try other dishes.

I wanna live here! Awesome place, great service and perfect food! Vegetarian options: Plenty Food : 5/5 |

Im pretty sure this place can turn out to be a superstar of waterloo uptown food scene. We had the beef spicy ramen and the chicken teriyaki rice. Both dishes were super delicious and flavorful. The service was good too. Joanne checked in on us a few times and she made sure the food was to our liking. Will be revisiting very soon. Highly recommend.

Great food, fast service. Will be back!!

Great ramen. I had the spicy beef, which was very flavourful and not too hot. I ll be going back, fo sho.

I actually love this franchise. Service was awesome. People were nice. Ultimately around good service

So yummy and the atmosphere is very nice! Highly recommend the chicken karaage

Wow! What an amazing experience Ajisen was. The food was unreal; Id give it a 10 if I could. Ive visited twice during their soft opening and was blown away. Welcoming, cozy atmosphere, friendly staff, quick service, and quite possibly the best ramen I have ever eaten; not to mention the price was great - especially given the economy. Highly recommended. Black Garlic broth was out of this world. I couldnt even take pictures, I was too excited to eat.

The way this is my absolute favorite ramen place right now they are one of a kind from their atmosphere, service- and the food!! Their ramen is daydream worthy, I cant express that enough. The noodles are perfection, and the meat? The side buns? Must I say more, go try them asap, hehe.

interior looks amazing, honestly the nicest atmosphere of all the restaurants i ve been to on king street. the open fireplace is so cool and i love the dark moody lighting, by far the fanciest n best vibes of any ramen restaurant ive ever been to. service was great food was delicious as always (i got the black garlic ramen and also very impressed w the appetizers). definitely my new go to ramen spot in waterloo (perfect for date nights too)

Amazing atmosphere, staff, and experience. I would definitely come back with my friends and family!

Can I just say WOW. Walked by with my family last weekend and saw they were packed so we can on a weekday for dinner to avoid the rush and everything was amazing. Dont let the interior fool you, the prices are reasonable for a night out for dinner and there are so many options. I got the Pork original with miso broth and it was so delicious and flavourful. My husband got the steak ramen but with original broth because he doesnt tolerate spice very well and it originally says tom yum on it which the waitress explained is spicy. The freedom of choosing the different base is such a plus. The steak came on a sizzling plate which was cool (but be careful!) My kids shared the chicken teriyaki rice and they LOVED it. We also got the sweet potato fries (perfect for the kids!) and potato croquettes. Great menu and variety for family and group dining. The girls were also all very nice and explained the menu well. Would come again to try other items! Welcome to the neighbourhood Ajisen :D

Excellent ambiance! Micah our server is so friendly and approachable.

Nice Place and very friendly staff the service is fast too. Thank you Micah for your superb service. Love their Tokoyaki

Ajisen Ramen is great!

The best ramen!! And the place is beautiful

Amazing!

The service and food are amazing! They are so kind and it s. great place for family, friends, or even a nice date!

The food is alright, good but not special. Could be better seasoned. Service started out excellent but eventually became scarce. There were a couple mistakes that were quickly corrected. Maybe they were off their game. Vegetarian options: There is vegan broth and noodles. Dietary restrictions: Moderate Adjustments can be made to the dishes Wheelchair accessibility: There is only a ramp to get in, no steps at all.

very fine restaurant, I had the karaage and ajisen original ramen. the karaage had very large portions and tasted delicious. the ramen was also very good, I will be back to try more of their food.

I enjoyed the ramen we got here tasted really authentic and was prepared fresh and pretty quickly....I got the spicy beef and it was really good it had the numbing spice in it as my mouth started to tingle but I didnt mind it at all ...my son really enjoyed his spicy miso pork ramen as well said it was a bit better tasting then other ramen we have had in town ....one thing Ill note is the atmosphere was awesome...very well done decor and the prices were good as well ....all in all a good experience

Food was delicious and fast! Micah was so helpful..great service! Will be back. Food : 5/5

Great place to hand out and food is superb! 2 thumbs up

Great service ! Cozy ambiance ! Got the fried Brussels , pork gyoza , and black garlic filet mignon, most definitely recommend everything was very delicious!

Deelish. A great addition to uptown Waterloo.

AMAZING ramen, their broth is to die for! And the atmosphere is beautiful. Highly recommend! A+++

I could not get over how delicious this was! This is definitely my new favourite ramen spot in KW! I got the Karaage Original with vegan broth and it was SO delicious! Dietary restrictions: So glad they offer vegan broth options as I can t have dairy!

Went to ajisen Waterloo for their soft opening and I have three words to sum up my experience. Delicious, luxurious, and authentic. From the moment I walked in I was greeted warmly by the friendly staff and seated promptly even though the restaurant was busy. I started with the chicken karaage and pan fried gyoza, both were brought out swiftly. The chicken karaage had a wonderful exterior crunch but remained juicy and tender on the inside, a delicious combination of texture and flavor. The pan fried gyoza had a nice pan sear to it and the meat was packed with flavor, overall a wonderful bite! My ramen of choice was the pork original with miso broth and something I found really neat was the fact you could interchange the broths to your liking. That extra step of personal customization is something I want to see in more ramen restaurants. The ramen itself was extremely well made with the highlight being the miso broth which was creamy, smooth, and once again packed with flavor. It really feels like these guys know what theyre doing because everything I ate had that perfect amount of flavor where it wasnt too little but also wasnt too strong. The atmosphere of the restaurant is also something I found cool, with the fireplace seating being a nice touch! The vibrant lighting and wall paintings really enhanced the overall experience for me and contributed to a very authentic experience. For anyone in the Waterloo area I would HIGHLY recommend giving this place a shot. This affordable and high quality restaurant will definitely be a regular spot for me.

First of all, the service was amazing! We were greeted as we walked in, seated promptly, and our servers constantly checked in on us. The were so many options on the menu and everything looked amazing, it was so hard to choose what to get. There are also vegan options available which is great to see! The gyoza was amazing, it was pan fried fresh and hot to perfection, and juicy with a thin wrapper (the best gyoza). The filet mignon was tender and the garlic helped bring out the aroma. The miso broth was smooth, creamy and complemented the ramen noodles which had great texture. The ramen egg was also marinated well and flavourful. Would definitely come back!! A great place to visit with friends. The interior is also beautiful and spacious.

Some of the best Ramen broth I ve had in Canada.

Kyushu life, you should come!

OUR NEW FAVE RAMEN PLACE!! Been looking for a decent ramen place and we think we found the one. The staff are all so attentive despite the very busy weekend night when we visited (shout out to Maika and Julia they are all smiles when assisting us with our orders). The owners must really know how to take care of their staff because it reflects on how the staff takes care of the customers. And the food will make you think that you re dining somewhere in Japan we can t wait to try other items on their menu. We ll be back for sure!

The broth cannot be this bland for a 20$ ramen. Tried both spicy Tum yum and black garlic.

The vibes is super cool and very calm. Food was well priced and flavourful!! Nice to have a nut free facility with vegan options too! Food : 5/5 |

The ramen is delicious!! Its perfectly portioned too. The atmosphere is super cool with the fog machine fire in the middle of the store. Will definitely come back lots

Flavour is good but portion can be better, Ajisen spicy ramen came with only two pieces of pork although I enjoyed how spicy it was.

This is my second time here. The food is amazing; however, the service is worse than terrible. I was with my wife when I came the first time. We only ordered Ajisen Spicy and a pork curry rice, but the server remember none of the orders. Today I came with my friends, we ordered two noodles, one gyudon, and one pork curry rice. The server forgot the gyudon after ordering, and served my friend with fried chicken (not even the right meat) instead of pork curry rice. After that, the other server served a pork curry rice with no meat, and told us that the previous fried chicken was not for free but part of the pork curry rice. I insisted that I won t pay for her mistake, and she finally waived the wrong order. I believe new servers need to be hired. The service right now is too poor.

I dont know what to say other than EVERYTHING from food to service was heat and Ill definitely 1000% be back

Great looking and atmosphere

Great ramen got their spicy special.

Really really bad service. Expensive food. Small portions. Mediocre flavour. Don t waste your time.

Yay ! Great food, service, vibe. I m having the garlic filet ramen and the meat is so tasty and tender. Love it ! Thankyou

We ordered a couple of Vegan ramens and they are awesome. Have ample space to sit around and nice interior. On the negative end. The vegetables are tossed in too much oil and we taste the oil on the broccoli. The taste is almost great, heavy emphasis on almost. One other thing the ramen bowl has a long cone bottom, so the broth almost always goes down a lot, initially gave me an impression I am served with half bowl. Oh by the shoyu broth looks almost like a Miso. Vegetarian options: Most of the dishes can be made vegetarian.

The price is a bit expensive. Tom Yum Gong is so spicy, pumpkin spice miso smells delicious, but tastes like ordinary miso.

Wooden spoon was broken. Then we had to ask for changes. The waitress was no manner when delivered the noddles since we ordered 2 (1 for non spicy and other one was spicy. She just put on the table without asking us which one was for us. When we checked the bill, she made an ugly face when we didn t tip. She didn t know how to say thank you. That waitress was definitely needed a good training how to serve the customers.

its nonsense when somoeone put a one star then they just replied you to EMAIL them elsewhere to follow up. They dont care in fact and pretending they are nice to take negative comments. So stupid action. Hope you will be closed very soon in WATERLOO. Shame on you. If I can rate ZERO star. Unfortunely I can only give 1 star.

Fair price, awesome food, and friendly service. It s already our third time in here, and we tried many different plates, all of them taste so good. Really recommend

It was cheaper than other restaurants and the food was delicious. Unfortunately, no one speaks Japanese lol

I visited this establishment a few weeks ago and was glad I did. The décor and overall finishes of the interior was very welcoming and well though out. The Fire feature in the middle of the restaurant is very intriguing. Their menu was easy to navigate and questions were answered promptly. Our orders came out quickly and were presented well. The first few bites and sips of the broth were excellent. The Ebi-Fry Original paired with the Black Garlic Broth had a full depth of flavour and richness to it. The only issue I found was it did only come with 3 fried shrimp on the side, which I feel is too low for a protein source for a meal. The Deep Fried Gyoza and Chicken Teriyaki rice were delicious along with having an ample amount of chicken. Overall the experience was excellent and would recommend to anyone close by. I will visit again this year to try another few items! It is to be noted I would say pricing was well balanced here as well.

Great Ramen flavourful broth will definitely be back!

Great atmosphere, kind and helpful staff, easy to read menu. All around a great meal, will definitely be returning.

Amazing food, and friendly servers.

Great food with fast service and a really neat atmosphere.

The ramens probably one of the best ramen in Waterloo, good cook on the noodles, much better than anywhere else (better than Kinton for sure), and the broth is really nice too. I really appreciate it because Im a huge noodle guy, ate noodle at least twice a week when I was young, and tried out different noodles across China. The service is a little lacking, but Im not going to overly criticize on it since the employees here are still in training; hopefully itll improve in the near future.

Raman is absolutely phenomenal. If comfort food could wrap you in a blanket and teleport you under the stars, that would be what we ate. 10/10 will be back.

Excellent drinks and decent ramen! Had the matcha Sapporo and was pleasantly surprised; I honestly wish they had advertised the flavours better because it definitely tastes like more than the sum of its parts (so no, it doesnt taste like someone dumped a bunch of matcha into some beer). The ramen wasnt for me personally (I thought the taste of sesame oil was a bit strong), but you can tell it was skillfully made. The egg in my ramen was excellent, and the noodles were a great texture. The takoyaki was tasty as well. The service was good, staff were friendly and you can tell they wanted your experience to be great. I was greeted when I went in, and was given a friendly goodbye when I left (even though the waitress was clearly busy and wasnt even the one that served me!) I think there are some small things that need improving on - for example, when my water was brought to me, the waitress had her fingers around the rim of the cup where my mouth would be. I noticed that chopsticks were being held by the eating end before being set on the table. Bowls of ramen were brought out with the waiters resting their thumb over the rim of the bowl when management should either be providing trays for food transportation, or providing bowls/plates with wide rims so that fingers can be kept well away from food. I want to make it clear that I DO NOT think that the staff were unsanitary - the restaurant was clean, and gave me no indication that the staff did not care about cleanliness (yes, I did drink out of the cups and use the chopsticks, I trust that the staff did practice basic hygiene). But I think that the staff need to be trained on these last few details so that they can run a tighter shop (which is exactly what this soft opening is for). I will be coming back to try out their other menu items (and to have the matcha Sapporo again!)

Highly recommend. Lots of great options. Thanks so much for coming all the way up to Waterloo! Recommended dishes Black Garlic Sliced Pork, Mini Curry Rice, Chicken Karaage, Crispy Brussel Sprouts

Very good Ramen! Been there three times now and consistently good every time. Service is always a bit off but they re new and I m sure will work through the issues.

Its a great option for warm diner and its Delicious

This is my second time visit Ajisen Ramen in Waterloo. Delicious food Great service ! Cozy ambiance The ambience of Waterloo store is amazing! I love the fireplaces in the middle of the store. Its so cool. We ordered a Black Garlic Sliced Pork and Spicy Chicken Ramen with rich ramen broth and noodles were cooked to a perfect consistency. Must try Crispy Brussel sprouts, can t believe it could be so different and delicious. ( I didn t take pictures as can t help myself to have foods done) Besides of those another thing I noticed is that all staffs are youth. I talked to a girl who s doing part time job there I was told that Ajisen offered a reasonable flexible environment where the students can basically decide what their schedules will be. Ajisen Ramen is not only running a restaurant but also fulfilling social responsibilities. High appreciation to Ajisen for their opportunities and tolerance to youth

I got a spicy pork ramen and chicken karaage. Both were delicious, Id say that this is the best ramen Ive had in Waterloo!

Food and server are amazing. It becomes my daily Waterloo ramen place now.

The atmosphere and lighting is incredible! Was immediately met with great service and the variety of sides and dishes was pleasing. I believe the taste was immaculate and an absolute bargain for the price; will bring my wife and kids here next.

Came with my friend for lunch and food was really. Really addicting salty soup base (I recommend spicy miso, my friend got the black garlic but I prefer the spicy one). Their menu was huge so will try something else next time. Thanks.

Good food and great service!

Very flavorful ramen broth and the portion sizes are good.

Great food, good service and the ambience is amazing! Especially loved the karaage for appetizer! Will visit again :-)

I was excited when I heard Ajisen opened in Waterloo so close to campus. Came on their first soft opening day and the food was AMAZING. I loved the Spicy Beef ramen, so spicy and savoury. The pan fried gyozas were also nice and juicy, be careful because theyre hot! The service was good, you could tell they were new but they were nice and pretty informative with the menu. They also REALLY greet you and say bye to you, they all shout in Japanese. The interior was pretty clean and they have fireplaces in the middle of the store so thats cool. Will return but for dinner at night to check out the vibes. Overall, happy to have a new go-to ramen spot in Waterloo, will definitely bring my husband and friends.

nice place everythibg is new must try in waterloo

it is close to Kitchener and also close to university i really like it taste so gooood

Beautiful ambience! Loved the feel...

Went here for the first time, it was great. Enjoyed the food and the service was great. Restaurant had a cool vibe to it. Menu also had great options and the prices are great.

Great atmosphere, quick service, polite staff!

I used to go to Ajisen Ramen a lot in China, and I was pleasantly surprised to find that there is one in Waterloo! The taste is actually better than what I have eaten in China before, the portion is large, the price is reasonable, and the service is also very good! The decoration is great and the atmosphere is great! My husband and I enjoyed it very much! I will probably come here more often in the future.

Visited Ajisen Ramen in Waterloo for their soft opening, and it was an absolute treat! We ordered a bowl of ramen, a rice dish, and some delicious side dishes, and everything was packed with flavor. The ramen broth was rich and savory, and the presentation was great. The ambiance of the restaurant is modern and sleek, with an eye-catching fiery décor that adds to the overall dining experience. Definitely a new go-to spot in Waterloo for authentic ramen highly recommend!

Taste delicious with good ramen and service