4. Restaurants

Umaido

2790 Lawrenceville Suwanee Rd,Ste 140, Suwanee, GA, 30024
  • (678) 318-8568
  • Store is closed

Umaido Menu

  • Appetizers
  • Ramen
  • Ramen - Ramen Toppings
  • Rice
  • Side

Healthy Meal suggestions for Umaido

  • Appetizers
  • Ramen
  • Ramen - Ramen Toppings
  • Rice
  • Side

Visit below restaurant in Suwanee for healthy meals suggestion.

Applebee’s ( 4210 Johns Creek Pkwy )

Visit below restaurant in Suwanee for healthy meals suggestion.

Applebee’s ( 4210 Johns Creek Pkwy )

  • Ji H.

    Had to eat it a few times to really like it, but now I really like it.

    (5)

  • Joanna Q.

    Overall the place is very popular and can get pretty busy. I go for more of the rice dishes than the ramen because whenever I eat the ramen I get tired of the taste towards the end. Weird.. but its probably just me. But the service is okay, you order, you get your food, and then later they'll come back with the check. So don't forget anything or you'll never find someone to get it later on... Unless the place is slow that day. If I were you, I'd skip the pot stickers... they are not worth your money. But if you want an appetizer the friend chicken is delicious!! I think right now my favorite is the rice dish that has a mix of egg and chicken.

    (4)

  • Linda B.

    Ramen to me is comfort food. I've lived in Japan and everywhere I go, I am always in search for an excellent Ramen House. Umaido did not disappoint. It may not be the very best but my standards are high, but I can say that it is the best in Atlanta and surrounding areas.

    (4)

  • Annie T.

    My second time back. I ordered the honey miso ramen. I honestly eat salty but this was overly salty, even for me. I literally drank half the pitcher given on the table. My boyfriend ordered extra braised pork and it paired well with my dish. It actually balanced it very well. We also ordered their famous buns- it wasn't all that it was hyped up to be. Sort of bland for me. The cucumber wrapped shrimp appetizer was refreshing. Service was good, given we were the last three tables there.

    (4)

  • Jihwan O.

    3/22/2015 update: That's it, Umaido has now shift their focus. It's no longer about serving great bowl of ramen, but focusing on profit. Sure, they serve alright Japanese ramen, but the care and detail that they used to had is long gone. Besides their still delicious miso soup, their chasyu slices, toppings, and noodle quality has just gone.. frozen. Sure, you'll get speedy service, but the wonder that they had is no longer there. Tastes like some hotshot MBA or consultant tried too hard to show off his/her prowess to small restaurant biz.

    (3)

  • Angie T.

    The spicy ramen noodles were perfectly fresh! The tako yaki was DELICIOUS! This is my idea of comfort food. Excellent service as well! Will be back asap!

    (5)

  • T. L.

    Best ramen in the south! The only authentic Japanese ramen I've found in the US aside from NYC and San Francisco. Update 9/12/15 | I've eaten ramen in Tokyo, Kyoto, New York City and San Francisco so I know excellent, authentic ramen. Umaido is the only good ramen in Atlanta. Period. I've eaten the pitiful slop in the few other restaurants in Atlanta with 'ramen' on their menus and there is no comparison; Umaido far exceeds the competition.

    (5)

  • David R.

    I lived in Japan for six years and I know good ramen. This place is on par with anyplace found in NYC, or California. Umaido has some of the best ramen I've found on this side of the pacific.

    (5)

  • Ruoqi Z.

    I have been there couple times and I have always enjoyed their food. I would say try anything. The fried chicken, grilled squid, the ultra spicy noodles taste good every time. The spicy miso noodle is also good. If you like noodle and enjoy some tasty appetizers, Umaido is the place to be.

    (4)

  • Thomas Z.

    Ordered soy milk ramen and tonkatsu ramen. One of the best ramen places in Atlanta; definitely worth the trip. Edit: every time I come the food gets worse. Still good, but it no longer warrants 5 stars

    (4)

  • Gina P.

    Best ramen in the Suwannee / lawrenceville area ! Very friendly and quick service . I recommend the wasabi ramen because of the extra kick ! Other notable favs soymilk ramen and tankatsu ramen . Prices are reasonable too

    (5)

  • Amanda L.

    Variable menu, authentic cuisine, delicious flavoring. Mid-range on price, worth every dime. I choose Umaido to Raku (which is a very Korean take on Ramen--fresh but semi flavorless broth) and even to Mizumi, though I have to admit if Mizumi had Umaido's homemade noodles and hirata buns and awesome location and ramen house feel, it would be my perfect ramen spot.

    (5)

  • Jenny L.

    The ramen has turned salty. Ask for broth on the side. The bland broth will even out the taste.

    (2)

  • Nick B.

    Ordered the soy milk ramen and it was delicious. It had a nice thick and mildly sweet broth with very tender pieces of pork and asparagus. The interior is very unique and had a layed back feel. I will definitely go again.

    (4)

  • Sasha H.

    when it comes to ramen i do compare new places that i try to my favorites which are un nyc. so, this place ramen and pork buns arent at my level of preference. plus, it was colddd inside the place, that was a big disadvantage. staff were friendly. decor is cool.

    (3)

  • Kerry M.

    The broth is amazing. Ramen almost perfectly cooked...Clearly a yelp crowd. The too cool for school staff must spend hours perfecting the 4 day hangover look. Service? not unless you ask for it. Seems to be by request only.

    (3)

  • Barry W.

    The food and atmosphere was great, but the service left a lot to be desired. The spicy miso ramen was great as well as the grilled squid legs. Will definitely go back because the food is so good, but I hope the service improves.

    (4)

  • Kevin H.

    I've never written any review before but I definitely wanna give this chance to Umaido! Their ramen is absolutely best! Get the rich soup if you can. The only bad thing is it's too far from Atlanta...

    (5)

  • Marcus J.

    Yes, simply the best sushi in the Suwanee area.

    (4)

  • Arpan M.

    I'll preface this review by stating the disclaimer that I'm vegetarian. This place is fairly well reviewed and I'm sure that this joint offers up delicious Ramen to carnivores, but this review will be heavily vegetarian-slanted. The only Ramen that can be served vegetarian is the Soymilk-based Ramen (I forget the name). I wasn't a big fan. It has a hint of sweetness and the bowl itself doesn't come with much more than noodles and a few veggies. When I say few, I mean few. Like 3 bell peppers, a few asparagus, and a decent helping of onions. No tofu. Tofu probably isn't traditional for Japanese Ramen, so I guess I can't blame them too much. Anyways, the decor of the place is nice. It has a simple and modern look. The service was good, nothing special, but good. However, as a vegetarian, I won't be returning. The Ramen just wasn't that good. Maybe sipping on a soup with a milk base was just too big a leap for me. Either way, vegetarians beware.

    (2)

  • Yane Y.

    I went to Umaido with my friends for lunch for the first time yesterday. The noodles were tasted as "healthy" and "light" as one could expect. I was expecting heavy.. But I felt like I hadn't eaten too much greasy food by the time I was done. I even had a second helping of noodles for $1! The Tonkatsu Ramen (not rich soup) was good. Broth was light -- I'm curious how "heavy" the "rich" broth would be? I'll have to try that some time so I can comment. All in all, it was good, and I would go back again. After I go back several times, I may up the rating, but for now, just wanted to leave it as "A-OK". Once I can vouch that I indeed "...am a fan!" or that it is "as good as it gets", I'll up it -- for sure.

    (3)

  • Jonathan S.

    The ramen here is pretty good. The spicy ramen and the pork ramen are the ones I get. I have a problem with the service. Every time I come they lead me to those wack stools in the middle. The bigger issue is that one time I drove forty minutes from decatur to get ramen an hour before closing time. When we got there, an hour before closing time, we walked in to a symphony of groans. They didn't want us to be there, they wanted to close up shop. I drove forty minutes dude, I'm not going somewhere else. The food we got was terrible that night. The people in the kitchen and the waitress sucked. Unacceptable. If we were in Asia people would never come back.

    (3)

  • Elizabeth G.

    Love this spot! Very fast service. Food is always delicious! Always ask for the ramen noddles level 2. Never fails! Kid friendly.

    (5)

  • Shilu P.

    I'm giving this ramen 5 stars. I was imagining Ichiraku from the anime Naruto and what do you know? They have a drawing of naruto right on the wall and a little bar area where you can watch the cooks make the ramen just like the anime. Food selection was awesome, I tried the spicy miso ramen the first time and the ultra spicy ramen 1 and 2. Rich soup, noodles have a perfect soaked texture, pork and the boiled egg put the icing on the cake. Friendly and personal staff, have never had a problem with an empty glass or terrible waiting time on food even when it's busy. When I'm with a group of friends and we don't know where to eat, Umaido is always one of our go to's.

    (5)

  • Danica F.

    Just about the best ramen I've had in the south. It was totally perfect after a day of grocery shopping. Service was good and quick. We really liked the atmosphere and choices. The ramen was very savory but not overloaded with MSG or spices. I wish we had this in Augusta! Came just in time because after a few moments of sitting in, people started lining up at the door to get in. You can sit either at a booth or table. The booth is right in front of the cooks which is interesting to say the least. I could tell the staff had good communication with each other. We would definitely come back here again!

    (4)

  • Eric E.

    What happen to Umaido?? I have been eating Umaido since it first opened. It was one of the best in town for Ramen. But now it is just full of disappointment every time I go. I ordered the ultra spicy ramen because I love their unique red spicy noodle with the tasty spicy broth. But instead, they gave me the regular noodle with over cooked egg and a broth that taste like sriracha with water. When I ask the server about the red noodles, she told me that the regular noodle taste the same as the red one. She said the only difference is they added the food color to make it red. If the owner doesn't care about the quality control of the food, then I don't think I will go back again.

    (1)

  • Aprile M.

    We drove an hour on traffic from Atlanta to eat here. Totally worth it. I ordered the Tonkatsu Ramen with rich broth. It was delicious. We also ordered the pork gyoza. The ramen was the highlight of the meal. Will definitely go back if we ever visit Atlanta again.

    (5)

  • Janice K.

    I love this place, I wouldn't go anywhere else. My cousin introduced me to this place about a year ago and I've been hooked ever since. The spicy ramen is pretty dang spicy to the point where it makes you cry and sniffle depending on the level of spiciness you choose, but you can't help but to consume the whole bowl.

    (5)

  • Robert A.

    For a few years now, the wife and I have been coming here for what has been consistently the best ramen in the Atlanta area. She has her photo on the wall from the spicy challenge, where the challenger must eat the hottest ramen (and all of the soup) they make in under 11 min. Although we have tried everything on the menu, our favorites are the ultra spicy ramen, (typically level 2) and the chasyu don. They make their own ramen noodles, and the time and care taken with the noodles are what set them above other ramen houses in the area. Their broths are extremely flavorful and you can get rich soup for another dollar if you like. If you like adding garlic to your ramen, you can ask for them to bring it out. After coming here for a few years, what inspired me to finally review it was the new wasabi shoyu ramen which was great! I expected it to have some heat, but they managed to extract the flavor of the wasabi without the heat. It came with crispy noodles on the top and the usual perfect white cooked noodles on the bottom, seaweed, fried onions, green onions, egg, and some other stuff. My wife got her usual ultra spicy level 2 ramen and loved it. I noticed I got a white egg for the first time in my ramen and after reading one of the other reviews, I had to laugh. My wife is Asian and I am white, and she got a brown egg. Come to umaido if you are looking for consistency in their broth and noodle quality, have an appreciation for different types of ramen, or are looking to try a new style of inexpensive yet delicious food. You won't regret it!

    (5)

  • Jay D.

    I gave this place a visit twice and every time I'm getting food poisoning. I had to take off work due to feeling queasy. You should check the health ratings before visiting restaurants. They got a 60/U since 10/2013. Please be careful when devouring here. suwanee.patch.com/groups…

    (1)

  • Angel M.

    Best ramen I've had in Georgia, and the restaurant is fun and laid back. It's everything I could want in a noodle shop, and my toddler even enjoyed it!

    (5)

  • Young Je L.

    I've been to a couple of Japanese ramen places, but Umaido is the closest Japanese ramen place near my house. Honestly, this place is overpriced and they give you so little compared to other ramen places. The katsu don was near $10 but they gave it to me in a little bowl. It was ridiculous. The service was not that great either. Never came to my table once. I would rather drive 8 more miles to go to Raku(Duluth) and pay about the same price for better service and better food.

    (2)

  • Sela T.

    Aside from their infamous tonkatsu ramen, they now offer a pork belly man tou, pork belly, iceberg lettuce and spicy mayo sauce. The mantou is stamped with their logo and makes it look pretty legit. My table ordered two just to try. The meat can be a hit or miss. Some slices were more fat than meat. The sauce, a spicy mayo, is tailored for more of an American customer. And, both man tous were smothered in the sauce. Overall, a good place in suwanee for ramen.

    (4)

  • Daniel B.

    I'm upgrading Umaido back to 5 stars. I think this place has had the most consistent bowl of ramen in metro Atlanta over the years. Don't get me wrong. There aren't a bunch of options to find good ramen in Atlanta to begin with. Other decent alternatives that come to mind include Mizumi Ramen, also in Suwanee, Raku and Haru Ichiban in Duluth, Shoya Izakaya in Doraville, and Raku's second location in Midtown. Raku probably takes second place behind Umaido. Yakitori Jinbei's (Smyrna) ramen seems to have gone significantly downhill. Other bowls of ramen I've tried in the Atlanta area have usually been disappointing, unmemorable, or available only for a limited time. Umaido's ramen prices have increased by a dollar. The original tonkotsu (pork broth) ramen is now $7.95 per bowl. The honey miso, spicy miso, soymilk, and tori (chicken broth) ramen are $8.95 per bowl, Spicy ramen is $9.95 per bowl, and seafood ramen is $11.95. Add $1 to any bowl of ramen for "rich broth." I always go for the rich broth and recommend it. It's a thicker, more full-flavored broth. Occasionally, they're out of rich broth, but more often than not, they'll have it. Stick with the tonkotsu ramen. The tonkotsu ramen comes with three slices of roasted pork, shredded tree ear (a mushroom), bean sprouts, scallion, and a semi-hard boiled egg (liquidy center). The most important parts of the ramen, the broth and the noodles, are absolutely delicious. I'm not sure what kind of noodles Umaido uses, but I have not had any other like them in Atlanta. It stands up to some of the best ramen I've had in California (e.g. Santouka, Izakaya Sozai). If you want a sweeter flavor to your ramen, order the honey miso version. I once tried the tori version, which is supposed to come with chicken broth, sea salt, bean sprouts, spinach, egg, fried onions, tomato, scallions, and sesame. It wasn't bad, but was missing the tomato. I still prefer the heartier tonkatsu above all else. I often like to ask for "kae dama" (more noodles). After you've finished the noodles in your bowl, the servers can refill your existing broth with an additional batch of noodles for only $1.50. It's a good deal. If you like garlic, ask for their freshly peeled garlic. You can use the garlic presses at the table to squeeze raw garlic into your ramen. They also have complimentary kimchi available upon request (limited daily supply). Umaido's menu has also expanded over recent years. Instead of being a one-page menu, it's now five pages and features more Japanese appetizers and sides including takowasa (wasabi-flavored octopus), kakuni (braised pork belly), gesoyaki (grilled squid legs), takoyaki (fried octopus balls), and more rice dishes such as yaki onigiri (Japanese meat-filled rice balls) and curry don (Japanese rice curry). I've tried the takoyaki and curry don. The tayoyaki are slightly smaller than I'm accustomed to at other Japanese restaurants like Sushi House Hayakawa and Shoya Izakaya. They're completely covered in delicate bonito (fish) flakes and drizzled with Japanese mayo. Not a bad shareable appetizer. The curry don is served in a small bowl atop rice. It's alright, but to be honest, doesn't taste too different than the instant Japanese curry you can buy at Super H Mart and make yourself at home. Ownership still continues to make improvements to the space. There are now two flat screen TVs in the dining area and they get great channels like NBA TV (!). Also, the walls have been redone. Service is hit or miss. It always feels like this place is run by a bunch of teenagers with varying levels of restaurant experience. I'm happy to see my picture along with fellow Yelpers Chuan S, Mike Y, Pete Y, and former Yelper Kit F. still on the wall of champions. The number of pictures on the wall hasn't increased as much as I thought it would over the past few years. I guess the hype surrounding the restaurant's food eating challenges has died down. Flashback spicy ramen challenge video: youtube.com/watch?v=LBRh… . In summary, I give Umaido 4.5 stars, based primarily on their tonkatsu ramen with rich broth, rounded up to 5.

    (5)

  • Don D.

    Not worth the price. $5 for cucumbers with two tiny slices of squids?? And ordered a large oyaki Don and looked like a tiny bowl of rice with 2 scrambled eggs on top for $7.50. Will not return.

    (1)

  • Jinsoon Y.

    Ok. I was actually kinda sad that I have not found a good ramen place in Atlanta. That all changed today. The ramen here is made fresh in house and they are either infused with chilling oil or made regular. I had their spicy tonkotsu ramen which supposedly goes from a spice level of 1-100. I had 3. It was ridiculously good. The broth was perfect. Not too spicy or salty. The ramen was not too chewy bland had a little crunch to it. Their egg melted in your mouth. The cha siu had just the right amount of fat. Also they throw in fried garlic which just adds to the appeal. I highly recommend this place and I'll be back next week for lunch.

    (5)

  • Fiona Y.

    I have been hearing about this place for a while and checked on yelp review ,everything looks so good for me. Finally, I went to there at middle of August. It was a Saturday , we waited 20 mins to get a table.This store looks cute from both inside and outside. However, I am disappointed for their food. We ordered 1.honey miso ramen 2. Chicken soup ramen 3. Fried chicken 4.Takoyaki 5. Roast pork bun. For Chicken soup ramen was way too salt at the end. It was just ok at beginning ,well,it gets worse and worse .End up, we can't drink any more soup . Roast pork bun is kinda pricy based on what it has inside the bun. Only one piece roast pork which is same as the one in your ramen and lettuce. The most disappointed food is Takoyaki. The taste texture is kinda weird comparing to others .Since it cooked after we ordered it, the very outside layer suppose be little crispy, well it was soft. It was a good service and environment . Just because of food, we won't come back .

    (3)

  • Wen L.

    Yeah I think I am going to give this place 3 stars again. The ramen is definitely good. The honey miso ramen is one of my favorites for sure. I cannot give it 4 or 5 stars because the service is just never up to par. Every time I go I have to flag down a waitress to put in my order. Then it takes a good while for the food to come out. This time on a Saturday evening it was a bit longer than usual. So much that I ran out of toys to entertain my infant with! We had to ask for waters. Then the draft beer my friend ordered was out. The second option bottled beer was out too. Annoyed infant + slow service = frustrated mommy. We order takoyakis and I was certainly underwhelmed. My husband and I love these and we order it wherever we go that has it. Here they were teeny and I had to eat three before I found one squid piece in those fried squid balls. Kind of disappointing. So once again, 3 stars because I would certainly go back, but ONLY for the ramen. If I find a place closer to my house with better ramen, it will be over for sure :(

    (3)

  • Stanley L.

    The ramen here is amazing. I always add negi, extra pork, and rich soup. The best ramen I have ever had.

    (5)

  • Shantell L.

    Absolutely delicious!!! It was my first time having authentic Ramen and it was the best thing i could have done for myself. I had the seafood Ramen and i paid the extra to make the soup rich and to get an egg. It was so worth it. All the toppings went so well together the next time ill get extra seafood and that's just because i love it. it was so flavorful and it was piping hot when it came out. I went with a group of 8 people and they accommodated all of us so easily. We all had something different and we were all soooooooooo satisfied we made sure to drain the bowl at the end.

    (5)

  • Mijung H.

    Ramen is chewy and not overcooked. Now just be careful when you order the ultra spicy ramen. I am a Korean gal and can eat some spicy, but that level one was spicy enough. We also got a small chicken bowl each. Portion was a bit small for the price, but still very tastey. Enjoy!!

    (4)

  • Michael W.

    What can you say? If you like fresh ramen...eat here. Tonkotsu (I add wakame and chicken on the side so as to not get soggy). Delicious! I feel like they nickle and dime you a little with $2.00 hot tea ( so I just drink the free barley tea. The extra noodles for a $1.50 is a bargain though. My servers have always been attentive and polite. Yum yum yum

    (4)

  • Rachel K.

    Yep, I'm a fan of the ramen here! I think it's the best ramen I've had in ATL. Tastes so good. Nom. I think I waited so long to try Umaido since I live in the city... and trekking up here takes a good 40-ish mins. But luckily a yelper's UYE was set here and so... my bf and me were stoked! Parking - Umaido is part of a 2 story strip mall (on bottom) & next to the HMart. So.... there's a lot of parking. It's almost impossible not to get a spot. I've been here during the lunch and dinner rush and I've been able to park immediately. Service - Not too bad. The first time I came here, it was ok (But there were 5-8 of us for lunch). The 2nd time I came here it was just me and my bf (dinner time)- service was solid. I'm not sure if the # of people or time I went was a variable in service. I saw on Yelp that dinner service is a lot better. So I guess it may be true? I got my food within 10 mins at dinner time. But had to wait like 20 mins during lunch time. Seating - there is a long top table (fits maybe 14 people?), a few 4 man tables, and a bar in front of the kitchen (8 seats?). I like the bar idea. My bf and I came in and all tables were packed, but there were 2 seats at the bar available so... we didn't have to wait. Food - Japanese Wings - Eh, these were ok. I love wings and these weren't really special. They are pretty big though. I liked the sauce that was heavily used with them. I don't think I'd get these as a side item. Maybe if they were like 2 dollars. Kind of overpriced basic wings. Chicken Karaage - These came out fresh from the fryer. Whew. I took 1 bite and had to breathe hardcore on them while I was eating it. Make sure to get hot sauce (sriracha)! I didn't really like the lemon salt. My tastebuds felt weird about it, haha. But the sriracha blends well with it. Once the Karaage chilled for a second, it was fine. But they don't really give much Karaage... maybe like 5 small pieces. But then again, it's a side item. So... I was focused on my ramen anyway. I'd get this side item if you're with 1 other person. Kind of shareable. Ramen - I've tried the Honey Miso Ramen & Spicy Miso Ramen. I LOVE the noodles & broth. Portions are generous too. I never finish my broth at other restaurants, but I definitely do here. Same goes for the noodles. Noodles here are different than most ramen places. Legit ramen. The texture of it is great. I think heard that the ramen here is house made? My bowl is empty after I'm done, ha. Comes out piping hot too. Extremely happy with my bowls. :D I'll be back!

    (4)

  • Traci M.

    This place was cozy but yet amazing. I can only comment on the miso soup which was again Amazing the service was prompt and attentive with out being annoying. Long story short I am leaving to go there right now

    (5)

  • Vivekananda C.

    The Ramen was just amazing. I had the Spicy Miso Ramen and instant ramen is no way close this. Amazed to see lot of flavors in a bowl. First Ramen experience was a great success. No wonder why this place is so busy. Order extra ramen for 1.50 its worth to enjoy and finish last drop of the soup. Will surely go back to taste rest.

    (4)

  • Ashley M.

    My friends and I ventured up here for one of my birthday celebration luncheons. We dined on a Sunday at 12:30 and walked in with a party of 11 without reservations or call-ahead. Maybe it was a fluke, but our table was ready within 10 minutes of waiting. Surprisingly, with this experience we enjoyed great, attentive service, which is a contrast to the level of service I've received in the past when dining here with large groups. Again, I ordered the Honey Miso Ramen, and the toughest part of the meal here is the wait and anticipation until your delicious, piping hot bowl of ramen comes out. We waited for quite a while, and then, the notorious cart with all our bowls rolls out. The Honey Miso Ramen bowl looks delicious and is presented beautifully: slices of roasted pork, sweet corn, seaweed, bean sprouts, a whole perfectly cooked boiled egg, scallions, and sesame, it makes you want to dive right in. Unfortunately, with this experience we noticed our bowls were slightly lukewarm and not piping hot, which was perhaps a culprit of our long wait? I've always liked the noodles here and I even found those to be less than stellar this time around. Overall, this was still a good bowl of ramen, but being so far from the city and with all the ramen competition developing around Atlanta, I feel that Umaido must step up its game to stay a strong contender!

    (3)

  • Tony L.

    Slightly overrated. Good but not great ramen shop. only ramen shop that I know of in this region. If you are craving more authentic ramen this is definitely place to go... Taste... 4/5 I ordered the tonkatsu ramen with rich broth. I love the taste of this ramen. Good chewiness, and the flavor of the broth is fantastic. I would order the normal broth next time: the rich broth was too rich. I think the "richness" took away the flavor of the broth and coated my tongue with more an oil base taste. Egg was perfectly cooked with a soft center. The pork was disappointing: it was a tough( I wanted more fat!), a little bland, and could be made better. Overall the ramen is good but not great. Price... 2.5 /5 I know ten dollar for an "authentic" bowl of ramen is a good deal, but i was a little disappointed on the quantity. There was a only 1 small piece of pork. You can pay for extra toppings, but at the extra cost the food isn't worth the price. Being that this is only ramen shop, at least that I know of, it can charge a little more; however, when I compare alternative restaurants this place is a bit pricy. Recommendation: if you are going to come, I recommend that you DONT get the rich broth, because it's overpowering the taste of the broth. Get extra toppings if you are willing to shell out a little more.

    (3)

  • Emily S.

    My husband and I stumbled upon this place while driving from Atlanta to Greenville, SC. What a find! Great soup, cool vibe, friendly staff. It has a ultra-hip Japanese vibe and the food was outstanding. Loved all the extra condiments on the table. I had the original ramen which was better than my husband's spicy ramen. Very rich broth with lots of texture added from the mushrooms, egg, bean sprouts, and burdock. You really should try this place. We hope to be back in the area soon so we can do it again.

    (5)

  • Ana A.

    the pork belly is soooooooo good!

    (5)

  • Young Cheol S.

    I might be little harsh on the reviews on Japanese Ramen places, Umaido was off my list when they were first opened and I came across them looking for a ramen place. When I tried them back when they opened, their broth was a molten-salted salty salt bomb. My visit with friends during the lunch time came as a surprise. Their broth is now properly served, not too salty not too bland. The service was up there, the server was checking back with us constantly. Food was great with little complaint of how the eggs are served. They were little too hard for my taste, and didn't seem like they were seasoned to perfection. Eating just the egg in the end was bit bland on its own. Needs to be bit more salty. The portions are good enough, yet I ended up ordering extra noodles. Kind of put me off because it was just plain noodles on a plate sticking to each other. It was probably done that way to prevent noodle absorbing the water and becoming too soft, but I wish they had found a better way to bring it out, or just put it inside the bowl altogether when they bring out the initial order. Price was on the high side for me as the additional toppings added things up very quickly. Sure the prices on toppings are reasonable, but it should be included on the base ramen ingredients. (Some not all ofcourse) Overall, it's a fine ramen joint with great food and ambiance with little things to fix for that extra star.

    (3)

  • Jacqueline C.

    Heard so many good things about this place and just had to jump on a lunch invite to see for myself. Michelle, a bunch of friends and I headed over for a Sunday lunch. We had the buns and dumplings for apps, and they didn't disappoint. There were about 9 of us at lunch, and most of us ordered something different. I had the Tonkatsu, but I tried the soy milk broth and spicy miso as well. All were really good. I'm looking forward to heading back to try some of the other dishes. Pro tip: ask for the red pepper shaker to add a little kick to your dish.

    (4)

  • Nina T.

    I hate coming here cause whenever i do they are always saying that they are closed but it's a hour or 30 mins before they close. While they stuff their face with food. It's more like they are lazy to serve people.

    (2)

  • David P.

    Chef and recipe changed I think. That rich stock is gone, and replaced with watered-down soup. So sad.

    (2)

  • Carter T.

    The very best Ramen. You must go, servie is great, food SOOOOO GOOODDDD!

    (5)

  • Liz S.

    We are fans of this place. Been to Tokyo twice and this is the real deal for ramen and rice bowls.

    (4)

  • Debbie Y.

    Umaido is a good restaurant if you happen to be Asian. I'm giving 3 stars not based on the food but on service. As a table of 4 Caucasians we were seated promptly, then the wait began. We were ignored while others around us were served. We waited to order, we waited for water. We got the attention of an Asian waitress who took our order. After our food arrived our waitress passed us off to a Caucasian waitress. The service was greatly improved from that point on. Disappointing to see such bias in this day and time.

    (3)

  • Katharina M.

    Obviously, the ramen is what this place is all about. All the types they offer are fantastic, but I really like the spicy miso ramen. It's definitely worth the extra money to get rich broth and a second serving of noodles once you finish the first one. The fried onion topping is delicious, and the pork belly is just awesome. My husband and I just sat there slurping up our noodles and not saying a word; it was that good. The other dishes we had weren't quite as impressive, but they were solid. The yaki onigiri were good, but the filling wasn't very flavorful and most of the taste came from the sauce. We also had the cucumber/sesame dressing appetizer, which was simple but really refreshing. It was a nice cool-down before we dug into our ramen, and a good contrast to the fatty and rich broth. So basically, Ramen: 5 Stars Not-Ramen: 3 Stars Overall it was a fantastic experience. I'm almost glad we don't live closer, because we'd be going to get ramen WAY too often if we did.

    (4)

  • Anna V.

    Husband and I went here for lunch today. The server was very nice. The lunch portion is good because with $3 more, you'll get a rice dish with edamame. My husband and I couldn't finish the rice dish though because we were stuffed with the ramen.

    (4)

  • Helen C.

    Came here with the day before yesterday for a quick meal and was craving ramen. Saw this place had good reviews on yelp so we decided to try it. Seems like a cool little place tucked away in a asian strip mall lol. They didnt have a table for us so we had to sit at the bar. We tried the pork belly bun, and honey miso ramen, and tonkatsu ramen (both with rich broth). All the food came out fast, never-ending green tea was nice. This place seems to run traditional where you have to ask for water and that it isn't expected? I really like the pork belly bun the most, even more than the ramens. Honestly, the noodles were nothing special, but the broth is what made them. I usually never drink the broth when I eat noodles but I actually did drink my broth here! Oh, and the price is good. Def will be back.

    (4)

  • Betty C.

    I visit Umaido every time I'm back home in the Gwinnett area. It's not the best ramen I've ever had, but it's pretty damn good for the area, and it definitely hits the spot. I would recommend the tonkatsu ramen. Be warned though... the broth is very rich and on the salty side, may not be the best option for someone watching their fat/sodium intake!

    (4)

  • Teresa C.

    Best ramen in or near Atlanta I've had yet. If it's your first time, order the original Tonkatsu ramen. I still think it is the best and my go-to. The seafood ramen is also fantastic. The grilled squid that comes in it is awesome. The broth is also a little less salty than the Tonkatsu. I'd recommend ordering a side of the pork belly or the cod roe with the ramen. Tip: if you love garlic as much as I do, ask for the fresh garlic (complimentary) and they'll bring you garlic cloves and a garlic press for your ramen. Last time I came I was feeling more adventurous than usual and tried 2 appetizers (you generally don't need apps anyway, the ramen is plenty enough to fill you up). Ordered the octopus balls and the pork buns... I don't recommend either. The octopus balls were fried with a teeny tiny piece of octopus inside. The pork buns were not nearly as good quality as the ones at Bento Box. Conclusion: stick to the ramen here and you'll be happy camper for life :-).

    (5)

  • Theresa H.

    Once again I am feeling the outsider among so many yelpers who raved about this place. Umaido does not do anything for me. Anyone who reads my review knows I am someone who does not like to travel OTP if I do not have to. Granted, if some place is really good, I do not mind venture out and travel that extra miles (more like 15-20 miles). Earning 4 stars out of 200 odd reviews is remarkable right? So I bookmarked Umaido waiting for a chance to sample the tonkotsu ramen fellow yelpers been raving about. This is a Thanksgiving week and heading out on a weekday is great!! We few were the first customers, we were greeted by two staffs. That's promising!! I am all about good food and awesome service. We all ordered the tonkotsu ramen (chose the rich flavor), the small Chashu don (chopped roasted pork over rice) and the Japanese chicken wings. Many fellow yelpers had mentioned what this tonkotsu ramen is but no one has warned that the broth is so oily. The only thing I love about tonkotsu ramen is the noodles and the Chashu (roasted pork). There was like 1/2 an inch of oil floating on the top of the broth. It was rather disgusting for us girls. Without a doubt, the noodle texture is on the top compared to many ramen found in Japanese restaurants in Atlanta. However, there is seriously something lacking in that tonkotsu ramen. I have researched on how to make tonkotsu ramen before and have eaten quite a fair share of tonkotsu ramen in this world and more importantly from where tonkotsu ramen hailed from. The Umaido tonkotsu ramen is not close to what a traditional tonkotsu broth should taste like. So in my very humble opinion, there is no way this is the best ramen in the city. It will be very depressing for me if this is proven to be true. The small $4 Chashu don was in fact the best of everything we ordered. It is a simple rice dish with bits of roasted pork with scallions, spring onions and ginger. That bowl of rice is in fact the perfect size for me. It is savory, crunchy and the fragrance of everything that combined together in this bowl easily beats the disappointing tonkotsu ramen and mediocre chicken wings. The $7 chicken wings has not much taste to it, so we kept dipping into the soy sauce that came with it. One staff came and checked on us if everything was good, none of us have the courage to point out the excess oiliness in the broth. Throughout our lunch, nobody refilled our water or my empty tea cup. Service definitely needs a lot of improvement. They seemed friendly but are not detail oriented which is really expected in a customer service world. Like one wise fellow yelper said in her review, service is extraordinary in Japan where there is no tipping, I never have a bad, lukewarm or ok service when I was in Tokyo. In this country, we have to tip a service staff yet most of the time the expected service is non existent. How appalling!! :( You can bet I won't be back here any time soon!

    (2)

  • Alan D.

    Not bad. I made the mistake of trying the soymilk ramen, which tastes entirely too much like (sweetened) soymilk and not enough like ramen. I also tried the tonkatsu pork ramen, and that was much better, if a little salty. Portions are not extremely generous, but you can add another serving of noodles for $1.50 I think. A lot of people recommend the pork belly sandwich, but I didn't like it at all. The bun is too sweet and tastes like a cinnamon bun. I also didn't like the sauce. I would consider coming again though. Maybe I just didn't order the right things.

    (3)

  • Liz K.

    I just realized the other day my review was from nearly 6 years ago! Wow, time has flown. So yeah, compared to when they FIRST opened, a lot has changed. The buzz has formed, and Umaido was discovered by all... This is a great spot for friends, a "quick" meal (emphasize on 'quick'), and date night! It's laid back, casual, and has awesome food (ramen and rice bowls, to be exact.) They added a lot more to their menu from when they first opened. They have spicy miso (my fave), wasabi, shoyu, seafood, honey miso, and the list goes on... They also have more apps, rice bowls, desserts, and some beverages- alcoholic and all. Typically I go for the honey miso or spicy miso, and split a oyako don (chicken with scrambled eggs over rice.) Yes... it sounds so simple but it's the bomb.com still. The reason I say "quick" meal is because sometimes this place gets overly crowded. The restaurant is a tad bit small, and a party of 12 can be scattered out and ordering at the same time. I wish they would move a little bit closer to the perimeter (somewhere in the city, perhaps?) Suwanee is a bit far. They should def extend! I love ramen.

    (5)

  • Jamarcus T.

    After being introduced to Ramen that didn't come from a grocery store, it's quickly turned into one of my favorites, so when I was asked to tag along for a Friday lunch, I couldn't say no. I started out with the Spicy Miso Ramen, mainly because I was too chicken to get the ultra spicy ramen this time around (i promise next time i'll get it!), and wow, good serving size! I'm always kinda overwhelmed by the size of pho when my order comes out, but this bowl is the perfect size for a guy with an appetite. The Ramen itself had really great flavor, and besides the noodles and tonkotsu broth, the slices of pork pretty much melted in your mouth. I'm kinda into ginger too, so the ginger pieces floating around were bursting with flavor when biting into them. Their menu said they give you a half boiled egg in the ramen, but I received a full one, although I didn't try it because i'm not a boiled eggs fan I also ordered an side of noodles for $1.50, that you can get either normal or spicy, and it's typically used to put in with the left over broth, although I took mine home to go Service was nice and definitely helpful, and we found seats right away. Ironically I found seats more quickly than I found parking, but the parking spot hunt was well worth the experience. I'll be back!

    (4)

  • Aaron P.

    We were visiting from Denver, CO and while we loved all the Southern food this was a nice change. And what a wonderful and delicious surprise this was! The staff was very friendly and attentive and helped us find seating for a party of 6 including my 2 grandparents, who needed some assistance to sit. The tea they offered tasted like a cold, toasted rice tea which I wasn't particularly found of but it brought up some cool stories from my grandma and WWII. We had the tofu agedashi and pork buns to start. The tofu wasn't a soup as I'm used to but tasty nonetheless. Pork buns were above average but not necessarily my favorite ever. The sauce was definitely on point though. I had the spicy miso ramen for myself, which was flavorful and just rich enough. The egg and pork were cooked to perfection. Noodles were very delicious and tasted homemade! I was also able to taste the tonkotsu and spicy ramen broths, which I easily could have eaten another bowl of. Overall, if you're in the area and enjoy Asian food, this is a must stop, hidden gem of a restaurant.

    (4)

  • Jenn T.

    Atlanta, you are a hidden Asian paradise!! I say this after living in Japan, Singapore, Taiwan, and SF, where I've become picky about Asian cuisine. It's hard to truly mess up ramen, but finding a ramen place in the US that's true to all the concepts of fast, inexpensive, tasty and filling can be challenging. Upon entering this Umaido at an unassuming shopping center, you are greeted with the hearty "Irrashaimase" as you would in Japan. The decor is casual, the service is decently fast, and the ramen broth, while not the thickest I have had, is rich and delicious. Each ramen bowl comes complete with the necessary elements of boiled half-egg, roast pork, and assorted veggies. As a bonus, garlic sauce and sesame seed grinder are available on the side. All in all, if you are longing for authentic Japanese ramen in Atlanta at a good price, look no further.

    (5)

  • Richard R.

    In the past few years, yelp has truly encouraged me to explore foods beyond my traditional eating enjoyments. How can you not when so many great yelpers post AMAZING photos of delicious looking food. Foods I've never heard of! I can't say that I've enjoyed EVERY new experience, but some of foods have definitely become part of my regular rotation! For example: - The Lotus Chips @ Lotus Vietnamese are amazing. - Korean Olive Chicken in my opinion is better than Popeye's (and that is saying a lot). - Salt and pepper squid @ Man Chu Hong is now my preferred way of eating it. - Jjampong Seafood Noodle Soup also @ Man Chu Hong is now my second favorite soup just behind Shecrab. It is THEE MOST FLAVORFUL noodle soup ever and I find myself craving it regularly. - And finally, I would fight my children for the Mango Sticky Rice, Pumpkin Curry Chicken and fried custard at Wat Mongkolratanaram in Tampa Florida. However, I gotta be honest!!! I just can't for the life of me see what is soooo mind blowing about Asian style noodle soups like pho and Thai beef noodle. I mean, they're good, but not shecrab soup or seafood chowder good! That being said, I walked into Umaido with the full expectation I was going to indeed have my mind blown. I've seen the pics, I've read the reviews and my taste buds were ready to get married to this broth and have their way with it! But after our first date, I thought it might be best if we just remained friends. That is, until I decided to give them a second try a few days later. ---------- THE FOOD (1st visit) * TONKOTSU RAMEN w/rich broth added | $9.95 While I did find the soup to be flavorful, it was not nearly as flavorful as I was expecting. Honestly I thought it was going to be a much better version of the instant pack we love so much. Some reviews say it's too salty, particularly with the rich broth added. I didn't think it was salty enough. Maybe I have a high tolerance for salt, but I would not classify even the richer broth option as "salty". (3.5 stars) * KARAAGE CHICKEN | $7.50 Bite size chicken nuggets in a light tasty batter and served with a small dipping bowl of lemon salt. My best descriptions would be it was okay, but the chicken seemed under-cooked. I believe it was meat from the thigh portion since it was fairly dark in color. Considering the thigh is the cheapest (and least tasty) cut of the chicken, I would have expected a more generous portion for the price. (2.5 stars) * TORI RAMEN w/rich broth added | $10.95 My kids LOVE ramen noodles. We buy them at the grocery store all the time, so they were super excited to taste the real deal. They even thanked me for "always giving them new experiences" while we were waiting for our food. Unfortunately, my oldest didn't find it to be "as enjoyable as he'd hoped" and barely finished half his bowl. (3 stars) * SEA FOOD RAMEN w/rich broth added | $13.95 My youngest is the TRUE ramen noodle lover. In a short simple statement when leaving the restaurant he said "I wouldn't be disappointed if we DID NOT come back here." He liked it, but didn't think it beat the flavor of the instant packets and really didn't like the shell on the shrimp. I'm scared for restaurants when this kid becomes old enough to yelp, because he's brutally honest and straight to the point. (3 stars) *OYAKO DON | $6.00 My wife is staying away from gluten and thought this dish would be her best option. She didn't bargain on the egg being so undercooked, but I personally thought her dish was better than my ramen. She didn't really care for it at all. (2.75 stars) ---------- THE FOOD (2nd visit) * HONEY MISO RAMEN (regular broth) | $9.95 This was my favorite of the ramen soups we tried. It was full of flavor even without ordering the rich broth for $1 extra. It was perfect without any enhancements. (4 stars) * PORK BELLY BUN | $2.50 It was my first experience trying this and I thought it was delicious!!! I could eat a dozen of these, but (IMO) it was a tad expensive for the price. I would order this all day long if it were more like 3 for $6. The pork was superb and the sauces really complimented the meat. (4.5 stars) SERVICE/DECOR Service was friendly and fast but the decor left a little to be desired as it felt kinda like I was eating in a nice break room at a factory warehouse. FINAL THOUGHTS It always pays to give a restaurant more than one visit! While my initial review was going to be a decidedly mediocre 3 stars, after my second visit I feel compelled to add a star. Listen, I prefer thicker chowder-style soups over brothy ones hands-down! But I could see myself enjoying a bowl of ramen a lot more often now that I've found Umaido.

    (4)

  • Sim N.

    Ramen heaven! Never have I been unsatisfied leaving and I cannot rave their broth enough. Pour that in a wine glass and serve it to me warm! I always get the spicy miso and can't bring myself to try anything else. If you're like my boyfriend and are a heavy eater, make sure to get extra noodles. And everything else. Fills me up fine though! But tried their pork bun once and was severely disappointed. Looked and tasted like they microwaved a frozen bun and slapped some meat on it. Don't think I'll order anything else besides the ramen.

    (4)

  • Ashley P.

    Great place. I got a normal seafood bowl - would recommend for a nice quiet date night and good food !

    (4)

  • Tuong Vi P.

    The ramen here is nothing short of godly. I tried ramen at a restaurant in Duluth that turned me off for a long time and I gave up on finding good, fresh ramen. Umaido was in the back of my mind because of all the Yelp hype but I wasn't ready to give in to my curiosity until this year. I have been a few times now and every time, I leave with a super happy belly. I have tried the Tonkatsu, Honey Miso, and Spicy Miso Ramen and have loved them all, though I think the Spicy Miso might be my favorite (for now). I don't like bean sprouts, so I have always had my soups without it. The star is the noodles and if you come with a huge appetite, save some of your broth because you can get a refill on your noodles for a buck and a half (or so). I am not ashamed to say that I did this the first time I came here, because I was just so ecstatic about the deliciousness of the thin, chewy noodles. Since then, I have refrained from doing this because I realized that once I finish my broth and let the noodles set, the original portion is just right. In addition, I have eaten the Kakuni (pork belly bun) and Tori Karaage (Japanese fried chicken). Both were delicious and I had a hard time sharing them with tablemates. Service is decent, if not a bit cold if measured with American standards. But I'm Vietnamese and have come to understand (and sometimes exhibit) Asian polite distance and reservation. While I don't love trekking too far north for anything, Umaido beckons at times and I can't help but give in to the temptation.

    (5)

  • Benjamin G.

    Now THAT is a bowl of ramen. Having one of your best friends move to Japan and send you photos almost semi-weekly of different bowls of tonkotsu will make for a seriously jealous mentality. Now, though Umaido has such infamy in my mind it is still pretty difficult to make it up to Suwanee on any given day... and especially for a willy nilly bowl or ramen. However, my first visit was perfectly timed as we made our way northbound for northeast GA. We opened those doors (adorned with giant chopsticks) right around 1:30pm and the place was still packed. What a great sign. We only waited for about five minutes until we were seated. Our server came over and took our order -- seaweed salad, edamame, and a bowl of tonkotsu with rich broth. I'm sure you use your imagination with the seaweed salad and edamame. They were exactly as you can get at many other restaurants. Still great, though. That tonkotsu.... as soon as it hit the table, I plunged my spoon into that broth and brought it up to my nose. What a rainbow of odors. What I wouldn't do to spend a day or two in their kitchen to see the process. I pulled the spoon to my lips and... BOOM. Fireworks. "Finally," I thought to myself. "This is why ramen is so popular." It was phenomenal. Rich and fatty, flavored heavily with pork, a bit of aromatic vegetables, and maybe a touch under-salted. It was perfect. I spent a few minutes just going spoonful by spoonful to decipher the flavors. Then, the noodles. Oooooohhhhh, boy. Those noodles were a perfect version of al dente that I've never experienced before. Again, I'd love to spend some time in the kitchen to watch them prepare the noodles. Huge mouthful after huge mouthful of these noodles just got better and better. Especially as I had one spoonful after the next with the broth. So wonderful. Then, the pork. Now I see how wonderful it can truly be. I've had plenty of tonkotsu elsewhere, but none could compare to these slices of pork. My goodness there was some serious flavor packed into those thin slices of pig. Heavenly. The egg, though not my favorite, was nice to have in the bowl. It was pretty hard-boiled, but I was glad to have it as a part of the package. Now, one of the coolest parts of eating ramen at Umaido -- Kae Dama, or asking for more noodles. Our server brought them to our table on a plate and they smelled so buttery. I grabbed them with my chopsticks and baptized them into the lonely broth left in my bowl. Game time yet again. It was just as amazing as the fully prepared bowl of ramen. Having more noodles in that bowl was just pure magic. I'll do this every single time I eat at Umaido. The noodles are probably as much of an integral part of ramen as the broth. To say Umaido exceeded my expectations would hardly describe my affection. This place has contained magic and they put it into little bowls for those of us who live close enough to drive on any day to enjoy it. I'm still dreaming of this ramen. What an incredible experience. I can't wait for another visit.

    (5)

  • Michelle P.

    I can now say after enjoying ramen throughout Chicago that there's something extra special about Umaido for me. There's this perfection in the noodles that has me forever in love and craving it. I had a Tonkotsu Ramen with rich broth to warm my soul, and it was worth it, so very very much so worth it. Heck, I'd throw in another egg and some pork belly if the richness wouldn't get to me (it'd probably shock my system since I admit to striving towards very clean eats when I'm not out). TIP: If it's the weekday, look on the back of the menu, order the curry or something delicious, it's like getting two meals for a very cheap price (I forgot the upcharge but it's equivalent to getting a small side but the portion is literally another meal). Enjoy my fellow ramen cravers!

    (5)

  • Katherine I.

    Yummy ramen for a cold day! The husband and I didn't just eat ramen. We tried a lot of other things too. Everything was tasty. We had octopus balls that had a delightful smoky sauce that complemented the octopus well. We had grilled squid that was not at all rubbery and paired well with the sauce it came with (was it mayonnaise and soy sauce?). We ordered pork belly that was marinated in something that imparted a great flavor. Finally, for our ramen warm-up, we had this awesome pork folded into a bun. I could have eaten a dozen, but we still hadn't had any ramen. The ramen was great. This is a hearty soup. It alone is a meal. The broth was nice and meaty. The sliced pork was like butter (you can actually order more of it for your soup if you'd like). It also had a soft-boiled egg which is kind of hard to manipulate with chop sticks. If you use the chop sticks and the spoon, it becomes manageable to stuff that egg in your face. The only reason I did not give this place a full five stars is because this is not the best ramen I have ever had. That honor goes to the food court at Mitsuwa in New Jersey. That of course is really far away. So when I need a ramen fix in Atlanta, this is the place I will head!

    (4)

  • Amehh L.

    I'm a very picky eater, and this ramenshop does not meet my standard. My family and I ordered three different flavors of ramen. First, the soup has either no taste or just too salty. Second, their noodle isn't chewy enough; they are too thin for my taste. Third of all, the amount of topping is simply just not enough. On top of that, the meet is too dry and has no tatse; you can't taste the sweetness of the meat when you eat it by itself. When I start eating, first bite was OK. However, as I continued eating, I was just losing it. The only thing I liked about this place is the atmosphere. Other than that I certainly do not recommend this restaurant if you are a picky eater like me. oh and btw how the crap does this place has 4 out of 5 rating lol

    (2)

  • Hokyum K.

    Ultra Spicy level 5 is fantastic.

    (5)

  • Tiffany N.

    I live almost a hour south of this place and never could muster the road trip nor battle traffic to come to this place. So coming back from a trip from NC, my bf and I stopped by to try this place. I was excited! The bf ordered the spicy ramen while I went on the Level 50 (the spiciest) ramen bowl. Then the disappointment set in from the first slurp of broth. With my broth )and I am wondering because of the level of spiciness) it tasted very powdery. The soup was tasteless and the noodles needed to be cooked a bit longer. I have experienced this place as it has been bookmarked for a long time. However, I would never return.

    (2)

  • Hsu G.

    Tonkotsu was on point!!! I sat in front of the cooks and I enjoyed listening to the jams more than anything !!! Hot spot!

    (5)

  • Madeline F.

    Incredible first, second and third experience! Huge fan and have recommended to at least three other families. I always order the "Tori Ramen" -" umaido original tonkotsu broth" with umaido chicken broth plus original sea salt, bean sprouts, spinach, hard 1/2 boiled egg(usually I push the hard boiled egg to the side, because I just can't in soup ya know :P), fried onions, tomato, scallions and sesame! The location itself has very limited space and not for large parties.

    (4)

  • Jessica D.

    Okay, so I've been back.. a lot. This time I decided to get the chasyu don, which is the roasted pork over rice. The pork was great, and they add the same sauce as the hirata buns, but I felt like the bowl was mostly just green onions (see photo). Next time, I'll stick to the ramen and appetizers. The hirata buns were a big miss last time I went. You could tell the buns were microwaved, since the texture was off, the top half was still soft, but the bottom was tough and chewy.

    (3)

  • Alex P.

    Atlanta I'm finding out doesn't have really good ramen places so having said that it's pretty good considering. I had the spicy ramen and my friends had honey and regular Don katsu ramen. I thought mine was the best after tasting theirs. The service was just okay. I had to keep asking for more tea because they were not paying attention to the pitcher being emptied and brought out another pitcher that was almost empty and had to ask again. Compared to other ramen places it's a bit on the pricey side but worth visiting if you are in town and taste for a decent ramen.

    (4)

  • Jennifer H.

    Tonkatsu ramen soup is flavorful. Although it is not as thick and tasty as the other place I have tried in DC or in Taiwan, this is so far the best in Atlanta... out of two only ramen bars. Noodle is on the thin side and a little bit hard which lacks some "elasticity" that makes the texture feels good. Good noodle in Asian term requires some "elasticity". Using mattress as an example, noodle texture that feels like a tempurepidic bed is not as good as those that resists a little bit to your bite strength. The pork belly is tasty but the texture is a bit dry and hard to bite. Chasyu Don is too salty and the meat is dry. Octopus ball tastes good but the octopus is small and therefore I felt a lot more the fried dough than the octopus. I would still come back for ramen, not any of the side dishes... Kids were provided extra plastic ware. Family friendly and contemporary look.

    (4)

  • Karen Y.

    I wanted to try Umaido in hopes of finding honest to goodness authentic ramen outside of the places I've tried in Japan. So maybe I had super high expectations for this place, but I was a little let down. I ordered the honey miso ramen, my friend had the spicy miso version. I really enjoyed the toppings on mine. It came with chashu pork, which was really tender and slightly fatty which I love. And also plently of sweet corn, a runny egg, seaweed, red bell pepper, and green onions. I also enjoyed their style of noodle, which I found to be a little chewy and eggy. But the soup was just... too salty. Too salty to taste the depth and flavor of the pork bones I was expecting. My friend also agreed with me and said her soup was too salty for her taste as well. It wasn't unbearable, but we did down tons of water during our meal because of it. Who knows, judging from the rave reviews for this place on just the broth alone, I'm guessing it was an off day. Will come back and try another time.

    (3)

  • Rick L.

    I really like the atmosphere and theme of this restaurant. It's laid back and casual and the staff is very nice. I'm new to Japanese Ramen and was happily surprised at how good everything was. I tried the tonkotsu and spicy miso Ramen and both were amazing. I can't wait to come back and try other dishes.

    (5)

  • Esther M.

    So far, Umaido is the best place for ramen that I've been to. Their rice bowls are a little small for the price, though. I like how the tea is self serve so there's a pitcher already at the table. My husband's only complaint about Umaido is that they don't serve water but we probably just haven't asked for water.

    (4)

  • L L.

    Have been here about 2 times in the last year or so with the most recent visit this weekend. It wasn't as busy as it was the first time I was there (probably because later in the afternoon). This time i tried the tonkatsu ramen. The price and overall portions were very reasonable and the pork was very tasty. However, the broth was a bit on the bland side for me, and the noodles seemed to be on the thinner side (compared with other ramen places, for example). Service was fine and friendly. However, given that it is further out from the perimeter, and there are other options closer, it will likely take a bit for me to return if I'm not already in the area.

    (3)

  • Jessie K.

    If it weren't for the poor service, I think I might be more enthusiastic about stopping by here whenever I'm passing through Suwanee on I-85. We waited at the door, there was a sign-up sheet, but it was not being managed consistently. We were seated, ordered 5 minutes later, and then waited over 30 minutes for our food. When the food was delivered, I asked our server why our food took so long. Apparently a burner went out and they had to reheat the broth... My biggest issue is not that they had a setback in the kitchen... It's that not once did any of the servers, nor the manager come by and acknowledge the fact that the food was taking ridiculously long to be delivered. While waiting, I noticed that the FOH staff was beginning to run out of things to do since they were not running food or taking additional orders. People were waiting to be seated, but since no one was eating and leaving, it just seemed to me that all restaurant operations had somewhat broken down and came to a stop for about 45 mins. Not cool. Now, the 3 stars are for the food. If I had it my way, I'd give only one star for poor service. I've been here before a few times and to me and my Japanese other half that the tonkotsu broth is a bit oily compared to its traditional versions. Personally, I'm Korean and I just don't enjoy ramen that is not spicy, so for my taste the extra spicy tonkotsu was okay. This time around, I customized it a bit. The only shoyu ramen they have is the wasabi shoyu ramen that is made with a seafood broth and wasabi shoyu. So, I decided to order it, PLUS a side of the umaido special spicy sauce (so ridiculously tasty and extra extra spicy) and extra nori. The combination of the seafood, wasabi shoyu, spicy sauce, and nori all came together perfectly. I was in pain considering I pretty much used all of the sauce in my bowl of ramen, but I loved the flavors. Worth it for spicy lovers. My only gripe about the food is that I asked for the broth to be extra hot in temperature, and sure it probably was when they first put the broth in the bowl but they need to consider that the additional ingredients may not be as hot like the soft boiled egg, bamboo shoots, and even the noodles so it cools it down significantly. I won't go out of my way to return here, but I did find the right combination of ramen that really hit the spot for me that day, especially after a weekend of hiking in the frigid smokey mountains.

    (3)

  • Thomas N.

    Eat here once to twice a week. That says enough. Want details? Read the reviews people have posted before me. Don't mind the haters reviews. Everyone needs haters. I'm out, son! Gonna go get some Umaido now.

    (5)

  • Morgan G.

    All of my friends have praised and worshipped Umaido. So, I finally tagged along with them to get in on this so called awesomeness. I wouldn't say it was awful ... But it definitely isn't praise worthy either. I ordered the spicy miso ramen, and I expected just that; spicy ... Miso. As someone who has grew up with a very close Japanese family whom the wife I call aunt, Umaido's Miso ... was by no means Miso soup. I was expecting to taste the richness of the miso soup, just as I had every time I fell ill growing up, but was unfortunately let down. It tasted more like a spicy chicken broth with a faint miso after taste. Being pescatarian, I was not very thrilled by the chicken tasting broth. However, overall the ramen wasn't bad. Nothing tasted awful, just that my ramen itself did not live up to its name as Spicy Miso.

    (3)

  • Michelle K.

    Thanks to Edward L., I was able to check out this place for the first time last weekend. Todd P. confirmed to me last month that he would drive from the city all the way up to Suwanee because their ramen was THAT good. He was right. And who could forget the ramen eating contest that Dio & Daniel B. took part in years ago. (His picture is still on their wall of fame folks!) I don't crave ramen but have heard nothing but great things about Umaido and after grabbing my first bowl last Sunday, I now understand the buzz about this place. It all comes down to the noodles and broth. The noodles are not like the store bought ones that come in those pre packaged wrappers with the powder soup base and seasonings. They are yellow but they taste "chewier" in a good way. I ordered the "Tonkatsu" ramen and was pretty happy with my "bowl o' noodles." The broth was great and far different than what I ever imagined. The entire meal was complete in less than an hour. Service is fast and efficient and I like the fact that they had pitchers of their house made tea at each table, which was a huge plus. If I ever crave a heartly bowl of ramen ever again or want to introduce this place to friends who've never been, I will definitely trek back further north to visit the folks at Umaido again.

    (5)

  • Antonio A.

    Came here a few times. So here is my long awaited review. SERVICE: was... Meh! Could definitely be better and needs improvement! They need more waiters/waitresses/bus boys. Had to wait over 30 minutes for a table to be cleaned and to be served. The waitresses were slow. Flag them down for water. They were also very slow on cleaning up the other tables for new customers to be seated. The place is very small and can get overcrowded quick and be awkward when dining. It is claustrophobic. If you sit on the stools, just beware that they are flimsy and creak as if they are about to break. So the best option would be to get a table with chairs or request to sit at the noodle bar by the kitchen/front entrance. FOOD: the traditional Tonkotsu ramen ($8.95) is good (thats what I normally get) with extra chashu meat (marinated bbq pork meat) for $3 more (you literally get 3 extra slices. They are thin IMO). I tried the Spicy Miso ramen level 3 ($9.95) the last time I was here, and it seemed to be MORE FLAVORFUL and SEASONED!!!! I've tried two other dishes and they were surprisingly good (Hirata Buns which are steam buns filled with pork for $2.50 as well as the small Chasyu don which is a rice bowl topped with chopped roasted pork, mayo, and green onions for $4.00). It was really good! Service is a hit or miss. The ramen noodles are a MUST TRY!!! Thanks to Naruto (japanese animation) I am a japanese ramen noodle fan! The REAL ramen noodle stuff is the best. If you have only eaten Maruchan ramen noodles from a bag or cup from the grocery store, then you are definitely missing out! Come try the real thing at Umaido! Its delicious!!!!

    (3)

  • Tucker B.

    Really great. Most wonderful taste explosion I've had in my mouth in a long time. I don't like the weird purple boiled egg that they put in the soup. I'm sure it is my fault, not theirs.

    (5)

  • Lauren Y.

    It may just be me but when I receive openly curt and short service, I'm not impressed at all. Our waitress didn't really seem to care if we were ready to order our food and drink, she also didn't really know how to describe the barley tea which I inquired about. She just stood there and did not say much. Aside from the poor service, the food was delicious. You should have an idea of what toppings you prefer in your Ramen, which we did. And goodness forbid you don't know about an ingredient on the menu... But our dish which we shared was downright tasty. I ordered the spicy cod roe on the side as well as our saki beverage warmed up. Yummy. And we didn't get a chance to order dessert as our bill was dropped off, yes, dropped on our table. Disappointing as I would have loved to try something. I will be back though. And more assertive about what I want. Decor is very urban- do not expect a nice sit down restaurant. This is fast and tasty. And a poor excuse for service.

    (3)

  • Mimi N.

    Probably one of the best place that I go to for ramen. You actually get it spicy when you tell them the level you want compare to other places when you ask for the max and it's no where close to spicy. The pork belly is tender and the egg is cooked right. Glad that I got introduced to this place.

    (4)

  • Vivien P.

    After eating ramen at two notorious ramen places in New York, I have to say that Umaido is the best I've had so far. Their broth is rich, their pork slices are succulent, I love their soft boiled egg, and I love how you can always order extra ramen. I've tried all of the ramen on the menu but my favorite is their spicy tonkatsu level 3. I've been to Raku too.....Umaido is the best.

    (5)

  • Linda A.

    So my first time eating ramen ever! It was pretty good I like pho better but who can really compare the two? Pho is light noodles and ramen is this thick heavy noodle and in thick broth. So when you go order the spicy miso ramen not rich and add shrimp that was amazing! I would eat that every day add extra noodles for a dollar and it's worth it! The pork belly sandwich was amazing! Best $2.50 ever homemade shrimp potstickers were good but not worth $7 and then the fried rice balls were cool for $4. The other ramen we had was the original ramen that everyone orders and we got it rich style(which means just really thicker and way more oily) it was soooo overwhelmingly oily and fatty drenched with the pork flavor and scent it was not for us. We like lighter more complex flavors not just a big fatty oily soup. Other than that small mistake of ordering it was an amazing place! So cute, employees soooo sweet! The best part of everything was our server Holly she was so kind and caring and was more than happy to explain everything! We will definitely be back but just getting the spicy miso ramen with two pork belly sandwiches next time!

    (4)

  • Amy V.

    Love the Ultra Spicy Ramen. Very flavorful, spicy, hearty, and full of yumminess!! Not enough meat though. So carnivores, order extra meat!!

    (4)

  • Diana T.

    After eating at other ramen places, this is the best ramen you can ever find. They have home made noodles, which can be spicy or regular. It is around $10 for a bowl of ramen. You can also ask for more noodles if you are extra hungry. I usually get spicy level 2 ramen. Perfect broth. Perfect ramen. They cook the egg just right where the yolk drips down. The pork is tender. I love how can you ask for garlic and kimchi. I use the crushed garlic and the sauces on the table to make an amazing dipping sauce for my ramen. After discovering this, I can't get enough of this place. They also have large selection of alcohol. I recently tried their mango hot sake. The whole place is pretty authentic. Give it a try if you are in town. Most people complain that it is far, but it is well worth it. Lucky for me, I live like five minutes from this place.

    (4)

  • Wynne C.

    Still hands down the best ramen spot I have been to in Atlanta. If you want some good ramen, this is the spot.

    (5)

  • Hendry K.

    This is a nice little ramen restaurant with great selection of soups, toppings, and even appetizers. The ultra spicy ramen has differing levels of spiciness one may as for. I usually go level 3. However the one aspect that stops it from me giving it a 5 star is the level of inconsistency the chefs have. One day it can be realllly good ramen, other days its off. Service is good, atmosphere is nice as well

    (4)

  • Tracie G.

    Trust the masses!! My fellow 'Yelpers' led me to Umaido and I am elated that I chose to follow their lead!!!! My experience was an order that I took To-Go. I ordered the Tonkatsu Ramen and the Chasryu (sp?) rice which were the dishes that were most reviewed by the 'Yelpers'. YUM!! Ramen: the broth is delicious and full of flavor. The chew of the noodle is awesome!! The egg..... That egg was cooked so perfectly that the yolk was like a nice custard. Rice: POW! BANG! The flavor in the rice had me thinking of old school Batman episode sound effects. KA-POW!! Sorry... I'm still eating it as I write this review. Location: I did not dine in, so I can only comment on the foyer area. It was small, but nicely appointed. There was a wait list and quite a few people waiting to be seated. I will say that I had to grab someone to help me, because no one offered.

    (5)

  • Evan T.

    I try to make it to Umaido once a week, its right down the street from work and walking in there on accident one day is still one of the best decisions I have ever made. I think this will be the first and last ramen I will need. Whenever I tell people about ramen at Umaido I get 1 of 2 responses: "Have you ever had pho?" Yes i have had pho, it sucks. Pho is flavorless and about as appealing as veggie compost floating in bathwater after Umaido or "Ramen? like the 15 for a dollar packets you get at kroger?" Just save time and avoid these people alltogether. Just get a bowl of tonkotsu add some sriracha and dont be ashamed to finish the broth like milk at the bottom of your cereal because leaving some isnt just wrong, it's disrespectful. Yes i capitalized Umaido and Ramen while not even bothering to find the confused question mark "o" to spell pho, because even that would be more time than I am willing to waste on a pho-related pursuit.

    (5)

  • christina d.

    I recently visited umaido for some ramen and was not impressed with the service from a female server. This was my first experience at a ramen restaurant so some of the ingredients were not familiar to me. I asked the server for some assistance on ordering something simple. She responded with a very snippety & judgmental attitude. A person in my party observed her noticeably gesturing towards our table in a negative manner while conversing with a fellow server. Another disappointing discovery was the gnat floating around in our barley tea. My soup came with tree ears which was the only ingredient I requested for them to leave out. While we were eating, ESPN was playing loudly in the background. It seemed as though the female server was rushing us through our meal because the kitchen was closing and because she was ready for her shift to end. Service and food must be inconsistent according to the people in my party. Overall, I enjoyed the food but I'm not sure if I would return.

    (2)

  • Tim S.

    I have been on the hunt for Atlanta's BEST ramen. I have visited Umaido quite a few times. Umaido had the BEST pork bun! I am also a sucker for their flavored saki(s). The first time I visited Umaido I had their concentrated ramen. I didn't like. It was too concentrated for my liking. So, I went back again and had the "regular"ramen, and it was GREAT! So great that I kept Their broth is flavorful and so is the pork. With that being said, their ramen is NOT Atlanta's best. Do they have GREAT ramen? YES! But, Atlanta's BEST ramen can be found at Wagaya's.

    (4)

  • CP P.

    This is my absolute favorite place to get ramen! Hands down!!! They have their different choices to choose from and a long range of spicy level you can go with your ramen . How daring are you? Lol

    (5)

  • Rochelle O.

    Heard many things about this place, so I was finally able to check it out! Came for an early lunch on a Friday. Not busy & absolutely loved the vibe and atmosphere!! I ordered the seafood ramen and loved it! The broth was rich and flavorful and the noodles were amazing! It was a good portion, leaving me very full and even had a little bit left! Will definitely come back to try other ramen!

    (5)

  • Paul N.

    What a surprise! I would have never expected a great bowl of ramen and a chill atmosphere in this small place. The service was ok, but everything was fabulous, including the spray-toilet!

    (4)

  • George L.

    Not quite up to the hype, but still good. Finally went here after having it bookmarked for half a year. The broth wasn't as rich as I would have liked. (Though you can add "rich broth" for $1, which adds in more pork fat). I read that the noodles are homemade, but if they are, they sure don't taste like it. They are still good though. They have a spicy ramen which is VERY spicy, but you can choose your level of hotness. The karage that we ordered was good, if a bit pricey. The ambience is casual. Service was decent. I would go back!

    (4)

  • Shawn F.

    Umaido has been improving the past few times I have been this year. The service seems to be more organized and prompt. The food is more consistent and seems to be tastier with better presentation. After trying a few other ramen places I still think umaido has the best ramen in Atlanta.

    (4)

  • Jonathan L.

    First things first, on the realist.... this place is far. We are located in Midtown and I'm all good to travel to go get food but I didn't think I needed an overnight bag. Okay, I'm exaggerating but Suwanee is further than I care for. However, the food here is very good. I've heard of it many times and we typically don't go much further than Duluth for Asian food but we decided to give it a shot. First impressions: Door handle is made of 7 foot tall metallic pair of chopsticks. Can't argue that's a nice touch and pretty cool. The place is small but it also feels that way because the place was pretty full and busy. Compared to some ramen joints in Japan, this place was a deluxe location but as far as by Atlanta standards, it's a large walk in closet, able to take about 30 people. The menu was a nice mix of izakaya, ramen, and rice dishes. They are a Japanese noodle bar so was pleasantly surprised to see other selections. We started with a pork belly bun. Flavors were really good but they had one thin slice of pork, one leaf of lettuce, and some japanese mayo. They really should slice the pork a little thicker or put two slices. I'm used to the Taiwanese pork belly kind so was expecting a little more. We also had the Gesu (grilled squid legs) which were fantastic with a little charred flavor to it and we'll seasoned, some pork belly which were in chunk form, really good flavors but should have been more tender, and chicken karage (japanese fried chicken) which was pretty good and not too oily. That was just apps and yes how we roll. We of course all got a bowl of ramen as well. First, the broth - some of the best we've had, very similar to Ippudo in NY which made it a familiar treat. The noodles - not the regular yellow stringy/ bouncy type (which my wife prefers) rather it's the white colored more firm noodles which I liked. The noodle portion is on the smaller side but obviously we had some good bites just before. We all tried different bowls; spicy seafood squid and shrimp, tonkatsu (thinly sliced pork) , and tori (meatless, mostly vegetables) all topped with an egg. They seem to have ramen eating challenges and contests (+ wall of fame) so if you have the guts, go win yourself free lunch and if you eat 4 bowls in 5 minutes or less, you get ramen for free for 6 months. Bring it if you guys think you got it.

    (4)

  • Jack R.

    Delicious Ramen noodle soup, excellent pork buns, food and service are fantastic I would Highly recommended will be back soon.

    (5)

  • Taryn M.

    The best. I have never gotten bad service and the food tastes fresh! Definitely a foodies paradise it has generous portions and something to please even the pickiest person. Try the pork belly either by itself or as a topping to your soup.

    (5)

  • Vicki N.

    I've been here a few times now, and I always order the same thing: spicy miso ramen with corn added. I love it! The broth is not too salty and not bland at all. The chashu is perfectly braised and on the saltier side (which I like). You can definitely tell the noodles are made in house because of the bite they have to them. I do want to try other things here, but I love the spicy miso too much. The service is always very friendly and fast! Umaido is definitely in my list of routine restaurants.

    (5)

  • Lucia L.

    So good So so good So so so good Like really really amazingly good. I got a pork bun and the spicy ramen soup...aaahhh so good!! Parking was a little crazy but worth it.

    (5)

  • Andrea M.

    Love this place. For a place that sells ramen type dishes, the food was simply delicious. I am always leery about going to a place that seemingly sells noodles. But my perception has changed since the food here was delicious--from appetizer to entree. My friend and I shared the kani no ebi maki (spicy shrimp and crab) as an appetizer. This came with three decently-sized pieces. It was pretty good, but it wasn't at all spicy. Unless we ordered something totally different. Lol. He also ordered a bun looking item. It was pretty good, but I don't remember what it was called. Just take a look at my picture and be ensured that it tasted delicious. Lol. The cold tea that was provided was pretty good as well. I had the tonkotsu ramen. It was recommended for first timers. It was pretty good and tasty. The broth didn't have too much sodium as that was one of my concerns. My friend had the honey miso ramen. His was a tad better than mine since the spiciness gave the broth a little more kick. Both our ramen had pork as the meat. The staff was friendly and knowledgeable when we asked for recommendations. Overall, this is a pretty great place to visit. It is somewhat quint, but it has a relaxing and chill atmosphere. The restaurant is located in the same store strip as the Hmart in Suwanee. Umaido is more towards the end of the strip, more near the Hmart side. I believe the neighboring store is Mozart if you're looking for a reference point.

    (4)

  • Tina D.

    Whenever I'm craving ramen in Atl, this is my go-to place. This place can't compete with Totto and Ippudo ramen in NYC, but to me it's the best one in Atl. I generally order the Level 1 tonkotsu ramen and add in extra corn and bamboo shoots. I like spicy food but my stomach can't handle it so Level 1 is enough for me - enough spiciness to liven up the tonkotsu broth but not so much that I'll be blowing up the toilet. A few suggestions I have for the tonkotsu ramen 1. The egg yolk needs to be more runny. The egg white is soft but when I run my spoon through the center of the egg, I expect that the egg yolk should be soft and runny too. Instead, its always hard. 2. More broth please. This place gives a generous amount of ramen noodles but not enough broth and so 20 minutes into the meal, the ramen has already soaked up most of the broth. Appetizer tips - get the onigiri. Every time I go, the onigir is spot on - tender and fragrant rice on the inside with a crispy outer layer. The chicken karaage is so-so. It's never consistent - sometimes the batter is really crispy and other times it's crispy on the outside but soggy batter on the inside.

    (3)

  • Emily L.

    I have visited Umaido several times, and each time I ordered the tonkatsu ramen which I felt was so so. This time I decided to try something different and got the spicy miso ramen. While this dish was better than my previous orders, the quality was average. Interior is nice with a long table in the middle and tables on the side. Service was fast and the revers were polite. Everyone I know really likes Umaido, and while I thought the food was good, I didn't feel there was anything special about it. Good place to pop in for a quick meal however.

    (3)

  • Julyana T.

    The best ramen in Atlanta hands down. It even surpasses many ramen shops in San Francisco. I enjoy everything they serves. But our family favorites are takoyaki, chicken karaage, and of course the original tonkotsu ramen.

    (5)

  • Fontaine C.

    Please visit my blog: caviaronadime.wordpress.… Best Ramen in town (Under $10) Umaido, interpreted as "Heaven for Delicacy", is the place to go for a rich, authentic bowl of Japanese ramen. The restaurant is located in a Korean strip mall in Suwanee, 45 minutes north of metro Atlanta. Despite the terrible Atlanta traffic, it is always packed. The restaurant is small but cozy with friendly servers. After I am sat down at a table, I am served with a glass of cold barley tea. A full menu of Japanese beer / wine is also available for alcohol lovers. The ramen noodles are hand-made using traditional Japnese recipe. The most popular choice is "Tonkotsu Ramen" ($8.95). The tonkotsu ramen comes with three slices of roasted pork, shredded tree ear (a mushroom), bean sprouts, scallion, and a semi-hard boiled egg (liquidy center). I always ask for Japanese ginger toppings (for free) and additional bean sprouts, tree eat, spinach and seaweed for $1 each. The flavor of the broth and noodles are rich and balanced. It stands up to the best ramen places in California. For my readers who love a kick of spiciness, please ask for their Japanese hot sauce. That is heavenly in combination with the broth. And, for my competitive readers who love to join a food challenge, Umaido offers a food challenge. 4 bowls of ramen of your choice are free for you if you can finish that in 20 minutes. It'd be $20 out of pocket, if you can't finish within the time frame.

    (5)

  • Jermaine D.

    How much longer could I deny the inevitable? Every review has hailed this place in the highest regard and it was time to see what the hype was about. I decided to hit Umaido on a Thursday and made my pilgrimage north in the rain. I arrived at around 8:30, and was quickly seated. I immediately loved the design, sleek and modern with cement walls and floors. The menu was extensive, with a wide selection of appetizers, noodles, rice dishes, and alcohol. Naturally I went for the Tonkotsu, but was caught off guard with an upgrade for rich broth. Every Yelp review recommended it, so why not? I added corn, and i also ordered two hirata pork buns as an appetizer. They were empty when I came in, but within 10 minutes that changed; 4 tables were filled. Thankfully, this didn't affect my pork buns coming out in a timely fashion. They were nice and warm; the pork was good with the sauce, a Japanese mayo. As I finished my pork bun, I heard the rattle of a cart. My ramen was being rolled out to me. It was a nice size bowl and was piping hot. All seemed right with the world, except for the lack of roast pork slices. I noticed one and a half maybe. I was iritated, but I was still yearning, so I dug in and was welcomed by a Bruce Lee one-inch punch of flavor. The broth was amazingly flavorful and hot(temperature wise.) The pork was tender and delicious. The noodles weren't mushy, but had great chew, and stood up well with the broth. The scallions and other ingredients all played their part: adding earthiness and sweetness to the immense pork flavor. After devouring my few pieces of pork, I realized all of my noodles were gone. At this point, I usually forget all etiquette and lift my bowl to drink the nectar of the Gods. Before I could initiate this, my waitress came to check on me, and uttered the sweetest words I could've heard at that moment. "Would you like more noodles?" With an eager nod and a 4-5 minute wait, she was back with with a plate of steaming noodles. Instantly I had a bowl of ramen to take home for only $1.50. Overall, Umaido definitely deserves its spot at the front of the pack, and maybe until Guy Wong's Ton Ton opens, I will have a bowl to compare. But until then my ramen love lives in Suwanee. - The Starving Ronin

    (5)

  • Will C.

    For me, it was a let down... I'll start with service, Slow and with a smile. No signs of management. No host/hostess, no acknowledgement of my party just waited. Once sat we where offered tea, and drinks, and arrived promptly. After that sge asked if we where ready to order... Wtf.. No recommendations, no explanation of dishes. Please have your phone ready cause youll have to google what the food is, the english on the menu is short and vague. Our waitress was a mystery, she was there then gone for a while, then no where to be found... For such a small place and only 2 servers, horrible, but with a smile... To get the check after finishing took over 20mins... But its okwe took it out your tip.. Now for food.. Could use more variety.. More flavor, and more richness.. One set broth with added powders and oil to get the flavor.. Ehhh... In my opinion there should have been a pork, beef, veggie, or chicken. Also there appears to be a noodle selection but not offered.. As for toppings, everything is shallots, seaweed, and sprouts.. As a chef this place has potential, and could be better....( as for the cooks, there could be a better uniformity, and appearance).. I will not be returning..

    (1)

  • Hanh N.

    Oh, how I yearn for you every day that I've been gone!! After a hike at Amicalola Falls (which is gorgeous, btw) we were hungrrryyyy and had plans to meet friends here for lunch. Man, the ultra spicy ramen is soooo flavorful and heat is just right! Not overwhelming and just delicious! Do yourself a favor and order the Tori Karaage- the fried ckn. We loved it sooo much we ordered a 2nd. We had made plans to come back before we left ATL but we had a hectic last day and we were overly sad to not have been able to visit them again before leaving :(

    (5)

  • Tiff H.

    It had been years since the last time I stepped foot in Umaido, due to the immense distance I would need to drive to get here. But I'm glad I was able to move past that and order another ramen here, or aka, I didn't have to drive here so I was all up for it. I'd remembered the ramen being good here, but wow. The chewy noodles, the rich and salty broth, the tender meat. Everything about the spicy miso ramen was amazing, but like some reviews, note it's not as spicy as you would think. Although I haven't had much ramen in Atlanta, this has got to be one of the greatest, as claimed previously by multiple sources. You have the option of ordering the spicy noodles, which are bright red, as opposed to the normal ramen noodles. You can also save your broth and order another serving of noodles to sop up the rest of your unused broth. I was surprisingly full after one serving, but was still pleased to see that this was an option. Afterward, we stuck around to rest while sipping our cold barley tea, which the server reluctantly obliged us with even though we had already paid our bill. If only this shop wasn't so far, I would visit more often! All the ramen broths sounded delicious so I will need to make a couple more trips out to Suwanee to try them all.

    (4)

  • Nicki K.

    Since I've discovered at a much later time in life ordering ramen at Japanese restaurants and not just eating instant ramen at home, I have been wanting to try Umaido for some time. After talking to several people who told me that Haru Ichiban is their preferred ramen restaurant, I went there first and had a fabulous time. I finally went to Umaido to check out their famous ramen. My expectations were low because of that reason. I was also warned about how salty the ramen could be. I'm sensitive to food being too salty and actually have low sodium. Umaido, to me, is hard to spot. The letters are dark and I drove pass it several times. I don't come out often to Suwanee, heck, I hardly ever do. I knew it was near Super H in Suwanee but why drive that far when the Doraville and Duluth locations are closer to me? I never knew there was a chain of Korean stores in this plaza! I like that there was a huge chopstick at the door of Umaido too. Walking in, it's a really small place but that didn't bother me cause I expected it cause Haru Ichiban was like that. I did like that the kitchen had an open area so you can see them. However, you don't get to see them cook since all the tables/chairs are seated away from there. While I waited for my friend to show up, I ordered appetizers for the kids. The appetizers took forever to come out because they came out when friend came, we knew what to order already. Braised pork - it was soft and tender, very flavorful. It was really tender like how I make goat curry or sweet pork which is boiled for 4 hours or so. I was just disappointed with how expensive it was for it and only 4 pieces. It was close to $7 for it. Chicken tenders/nuggets - very well-presented but disappointed in it. Sure it was hot, juicy in the middle, and crispy on the outside but there is no flavor. There is a small dipping sauce with grayish powder. I dipped the chicken on it and it's salt! Yuck, I don't want it that salty. So there is no season on the chicken, you put salt on it yourself. Not my thing. Not many pieces either, just 5. And it's more than the braised pork, close to $8 for it so that's why I'm disappointed. Spicy Miso ramen - good but not as good and flavorful as Haru Ichiban. Sorry for the comparison but it's just truth. Honey Miso ramen - had a sweeter taste than the spicy, of course Ultra spicy ramen, level 3 - I was warn that it would be really spicy but trust me, I can handle it. I eat 20 red hot Thai peppers in my papaya salad. It was not spicy to me. It was perfectly spiced which I liked. Presentation wise, Umaido got it down. I was surprised to see my noodles a maroon color. I know everyone raves about the not-cooked-all-the-way egg but I like eggs cooked. I don't mind the egg being cracked in and cooking while the soup is hot but I don't do totally-not-cooked food well. Since this was my dish and the other two not mine I can go into details more why I was disappointed. I did order it with rich broth which I think is crazy to charge an extra $1 just to have it so if I didn't have it, my dish wouldn't be as good? I felt the price was more expensive for what it's worth overall ($11 +$1, thank goodness I didn't order more toppings). It is tasty and yes, Haru Ichiban wins in my books (I think they give more ingredients and meat, no eggs which I don't care for anyways, and is cheaper overall). I do like that if you wanted to add more toppings or noodles, you have that option. I am glad I had the experience but I will not go back. I mean, I would only if friends wanted meet there but I wouldn't go back for the ramen. Not only is it farther for me, Haru Ichiban is closer. I felt I spent so much more at Umaido and wasn't full, my stomach (and wallet) were feeling empty.

    (3)

  • Katherine K.

    This is the only place I will eat ramen. I used to work in a tiny, archaic Japanese restaurant but it gave me a taste for the food. Anyways, some people like Raku or Haru Ichiban, but for me, THIS is the ramen spot. Everyone who works here seems to be Japanese, of which there is a small population in Atlanta. (authenticity) It's located in a plaza with an Hmart and other restaurants/shops. A good bowl of ramen is almost a religious experience. I recommend tonkotsu honey miso or just regular. If you're left feeling unsatisfied, you can request more noodles. They used to have whole fresh garlic to put in. They will serve kimchi if requested. Tea is free and available on every table. Cute place. I read about it on some kids blog years ago raving about the quality of the ramen, and ever since I've ventured here, I really can't imagine getting it elsewhere. I also enjoy the onigiri and kare/curry. These are more snack portioned. There is a spicy challenge that I've never been tempted to try but my friends have. They bring out an extra spicy bowl of ramen and if you can down it all in a certain time period, it's on the house. She said she puked. And with that lovely afterthought... Kinda like the J version of Dan Mooji.

    (5)

  • Licca K.

    When I first heard of Umaido in Creative Loafing I was very eager to try it. It's been a few years from that first visit with a menu that barely had six dishes with only two or three ramen options to a very flavorful menu with even choices for vegetarians, though sadly not in excess. The food// I've usually gotten their tonkotsu broth but frankly find it a bit too salty albeit very good. A friend of mine had gotten their soy milk broth and while sweeter, I've enjoyed it more. It also is their vegetarian option. Their honey miso was also very good and I've had a few friends who've really enjoyed the spicy broth up to lvl 3 quoting it was a nice level of spice to broth. No complaints on their takoyaki and rice bowls either. :) Noodles aren't in plenty, but you can always buy extra including an assortment of ramen toppings. Atmosphere// Ambient and dimly lit. The main wall adorned with a befitting Naruto drawing and other writings. Service// Not the most exuberant, but sufficient. Now bathrooms... Clean and dimly lit for the light sensitive. Overall, worth a look for the ramen and a great stop in if you're in the mood for some noodles.

    (5)

  • t l.

    Yummy excellent food. Absolutely Delish Ramen. $$/4 cost. Fast quick friendly service. One of the best Ramen places around. No wonder it gets good reviews. Had orders of the regular tonkatsu, oyako don, and spicy Ramen. All were very tasty and excellent. The Oyako don was just superb. Haven't had and authentic oyako don and street ramen for A very long time. Love love love Decor is very industrial chic minimalistic sort of cool but small place. Service was quick. Definitely recommend and would definitely go back

    (5)

  • Jenny E.

    Umaido is the spot! Ramen is one of my favorite things to eat. Born & raised in Hawaii we call this simin & it is a local Hawaii favorite. We consider this a comfort food. So to have this spot here was like the best thing ever to me at that moment lol. My favorite is the ramen shoyu & wasabi. Best thing for you if you are getting over a flu, cold, or stomach virus. Super clean place & very friendly staff.

    (5)

  • Melissa K.

    My partner has spent the last several weeks talking about his ramen craving. Why? We missed out on going to a ramen noodle house in New Orleans and we've regretted it for months and months. Seriously. It's a constant conversation in our house. So, when we happened to be running errands recently I drove us to Umaido for a surprise early dinner (5ish). When we pulled open the door, which has chopsticks for the handle - cute!, I thought my husband was going to swoon with delight thanks to the puff of warm, fragrant air that met us when we walked in. The place smelled delicious and our stomachs kicked up, growling in hunger. We were met by a friendly hostess, who was actually our server, and quickly seated against the wall at a small table made for 2. The place is very long and narrow but the layout is space efficient and we didn't feel cramped at all although the table became crowded with only 2 glasses and (eventually) 2 ramen bowls. Barley water was provided and there's soy sauce and other seasonings on the table. It's super bright, fairly clean (a bit rough around the edges) and the walls are covered in scribbles from customers(?) I think? We noticed we each faced a television showing some infomercial involving lots of raw meat and flashing images. Might I suggest a different channel for the restaurant to show? The menu is divided into different categories, is very detailed but easy to read, and it offers suggestions for add-ons for each different entree. The price point for everything was *extremely* reasonable although I declined to add anything else to my seafood ramen. My husband added a hot pepper sauce to his order of tonkotsu but it was too spicy for him to finish which says A LOT! He loves spicy food. My seafood ramen was delicious except for the seafood part. It was all wayyyyy overcooked and, honestly?, it added nothing to the otherwise delicious dish. I put my seafood bits in the small bowl provided for the shells of the shrimp (which were tough as leather) and dug in to the rest of the stuff. So good! The noodles were the perfect texture and the broth divine. I think I slurped. Yep, I definitely slurped. The tonkotsu ramen got rave reviews from my husband. He did add the extra rich broth but said nothing was too salty for his taste. His egg was much more soft boiled than expected but in a totally good way. It flooded the bowl with rich yolk and gave it even more flavor (says he). We didn't try dessert nor alcohol but there were things on both sections that sounded interesting/appealing. Maybe next time! Noise level was fine but it would probably be very loud once things got busy. Service was friendly but not hovering. We'll definitely be back so I can try the soymilk ramen!

    (4)

  • Samantha H.

    I've been to Umaido a handful of times and have tried both of their options for miso ramen -- spicy, and honey. In my opinion, this place is hit or miss. The one thing I really like are their noodles. They are cooked al dente, and have a bite to them that both Mizumi and Raku lack. Depending on the ramen you choose, they offer a combination of bean sprouts, nori, corn, egg, and wood ear, as well as three slices of chasyu. My biggest complaint would be that they are stingy with their meat. Sometimes, the broth is especially salty, but other times it is perfect. Compared to the other options -- Mizumi or Raku, I would almost always choose to come here. However, still searching for that perfect bowl of ramen in Atlanta!

    (3)

  • C M.

    Very good: nice decor and great noodle, but the soup is little to heavy for my taste

    (4)

  • Phong T.

    I wandered here after running some errands in the area. This place has been talked about by so many of my friends yet alone on social media such as instagram pictures I've seen. As I entered, I was greeted by the only 2 waitresses working. I was alone so sat at the bar-type seating infront of the cooks. FOOD: As an appetizer, I wanted to try the octopus balls, but they were out of it that day, which sucks. Really? Must be popular or shipment hasn't come. I decided to go with the Chicken Nuggets appetizer. It was just chicken chunks breaded and fried with tempura batter. It came with a dipping salt-type seasoning. It was OKAY. I wouldn't order it again. I ordered the Seafood Ramen Noodle Soup as my entree. It was delicious. The broth was rich and flavorful. It came with 3 jumbo shrimps, 3 scallops, 3 fish cakes, and vegetables. Can't complain. I'll definitely be back to try those octopus balls and more ramen noodle!

    (4)

  • Emily C.

    When we decided to come into town for my dude's birthday, I asked him what he wanted to eat to commemorate 31 years of existing. He wanted authentic ramen, so I did some diligent research and this is the name that continued to come up with a "hands down, the best" tagline, with the consistent assurance that "the drive is worth it." He got the tonkotsu and I got the spicy miso. Both were delicious, though the spicy miso began to wear on me after a bit (I rarely sweat when I eat spicy stuff and I was feeling a little moist about the forehead). It was also more than enough food, and I did feel a little queasy afterwards but it was most likely because I am not used to the spiciness (even though it was delicious). I would absolutely make it a priority to return here the next time I'm in town to try more of their menu.

    (4)

  • PC C.

    Loved the Ramen noodles. Just getting exposed to fresh Ramen noodle cuisine. Have I been missing out. Will be there many many times.

    (4)

  • Donna A.

    I use to love this place. I would eat there 3 or 4 times a week. But it has become so expensive and the broth gets more salty everytime I go. I think I've given them more than enough times to think it's just a occasional mishap. I wonder if they have new managment. They are always crowded, usually with a young hip crowd. It has a cool young vibe. In their defense I always order the same thing.

    (2)

  • Yasmin H.

    Yippy! I finally found a bowl of ramen in Atlanta that doesn't taste like instant ramen. We also had the onigiri which was prettyyy decent and the pork buns which had a yummy cream based sauce. I love the Spicy Miso Ramen that features the original tonkotsu broth but also chilli powder and a dollop of miso paste that they dissolve into the broth. I made it a "rich broth" for a buck more and for another buck or two more I added mushrooms (tree ears). The roasted pork was delicate and tender and the veggies were cooked to perfection and the noodles I believe are house made...judging by the giant pasta machine looking thingy in the kitchen. Anywayys, I was coming down with a cold at the time so I asked for fresh garlic (which apparently is a thing you can do) and they happily brought me a bowl of already peeled garlic, some tongs, and a garlic press. I then didn't converse with anyone for a week. I lurb this place!

    (5)

  • Julie C.

    Umaido....um yummy. Came here for dinner with a pal and her super lovely son. Definitely a hit with all ages. Love the industrial decor and glossy concrete walls with purple accents. Adults settled into steaming hot bowls of ramen. I had spicy miso, I think my friend had honey miso. Once our food arrived, conversation was largely replaced with slurping and kid requests for more noodles. Being a salt fiend, I wasn't concerned about reviews mentioning an oversalted broth, but I'm pleased to report that mine was a perfect savory brew... Rich and flavorful. Not salty. The spicy miso ramen had a healthy kick of heat, a subtle burn that lingered more at the end. Noodles for me had just the right amount of bite and there was a good amount. I'm a serious soft boiled egg lover and my egg...oh! Perfectly soft. I want to know the secret. We fooled around with some other random menu items...homemade pickles, which were quite tasty and refreshing- I would order them again...basically a lightly pickled, salted and seasoned cucumber. Very subtle flavor but so delicious. I didn't try the gyoza, but the wrapper looked nice and thin and they were well wrapped. Chicken yakitori was sorta meh for me...I was thrilled with my soup and they were largely ordered as a kiddie treat. He was having none of it though...he was a noodle junkie like us! All in all, I was pleased and would definitely go back. Thinking this might be a go to spot for some comfort food this winter.

    (4)

  • Edward L.

    So I must update my review after my last dinning experience. I took David K. out here for a date because I wanted my boyfriend to try this place out. You should notice two things about their Ramen, the broth and the soft boiled egg. Both are incredibly delicious. I've came here for family dinners before with my 2 older brothers and my white sister-in-law. I only point out that she is white because for some reason, my brothers and I always get brown soft boiled eggs and my sister gets a white egg. I am not sure if they intend to do that on purpose, but it's really funny. Long story short, I took David K. here and he absolutely loved it. Which I knew he would because Umaidos is amazing. What also impressed me if that they gave my white boyfriend a brown soft boiled egg. Maybe it's fate? Maybe it's a sign of compatibility? Maybe it's Umaidos saying they approve of my boyfriend. Screw going to a fortune teller! If you are an Asian man who is dating a white American, you need to take your date to Umaidos and see what kind of egg you get. Brown egg means ultimate approval by the noodle Gods.

    (5)

  • Lauren H.

    I don't know of any other place in town quite like this one. Not only does Umaido serve up a mighty good bowl of Ramen, they also have other interesting appetizers and sides, as well as a cute restaurant to boot. Unfortunately I have little to compare this to, as I have not had Ramen before Umaido. I will say that the broth was very flavorful, and the noodles and meats seemed fresh and well cooked. We also got the pork buns which were tasty, and the dumplings (not too shabby either). Definitely check them out!

    (4)

  • Justin W.

    So Salty ramen broth. Service is terrible. Waitresses are all on their phone and it takes an effort to get their attention.

    (1)

  • Nikita L.

    Went there with a couple friends. Their small plates are very good. We had the chicken wings, OMG it was good!!! The Yakitori was also good. But the service has more to be desired. The 4 of us ordered 4 ramens. 3 came out at the same time, and we waited and waited for the 4th one to come out. Nothing happened for like 15 min. Then we asked the waitress where is the 4th ramen. The guy came out from the kitchen and said they've closed the kitchen down already, and they forgot to make that 4th ramen!!! and they didn't even apologize for their own mistake!! What kind of service is that????? Their ramen is not even all that good. I wouldn't recommend driving all the way up there for terrible service and mediocre ramen. Not worth it!

    (3)

  • Bri C.

    I really enjoy this place. Great tasting ramen. Definitely get the added bowl of noodles and the rich broth. So good.

    (5)

  • Dee L.

    Its a good place for ramen, great noodle, great flavor and atmosphere. The only complaint about this place is the portion of the noodle is a bit stingy for the price.

    (4)

  • Tyler K.

    Remember the episode of The Brady Bunch when Davey Jones kissed Marsha on the cheek? She swore she'd never wash her face again. Well, that's how I feel about Umaido. I'll never eat ramen again. Why, you ask? Because I have experienced sheer perfection with theirs. The unctuous, silky, rich broth. The perfectly smoky roasted pork. Ramen noodles with the ideal chew and mouth feel. Add to that, briny seaweed, pickled bamboo shoots, scallions, a perfect soy poached egg and salty fish roe and you have the heartwarming, soul filling food that you only dream about. Please go. Please.

    (4)

  • Kenny M.

    Had a fantastic experience here at Umaido. I ordered the tonkotsu ramen and enjoyed it very much. The service was quick and friendly. I've been searching for a ramen joint like this for a long time. I will be back here regularly.

    (5)

  • Khanh D.

    This is not my first time here. But after the first time, I couldn't help but keep coming back. I wouldn't say this is the "best" ramen place but it's definitely the best in Georgia. I always enjoyed my usual ultra spicy ramen, I've been here 3 times so I had all 3 level. My goal is to increase a level each time and test my limit!! The service is ok bc they're always busy. In general I will be a regular!! And but I can't seem to get the idea out of my head that something always missing from the ramen taste wise. Like that key ingredient that will make it perfect.

    (4)

  • Sonia D.

    Very good ramen(although not my favorite noodle), friendly service, I always get the same thing spicy miso soup bowl. 10$ bowl with a soft boiled egg that I can't figure why it's brown on the outside, peeled, and soft on the inside, a special treat at the end of the bowl.

    (3)

  • Pirates C.

    Progressively's gotten worse for me. I've been here 3-4 times and likely won't be returning. The first time was dynamite, but then it's been all downhill since. The storefront's become dirty and greasy - how can that be - they just mainly serve ramen. But, more importantly, the food has degraded along with the service. Still, it's okay if you don't mind.

    (3)

  • Zach H.

    I stopped by with a group of friends on one of my last visits to Atlanta and was quite impressed. Is it the best ramen place I've ever been to? No... buuuuut is this the best ramen place in the Southeast? Yeah, most likely. We ordered the Grilled Octopus and Takoyaki to start. The octopus was a touch over-cooked and just slightly more chewy than it should be, but had great flavor. The takoyaki was delicious and very comparable to many places that serve this classic Japanese street food. For the main event, I ordered the Spicy Miso Ramen. The broth had a great layering of flavor from the spicy miso bean paste, red pepper powder, pickled ginger, and peanut oil. It was topped with a few slices of nicely prepared roasted pork and a hard boiled egg then garnished with scallions and sesame seeds. I tend to prefer a poached egg with a runny yolk in my ramen, but it was a well-composed bowl of ramen nonetheless. Overall, the food and service are great. This small, but mighty place is putting out some pretty good ramen. It's a bit off the beaten path, but it's definitely worth checking out if you can make time for it.

    (4)

  • Vj D.

    I haven't been to a lot of ramen places but Umaido definitely serves up authentic ramen in my opinion. Even the egg in the tonkotsu ramen seems to have been prepared with care. I don't know about you, but that egg made a lasting impression on me, and I have really started to doubt my own egg boiling skills. I have always gone on a weekday so I am unsure of how busy the place gets on weekends. I've always found the service prompt and the staff welcoming. It is definitely a good place to stop by if you are looking for something hot during the Atlanta winter.

    (5)

  • J L.

    Lots of young people and young families. Soups were on salty side but flavor was good. Noodle soups are in a 5-7" bowl and range from $7 to $12 a bowl.(broth, noodle, green onion and egg in mine)..lots of stuff like bamboo shoots, meat, roe, mushrooms...are all available for an extra $2-4. There are some rices available...had an egg/chicken rice for ?$6 and it comes in a 3.5" bowl...so prices affordable but portions are smaller than the average restaurant . The staff were friendly except for our grouchy waitress. Went for the "4 bowl noodle challenge" but waitress said they won't do it on a weekend since its busy. Wish that was clearly stated on website or menu...would prob go back if in the area. If say if you want salty savory broth and not super duper hungry, the place Is not bad. Most tables were full of small families that looked like they were food tourists...the rest were small groups of Asians in their early 20's.

    (3)

  • Tanzim M.

    I've been here a few times, and have ordered the Tonkatsu, the Spicy Ramen, and the Seafood Ramen on different occasions. Every single time, the food has been fabulous, although the price can really add up with all of the extra features. I highly reccomend the pork belly as well as the roe, and a side of cold beer with the hot ramen is always a nice addition. The atmosphere is also neat, but sometimes the service suffers when people are too laid back. In fact, during my most recent visit, the server came to the table without a notepad for a long order (3 people) and unsurprisingly, missed a few items when the food came out. Overall though, the place is a real treat that surely beats the packaged version of thsi food most of us are used to. If you are an otaku, a lover of Japanese cuisine, or someone who likes pho and pho derivatives, this is the place to go for some delicious comfort food. Happy eating!

    (4)

  • Pat P.

    I had not been here in a long time but watching so much about ramen on YouTube for my upcoming Japan trip, I had the urge to go and so I did. Service here is still as "inefficient" as ever. Servers always seem busy running around doing things in a hurry but somehow don't seem to get much done or provide good/efficient service to customers. You always have to flag them down and ask for more tea or condiments or napkins that should be there on the table or counter already or ask about what you've ordered that has been taking so long, etc. That's really annoying. I have eaten at a small corner ramen shop in Shibuya, Tokyo. They have water pitchers and condiments ready at the counter and put them in spots that each customer can reach easily no matter where they sit. Granted that in Japan there's no tipping but here if you want customers to have to ask you for things so they feel they get service from you please execute it efficiently. To me, self service is better than bad service. I think the owner should observe and analyze how their servers and cooks work and coordinate and come up with a more efficient way to do things. On to the taste, irrelevant to the level of spiciness, the broth here tends to be a bit bland to me. Sometimes it could be salty but still bland in terms of flavor that would make it more balanced. The good thing here is the noodles. They have really nice texture. But sometimes when you're not filled up and order extra noodles, they are not blanched properly and come out undercooked. And when you add those to your already cold broth, it just doesn't work. Something to keep in mind for the cooks that extra noodles should be cooked properly and come out nice and hot. Their pork chashu is very tasty but often has way too much fat. After trimming out the fat, you're left with very little pieces of meat. Three pieces of very thinly sliced pork chashu here equal one piece of chashu you normally get in a regular bowl of ramen in Japan for 500-600 yen. Here it's $9 plus tip and tax and you end up paying almost $11. Pretty expensive I have to say. In Japan you can get chashu-men which is an order of ramen with a bunch of chashu slices for mostly 800-950 yen and no tip. Unfortunately, we're not in Japan. Lastly, the egg here sometimes is marinated properly but sometimes is not marinated at all and the white is still white and bland. The color is just on the outside. The yolk though is always nice and runny as it should be. All in all, it's just not worth it for me to drive all the way there and spend $11-14 for a bowl of ramen with the way things are right now. This may be the best ramen you can get in Atlanta and it's not bad. But I've had better and much more satisfying ramen in Japan along train stations for cheaper. And the service here is definitely a deterring factor. So for now, I'll stick to packaged fresh ramen with soup base in H-Mart and try to make chashu myself using recipes I found on YouTube. And seasoned bamboo shoots or menma (another ramen staple) you can also get at H-Mart. For others who crave a bowl of noodle soup but don't want to cook or spend too much for a simple meal, you may go into H-Mart and try the Cantonese style noodle soup with crispy pork or roast duck instead. It's different from Japanese style ramen but also flavorful and satisfying. Asian countries have different types of noodle soup and they're all good. Give something different a try.

    (3)

  • Rose L.

    Their food is always lukewarm......................... and not cooked fully (The chicken was only cooked outside and the inside was still raw).

    (2)

  • Brea D.

    You can't really beat the price here. $6 for a large bowl of rice with pork belly and various other delicious accoutrements is a helluva deal. My friends who got the ramen sang it's praises all around. The portions were huge, and the prices were, once again, cheap. Add more ramen, which is made in house, for just a buck. This place is matchbox tiny. It's best not to come with a big party, although there is a large table in the central dining area that can seat larger groups. The chairs, however, are atrocious. If you are a woman (or man) or larger carriage, prepare to stand if you're seated at the big table. Service. This is my complaint. The food is wheeled out on carts. That's fine. The problem is the waitresses seemed harried and confused about who's orders went where. Three separate orders at our table were incorrect after 4 attempts, but that was no big deal because the food was good. I ordered ice cream. I thought this would be simple. I waited 20 minutes for my dessert, and after asking 3 separate servers where my ice cream was, I was finally brought a cup of green tea ice cream soup. Not acceptable, if you think I'm going to eat melted ice cream after waiting 20minutes. They weren't even that busy that night. I would go again if I'm in the area (not likely--it's pretty far from me) because the food is cheap and you get so much of it. The service is a big bowl of meh. GF folks: They make all of the ramen in house. This is cool if you're into that sort of thing. I highly doubt there's a lack of contamination in the kitchen since there are giant bags of vital wheat gluten that can be seen from the kitchen window, but you can order rice bowls instead of ramen bowls. I was fine with the rice bowl, but someone especially sensitive might want to go somewhere else. Also, beware of the barley water. I wasn't informed until i had finished my regular water that the green pitchers on the table were barley water. Just a head's up.

    (3)

  • Destin D.

    I have been back recently. Twice actually. The spicy miso ramen kicks ass! Also, they have a vegetarian option now and it's quite tasty. The broth is made with soy. Everyone should try this place STAT!

    (5)

  • D L.

    Ordered spicy tonkatsu ramen at "average spicy". I thought it was good, until I realized how much water I was sucking down. Each bite washed down with a glass of water... So salty... So rich... However, good service. The waitstaff is always looking around, not in an intrusive way, and it is easy to get their attention. The end.

    (3)

  • Aimee W.

    Tonkotsu ramen was spot on. First time wasn't as impressed but this time it was different. Noticed the high gluten flour in the kitchen as I walked in and realized that they actually make their own noodles. This is the difference between a good and average ramen noodle house. I wish they didn't close at 3p on a Monday as it feels rushed being shooed out while the staff has their family meal. Had the wasabi octopus appetizer and for under $2, it was delicious. Will definitely be a stop every time I pass through ATL.

    (4)

  • Jeenah J.

    If I could, I would give no stars, maybe even negative stars. Frankly, the food is great. This is the best ramen one can get in Atlanta. But the service here is consistently awful: it may be the worst in the city. I often visit this place for a regular ramen fix with friends. Yes, I drive 50 min for it and have made my friends do it, too. Previously, the awful service has been tolerable. The delicious food was delivered one way or another. I speak fluent Korean, and yes, I get that all the servers are young people working hard. But my last visit (9/14/14) was the worst experience EVER!!! I felt so awful about the situation that I apologized to everyone in my party. We arrived 1.5 hr before closing on a Sunday night. Our party had four people. Two arrived early (2hr before closing) so they ordered a few appetizers before we arrived. Once we arrived, it took them the usual 15 min to get us water and menu then another 20 min to take the order. When we all ordered, the waitress confirmed three times what we had ordered and placed the ordered to the kitchen. I watched her do it. The order was placed about 30 min before closing. Then in about 10 min, all the food arrived, except for one person's order. We waited for 10 minutes, waiting for his to arrive. Everyone, the waitress and the manager, passed by watching us just sitting there, not eating, and didn't bother to ask if anything was wrong. Eventually, we asked our waitress about the missing order. She figured out that it had been lost. The kitchen staff missed it completely. Did they apologize? No. Did anyone try to make up for their mistake? No. Without an apology, they simply said that they couldn't make this one order because the kitchen was closed (at 9:01), even though another table had placed an order 5 min ago. An apology would have gone a long way. But all the servers (the waitress and manager) were so disgustingly flippant about the situation that we decided not to tip them. The one person who did not get his order wrote a negative review on Yelp on 9/15/14 because he was so upset about it. It seems to have been removed. Go to Umaido, if you must. I still recommend this place to people who want good ramen. But after such a terrible service, I will never go there. Buy yourselves a package of Sun ramen noodles, and make it at home. It's cheaper and far more delicious.

    (1)

  • Cheryl L.

    The service is good, the interior is fun, and there is a huge selection of toppings available for your ramen. My only complaint is that my soup came out cold, and my noodles were lukewarm. They also gave out cold tea, which I am not a fan of. I'm sure it would be have a great bowl of ramen had the temperature been right.

    (3)

  • Michael K.

    Best Ramen in Atlanta, hands down. I got the Extra Spicy Ramen (Level 3) and it was super spicy! I got extra pork with mine, and I would also recommend getting an extra soft-boiled egg. They make the eggs the right way. :)

    (5)

  • Lola O.

    As someone who HATES Japanese ramen, I end up frequenting this place quite often. It's a great affordable option for lunch, especially for those who love seafood. My tried and trued favorites are the wasabi octopus over rice and grilled squid legs. Mm cephalopods. The waitresses are always very helpful and personable, and good-looking to boot. This place feels like a Japanese danmooji with sweeter service. My only wish is for them to add bento boxes to their menu. That would be bomb.

    (4)

  • Amrita R.

    I went here a few days ago with a couple of friends. I asked for a table for 7, three different times to three different people, yet the people I asked would keep disappearing and never return... then someone new would approach me and ask me what I want. In any case, they were accommodating and nice, even when my boyfriend's little cousin spilt his drink... twice. We mostly got the tonkatsu ramen, with some of us getting levels of spicy. My bf needed the extra noodles, and I'm surprised that even his 12 year old sister requested it. I thought it was just the right portion size for me. But for only 99 cents more, it's not a bad deal. I don't think the ramen was as good as the ones I had in California, although my bf insists that it was better. Level 3 was also making him sweat like a mad man. It was a tad saltier than I like it, but definitely worth trying, for Atlanta. It's much better than store-bought ramen ;) There is a slight overload of bean sprouts, but the broth is hearty and the boiled egg is perfect. I can't imagine what the level 100 ramen challenge would taste like! Bravo to those who actually win those... PS. The place is a bit hard to find, but it's best just to know that it's in the Super H complex once you get to the area. Also, the first letter of the name is in a Japanese character (I believe) so it can be a little confusing when you see it.

    (4)

  • Tommy K.

    We got here at 7:55pm, placed our order for ramen. Moments go by and a diff waitress asked if we paid already. I informed that waitress we haven't ate yet and is waiting for our food. Moments go by and a 3rd waitress brings a tab to us that wasn't even ours. I brought the wrong tab to the cashier and informed them that we have not ate and is still waiting. Their response? Deer in headlights. They started to speak Korean to each other for 5 min trying to figure out what happened. Then the waitress who took our order said she wasn't our waitress and didn't take our order. REALLY? Then, "oh I did take your order." Back to Korean talk and then said to me "oh, the machine didn't take your order, sorry we shut down the soup station so can you order a rice plate?" what a fucking disappointment. Needless to say we left. The reviews did say that service sucked but c'mon...their lucky I didn't slap the shit out of them.

    (1)

  • Steve S.

    It's decent. I guess I was spoiled by all the great ramen places in the Bay Area. I'm hoping to find a better ramen place soon.

    (3)

  • Paul H.

    Still love this place. I think the portion size has gotten a bit smaller, but the taste is still great. I also like the expanded menu from when I was last there. The original ramen is the best! I also like some of the appetizers, like the grilled squid legs! Yummy. Great place to bring kids that like noodles! They suck it up!

    (4)

  • Tuan P.

    Is this Ramen good? YES. Is it worth it? YES. Should I get more meat? HELL YES! If I lived in the area, I would be eating this at least twice a month (gotta save meals to try other places to right?). If you like this, hit up Ippudo in NYC if you get the chance. Different styles of Ramen, but both equally good in their own ways. The naruto drawing on the wall here was inspirational haha.

    (4)

  • Jang C.

    Addy drove us halfway to Japan to try this new ramen place. This was Yelp's new, hyped up restaurant of the week. When we got there, it looked like the store was closed. They even boarded up the door with 2x4s. Man, the economy must suck if Umaido is closed already. Oh wait, that's just the design of the store. They made the 2x4s to look like chopsticks door handles--not very intuitive. I hoped their ramen wasn't bad as their exterior design. Speaking of weird designs, their sesame grinder was tough to figure out. It took our group, using good teamwork, about 5 minutes to figure out how it worked. Anyway, I ordered the spicy-miso tonkotsu ramen with the rich broth. The first few initial bites tasted good. At the end, however, I could not finish the broth. It was too rich and too salty. I felt like my veins would pop from all the sodium. Since I still felt a bit hungry as I was finishing up my noodles, I did the kaedama. If you eat up all the noodles near the end, you can say "kaedama" to the server, and she'll get you extra noodles for a $1 more. The second round of noodles, however, was pretty tasteless. Maybe I should have let it sit in the broth for a bit. I also tried their chasu. That tasted pretty good. I also tried other people's broths, They all tasted decent. I think the regular tonkotsu broth tasted the best. Also, a bit of warning: their garlic condiments had mold on them. So, check for mold on the garlic if you come here. We did leave a little pile of moldy garlic on their table. I hope they got the hint--passive aggressiveness FTW. Overall, I thought the ramen deserved about 3.5 stars. Since I could not finish the broth, which is saying something since I love to drink all the broth on my ramen, I would dock a few points. Also I would need to dock some points for the moldy garlic. I would like to try it again, but it's too far. It's not worth the drive. Not even the bidet toilets in their bathroom would make me come back. If somehow I do come back, I would just get the regular tonokotsu ramen, and that's what I'll recommend you to get.

    (3)

  • Tony Y.

    Atlanta does not have a good ramen joint, no more to be said. Umaido is ok but for the price charged on the tiny portion of noodle, expected more, a lot more. Portions are small, even by Japanese ramen standards (seems this is Korean establishment). Ingredients used did not deliver any sort of uniqueness to flavor or texture. Side dishes were very subpar. Service, very weak given it was not even that busy.

    (2)

  • Kim N.

    Being such a anime fanatic I always dreamed to eat at a authentic ramen shop raise my chopsticks and just scream "itadakimasu!" And grub. But as I was being seated I noticed the staff was Korean....boy was I disappointed then. Authentic? Probably not. I was a vegetarian at the time and got the vegetarian ramen and specified for nothing animal based. They listened well and assured me otherwise.They substituted the pork and eggs with Chinese broccoli and bean sprouts. And the soup base was soymilk. At first that made me question how my ramen would taste but i like taking food risks. To my surprise it was actually good and went really well with all the veggies. Although the bowl of ramen looks large there weren't enough noodles to fill me up so I paid for extra noodles. Now that I'm eating meat again id love to try this place again.

    (4)

  • Michael L.

    After getting some pretty good ramen out in LA (Hakata Shinsengumi and Ramen California), we figured that we'd give this a shot and see how it compared. I got the normal tonkotsu ramen with rich(fatty) broth ($1 extra), and she got the spicy (level 2) tonkotsu ramen. Another friend got the miso ramen. Normal Tonkotsu w/rich broth: I'm guessing that the black powdery element in the soup was probably black sesame powder incorporated into the broth- this broth was really tasty, but as other reviews mentioned, super fatty. I don't mind that- just don't drink it all if you can't take it. :) It reminded me a lot of the tonkotsu ramen broth I had at Ramen California- flavorful, creamy/heavy, and on the salty side. The Chasyu (roast pork) was a bit chewy and seemed overcooked- though the flavor of the pork itself was good. The noodles were on the hard side (I tend to like it that way), and it was the straight type of noodles (like at Hakata Shinsengumi). Their parboiled eggs were AWESOME. Unlike Shoya, they keep their eggs intact instead of halving them. (4) If you'd like to get a refill on noodles (kaedama), you can pay an extra buck for it. It's a better way to get the most out of the tasty broth. The spiciness in the spicy tonkotsu ramen tended to mask the pork bone flavor, so I wouldn't recommend this one as much. (3) I only got a spoonful of the miso broth- it tasted lighter (not as fatty/creamy), but was still decently salty. (3.5) For a bowl of noodles, 7-10 bucks is okay....I just wish I didn't have to drive 40 minutes to get to this spot. I'll have to try Yakitori Jinbei's tonkotsu next.

    (4)

  • Joe O.

    Tokoyaki was awesome. Got two servings. Honey Tonkatsu is always good. Level 100 is on another level. Just down the broth or you'll vomit.

    (5)

  • Peter O.

    Spicy Miso Ramen is heaven in a bowl, marry this with the unfiltered Sake (Shirakawago) and you have a party in your mouth.

    (5)

  • Sonia C.

    So I saw one of my friend ate Tonkatsu in Japan and that makes me craving tonkatsu ramen. So i yelping the best tonkatsu ramen and i decided to try Umaido. This small restaurant located beside H mart Suwanee. The interior just simple and clean in my opinion very "street looking" compared to traditional Japanese restaurant. The menu is not that much. Mostly ramen. I did yelping before i ordered :P And decide to choose spicy tonkatsu ramen. The menu came couple of minutes after i ordered. They taste tasty salty and it have meaty pork rich flavor , the broth has milky colour, unfortunately you only get 3 slice of pork and the rest is the ramen and small (i forget the name) circle thing and taste like artificial meat. The good point : You can order the ramen for free because the waiter asked me if i want more ramen i just have to called her. Well, I personally don't like order another ramen because i feel like i only eat the ramen with milky soup and that's why i feel not full, i guess you can eat it as a brunch. Advice : Please add more pork meat, 3 slice is not enough.

    (4)

  • Louise S.

    Umaido is a great spot for some authentic tasty noodles. It's just a shame it's about 200 miles away from anywhere. Husband has successfully completed the Spicy Noodle challenge so the last couple of times we've been back he has not felt the need to force a bowl of scalding chili water down his gullet. The broth comes in 2 strengths regular and rich. If I go for the rich I can't finish the bowl. The food is streaks ahead of the service, with the seeming obligatory contingent of slightly stroppy bored teens, huffing when asked for anything and rolling their eyes. Our waiter came round to ask our table if we needed anything else but neglected to mention the reason she was asking was that the kitchen was closing in a couple of minutes (at 8.30). Umaido is pretty good and if we suddenly decide to move out into the arse end of Atlanta so it becomes local I could see it becoming a regular spot. As it is it's just not quite special enough to be worth the epic trek

    (3)

  • JEWELe M.

    Umaido is still my favorite ramen spot in Atlanta, and maybe in the Southwest United States! At this visit I tried the Honey Miso Ramen with extra pork belly! Delicious! I enjoy my ramen a little sweet with extra corn, so this was a delicious treat! Check it out! And yes, I believe the collagen in the broth is doing wonders in my Asian skin! ;D

    (5)

  • Jeannie L.

    I came back with a group of friends this weekend, one of whom came as a CHALLENGER and cleared all 4 bowls of ramen under 20 mins. :) Today I ordered the original tonkotsu ramen, the soup wasn't as good as previously but the chashu (roast pork) was more tender and better tasting... Had a fun evening, will be back sometime for more ramen...

    (5)

  • Tim E.

    We have been going to Umaido pretty regularly since it opened. Now it's about time I wrote a review. Many people complain about having to drive so far for good ramen but we are fortunate to have this place nearby. I swear every time we come here the broth gets a little better. We have tried all variations except seafood and we usually stick with the regular Tonkatsu. I think it has the best overall flavor and if you want it spicy you can always add a little spicy oil. Sometimes the pork can be a bit inconsistently sliced and too thin but the flavor is oh so good! The egg is always perfect with a nice, runny yolk. I don't often come here on weekdays since I work over in Alpharetta, but when I can I love the combination lunch with ramen and the chasyu rice bowl. That is enough to really fill me up. I love the rice bowl as much as I love the ramen! I don't know if they have changed the gyoza since we first tried it but I would skip it. It was more like a typical Korean gyoza which I usually find very weird tasting. Overall this a great lunch place with a nice relaxed atmosphere and friendly service. A definite "regular" for us.

    (5)

  • Dio S.

    Umaido, the only specialized ramenya in the Atlanta area is cruelly situated 30 miles north of downtown. Fortunately, the ramen does not disappoint and I find myself driving up here to eat once every couple months. Here you find some description about the hours of labor that go into making the pork bone soup base and home made fresh noodles. The menu prominently features several ramen options, and a few side dishes. The ramen style advertised is called Hakata, and the thick white broth, thin straight noodles, and the toppings affirm the identity; on the table are peeled garlic cloves with crusher, and red ginger. The broth is intensely fragrant, as are certain toppings such as the roast pork and the squid. The intensity and uniqueness (as in contrast, most other places' broth smell quite like one another) of the broth fragrance are impressive. The taste is rich and substantial, but generally not salty enough to me (except for the tori ramen, which has a modified shio-style broth). It is improved a notch by the addition of crushed garlic (also smells better) and becomes excellent, though still slightly lacking saltiness. Getting the "extra rich" broth increases the substantial-ness, but unfortunately doesn't necessarily make it tastier. Noodles are always slightly under-cooked and have a wheaty chew quite unlike the common curly egg noodles found at most places. It is unique and good, I am just not sure it's that much better. Because of the rich broth they expect you to and I typically find myself requesting extra noodles, which is another prominently featured option on the menu. Toppings are very flavorful with some great recipes, and the egg is cooked just right and oozes warm yolk when you bite into it. I've had some side dishes like chicken karaage and gyoza here, they have not been too memorable. The service is usually lousy, which is tolerable to me. Overall, Umaido gives you a wonderful smelling and very good tasting ramen that has a strong style identity, and the dining experience of eating at a specialized ramenya. I'll eat here much more often if it isn't so far.

    (4)

  • James S.

    Outstanding!!!!! (Again for Buford) My favorite is Haru Ichiban when I want to make the drive.

    (4)

  • Richard A.

    I'm a fan of Santouka Ramen in Mitsuwa stores in various parts of the nation. I stumbled across this place one night during these past holidays, when me and my brother were looking for some new place to eat. The huge chopsticks on the door must have caught our attention, and also their BOGO special then. I must say though, I'm glad we stepped foot through those doors because we've been back several times since. In comparison to Santouka, this is good but not better. Santouka has the better broth, but Umaido has the better pork! When you enter Umaido, you may notice the little press that they use to make their noodles. The menu choices are small, but I've come to love the regular order with the rich broth, I keep it simple. It's definitely not the college ramen noodle that you're use to, but I suggest you try it out now because I did notice that the prices have increased on some of the items since the first time I went there. So a solid 4.5 stars from me, 5 stars once they start offering sake or some sort of alcohol!

    (4)

  • NN R.

    The ramen, if you get extra "rich" broth, is 5 stars. But the portions and service are somethings to be desired. I don't know what happened, they used to have tasty broth without opting for the pricier, "richer" broth. The service used to be good too without a long wait time, but ever since management was transferred to more traditional, Korean way of business, the experience has been downgraded. You don't get as much and the regular broth is not as good. You'll have to get the more expensive broth for it to taste as good as it used to be. Although it's still the best ramen I've had so far, the difference in quality and service is a disappointment. However, first timers without expectations would fall in love with the authentic ramen.

    (4)

  • Sunira M.

    Ok the decor in this place is awesome! It's modeled after honest Japanese decor and it feels like you're walking into an anime! Decor novelty aside, the staff is very friendly and attentive. Their food is served quickly and is also delicious. I had the ramen with spicy noodles and the rich broth. The quantity is pretty good, and there is more than enough soup and noodle to satisfy my palate. I don't have any complaint about this place! Definitely a good choice if you enjoy ramen.

    (5)

  • Kathy H.

    Wow, what a NEAT eclectic little place! Noodle bar straight out of Tampopo...well, maybe not quite Tampopo because it's stateside, but as good as I've found here by a wide margin. Complimentary rice water on arrival, very refreshing. Great little sake selection (citron was too sweet for me, but unfiltered was DELISH, and i think we had one other but i can't remember which :), and I love that they let you choose your own sake cup! Noodle menu looked fabulous, and I was slobbering over every bowl they carried past me to other patrons, but I was swayed by the house-made gyoza, house-made pickles, pork belly, wasabi octopus & other wondrous appetizers - tried so many before i had the japanese curry (awesome good) tha I had no room in my belly for noodles! I did manage to make room for the green tea mochi though, always a place in my stomach for that! This place will be a haunt for me in the coming months, I'm back VERY soon for the beautiful, delicious-smelling noodles!

    (4)

  • Kevin S.

    Food is good but service is terrible ! The waitress is rude and mean to the customers. Don't go there with your date on Saturday night if you don't want ruin your romantic night .

    (1)

  • Paul H.

    I love this place, real authentic Japanese ramen at a cheap price. The tonkotsu ramen is so delicious with it's rich broth and I can eat the pork belly rice every day. The gyoza and seafood ramen are both quite good as well and you can try those in future visits.

    (5)

  • Jim N.

    Spicy level 2 all day!

    (5)

  • Christofer B.

    Their ramen is good but not the best I ever had. However, I really do like their rice dishes. The place is definitely oriented for young adults so maybe not the best place to bring children.

    (3)

  • Diana C.

    I don't know what happened today, but we are frequent customers to Umaido... today really makes me not want to come back, lol. Friday, prime time for lunch, only one waitress... (friendly, but fairly new seeming) We all take our orders, and I ask for Kimchii, she says they're out. No problem, it happens. One of our group only eats vegetarian, so he orders the soy ramen which is normally very delicious... the waitress comes back 10 minutes later to let him know that they don't have the broth. He's stuck ordering inari sushi and some rice... She comes back again and lets us know that chicken karage is out. 4 people at the table ordered that... so we got menus to order again. Some regular tonkatsu ramen comes out, and the rest of us order... After about an hour, we finally all get our food, including the vegetarian guest who actually got a plate of raw toppings + spinach.......... unfortunately for me, there was a miscommunication about my order, thinking they were only out of chicken karage, but they were out of the tori soup too so I had to reorder an hour into our "meal" ... It took another good 15-20 minutes before it finally was coming out, and I order it to go. It took a good hour and a half to wait for ALL of the food. Still giving them 2 stars, because the food still tastes great, and the waitress was very friendly, but I'm sorely disappointed in the fact that they basically didn't have anything prepped for lunch (I saw almost every other table with no food) ... and we got charged full price for everything, including the guy who had a plate of toppings...... Seriously, what happened today?

    (2)

  • Lydia E.

    I absolutely enjoy the ramen here. The broth can be a little salty at times, but the consistency of the quality of food brings me back every time. There's even a garlic press at each table if you want to add more garlic. One must try the chasyu don rice! Asparagus wrapped in bacon appetizer... yum... well, anything wrapped in bacon is pretty damn good. Service has always been prompt and courteous.

    (5)

  • Agnes C.

    Noodles had a weird texture, but the meal wasn't bad. The portions are small.

    (3)

  • John B.

    A friend found this place, way on the outskirts of town, but after making one trip I knew I would be back for more. I've made the journey three times now to meet up with friends, and its well worth the drive. I love the porky tonkatsu ramen with the rich broth and extra chashu, and I always go for the extra serving of noodles before I finish that delicious broth. Those noodles are not too firm and not too soft; just right, as Goldilocks would say. Next time I think I'll try the spicy miso. The decor is modern and minimalist, with Asian pop playing on the big screen TV overlooking the dining tables. The giant carved chopsticks on the front door let you know you've come to the right place. I recommend you finish the evening with coffee and a pastry at Mozart Bakery a few doors down.

    (5)

  • Alice L.

    Not bad, not great. I've been on a bit of a ramen-hunt in Chicago in an attempt to duplicate my Ippudo NY experience. As it turns out, Chicago has virtually no restaurants that serve quality tonkotsu ramen, but the Atlanta area does have some contenders. I had the Spicy Miso with the regular broth. Compared to Ippudo, their broth is somewhat blander, though I'm not sure how much better the rich broth would be. I also thought the noodles were just a tiny bit on the al dente side; I know ramen is supposed to have some bite, but the texture of the noodles were a bit off. I did really enjoy the braised pork as well as the soft boiled egg, and each table comes with a nifty assortment of various seasonings to add, including freshly ground sesame, peeled garlic that you can press yourself, spicy oil, and pickled ginger. The portion sizes are reasonable, as in you'll finish your bowl and leave the restaurant still feeling nimble. I'll probably come back at some point due to the convenience and because I really adore ramen. This place is, if nothing else, absurdly cheap. I had dinner for two with a green tea ice cream for $21, which isn't bad at all for an authentic and delicious meal.

    (3)

  • Khoi T.

    Umaido took my Ramen virginity and it has really sparked my interests for Ramen. Unfortunately, I have only had the opportunity to consume Ramens from a few establishments. Therefore, I can't compare much. Appetizers: I would suggest you skip this part. The Goyza was just ok while the Japanese Fried Chicken was just simply horrible. Fried Chicken? More like Chicken Fritters. Ramen: I have ordered the Spicy Soy Ramen and the Tonkustu Ramen. I find the Soy broth to be nice, thick, and rich. On several occasion, it can get really salty though. The soft boiled eggs that comes with it is just simply heaven. In comparison to other places, I would say Umaido gives you less for your buck. Time wise, it can take up to 20 minutes for your bowl of Ramen. Service is good.

    (3)

  • Hiro T.

    Alright, I'm going to preface this review by saying that I went into the store ready to compare the ramen to true Japanese ramen because of all the good reviews. Let me go ahead and say that this restaurant's ramen DOES NOT EVEN GET CLOSE to true Japanese ramen. So, if you've been to Japan and expecting the same taste, you will be disappointed. If you go in thinking, "hey, this place is in the states, I'm expecting something that's going to taste accordingly," you will probably be very satisfied. Now, to the ramen. The noodles just don't have the flavor of ramen noodles. They taste rather bland and are a little on the soft side. I went with the spicy miso, which turned out to be spicy, but no miso. I could barely taste the miso and felt like I was sipping on spicy water. I can't say that I will not return because I am a sucker for food challenges and they have two. One where you eat four bowls of ramen, and another spicy ramen challenge. I may return for these, but I would never consider driving all the way out to Suwanee from Atlanta for this ramen. I advise that if your not from the Suwanee area, it's not worth the drive, save some gas money and get some ramen at Shoya. But, if live in the Suwanee area, this place might be worth a visit...

    (2)

  • Bry A.

    where to start. atmosphere I assume they were going for a street feel to add some genuinity ( yea I made that up ). I had the original tonkotsu ramen. pretty good. what brought this place down might have been service or the fact that my hot tea came from a soda can.

    (3)

  • Todd P.

    Having lived in Japan for a few years, I had learned early on in my adult life that "ramen" doesn't always mean cheap, nutrition-less crap in a bowl ala "Top Ramen". And therefore was really excited to join a group of crazy people who planned a UYE in Lower Tennessee to snarf down some REAL ramen noodles. While Daniel B. and Dio S. decided to give Umaido's spicy ramen challenge a try, I stuck with the regular tonkotsu bowl (not to be confused with tonkatsu, which I did initially until Dio set me straight. Tonkotsu = roasted pork; tonkatsu = breaded/fried pork cutlet). The pork was very delicious. Noodles had heft, broth was rich and salty. Hard boiled egg was nicely done. The food hit the spot and made me smile. The service, on the other hand, was the shits. Our server, a young high school-aged kid was disconnected and disinterested. When informed about a missing bowl of ramen for one of our party, he shrugged his shoulders and walked away. Boo! I guess it would suck if your parents owned a ramen shop and made you work there (assuming this is the case), and I know we're not talking about The French Laundry here, but come on!

    (3)

  • Carlos C.

    It was certainly better the 3rd time I went. Like pho, it is an acquired taste and have to find the right blend of spices and ingredients to make just right and palatable. So, like any peculiar food, try at least three times before you choose to like or hate it. I'll personally have pho over 'ramen" any day, but Umaido is good for what they do. Will eat again....sometime...on a cold day...when I don't crave Korean, BBQ, Southern, or Chinese food.

    (3)

  • Mi G.

    Darn it, I really wished we didn't run out of batteries for pictures! So sad I wasn't able to document a great moment when my boyfriend ALMOST completed eating 4 bowls of ramen for the challenge. The half-eaten egg yolk threw him off (he hates the sight of it), and he puked half of the broth back into the bowl (another Kodak moment gone to waste), thus, being unable to complete the challenge. So sad. He only had a few drops to go...I curse that egg yolk! It was pretty awesome. I tried eating 4 bowls too; I've always thought that I was a big eater. Being 5'2 and around 90lbs makes it even more unbelievable to some people that I can eat. I really wanted to prove my eating abilities, but I failed miserably. :( 3 noodle bowls into the challenge, I felt myself getting sick. Not to mention the broth was SCALDINGLY HOT. My tongue still feels the burn. I had the 4th bowl to go. Too good to let go to waste (nom nom nom!). I can't say I'll be willingly making myself sick again by consuming massive amounts of food I can't store, but for sure I'll be coming back to Umaido for their thick, rich, delicious ramen, and possibly trying out their spicy challenge next time! :) Needless to say, our experience was pretty epic. My boyfriend is not going to be eating ramen for a while but I'm excited to come back again once he recovers from his new-found fear of ramen. Hehe. :)

    (4)

  • David Y.

    I read many reviews prior to writing it. Why is that people complaint so much on driving so far and decided this place place a less the medicore review? That's your fault for living too far and shouldn't have anything to do with how this resturant is. Do you ever see zagat reviewer going "I had to drive 1 hr to get here and its not worth it" That's so crazy. I rely on yelpers honest review before going to any new resturant...but distance shouldn't be a factor when it comes to writing a review. I think I would give 3.5 stars but I would give it 5 just to even it out. I am not fan of ramen noodle in general. Decent food and good service. Could be managed better. Needs some rolls and other varieties in this place. Hope this place would stick around.

    (5)

  • Navi K.

    So, I have not visited Umaido in months since Spring & this cold night had me craving for a hot bowl of noodle soup...I debated between Vietnamese's Pho or Umaido's mouth-watering rich broth ramen...and being out here in the suburbs left me only a few options..it was obvious Umaido won. I entered with a friend & as always greeted by the friendly patrons...First thing I've noticed is that most of the workers now spoke Korean, kind of raised an eyebrow for me, I recalled from all of my previous visits the workers were Japanese, so wondered if management had changed. I crossed my fingers hoping that food quality will remain the same..I usually start with an appetizer, Tako Yaki or Tori Kaarage, but passed on that today and went straight for the good stuff! I do recommend the Wasabi Takowari though..so I ordered the Tori Ramen (chicken broth based) for the 1st time, thought pork broth was a little too rich to digest after a long night out the day before. I have to say all of the other ramen selections are all delicious, but my favorite is the Spicy ramen & Soymilk ramen. I also ordered the Chasyu (chopped roasted pork rice bowl) to share with my friend, knowing I might be still hungry because the ramen portion here is not humongous, there is only one size bowl here guys..Both were a little disappointment ;( My ramen was meatless, only fried onions, an egg & spinach, most of the ramen comes with at least 3 slices of roast pork, I should of read the menu carefully, that was my fault, but the chewy texture of the buckwheat noodle and broth was on point. Chasyu on the other hand was disappointing, the chopped pork quality wasn't the same, I honestly couldn't tell it was pork this time since it was waaay overly chopped & seems like old pork from earlier in the day & every little bit of it they had left went into the bowl. It had too much mayo too. I see that a few people complained about the small portion of toppings in some of the reviews; ok guys let me educate you on this; Japanese cuisine is very simple & minimal, they do not devour big portions like us Americans, they treat their dishes like art works & the reasons behind small portions is for you to get a small taste of each ingredients that makes up the one meal, they are not greedy with their tongues. And to the people who thought the eggs were half way cooked, well it supposed to be half way cooked because that is how it is traditionally eaten..if you are going to venture out of you safety food zone I would recommend learning about what you are going to eat. I am a big foodie & Ive encountered many cuisines from all over the globe, & I respect the cultures & the traditions behind each one.

    (3)

  • Joy M.

    I've never been disappointed with this place, and I've been going for a couple of years now. The ramyun is great and the decor makes you want to stay longer. It's such a pleasant hole in the wall.

    (5)

  • Leeanna L.

    I've been searching for a Japanese noodle house in Atlanta for a few years now and honestly, I really wasn't looking hard enough. Umaido, located in a small shopping center next to the Super H Mart in Suwanee, has been open since 2008. Umaido specializes in pork-broth based ramen and offers you a choice of 6 flavors -- Tokatsu, Spicy Tonkatsu, Miso, Sweet Miso, Seafood, and Soymilk. You also have the option to upgrade your regular broth to a "rich" broth. If you're feeling in a competitive mood, Umaido offers a unique challenge. Eat 4 bowls of ramen -- it's free if you finish, $20 if you don't. On a second trip, I spied a hilarious wall of photos of the attempted challengers. I say attempted because of the 60 or so attempts, only 15 have made it. As a personal challenge, a different one sorry, I got the tonkatsu ramen with rich broth. Though the soup had a flavorful start, the salt builds on your tongue rather quickly. On top of that, the rich broth is no-kidding freak'n riiiich. Bring an extra Zantac. In comparing the rich broth to the regular broth, the surface is palpably graced with an oil slick sheen. I cleaned up my noodles, pork slices, and soft-boiled egg but I was not able to finish my broth. For ramen, that's nuf said. Other items of note include the Chasyu Rice Bowl. It was surprisingly complex for what is essentially a bowl of rice with really tasty toppings. Now that's comfort food I could do with on a regular basis. Too bad we're talking Suwanee here. Overall, not quite the Tampopo experience I had in mind. However, if you're weighing that dried packet of ramen for dinner, consider tossing that for the real thing if only for one night. Umaido is a respectably decent Japanese noodle house and a worthy foodie adventure.

    (3)

  • Mark B.

    Yes! Damn good noodles! They really deliver an authentic Japanese noodle soup. If you like spicy then go for the level 2 or higher spicy bowl. I would recommend 2 bowls!

    (4)

  • Mike Y.

    Umaido offers up a small menu mostly consisting of Ramen dishes that are supposed to be the most authentic in the Atlanta area. This place is in the friggin 'stix though. I'll admit the only reason I went to bumblefuck was to do their event challenges. My brother double dog dared me. How could I refuse? They offer 2 challenges... Event 1: You have 20 minutes to eat 4 bowls of ramen. Failure means you pay. Winning means you walk away with a free meal Event 2: A spicy bowl of ramen that you must devour in 10 minutes with no water to cool the mouth. Same prizes as above. My friends and I opted for the challenge 2. They offer 3 different spice levels to normal dishes. Level 1, 2, and 3. The spice challenge is supposedly level 100. It was definitely spicy, but not challenge worthy. The difficult task is to drink the boiling hot broth in 10 minutes without scalding the inside of your mouth. As for the taste, I was trying to beat a challenge so tasting, chewing, and took a back burner to winning. I eventually took it down, but it left my a rumbling in my stomach that lasted for hours. I'm gonna have to go back to see how a real dish is supposed to taste. My table mates seemed to enjoy their meals so I guess it wasn't all bad. Either way I got a nice profile pic to go with my free bowl of noodles. Win!

    (4)

  • Derek L.

    This place serves pretty decent Ramen... I hope I don't offend anyone by saying this, ITS RAMEN.......This place is definitely better than Shoyu. The soup seems a little bit less watered down. I tasted the rich soup and regular soup to me it tasted exactly the same. So its up to you if you want to spend an extra dollar on it or not. Its just MSG with soup and noodles and a boiled egg. I do give it credit for the small setting and surroundings. It seems very comfortable. Also there is a challenge there if you could eat a certain amount of the Ramen noodles you get a prize like 1 year free Ramen or something like that. If you like Ramen noodles and live in the Sawnee area, by all means go to this place. If you are looking for a place to have a date, pretty good place in the H-mart in Sawnee's shopping center.

    (3)

  • Alex R.

    I will just say this: My japanese coworker ranked it amongst Ramen Noodle Shops in Shinjuku (Tokyo).

    (4)

  • George L.

    I'm a Ramen aficionado. On the east coast haven't really found many that actually has ramen. Only two places I can say: Orlando at Hana Mizuki (on I-drive) and here at Umaido. By far Umaido has soup base that is unique. They have soymilk-, honey miso-, tonkatsu-, and a few others. The soup is rich just how ramen should be made. If you're on the east coast I would say, as of this moment, Umaido is probably as good as it gets for ramen. Orlando is next. Those are about the only two places on this side of the country I would recommend for ramen (but you really have no choice there aren't any others). But I do highly recommend Umaido. Unfortunately the noodles themselves didn't quite impress me as some other ramen restaurants I had in the past. Otherwise enjoy! I love this place and I will be coming here every time I pass Atlanta.

    (5)

  • Canyouwoowoo W.

    Guys, guys, seriously c'mon. Ima grown man here for cryin oud-lowd! (pounding the table)... I am won hunnert percent Amer-can! So where's the beef?... Oh wait, I mean to say, where's the meat? Where's didya stash the rest of the little piggie? Tonkatsu Ramen costs $7. The portion given was for hello kitty dolls. Ima a grown man dangnabbit! But gotta admit. It WAS good...

    (3)

  • Sean L.

    Although this restaurant is operated by Korean, their ramen flavor is the closest one I ever had in the US to the Tonkotsu Ramen I had in Hakata () , Kyushu, Japan. I really enjoy it. We ordered the Spicy Tonkotsu ramen and the Miso Tonkotsu ramen. The Miso one is pretty authentic, while the spicy one is, I guess, customized for Korean folks. Anyway, I never found a good ramen place when living in California, this one tops all the ramen places I have been in several states.

    (5)

  • Peter B.

    Many people wouldn't know the difference between the multiple varieties of ramen in Japan (salt, soy, miso, pork broth), but those that know usually have a favorite, and this is mine. Umaido is unquestionably the best pork broth ramen I've found in the Atlanta area. The flavor is spot on; they have all the right toppings at the table (sesame seeds and pickled ginger); and you can order refills of noodles for just $1 (one of the well-known quirks associated with this style of ramen). I highly recommend it if you're looking for authentic Japanese ramen.

    (5)

  • Sarah E.

    4.5 stars, rounded up because these folks really treat me right and I haven't found better ramen in Atlanta (well, NEAR Atlanta) since Sakana-Ya closed down a few years ago. I figured I should update my review, since I eat at Umaido so often that most of the staff recognizes me now. I have become addicted to the delicious tonkotsu broth and the laid-back atmosphere. I've brought a friend here for lunch and he raved about it, and I finally brought my husband here last night and he was a fan, too. The atmosphere is laid-back and the decor is cool and I guess kind of industrial. I'm a fan of the perky J-pop and Japanese techno that's usually playing. I always get good service and I always feel welcome. Don't bother with the gyoza - they're kind of small and not really filled enough. I usually get the chasyu rice bowl, though I want to try the onigiri (rice balls) sometime, too. I never get around to it because I like the chasyu rice bowl so much. It's a bowl of perfectly cooked rice topped with the perfect blend of pork, soy sauce, ginger, aioli and other flavors. On weekdays during lunch, you can get it for 3 bucks along with a little edamame. Order a rice bowl along with a bowl of the ramen, and you'll leave pretty full. I usually just order the regular tonkotsu ramen, but you can order extra pork or other extra toppings for pretty cheap if you so desire. I highly recommend using the garlic press at your table to crush in one (or two or three) whole cloves of garlic. The garlic really brings out the rich flavor of the broth even more. When your bowl of ramen comes out, it looks beautiful. Green onions, bean sprouts, "tree ears" (which I think are a type of mushroom), and a few slices of pork are arrayed atop the broth with care and accopanied by a soft-boiled brown egg. The pork is tender and perfectly cooked. The broth is rich, creamy and delicious (and probably filled with millions of fat grams and calories). Umaido's menu says that it takes them 36 hours to prepare their broth, and that care and attention to detail really shows in the flavor of the soup. The noodles served at Umaido are a lot different from any ramen noodles I've had before. When I used to enjoy ramen on a regular basis at the old Sakana-Ya in Chamblee, the noodles were curly and sort of a fresher, much yummier version of the noodles you think of when you think of instant ramen. The noodles at Umaido are thicker and straighter, but they taste delicious and fresh. I had to get used to them because they were different from the noodles I'd tried before, but now I love them. Up until recently, Umaido offered only 3 flavors of ramen - regular tonkotsu, miso ramen, and spicy tonkotsu. I have tried all of these, and the regular tonkotsu is by far my favorite. I also enjoyed the miso ramen, though I'm a creature of habit and keep going back for the regular tonkotsu. In my opinion, the heat of the spicy ramen takes away from the complexity of the tonkotsu broth, so I don't really recommend it. They recently (within the past month or so) updated their menu to add some new flavors - seafood ramen, sweet miso ramen, and soy milk ramen. I haven't tried any of these yet, though I do plan to try the seafood ramen when I'm in a fishy mood someday. I hope the expanded menu is a sign that Umaido is doing good business, because I want them to stick around for a long, long time.

    (5)

  • Ellie N.

    This is my second time here and probably my last. I really don't know what the hype is about this place. Their food is average at best and their service is..snobby. Maybe this place has declined recently but I dont remember my first time being out of this world either. Everyone else in my group was not satisfied with their meal either, there was just not enough flavor in the soup. Maybe their goal is to make a bland-ish soup and then people can flavor it to how they want. This sort of defeats the purpose though. Last time I got the extra noodles but this time I didn't even bother, I had to force myself to finish my bowl cause I was so hungry from an entire day outdoor. That's saying something when a group of super super hungry people (who've been outside all day) dont enjoy your food. I've never tried the super spicy broths, maybe that's why people love it so much, I just dont get it.

    (2)

  • Gloria W.

    I've been obsessed with ramen lately.. especially spicy ramen. I ordered level 3 spicy ramen thinking I could handle it. Well, I did eat it, but didn't enjoy it. It was my fault for being that adventurous.. but it wasn't the spiciness. I just can't put my finger on what it was that made me not like it. Maybe it was the MSG? Salt? I don't know. But I had some of my friend's chasudon and it was really good. If I come back, that's what I'll get.. LARGE sized and maybe bum off someone else's ramen. If I want ramen, I'm going to Haru Ichiban. Bigger portion and more yumminess.

    (3)

  • Eva T.

    Compared to the ramen houses on the west coast and in NYC, I think this is probably the most spacious ramen house I've ever been to. The tonkotsu ramen broth was very rich. My husband ordered the tonkotsu rich broth and that was way too rich. The regular broth was just fine. I thought the broth was on the salty side. The egg was good with the runny yolk. I thought the noodles reminded me of Chinese egg noodles. I liked the broth, but not so much of the noodles. The fresh garlic on the table with the garlic press definitely added a nice touch to the ramen experience. The portion was just right for me, but on the small side for my husband even after ordering the extra noodles. Overall, I thought it was good, but not great enough for me to drive all the way up to Suwanee just for ramen.

    (4)

  • Daric M.

    I've only been here twice but like it a whole lot. Menu is very short, really just 3 dishes. Noodles in a rich pork broth, Noodles in pork broth with miso, and noodles in spicy pork broth. The broth is unlike anything I've had before, super rich and tasty. I'm sure it's got loads of fat in it, but it's like it's emulsified, as it doesn't seem fatty but almost creamy. They all come with a little thinly sliced roast pork, lots of green onions, some seaweed and a soft boiled egg. You can get extra noodles, extra pork or extra rich broth for a little extra. Or you can get sides, either a little rice dish or dumplings. My advice, get the basic noodle bowl. If you like spicy, add the chili oil on the table instead of getting the spicy noodles. The spicy broth doesn't seem to have the complexity. And get the rice side instead of the goyza. The rice dish is wonderful but the goyza are just average. Service is annoyingly attentive. I almost docked them a star but I understand that they probably get lots of confused round eyes in there.

    (5)

  • Joseph M.

    Won't find better ramen in Georgia

    (5)

  • Charlene W.

    One day, I went to Umaido for lunch because I had a craving for ramen. Strangely, most ramen places in Atlanta and even OTP are closed for lunch. Places like Miso Izakaya only serve ramen during late night (after 10pm), so my options were limited. After some severe Yelping (thanks guys!), I begrudgingly accepted that I had to drive out to Suwanee for my fix. This place really does an authentic and fantastic job. I got the Tonkotsu Ramen with extra chasyu (roasted pork). The broth was rich with lots of flavor, they had the right amounts of toppings, and I liked the flavor the tree ear added. I also appreciated that you could get a refill on noodles. For those who aren't familiar, in traditional ramen places, you can get a refill on noodles when you are done but are left with broth and toppings in your bowl. I definitely got a refill on my noodles (say kae dama to get the refill) and happily slurped down the rest of my bowl. For the record, I eat like a fat kid -- a refill is definitely not necessary for the average person to be full. My only gripes, if you can even call them that, are that I wish the pork was sliced slightly thinner and I prefer a poached egg rather than a soft boiled egg for ramen. (Note: The menu calls it 1/2 hard boiled, but the eggs are soft boiled.) The soft boiled egg was actually done perfectly, so it's hard to complain. If you're a fan of spicy food, you can try the Ultra Spicy Ramen where they have different levels of spiciness, or try the "spicy-men" for actual noodles that are made to be spicy. There are also other types of ramen (miso, tori, etc.) available, since Umaido is a ramen house. I stuck with the regular ones because I don't like spicy food that much. It's a pain to drive out to Suwanee, but is Umaido worth the drive out to Suwanee? Definitely.

    (5)

  • Vy A.

    I was pretty excited to hear that there was a ramen place in town. In fact, we were so excited to hear this news that we ditched our original dinner plans (while already in the restaurant) and made the trek up to Suwanee.The restaurant was clean and has a fresh layout, with the front reminiscent of an old ramen house and the back being a bit more hip. Menu: The menu is limited to variations on the Tonkotsu broth, which is usually my favorite when it comes to ramen. There are basically three things to get 1) Tonkotsu 2) Spicy Tonkotsu and 3) Miso Tonkotsu; Of course there are some adds that you can get eg. rice with fish eggs, gyoza... Service: Service was good...nothing much to expand on here. Food: I enjoyed the broth of the classic Tonkotsu. It is some of the better ramen broth I've had in Atlanta. It is has the richness and flavor that Shoya's Tonkotsu broth lacks. The egg was carefully cooked and the meat was not bad. We also tried the spicy Tonkotsu broth, which was disappointing. The spices used really highlight the Korean influence and straying away from the traditional Japanese flavors and detracted from the flavors. I also did not appreciate the texture of the noodles. I'll probably give this place another whirl and I do recommend that people giveit a try, especially if they happen to be in the area.

    (3)

  • Andres C.

    Quite the gem in suwanee, ga.

    (5)

  • FangFang W.

    It was my favorite. However, it seems changed a lot since last time I came. It becomes more Korean rather than japanese. Tamagoyaki tacoyaki are great.

    (4)

  • Kipp S.

    For it's category (Ramen Noodles), this place is a 5 star. Surrounded by Asian cuisine, Umaido's stands out from the crowd. Starting with the cuisine, the food was fresh and full of flavors. The ability to mix so many ingredients together without the individual flavors being lost is akin to sushi. (that's an analogy. they don't make sushi) As far as the restaurant, it is very clean and has a comfortably modern style. Anytime I am in the area I make sure to stop in. I hate TV's in restaurants but if you like them, they have those for you. Service is average. On the 3 weekday occasions I've visited, the servers were eager to serve but not too experienced. In the end, I highly recommend for a anyone who wants to try great ramen noodles, wants to try something new, on an informal or semiformal date, or out with friends. Nice Job Umaido, I don't give 5 stars to hardly anyone!

    (5)

  • Suzy J.

    Chasyu Don was fantastic, the pickled ginger makes the dish.. otherwise it would just be tasty pork, sauce and rice... :) yeah it was great. Now, I ordered the Tonkatsu Ramen as my main dish of choice. The ramen noodles were WONDERFUL but I have a place in my heart for the broth and some of the tenderest pork @ Haru Ichiban. So if I could put the two together, how sweet life would be. Alas I cannot and I would have to go with Haru Ichiban for the dish overall crying that I could not have the awesome noodles of Umaido. I agree with s k.'s review but I might go again just for a bowl of something different.

    (4)

  • Ikam L.

    Just stopped by yesterday and I rate 3 stars. Well, it was okay but the soup was a bit salty and they did not bring gyoza after we finished eating ramen. If you are fan of Hakata ramen, you'll love it. As far as restaurant atmosphere, it was nice and clean, the staffs were very nice.

    (3)

  • Christopher V.

    I only give this place props for being the only Ramen shop in the Atlanta area. I lived on the west coast and in Hawaii, so I know what ramen is supposed to taste like and this is not it. What they could do to improve it: add a fish cake, use STRAIGHT thin noodles (or at least the option), offer white AND red pepper, more flavors of broth, and maybe offer a katsu/tempura bowl. The ramen I am used to eating out west contained a variety of ingredients including: corn, squid, pork, beansprouts, seaweed, fish cake, and other such ingredients. If you want something to munch on that's better than this, I suggest going to your local Pho shop. The Vietnamese cuisine in the Atlanta area is pretty good.

    (3)

  • Kevin K.

    Best japanese ramen in atlanta.. but that's not saying much since all others (Raku, Shoya, Haru Ichiban) taste like crap. Portion is small, taste is whatever, and it's quite expensive for what you get. The soup leaves a grimy feeling in your mouth after you finish. Their spicy miso has a kick to it but no real taste. This place is a 1 star compared to a real good ramen places in NY such as totto and ippudo, but then again, this place is the best in atlanta.. if you are a ramen lover, don't come here with high expectations..

    (2)

  • Madelene P.

    For all you Ramen Noodle lovers out there, I recommend this restaurant if you want to upgrade that packaged noodle and take it to a whole new level. However, here at Umaido, they don't actually use those cheap packaged noodles that you can find on the shelves in the Asian aisle of your local Walmart. They actually use fancier noodles---noodles that are worth serving. This was my first time eating here at Umaido and just by the sound of it, I was really intrigued. A ramen noodle restaurant? Really? Well, I ordered the Honey...something.... Ramen noodle. And, to my surprise, I was very dissatisfied. The broth was just missing the pow and kicking flavor I was dying to taste. Maybe it was just because of the person that was making my food. Or maybe I didn't really order the best item on the menu. However, though my first experience wasn't satisfying, there's just something about this place that makes me want to come back. Maybe next time, I'll try something different from the menu. Kudos to the atmosphere. It was very unique. It looked like a factory. I know that sounds weird but I was very fascinated.

    (3)

  • Peter Y.

    So now that I beat their spicy ramen challenge, I am considered a "champion" and get 10% off all my bills......victory is sweet.

    (4)

  • Miss K.

    Very authentic and delicious ramen! A note to the curious: "tree ear" means mushroom. I recommend the honey miso or spicy miso ramen and the Gyoza

    (4)

  • Vivian C.

    What can I say? I'm addicted to coming to this place after trying it out. I used to come every single week, but over a year later, I'm still coming every few weeks. The soup is pretty darn tasty (albeit a littley salty), and I'm a fan of the half-boiled egg with gooey yolk and the super flavorful slices of pork, but it's those dratted freshly-made noodles that I can't get out of my mind. I think I could eat them every day with anything- breakfast, lunch, dinner, midnight snack. Of couse, I order the extra noodles. Service can be slow if they get crowded, and it seems to get more crowded on each of my visits, but the staff are cheerful and helpful. The kimchi (free, but you need to ask for it) is decent and I've tried both the rice dishes which are solid, but much overshadowed by the ramen.

    (5)

  • Julie Y.

    Cold weather makes me crave ramen noodles. The miso noodles come with burdock root which I'm a fan of, but overall I liked the flavor of the regular noodles more. Both come with a soft boiled egg which I loved! The portion of pork is rather small though you can add more. I think I saw a flyer that said if you eat 4 bowls in 20 min. you get the meal for free.....

    (4)

  • mind your b.

    So disappoint last time we order to-go. They mess up the order. I wanted spicy ramen but they gave me miso ramen. I wanted extra noodle and they didn't pack them. When I got home and open the bag I didn't get my extra ramen, the broth was wrong, and I didn't get my sliced pork- what a total disappointment. I wish there was such a language barrier when trying to order because I guy took the order acted like he understood what was saying to him.

    (2)

  • Owen R.

    Looking at the posts from other Atlanta-area food bloggers, I can't pretend to have found this one on my own however, earlier this week to Suwannee to experience the ramen at Umaido, as it was a rainy respite from the oncoming summer. Let me preface this with stating that I am a relative neophyte to ramen, my only other in experiences in metro Atlanta being with Yakitori Jinbei, and a small sampling of ramen during a sake tasting at Taka. All three have been unmistakably unique. We arrived to the location which, not surprising for the restaurants I have been trying lately, is located in the same shopping center as a Super H Mart, a good omen if I have encountered one before. From the front and initially entering, Umaido appears empty, however as you are taken past the open kitchen the restaurant opens up into a few tables and one long communal bench in the middle of the room. The waitstaff was wonderful and attentive, it must have been apparent that we were new to Umaido; our waitress did an excellent job however of going over the short menu and offering explanations when necessary. The menu is not that much to traverse; only offering a few variations on raman and a few a la carte options. In the two times I have visited I have gotten the spicy tonkatsu ramen both times, Alex has sampled both the seafood ramen and the miso-based broth. I am not a fan of the miso/shoyu ramen as much as the pork-based tonkatsu, however Umaido offers a 'rich-broth' option on all it's items so you can achieve the richness of the normal tonkatsu with any of the selections. The bowls when delivered are undeniably appealing. I was worried that using just my iPhone to get the photograph of the dish when it was brought to the table would not do justice to the myriad colors coming from the bowl. Looking at what is posted above. The slices of pork are extremely tender, I was unable to resist tasting one as soon as it landed on the table and it was extremely lean yet flavorful, the other two slices I promptly buried beneath the fresh noodles to absorb the flavor of the broth. The soup is garnished with seaweed, green and white onions, garlic, and a soft-boiled egg -- which I have always had an affinity for since having them served for breakfast when I was in grade school. Despite ordering the broth spicier than I thought, it did not out-balance the other flavors in the bowl. The noodles made fresh in house were not all notted up, and retained their own flavors as well. Balance is extremely important to me in any dish, and Umaido definitely does not disappoint in being able to combine all these things together, and not compromising any of the individual aspects of the dish. I am pleasantly surprised; often times extremely wonderful food does not photograph well and loses all it's appetizing appeal once captured on film, I am glad to say I feel the picture above does this one justice though. My apologies to Yakitori Jinbei, which I still love tremendously for their wonderful in house grilled yakitori, however Umaido, at least for me, wins the Atlanta ramen contest hands down. I have been back once already since originally beginning to write this article and will definitely be making this a regular stop after work; unfortunately it's jus

    (5)

  • Scott T.

    I thought I'd found my favorite restaurant when I found Umaido. My wife and I used to come here at least once a week for the excellent Tonkatsu Ramen. We drove 30 minutes each way from the other side of Cumming. Unfortunately, they have recently made changes that have us in search of a new ramen shop. While the ramen has always been pretty good, the portions have always been on the quite small size. Not really a good value. It helped a bit when they had their "loyalty card," which you got stamped for each ramen you ordered. After 10 stamps, you got a free one. Apparently, in their attempt to raise profits, they recently (July 2012) eliminated their loyalty card, which is an effective 10% price increase on top of their already not very good value. Even worse, they have cut their kitchen staff down to a single "chef" (which is actually just a high school kid without much experience. So now it takes over 45 minutes from the time you enter the restaurant just to get a bowl of ramen. After driving one hour (round trip), I really do not want to waste another 45 minutes waiting for a bowl of soup. I am disappointed, Umaido, that you were not satisfied with making a decent profit, and that you got so greedy as to lose - not only a very loyal customer, but someone who used to be some of your best word-of-mouth marketing support. The profit you will lose by raising your prices and reducing your services will not be trivial, as my wife and I typically ordered at least $50 worth of high-end sakis to go with our $20 ramens. It is this customer's opinion that you have tripped over a dollar to make a dime. I can no longer give my passionate rave reviews for Umaido; although I may still come for your ramen a couple of times a year until I find the new alternative.

    (3)

  • Tulie L.

    I was very excited to hear about a noodle house here in Georgia..but the drive.. a whopping 35 minutes was a bit much for the experience. What am I saying? Well if you live like 5 minutes aways.. it would be worth it to frequent the place.. as for me.. being ok means it was an experience..and I won't be coming back. Went with a couple of yelpers..everyone was very excited! The place is nicely decorated with a contemporary style very much like Ikea furnishings. So I ordered number 2 with the sweet miso rich broth which contains 4pieces of VERY thinly sliced roasted pork ( this was yummy but pretty fatty),seaweed, bean sprout, and corn. The noodles were good, but I am used to something a bit more thicker and chewy.. The broth was a bit too rich for me you can see chunks of floating fat, as well as a creamy colored broth - You can definitely taste a hint of miso..The corn blah.. I am not into corn unless it is on the comb and it felt like canned corn.. Also ordered gyoza but it never came out but somehow it ended up on the bill? The waitress was very nice and once we told her she took it off.. I think the broth was a bit too rich and a bit salty for my taste, because 3 hours later my tummy felt unsettled.. it was not food poisoning..it's just that bleh feeling, like if you had eaten fast food.. In a review like this.. I wish I could give 2.5 stars.. but since i cannot.. and the service was ok.. food was ok.. but gyoza was missing from the order.. and was charged.. I'd have to place it 2.5 to a 2.. for yelp rating ..

    (2)

  • Lilik T.

    Order tonkatsu ramen, order the bakaidon (i think) for the spice..careful, it is really really spicy

    (5)

  • P M.

    mmmmmm Umaido, I first made the trek out there back in winter 2010 and have headed out to suwanee at least 3x since to specifically get to Umaido. I love the atmosphere of the place, service can be slow but is always done with a smile. I typically get the spicy tonkatsu, they used to have only 4 types of ramen on the menu but they've expanded to having a seafood option and a vegetarian option (I think this is there 2nd take on the vegetarian option as the first one they offered was fairly bland and had to be ordered well in advance so that they could cook the broth separate). I've forced many a doubtful friend into my car to drive 40 minutes out of the city to eat at Umaido and none of them have ever left disappointed (I'm pretty sure one of my friends almost shed a tear of joy). I may not be the finest connoiseur of ramen but good food is good food.

    (5)

  • young k.

    Ramen is ok. Not as good as my old neighborhood ramen in Cali, Nippon Ramen on Reseda and Asahi Ramen on Sawtelle. The selection is small and the portions are ok. Wish they had side fried rice and more appetizers to go with drinks. I wish someone would open a sake bar and yummy okonomiyaki. Wish they had better ginger rather than the beef bowl red ginger.

    (2)

  • Alice C.

    Was attracted by the photos on the website, but disappointed after visit honestly. Food: (Ramen) The soup base is more oily then rich.; noodle is not the ramen noodle; the toppings are not the authetic flavor either. Service: the waitress served us seem to be in a hurry and rushed us and no smile at all. The manager (owner?) is friendly though. Btw, the owner and the chef don't seem to be Japanese and if you are looking for authentic ramen, I'd recommend Shoya over Umaido.

    (2)

  • Jo X.

    My favorite Japanese noodle restaurant! The food is cheap and authentic! Although it's kind of out the way, but it's worth the trip.

    (5)

  • n y.

    came back and the noodles were much better. I also tried the rich broth and I love it! I can't wait to come back here for more. 2 bowls is my limit though. I'd say probably 1.5 bowls would be optimal for me. Just get some bigger bowls and add a new size to the menu!

    (4)

  • Chloe M.

    Despite its Korean roots, this place serves excellent Japanese ramen noodle soups. I love the soft boiled egg served with the soup -- it adds a distinct taste to the broth which is quite nice. The gyoza is ho-hum so I wouldn't waste my time on it. Get an extra order of pork or noodles instead. Better yet, get the pork on rice -- yummy!

    (4)

  • Sara C.

    The vegetarian soy milk broth is the JAM. It's a little sweet, but rich in flavor. Word of advice to other vegetarians: do not get the "rich soup" broth, as it has pork in it. I am only leaving off a star because I think they should throw in a few extra vegetables (since there are no meat chunks), and because there were noisy children banging on the table with no supervision (not their fault, but it definitely makes me think twice before making the trek out to Suwanee...).

    (4)

  • rob s.

    Well damn, the newspaper article said the hubby was Japanese and he speaks enough of it .... though like it matters. Still my favorite place to visit when seeing the folks.

    (5)

  • Todd M.

    I'm a sushi-holic...and for the longest time I thought that was all there was to japanese food. I've since broke that habit, going to places like Shoya Izakaya and now this place, and I have to say, there is a whole lot more to Japanese food that I love. I'm a typical white guy (ok..actually 1/4 native american..) but after growing up in the Midwest I have to say that bland, boring food is not my favorite stuff anymore. Give me a bowl of I-dunno-what, and I'm grinning ear to ear. I've passed Umaido several times because I shop at Super H a lot to get the yummy mixings to make some of this internation nosh at home. I've never once thought twice about Umaido until I read the reviews on Yelp. So tonight my wife and two kids decided to try something new. Very helpful staff. I told our waitress that I had never been before, and she explained everything in a way to relieve any fear of jumping in. We got two simple bowls of Ramen for our children (still pretty complex) and I got the spicy ramen with #2 spice level. My wife got the same ramen my children ordered. (BTW..my children are 5 and 8 years old). The food..excellent. The noodles are obviously freshly made, and had just enough 'bite' to them to be pleasing to the mouth. The broth was yummy, but from what I can tell, there are things at the table you can use to season it even more to your taste. Each bowl comes with an egg, which is almost hard boiled, but when you cut it open the yoke is still a little soft....amazing how it adds so much flavor. You can order it a little thicker, a little more flavorful. I chose this option. The broth itself became a meal. The collagen almost coated your tongue, but not in a bad way. So fresh..so good, so friendly...you can't go wrong here.

    (4)

  • JOY T.

    I recently went here with a fellow yelper for lunch to see what all the hype was about. The restaurant had an urban feel, but still Japanese-ish. The actual restaurant was kinda small, which I guess resulted in having really small tables? I mean like really small....it barely fit 2 bowls, 2 cups, and a pitcher of tea. The menu was straight to the point with 3 different types of ramen noodles. We both ordered the tonkotsu ramen with an extra order of noodles. The broth was good and had a lot of flavor. It had a lot of fat in it, and at the end of the meal you can see the fat layer on top of the soup starting to form. The portion was small leaving us not full, but not hungry either. The service was really good for an Asian restaurant. They actually knew how to speak English!! They were really polite, attentive, and quick. In my opinion, it was a glorified "Maruchan Ramen" with meat and egg. Not that great for 8 bucks.....I can make this at home with the Maruchan Ramen for less than half of that. 6 packs for a whole dollar! and they say you cant get anything for a dollar anymore....ppssshhhhh

    (3)

  • The P.

    Umaido, you are my enemy. Why so much salt and fatty goodness?! Why do you taste so good?!? I've been here multiples times and I CANNOT FORGET the eggs. Why do you have such yummy eggs? I adore the entrance doors with chopstick handles. OH you are too cute! I love the soup but I'm not a big fan on the waxy, weird, slight odor of the noodles. Umaido, please change your noodles! Not everything homemade is delicious.

    (4)

  • Dorothy P.

    finally made it out here! and it was only b/c of a hiking injury and I was headed to an ER nearby that I happened to be near this place (it's a little bit OTP). it was well worth puttin the x-rays off for though. we ordered the spicy and regular ramen and an order of gyoza (japanese potstickers). everything was piping hot and delicious! I like it that the broth is suppose to be very good for your skin too. apparently it has collagen in it and it prevents wrinkles. wow, forget skin treatments, just come here for ramen! (I was secretly hoping it would help my bones too in case I had broken any) We enjoyed the fast and friendly service. I'd recommend sitting on the stools in front of the kitchen, it added some entertainment to our meal watching the kitchen in action. definitely will be coming back...maybe for the ramen challenge next time!:)

    (5)

  • Alice Y.

    The ramen here is average. The soup is somewhat one-dimensional, with an over-emphasis on the salt. The toppings are unremarkable, with the exception of the egg which was very good. Had much better ramen at Ippudo in NYC.

    (3)

  • George C.

    Now those of you who don't live OUT HERE would NOT understand this, but traveling from certain areas to certain areas for shopping or eating purposes is an exercise to be avoided to an extreme. For example, driving from Alpharetta to Marietta, or vice versa, is only for the true masochist. Likewise, driving from my house to any point east of I-85 has been known to give me hives. Today, I decided to go into my discomfort zone for the sake of checking this Umaido place out. The inside is sort of Euro-chic, with techno/Tokyo rap playing in the background a liitle loudly for my taste. Unfinished concrete interior walls, bright colors on seating and countertops, open kitchen, and halogen pendant fixtures complete the scene. Very helpful and polite staff. I was pleased to see they offered onigiri as a side item. BIG bowls of pork-based broth (extra rich available for $1 more-slurp), nice textures and flavors with properly cut ingredients. I'm pleased, enough to stray over the line to return.

    (4)

  • Spoon A.

    This is NOT your typical ramen you ate when you were broke back in your college days. The broth is rich and full of flavor, the noodles are cooked perfectly and are exactly as tasty. Price (at least Lunch) was very affordable. I recommend the tankatsu Ramen. Friendly service, great food at a great price!

    (5)

  • C D.

    I'm from Japan,love RAMEN,and eaten lots of it..I was so excited about this place when I found out there's ramen restaurant in ATL.I had spicy tonkotsu w/kotteri soup.First,I was disappointed with really thin noodle.Usually,ramen noodles little bit thicker,and almost like mochi kind of texture.Soup was needed more flavor,it was too salty for me,not enough tonkotsu flavor,but toppings were awesome.I prob won't go back,nor recommend this place to my friends.When I'm craving for ramen,I will def go to HARUICHIBAN,or HASHIGUCHI Jr.

    (1)

  • Julie J.

    Sorry Yelpers, I may be in the minority on this one, but I'm not a fan of Umaido. Every time I've come here, I've been duped by the first bite, but by bite 5, 6, and 7, I'm sick of my bowl. The broth was so incredibly salty, and though I finished my noodles, I left 2/3 of the broth in the bowl, which was such a darn waste. The noodles are tasty, as are the other ingredients (mm, pork), but they ruin it by over-salting the broth. Bleh.

    (2)

  • Brandon G.

    Came here on a Friday night with a recommendation of a friend. 9:30pm and we did not have a problem finding a table. I have seen people complaining about the service but the service was the best part for us. Wife got the Honey Miso and I let the waitress pick my dinner, she selected the Spicy Ramen with Roasted Pork Belly and Seaweed in a rich broth. I told her I liked spicy. Both bowls were lacking something. There was no depth of flavor. I guess we are used to good Pho and were missing those flavor layers that we get. The rich broth helped. The roasted pork belly really helped since the fat layer kind of melted in the soup and over time started building on the flavor. BTW: It was not spicy in the least bit. Like seriously I would feed the spicy ramen to my 12 year old. Tried an extra bowl of noodles (nice option to have BTW) and in that bowl I got the spicy noodles. Again I do not see why they are "spicy" other than they are colored red. The texture of the regular noodles was better. Wife's big complaint is she did not like In the end, I would try it again, but know that I would not CRAVE the food at this time. We will see how it is the second time around.

    (3)

  • Jessica I.

    This place is not the best ramen place I've tried. I would say it is an ok price. I came here a few times. The food is good, but not great. It is close to my house and when you're craving some hot ramen, it's convenient to come to. The do have the spicy huge ramen challenge. If you can finish the huge bowl of really really spicy ramen, you get the meal for free with your polaroid picture on the wall. If you can finish that challenge- kudos to you! :)

    (3)

  • Kj Y.

    The noodle soup is pretty good, but I have not yet tried the rich broth (always seems to not be available when i visit). Portion isn't as great. Its ok not bad but yet not impressive.

    (3)

  • Dave L.

    Good little find. The Ramen was outstanding. For both my wife and I each enjoyed the shrimp ramen. The service was good. It is obvious that this place is extremely popular. We arrive around 11:30am and within 20 minutes it was full. Overall what I enjoyed the most was the atmosphere. Funny, we drove to H Mart, then walked into Umaido. When I walked in and sat down I went back to Asia. Though I call this Japanese with a Korean flair, it reminded me so much of a street side eatery I frequented on International Avenue in Naha, Okinawa and another in Osaka, Japan. My profile states "Life should be an Osaka state of Mind" In Osaka, Japans industrial center the people work, eat, and enjoy baseball. With eating being the state of mind. So, when I miss the place I loved so much I will now go to Umaido. "My Naha state of Mind" Umai-Do - Delicious Way! Why Yes, Yes it is!

    (5)

  • Luke T.

    Oiishi-ne.. Umaido is better than Raku is better than Shoya. In a competition for best ramen in ATL, Umaido will win the gold. We had a few different kinds of ramen and their Tonkatsu Ramen is the best. In addition, they have a decent sake list and most importantly, Asahi Super Dry on draft. ITADAKIMASU...

    (5)

  • Yohan N.

    Giving this place a 5 stars because it's really the best ramen place in and around the atlanta area. (Been to Shoya Izakaya, Haru Ichiban, Raku) After trying their Tonkatsu, Spicy Miso, and Ultra spicy ramen, I've stuck with Ultra Spicy for the past year. I've tried levels 1-5 (out of 100) and I gotta say... there is a BIG difference in the spicy levels. I believe for me, the jump starts at 3. 1 - 2 have a kick but not really spicy for me at all. 3 is good. 4 -5, i can't really tell but mainly the broth is the kicker. I had a friend try one spoon of my level 5 and she said it burned the whole way down and it lingered there for a while. Chasyu Don. There is the small and regular size. The small is a good additive to your bowl of ramen if you don't think it's enough. Or you could order Kae dama which is just an extra bowl of noodles you can put into your existing broth for $1 (last time I checked in 2010...). Back to Chasyu don. The pork is tender and chopped up finely to mix well with the rice. Pretty darn good if you ask me. Lastly, they have a few eating challenges. Finish 4 bowls (noodle and broth) or the spicy ramen challenge. One day I plan on trying the spicy ramen challenge... one day.

    (5)

  • M T.

    let's get to the point, I ordered the tonkatsu or tonkotsu ramen and both were really bland but after I added my own seasoning that is provided on the table, the broth became a little more enjoyable. The ramen noodles were the perfect consistency and the egg is awesome. I honestly think the egg is the best part. Meat wise.. I believe it was pork.. they are a little stingy. When people say it's the "best ramen in atl" there's an exaggeration.

    (3)

  • Rob V.

    Best ramen noodles and Goyza ever. I have been to several others but this is the best in this area for sure. We ordered the octopus balls which were good. Chewy in the center just like the texture of octopus but very tasty. We also got the pork Goyza that were superb. I ordered the ultimate spicy ramen that can be ordered from 0-50 spicy. I got 10 and let me preface this by saying I love super spicy food. I have to assume that the 50 come out on fire in an asbestos bowl. As I type this I can't feel my lips. Would I order it again definitely. I plan to bring the kids back here soon. Good attentive service but I can see how it would get crowded quickly.

    (5)

  • Phoebe C.

    Definitely one of the best ramen places in Atlanta. Make sure you ask for kimchi as it is free but you have to ask. You can get both for less than $10 and it comes with tea. Great little restaurant in the shopping center. Must try!

    (5)

  • Scott W.

    I have had the pleasure of eating at Umaido twice now. Both times I have ordered the Tonkotsu and have walked out happy and full. The last time I ordered extra noodles and pork, but feel it was uneccessary. The meal is more than filling without the extras. The broth is well prepared and the pork is definitely melt in your mouth. The wait staff is very friendly and accomodating. I will return to Umaido often.

    (4)

  • K W.

    Okay so I have had tonkotsu ramen in Guam, Singapore and Japan. This is so fantastically great. I came to town to visit a sick friend and this meal really brightened my day. I had take out but would have loved to sit in the place. It was small but very welcoming. I wasn't sure about how the Ramen was going to be so I got the pork belly rice to go. I had the ramen for dinner and the rice for breakfast and as happy as I was that night, I was even moreso the next day. It is the real deal and a hidden gem. Super food, prepared with love (you can taste it) and served quickly and with care.

    (5)

  • Shaun B.

    I love this place so, so much. I eat here at least... 3x a week.

    (5)

  • Nhan M.

    Restaurant did not honor policy. I arrived at 8:35 with my family on a Sunday and the four servers were eating dinner and did not want to wait on us and told us the restaurant is close. If you want to close at 8:30 and stop taking customers then change your business hours. We drove over 30 miles to eat here and I guess they wanted to go home early to catch korean dramas. SMH

    (1)

  • Sunshine H.

    I love the original tonkatsu ramen! It's my favorite! The food is exceptionally good but the service I've received is bad everytime. If I don't leave tip, there's a reason why -- bad service. The waitress came running after me telling me to leave tip. That's just rude.

    (4)

  • Janine A.

    best ramen in the SE

    (5)

  • Caitlin C.

    My favorite ramen place. prefer it over raku

    (5)

  • Tom L.

    Yes it's true, the ramen here is very tasty. Some may say that the ramen broth is a bit strong and salty, but to each his own. If possible, try all the different versions. But my favorites are the none ramen dishes, such as the chasyu rice bowl, squid balls and the fried dumplings. I like to try all the different little dishes instead of filling up on a bowl of ramen. But if you are hungry and a bowl doesn't suffice, you can always request more noodle for your remaining broth.

    (4)

  • Lilie T.

    My ramen was salty. My friends said that they had their days, some days it is salty and certain days, it's just right. I don't like the inconsistent. The setting is cute, very intimate if you're on a date or with close friend.

    (3)

  • Annabel L.

    Umaido is so far, the best ramen shop in Atlanta. The restaurant is relatively small, but it has lots of seats. When you sit down, the server gives you barley tea instead of water. (My inner kid had to order a strawberry ramune though.) I ordered a spicy ramen level 2 (there are 3) and a takoyaki. My friend ordered a chasyu don. The ramen had 3 slices of pork, a soft boiled egg, beansprouts, onions, and wakame seaweed. It was delicious, better than other shops in Atlanta. The broth didn't taste watered down and was actually spicy. What was cool was that instead of regular noodles, the noodles were red and spicy. The takoyaki wasn't that great because it was a bit soggy and had too much mayonnaise. The chasyu don was good too. Chasyu don is a bowl of rice with roasted pork, pickled ginger, green onion, mayonnaise, black sesame seeds and a brown sauce I couldn't really identify. Overall, fantastic place for ramen!

    (4)

  • Skipper W.

    I was really looking forward to their ramen since some of my friends liked it. Maybe it's not the same everyday...my tonkotsu ramen was too greasy. Also, the noodle was not that great. I had a side of something (it was a Japanese item but I cannot remember since it's been a while), and it was extremely salty that I could not finish. I can tolerate salty but it was too much. I've had some good ramen in Japan & California, but this does not even compare. If you are close and you want to eat ramen, I would still come here, but since I like Shoya's ramen better & I live in Midtown, I will just stick with Shoya. One tip: they participate in Japan Fest (around the end of September), and they said the restaurant is not open during that time.

    (3)

  • Lisa Y.

    My oldest childhood friend, of 16 years!, REALLY wanted to take me here. I don't quite understand why, but I just went along with it, and decided why not. It's a nice restaurant, and by far, very different from other noodle shops I've been too. They have chopsticks as their door handle. Pretty cool! Lol. I ordered the spicy ramen (level 3) after much contemplation with my friend and the waiter. I ultimately decided to go for it since the waiter said if I can handle spicy, I should be fine. It's spicy, but I wouldn't deem it SUPER spicy. You can definitely feel your belly burn by the end of the meal though, but if you TRULY love spicy... it's no biggie. My friend and boyfriend both loved their meal as well. Boyfriend got the seafood noodle soup, and my friend got the tonkatsu ramen. No complaints, and they finished theirs down to the bottom of the bowl. I enjoyed my dinner. Quite different from the ramen I'm use to but... good different. :]

    (4)

  • Hieu H.

    Finding good ramen is almost like going on a quest for the Holy Grail. It's a journey full of hope, based on faith that the next bowl will be the best you've ever had. Every ramen lover remembers their first time tasting Tonkatsu broth. Meaty, salty, with a rich mouth feel that envelopes your oral senses. Forget the freeze-dried ramen laced with MSG "flavor" packets from your college dorm, eating real, fresh Tonkatsu ramen means you've graduated from collegiate slacker to sophisticated grown-up. I had high expectations for Umaido. Maybe too high. I judge every ramen on that one important first sip. In that one sip, I'm looking to have my taste buds come alive. I'm looking to recreate the ramen experience that got me hooked. The broth at Umaido was pretty good. A text-book version of what Tonkatsu ramen should taste like. Good, fresh, chewy noodles. A perfectly soft-boiled egg. Scallions and bean sprouts. But the broth lacks that something extra to make it truly extraordinary. The quest continues...

    (3)

  • Angela H.

    A friend of mine is leaving Atlanta tomorrow and will be gone for a few months, so she invited me to lunch with her and some of her friends. When she told me that we were going to Umaido, I looked it up on Yelp (of course) and came across Daniel B.'s review, in which he describes how he totally dominated the Spicy Ramen Challenge where you have to eat a bowl of their Level 100 Spicy Ramen in 7 minutes or less and you get it free (or you have to pay $15 for it). Your picture will also be put up on their bulletin board of challenge winners. Read his review and check out the Youtube video (the link is in his review)! Freakin' awesome!!! Anyway, as my GPS led me closer to the restaurant, I realized that Umaido was located in the building next to the Suwanee H-Mart - and that I had actually eaten here before a whiiiiile back. I think I had the gyoza that time but wasn't impressed. I hadn't had the ramen, though. I ordered the Ultra Spicy Level 2 Tonkotsu Ramen, which is Umaido's Original Tonkotsu broth ramen with their original hot sauce, chili oil, 3 slices of roasted pork, seaweed, white onion (no onions for me, though), bean sprouts, seasoned 1/2 hard boiled egg, scallions, and sesame. I had initially asked for no onions, to which the server had responded would be no problem. However, another server brought everyone's ramen out, and I saw that mine had onions, too. When I mentioned this, the server said he could just go an make me a new one, so I said sure. But everyone started eating while I had to wait a couple more minutes for my ramen. =P My friend's brother decided to take on the Spicy Ramen Challenge! He was all smiles as he "signed his life away," but a few minutes into it, that smile was long gone. Poor thing looked really sick by the end of it, and he was soooo close to finishing it but said he couldn't swallow anymore because he felt like his "throat was closing up." O_o He said he may try again, but not anytime soon. Seriously, that stuff is deathly SPICY, if that makes any sense. We all tried a little bit of the broth that he had leftover, and it was REALLY spicy. Spiciest thing I've EVER tasted! My Ultra Spicy Level 2 Tonkotsu Ramen was pretty good, but I didn't think it was worth $9.95. I was a little disappointed that my broth was not steaming hot (as other reviewers have said on Yelp). But the broth was pretty tasty, and very spicy (Level 3 would have been WAY too spicy for me). The pork slices were also delicious - even though they were mostly fat. But only 3 slices for a $9.95 bowl of ramen?! Really?!! Lame... -___- I wasn't a fan of the 1/2 boiled egg. I wonder if I can ask them to cook it all the way next time... I did think it was cool that the ramen noodles themselves were red-orange in color because I had never seen that before. I'm not a big fan of ramen at restaurants (hey, who needs "authentic" ramen when you have Shin Ramen? LOL...), so I'm no ramen expert. Overall, I feel that Umaido's Ultra Spicy Level 2 Tonkotsu Ramen deserves 3.5 stars, but I have to round it down to 3. The service was fine, we had plenty of water and tea, and they had no problem giving each of us separate checks, but I wasn't impressed by the temperature of the broth and price for the small amount of noodles and pork in the ramen. I will probably be back to try their Original Tonkotsu Ramen ($7.95) and may order more noodles ("Kae Dama" for $1) next time because I was not full after eating a whole bowl and some of my friend's extra noodles. =P [Review 003 of 366]

    (3)

  • Ha N.

    We went here with a group of people right as they opened on a Sunday (12pm). We were seated first, and that was great because everyone filed in very soon after. It got busy so quickly! I don't know if it's like this every other day, but I would advise you to account for lines. We got the spicy miso ramen, the wasabi shoyu ramen, and ultra spicy #3. My favorite probably had to be the ultra spicy...though I would probably get a 5 or 6 next time because I would love for it to be spicier. My friends were perfectly happy with a 3 and the waitress says that the highest level is a 50, so I would suggest trying out 1, 2, or 3 first to see what your thoughts are. All the broths were flavorful, but I would have to say I prefer the spicy miso over the wasabi shoyu because the wasabi shoyu had a grassy and slightly bitter flavor that I am not as fond of. That to me means that the wasabi flavor is coming through--which is good because it speaks to how well they can extract flavor--but isn't something I'm used to or like. The egg could've been a little runnier/softer, the pork was cooked perfectly and had good flavor, and the freshly-ground sesame provided at the table was a great touch. The noodles. I need a separate paragraph for the noodles. They were so perfect in every way: texture, length, size, and flavor. I just couldn't get enough of the noodles, and I think that's where they REALLY shine for me. I could probably have a giant bowl of just broth and noodles and still be happy. It's definitely the main reason I'd be returning to this place.

    (4)

  • Ivan R.

    This place is the best for selling the ramen noodles in Georgia. It is nothing to compare to Ippuddo or any other well-established ramen place, but so far it's my most favorite here. If you like spicy, their spicy ramen is the best, and they can make it in rich soup. Do not expect much from their service, though.

    (4)

  • Carolina M.

    Continuing my search for ramen this weekend, the stop at Umaido was planned weeks in advance. I had high hopes for tonkatsu ramen since that seems to be the usual thing to get at a ramen place and I do love me a bowl of creamy, fatty pork broth. The verdict: the soup was decent, but the noodles fell kind of short. I think I was expecting thicker, chewier noodles. Also, there was SO LITTLE broth! I would definitely come back if I were in the area, but I think I might like Haru Ichiban better. My search still continues. Another damper on our visit were two things: 1) they were out of ingredients for the spicy bowl challenge, although they did try their best to make another bowl just as spicy, and 2) service was kind of terrible and slow but admittedly, we had a group of 14 taking over the restaurant. So I'd make note that this place is a little better for small groups and well, we may have to call in advance before our next trip to "reserve" our places for the spicy noodle challenges.

    (3)

  • Matt M.

    ehhh. When I went here it was admittidly a little later in the evening but there were still plenty of poeple here. The ramen nodles werent quite done and my egg was way over cooked.

    (3)

  • Paul K.

    Yes, go. Spicy Ramen.

    (4)

  • Gisette H.

    This is my absolute FAVORITE restaurant!! Their hot steamy bowls of Tonkatsu ramen never fail to satisfy me.I have tried everything on the menu; however my go to bowl is spicy miso ramen. I order it with extra gobo for $1. Just delicious!

    (5)

  • Mary L.

    Was visiting families in Atlanta and found Umaido. Got the Tonkatsu Raman $12 with tip. Price may seem a little high for raman but their raman is LEGIT! Best raman noodle in the south. You can even watch the chefs makes the noodle. Only thing I don't like is the amount of noodle you in the soup and extra noodle is $1.50 , otherwise 5 star. Will come to this place again if I'm around ATL.

    (4)

  • E X.

    This was my first time eating here for a weekday lunch since friends suggested it. I order one of the noodle soups, which was just okay for the price. I thought the price was a bit high for the amount of food I got. If you want good noodle soup, I would suggest going to Yen Jing. The soup at Umaido was a bit salty for me. Also, the pork slices were mostly fat, not much meat on it. Also the wood ear mushrooms were so little. One hardboiled egg and a few bean sprouts and that is it. Not a lot of vegetables or meat at all. If I am spending $9 on a bowl of soup, it better have a decent amount of food, not just noodles. I could have made this at home for much less. Also, the service was not friendly. They made me feel rushed by giving us the bill when we haven't finished our food. They expected a good tip even when the service was not impressive. I will not waste my money and eat here when I have so many other better choices.

    (3)

  • Aiko A.

    Every time I visit Atlanta I HAVE to come here for a bowl of ramen. This is the best ramen I've ever had ( and I've tried a lot of ramen joints in America.) the broth is rich, the pork is tender and juicy, the noodles are always made perfect. I can't speak highly enough of this place. In short I love it!

    (5)

  • Emilia L.

    In my quest to find good ramen in Atlanta, I HAD to come to Umaido. My friends mentioned the noodles here are different -- they use wheat instead of egg noodles. I opted for the honey miso ramen. Overall, I really liked it. I didn't find it salty. There was the slightest hint of sweetness to the broth. I really enjoyed it after adding a bit of chili oil and crushed sesame seeds. I REALLY loved the noodles! The portion was just enough for me, but you can get a second helping of noodles for a dollar, I believe. The only thing I wasn't crazy about was the meat. I found it was too fatty, so I barely ate any of it. I know, what a waste. I noticed they had Tori ramen (chicken broth mixed with tonkotsu broth) but it wasn't clear what kind of meat was in that ramen, if any meat at all. Maybe next time I will just try that one.

    (4)

  • David W.

    Yea, I know how can they get five stars, very good Ramen, miso ramen my fav. The service is good, the seating atmosphere is simple utility. Just good noodles and broth.

    (5)

  • Michelle C.

    Popped in with a few friends based on the good reviews. Ordered the delicious tonkotsu ramen and thoroughly enjoyed it. The restaurant is small and cozy and our waitress was attentive and friendly. I will definitely go back to this restaurant again!

    (4)

  • Allison W.

    My husband and I traveled from East Atlanta to try this place on our anniversary and what a bummer it was! The service was terrible! We waited 10 minutes to be greeted and when we were the server merely said "ready to order?" We had not been given a drink menu so when we asked what beers and sake they had, she came off very annoyed, stormed off then dropped a drink menu. My husband doesn't eat pork, and when we asked if we could modify an item she just flat out said "no" and stood there staring at us. We felt really put off and it was clear she as annoyed that we were even there. We would've ordered another beer but she dropped the check without saying a word to us. If the service would've been better we would come back. However Umaido is not worth the drive for OK ramen and bad service.

    (2)

  • Jose O.

    after going back a couple times and trying the other stuff on the menu I can say that their ramen is the best thing they have on their menu but that's really it . I'm knocking them down a start for inconsistent service but still one of the better places in suwanee.

    (4)

  • Coty S.

    Okay guise--- when I first laid eyes on the in-shop photos of the Blade Runner Ramen Bar at Umaido, I almost peed a little. Why do you make me feel so excited? Every time I find yet another plaza outside of Atlanta that is a cultural hub of all things non-redneck, I do a little dance. Not the same dance every time, but just a little uncontrollable arm flailing happy dance. There are only three Atlanta Yelpers that I trust to review this sort of restaurant. And, all three of them would not stop going on and on about Umaido. In fact, in Daniel B.'s review of Raku, all he did was talk about Umaido. So, I just had to give it a whirl. Plus, part of my Duluth vacation was spent attempting to entertain a love-able couple of *pseudo vegetarians. One of wish was a super-cool lady that brought up the fact that her grandmother is Japanese about four times that day. Sooooo... I thought it might be nice to take her for some ramen, because she told me she had never tried bit before. An icy pitcher of chagaun bori cha on the table... just for me?!? I shed a tear of joy, because my wildest dreams came true. It is fantastic to have delicious Takoyaki and delicious ramen all offered at the same location. I was the smartest ramen-orderer in the group--- ordered the house ramen and paid the upcharge for "concentrated broth," then added corn. INSERT FACE IN BOWL. I only have good things to say, and I said them. All up to par, or if not better than, ramen consumed in NYC. Suwanee, you got it goin' on... No hiking in the gray sludge in squeaky rain boots, two train transfers, and a line out the door for me. That is all in the past now. *Kind of eat meat, kind of don't, and really really do not like being labelled.

    (4)

  • Jay C.

    Satisfied! Went right in when they opened @ 5. Place looks like a noodle bar alright. Ordered the spicy ultra ramen level 7 and it was burning hot!!! Yet so good! They ran out of the rich broth for a $1 more; even without it, it was still good! Stingy on the pork belly, 3 slices so I order extra for $3. Service was fast too! Nice servers, no English though but that's not a problem.

    (5)

  • Paige N.

    How did I not know about this ramen place sooner, that's all I can ask myself. Oh, maybe it's because it's way OTP which I never ventured to (except for the odd outlet mall fix) before. But now I have a boyfriend who lives OTP and a much wider view of metro Atlanta because of it. This particular night we were supposed to have dinner with a couple of friends but they bailed last minute because one was working late and the other had a sick 3-year-old to take care of. So... what now? Well it was coolish outside (perfect soup weather), we were both tired from the work week, Umaido's had gotten good reviews, and it was just a 10 minute drive. Perfect conditions for a try. As soon as I stepped foot inside, I could tell this was a legit ramen emporium. Every customer (and staff) was Asian. And I only mean this in the best possible way - it's exciting to me when an Asian restaurant actually has Asian people in it - gives me some reassurance the food's more authentic and tasty than your run-of-the-mill Chinese buffet. So in eager anticipation, we were seated at a little table for two in this narrow restaurant with exposed concrete walls, flat screen TVs playing football and baseball and filled with Asian people (families, couples, old people, teens) all eating delicious-looking bowls of ramen. The menu is quite extensive with seven different types of ramen to choose from, plus extra toppings you could add, rice dishes, appetizers like edamame and sake or other alcohol of your choice. For dinner, we shared an appetizer of steamed pork gyoza dumplings and I ordered the soymilk ramen while my boyfriend got the original tonkatsu ramen. Service was not the quickest, I can agree with other Yelpers about that, but it was worth the wait. The gyoza were juicy and hot and fresh and the sesame sauce for dipping was perfect. And the ramen, ah the ramen was great! A big bowl of rich broth filled with noodles, pork, scallions, asparagus (a new addition for me), peppers and bean sprouts. The soymilk made the broth much richer and slightly sweeter than ramen I'd had before and it was really good - I enjoyed it immensely. And it was just the right size - I managed to finish off my bowl, but just barely. My boyfriend also enjoyed his ramen though he ordered corn in it and the more concentrated broth, neither of which he got. Again, he still liked the pork, the egg, the broth and noodles though. Overall, the ramen was not as high of a quality as what's now being served at Miso Izakaya, and the surroundings aren't quite as inviting and warm as that restaurant, but for a good bowl of ramen OTP for a good price, you'd be hard pressed to find better than Umaido. I'll be back to try another bowl, though I don't think I'll ever be brave enough to take on the infamous "Spicy Ramen Challenge."

    (4)

  • Elaine B.

    I've loved this place since I started going four years ago. I've tried all the ramen's offered but my favorite is still the spicy miso ramen. I've had a hard time finding another ramen joint in Atlanta to rival this one and sadly now that I've moved I miss this place even more. This is the best ramen I've had since my trip to Tokyo itself.

    (5)

  • Alyx K.

    I drove 40 minutes to get to this place so my expectations were pretty dang high. Let's just say I've already made plans to go back this weekend! I had the ultra spicy ramen level 2. The broth was super flavorful and definitely spicy. It was actually too spicy for me. My boyfriend ordered the same but on level 3 and he said it wasn't spicy enough for him. So take from that what you will. It had a good amount of pork and vegetables. The spicy noodles were cooked perfectly. I would highly recommend it! We also got a bunch of appetizers to share. The first was the inari zushi (rice stuffed in tofu), which I didn't try, but my dining friends said they were very good. Sweet and filling. Second, we got the yaki onigiri, rice balls stuffed with pork filling. This has the potential to be good but certain things about it fell short. The rice on the outside part had hardened and wasn't very easy to chew. The portion of filling is TINY compared to the portion of rice. I took two full bites of rice before I even got to the small amount of filling. Fresh rice and more filling would've made this a winner. Unfortunately, how it is now, I don't think I'd order it again.Third was the mentaiko don, spicy cod roe over rice,. It was by far the best! I think next time I'll order one for myself so I don't have to share. Maybe even get two and make a meal out of it. Yeah...that good. Lastly we got the kakuni, braised pork in a steamed bun with veggies. They come individually and they're pretty small. It was yummy but not memorable. I'm a little torn about the service. They were very attentive and kind. They brought everything we needed immediately. But they kept dropping the check. We weren't even halfway through our meal when they brought the check. We told them we were going to order more so they took it back. My boyfriend ordered a side of noodles for his soup. After the noodles came, they dropped the check again. We told them that we would be ordering more so they took it back. I order an appetizer and my boyfriend ordered an extra side of meat for his soup. The food was brought out and they dropped the check off again. I would've ordered more but I was tired of them continuously bringing the check so I decided my meal was finished. They came by to grab the check just moments later even though we hadn't paid yet and were still eating. Despite the attentiveness at the beginning of the meal, their overeagerness with us paying really bugged me. Did they think we would dine and dash right after? Overall though, the food is good and the servers are attentive. I would definitely recommend it. -A

    (4)

  • Nancy N.

    FINALLY! RAMEN!!! My friend and I were visiting Atlanta and some friends for the weekend. When my friends mentioned ramen, my face lit up like a little kid in a candy store. Of course I ordered Tonkotsu Ramen because I haven't had AUTHENTIC Japanese ramen in YEARS.. Oh how I've missed the Tonkotsu broth! The flavors were so rich and the roasted pork was so tender. I have a tendency to look at my neighboring tables, just to glance at what they are having. The table behind us were having rice balls! I was too full to eat anymore, but I kinda regret not getting one now... maybe our next visit!

    (4)

  • Ezbon J.

    Love the noodle here. Always get Spicy Ramen level 10 with scallops and fried chicken.

    (5)

  • K S.

    Spicy Miso Ramen = 3.5-star, Tori Shio = 1-star, Ramen Noodle used = 1.5-star, Shrimp Gyoza = 2-star as i don't even taste shrimp. Service was excellent! Not 'awesome' ramen place, but much much better than Matsuchan Noodle in Canton, MI....

    (3)

  • Grayson L.

    So far the best ramen in Atlanta. Food: Ramen, I have tried almost all the flavors and love them all. My favorite is honey miso with a clove of grated garlic. You have choice for rich soup for $1 extra, it's more concentrated. Tori karaage: Japanese fried chicken. Very juicy and nicely seasoned. Tamago yaki: Japanese sweet egg omelet. Fresh made, can taste the dashi flavor. A classic Japanese dish. Gyoza: homemade dumplings. Simply Delicious. A lot of restaurants don't homemade stuffs anymore. Chasyu Don: roasted pork over rice. The meat is smoky, lots of green onions. Only thing I don't like is the amount of Japanese mayo, a little bit too much. The price here is very affordable and reasonable. I have eaten a $14 ramen in Joli Kobe for lunch, it was bland, small and way overpriced. You can have 2 bowls of ramen here for the same amount of money. They homemade a lot of stuffs, even ramen noodle. That's a lot of efforts they put into. Even though I had better ramen in Osaka. Still very happy there is at least one good ramen place in Atlanta and it's as good as the Monta ramen in Las Vegas in my opinion. Service and decor: We always get pretty good service, food always come out fast. The decor is unique and fits the style. Ramen is so popular now in other states, if you haven't try the authentic one, this is the closest one you can get in Atlanta.

    (4)

  • Nelle C.

    If you're looking for a fairly quality spot to get your ramen fix, then this place is for you. Visited on a rainy day with my husband, and was able to grab a table before the place closed before they took the late afternoon break at 3pm. The place is clean, run by Korean staff (it is Duluth after all), and has a generally peaceful atmosphere. We started with the ebi gyoza (shrimp dumplings) which were the best part of the meal. The gyoza were not too spongy, had flavor outside of the soy dipping sauce, and were piping hot. They were great with the complimentary generous helping of shredded ginger. The subsequent sea food ramen was unspectacular, but not bad. Any seasoned ramen consumer knows that the secret to a good bowl resides in the broth. The broth was just alright, and tasted like something I could have made myself. While the overall composition demonstrated good technique (quality noodles, pieces of crispy fried octopus, shredded scallion, huge prawns, thinly sliced onion), the broth made the entire dish sub-par. I think I'll return to have the lovely gyoza and perhaps try a different ramen flavor to give them a second chance. I'm partial to miso, but I don't eat meat - perhaps they can hook me up with a miso sea food ramen? We'll see if they'll be accommodating. Stay tuned.

    (2)

  • Tran N.

    I've never had good ramen until Umaido. Actually, I don't think I've ever had ramen, (ramen noodle cups do not count, I have yet touched those for 5 years) This was a convenient dinner on the way back from a long day of shopping. This place is pretty great, they give a lot of noodles, or maybe I just eat tiny and to me it was plenty. I ordered the Seafood ramen, I loved it, but I just wish it comes with the spicy broth. Next time i'll probably ask for it because i love spicy food, other than that if i'm in the area again, I'll probably give the gyoza a try as well. :)

    (4)

  • Mayu A.

    Atlanta is in dire need of an authentic Japanese ramen restaurant. So when i heard about Umaido, which specializes in Tonkotsu (Pork) ramen - my favorite, I couldn't wait to pay a visit. The restaurant is pretty small in size and seats about 40 or so people. The menu has few offerings, which is a nice change from the Cheesecake Factory-like restaurants that are so common. We ordered 2 Tonkotsu Ramen, one with rich soup (koteri-style), Gyoza and Tori Karaage (Japanese Fried Chicken). To drink, my companion had Asahi on draft, which came in a chilled glass and was one of the best parts of the experience. I had oolong tea, which is on every table in a pitcher for convenience. The gyoza came out first but the server gave us two orders of gyoza when we ordered only one. Since we were hungry, we kept the second one and had no problem eating it all. The gyoza was deliciously homemade, juicy and packed with filling. The ramen came piping hot with three thick slices of char siu pork. The rich soup Tonkotsu ramen didn't taste any different from the normal one, which was disappointing. Especially considering there is an additional charge for that style. The broth was tasty but not mind blowing. The fried chicken came out while we were half way through our ramen. The pieces were pretty big and the batter was thick. I wouldn't recommend ordering it. Overall, the meal was good but the service needs a lot of work. There were only two waiters in the whole restaurant and we always had long waits for everything including our check. If i lived in Suwanee, I'd go back again but I wouldn't make the long drive from Atlanta just for Umaido.

    (3)

  • Peter S.

    Fantastic ramen and Japanese style appetizers. Highly recommend the tonkotsu ramen and shishito pepper appetizer. So good! Oishī!

    (4)

  • Stacy N.

    The atmosphere is nice and coo. But I wasn't impressed with it.. We had ask for suggestion on whats the best dish.. She didnt really know.. I assumed if you work at a restaurant you would know whats good or not.. People always ask for recommendation. The noodle was fresh but the broth was very bland.. the pork was super dried like it was a few days old.. The bun was extremely soggy. definitely wont be coming back

    (2)

  • Laura N.

    The ramen here is very good with a rich, savory broth that is also a bit too salty. Nevertheless, I felt and looked extremely bloated afterward despite eating merely half of the noodle in my bowl. After hearing so many of my friends rave about this place, I feel underwhelmed by the ramen . . . mainly because of its immediate and very uncomfortable bloating effect on me. I like the industrial chic interior design of the restaurant.

    (3)

  • Maxwell L.

    It starts and end with the noodles, and my rating reflects that. Unfortunately the noodles here do not resemble any of the ramen I had have ever had in Japan. The broth is flavorful and the service is quite prompt though. Worth at least a visit so you can decide for yourself. Items ordered: -Spicy miso ramen -Tonkotsu ramen

    (2)

  • Yoomee H.

    First of all, this was my first visit. My sister, Angela H. told me about this place, so my mom and I came here to try the ramen that they serve. The place and food food didn't impress me one bit. I thought it was going to be a lot better since it got like four stars, but nope.. I guess my taste buds are too high class for this place. I don't know. All I could say is that once you step into this restaurant, the space is really crowded.. not spacious like the one in Raku. The seating is horrible. Plastic chairs.. really?! Ick. My seat was so uncomfortable that I couldn't keep still. The ramen I ordered was the Tonkotsu Ramen ($7.95). You could either choose to have the thin soup (which would be the regular soup) or the "rich" soup meaning it has a lot more "fat" in it and it's a little bit more expensive as well. The soup tasted ok. It wasn't as flavorful as I expected. Maybe I expected TOO much, huh? Oh well.. didn't impress me so I won't be coming back to this place. My mom ordered the Tori Ramen ($8.95). She told me it was really bland and didn't have a lot of flavor as well. How disappointing. **Note: If you want to add the Chili Oil that they have on the side, then remember to press and hold the top and pour. My mom and I had trouble with it, so just letting you guys know how to use the darn thing. Ha ha! The servers were ok (meaning they weren't very nice.. just ok). They weren't very attentive and one of them were clumsy. They spilled water on the floor and it wet my mom (she thought it was dripping from the ceiling) and I got wet as well. I knew it was an accident but what really annoyed me was that they didn't clean it up til later on (that was after we left). Hmm.. isn't that dangerous? What if one of the customers slipped on that? So yea.. I won't be coming back here unless one of my friends wants to come and try out this place with me.

    (2)

  • Bill G.

    I'm no ramen expert but this was some amazing soup. I had the tori ramen (no egg, chicken broth). I did not get it "rich". The broth had some really deep chicken flavor and a touch of black pepper heat. I don't know that I've ever had better chicken broth. My son had tonkotsu ramen, rich w/ level 1 heat. He loves heat, but we agreed that level 1 was plenty of heat. It was wonderful as well, but pork and extra heat are not my first choice. Food was preceded by tea that had a sesame oil taste, and watery consistency. I did not love it, but sipped lightly with the soup, it created an interesting contrast. The atmosphere feels like a warehouse, but one that would make a good date spot. I did not "get" the way the noodle refill worked, so I left a bit hungry, but I could not have been more pleased with the food. Definitely worth a try and my new choice over pho when I want homemade noodle soup.

    (5)

  • Kim N.

    Not the best ramen I've ever had but still the best I've been able to find in Atlanta. Also, Umaido ramen prices are better than some other ramen places that have been popping up around Atlanta (Miso Izakaya, Haru Ichiban, Raku, etc.) I've always had pretty good service here. 3 stars because of the inconsistency and a couple of other reasons listed below: The broth is very flavorful but a bit too salty sometime. The noodle is good but sometime it's under-cooked. Kimchi (spicy pickled cabbage) is good when it's not too salty (if you want kimchi, you have to ask your server for it, they don't automatically bring it out and they don't always have it available) If you're a spicy food fan, try the Ultra Spicy Ramen. You can choose anywhere from level 1 - 100. Level 3 is already really spicy for me but to each his own.

    (3)

  • Ching H.

    My first time here at Umaido. I've heard so many great things about this place so I was very excited. I guess I was too excited that I had a high expectation. Actually, I don't know what I was expecting. Ramen places I have only seen in Japanese dramas. I love the interior design. Feels like I'm in japan. But as soon as I saw the servers, I knew this place is owned by a Korean owner. I ordered the original seafood ramen since this is my first time, I wanted to try the basic. I also ordered Tako yaki. You can tell if a restaurant is authentic or not by how a Tako yaki taste. Umaido has 5pcs of Tako yaki for $4.95. They are smaller compare to other places. Also, they were bit hard like they've been microwaved. Disappointed with it. Next, my seafood ramen came. Looks delicious. Portion small for $12.95. It had 3 pcs of shrimp, 2 scallops, 3 squids, load of onions, seaweed, and green onions. Noodle looked and taste like store bought and worse of all, seafood was chewy and hard. Again, I think it's due to microwaved. Taste is average. Bit salty and I had to add tons of chili pepper to make it spicy. Another thing is since we were group of 8. We sat at the long table with turning stools. By the time I finished eating, my legs were asleep and my butt was in pain. Not comfortable at all. Decoration 4stars Food 2.5stars Comfort 2.5 stars Price 2.5stars Overall 2.5stars.

    (3)

  • David L.

    We were driving from NOLA back to B'more and we got hungry. I'm not a very polite driver when I'm hungry, so we decided to see what was around. To my delight, we found a Ramen shop in GA! This place was located in a Korean shopping center right off the expressway, making it easily accesible. Parking was ample. To the right of the entrance, there's a glass window that allows you to view into a room where a fellow is making fresh ramen. We sat at the bar and watched the guys prepped our food. Our server was polite and helpful. She explained the difference between a couple of the items on the menu to us. The food came out promptly and the service was consistently attentive. On a side note: they have a food challenge here. Anybody who can eat 4 bowls of ramen (soup and noodles) in a set time frame (I think it was 15 minutes), get's their picture taken and pinned to the wall of fame. If I did not have a 10 hr drive ahead of me, I would've totally given that a go!

    (4)

  • Cici C.

    My go-to place for ramen! This place is farther than Mizumi but so worth it! I didn't like Mizumi because their soup was too salty and the noodles were too dry...but Umaido is just right (or better)! Their meat was tender, their noodles were delicious, the soup was too good for me to not drink..I love this place not just because of the food but also the environment. The inside is really cute, just like an authentic ramen place!

    (5)

  • Christina T.

    The best ramen noodles in Georgia that I know of. If you know of a better place, let me know. I've had every ramen soup and love them all, but my fave is spicy miso (rich). The japanese curry dish is also very good. I like how you can add garlic, sesame seeds, and chili oil to your own liking.

    (5)

  • Ana V.

    Visiting from Florida. Found the restaurant in Yelp. It was worth the drive since we are staying in downtown Atlanta. The ramen was perfect. The gyoza was amazing. The service was ok. The waitress was rushing to get our order and it was not close to closing time.

    (4)

  • Kevin C.

    What's up y'all! Let me start off by declaring my love for Ramen noodles, really noodle soups of all kinds! There is literally nothing more comforting than a huge bowl of long chewy noodles basking in some sort of hot delicious rich salty broth. I grew up eating Campbell's Chicken Noodle Soup too, guilty as charged. There's nothing wrong with it, but it might be time to grow up Peter Pan, Count Chocula, there's a lot more to be had out there in the realm of noodle soups! Upon walking into Umaido, we're pleasantly greeted by our host and walked over to our table. Each table has a pitcher to the side of it filled with some sort of water/ tea/ coffee mixture. It sounds a little weird, but try it! It's quite refreshing. Anytime I walk into ramen shops, I go in with the mindset of trying new bowls of ramen. But, as my eyes peruse through the menu they inevitably lock onto the tonkotsu ramen...and don't move away from it. Pork bones boiled for hours to make a rich, creamy, velvety broth...I can't pass that up. Let's get real! Umaido offers two options when ordering their ramen. You can either opt for the normal bowl or have it "rich-ified." When I asked the server how the rich version of each bowl of ramen differed from the normal order, he told me that the rich version contained higher levels of grease and fat to add more flavor. Obviously, when given the choice to add more flavor to any particular dish by way of adding fat and grease the decision is quite simple...I chose the rich option. Additionally, extras can be added to any bowl of ramen so I decided to go with a few extra slices of pork belly and bean sprouts. Fifteen minutes later the bowl of ramen appears on the table in all its glory. The broth is rich and velvety and the thinly sliced pork belly sits on the surface against the side of the bowl. The pork belly is extremely flavorful and if you don't get the extra order you will regret it. The broth is simply amazing at Umaido and packed with flavor. There is a notable difference when opting for the richer bowl of ramen. A visible layer of fat sits on the surface of the broth and clings to your lips with each sip you take. I personally enjoyed it, but it's definitely a personal preference type of decision! I also really enjoyed the soft boiled egg and usually wait until the end to break it open, but couldn't resist myself this time. If you have ever been to Umaido before, you'll note that their noodles are a bit different than your typical wavy, chewy ramen noodles. I'm not sure exactly what kind of noodles they use, but they are different. Not necessarily a bad thing, but I will say that I personally prefer the traditional wavy noodles a bit more. I feel as though when you bite into them they offer a bit more bounce and chewiness. Will that stop me from visiting Umaido? Absolutely not! Just my two cents! As with any restaurant, consistency is key. Umaido has demonstrated time and time again that they are able to replicate their delicious broth giving patrons the same satisfying experience every time they visit. They got it down to a science! If you have not yet checked out this restaurant I highly recommend that you do! Have you completed the challenge of finishing 4 bowls of ramen in 20 minutes? I'm interested in knowing your experience. Or do you have any suggestions for top notch ramen shops in the area? If so, drop me a note so I can check it out! K.Chak

    (4)

  • Boreum H.

    I came here for lunch with a coworker and was oddly impressed. It's in the middle of a "burby" shopping center in the middle of nowhere in Suwanee. But once you walk in, it's a little hipsterish and the food was great. Will be going back soon!

    (4)

  • Judy L.

    I've been wanting to try this place out for over a year now and I finally got to. I've been here twice already. I visited this place with my friend and we both ordered the spicy miso ramen and the fried octopus balls. I was skeptical to eat the octopus balls, but after a few moments, I conquered my fear and bit into one. It was still hot from the kitchen and soft and chewy. It was dough on the outside and inside was chopped octopus. The sauce that was drizzled on it complemented it really well. Our ramen came soon after. It was good for us on such a cold, windy day. Each ramen order is about $10. There were lots of toppings or sides in the bowl to eat with the ramen. They even have extra condiments on the side of the table so that the customers can add more as they please. I believe they have sake here as well as popular Japanese soda. The establishment has two flat screen TVs that are always on the sports channel. The restrooms are nice and clean (I know this for the girls' restroom, I don't know about the guys). I believe they have Japanese style toilets where they clean your butt for you when you are doing your business. They have a nice staff. On our second visit, we ordered the fried chicken with rice and kelp. I wasn't expecting good chicken, but goodness, it was SO good. It's more like chicken nuggets, but in a ball shape. The small order comes with 3 chicken balls and kelp. The large order comes with 5 chicken balls and kelp. The rice is cooked on the soft side, which I like because I don't have to chew. I was skeptical to try the kelp since I've never had it before, but it turned out pretty decent. I'm just not used to it yet. My friend LOVES the kelp. The kelp is sprinkled with sesame seeds. Overall, love this dish. If you don't want ramen, order this! It's between $5-$7 depending on the size portion you choose to order. I will definitely visit again. It has become one of my favorite restaurants to go.

    (4)

  • Dilys Z.

    I'm not a big ramen fan but I do know good ramen when I taste it. This is the best ramen around. It's a long way from Emory but my friends were dedicated. The noodles are not so wavy and chewy but truly good and authentic. I'm thinking angel hair pasta-like. As I said, I'm no expert. The broth is rich and the thinly-sliced chashu flavorful but light. I love how they have a vast selection of toppings. I've tried the tonkotsu, spicy tonkotsu, tori, and soy milk ramens. My favorite is the soy milk with crunchy asparagus! Refreshing.

    (4)

  • Wen L.

    Good...not great. Walked in around 2:05 place was pretty empty but that was to be expected because it was right after the lunch rush. Ordered the chicken ramen, while my brother ordered the original pork ramen. The food came fairly quick. We got the rice bowls. My brothers pork bowl was alright , while mine was the wasabi octopus..portions were on the small side..yeah it wasn't very good. When the ramen came..they weren't very hot..kind of lukewarm. The noodles were very hard though.. I don't know if that's normal. The broth was a little too salty for me. Got an extra order of the spicy ramen and they weren't spicy just red.

    (3)

  • Lucas L.

    I do not like it. It is really salty! ! ! The noodle is not enough. If you are hungry, you should add more noodle.

    (2)

  • Matéo G.

    Love this place. Never been to Japan, but this is what I imagine a noodle shop would be over there.

    (5)

  • Roxy C.

    2 Stars stands for "Meh. I've experienced better." And I have. Not in Georgia, but still... I tried to this place a few years ago when people kept raging about how great this place was. So naturally I was quite excited. Boy, was I let down. I was looking at the menu and t was explaining the history/rules about ramen or something like that, and there was even a warning about how piping hot their soup was. And let me tell you I LOVE HOT SOUP. Not spicy, but temperature. Got my food..and taste of the soup was so-so, but my soup was definitely NOT HOT. It was lukewarm at best. Gross. Lukewarm noodle soup. It wasn't just me, my friend was disappointed as well, and we didn't even have any where to compare it to, because it was my first time trying "authentic ramen". But now I've traveled far and wide, and had the most delectable ramen, so I can tell you.....this place......is just MEH. I know I should give it another chance since it's been a few years, but I just don't want to be disappointed again. Japanese ramen is just so much better in Asia...(no duh!)

    (2)

  • Grace S.

    This place is just pure deliciousness. RAMEN!!! Woohoo!!! When I first walked in, I wasn't sure what to expect. It wasn't too decorated, and when walking in, I passed by the kitchen so I thought that was a little odd. My group of friends and I sat at a high table that could seat about 8 others. I guess sharing is caring! The seats were pretty comfortable, it was just a little hard for me to get into because I'm short (according to my mom). Now for the good stuff...FOOD. I had ordered the Ultra Spicy Ramen and I am glad I did. It was nothing but heaven in my mouth. They have three levels of spiciness to choose from, and I chose the third because spicy food is kinda my thing. I thought that it was the perfect amount of hotness for me because it wasn't too spicy, just right. This is random, but in the soup, there was also a boiled egg. I usually don't like to eat boiled eggs, so I gave it to my friend. When my friend opened it up...the yolk was not hard so it still had the liquidy consistency that I love to stick in my soup! Ugh, I shouldn't have shared. But, I thought that was cool to point out because I've never seen that before. When I visit the city where the players play (throwback lyrics!), I'm definitely going to stop by here again.

    (5)

  • Anita C.

    I have to admit, their ramen is pretty good, my favorites are the Seafood Ramen and then the spicy ramen level 2. The reason why they did not get 5 stars is because 1) Their service is bad and that's a huge pet peeve of mine. When I ordered the seafood ramen, the shrimp comes with everything; antennas and all. So when I asked her if they could peel it off for me since the shrimp is hot and it's such a mess; she said "No, we are busy." WTH.. 2) The bowl is only half full. Not happy that I am not completely full when I finish the entire bowl.

    (3)

  • Leith K.

    This is quickly becoming one of our favorite place to go out when we are anywhere near Atlanta. Their Ramen is my favorite and I think it is going to be hard to beat, at least in this country. We have tried multiple different items from the menu and all of them have been very good. The atmosphere is very child friendly and there are many dishes that even our eight year old enjoys. I love their cold tea that comes with the meal, even though I am the only one in our party that does! The service is always good, I've never had a problem even though it seems that many people have complained about it. My only complaint is I wish this place was closer to home.

    (5)

  • Addy C.

    Gosh if I'd read the part about the broth having lots of collagen & being good for healthy skin, then maybe I would've made a better effort at cleaning up my bowl. But sorry, the broth while tasty was also a little too salty for me. I'd heard similar feedback from other friends who'd been here, and the same from our party of 7. I'd also heard Umaido probably served the most authentic ramen in Atlanta - I mean, Atlanta & surrounding areas. This place is FAR!! Among the 5 different ramen choices, I decided to stick w/ the basic "Tonkotsu Ramen" ($6.95). For cholesterol reasons, I decided to forego the "rich" broth - also knowing that the others were getting it, and kinda assumed I'd get a taste of theirs for comparison :) Good choice b/c my "not rich" broth was on the salty side, and getting the rich version would be double whammy (salty + fatty). Still, I do want to point out that the broth is very good - salty yes (esp. noticeable as the soup gets cold) - but very tasty. You really can tell they put a lot of love into their broth :) Apparently their broth is made w/ pork & 14 special healthy ingredients. The menu also mentioned that it takes 36 hrs to complete the soup, and it's boiled for over 20 hrs for richness & greater flavor. I also sampled the "Spicy Miso Tonkotsu" and the "Sweet Miso Tonkotsu" broths - both good but I'm glad I stuck w/ the reg. Tonkotsu. Portions are good - and if you're still hungry, you can get an extra serving of noodles for just $.99 to add to your soup. I like that the noodles are made fresh here but mine was a little too al dente. Still I'd probably order the extra noodles just b/c I hated to waste the broth - except I was too full from my "Chasyu Rice Bowl" ($3.95). Thx to Sarah E's review for recommending it :) That stuff is yum and helped balance the saltiness from the broth. Service is good & very friendly. They also offer complimentary radish kimchi - which helped answer my question whether this place was Korean or Japanese-owned. Also liked that they have a fun challenge if you can finish 4 ramen bowls w/in 20 minutes :) FYI - they are great about doing separate checks.

    (3)

  • Jin M.

    My friends & I heard great things about Umaido, so we decided to drive 40 minutes to try their infamous ramen. Located in a small shopping center, Umaido was small & cozy. The servers are very attentive & was very patient with our millions of questions. I ordered the level 3 tonkatsu ramen with regular broth. Although there were only about 3 or 4 pieces of meat, those 3 pieces are delicious. But I do wish I had more meat. It also came with an egg that was marinaded in soy sauce & something (?). Anyways, it was good! I thought the regular broth was perfect, so I didn't regret not ordering the rich soup. The only thing I didn't like was probably the type of noodles. It had a rough texture, & broke easily. I prefer noodles that are.. in Korean--- "jjol-ghit, jjol-ghit", which basically means chewy (?). But the broth was good enough to mask the texture of noodles. Ramen was definitely tasty, but I wouldn't drive 40 minutes just for a bowl of this. But if I was in the neighborhood, I would stop by!

    (4)

  • Sooji K.

    if you're looking for real authentic japanese style ramen... look elsewhere. (either miso izakaya at lunch or haru ichiban). if you're not expecting that level of authenticity, i'm sure you'll find something to your liking here :) as others have mentioned, this place has korean roots and it definitely shows in its palate range. i usually order the ultra spicy ramen lvl 2. the best part of their ramen and the reason i probably keep coming back? their chashyuu and boiled egg. their egg is what dreams are made of. i'm totally serious. perfectly soft boiled. their chashyuu is cooked to perfection, crisp edges and buttery pork in the center. sigh. i have to mention that their broth tends to run a little bit on the high msg route. y'know that feeling of unquenchable thirst you get after a meal? kind of like that. so if you're sensitive to sodium, you've been warned. personally, it doesn't bother me too much as long as i can't taste it when i'm eating... haha i'd say umaido is the best option for ramen in the gwinnett area

    (4)

  • Rumany P.

    The Spicy Miso Ramen broth was good (although not the least bit spicy). The nitamago was really well seasoned. The extra kakuni (braised pork) was really good in the ramen. This extra addition led to an abundance of meat that I usually don't find in most ramen places. The Tori chicken appetizer was nothing special and I wouldn't order that again.

    (4)

  • Donald F.

    horrible food, 3out of 4 of us ordered ramen which was edible, but the yolk of the egg was half cooked. I'll take shoya ramen over this place any day my other fd just wanted gyoza(dumpling ) it came after all our noodle arrived and it's super burnt. asked the server if she think it's burnt her answer was 'i think so too but the chef said it's ok...' we return it waited another 15min here came another set of burnt ones. this time server brought it and told us she'll sent it back again and try one more time by that time everyone else had already finished so we ordered the roll up egg which was favorless. finally some not so burnt dumpling arrived and she said the frozen ones from H mart taste better. gave one extra star caz the only server that was working in the entire place was actually nice and apologize

    (2)

  • Ju Yun K.

    The atmosphere and decor is fantastc, but the food has some problems. The spicy miso ramen was the best of the four that i ordered, and even that was too salty. The wasabi ramen incredibly overbearingly offensive, but maybe that is how it is supposed to be. It seemed that the noodles were made of wasabi. The knly unoffensive part was the egg. The seafood ramen was somewhat bearable with a fair amount of shrimp, but nothing extraordinary The ultra spicy ramen lv 1 was the most greasy piece of crap i have ever tasted in my life. It tasted like a pig was sitting the pot for over thirty years. Additionally, the portion size was extremely small, and we had to go order some tonkatsu at hmart to fill us up. Despite all these flaws, the owners have the nerve to charge upwards of 12 dollars per a meager and mediocre bowl of ramen Maybe i just dont know how authentic ramen is supposed to taste, but i didnt like it.

    (1)

  • Leigh N.

    I'm bringing my rating of this place down to 3 stars. The food is still delicious, but the service is horrible. I understand that we were there on a busy Saturday night, but having to ask 3+ times for everything is quite annoying.

    (3)

  • Chris N.

    They use thin noodles here, which are/were popular in Japan for awhile. I'm not a fan of this type of noodle. I much prefer the heavier egg noodles that you can find in "Nama" Ramen packages in the grocery stores. This place also claims to specialize in Tonkotsu (Pork base) Ramen. I tried the Spicy Lv.3 (goes up to 100) Tonkotsu Ramen which was much more spicy than I expected. My wife had the regular Tonkotsu. We probably should've ordered "Kotteri" (thicker broth) as the regular broth was somewhat uninspiring. Overall, because of my bias on the noodles and not having tried "Kotteri" style, I'm rating a 2 for now. I much prefer Yakitori Jinbei's Tonkotsu Ramen so far. Tried the Kotteri Tonkotsu Ramen, was MUCH better. Still not a fan of the thin noodles, but overall, they serve tasty ramen @ a good price. I would recommend you order any Ramen "Kotteri" style. It's much more flavorful than the standard broth. Steer away from the spicy ramen unless you feel the need for pain.

    (4)

  • Eric A.

    Great ramen, but do not go close to closing time on Sunday night. The waitstaff is inattentative, the kitchen staff miscommunicated and lost my order, but because the kitchen was closed they did not offer to cook me a new bowl of ramen or any other food, so I was left mooching a little ramen from my friend (who actually received her order). Go during a normal dinner time and maybe the service will be a bit better.

    (1)

  • Jeff S.

    I loved this place! If you want real Japanese ramen, this is your paradise! They are very friendly and courteous. If you want a taste of japan this is your place!

    (5)

  • Anita C.

    My husband and I have been looking for a good ramen place with chewy noodles and flavorful broth. This is the place! The noodles are handmade and you can watch someone making it in the window. Because the noodles are handmade, they aren't like the packaged ramen noodles that get soggy like you get in some other restaurants. I love the flavor of the ultra spicy. I tried 3 since I like things really spicy. I ended up diluting it with some of my husband's spicy miso broth so I wouldn't die. It was really tasty. You get a good amount of chasyu compared to other places, but I wouldn't complain if they threw a couple more pieces in there. Love the soft boiled egg!! It puts it over the top. They also don't complain when my husband is craving ramen and I'm not really hungry and we split one bowl with extra noodles. :)

    (5)

  • Jie Y.

    Best ramen in Atlanta. The soup is amazing. Takoyaki and Gyoza are also good.

    (5)

  • Stephanie F.

    .

    (4)

  • Vincent V.

    This place is a gem in Gwinnett! Love how they designed the inside with a minimalistic approach that takes pride in featuring the strong industrial appearance in the inside of the building. I have been here a few times now and am very impressed with the consistency of flavors in their broth and noodles. I prefer the tonkostu ramen most of all, but enjoyed the sea food and spicy ramen in previous trips. Make sure you ask for the kimchi! Highly recommend!!!

    (5)

  • Liz H.

    Not the best ramen I have had, but an overall enjoyable place to go out to. Since this place is known for the ramen, I have tried just the ramen - the Ultra Spicy lv2 and Original Tonkatsu. While the broth is has flavor, it is not as tasty as I would have expected. I love the perfectly cooked egg that comes with the ramen - when I broke it open, glistening, golden yolk appeared. It coated my noodles and tasted delicious. The noodles themselves do not have much taste - all the flavors of the dish are from the broth or toppings. I like the noodle refill for 1.50 - my stomach can only handle one refill, but have had a friend refill his ramen twice. Don't be afraid to order as many noodle refills as you want . The interior has a Japanese feel with a bar area when you come in and the tables are beyond that. There is a large tv screen for when the conversation lags. Employees are great about keeping your glass full of the tea, but there is also a pitcher at the table when you need to combat any spicy dishes.

    (4)

  • Henry Y.

    I came here in a big group of 10, three of us wanted to do a ramen challenge. And some of us weren't that hungry and ordered some appetizers to eat since their noodles are overpriced for their portion and quality. About the food: the noodles are really overpriced, with the same price, you can get much better ramen with a much bigger portion in some other japanese restaurants in metro Atlanta. And my friends complained about the noodle soup being too salty, which is also pointed out in many other previous reviews. About the service: THIS IS THE MOST TERRIBLE PART AND MADE ME NOT GOING BACK THERE AGAIN. THEY SHOW NO RESPECT TO THEIR CUSTOMERS. Here is the story, since 3 of us ordered ramen challenge (which we are given 4 bowls of ramen to finish within 20 minutes, if we can't finish all of them (including the big bowl of salty soup), we have to pay $20) and this is the ONLY rule given on the menu, no any other restrictions. Okay, when the 12 noodles came, the waiter placed all of them on a separate table, and ask 3 of our friend to go the other table and eat under the surveillance of a waiter. But we don't want to be sit seperate and asked if our friends can do the challenge on the same table, the waiter gave us an annoyed face and said, "there isn't enough space on your own table, so we have to ask them to eat on the other table" , but apparently if you re-arrange the dishes on the table, there is more than enough space to fit those bowls in. Ok, the waiter finally put those bowls back to our table with an annoyed and angry face. We were like.. "what the..." and we think the reason is that they want to make sure we don't "cheat" during the challenge. Ok, my friends couldn't finish the challenge in the end, and since there were so much noodles remaining, we asked if some of us can finish those remaining, then the waiter answered "No, you can't share it" . We then asked "then what are you going to do with those remaining noodles, you'd waste the food and throw them to the trash instead of letting the others to finish it?" Then the waiter replied with a "Yes" Fine, but I want to stress one thing: there was not a rule written about "you can't let others finish the ramen after the 20 minute." We did not know or get informed of that before. So, those 3 of my friends said, "okay, we would rather wait for a while and try to eat as much as we can, even though the 20 min has passed, because we don't want to waste so much food" And for the rest of the time, the waiter kept standing there, watching us, making sure none of us touch any of those noodles except those 3 who took the challenge, this is a DISRESPECT of us and made us feel like criminals who have to be watched by police... Overall, the noodles is not good actually, the soup is salty, portion is small and most importantly, they show no respect to their customers! This is a very horrible experience to us and we WON'T GO BACK THERE DEFINITELY.

    (1)

  • Gloria M.

    Lo & behold I finally got the opportunity to go to Umaido and try out their ramen. Mind you I've had ramen @ Tokyo town in LA so this probably wouldn't even compare. Yup I was right. I heard of the ramen challenge; the spiciness level goes up to 100 and since I love spicy foods, I gave it a try. I bravely chose lvl 50. It wasn't so spicy as it was salty. Saltiness is something I cannot even bear to tolerate. Seeing that it's a Japanese establishment, I decided to give their takoyaki a try. Dissapointment again, I've had better at Japanfest. It was soggy but the bonito flakes were good! As they should be ha! I came here out of curiosity but most likely won't come back again.

    (2)

  • Esther K.

    We're a fan of Umaido. We come here for some quick ramen craving in our side of town. This is probably the best ramen place in this part of down (Duluth, Suwanee, Sugarloaf). Then again there isn't a stiff competition on this area yet for ramen besides the instant ones you can get in boxes at HMart or Assi. We've been here several dozen times and the ramen has been consistent. My usual order is the dontkatsu ramen. I like to add the pressed garlic and some sesame seeds into mine. Their pork belly is always thick (just the way I like it) and the broth is pretty good. The bf gets the Tonkatsu Rame Level 2. If your order this don't be alarmed by the reddish noodles that comes in your broth. On various occasions we've ordered their gyozas as an appetizer. There aren't a lot that come in an order; however, each dumpling is filled with hearty yumminess. They definitely do not skimp on the filling. In our recent visit the bf and I ordered their crispy chicken nuggets as n appetizer. It was so good!! Perfectly moist "chicken nuggets" encased a perfectly fried breading. I will remember to order this all the time an appetizer. There are different levels of spiciness on their ramen. We even had a friend that tried the spicy contest years ago. Definitely not for the faint at heart or tongue. I heard it's extremely and unbearably spicy. I probably only know two friends of mine that could probably handle and complete the challenge. Also, make sure you request the kimchee. One of the few ramen places that offer free kmchee.

    (4)

  • Angela S.

    Bad night and won't go back again!! It's crowded, which is fine for Saturday night and the wait is about 10 mins, not bad before things went worse. We ordered our ramen and wanted to add the fried chicken toppings, the waitress told us they were out for the night. Fine, disappointed but understandable. So we asked to keep the menu and ordered dumplings and drinks with another waitress. Thanks God we did that or we would walk out really pissed + starved. Waited for 20 mins, our dumplings came. Not awesome but good starting for 8:30 PM. Then, the funny thing came, the table behind us, who came 25 mins after us got their ramen!! So, where the heck are ours? Waited for 5 mins finally got one waitress and asked about our food, she said, " sorry our kitchen is very busy tonight, your food is being cooked now." Put in mind, this was the only excuse they can think about and we probably heard it 10 times tonight. My guess is the order was never put through! It become ridiculous since the table behind us had finished eating but still NO bowls on ours. Decided to leave and they wanted to charge us $2.40 for tax for 5 dumplings, 1 coke, 1 sprite., 25% vs. 6% tax rate. Guys, if you are going, make sure to double check your bill before paying. Good luck!

    (1)

  • Allene T.

    Best ramen I've had yet. I currently live in Manhattan and have tried all the typical "popular" ramen places here (Totto Ramen, Ippudo, Hide-Chan) and for some reason, none of them satisfy me like Umaido does. My favorite is the spicy tonkotsu ramen. Sooo good. The broth is rich (I wouldn't suggest the extra-rich broth), flavorful, and level 1 spicy is just right for the taste buds. The noodles are just the right firmness and an extra plate of them costs just 99 cents (the last time I went, at least). Add a little fresh garlic and sesame seeds and you're good to go. It's a bit pricy for Georgia standards and compared to other noodle soups like pho, but totally worth it.

    (5)

  • Esther K.

    I came here a couple days ago with my friend, Superjjang (yes, I call every one I know by their aliases when referring to them online). I introduced him to this place, and we were big fans. We hadn't had Umaido's in a while, as I had been absolutely spoiled from awesome ramen in LA. So we decided to drop by. I ordered my usual spicy tonkotsu ramen, but I ordered a level 1 as I haven't been eating much spicy food as of late. Superjjang got spicy miso ramen. The soup was beyond salty. I usually never say a word, but I pulled a server aside (since I couldn't find our server at all) and told him the soup was beyond salty today. He just stared back at me with a blank look and said ok. I wasn't looking for a discount or anything, but it would've been nice if he told me he'd relay it to the chef. I am going to give this place another chance but I'm going to hope that the soup isn't as salty as it was this past visit.

    (2)

  • Jonathan W.

    Hands down, one of my favorite dishes of all time. Spicy Miso Ramen is packed with tons of flavor and just enough heat to keep me satisfied without any "side-effects." I've attempted the Ultra Spicy Ramen Lvl 1 but that was just a little too much heat. Staff is fantastic, atmosphere is very chill and price is extremely reasonable.

    (5)

  • M. H.

    I love the tonkotsu ramen with rich broth. This place is kinda overpriced. $10 + tip for a small bowl of soup. But it's truly delicious!

    (5)

  • Maggie L.

    I have been to umaido many time. Today I ordered three hirata buns and waitress did not mention they don't have lettuce to make the buns. She served me three buns with meat only that is extremely salty without veggie. She walked away when I asked why. I love the foods in umaido but customer service is so so. Feel like they are going downhill :/.

    (2)

  • Jin K.

    I've been here about twice in the last 2 weeks and quite enjoyed their ramen. Their broth tastes amazing on their seafood ramen, their lunch special don for $3 is great portion size and cheap! However, the loss of star is due to price of ramen for the quantity given. I've been to best ramen place in Colorado and it's definitely different but Umaido rly lacks quantity compared to other good places I've been to

    (4)

  • Johnny W.

    One of a waitress is such beautiful! I remember she has a mix-blood face between American and Asian. She looks like very thin. It was my first time went by there during the thxgiving break, and I wish I could be go again when I go chance. I could not be able to pay attention on the noodle when I was eating... nuh...

    (5)

  • Christina K.

    Maybe it was the minimalist, cold decor... maybe it was the really tough noodles, but either way Umaido is not my favorite. The broth is good enough, but nothing that burrows itself into your taste buds memory that makes you go back for more and more. The eating contests are great when you go with that one friend who is up to a challenge, but other than that it's just eh. The menu does offer some diversity, but the broths seem to taste the same each time.

    (2)

  • Elle M.

    Very disappointing on several fronts. First, this place is not family friendly, nor is it large party friendly. My first visit there was with my husband, our two young children (2 years old and 6 months old), and brother-in-law & his wife. They did not have booster chairs - only high chairs, but nowhere to really set the chairs since: 1. Tables cannot be moved to accommodate parties this size (they are bolted to wall); 2. There is not enough room to place the chairs because the aisles are so narrow. They offered to seat us all at the ramen bar so we could be together, but again there was no room at the bar for high chairs, not to mention a high chair couldn't be moved up close enough to the bar for a child to eat. Service is terrible because there isn't anyone managing the floor. The two girls who were working that day were trying VERY hard, but they were shorthanded and the kitchen was obviously having issues, too. Our food was either cold, too salty, very greasy or old (we were served 2-3 day old rice that was browning and crusty). As for authentic...um, not so much. Did I mention that my husband and brother-in-law are Japanese? Robert Irvine would do them well to pay them a visit.

    (1)

  • Han L.

    Aside from Circle Sushi, this is the only other place I have to been that has a bidet. I don't really use it, but cool! It's a ramen noodle house situated in a shopping center. Umaido is smaller than I expected; I bet it can seat no more than 50 ppl. The menu is pretty simple; ramen with stuff, ramen with other stuff. There are various levels of spiciness you can select as well. One neat thing is, if you finish the noodle and there's broth left, for an extra .99 cent, you can ask them to refill the bowl w noodles. Well, the ramen is a tad too salty for me, but my dining companion told me that's how it is and to deal with it (jk). There's fresh garlic and a garlic smasher thingy for you to add to the soup. There's also fresh ginger and sesame. I also ordered the gyoza there. It seemed pretty fresh, but the gyoza came about the same time as the noodle. I thought they were a bit bland, but I bet it was because the noodle was so dang salty to me. Who knows. Maybe my taste buds were whacked that day. Anyway, I'd come back. I feel in my heart, I can beat the spicy ramen noodle challenge. Also, as a girl, I get 5 minutes grace. It pays to be a lady (sometimes) ! Yelp 365 #14/365 ( yay for West Coast time! whoot!)

    (3)

  • Larry D.

    Good ramen place and reasonable prices. I had the basic with rich broth. They are very consistent here, and serve fast. I would not recommend for dinner as it's pretty basic looking and the menu is limited, but a great lunch place.

    (4)

  • Karly G.

    Lately I've been craving ramen noodles like it's the best food in the world. It's true, it's one of the best foods in the world, but it's oh so bad for me. So for that very reason, they're not stashed in the house. And every since Rama Girl, I've been wanting to visit one these noodle joints with the bowls stashed up to the ceiling and pot of broth that's been stewing for days... and an elderly Japanese man with a ladle the size of his head gently babying his precious broth. And the sound of people slurping their bowls to the very last drop... Umaido, a haven for Ramen perfectly located in Lawrenceville-Suwanee (in my neck of the wood). The first thing is their door; a 9 foot pair of chopsticks will lead you into the world of Ramen. Just like how I've envisioned it, the first thing I saw is the booths with noodle bowls stashed up high but, you can still look through the screen to the busy kitchen, where the real magic happens. The aroma of sweet rich broth fills the entire room. I really felt like I was in Japan for a moment. The place is very narrow and is very dim towards the back. It feels very intimate and the place is beautiful all on its own. The menu is very simple. One side consists of 7 different types of ramen and plenty of sides to top your bowl with. And, if you save your broth, you can add additional noodles for just $1 if the first bowl didn't do any justice. How awesome is that? And trust me, you will have plenty of broth left, they do give a very reasonable amount of it. By the way, all their broth is pork based so maybe this isn't best for vegans and vegetarian. We had a few to try out: the Honey Miso, the seafood and the Tonkotsu ramen. The honey really makes the broth sweeter. It comes with slices of pork belly, corn, bean sprouts and an egg. OMG, this seasoned half hardboiled egg is amazingly good. I can't really explain the process but it's brown so they must have soaked the egg in some sweet soy for at least a few days before boiling it for maybe 4 min? Because the yolk is still running but so soft and it just melts in your mouth good. The seafood ramen come with 3 sweet grilled shrimps, some grilled squid and I had to order the cod roes (which comes in a small plate on the side that you add into your bowl). The shrimps were sweet and not over cooked and the squid has that smoky flavor from the grill. I was inhaling this bowl. The Tonkotsu is the original broth bowl with tree ear (like a fungus/algaeish), slices of pork belly, bean sprouts and the egg. I'm telling you, that egg is some kind of wonderful in my mouth. You can order additional egg for $2, it's worth it. The other side of the menu consists of several rolls and mini Japanese appetizers. They also have a pork onigiri (which is grilled rice with minced pork inside formed into a triangular shape). Very good! It does take a bit of time to get your food, but there's a reason for it. The presentation for each bowl is beautifully decked out with scallions and sesame seeds and your fresh noodles are being boiled and drained... It's worth the wait. This is why I love Japanese food. They really take the time to make all their dishes aesthetically pleasing to the eye and the palate. They open for lunch from 11 - 3pm and dinner from 5pm to 11pm.

    (4)

  • Amanda T.

    This is the only ramen restaurant I've been to, so I don't really have anything to compare it to, but overall my experience was great. I went with coworkers who frequent asian and ethnic restaurants very often and know what's good and what isn't, so I trust them. I got some regular Yakitori, and someone else got the seafood Yakitori, and we shared and both were probably some of the best food I've ever put in my mouth, I could make a whole meal out of Yakitori. I ordered the Spicy Miso ramen, and I definitely left feeling full and satisfied. this ramen is much different than the cheap packages you get at the store, this is broth (I recommend the rich soup for an extra $1, it makes the broth a bit thicker) with egg, veggies and sliced pork, it was excellent. I wasn't sure what to expect, but I added some sesame seeds and that added a nice flavor to it. I see in some of the reviews that people actually added salt to the ramen, and I didn't feel like it needed any salt, most foods are overly-salted today anyway, not sure why you'd want to add even more unless you're used to eating a lot of processed food, frozen food, fast food, etc because those have crazy levels of sodium. salt is not a substitute for flavor, but some people think otherwise. We also had the "japanese fried chicken" which was interesting, it came with salt to dip it in since it isn't seasoned, which i thought was kind of cool. it didn't need salt in my opinion, though there isn't a lot of flavor, i thought the chicken itself was flavor enough, the crunchy bit on the outside was more to cater to a more American audience...if you want real chicken nuggets, go to Mcdonalds, not a ramen house.

    (5)

  • Qianqian B.

    Such a great affordable place to eat! I like all their noodles and rice, even though didn't try them all yet, but keep trying and never disappointed. What's that appetizer my boyfriend and I tried last time? The little ball thing with calamari inside. Forgot the name, my boyfriend said they aren't as good as the ones he ate before, but for me it was fine. He's a little bit picky. Anyway, the greatest Japanese noodle place in the area. Definitely recommend!

    (5)

  • Maggie T.

    Mmmm Tonkatsu ramen!!!! Wow. Yummy In my tummy please.

    (5)

  • Andrew H.

    ITADAKIMASU! Came here after a movie and found it kind of hard to find. The U is sideways! Anywho, I started off with the wasabi octopus. It was okay, the pieces were cut small, maybe too small. It took me a while to eat it with chopsticks. Flavor wasn't bad though. Then comes the tonkotsu ramen. I saw a tip for spicy tonkotsu, but they wouldn't let me have mine spicy so I got the hot sauce... for a buck!? The ramen tasted good though, could've used more char siu though (what can I say... I'm a meat lover through and through). The rich broth was nice and tasty maybe a tad salty but no biggy. Kae Dama! spicy! I got excited as I saw the guy bringing me a plate of ridiculously red noodles. I could only imagine how spicy and delicious these noodles were going to be! Sadly, the noodles were al dente to the point of being almost raw and the noodles were just not spicy in the slightest.

    (4)

  • Lauren H.

    I've been wanting to try this place for awhile and finally came around to doing so this evening. After a day of snowboarding, I figured a nice hot bowl of ramen would be perfect to top off the day. I ordered a bowl of spicy ramen level 1 and my fiance ordered the level 3. The level 1 was not spicy at all and level 3 was too spicy for me. Next time I'll go for level 2. The good. -broth is flavorful -meat is tender -egg is cooked perfectly -kimchi is fresh The bad. -broth is a little too salty (I've drank about 3 bottles of water since dinner) -small portions (meat, ramen). If you're going to charge $9-10 for a bowl of ramen, I should get more than 3 pieces of meat. -service was eh. Friendly staff but we had to flag our waitress down several times to get some service. Overall, the ramen was good but it wasn't the best thing ever.

    (3)

  • Jason F.

    So far the best ramen I've had in Atlanta. I know I am stealing a line from someone else's post (Hieu H.) but it's the truth, "Finding good ramen (Really!) is almost like going on a quest for the Holy Grail." If you live in the area, you might as well start your quest here, and then fly to Japan... cause let's face it, if you're looking for the best, you have to go to Japan. My only wish is that they would make the noodles differently. I gotta have egg noodles with my ramen. Itadakemasu and Gochizosama! Shouldn't be too hard to find. Look for the HMart. They share a parking lot.

    (4)

  • Rhea T.

    We decided to check this place out because of an article we read online. We ordered the tonkotsu ramen, the spicy tonkotsu ramen and grilled ika geso. The ramen was delicious! The broth was so flavorful. We read that for few dollars they can make the broth much richer. We didn't get to add the rich broth this time but we will next time. My favorite though was the grilled squid (ika geso). It was AMAZING!! It has a citrus marinade, maybe yuzu? It was so good!!!! This place was definitely a must try if you like ramen! Btw, they make their own ramen noodles! Go now!

    (5)

  • Ophelia L.

    I've been here 3 times already with my bf. Never had to wait when we came in for Saturday lunches. I always order the original tonkotsu ramen bowl. I've been intrigued by the other ramen bowls, but since this place is somewhat out of the way for us (35 minute drive), I want to stick to what's known to be good. The broth is so good that it's the first thing i spoon into my mouth when it arrives to the table. The veggies are also good. The yolk in my egg is usually a little underdone which i like, but on the last visit, it was a lot closer to being just hard-boiled. The pork meats are usually very tender, but it was quite tough on our last visit too. I had to give away my pork meat to my bf; not sure what was going on on that last visit. Still my best place to get ramen though. We also ordered the agedashi tofu side dish and it was very tasty. Love the texture! If you want to eat this before your ramen bowl comes out, you should let the waiter know as they make their ramen bowls faster than most other things on their menu. Also, their barley tea is always a refreshing pleasure to drink.

    (4)

  • Lily H.

    Umadio is a quaint and small establishment. The restaurant is decorated with simple Japanese touches which gives the establishment a minimalist feeling. The bar seats make for an awkward entry way into the back dining area, and in the dining room, the communal high top chairs seem slightly out of place. After being seated on the high top, the service was as expected but not necessarily spectacular. The ramen was wonderful though! I really enjoyed the taste of the soup. For those who have a hearty appetite (I eat very little compared to average), I recommend ordering extra noodles for your leftover soup. Overall, the atmosphere and service was average, but the ramen was delicious!

    (3)

  • Renee K.

    First off, as we were walking in there was a Gawd awful stench in the area. I'm talking backed-up sewage spewing on someone's lawn awful. My friend and I looked at each other and instantly became skeptical of this place. We agreed that if it smelt funky inside, we'd go somewhere else. Thank goodness the inside didn't smell of sewage! There is an odd layout this place. When you walk in, there is a narrow hallway that leads to a larger sitting area in the back. In this hallway of sorts there is seating lined against the wall. One side faces the wall, the other the kitchen. We were seated a small table and given menus. Our drinks arrived shortly after and the kind server answered our questions. We were definite ramen noobs. And being such, both ordered the Hirata Buns, tonkotsu ramen and the Japanese roll cake. Hirata Buns - Served one per order for $2.50. Steamed buns filled with pork, served with spicy buns sauce and mayo. ^^^ - YUM! A single small bun was steamed and folded over to make a mini sandwich/taco thing. The spicy buns sauce made the dish. It reminded me a lot of BBQ sauce. There's also a little bit if crisp lettuce in there to give it a nice crunch. Tonkatsu Ramen - Umaido original tonkatsu broth with slices of roasted pork, tree ear, garlic oil, bean sprouts, seasoned 1/2 hard boiled egg, scallions and sesame. ^^^ - The broth was very flavorful. I kinda wished the weather was cold and bleak outside because the ramen warmed you from the inside out. It has a very comforting taste. The roasted pork, broth and hard boiled egg were my favorite part. I sat around and talked for so long that the noodles went cold. I didn't know at the time, but they can bring out extra noodles if you ask. Japanese Custard Cake ^^^ - This definitely reminds me of a sponge cake or angle food cake with cream on the inside. It's not served like a slice of cake. The way it's served makes me thing it's make like a strawberry roll. You can see the spiral of cream on the inside when it's served. And it's very tasty. It's not too heavy of a dessert so I didn't end up hating myself. Can't wait to go back!

    (4)

  • Candis D.

    My experience at Umaido was my first time having Ramen so I don't have anything to compare it to. With that said, this ramen experience was EVERYTHING! We were checking out our new 'hood in Suwanee and discovered that Umaido is not too far from where we'll be living!! Winning!! We arrived at Umaido right around 6pm on a Saturday night with a party of 4; 2adults and 2 kiddos in tow. We like to expose our kiddos to new cultural experiences because there is so much more to life than the average American food. We were told that our wait would be 15 minutes or so for a table. When I took the kiddos to the back to the bathroom, I could see why there was a wait even though the place didn't looked packed. Umaido is about as big as a sardine can. It's very tiny folks. It was such a tight squeeze to get back to the restroom, I was afraid that we would knock someone's ramen over or even worse...my kids would stick their little grubby fingers in someone's food. Okay...so the wait wasn't exactly 15 minutes and we had time to ask the hostess questions about the most popular items and what kids usually eat and stuff like that. We were seated in the table to the back and it was a very very tight squeeze y'all. I was immediately having second thoughts because I didn't know how I would be able to get comfortable enough to enjoy this. But nevertheless, we made it work. Now for the service, it's more than likely not going to be stellar. I think its just because of the cultural difference. We Americans like to be pampered when we dine out and you won't get that here. Our hostess asked us if we wanted barley tea or water when she seated us. After that we didn't see our server until 5 minutes or so after we were seated. She didn't ask us if it were our first time there...clearly we were the only brown folks in that tiny place so that would've been a good indication that we were...but she was courteous and answered questions that we had. We ordered: Tonkotsu Ramen, Honey Miso Ramen, Japanese Fried Chicken over rice bowl for the kiddos to share, 3 orders of Hirata, 2 Ramune sodas, and strawberry Mochi Ice Cream. All of that came to $50. Not bad for a family of 4. The good: The Honey Miso ramen was perfect. The broth was mad flavorful, the noodles were chewy and perfectly cooked, the slices of roasted pork were tender and juicy, the addition of the corn kernels and sliced scallion set it off. I wasn't sure about the egg in there because I have a love hate relationship with eggs, but the soft hard boiled egg worked. My husband had the Tonkotsu Ramen and he enjoyed it immensely. He couldn't stop commenting on how flavorful the broth was. I didn't get an opportunity to sample his. Ramen is such a personal thing...you know. Not really idea for sharing in my opinion. The just okay: I expected more from the Japanese Fried Chicken over rice bowl. It was sort of fatty and a tad bit greasy, but the kiddos ate it. Also, the steamed buns with pork belly were just okay. I expected the appetizer to be hot, but it was sorta just lukewarm warm. I'm sure that's the way they serve it, I've had more authentic ones from a place in NYC before and compared to those, Umaido's were not as tender and juicy but still decent. The strawberry Mochi Ice Cream was decent. I'm sure I would've enjoyed it more if our server would've explained how to eat it. For those of you who've never had Mochi I think its best explained as like a sticky Japanese marshmallow. The mochi covered the balls of ice cream. Basically it should be eaten by just picking the entire ball up and putting it in your mouth. I wasn't aware of this until after I had ripped several pieces with a fork which of course was a debacle. Oh and the Japanese soda: Ramune. Please, please, please research how to open these before you attempt to do so. Our server just put them in front of us with no explanation of how to open it. Luckily, I'm married to a semi-geek who likes to spend mindless hours on YouTube and he had come across videos of people totally butchering the process. This is not just a simple twist of the top people. There is a marble in the opening and you have to push it down evenly and forcefully(but not too much) with the little plastic spigot that comes inside of the top. So he was aware of what not to do to save us from totally looking like the novice Ramen connoisseurs that we are. This could've totally ended up being The bad...but thankfully it was not! Overall, this was a wonderful experience. We will definitely return sans the kiddos. I just took away one star for the service and the not so tender appetizers.

    (4)

  • Amit And Fritzi G.

    Ramen ramen ramen ramen ramen! These are the best near Suwannee! They make the ramen fresh - sometimes you can see the guy rolling it in the front. As for the ramen, I recommend spicy. You can choose the level and if you can take heat I do recommend going up to the higher levels. They also make a spicy ramen noodle along with the spicy broth. If you go early you can sometimes get the rich broth. It adds that extra flavor but they tend to run out quickly so go early if you want it.

    (5)

  • DeJaan L.

    My Daughter introduced me to this Restaurant. Since I've discovered it, I have gone back twice. The Shrimp Ramen noodle Soup is delicious. On my last visit I actually ask for some ginger on the side. I put it in the soup and it really wakes up the flavor. If you need water please request it. There is Plenty tea available to You.

    (4)

  • Loan D.

    Umaido is located on Lawremceville-Suwanee road, on exit 111 of 85, right next to H-Mart. It is in a Korean shopping plaza and there is plenty of parking. We went on a Tuesday evening and there were a few customers. We didn't have to wait and were seated promptly. We started with 2 hirata buns, which is a spin on the Peking duck. You get a sweet streamed bun that is filled with delicious, moist pork belly, with a sweet sauce and mayo. It is $2.50 per bun - a bit pricey for what it is, but I really enjoy it and it's a nice appetizer for me. I had the Tonkatsu ramen ($8.95) and my hubby ordered the spicy miso ramen ($9.95) The ramen noodles are soft and chewy, the broth is nicely seasoned (not too salty), and it comes with a big slice of pork belly and an egg. I believe that you could get an additional refill of noodles for $1.50 but I am usually full and satisfied by the end of the meal . The service is good, and the waitresses came to check on us twice. I would definitely recommend this place to people. I definitely want to try other ramen places in GA but Umaido is so far the safest place to satisfy ramen cravings!!!

    (4)

  • Dee L.

    This is one of THE spot for ramen, their ramen have really good flavor. And yes they can make it spicy unlike raku. The price is about 10-13 dollars a bowl, it's a bit steep but it's worth it. The service is pretty fast and they are very friendly. Mosdef will recommend this place.

    (5)

  • Kwame O.

    I frequent this location many times, They are located in a Asian strip mall and right next to Super H mart . This location is open for 4 hours during lunch and reopens for dinner during dinner. The space is small and the atmosphere is more of a warehouse feel than a Japanese. With high tables in the back small tables and barstools along the wall.To be a little housnist I don't eat allot of Ramon . Especially from the package due to the amount of salt used . With Umaidio you will have to add salt . Which is good. I have had tried the Tonkatsu, and Spicy Miso Ramen . They Tonkatsu includes slices of roasted pork, tree ear, garlic oil bean sprouts, seasoned half hard boiled egg, scallions & sesame. The spicy Miso ramen includes a spicy paste and red pepper powder, red pickled ginger, burdock, peanut oil bean sprouts, seasoned half boiled egg, scallions & sesame There were only 4 slices of tender roasted pork which was low.Pricing depending if you want the rich broth or regular. The rich broth is more flavorful and a dollar more. With addition to the ramen I have have had there pork belly bun , Japanese fried chicken and pork dumplings. All were not bad. Drinks they have sake, and various Japanese beer like Sapporo and Kirin Ichiban. Service depends on the time of the day. Dinner serivce seems to be alot better and very attentive over lunch. Over all great spot.

    (4)

  • Fiona F.

    The ultra spicy is the one I get every time! I normally get level 2 so I can drink the soup. If one bowl is not enough, go get extra noodle for 1.50 , not bad!

    (5)

  • CC S.

    Hands down one of my favorite places to eat in Atlanta. The night before I ate at a fancy restaurant downtown, and Umaido was 10 times better. The service was great (maybe a little too much but only because there weren't many people there). The food was fantastic. If I hadn't been so full, I would have ordered another bowl. I wanted to eat here for every meal while I was in Atlanta. I can't wait to go back.

    (5)

  • Jim N.

    Spicy level 2 all day!

    (5)

  • Mijung H.

    Ramen is chewy and not overcooked. Now just be careful when you order the ultra spicy ramen. I am a Korean gal and can eat some spicy, but that level one was spicy enough. We also got a small chicken bowl each. Portion was a bit small for the price, but still very tastey. Enjoy!!

    (4)

  • Michael W.

    What can you say? If you like fresh ramen...eat here. Tonkotsu (I add wakame and chicken on the side so as to not get soggy). Delicious! I feel like they nickle and dime you a little with $2.00 hot tea ( so I just drink the free barley tea. The extra noodles for a $1.50 is a bargain though. My servers have always been attentive and polite. Yum yum yum

    (4)

  • PC C.

    Loved the Ramen noodles. Just getting exposed to fresh Ramen noodle cuisine. Have I been missing out. Will be there many many times.

    (4)

  • Donna A.

    I use to love this place. I would eat there 3 or 4 times a week. But it has become so expensive and the broth gets more salty everytime I go. I think I've given them more than enough times to think it's just a occasional mishap. I wonder if they have new managment. They are always crowded, usually with a young hip crowd. It has a cool young vibe. In their defense I always order the same thing.

    (2)

  • T. L.

    Best ramen in the south! The only authentic Japanese ramen I've found in the US aside from NYC and San Francisco. Update 9/12/15 | I've eaten ramen in Tokyo, Kyoto, New York City and San Francisco so I know excellent, authentic ramen. Umaido is the only good ramen in Atlanta. Period. I've eaten the pitiful slop in the few other restaurants in Atlanta with 'ramen' on their menus and there is no comparison; Umaido far exceeds the competition.

    (5)

  • David R.

    I lived in Japan for six years and I know good ramen. This place is on par with anyplace found in NYC, or California. Umaido has some of the best ramen I've found on this side of the pacific.

    (5)

  • Teresa C.

    Best ramen in or near Atlanta I've had yet. If it's your first time, order the original Tonkatsu ramen. I still think it is the best and my go-to. The seafood ramen is also fantastic. The grilled squid that comes in it is awesome. The broth is also a little less salty than the Tonkatsu. I'd recommend ordering a side of the pork belly or the cod roe with the ramen. Tip: if you love garlic as much as I do, ask for the fresh garlic (complimentary) and they'll bring you garlic cloves and a garlic press for your ramen. Last time I came I was feeling more adventurous than usual and tried 2 appetizers (you generally don't need apps anyway, the ramen is plenty enough to fill you up). Ordered the octopus balls and the pork buns... I don't recommend either. The octopus balls were fried with a teeny tiny piece of octopus inside. The pork buns were not nearly as good quality as the ones at Bento Box. Conclusion: stick to the ramen here and you'll be happy camper for life :-).

    (5)

  • Brandon G.

    Came here on a Friday night with a recommendation of a friend. 9:30pm and we did not have a problem finding a table. I have seen people complaining about the service but the service was the best part for us. Wife got the Honey Miso and I let the waitress pick my dinner, she selected the Spicy Ramen with Roasted Pork Belly and Seaweed in a rich broth. I told her I liked spicy. Both bowls were lacking something. There was no depth of flavor. I guess we are used to good Pho and were missing those flavor layers that we get. The rich broth helped. The roasted pork belly really helped since the fat layer kind of melted in the soup and over time started building on the flavor. BTW: It was not spicy in the least bit. Like seriously I would feed the spicy ramen to my 12 year old. Tried an extra bowl of noodles (nice option to have BTW) and in that bowl I got the spicy noodles. Again I do not see why they are "spicy" other than they are colored red. The texture of the regular noodles was better. Wife's big complaint is she did not like In the end, I would try it again, but know that I would not CRAVE the food at this time. We will see how it is the second time around.

    (3)

  • Jessica I.

    This place is not the best ramen place I've tried. I would say it is an ok price. I came here a few times. The food is good, but not great. It is close to my house and when you're craving some hot ramen, it's convenient to come to. The do have the spicy huge ramen challenge. If you can finish the huge bowl of really really spicy ramen, you get the meal for free with your polaroid picture on the wall. If you can finish that challenge- kudos to you! :)

    (3)

  • Fiona Y.

    I have been hearing about this place for a while and checked on yelp review ,everything looks so good for me. Finally, I went to there at middle of August. It was a Saturday , we waited 20 mins to get a table.This store looks cute from both inside and outside. However, I am disappointed for their food. We ordered 1.honey miso ramen 2. Chicken soup ramen 3. Fried chicken 4.Takoyaki 5. Roast pork bun. For Chicken soup ramen was way too salt at the end. It was just ok at beginning ,well,it gets worse and worse .End up, we can't drink any more soup . Roast pork bun is kinda pricy based on what it has inside the bun. Only one piece roast pork which is same as the one in your ramen and lettuce. The most disappointed food is Takoyaki. The taste texture is kinda weird comparing to others .Since it cooked after we ordered it, the very outside layer suppose be little crispy, well it was soft. It was a good service and environment . Just because of food, we won't come back .

    (3)

  • Madeline F.

    Incredible first, second and third experience! Huge fan and have recommended to at least three other families. I always order the "Tori Ramen" -" umaido original tonkotsu broth" with umaido chicken broth plus original sea salt, bean sprouts, spinach, hard 1/2 boiled egg(usually I push the hard boiled egg to the side, because I just can't in soup ya know :P), fried onions, tomato, scallions and sesame! The location itself has very limited space and not for large parties.

    (4)

  • Wen L.

    Yeah I think I am going to give this place 3 stars again. The ramen is definitely good. The honey miso ramen is one of my favorites for sure. I cannot give it 4 or 5 stars because the service is just never up to par. Every time I go I have to flag down a waitress to put in my order. Then it takes a good while for the food to come out. This time on a Saturday evening it was a bit longer than usual. So much that I ran out of toys to entertain my infant with! We had to ask for waters. Then the draft beer my friend ordered was out. The second option bottled beer was out too. Annoyed infant + slow service = frustrated mommy. We order takoyakis and I was certainly underwhelmed. My husband and I love these and we order it wherever we go that has it. Here they were teeny and I had to eat three before I found one squid piece in those fried squid balls. Kind of disappointing. So once again, 3 stars because I would certainly go back, but ONLY for the ramen. If I find a place closer to my house with better ramen, it will be over for sure :(

    (3)

  • Stanley L.

    The ramen here is amazing. I always add negi, extra pork, and rich soup. The best ramen I have ever had.

    (5)

  • Shantell L.

    Absolutely delicious!!! It was my first time having authentic Ramen and it was the best thing i could have done for myself. I had the seafood Ramen and i paid the extra to make the soup rich and to get an egg. It was so worth it. All the toppings went so well together the next time ill get extra seafood and that's just because i love it. it was so flavorful and it was piping hot when it came out. I went with a group of 8 people and they accommodated all of us so easily. We all had something different and we were all soooooooooo satisfied we made sure to drain the bowl at the end.

    (5)

  • DeJaan L.

    My Daughter introduced me to this Restaurant. Since I've discovered it, I have gone back twice. The Shrimp Ramen noodle Soup is delicious. On my last visit I actually ask for some ginger on the side. I put it in the soup and it really wakes up the flavor. If you need water please request it. There is Plenty tea available to You.

    (4)

  • Nikita L.

    Went there with a couple friends. Their small plates are very good. We had the chicken wings, OMG it was good!!! The Yakitori was also good. But the service has more to be desired. The 4 of us ordered 4 ramens. 3 came out at the same time, and we waited and waited for the 4th one to come out. Nothing happened for like 15 min. Then we asked the waitress where is the 4th ramen. The guy came out from the kitchen and said they've closed the kitchen down already, and they forgot to make that 4th ramen!!! and they didn't even apologize for their own mistake!! What kind of service is that????? Their ramen is not even all that good. I wouldn't recommend driving all the way up there for terrible service and mediocre ramen. Not worth it!

    (3)

  • Bri C.

    I really enjoy this place. Great tasting ramen. Definitely get the added bowl of noodles and the rich broth. So good.

    (5)

  • Dee L.

    Its a good place for ramen, great noodle, great flavor and atmosphere. The only complaint about this place is the portion of the noodle is a bit stingy for the price.

    (4)

  • Rachel K.

    Yep, I'm a fan of the ramen here! I think it's the best ramen I've had in ATL. Tastes so good. Nom. I think I waited so long to try Umaido since I live in the city... and trekking up here takes a good 40-ish mins. But luckily a yelper's UYE was set here and so... my bf and me were stoked! Parking - Umaido is part of a 2 story strip mall (on bottom) & next to the HMart. So.... there's a lot of parking. It's almost impossible not to get a spot. I've been here during the lunch and dinner rush and I've been able to park immediately. Service - Not too bad. The first time I came here, it was ok (But there were 5-8 of us for lunch). The 2nd time I came here it was just me and my bf (dinner time)- service was solid. I'm not sure if the # of people or time I went was a variable in service. I saw on Yelp that dinner service is a lot better. So I guess it may be true? I got my food within 10 mins at dinner time. But had to wait like 20 mins during lunch time. Seating - there is a long top table (fits maybe 14 people?), a few 4 man tables, and a bar in front of the kitchen (8 seats?). I like the bar idea. My bf and I came in and all tables were packed, but there were 2 seats at the bar available so... we didn't have to wait. Food - Japanese Wings - Eh, these were ok. I love wings and these weren't really special. They are pretty big though. I liked the sauce that was heavily used with them. I don't think I'd get these as a side item. Maybe if they were like 2 dollars. Kind of overpriced basic wings. Chicken Karaage - These came out fresh from the fryer. Whew. I took 1 bite and had to breathe hardcore on them while I was eating it. Make sure to get hot sauce (sriracha)! I didn't really like the lemon salt. My tastebuds felt weird about it, haha. But the sriracha blends well with it. Once the Karaage chilled for a second, it was fine. But they don't really give much Karaage... maybe like 5 small pieces. But then again, it's a side item. So... I was focused on my ramen anyway. I'd get this side item if you're with 1 other person. Kind of shareable. Ramen - I've tried the Honey Miso Ramen & Spicy Miso Ramen. I LOVE the noodles & broth. Portions are generous too. I never finish my broth at other restaurants, but I definitely do here. Same goes for the noodles. Noodles here are different than most ramen places. Legit ramen. The texture of it is great. I think heard that the ramen here is house made? My bowl is empty after I'm done, ha. Comes out piping hot too. Extremely happy with my bowls. :D I'll be back!

    (4)

  • Jessica D.

    Okay, so I've been back.. a lot. This time I decided to get the chasyu don, which is the roasted pork over rice. The pork was great, and they add the same sauce as the hirata buns, but I felt like the bowl was mostly just green onions (see photo). Next time, I'll stick to the ramen and appetizers. The hirata buns were a big miss last time I went. You could tell the buns were microwaved, since the texture was off, the top half was still soft, but the bottom was tough and chewy.

    (3)

  • Alex P.

    Atlanta I'm finding out doesn't have really good ramen places so having said that it's pretty good considering. I had the spicy ramen and my friends had honey and regular Don katsu ramen. I thought mine was the best after tasting theirs. The service was just okay. I had to keep asking for more tea because they were not paying attention to the pitcher being emptied and brought out another pitcher that was almost empty and had to ask again. Compared to other ramen places it's a bit on the pricey side but worth visiting if you are in town and taste for a decent ramen.

    (4)

  • Ashley M.

    My friends and I ventured up here for one of my birthday celebration luncheons. We dined on a Sunday at 12:30 and walked in with a party of 11 without reservations or call-ahead. Maybe it was a fluke, but our table was ready within 10 minutes of waiting. Surprisingly, with this experience we enjoyed great, attentive service, which is a contrast to the level of service I've received in the past when dining here with large groups. Again, I ordered the Honey Miso Ramen, and the toughest part of the meal here is the wait and anticipation until your delicious, piping hot bowl of ramen comes out. We waited for quite a while, and then, the notorious cart with all our bowls rolls out. The Honey Miso Ramen bowl looks delicious and is presented beautifully: slices of roasted pork, sweet corn, seaweed, bean sprouts, a whole perfectly cooked boiled egg, scallions, and sesame, it makes you want to dive right in. Unfortunately, with this experience we noticed our bowls were slightly lukewarm and not piping hot, which was perhaps a culprit of our long wait? I've always liked the noodles here and I even found those to be less than stellar this time around. Overall, this was still a good bowl of ramen, but being so far from the city and with all the ramen competition developing around Atlanta, I feel that Umaido must step up its game to stay a strong contender!

    (3)

  • Tony L.

    Slightly overrated. Good but not great ramen shop. only ramen shop that I know of in this region. If you are craving more authentic ramen this is definitely place to go... Taste... 4/5 I ordered the tonkatsu ramen with rich broth. I love the taste of this ramen. Good chewiness, and the flavor of the broth is fantastic. I would order the normal broth next time: the rich broth was too rich. I think the "richness" took away the flavor of the broth and coated my tongue with more an oil base taste. Egg was perfectly cooked with a soft center. The pork was disappointing: it was a tough( I wanted more fat!), a little bland, and could be made better. Overall the ramen is good but not great. Price... 2.5 /5 I know ten dollar for an "authentic" bowl of ramen is a good deal, but i was a little disappointed on the quantity. There was a only 1 small piece of pork. You can pay for extra toppings, but at the extra cost the food isn't worth the price. Being that this is only ramen shop, at least that I know of, it can charge a little more; however, when I compare alternative restaurants this place is a bit pricy. Recommendation: if you are going to come, I recommend that you DONT get the rich broth, because it's overpowering the taste of the broth. Get extra toppings if you are willing to shell out a little more.

    (3)

  • Ruoqi Z.

    I have been there couple times and I have always enjoyed their food. I would say try anything. The fried chicken, grilled squid, the ultra spicy noodles taste good every time. The spicy miso noodle is also good. If you like noodle and enjoy some tasty appetizers, Umaido is the place to be.

    (4)

  • Thomas Z.

    Ordered soy milk ramen and tonkatsu ramen. One of the best ramen places in Atlanta; definitely worth the trip. Edit: every time I come the food gets worse. Still good, but it no longer warrants 5 stars

    (4)

  • Gina P.

    Best ramen in the Suwannee / lawrenceville area ! Very friendly and quick service . I recommend the wasabi ramen because of the extra kick ! Other notable favs soymilk ramen and tankatsu ramen . Prices are reasonable too

    (5)

  • Young Cheol S.

    I might be little harsh on the reviews on Japanese Ramen places, Umaido was off my list when they were first opened and I came across them looking for a ramen place. When I tried them back when they opened, their broth was a molten-salted salty salt bomb. My visit with friends during the lunch time came as a surprise. Their broth is now properly served, not too salty not too bland. The service was up there, the server was checking back with us constantly. Food was great with little complaint of how the eggs are served. They were little too hard for my taste, and didn't seem like they were seasoned to perfection. Eating just the egg in the end was bit bland on its own. Needs to be bit more salty. The portions are good enough, yet I ended up ordering extra noodles. Kind of put me off because it was just plain noodles on a plate sticking to each other. It was probably done that way to prevent noodle absorbing the water and becoming too soft, but I wish they had found a better way to bring it out, or just put it inside the bowl altogether when they bring out the initial order. Price was on the high side for me as the additional toppings added things up very quickly. Sure the prices on toppings are reasonable, but it should be included on the base ramen ingredients. (Some not all ofcourse) Overall, it's a fine ramen joint with great food and ambiance with little things to fix for that extra star.

    (3)

  • Jacqueline C.

    Heard so many good things about this place and just had to jump on a lunch invite to see for myself. Michelle, a bunch of friends and I headed over for a Sunday lunch. We had the buns and dumplings for apps, and they didn't disappoint. There were about 9 of us at lunch, and most of us ordered something different. I had the Tonkatsu, but I tried the soy milk broth and spicy miso as well. All were really good. I'm looking forward to heading back to try some of the other dishes. Pro tip: ask for the red pepper shaker to add a little kick to your dish.

    (4)

  • Nina T.

    I hate coming here cause whenever i do they are always saying that they are closed but it's a hour or 30 mins before they close. While they stuff their face with food. It's more like they are lazy to serve people.

    (2)

  • David P.

    Chef and recipe changed I think. That rich stock is gone, and replaced with watered-down soup. So sad.

    (2)

  • Carter T.

    The very best Ramen. You must go, servie is great, food SOOOOO GOOODDDD!

    (5)

  • Sela T.

    Aside from their infamous tonkatsu ramen, they now offer a pork belly man tou, pork belly, iceberg lettuce and spicy mayo sauce. The mantou is stamped with their logo and makes it look pretty legit. My table ordered two just to try. The meat can be a hit or miss. Some slices were more fat than meat. The sauce, a spicy mayo, is tailored for more of an American customer. And, both man tous were smothered in the sauce. Overall, a good place in suwanee for ramen.

    (4)

  • Katharina M.

    Obviously, the ramen is what this place is all about. All the types they offer are fantastic, but I really like the spicy miso ramen. It's definitely worth the extra money to get rich broth and a second serving of noodles once you finish the first one. The fried onion topping is delicious, and the pork belly is just awesome. My husband and I just sat there slurping up our noodles and not saying a word; it was that good. The other dishes we had weren't quite as impressive, but they were solid. The yaki onigiri were good, but the filling wasn't very flavorful and most of the taste came from the sauce. We also had the cucumber/sesame dressing appetizer, which was simple but really refreshing. It was a nice cool-down before we dug into our ramen, and a good contrast to the fatty and rich broth. So basically, Ramen: 5 Stars Not-Ramen: 3 Stars Overall it was a fantastic experience. I'm almost glad we don't live closer, because we'd be going to get ramen WAY too often if we did.

    (4)

  • Anna V.

    Husband and I went here for lunch today. The server was very nice. The lunch portion is good because with $3 more, you'll get a rice dish with edamame. My husband and I couldn't finish the rice dish though because we were stuffed with the ramen.

    (4)

  • Helen C.

    Came here with the day before yesterday for a quick meal and was craving ramen. Saw this place had good reviews on yelp so we decided to try it. Seems like a cool little place tucked away in a asian strip mall lol. They didnt have a table for us so we had to sit at the bar. We tried the pork belly bun, and honey miso ramen, and tonkatsu ramen (both with rich broth). All the food came out fast, never-ending green tea was nice. This place seems to run traditional where you have to ask for water and that it isn't expected? I really like the pork belly bun the most, even more than the ramens. Honestly, the noodles were nothing special, but the broth is what made them. I usually never drink the broth when I eat noodles but I actually did drink my broth here! Oh, and the price is good. Def will be back.

    (4)

  • Jinsoon Y.

    Ok. I was actually kinda sad that I have not found a good ramen place in Atlanta. That all changed today. The ramen here is made fresh in house and they are either infused with chilling oil or made regular. I had their spicy tonkotsu ramen which supposedly goes from a spice level of 1-100. I had 3. It was ridiculously good. The broth was perfect. Not too spicy or salty. The ramen was not too chewy bland had a little crunch to it. Their egg melted in your mouth. The cha siu had just the right amount of fat. Also they throw in fried garlic which just adds to the appeal. I highly recommend this place and I'll be back next week for lunch.

    (5)

  • Liz S.

    We are fans of this place. Been to Tokyo twice and this is the real deal for ramen and rice bowls.

    (4)

  • Theresa H.

    Once again I am feeling the outsider among so many yelpers who raved about this place. Umaido does not do anything for me. Anyone who reads my review knows I am someone who does not like to travel OTP if I do not have to. Granted, if some place is really good, I do not mind venture out and travel that extra miles (more like 15-20 miles). Earning 4 stars out of 200 odd reviews is remarkable right? So I bookmarked Umaido waiting for a chance to sample the tonkotsu ramen fellow yelpers been raving about. This is a Thanksgiving week and heading out on a weekday is great!! We few were the first customers, we were greeted by two staffs. That's promising!! I am all about good food and awesome service. We all ordered the tonkotsu ramen (chose the rich flavor), the small Chashu don (chopped roasted pork over rice) and the Japanese chicken wings. Many fellow yelpers had mentioned what this tonkotsu ramen is but no one has warned that the broth is so oily. The only thing I love about tonkotsu ramen is the noodles and the Chashu (roasted pork). There was like 1/2 an inch of oil floating on the top of the broth. It was rather disgusting for us girls. Without a doubt, the noodle texture is on the top compared to many ramen found in Japanese restaurants in Atlanta. However, there is seriously something lacking in that tonkotsu ramen. I have researched on how to make tonkotsu ramen before and have eaten quite a fair share of tonkotsu ramen in this world and more importantly from where tonkotsu ramen hailed from. The Umaido tonkotsu ramen is not close to what a traditional tonkotsu broth should taste like. So in my very humble opinion, there is no way this is the best ramen in the city. It will be very depressing for me if this is proven to be true. The small $4 Chashu don was in fact the best of everything we ordered. It is a simple rice dish with bits of roasted pork with scallions, spring onions and ginger. That bowl of rice is in fact the perfect size for me. It is savory, crunchy and the fragrance of everything that combined together in this bowl easily beats the disappointing tonkotsu ramen and mediocre chicken wings. The $7 chicken wings has not much taste to it, so we kept dipping into the soy sauce that came with it. One staff came and checked on us if everything was good, none of us have the courage to point out the excess oiliness in the broth. Throughout our lunch, nobody refilled our water or my empty tea cup. Service definitely needs a lot of improvement. They seemed friendly but are not detail oriented which is really expected in a customer service world. Like one wise fellow yelper said in her review, service is extraordinary in Japan where there is no tipping, I never have a bad, lukewarm or ok service when I was in Tokyo. In this country, we have to tip a service staff yet most of the time the expected service is non existent. How appalling!! :( You can bet I won't be back here any time soon!

    (2)

  • Angel M.

    Best ramen I've had in Georgia, and the restaurant is fun and laid back. It's everything I could want in a noodle shop, and my toddler even enjoyed it!

    (5)

  • Young Je L.

    I've been to a couple of Japanese ramen places, but Umaido is the closest Japanese ramen place near my house. Honestly, this place is overpriced and they give you so little compared to other ramen places. The katsu don was near $10 but they gave it to me in a little bowl. It was ridiculous. The service was not that great either. Never came to my table once. I would rather drive 8 more miles to go to Raku(Duluth) and pay about the same price for better service and better food.

    (2)

  • Liz K.

    I just realized the other day my review was from nearly 6 years ago! Wow, time has flown. So yeah, compared to when they FIRST opened, a lot has changed. The buzz has formed, and Umaido was discovered by all... This is a great spot for friends, a "quick" meal (emphasize on 'quick'), and date night! It's laid back, casual, and has awesome food (ramen and rice bowls, to be exact.) They added a lot more to their menu from when they first opened. They have spicy miso (my fave), wasabi, shoyu, seafood, honey miso, and the list goes on... They also have more apps, rice bowls, desserts, and some beverages- alcoholic and all. Typically I go for the honey miso or spicy miso, and split a oyako don (chicken with scrambled eggs over rice.) Yes... it sounds so simple but it's the bomb.com still. The reason I say "quick" meal is because sometimes this place gets overly crowded. The restaurant is a tad bit small, and a party of 12 can be scattered out and ordering at the same time. I wish they would move a little bit closer to the perimeter (somewhere in the city, perhaps?) Suwanee is a bit far. They should def extend! I love ramen.

    (5)

  • Jamarcus T.

    After being introduced to Ramen that didn't come from a grocery store, it's quickly turned into one of my favorites, so when I was asked to tag along for a Friday lunch, I couldn't say no. I started out with the Spicy Miso Ramen, mainly because I was too chicken to get the ultra spicy ramen this time around (i promise next time i'll get it!), and wow, good serving size! I'm always kinda overwhelmed by the size of pho when my order comes out, but this bowl is the perfect size for a guy with an appetite. The Ramen itself had really great flavor, and besides the noodles and tonkotsu broth, the slices of pork pretty much melted in your mouth. I'm kinda into ginger too, so the ginger pieces floating around were bursting with flavor when biting into them. Their menu said they give you a half boiled egg in the ramen, but I received a full one, although I didn't try it because i'm not a boiled eggs fan I also ordered an side of noodles for $1.50, that you can get either normal or spicy, and it's typically used to put in with the left over broth, although I took mine home to go Service was nice and definitely helpful, and we found seats right away. Ironically I found seats more quickly than I found parking, but the parking spot hunt was well worth the experience. I'll be back!

    (4)

  • Aaron P.

    We were visiting from Denver, CO and while we loved all the Southern food this was a nice change. And what a wonderful and delicious surprise this was! The staff was very friendly and attentive and helped us find seating for a party of 6 including my 2 grandparents, who needed some assistance to sit. The tea they offered tasted like a cold, toasted rice tea which I wasn't particularly found of but it brought up some cool stories from my grandma and WWII. We had the tofu agedashi and pork buns to start. The tofu wasn't a soup as I'm used to but tasty nonetheless. Pork buns were above average but not necessarily my favorite ever. The sauce was definitely on point though. I had the spicy miso ramen for myself, which was flavorful and just rich enough. The egg and pork were cooked to perfection. Noodles were very delicious and tasted homemade! I was also able to taste the tonkotsu and spicy ramen broths, which I easily could have eaten another bowl of. Overall, if you're in the area and enjoy Asian food, this is a must stop, hidden gem of a restaurant.

    (4)

  • Jenn T.

    Atlanta, you are a hidden Asian paradise!! I say this after living in Japan, Singapore, Taiwan, and SF, where I've become picky about Asian cuisine. It's hard to truly mess up ramen, but finding a ramen place in the US that's true to all the concepts of fast, inexpensive, tasty and filling can be challenging. Upon entering this Umaido at an unassuming shopping center, you are greeted with the hearty "Irrashaimase" as you would in Japan. The decor is casual, the service is decently fast, and the ramen broth, while not the thickest I have had, is rich and delicious. Each ramen bowl comes complete with the necessary elements of boiled half-egg, roast pork, and assorted veggies. As a bonus, garlic sauce and sesame seed grinder are available on the side. All in all, if you are longing for authentic Japanese ramen in Atlanta at a good price, look no further.

    (5)

  • Richard R.

    In the past few years, yelp has truly encouraged me to explore foods beyond my traditional eating enjoyments. How can you not when so many great yelpers post AMAZING photos of delicious looking food. Foods I've never heard of! I can't say that I've enjoyed EVERY new experience, but some of foods have definitely become part of my regular rotation! For example: - The Lotus Chips @ Lotus Vietnamese are amazing. - Korean Olive Chicken in my opinion is better than Popeye's (and that is saying a lot). - Salt and pepper squid @ Man Chu Hong is now my preferred way of eating it. - Jjampong Seafood Noodle Soup also @ Man Chu Hong is now my second favorite soup just behind Shecrab. It is THEE MOST FLAVORFUL noodle soup ever and I find myself craving it regularly. - And finally, I would fight my children for the Mango Sticky Rice, Pumpkin Curry Chicken and fried custard at Wat Mongkolratanaram in Tampa Florida. However, I gotta be honest!!! I just can't for the life of me see what is soooo mind blowing about Asian style noodle soups like pho and Thai beef noodle. I mean, they're good, but not shecrab soup or seafood chowder good! That being said, I walked into Umaido with the full expectation I was going to indeed have my mind blown. I've seen the pics, I've read the reviews and my taste buds were ready to get married to this broth and have their way with it! But after our first date, I thought it might be best if we just remained friends. That is, until I decided to give them a second try a few days later. ---------- THE FOOD (1st visit) * TONKOTSU RAMEN w/rich broth added | $9.95 While I did find the soup to be flavorful, it was not nearly as flavorful as I was expecting. Honestly I thought it was going to be a much better version of the instant pack we love so much. Some reviews say it's too salty, particularly with the rich broth added. I didn't think it was salty enough. Maybe I have a high tolerance for salt, but I would not classify even the richer broth option as "salty". (3.5 stars) * KARAAGE CHICKEN | $7.50 Bite size chicken nuggets in a light tasty batter and served with a small dipping bowl of lemon salt. My best descriptions would be it was okay, but the chicken seemed under-cooked. I believe it was meat from the thigh portion since it was fairly dark in color. Considering the thigh is the cheapest (and least tasty) cut of the chicken, I would have expected a more generous portion for the price. (2.5 stars) * TORI RAMEN w/rich broth added | $10.95 My kids LOVE ramen noodles. We buy them at the grocery store all the time, so they were super excited to taste the real deal. They even thanked me for "always giving them new experiences" while we were waiting for our food. Unfortunately, my oldest didn't find it to be "as enjoyable as he'd hoped" and barely finished half his bowl. (3 stars) * SEA FOOD RAMEN w/rich broth added | $13.95 My youngest is the TRUE ramen noodle lover. In a short simple statement when leaving the restaurant he said "I wouldn't be disappointed if we DID NOT come back here." He liked it, but didn't think it beat the flavor of the instant packets and really didn't like the shell on the shrimp. I'm scared for restaurants when this kid becomes old enough to yelp, because he's brutally honest and straight to the point. (3 stars) *OYAKO DON | $6.00 My wife is staying away from gluten and thought this dish would be her best option. She didn't bargain on the egg being so undercooked, but I personally thought her dish was better than my ramen. She didn't really care for it at all. (2.75 stars) ---------- THE FOOD (2nd visit) * HONEY MISO RAMEN (regular broth) | $9.95 This was my favorite of the ramen soups we tried. It was full of flavor even without ordering the rich broth for $1 extra. It was perfect without any enhancements. (4 stars) * PORK BELLY BUN | $2.50 It was my first experience trying this and I thought it was delicious!!! I could eat a dozen of these, but (IMO) it was a tad expensive for the price. I would order this all day long if it were more like 3 for $6. The pork was superb and the sauces really complimented the meat. (4.5 stars) SERVICE/DECOR Service was friendly and fast but the decor left a little to be desired as it felt kinda like I was eating in a nice break room at a factory warehouse. FINAL THOUGHTS It always pays to give a restaurant more than one visit! While my initial review was going to be a decidedly mediocre 3 stars, after my second visit I feel compelled to add a star. Listen, I prefer thicker chowder-style soups over brothy ones hands-down! But I could see myself enjoying a bowl of ramen a lot more often now that I've found Umaido.

    (4)

  • Sim N.

    Ramen heaven! Never have I been unsatisfied leaving and I cannot rave their broth enough. Pour that in a wine glass and serve it to me warm! I always get the spicy miso and can't bring myself to try anything else. If you're like my boyfriend and are a heavy eater, make sure to get extra noodles. And everything else. Fills me up fine though! But tried their pork bun once and was severely disappointed. Looked and tasted like they microwaved a frozen bun and slapped some meat on it. Don't think I'll order anything else besides the ramen.

    (4)

  • Ashley P.

    Great place. I got a normal seafood bowl - would recommend for a nice quiet date night and good food !

    (4)

  • Tuong Vi P.

    The ramen here is nothing short of godly. I tried ramen at a restaurant in Duluth that turned me off for a long time and I gave up on finding good, fresh ramen. Umaido was in the back of my mind because of all the Yelp hype but I wasn't ready to give in to my curiosity until this year. I have been a few times now and every time, I leave with a super happy belly. I have tried the Tonkatsu, Honey Miso, and Spicy Miso Ramen and have loved them all, though I think the Spicy Miso might be my favorite (for now). I don't like bean sprouts, so I have always had my soups without it. The star is the noodles and if you come with a huge appetite, save some of your broth because you can get a refill on your noodles for a buck and a half (or so). I am not ashamed to say that I did this the first time I came here, because I was just so ecstatic about the deliciousness of the thin, chewy noodles. Since then, I have refrained from doing this because I realized that once I finish my broth and let the noodles set, the original portion is just right. In addition, I have eaten the Kakuni (pork belly bun) and Tori Karaage (Japanese fried chicken). Both were delicious and I had a hard time sharing them with tablemates. Service is decent, if not a bit cold if measured with American standards. But I'm Vietnamese and have come to understand (and sometimes exhibit) Asian polite distance and reservation. While I don't love trekking too far north for anything, Umaido beckons at times and I can't help but give in to the temptation.

    (5)

  • Benjamin G.

    Now THAT is a bowl of ramen. Having one of your best friends move to Japan and send you photos almost semi-weekly of different bowls of tonkotsu will make for a seriously jealous mentality. Now, though Umaido has such infamy in my mind it is still pretty difficult to make it up to Suwanee on any given day... and especially for a willy nilly bowl or ramen. However, my first visit was perfectly timed as we made our way northbound for northeast GA. We opened those doors (adorned with giant chopsticks) right around 1:30pm and the place was still packed. What a great sign. We only waited for about five minutes until we were seated. Our server came over and took our order -- seaweed salad, edamame, and a bowl of tonkotsu with rich broth. I'm sure you use your imagination with the seaweed salad and edamame. They were exactly as you can get at many other restaurants. Still great, though. That tonkotsu.... as soon as it hit the table, I plunged my spoon into that broth and brought it up to my nose. What a rainbow of odors. What I wouldn't do to spend a day or two in their kitchen to see the process. I pulled the spoon to my lips and... BOOM. Fireworks. "Finally," I thought to myself. "This is why ramen is so popular." It was phenomenal. Rich and fatty, flavored heavily with pork, a bit of aromatic vegetables, and maybe a touch under-salted. It was perfect. I spent a few minutes just going spoonful by spoonful to decipher the flavors. Then, the noodles. Oooooohhhhh, boy. Those noodles were a perfect version of al dente that I've never experienced before. Again, I'd love to spend some time in the kitchen to watch them prepare the noodles. Huge mouthful after huge mouthful of these noodles just got better and better. Especially as I had one spoonful after the next with the broth. So wonderful. Then, the pork. Now I see how wonderful it can truly be. I've had plenty of tonkotsu elsewhere, but none could compare to these slices of pork. My goodness there was some serious flavor packed into those thin slices of pig. Heavenly. The egg, though not my favorite, was nice to have in the bowl. It was pretty hard-boiled, but I was glad to have it as a part of the package. Now, one of the coolest parts of eating ramen at Umaido -- Kae Dama, or asking for more noodles. Our server brought them to our table on a plate and they smelled so buttery. I grabbed them with my chopsticks and baptized them into the lonely broth left in my bowl. Game time yet again. It was just as amazing as the fully prepared bowl of ramen. Having more noodles in that bowl was just pure magic. I'll do this every single time I eat at Umaido. The noodles are probably as much of an integral part of ramen as the broth. To say Umaido exceeded my expectations would hardly describe my affection. This place has contained magic and they put it into little bowls for those of us who live close enough to drive on any day to enjoy it. I'm still dreaming of this ramen. What an incredible experience. I can't wait for another visit.

    (5)

  • Michelle P.

    I can now say after enjoying ramen throughout Chicago that there's something extra special about Umaido for me. There's this perfection in the noodles that has me forever in love and craving it. I had a Tonkotsu Ramen with rich broth to warm my soul, and it was worth it, so very very much so worth it. Heck, I'd throw in another egg and some pork belly if the richness wouldn't get to me (it'd probably shock my system since I admit to striving towards very clean eats when I'm not out). TIP: If it's the weekday, look on the back of the menu, order the curry or something delicious, it's like getting two meals for a very cheap price (I forgot the upcharge but it's equivalent to getting a small side but the portion is literally another meal). Enjoy my fellow ramen cravers!

    (5)

  • Katherine I.

    Yummy ramen for a cold day! The husband and I didn't just eat ramen. We tried a lot of other things too. Everything was tasty. We had octopus balls that had a delightful smoky sauce that complemented the octopus well. We had grilled squid that was not at all rubbery and paired well with the sauce it came with (was it mayonnaise and soy sauce?). We ordered pork belly that was marinated in something that imparted a great flavor. Finally, for our ramen warm-up, we had this awesome pork folded into a bun. I could have eaten a dozen, but we still hadn't had any ramen. The ramen was great. This is a hearty soup. It alone is a meal. The broth was nice and meaty. The sliced pork was like butter (you can actually order more of it for your soup if you'd like). It also had a soft-boiled egg which is kind of hard to manipulate with chop sticks. If you use the chop sticks and the spoon, it becomes manageable to stuff that egg in your face. The only reason I did not give this place a full five stars is because this is not the best ramen I have ever had. That honor goes to the food court at Mitsuwa in New Jersey. That of course is really far away. So when I need a ramen fix in Atlanta, this is the place I will head!

    (4)

  • Rhea T.

    We decided to check this place out because of an article we read online. We ordered the tonkotsu ramen, the spicy tonkotsu ramen and grilled ika geso. The ramen was delicious! The broth was so flavorful. We read that for few dollars they can make the broth much richer. We didn't get to add the rich broth this time but we will next time. My favorite though was the grilled squid (ika geso). It was AMAZING!! It has a citrus marinade, maybe yuzu? It was so good!!!! This place was definitely a must try if you like ramen! Btw, they make their own ramen noodles! Go now!

    (5)

  • Phong T.

    I wandered here after running some errands in the area. This place has been talked about by so many of my friends yet alone on social media such as instagram pictures I've seen. As I entered, I was greeted by the only 2 waitresses working. I was alone so sat at the bar-type seating infront of the cooks. FOOD: As an appetizer, I wanted to try the octopus balls, but they were out of it that day, which sucks. Really? Must be popular or shipment hasn't come. I decided to go with the Chicken Nuggets appetizer. It was just chicken chunks breaded and fried with tempura batter. It came with a dipping salt-type seasoning. It was OKAY. I wouldn't order it again. I ordered the Seafood Ramen Noodle Soup as my entree. It was delicious. The broth was rich and flavorful. It came with 3 jumbo shrimps, 3 scallops, 3 fish cakes, and vegetables. Can't complain. I'll definitely be back to try those octopus balls and more ramen noodle!

    (4)

  • Emily C.

    When we decided to come into town for my dude's birthday, I asked him what he wanted to eat to commemorate 31 years of existing. He wanted authentic ramen, so I did some diligent research and this is the name that continued to come up with a "hands down, the best" tagline, with the consistent assurance that "the drive is worth it." He got the tonkotsu and I got the spicy miso. Both were delicious, though the spicy miso began to wear on me after a bit (I rarely sweat when I eat spicy stuff and I was feeling a little moist about the forehead). It was also more than enough food, and I did feel a little queasy afterwards but it was most likely because I am not used to the spiciness (even though it was delicious). I would absolutely make it a priority to return here the next time I'm in town to try more of their menu.

    (4)

  • Renee K.

    First off, as we were walking in there was a Gawd awful stench in the area. I'm talking backed-up sewage spewing on someone's lawn awful. My friend and I looked at each other and instantly became skeptical of this place. We agreed that if it smelt funky inside, we'd go somewhere else. Thank goodness the inside didn't smell of sewage! There is an odd layout this place. When you walk in, there is a narrow hallway that leads to a larger sitting area in the back. In this hallway of sorts there is seating lined against the wall. One side faces the wall, the other the kitchen. We were seated a small table and given menus. Our drinks arrived shortly after and the kind server answered our questions. We were definite ramen noobs. And being such, both ordered the Hirata Buns, tonkotsu ramen and the Japanese roll cake. Hirata Buns - Served one per order for $2.50. Steamed buns filled with pork, served with spicy buns sauce and mayo. ^^^ - YUM! A single small bun was steamed and folded over to make a mini sandwich/taco thing. The spicy buns sauce made the dish. It reminded me a lot of BBQ sauce. There's also a little bit if crisp lettuce in there to give it a nice crunch. Tonkatsu Ramen - Umaido original tonkatsu broth with slices of roasted pork, tree ear, garlic oil, bean sprouts, seasoned 1/2 hard boiled egg, scallions and sesame. ^^^ - The broth was very flavorful. I kinda wished the weather was cold and bleak outside because the ramen warmed you from the inside out. It has a very comforting taste. The roasted pork, broth and hard boiled egg were my favorite part. I sat around and talked for so long that the noodles went cold. I didn't know at the time, but they can bring out extra noodles if you ask. Japanese Custard Cake ^^^ - This definitely reminds me of a sponge cake or angle food cake with cream on the inside. It's not served like a slice of cake. The way it's served makes me thing it's make like a strawberry roll. You can see the spiral of cream on the inside when it's served. And it's very tasty. It's not too heavy of a dessert so I didn't end up hating myself. Can't wait to go back!

    (4)

  • Candis D.

    My experience at Umaido was my first time having Ramen so I don't have anything to compare it to. With that said, this ramen experience was EVERYTHING! We were checking out our new 'hood in Suwanee and discovered that Umaido is not too far from where we'll be living!! Winning!! We arrived at Umaido right around 6pm on a Saturday night with a party of 4; 2adults and 2 kiddos in tow. We like to expose our kiddos to new cultural experiences because there is so much more to life than the average American food. We were told that our wait would be 15 minutes or so for a table. When I took the kiddos to the back to the bathroom, I could see why there was a wait even though the place didn't looked packed. Umaido is about as big as a sardine can. It's very tiny folks. It was such a tight squeeze to get back to the restroom, I was afraid that we would knock someone's ramen over or even worse...my kids would stick their little grubby fingers in someone's food. Okay...so the wait wasn't exactly 15 minutes and we had time to ask the hostess questions about the most popular items and what kids usually eat and stuff like that. We were seated in the table to the back and it was a very very tight squeeze y'all. I was immediately having second thoughts because I didn't know how I would be able to get comfortable enough to enjoy this. But nevertheless, we made it work. Now for the service, it's more than likely not going to be stellar. I think its just because of the cultural difference. We Americans like to be pampered when we dine out and you won't get that here. Our hostess asked us if we wanted barley tea or water when she seated us. After that we didn't see our server until 5 minutes or so after we were seated. She didn't ask us if it were our first time there...clearly we were the only brown folks in that tiny place so that would've been a good indication that we were...but she was courteous and answered questions that we had. We ordered: Tonkotsu Ramen, Honey Miso Ramen, Japanese Fried Chicken over rice bowl for the kiddos to share, 3 orders of Hirata, 2 Ramune sodas, and strawberry Mochi Ice Cream. All of that came to $50. Not bad for a family of 4. The good: The Honey Miso ramen was perfect. The broth was mad flavorful, the noodles were chewy and perfectly cooked, the slices of roasted pork were tender and juicy, the addition of the corn kernels and sliced scallion set it off. I wasn't sure about the egg in there because I have a love hate relationship with eggs, but the soft hard boiled egg worked. My husband had the Tonkotsu Ramen and he enjoyed it immensely. He couldn't stop commenting on how flavorful the broth was. I didn't get an opportunity to sample his. Ramen is such a personal thing...you know. Not really idea for sharing in my opinion. The just okay: I expected more from the Japanese Fried Chicken over rice bowl. It was sort of fatty and a tad bit greasy, but the kiddos ate it. Also, the steamed buns with pork belly were just okay. I expected the appetizer to be hot, but it was sorta just lukewarm warm. I'm sure that's the way they serve it, I've had more authentic ones from a place in NYC before and compared to those, Umaido's were not as tender and juicy but still decent. The strawberry Mochi Ice Cream was decent. I'm sure I would've enjoyed it more if our server would've explained how to eat it. For those of you who've never had Mochi I think its best explained as like a sticky Japanese marshmallow. The mochi covered the balls of ice cream. Basically it should be eaten by just picking the entire ball up and putting it in your mouth. I wasn't aware of this until after I had ripped several pieces with a fork which of course was a debacle. Oh and the Japanese soda: Ramune. Please, please, please research how to open these before you attempt to do so. Our server just put them in front of us with no explanation of how to open it. Luckily, I'm married to a semi-geek who likes to spend mindless hours on YouTube and he had come across videos of people totally butchering the process. This is not just a simple twist of the top people. There is a marble in the opening and you have to push it down evenly and forcefully(but not too much) with the little plastic spigot that comes inside of the top. So he was aware of what not to do to save us from totally looking like the novice Ramen connoisseurs that we are. This could've totally ended up being The bad...but thankfully it was not! Overall, this was a wonderful experience. We will definitely return sans the kiddos. I just took away one star for the service and the not so tender appetizers.

    (4)

  • Amit And Fritzi G.

    Ramen ramen ramen ramen ramen! These are the best near Suwannee! They make the ramen fresh - sometimes you can see the guy rolling it in the front. As for the ramen, I recommend spicy. You can choose the level and if you can take heat I do recommend going up to the higher levels. They also make a spicy ramen noodle along with the spicy broth. If you go early you can sometimes get the rich broth. It adds that extra flavor but they tend to run out quickly so go early if you want it.

    (5)

  • Tiffany N.

    I live almost a hour south of this place and never could muster the road trip nor battle traffic to come to this place. So coming back from a trip from NC, my bf and I stopped by to try this place. I was excited! The bf ordered the spicy ramen while I went on the Level 50 (the spiciest) ramen bowl. Then the disappointment set in from the first slurp of broth. With my broth )and I am wondering because of the level of spiciness) it tasted very powdery. The soup was tasteless and the noodles needed to be cooked a bit longer. I have experienced this place as it has been bookmarked for a long time. However, I would never return.

    (2)

  • Hsu G.

    Tonkotsu was on point!!! I sat in front of the cooks and I enjoyed listening to the jams more than anything !!! Hot spot!

    (5)

  • Ophelia L.

    I've been here 3 times already with my bf. Never had to wait when we came in for Saturday lunches. I always order the original tonkotsu ramen bowl. I've been intrigued by the other ramen bowls, but since this place is somewhat out of the way for us (35 minute drive), I want to stick to what's known to be good. The broth is so good that it's the first thing i spoon into my mouth when it arrives to the table. The veggies are also good. The yolk in my egg is usually a little underdone which i like, but on the last visit, it was a lot closer to being just hard-boiled. The pork meats are usually very tender, but it was quite tough on our last visit too. I had to give away my pork meat to my bf; not sure what was going on on that last visit. Still my best place to get ramen though. We also ordered the agedashi tofu side dish and it was very tasty. Love the texture! If you want to eat this before your ramen bowl comes out, you should let the waiter know as they make their ramen bowls faster than most other things on their menu. Also, their barley tea is always a refreshing pleasure to drink.

    (4)

  • Lily H.

    Umadio is a quaint and small establishment. The restaurant is decorated with simple Japanese touches which gives the establishment a minimalist feeling. The bar seats make for an awkward entry way into the back dining area, and in the dining room, the communal high top chairs seem slightly out of place. After being seated on the high top, the service was as expected but not necessarily spectacular. The ramen was wonderful though! I really enjoyed the taste of the soup. For those who have a hearty appetite (I eat very little compared to average), I recommend ordering extra noodles for your leftover soup. Overall, the atmosphere and service was average, but the ramen was delicious!

    (3)

  • Loan D.

    Umaido is located on Lawremceville-Suwanee road, on exit 111 of 85, right next to H-Mart. It is in a Korean shopping plaza and there is plenty of parking. We went on a Tuesday evening and there were a few customers. We didn't have to wait and were seated promptly. We started with 2 hirata buns, which is a spin on the Peking duck. You get a sweet streamed bun that is filled with delicious, moist pork belly, with a sweet sauce and mayo. It is $2.50 per bun - a bit pricey for what it is, but I really enjoy it and it's a nice appetizer for me. I had the Tonkatsu ramen ($8.95) and my hubby ordered the spicy miso ramen ($9.95) The ramen noodles are soft and chewy, the broth is nicely seasoned (not too salty), and it comes with a big slice of pork belly and an egg. I believe that you could get an additional refill of noodles for $1.50 but I am usually full and satisfied by the end of the meal . The service is good, and the waitresses came to check on us twice. I would definitely recommend this place to people. I definitely want to try other ramen places in GA but Umaido is so far the safest place to satisfy ramen cravings!!!

    (4)

  • Dee L.

    This is one of THE spot for ramen, their ramen have really good flavor. And yes they can make it spicy unlike raku. The price is about 10-13 dollars a bowl, it's a bit steep but it's worth it. The service is pretty fast and they are very friendly. Mosdef will recommend this place.

    (5)

  • Kwame O.

    I frequent this location many times, They are located in a Asian strip mall and right next to Super H mart . This location is open for 4 hours during lunch and reopens for dinner during dinner. The space is small and the atmosphere is more of a warehouse feel than a Japanese. With high tables in the back small tables and barstools along the wall.To be a little housnist I don't eat allot of Ramon . Especially from the package due to the amount of salt used . With Umaidio you will have to add salt . Which is good. I have had tried the Tonkatsu, and Spicy Miso Ramen . They Tonkatsu includes slices of roasted pork, tree ear, garlic oil bean sprouts, seasoned half hard boiled egg, scallions & sesame. The spicy Miso ramen includes a spicy paste and red pepper powder, red pickled ginger, burdock, peanut oil bean sprouts, seasoned half boiled egg, scallions & sesame There were only 4 slices of tender roasted pork which was low.Pricing depending if you want the rich broth or regular. The rich broth is more flavorful and a dollar more. With addition to the ramen I have have had there pork belly bun , Japanese fried chicken and pork dumplings. All were not bad. Drinks they have sake, and various Japanese beer like Sapporo and Kirin Ichiban. Service depends on the time of the day. Dinner serivce seems to be alot better and very attentive over lunch. Over all great spot.

    (4)

  • Fiona F.

    The ultra spicy is the one I get every time! I normally get level 2 so I can drink the soup. If one bowl is not enough, go get extra noodle for 1.50 , not bad!

    (5)

  • Debbie Y.

    Umaido is a good restaurant if you happen to be Asian. I'm giving 3 stars not based on the food but on service. As a table of 4 Caucasians we were seated promptly, then the wait began. We were ignored while others around us were served. We waited to order, we waited for water. We got the attention of an Asian waitress who took our order. After our food arrived our waitress passed us off to a Caucasian waitress. The service was greatly improved from that point on. Disappointing to see such bias in this day and time.

    (3)

  • Amehh L.

    I'm a very picky eater, and this ramenshop does not meet my standard. My family and I ordered three different flavors of ramen. First, the soup has either no taste or just too salty. Second, their noodle isn't chewy enough; they are too thin for my taste. Third of all, the amount of topping is simply just not enough. On top of that, the meet is too dry and has no tatse; you can't taste the sweetness of the meat when you eat it by itself. When I start eating, first bite was OK. However, as I continued eating, I was just losing it. The only thing I liked about this place is the atmosphere. Other than that I certainly do not recommend this restaurant if you are a picky eater like me. oh and btw how the crap does this place has 4 out of 5 rating lol

    (2)

  • Hokyum K.

    Ultra Spicy level 5 is fantastic.

    (5)

  • Jennifer H.

    Tonkatsu ramen soup is flavorful. Although it is not as thick and tasty as the other place I have tried in DC or in Taiwan, this is so far the best in Atlanta... out of two only ramen bars. Noodle is on the thin side and a little bit hard which lacks some "elasticity" that makes the texture feels good. Good noodle in Asian term requires some "elasticity". Using mattress as an example, noodle texture that feels like a tempurepidic bed is not as good as those that resists a little bit to your bite strength. The pork belly is tasty but the texture is a bit dry and hard to bite. Chasyu Don is too salty and the meat is dry. Octopus ball tastes good but the octopus is small and therefore I felt a lot more the fried dough than the octopus. I would still come back for ramen, not any of the side dishes... Kids were provided extra plastic ware. Family friendly and contemporary look.

    (4)

  • Karen Y.

    I wanted to try Umaido in hopes of finding honest to goodness authentic ramen outside of the places I've tried in Japan. So maybe I had super high expectations for this place, but I was a little let down. I ordered the honey miso ramen, my friend had the spicy miso version. I really enjoyed the toppings on mine. It came with chashu pork, which was really tender and slightly fatty which I love. And also plently of sweet corn, a runny egg, seaweed, red bell pepper, and green onions. I also enjoyed their style of noodle, which I found to be a little chewy and eggy. But the soup was just... too salty. Too salty to taste the depth and flavor of the pork bones I was expecting. My friend also agreed with me and said her soup was too salty for her taste as well. It wasn't unbearable, but we did down tons of water during our meal because of it. Who knows, judging from the rave reviews for this place on just the broth alone, I'm guessing it was an off day. Will come back and try another time.

    (3)

  • Rick L.

    I really like the atmosphere and theme of this restaurant. It's laid back and casual and the staff is very nice. I'm new to Japanese Ramen and was happily surprised at how good everything was. I tried the tonkotsu and spicy miso Ramen and both were amazing. I can't wait to come back and try other dishes.

    (5)

  • Esther M.

    So far, Umaido is the best place for ramen that I've been to. Their rice bowls are a little small for the price, though. I like how the tea is self serve so there's a pitcher already at the table. My husband's only complaint about Umaido is that they don't serve water but we probably just haven't asked for water.

    (4)

  • L L.

    Have been here about 2 times in the last year or so with the most recent visit this weekend. It wasn't as busy as it was the first time I was there (probably because later in the afternoon). This time i tried the tonkatsu ramen. The price and overall portions were very reasonable and the pork was very tasty. However, the broth was a bit on the bland side for me, and the noodles seemed to be on the thinner side (compared with other ramen places, for example). Service was fine and friendly. However, given that it is further out from the perimeter, and there are other options closer, it will likely take a bit for me to return if I'm not already in the area.

    (3)

  • Jessie K.

    If it weren't for the poor service, I think I might be more enthusiastic about stopping by here whenever I'm passing through Suwanee on I-85. We waited at the door, there was a sign-up sheet, but it was not being managed consistently. We were seated, ordered 5 minutes later, and then waited over 30 minutes for our food. When the food was delivered, I asked our server why our food took so long. Apparently a burner went out and they had to reheat the broth... My biggest issue is not that they had a setback in the kitchen... It's that not once did any of the servers, nor the manager come by and acknowledge the fact that the food was taking ridiculously long to be delivered. While waiting, I noticed that the FOH staff was beginning to run out of things to do since they were not running food or taking additional orders. People were waiting to be seated, but since no one was eating and leaving, it just seemed to me that all restaurant operations had somewhat broken down and came to a stop for about 45 mins. Not cool. Now, the 3 stars are for the food. If I had it my way, I'd give only one star for poor service. I've been here before a few times and to me and my Japanese other half that the tonkotsu broth is a bit oily compared to its traditional versions. Personally, I'm Korean and I just don't enjoy ramen that is not spicy, so for my taste the extra spicy tonkotsu was okay. This time around, I customized it a bit. The only shoyu ramen they have is the wasabi shoyu ramen that is made with a seafood broth and wasabi shoyu. So, I decided to order it, PLUS a side of the umaido special spicy sauce (so ridiculously tasty and extra extra spicy) and extra nori. The combination of the seafood, wasabi shoyu, spicy sauce, and nori all came together perfectly. I was in pain considering I pretty much used all of the sauce in my bowl of ramen, but I loved the flavors. Worth it for spicy lovers. My only gripe about the food is that I asked for the broth to be extra hot in temperature, and sure it probably was when they first put the broth in the bowl but they need to consider that the additional ingredients may not be as hot like the soft boiled egg, bamboo shoots, and even the noodles so it cools it down significantly. I won't go out of my way to return here, but I did find the right combination of ramen that really hit the spot for me that day, especially after a weekend of hiking in the frigid smokey mountains.

    (3)

  • Thomas N.

    Eat here once to twice a week. That says enough. Want details? Read the reviews people have posted before me. Don't mind the haters reviews. Everyone needs haters. I'm out, son! Gonna go get some Umaido now.

    (5)

  • Morgan G.

    All of my friends have praised and worshipped Umaido. So, I finally tagged along with them to get in on this so called awesomeness. I wouldn't say it was awful ... But it definitely isn't praise worthy either. I ordered the spicy miso ramen, and I expected just that; spicy ... Miso. As someone who has grew up with a very close Japanese family whom the wife I call aunt, Umaido's Miso ... was by no means Miso soup. I was expecting to taste the richness of the miso soup, just as I had every time I fell ill growing up, but was unfortunately let down. It tasted more like a spicy chicken broth with a faint miso after taste. Being pescatarian, I was not very thrilled by the chicken tasting broth. However, overall the ramen wasn't bad. Nothing tasted awful, just that my ramen itself did not live up to its name as Spicy Miso.

    (3)

  • Michelle K.

    Thanks to Edward L., I was able to check out this place for the first time last weekend. Todd P. confirmed to me last month that he would drive from the city all the way up to Suwanee because their ramen was THAT good. He was right. And who could forget the ramen eating contest that Dio & Daniel B. took part in years ago. (His picture is still on their wall of fame folks!) I don't crave ramen but have heard nothing but great things about Umaido and after grabbing my first bowl last Sunday, I now understand the buzz about this place. It all comes down to the noodles and broth. The noodles are not like the store bought ones that come in those pre packaged wrappers with the powder soup base and seasonings. They are yellow but they taste "chewier" in a good way. I ordered the "Tonkatsu" ramen and was pretty happy with my "bowl o' noodles." The broth was great and far different than what I ever imagined. The entire meal was complete in less than an hour. Service is fast and efficient and I like the fact that they had pitchers of their house made tea at each table, which was a huge plus. If I ever crave a heartly bowl of ramen ever again or want to introduce this place to friends who've never been, I will definitely trek back further north to visit the folks at Umaido again.

    (5)

  • Antonio A.

    Came here a few times. So here is my long awaited review. SERVICE: was... Meh! Could definitely be better and needs improvement! They need more waiters/waitresses/bus boys. Had to wait over 30 minutes for a table to be cleaned and to be served. The waitresses were slow. Flag them down for water. They were also very slow on cleaning up the other tables for new customers to be seated. The place is very small and can get overcrowded quick and be awkward when dining. It is claustrophobic. If you sit on the stools, just beware that they are flimsy and creak as if they are about to break. So the best option would be to get a table with chairs or request to sit at the noodle bar by the kitchen/front entrance. FOOD: the traditional Tonkotsu ramen ($8.95) is good (thats what I normally get) with extra chashu meat (marinated bbq pork meat) for $3 more (you literally get 3 extra slices. They are thin IMO). I tried the Spicy Miso ramen level 3 ($9.95) the last time I was here, and it seemed to be MORE FLAVORFUL and SEASONED!!!! I've tried two other dishes and they were surprisingly good (Hirata Buns which are steam buns filled with pork for $2.50 as well as the small Chasyu don which is a rice bowl topped with chopped roasted pork, mayo, and green onions for $4.00). It was really good! Service is a hit or miss. The ramen noodles are a MUST TRY!!! Thanks to Naruto (japanese animation) I am a japanese ramen noodle fan! The REAL ramen noodle stuff is the best. If you have only eaten Maruchan ramen noodles from a bag or cup from the grocery store, then you are definitely missing out! Come try the real thing at Umaido! Its delicious!!!!

    (3)

  • Tucker B.

    Really great. Most wonderful taste explosion I've had in my mouth in a long time. I don't like the weird purple boiled egg that they put in the soup. I'm sure it is my fault, not theirs.

    (5)

  • Lauren Y.

    It may just be me but when I receive openly curt and short service, I'm not impressed at all. Our waitress didn't really seem to care if we were ready to order our food and drink, she also didn't really know how to describe the barley tea which I inquired about. She just stood there and did not say much. Aside from the poor service, the food was delicious. You should have an idea of what toppings you prefer in your Ramen, which we did. And goodness forbid you don't know about an ingredient on the menu... But our dish which we shared was downright tasty. I ordered the spicy cod roe on the side as well as our saki beverage warmed up. Yummy. And we didn't get a chance to order dessert as our bill was dropped off, yes, dropped on our table. Disappointing as I would have loved to try something. I will be back though. And more assertive about what I want. Decor is very urban- do not expect a nice sit down restaurant. This is fast and tasty. And a poor excuse for service.

    (3)

  • Mimi N.

    Probably one of the best place that I go to for ramen. You actually get it spicy when you tell them the level you want compare to other places when you ask for the max and it's no where close to spicy. The pork belly is tender and the egg is cooked right. Glad that I got introduced to this place.

    (4)

  • Vivien P.

    After eating ramen at two notorious ramen places in New York, I have to say that Umaido is the best I've had so far. Their broth is rich, their pork slices are succulent, I love their soft boiled egg, and I love how you can always order extra ramen. I've tried all of the ramen on the menu but my favorite is their spicy tonkatsu level 3. I've been to Raku too.....Umaido is the best.

    (5)

  • Linda A.

    So my first time eating ramen ever! It was pretty good I like pho better but who can really compare the two? Pho is light noodles and ramen is this thick heavy noodle and in thick broth. So when you go order the spicy miso ramen not rich and add shrimp that was amazing! I would eat that every day add extra noodles for a dollar and it's worth it! The pork belly sandwich was amazing! Best $2.50 ever homemade shrimp potstickers were good but not worth $7 and then the fried rice balls were cool for $4. The other ramen we had was the original ramen that everyone orders and we got it rich style(which means just really thicker and way more oily) it was soooo overwhelmingly oily and fatty drenched with the pork flavor and scent it was not for us. We like lighter more complex flavors not just a big fatty oily soup. Other than that small mistake of ordering it was an amazing place! So cute, employees soooo sweet! The best part of everything was our server Holly she was so kind and caring and was more than happy to explain everything! We will definitely be back but just getting the spicy miso ramen with two pork belly sandwiches next time!

    (4)

  • Amy V.

    Love the Ultra Spicy Ramen. Very flavorful, spicy, hearty, and full of yumminess!! Not enough meat though. So carnivores, order extra meat!!

    (4)

  • Diana T.

    After eating at other ramen places, this is the best ramen you can ever find. They have home made noodles, which can be spicy or regular. It is around $10 for a bowl of ramen. You can also ask for more noodles if you are extra hungry. I usually get spicy level 2 ramen. Perfect broth. Perfect ramen. They cook the egg just right where the yolk drips down. The pork is tender. I love how can you ask for garlic and kimchi. I use the crushed garlic and the sauces on the table to make an amazing dipping sauce for my ramen. After discovering this, I can't get enough of this place. They also have large selection of alcohol. I recently tried their mango hot sake. The whole place is pretty authentic. Give it a try if you are in town. Most people complain that it is far, but it is well worth it. Lucky for me, I live like five minutes from this place.

    (4)

  • Wynne C.

    Still hands down the best ramen spot I have been to in Atlanta. If you want some good ramen, this is the spot.

    (5)

  • Hendry K.

    This is a nice little ramen restaurant with great selection of soups, toppings, and even appetizers. The ultra spicy ramen has differing levels of spiciness one may as for. I usually go level 3. However the one aspect that stops it from me giving it a 5 star is the level of inconsistency the chefs have. One day it can be realllly good ramen, other days its off. Service is good, atmosphere is nice as well

    (4)

  • Tracie G.

    Trust the masses!! My fellow 'Yelpers' led me to Umaido and I am elated that I chose to follow their lead!!!! My experience was an order that I took To-Go. I ordered the Tonkatsu Ramen and the Chasryu (sp?) rice which were the dishes that were most reviewed by the 'Yelpers'. YUM!! Ramen: the broth is delicious and full of flavor. The chew of the noodle is awesome!! The egg..... That egg was cooked so perfectly that the yolk was like a nice custard. Rice: POW! BANG! The flavor in the rice had me thinking of old school Batman episode sound effects. KA-POW!! Sorry... I'm still eating it as I write this review. Location: I did not dine in, so I can only comment on the foyer area. It was small, but nicely appointed. There was a wait list and quite a few people waiting to be seated. I will say that I had to grab someone to help me, because no one offered.

    (5)

  • Evan T.

    I try to make it to Umaido once a week, its right down the street from work and walking in there on accident one day is still one of the best decisions I have ever made. I think this will be the first and last ramen I will need. Whenever I tell people about ramen at Umaido I get 1 of 2 responses: "Have you ever had pho?" Yes i have had pho, it sucks. Pho is flavorless and about as appealing as veggie compost floating in bathwater after Umaido or "Ramen? like the 15 for a dollar packets you get at kroger?" Just save time and avoid these people alltogether. Just get a bowl of tonkotsu add some sriracha and dont be ashamed to finish the broth like milk at the bottom of your cereal because leaving some isnt just wrong, it's disrespectful. Yes i capitalized Umaido and Ramen while not even bothering to find the confused question mark "o" to spell pho, because even that would be more time than I am willing to waste on a pho-related pursuit.

    (5)

  • christina d.

    I recently visited umaido for some ramen and was not impressed with the service from a female server. This was my first experience at a ramen restaurant so some of the ingredients were not familiar to me. I asked the server for some assistance on ordering something simple. She responded with a very snippety & judgmental attitude. A person in my party observed her noticeably gesturing towards our table in a negative manner while conversing with a fellow server. Another disappointing discovery was the gnat floating around in our barley tea. My soup came with tree ears which was the only ingredient I requested for them to leave out. While we were eating, ESPN was playing loudly in the background. It seemed as though the female server was rushing us through our meal because the kitchen was closing and because she was ready for her shift to end. Service and food must be inconsistent according to the people in my party. Overall, I enjoyed the food but I'm not sure if I would return.

    (2)

  • Tim S.

    I have been on the hunt for Atlanta's BEST ramen. I have visited Umaido quite a few times. Umaido had the BEST pork bun! I am also a sucker for their flavored saki(s). The first time I visited Umaido I had their concentrated ramen. I didn't like. It was too concentrated for my liking. So, I went back again and had the "regular"ramen, and it was GREAT! So great that I kept Their broth is flavorful and so is the pork. With that being said, their ramen is NOT Atlanta's best. Do they have GREAT ramen? YES! But, Atlanta's BEST ramen can be found at Wagaya's.

    (4)

  • CP P.

    This is my absolute favorite place to get ramen! Hands down!!! They have their different choices to choose from and a long range of spicy level you can go with your ramen . How daring are you? Lol

    (5)

  • Rochelle O.

    Heard many things about this place, so I was finally able to check it out! Came for an early lunch on a Friday. Not busy & absolutely loved the vibe and atmosphere!! I ordered the seafood ramen and loved it! The broth was rich and flavorful and the noodles were amazing! It was a good portion, leaving me very full and even had a little bit left! Will definitely come back to try other ramen!

    (5)

  • Paul N.

    What a surprise! I would have never expected a great bowl of ramen and a chill atmosphere in this small place. The service was ok, but everything was fabulous, including the spray-toilet!

    (4)

  • George L.

    Not quite up to the hype, but still good. Finally went here after having it bookmarked for half a year. The broth wasn't as rich as I would have liked. (Though you can add "rich broth" for $1, which adds in more pork fat). I read that the noodles are homemade, but if they are, they sure don't taste like it. They are still good though. They have a spicy ramen which is VERY spicy, but you can choose your level of hotness. The karage that we ordered was good, if a bit pricey. The ambience is casual. Service was decent. I would go back!

    (4)

  • Shawn F.

    Umaido has been improving the past few times I have been this year. The service seems to be more organized and prompt. The food is more consistent and seems to be tastier with better presentation. After trying a few other ramen places I still think umaido has the best ramen in Atlanta.

    (4)

  • Tina D.

    Whenever I'm craving ramen in Atl, this is my go-to place. This place can't compete with Totto and Ippudo ramen in NYC, but to me it's the best one in Atl. I generally order the Level 1 tonkotsu ramen and add in extra corn and bamboo shoots. I like spicy food but my stomach can't handle it so Level 1 is enough for me - enough spiciness to liven up the tonkotsu broth but not so much that I'll be blowing up the toilet. A few suggestions I have for the tonkotsu ramen 1. The egg yolk needs to be more runny. The egg white is soft but when I run my spoon through the center of the egg, I expect that the egg yolk should be soft and runny too. Instead, its always hard. 2. More broth please. This place gives a generous amount of ramen noodles but not enough broth and so 20 minutes into the meal, the ramen has already soaked up most of the broth. Appetizer tips - get the onigiri. Every time I go, the onigir is spot on - tender and fragrant rice on the inside with a crispy outer layer. The chicken karaage is so-so. It's never consistent - sometimes the batter is really crispy and other times it's crispy on the outside but soggy batter on the inside.

    (3)

  • Fontaine C.

    Please visit my blog: caviaronadime.wordpress.… Best Ramen in town (Under $10) Umaido, interpreted as "Heaven for Delicacy", is the place to go for a rich, authentic bowl of Japanese ramen. The restaurant is located in a Korean strip mall in Suwanee, 45 minutes north of metro Atlanta. Despite the terrible Atlanta traffic, it is always packed. The restaurant is small but cozy with friendly servers. After I am sat down at a table, I am served with a glass of cold barley tea. A full menu of Japanese beer / wine is also available for alcohol lovers. The ramen noodles are hand-made using traditional Japnese recipe. The most popular choice is "Tonkotsu Ramen" ($8.95). The tonkotsu ramen comes with three slices of roasted pork, shredded tree ear (a mushroom), bean sprouts, scallion, and a semi-hard boiled egg (liquidy center). I always ask for Japanese ginger toppings (for free) and additional bean sprouts, tree eat, spinach and seaweed for $1 each. The flavor of the broth and noodles are rich and balanced. It stands up to the best ramen places in California. For my readers who love a kick of spiciness, please ask for their Japanese hot sauce. That is heavenly in combination with the broth. And, for my competitive readers who love to join a food challenge, Umaido offers a food challenge. 4 bowls of ramen of your choice are free for you if you can finish that in 20 minutes. It'd be $20 out of pocket, if you can't finish within the time frame.

    (5)

  • Joanna Q.

    Overall the place is very popular and can get pretty busy. I go for more of the rice dishes than the ramen because whenever I eat the ramen I get tired of the taste towards the end. Weird.. but its probably just me. But the service is okay, you order, you get your food, and then later they'll come back with the check. So don't forget anything or you'll never find someone to get it later on... Unless the place is slow that day. If I were you, I'd skip the pot stickers... they are not worth your money. But if you want an appetizer the friend chicken is delicious!! I think right now my favorite is the rice dish that has a mix of egg and chicken.

    (4)

  • Linda B.

    Ramen to me is comfort food. I've lived in Japan and everywhere I go, I am always in search for an excellent Ramen House. Umaido did not disappoint. It may not be the very best but my standards are high, but I can say that it is the best in Atlanta and surrounding areas.

    (4)

  • Jermaine D.

    How much longer could I deny the inevitable? Every review has hailed this place in the highest regard and it was time to see what the hype was about. I decided to hit Umaido on a Thursday and made my pilgrimage north in the rain. I arrived at around 8:30, and was quickly seated. I immediately loved the design, sleek and modern with cement walls and floors. The menu was extensive, with a wide selection of appetizers, noodles, rice dishes, and alcohol. Naturally I went for the Tonkotsu, but was caught off guard with an upgrade for rich broth. Every Yelp review recommended it, so why not? I added corn, and i also ordered two hirata pork buns as an appetizer. They were empty when I came in, but within 10 minutes that changed; 4 tables were filled. Thankfully, this didn't affect my pork buns coming out in a timely fashion. They were nice and warm; the pork was good with the sauce, a Japanese mayo. As I finished my pork bun, I heard the rattle of a cart. My ramen was being rolled out to me. It was a nice size bowl and was piping hot. All seemed right with the world, except for the lack of roast pork slices. I noticed one and a half maybe. I was iritated, but I was still yearning, so I dug in and was welcomed by a Bruce Lee one-inch punch of flavor. The broth was amazingly flavorful and hot(temperature wise.) The pork was tender and delicious. The noodles weren't mushy, but had great chew, and stood up well with the broth. The scallions and other ingredients all played their part: adding earthiness and sweetness to the immense pork flavor. After devouring my few pieces of pork, I realized all of my noodles were gone. At this point, I usually forget all etiquette and lift my bowl to drink the nectar of the Gods. Before I could initiate this, my waitress came to check on me, and uttered the sweetest words I could've heard at that moment. "Would you like more noodles?" With an eager nod and a 4-5 minute wait, she was back with with a plate of steaming noodles. Instantly I had a bowl of ramen to take home for only $1.50. Overall, Umaido definitely deserves its spot at the front of the pack, and maybe until Guy Wong's Ton Ton opens, I will have a bowl to compare. But until then my ramen love lives in Suwanee. - The Starving Ronin

    (5)

  • Shilu P.

    I'm giving this ramen 5 stars. I was imagining Ichiraku from the anime Naruto and what do you know? They have a drawing of naruto right on the wall and a little bar area where you can watch the cooks make the ramen just like the anime. Food selection was awesome, I tried the spicy miso ramen the first time and the ultra spicy ramen 1 and 2. Rich soup, noodles have a perfect soaked texture, pork and the boiled egg put the icing on the cake. Friendly and personal staff, have never had a problem with an empty glass or terrible waiting time on food even when it's busy. When I'm with a group of friends and we don't know where to eat, Umaido is always one of our go to's.

    (5)

  • Alan D.

    Not bad. I made the mistake of trying the soymilk ramen, which tastes entirely too much like (sweetened) soymilk and not enough like ramen. I also tried the tonkatsu pork ramen, and that was much better, if a little salty. Portions are not extremely generous, but you can add another serving of noodles for $1.50 I think. A lot of people recommend the pork belly sandwich, but I didn't like it at all. The bun is too sweet and tastes like a cinnamon bun. I also didn't like the sauce. I would consider coming again though. Maybe I just didn't order the right things.

    (3)

  • Will C.

    For me, it was a let down... I'll start with service, Slow and with a smile. No signs of management. No host/hostess, no acknowledgement of my party just waited. Once sat we where offered tea, and drinks, and arrived promptly. After that sge asked if we where ready to order... Wtf.. No recommendations, no explanation of dishes. Please have your phone ready cause youll have to google what the food is, the english on the menu is short and vague. Our waitress was a mystery, she was there then gone for a while, then no where to be found... For such a small place and only 2 servers, horrible, but with a smile... To get the check after finishing took over 20mins... But its okwe took it out your tip.. Now for food.. Could use more variety.. More flavor, and more richness.. One set broth with added powders and oil to get the flavor.. Ehhh... In my opinion there should have been a pork, beef, veggie, or chicken. Also there appears to be a noodle selection but not offered.. As for toppings, everything is shallots, seaweed, and sprouts.. As a chef this place has potential, and could be better....( as for the cooks, there could be a better uniformity, and appearance).. I will not be returning..

    (1)

  • Hanh N.

    Oh, how I yearn for you every day that I've been gone!! After a hike at Amicalola Falls (which is gorgeous, btw) we were hungrrryyyy and had plans to meet friends here for lunch. Man, the ultra spicy ramen is soooo flavorful and heat is just right! Not overwhelming and just delicious! Do yourself a favor and order the Tori Karaage- the fried ckn. We loved it sooo much we ordered a 2nd. We had made plans to come back before we left ATL but we had a hectic last day and we were overly sad to not have been able to visit them again before leaving :(

    (5)

  • Tiff H.

    It had been years since the last time I stepped foot in Umaido, due to the immense distance I would need to drive to get here. But I'm glad I was able to move past that and order another ramen here, or aka, I didn't have to drive here so I was all up for it. I'd remembered the ramen being good here, but wow. The chewy noodles, the rich and salty broth, the tender meat. Everything about the spicy miso ramen was amazing, but like some reviews, note it's not as spicy as you would think. Although I haven't had much ramen in Atlanta, this has got to be one of the greatest, as claimed previously by multiple sources. You have the option of ordering the spicy noodles, which are bright red, as opposed to the normal ramen noodles. You can also save your broth and order another serving of noodles to sop up the rest of your unused broth. I was surprisingly full after one serving, but was still pleased to see that this was an option. Afterward, we stuck around to rest while sipping our cold barley tea, which the server reluctantly obliged us with even though we had already paid our bill. If only this shop wasn't so far, I would visit more often! All the ramen broths sounded delicious so I will need to make a couple more trips out to Suwanee to try them all.

    (4)

  • Nicki K.

    Since I've discovered at a much later time in life ordering ramen at Japanese restaurants and not just eating instant ramen at home, I have been wanting to try Umaido for some time. After talking to several people who told me that Haru Ichiban is their preferred ramen restaurant, I went there first and had a fabulous time. I finally went to Umaido to check out their famous ramen. My expectations were low because of that reason. I was also warned about how salty the ramen could be. I'm sensitive to food being too salty and actually have low sodium. Umaido, to me, is hard to spot. The letters are dark and I drove pass it several times. I don't come out often to Suwanee, heck, I hardly ever do. I knew it was near Super H in Suwanee but why drive that far when the Doraville and Duluth locations are closer to me? I never knew there was a chain of Korean stores in this plaza! I like that there was a huge chopstick at the door of Umaido too. Walking in, it's a really small place but that didn't bother me cause I expected it cause Haru Ichiban was like that. I did like that the kitchen had an open area so you can see them. However, you don't get to see them cook since all the tables/chairs are seated away from there. While I waited for my friend to show up, I ordered appetizers for the kids. The appetizers took forever to come out because they came out when friend came, we knew what to order already. Braised pork - it was soft and tender, very flavorful. It was really tender like how I make goat curry or sweet pork which is boiled for 4 hours or so. I was just disappointed with how expensive it was for it and only 4 pieces. It was close to $7 for it. Chicken tenders/nuggets - very well-presented but disappointed in it. Sure it was hot, juicy in the middle, and crispy on the outside but there is no flavor. There is a small dipping sauce with grayish powder. I dipped the chicken on it and it's salt! Yuck, I don't want it that salty. So there is no season on the chicken, you put salt on it yourself. Not my thing. Not many pieces either, just 5. And it's more than the braised pork, close to $8 for it so that's why I'm disappointed. Spicy Miso ramen - good but not as good and flavorful as Haru Ichiban. Sorry for the comparison but it's just truth. Honey Miso ramen - had a sweeter taste than the spicy, of course Ultra spicy ramen, level 3 - I was warn that it would be really spicy but trust me, I can handle it. I eat 20 red hot Thai peppers in my papaya salad. It was not spicy to me. It was perfectly spiced which I liked. Presentation wise, Umaido got it down. I was surprised to see my noodles a maroon color. I know everyone raves about the not-cooked-all-the-way egg but I like eggs cooked. I don't mind the egg being cracked in and cooking while the soup is hot but I don't do totally-not-cooked food well. Since this was my dish and the other two not mine I can go into details more why I was disappointed. I did order it with rich broth which I think is crazy to charge an extra $1 just to have it so if I didn't have it, my dish wouldn't be as good? I felt the price was more expensive for what it's worth overall ($11 +$1, thank goodness I didn't order more toppings). It is tasty and yes, Haru Ichiban wins in my books (I think they give more ingredients and meat, no eggs which I don't care for anyways, and is cheaper overall). I do like that if you wanted to add more toppings or noodles, you have that option. I am glad I had the experience but I will not go back. I mean, I would only if friends wanted meet there but I wouldn't go back for the ramen. Not only is it farther for me, Haru Ichiban is closer. I felt I spent so much more at Umaido and wasn't full, my stomach (and wallet) were feeling empty.

    (3)

  • Katherine K.

    This is the only place I will eat ramen. I used to work in a tiny, archaic Japanese restaurant but it gave me a taste for the food. Anyways, some people like Raku or Haru Ichiban, but for me, THIS is the ramen spot. Everyone who works here seems to be Japanese, of which there is a small population in Atlanta. (authenticity) It's located in a plaza with an Hmart and other restaurants/shops. A good bowl of ramen is almost a religious experience. I recommend tonkotsu honey miso or just regular. If you're left feeling unsatisfied, you can request more noodles. They used to have whole fresh garlic to put in. They will serve kimchi if requested. Tea is free and available on every table. Cute place. I read about it on some kids blog years ago raving about the quality of the ramen, and ever since I've ventured here, I really can't imagine getting it elsewhere. I also enjoy the onigiri and kare/curry. These are more snack portioned. There is a spicy challenge that I've never been tempted to try but my friends have. They bring out an extra spicy bowl of ramen and if you can down it all in a certain time period, it's on the house. She said she puked. And with that lovely afterthought... Kinda like the J version of Dan Mooji.

    (5)

  • Licca K.

    When I first heard of Umaido in Creative Loafing I was very eager to try it. It's been a few years from that first visit with a menu that barely had six dishes with only two or three ramen options to a very flavorful menu with even choices for vegetarians, though sadly not in excess. The food// I've usually gotten their tonkotsu broth but frankly find it a bit too salty albeit very good. A friend of mine had gotten their soy milk broth and while sweeter, I've enjoyed it more. It also is their vegetarian option. Their honey miso was also very good and I've had a few friends who've really enjoyed the spicy broth up to lvl 3 quoting it was a nice level of spice to broth. No complaints on their takoyaki and rice bowls either. :) Noodles aren't in plenty, but you can always buy extra including an assortment of ramen toppings. Atmosphere// Ambient and dimly lit. The main wall adorned with a befitting Naruto drawing and other writings. Service// Not the most exuberant, but sufficient. Now bathrooms... Clean and dimly lit for the light sensitive. Overall, worth a look for the ramen and a great stop in if you're in the mood for some noodles.

    (5)

  • t l.

    Yummy excellent food. Absolutely Delish Ramen. $$/4 cost. Fast quick friendly service. One of the best Ramen places around. No wonder it gets good reviews. Had orders of the regular tonkatsu, oyako don, and spicy Ramen. All were very tasty and excellent. The Oyako don was just superb. Haven't had and authentic oyako don and street ramen for A very long time. Love love love Decor is very industrial chic minimalistic sort of cool but small place. Service was quick. Definitely recommend and would definitely go back

    (5)

  • Jenny E.

    Umaido is the spot! Ramen is one of my favorite things to eat. Born & raised in Hawaii we call this simin & it is a local Hawaii favorite. We consider this a comfort food. So to have this spot here was like the best thing ever to me at that moment lol. My favorite is the ramen shoyu & wasabi. Best thing for you if you are getting over a flu, cold, or stomach virus. Super clean place & very friendly staff.

    (5)

  • Melissa K.

    My partner has spent the last several weeks talking about his ramen craving. Why? We missed out on going to a ramen noodle house in New Orleans and we've regretted it for months and months. Seriously. It's a constant conversation in our house. So, when we happened to be running errands recently I drove us to Umaido for a surprise early dinner (5ish). When we pulled open the door, which has chopsticks for the handle - cute!, I thought my husband was going to swoon with delight thanks to the puff of warm, fragrant air that met us when we walked in. The place smelled delicious and our stomachs kicked up, growling in hunger. We were met by a friendly hostess, who was actually our server, and quickly seated against the wall at a small table made for 2. The place is very long and narrow but the layout is space efficient and we didn't feel cramped at all although the table became crowded with only 2 glasses and (eventually) 2 ramen bowls. Barley water was provided and there's soy sauce and other seasonings on the table. It's super bright, fairly clean (a bit rough around the edges) and the walls are covered in scribbles from customers(?) I think? We noticed we each faced a television showing some infomercial involving lots of raw meat and flashing images. Might I suggest a different channel for the restaurant to show? The menu is divided into different categories, is very detailed but easy to read, and it offers suggestions for add-ons for each different entree. The price point for everything was *extremely* reasonable although I declined to add anything else to my seafood ramen. My husband added a hot pepper sauce to his order of tonkotsu but it was too spicy for him to finish which says A LOT! He loves spicy food. My seafood ramen was delicious except for the seafood part. It was all wayyyyy overcooked and, honestly?, it added nothing to the otherwise delicious dish. I put my seafood bits in the small bowl provided for the shells of the shrimp (which were tough as leather) and dug in to the rest of the stuff. So good! The noodles were the perfect texture and the broth divine. I think I slurped. Yep, I definitely slurped. The tonkotsu ramen got rave reviews from my husband. He did add the extra rich broth but said nothing was too salty for his taste. His egg was much more soft boiled than expected but in a totally good way. It flooded the bowl with rich yolk and gave it even more flavor (says he). We didn't try dessert nor alcohol but there were things on both sections that sounded interesting/appealing. Maybe next time! Noise level was fine but it would probably be very loud once things got busy. Service was friendly but not hovering. We'll definitely be back so I can try the soymilk ramen!

    (4)

  • Samantha H.

    I've been to Umaido a handful of times and have tried both of their options for miso ramen -- spicy, and honey. In my opinion, this place is hit or miss. The one thing I really like are their noodles. They are cooked al dente, and have a bite to them that both Mizumi and Raku lack. Depending on the ramen you choose, they offer a combination of bean sprouts, nori, corn, egg, and wood ear, as well as three slices of chasyu. My biggest complaint would be that they are stingy with their meat. Sometimes, the broth is especially salty, but other times it is perfect. Compared to the other options -- Mizumi or Raku, I would almost always choose to come here. However, still searching for that perfect bowl of ramen in Atlanta!

    (3)

  • C M.

    Very good: nice decor and great noodle, but the soup is little to heavy for my taste

    (4)

  • Yasmin H.

    Yippy! I finally found a bowl of ramen in Atlanta that doesn't taste like instant ramen. We also had the onigiri which was prettyyy decent and the pork buns which had a yummy cream based sauce. I love the Spicy Miso Ramen that features the original tonkotsu broth but also chilli powder and a dollop of miso paste that they dissolve into the broth. I made it a "rich broth" for a buck more and for another buck or two more I added mushrooms (tree ears). The roasted pork was delicate and tender and the veggies were cooked to perfection and the noodles I believe are house made...judging by the giant pasta machine looking thingy in the kitchen. Anywayys, I was coming down with a cold at the time so I asked for fresh garlic (which apparently is a thing you can do) and they happily brought me a bowl of already peeled garlic, some tongs, and a garlic press. I then didn't converse with anyone for a week. I lurb this place!

    (5)

  • Traci M.

    This place was cozy but yet amazing. I can only comment on the miso soup which was again Amazing the service was prompt and attentive with out being annoying. Long story short I am leaving to go there right now

    (5)

  • Vivekananda C.

    The Ramen was just amazing. I had the Spicy Miso Ramen and instant ramen is no way close this. Amazed to see lot of flavors in a bowl. First Ramen experience was a great success. No wonder why this place is so busy. Order extra ramen for 1.50 its worth to enjoy and finish last drop of the soup. Will surely go back to taste rest.

    (4)

  • Julie C.

    Umaido....um yummy. Came here for dinner with a pal and her super lovely son. Definitely a hit with all ages. Love the industrial decor and glossy concrete walls with purple accents. Adults settled into steaming hot bowls of ramen. I had spicy miso, I think my friend had honey miso. Once our food arrived, conversation was largely replaced with slurping and kid requests for more noodles. Being a salt fiend, I wasn't concerned about reviews mentioning an oversalted broth, but I'm pleased to report that mine was a perfect savory brew... Rich and flavorful. Not salty. The spicy miso ramen had a healthy kick of heat, a subtle burn that lingered more at the end. Noodles for me had just the right amount of bite and there was a good amount. I'm a serious soft boiled egg lover and my egg...oh! Perfectly soft. I want to know the secret. We fooled around with some other random menu items...homemade pickles, which were quite tasty and refreshing- I would order them again...basically a lightly pickled, salted and seasoned cucumber. Very subtle flavor but so delicious. I didn't try the gyoza, but the wrapper looked nice and thin and they were well wrapped. Chicken yakitori was sorta meh for me...I was thrilled with my soup and they were largely ordered as a kiddie treat. He was having none of it though...he was a noodle junkie like us! All in all, I was pleased and would definitely go back. Thinking this might be a go to spot for some comfort food this winter.

    (4)

  • Edward L.

    So I must update my review after my last dinning experience. I took David K. out here for a date because I wanted my boyfriend to try this place out. You should notice two things about their Ramen, the broth and the soft boiled egg. Both are incredibly delicious. I've came here for family dinners before with my 2 older brothers and my white sister-in-law. I only point out that she is white because for some reason, my brothers and I always get brown soft boiled eggs and my sister gets a white egg. I am not sure if they intend to do that on purpose, but it's really funny. Long story short, I took David K. here and he absolutely loved it. Which I knew he would because Umaidos is amazing. What also impressed me if that they gave my white boyfriend a brown soft boiled egg. Maybe it's fate? Maybe it's a sign of compatibility? Maybe it's Umaidos saying they approve of my boyfriend. Screw going to a fortune teller! If you are an Asian man who is dating a white American, you need to take your date to Umaidos and see what kind of egg you get. Brown egg means ultimate approval by the noodle Gods.

    (5)

  • Lauren H.

    I don't know of any other place in town quite like this one. Not only does Umaido serve up a mighty good bowl of Ramen, they also have other interesting appetizers and sides, as well as a cute restaurant to boot. Unfortunately I have little to compare this to, as I have not had Ramen before Umaido. I will say that the broth was very flavorful, and the noodles and meats seemed fresh and well cooked. We also got the pork buns which were tasty, and the dumplings (not too shabby either). Definitely check them out!

    (4)

  • Justin W.

    So Salty ramen broth. Service is terrible. Waitresses are all on their phone and it takes an effort to get their attention.

    (1)

  • Danica F.

    Just about the best ramen I've had in the south. It was totally perfect after a day of grocery shopping. Service was good and quick. We really liked the atmosphere and choices. The ramen was very savory but not overloaded with MSG or spices. I wish we had this in Augusta! Came just in time because after a few moments of sitting in, people started lining up at the door to get in. You can sit either at a booth or table. The booth is right in front of the cooks which is interesting to say the least. I could tell the staff had good communication with each other. We would definitely come back here again!

    (4)

  • Don D.

    Not worth the price. $5 for cucumbers with two tiny slices of squids?? And ordered a large oyaki Don and looked like a tiny bowl of rice with 2 scrambled eggs on top for $7.50. Will not return.

    (1)

  • Annie T.

    My second time back. I ordered the honey miso ramen. I honestly eat salty but this was overly salty, even for me. I literally drank half the pitcher given on the table. My boyfriend ordered extra braised pork and it paired well with my dish. It actually balanced it very well. We also ordered their famous buns- it wasn't all that it was hyped up to be. Sort of bland for me. The cucumber wrapped shrimp appetizer was refreshing. Service was good, given we were the last three tables there.

    (4)

  • Tyler K.

    Remember the episode of The Brady Bunch when Davey Jones kissed Marsha on the cheek? She swore she'd never wash her face again. Well, that's how I feel about Umaido. I'll never eat ramen again. Why, you ask? Because I have experienced sheer perfection with theirs. The unctuous, silky, rich broth. The perfectly smoky roasted pork. Ramen noodles with the ideal chew and mouth feel. Add to that, briny seaweed, pickled bamboo shoots, scallions, a perfect soy poached egg and salty fish roe and you have the heartwarming, soul filling food that you only dream about. Please go. Please.

    (4)

  • Kenny M.

    Had a fantastic experience here at Umaido. I ordered the tonkotsu ramen and enjoyed it very much. The service was quick and friendly. I've been searching for a ramen joint like this for a long time. I will be back here regularly.

    (5)

  • Khanh D.

    This is not my first time here. But after the first time, I couldn't help but keep coming back. I wouldn't say this is the "best" ramen place but it's definitely the best in Georgia. I always enjoyed my usual ultra spicy ramen, I've been here 3 times so I had all 3 level. My goal is to increase a level each time and test my limit!! The service is ok bc they're always busy. In general I will be a regular!! And but I can't seem to get the idea out of my head that something always missing from the ramen taste wise. Like that key ingredient that will make it perfect.

    (4)

  • Sonia D.

    Very good ramen(although not my favorite noodle), friendly service, I always get the same thing spicy miso soup bowl. 10$ bowl with a soft boiled egg that I can't figure why it's brown on the outside, peeled, and soft on the inside, a special treat at the end of the bowl.

    (3)

  • Pirates C.

    Progressively's gotten worse for me. I've been here 3-4 times and likely won't be returning. The first time was dynamite, but then it's been all downhill since. The storefront's become dirty and greasy - how can that be - they just mainly serve ramen. But, more importantly, the food has degraded along with the service. Still, it's okay if you don't mind.

    (3)

  • Zach H.

    I stopped by with a group of friends on one of my last visits to Atlanta and was quite impressed. Is it the best ramen place I've ever been to? No... buuuuut is this the best ramen place in the Southeast? Yeah, most likely. We ordered the Grilled Octopus and Takoyaki to start. The octopus was a touch over-cooked and just slightly more chewy than it should be, but had great flavor. The takoyaki was delicious and very comparable to many places that serve this classic Japanese street food. For the main event, I ordered the Spicy Miso Ramen. The broth had a great layering of flavor from the spicy miso bean paste, red pepper powder, pickled ginger, and peanut oil. It was topped with a few slices of nicely prepared roasted pork and a hard boiled egg then garnished with scallions and sesame seeds. I tend to prefer a poached egg with a runny yolk in my ramen, but it was a well-composed bowl of ramen nonetheless. Overall, the food and service are great. This small, but mighty place is putting out some pretty good ramen. It's a bit off the beaten path, but it's definitely worth checking out if you can make time for it.

    (4)

  • Vj D.

    I haven't been to a lot of ramen places but Umaido definitely serves up authentic ramen in my opinion. Even the egg in the tonkotsu ramen seems to have been prepared with care. I don't know about you, but that egg made a lasting impression on me, and I have really started to doubt my own egg boiling skills. I have always gone on a weekday so I am unsure of how busy the place gets on weekends. I've always found the service prompt and the staff welcoming. It is definitely a good place to stop by if you are looking for something hot during the Atlanta winter.

    (5)

  • Daniel B.

    I'm upgrading Umaido back to 5 stars. I think this place has had the most consistent bowl of ramen in metro Atlanta over the years. Don't get me wrong. There aren't a bunch of options to find good ramen in Atlanta to begin with. Other decent alternatives that come to mind include Mizumi Ramen, also in Suwanee, Raku and Haru Ichiban in Duluth, Shoya Izakaya in Doraville, and Raku's second location in Midtown. Raku probably takes second place behind Umaido. Yakitori Jinbei's (Smyrna) ramen seems to have gone significantly downhill. Other bowls of ramen I've tried in the Atlanta area have usually been disappointing, unmemorable, or available only for a limited time. Umaido's ramen prices have increased by a dollar. The original tonkotsu (pork broth) ramen is now $7.95 per bowl. The honey miso, spicy miso, soymilk, and tori (chicken broth) ramen are $8.95 per bowl, Spicy ramen is $9.95 per bowl, and seafood ramen is $11.95. Add $1 to any bowl of ramen for "rich broth." I always go for the rich broth and recommend it. It's a thicker, more full-flavored broth. Occasionally, they're out of rich broth, but more often than not, they'll have it. Stick with the tonkotsu ramen. The tonkotsu ramen comes with three slices of roasted pork, shredded tree ear (a mushroom), bean sprouts, scallion, and a semi-hard boiled egg (liquidy center). The most important parts of the ramen, the broth and the noodles, are absolutely delicious. I'm not sure what kind of noodles Umaido uses, but I have not had any other like them in Atlanta. It stands up to some of the best ramen I've had in California (e.g. Santouka, Izakaya Sozai). If you want a sweeter flavor to your ramen, order the honey miso version. I once tried the tori version, which is supposed to come with chicken broth, sea salt, bean sprouts, spinach, egg, fried onions, tomato, scallions, and sesame. It wasn't bad, but was missing the tomato. I still prefer the heartier tonkatsu above all else. I often like to ask for "kae dama" (more noodles). After you've finished the noodles in your bowl, the servers can refill your existing broth with an additional batch of noodles for only $1.50. It's a good deal. If you like garlic, ask for their freshly peeled garlic. You can use the garlic presses at the table to squeeze raw garlic into your ramen. They also have complimentary kimchi available upon request (limited daily supply). Umaido's menu has also expanded over recent years. Instead of being a one-page menu, it's now five pages and features more Japanese appetizers and sides including takowasa (wasabi-flavored octopus), kakuni (braised pork belly), gesoyaki (grilled squid legs), takoyaki (fried octopus balls), and more rice dishes such as yaki onigiri (Japanese meat-filled rice balls) and curry don (Japanese rice curry). I've tried the takoyaki and curry don. The tayoyaki are slightly smaller than I'm accustomed to at other Japanese restaurants like Sushi House Hayakawa and Shoya Izakaya. They're completely covered in delicate bonito (fish) flakes and drizzled with Japanese mayo. Not a bad shareable appetizer. The curry don is served in a small bowl atop rice. It's alright, but to be honest, doesn't taste too different than the instant Japanese curry you can buy at Super H Mart and make yourself at home. Ownership still continues to make improvements to the space. There are now two flat screen TVs in the dining area and they get great channels like NBA TV (!). Also, the walls have been redone. Service is hit or miss. It always feels like this place is run by a bunch of teenagers with varying levels of restaurant experience. I'm happy to see my picture along with fellow Yelpers Chuan S, Mike Y, Pete Y, and former Yelper Kit F. still on the wall of champions. The number of pictures on the wall hasn't increased as much as I thought it would over the past few years. I guess the hype surrounding the restaurant's food eating challenges has died down. Flashback spicy ramen challenge video: youtube.com/watch?v=LBRh… . In summary, I give Umaido 4.5 stars, based primarily on their tonkatsu ramen with rich broth, rounded up to 5.

    (5)

  • Jonathan L.

    First things first, on the realist.... this place is far. We are located in Midtown and I'm all good to travel to go get food but I didn't think I needed an overnight bag. Okay, I'm exaggerating but Suwanee is further than I care for. However, the food here is very good. I've heard of it many times and we typically don't go much further than Duluth for Asian food but we decided to give it a shot. First impressions: Door handle is made of 7 foot tall metallic pair of chopsticks. Can't argue that's a nice touch and pretty cool. The place is small but it also feels that way because the place was pretty full and busy. Compared to some ramen joints in Japan, this place was a deluxe location but as far as by Atlanta standards, it's a large walk in closet, able to take about 30 people. The menu was a nice mix of izakaya, ramen, and rice dishes. They are a Japanese noodle bar so was pleasantly surprised to see other selections. We started with a pork belly bun. Flavors were really good but they had one thin slice of pork, one leaf of lettuce, and some japanese mayo. They really should slice the pork a little thicker or put two slices. I'm used to the Taiwanese pork belly kind so was expecting a little more. We also had the Gesu (grilled squid legs) which were fantastic with a little charred flavor to it and we'll seasoned, some pork belly which were in chunk form, really good flavors but should have been more tender, and chicken karage (japanese fried chicken) which was pretty good and not too oily. That was just apps and yes how we roll. We of course all got a bowl of ramen as well. First, the broth - some of the best we've had, very similar to Ippudo in NY which made it a familiar treat. The noodles - not the regular yellow stringy/ bouncy type (which my wife prefers) rather it's the white colored more firm noodles which I liked. The noodle portion is on the smaller side but obviously we had some good bites just before. We all tried different bowls; spicy seafood squid and shrimp, tonkatsu (thinly sliced pork) , and tori (meatless, mostly vegetables) all topped with an egg. They seem to have ramen eating challenges and contests (+ wall of fame) so if you have the guts, go win yourself free lunch and if you eat 4 bowls in 5 minutes or less, you get ramen for free for 6 months. Bring it if you guys think you got it.

    (4)

  • Jack R.

    Delicious Ramen noodle soup, excellent pork buns, food and service are fantastic I would Highly recommended will be back soon.

    (5)

  • Taryn M.

    The best. I have never gotten bad service and the food tastes fresh! Definitely a foodies paradise it has generous portions and something to please even the pickiest person. Try the pork belly either by itself or as a topping to your soup.

    (5)

  • Vicki N.

    I've been here a few times now, and I always order the same thing: spicy miso ramen with corn added. I love it! The broth is not too salty and not bland at all. The chashu is perfectly braised and on the saltier side (which I like). You can definitely tell the noodles are made in house because of the bite they have to them. I do want to try other things here, but I love the spicy miso too much. The service is always very friendly and fast! Umaido is definitely in my list of routine restaurants.

    (5)

  • Lucia L.

    So good So so good So so so good Like really really amazingly good. I got a pork bun and the spicy ramen soup...aaahhh so good!! Parking was a little crazy but worth it.

    (5)

  • Jihwan O.

    3/22/2015 update: That's it, Umaido has now shift their focus. It's no longer about serving great bowl of ramen, but focusing on profit. Sure, they serve alright Japanese ramen, but the care and detail that they used to had is long gone. Besides their still delicious miso soup, their chasyu slices, toppings, and noodle quality has just gone.. frozen. Sure, you'll get speedy service, but the wonder that they had is no longer there. Tastes like some hotshot MBA or consultant tried too hard to show off his/her prowess to small restaurant biz.

    (3)

  • Angie T.

    The spicy ramen noodles were perfectly fresh! The tako yaki was DELICIOUS! This is my idea of comfort food. Excellent service as well! Will be back asap!

    (5)

  • Elizabeth G.

    Love this spot! Very fast service. Food is always delicious! Always ask for the ramen noddles level 2. Never fails! Kid friendly.

    (5)

  • Andrea M.

    Love this place. For a place that sells ramen type dishes, the food was simply delicious. I am always leery about going to a place that seemingly sells noodles. But my perception has changed since the food here was delicious--from appetizer to entree. My friend and I shared the kani no ebi maki (spicy shrimp and crab) as an appetizer. This came with three decently-sized pieces. It was pretty good, but it wasn't at all spicy. Unless we ordered something totally different. Lol. He also ordered a bun looking item. It was pretty good, but I don't remember what it was called. Just take a look at my picture and be ensured that it tasted delicious. Lol. The cold tea that was provided was pretty good as well. I had the tonkotsu ramen. It was recommended for first timers. It was pretty good and tasty. The broth didn't have too much sodium as that was one of my concerns. My friend had the honey miso ramen. His was a tad better than mine since the spiciness gave the broth a little more kick. Both our ramen had pork as the meat. The staff was friendly and knowledgeable when we asked for recommendations. Overall, this is a pretty great place to visit. It is somewhat quint, but it has a relaxing and chill atmosphere. The restaurant is located in the same store strip as the Hmart in Suwanee. Umaido is more towards the end of the strip, more near the Hmart side. I believe the neighboring store is Mozart if you're looking for a reference point.

    (4)

  • Pat P.

    I had not been here in a long time but watching so much about ramen on YouTube for my upcoming Japan trip, I had the urge to go and so I did. Service here is still as "inefficient" as ever. Servers always seem busy running around doing things in a hurry but somehow don't seem to get much done or provide good/efficient service to customers. You always have to flag them down and ask for more tea or condiments or napkins that should be there on the table or counter already or ask about what you've ordered that has been taking so long, etc. That's really annoying. I have eaten at a small corner ramen shop in Shibuya, Tokyo. They have water pitchers and condiments ready at the counter and put them in spots that each customer can reach easily no matter where they sit. Granted that in Japan there's no tipping but here if you want customers to have to ask you for things so they feel they get service from you please execute it efficiently. To me, self service is better than bad service. I think the owner should observe and analyze how their servers and cooks work and coordinate and come up with a more efficient way to do things. On to the taste, irrelevant to the level of spiciness, the broth here tends to be a bit bland to me. Sometimes it could be salty but still bland in terms of flavor that would make it more balanced. The good thing here is the noodles. They have really nice texture. But sometimes when you're not filled up and order extra noodles, they are not blanched properly and come out undercooked. And when you add those to your already cold broth, it just doesn't work. Something to keep in mind for the cooks that extra noodles should be cooked properly and come out nice and hot. Their pork chashu is very tasty but often has way too much fat. After trimming out the fat, you're left with very little pieces of meat. Three pieces of very thinly sliced pork chashu here equal one piece of chashu you normally get in a regular bowl of ramen in Japan for 500-600 yen. Here it's $9 plus tip and tax and you end up paying almost $11. Pretty expensive I have to say. In Japan you can get chashu-men which is an order of ramen with a bunch of chashu slices for mostly 800-950 yen and no tip. Unfortunately, we're not in Japan. Lastly, the egg here sometimes is marinated properly but sometimes is not marinated at all and the white is still white and bland. The color is just on the outside. The yolk though is always nice and runny as it should be. All in all, it's just not worth it for me to drive all the way there and spend $11-14 for a bowl of ramen with the way things are right now. This may be the best ramen you can get in Atlanta and it's not bad. But I've had better and much more satisfying ramen in Japan along train stations for cheaper. And the service here is definitely a deterring factor. So for now, I'll stick to packaged fresh ramen with soup base in H-Mart and try to make chashu myself using recipes I found on YouTube. And seasoned bamboo shoots or menma (another ramen staple) you can also get at H-Mart. For others who crave a bowl of noodle soup but don't want to cook or spend too much for a simple meal, you may go into H-Mart and try the Cantonese style noodle soup with crispy pork or roast duck instead. It's different from Japanese style ramen but also flavorful and satisfying. Asian countries have different types of noodle soup and they're all good. Give something different a try.

    (3)

  • Rose L.

    Their food is always lukewarm......................... and not cooked fully (The chicken was only cooked outside and the inside was still raw).

    (2)

  • Kerry M.

    The broth is amazing. Ramen almost perfectly cooked...Clearly a yelp crowd. The too cool for school staff must spend hours perfecting the 4 day hangover look. Service? not unless you ask for it. Seems to be by request only.

    (3)

  • Barry W.

    The food and atmosphere was great, but the service left a lot to be desired. The spicy miso ramen was great as well as the grilled squid legs. Will definitely go back because the food is so good, but I hope the service improves.

    (4)

  • Kevin H.

    I've never written any review before but I definitely wanna give this chance to Umaido! Their ramen is absolutely best! Get the rich soup if you can. The only bad thing is it's too far from Atlanta...

    (5)

  • Marcus J.

    Yes, simply the best sushi in the Suwanee area.

    (4)

  • Brea D.

    You can't really beat the price here. $6 for a large bowl of rice with pork belly and various other delicious accoutrements is a helluva deal. My friends who got the ramen sang it's praises all around. The portions were huge, and the prices were, once again, cheap. Add more ramen, which is made in house, for just a buck. This place is matchbox tiny. It's best not to come with a big party, although there is a large table in the central dining area that can seat larger groups. The chairs, however, are atrocious. If you are a woman (or man) or larger carriage, prepare to stand if you're seated at the big table. Service. This is my complaint. The food is wheeled out on carts. That's fine. The problem is the waitresses seemed harried and confused about who's orders went where. Three separate orders at our table were incorrect after 4 attempts, but that was no big deal because the food was good. I ordered ice cream. I thought this would be simple. I waited 20 minutes for my dessert, and after asking 3 separate servers where my ice cream was, I was finally brought a cup of green tea ice cream soup. Not acceptable, if you think I'm going to eat melted ice cream after waiting 20minutes. They weren't even that busy that night. I would go again if I'm in the area (not likely--it's pretty far from me) because the food is cheap and you get so much of it. The service is a big bowl of meh. GF folks: They make all of the ramen in house. This is cool if you're into that sort of thing. I highly doubt there's a lack of contamination in the kitchen since there are giant bags of vital wheat gluten that can be seen from the kitchen window, but you can order rice bowls instead of ramen bowls. I was fine with the rice bowl, but someone especially sensitive might want to go somewhere else. Also, beware of the barley water. I wasn't informed until i had finished my regular water that the green pitchers on the table were barley water. Just a head's up.

    (3)

  • Jeenah J.

    If I could, I would give no stars, maybe even negative stars. Frankly, the food is great. This is the best ramen one can get in Atlanta. But the service here is consistently awful: it may be the worst in the city. I often visit this place for a regular ramen fix with friends. Yes, I drive 50 min for it and have made my friends do it, too. Previously, the awful service has been tolerable. The delicious food was delivered one way or another. I speak fluent Korean, and yes, I get that all the servers are young people working hard. But my last visit (9/14/14) was the worst experience EVER!!! I felt so awful about the situation that I apologized to everyone in my party. We arrived 1.5 hr before closing on a Sunday night. Our party had four people. Two arrived early (2hr before closing) so they ordered a few appetizers before we arrived. Once we arrived, it took them the usual 15 min to get us water and menu then another 20 min to take the order. When we all ordered, the waitress confirmed three times what we had ordered and placed the ordered to the kitchen. I watched her do it. The order was placed about 30 min before closing. Then in about 10 min, all the food arrived, except for one person's order. We waited for 10 minutes, waiting for his to arrive. Everyone, the waitress and the manager, passed by watching us just sitting there, not eating, and didn't bother to ask if anything was wrong. Eventually, we asked our waitress about the missing order. She figured out that it had been lost. The kitchen staff missed it completely. Did they apologize? No. Did anyone try to make up for their mistake? No. Without an apology, they simply said that they couldn't make this one order because the kitchen was closed (at 9:01), even though another table had placed an order 5 min ago. An apology would have gone a long way. But all the servers (the waitress and manager) were so disgustingly flippant about the situation that we decided not to tip them. The one person who did not get his order wrote a negative review on Yelp on 9/15/14 because he was so upset about it. It seems to have been removed. Go to Umaido, if you must. I still recommend this place to people who want good ramen. But after such a terrible service, I will never go there. Buy yourselves a package of Sun ramen noodles, and make it at home. It's cheaper and far more delicious.

    (1)

  • Robert A.

    For a few years now, the wife and I have been coming here for what has been consistently the best ramen in the Atlanta area. She has her photo on the wall from the spicy challenge, where the challenger must eat the hottest ramen (and all of the soup) they make in under 11 min. Although we have tried everything on the menu, our favorites are the ultra spicy ramen, (typically level 2) and the chasyu don. They make their own ramen noodles, and the time and care taken with the noodles are what set them above other ramen houses in the area. Their broths are extremely flavorful and you can get rich soup for another dollar if you like. If you like adding garlic to your ramen, you can ask for them to bring it out. After coming here for a few years, what inspired me to finally review it was the new wasabi shoyu ramen which was great! I expected it to have some heat, but they managed to extract the flavor of the wasabi without the heat. It came with crispy noodles on the top and the usual perfect white cooked noodles on the bottom, seaweed, fried onions, green onions, egg, and some other stuff. My wife got her usual ultra spicy level 2 ramen and loved it. I noticed I got a white egg for the first time in my ramen and after reading one of the other reviews, I had to laugh. My wife is Asian and I am white, and she got a brown egg. Come to umaido if you are looking for consistency in their broth and noodle quality, have an appreciation for different types of ramen, or are looking to try a new style of inexpensive yet delicious food. You won't regret it!

    (5)

  • Jay D.

    I gave this place a visit twice and every time I'm getting food poisoning. I had to take off work due to feeling queasy. You should check the health ratings before visiting restaurants. They got a 60/U since 10/2013. Please be careful when devouring here. suwanee.patch.com/groups…

    (1)

  • Cheryl L.

    The service is good, the interior is fun, and there is a huge selection of toppings available for your ramen. My only complaint is that my soup came out cold, and my noodles were lukewarm. They also gave out cold tea, which I am not a fan of. I'm sure it would be have a great bowl of ramen had the temperature been right.

    (3)

  • Michael K.

    Best Ramen in Atlanta, hands down. I got the Extra Spicy Ramen (Level 3) and it was super spicy! I got extra pork with mine, and I would also recommend getting an extra soft-boiled egg. They make the eggs the right way. :)

    (5)

  • Lola O.

    As someone who HATES Japanese ramen, I end up frequenting this place quite often. It's a great affordable option for lunch, especially for those who love seafood. My tried and trued favorites are the wasabi octopus over rice and grilled squid legs. Mm cephalopods. The waitresses are always very helpful and personable, and good-looking to boot. This place feels like a Japanese danmooji with sweeter service. My only wish is for them to add bento boxes to their menu. That would be bomb.

    (4)

  • Kj Y.

    The noodle soup is pretty good, but I have not yet tried the rich broth (always seems to not be available when i visit). Portion isn't as great. Its ok not bad but yet not impressive.

    (3)

  • Dave L.

    Good little find. The Ramen was outstanding. For both my wife and I each enjoyed the shrimp ramen. The service was good. It is obvious that this place is extremely popular. We arrive around 11:30am and within 20 minutes it was full. Overall what I enjoyed the most was the atmosphere. Funny, we drove to H Mart, then walked into Umaido. When I walked in and sat down I went back to Asia. Though I call this Japanese with a Korean flair, it reminded me so much of a street side eatery I frequented on International Avenue in Naha, Okinawa and another in Osaka, Japan. My profile states "Life should be an Osaka state of Mind" In Osaka, Japans industrial center the people work, eat, and enjoy baseball. With eating being the state of mind. So, when I miss the place I loved so much I will now go to Umaido. "My Naha state of Mind" Umai-Do - Delicious Way! Why Yes, Yes it is!

    (5)

  • Luke T.

    Oiishi-ne.. Umaido is better than Raku is better than Shoya. In a competition for best ramen in ATL, Umaido will win the gold. We had a few different kinds of ramen and their Tonkatsu Ramen is the best. In addition, they have a decent sake list and most importantly, Asahi Super Dry on draft. ITADAKIMASU...

    (5)

  • Yohan N.

    Giving this place a 5 stars because it's really the best ramen place in and around the atlanta area. (Been to Shoya Izakaya, Haru Ichiban, Raku) After trying their Tonkatsu, Spicy Miso, and Ultra spicy ramen, I've stuck with Ultra Spicy for the past year. I've tried levels 1-5 (out of 100) and I gotta say... there is a BIG difference in the spicy levels. I believe for me, the jump starts at 3. 1 - 2 have a kick but not really spicy for me at all. 3 is good. 4 -5, i can't really tell but mainly the broth is the kicker. I had a friend try one spoon of my level 5 and she said it burned the whole way down and it lingered there for a while. Chasyu Don. There is the small and regular size. The small is a good additive to your bowl of ramen if you don't think it's enough. Or you could order Kae dama which is just an extra bowl of noodles you can put into your existing broth for $1 (last time I checked in 2010...). Back to Chasyu don. The pork is tender and chopped up finely to mix well with the rice. Pretty darn good if you ask me. Lastly, they have a few eating challenges. Finish 4 bowls (noodle and broth) or the spicy ramen challenge. One day I plan on trying the spicy ramen challenge... one day.

    (5)

  • M T.

    let's get to the point, I ordered the tonkatsu or tonkotsu ramen and both were really bland but after I added my own seasoning that is provided on the table, the broth became a little more enjoyable. The ramen noodles were the perfect consistency and the egg is awesome. I honestly think the egg is the best part. Meat wise.. I believe it was pork.. they are a little stingy. When people say it's the "best ramen in atl" there's an exaggeration.

    (3)

  • Rob V.

    Best ramen noodles and Goyza ever. I have been to several others but this is the best in this area for sure. We ordered the octopus balls which were good. Chewy in the center just like the texture of octopus but very tasty. We also got the pork Goyza that were superb. I ordered the ultimate spicy ramen that can be ordered from 0-50 spicy. I got 10 and let me preface this by saying I love super spicy food. I have to assume that the 50 come out on fire in an asbestos bowl. As I type this I can't feel my lips. Would I order it again definitely. I plan to bring the kids back here soon. Good attentive service but I can see how it would get crowded quickly.

    (5)

  • Phoebe C.

    Definitely one of the best ramen places in Atlanta. Make sure you ask for kimchi as it is free but you have to ask. You can get both for less than $10 and it comes with tea. Great little restaurant in the shopping center. Must try!

    (5)

  • Scott W.

    I have had the pleasure of eating at Umaido twice now. Both times I have ordered the Tonkotsu and have walked out happy and full. The last time I ordered extra noodles and pork, but feel it was uneccessary. The meal is more than filling without the extras. The broth is well prepared and the pork is definitely melt in your mouth. The wait staff is very friendly and accomodating. I will return to Umaido often.

    (4)

  • Jonathan S.

    The ramen here is pretty good. The spicy ramen and the pork ramen are the ones I get. I have a problem with the service. Every time I come they lead me to those wack stools in the middle. The bigger issue is that one time I drove forty minutes from decatur to get ramen an hour before closing time. When we got there, an hour before closing time, we walked in to a symphony of groans. They didn't want us to be there, they wanted to close up shop. I drove forty minutes dude, I'm not going somewhere else. The food we got was terrible that night. The people in the kitchen and the waitress sucked. Unacceptable. If we were in Asia people would never come back.

    (3)

  • K W.

    Okay so I have had tonkotsu ramen in Guam, Singapore and Japan. This is so fantastically great. I came to town to visit a sick friend and this meal really brightened my day. I had take out but would have loved to sit in the place. It was small but very welcoming. I wasn't sure about how the Ramen was going to be so I got the pork belly rice to go. I had the ramen for dinner and the rice for breakfast and as happy as I was that night, I was even moreso the next day. It is the real deal and a hidden gem. Super food, prepared with love (you can taste it) and served quickly and with care.

    (5)

  • Shaun B.

    I love this place so, so much. I eat here at least... 3x a week.

    (5)

  • Nhan M.

    Restaurant did not honor policy. I arrived at 8:35 with my family on a Sunday and the four servers were eating dinner and did not want to wait on us and told us the restaurant is close. If you want to close at 8:30 and stop taking customers then change your business hours. We drove over 30 miles to eat here and I guess they wanted to go home early to catch korean dramas. SMH

    (1)

  • Sunshine H.

    I love the original tonkatsu ramen! It's my favorite! The food is exceptionally good but the service I've received is bad everytime. If I don't leave tip, there's a reason why -- bad service. The waitress came running after me telling me to leave tip. That's just rude.

    (4)

  • Janine A.

    best ramen in the SE

    (5)

  • Caitlin C.

    My favorite ramen place. prefer it over raku

    (5)

  • Tom L.

    Yes it's true, the ramen here is very tasty. Some may say that the ramen broth is a bit strong and salty, but to each his own. If possible, try all the different versions. But my favorites are the none ramen dishes, such as the chasyu rice bowl, squid balls and the fried dumplings. I like to try all the different little dishes instead of filling up on a bowl of ramen. But if you are hungry and a bowl doesn't suffice, you can always request more noodle for your remaining broth.

    (4)

  • Lilie T.

    My ramen was salty. My friends said that they had their days, some days it is salty and certain days, it's just right. I don't like the inconsistent. The setting is cute, very intimate if you're on a date or with close friend.

    (3)

  • Annabel L.

    Umaido is so far, the best ramen shop in Atlanta. The restaurant is relatively small, but it has lots of seats. When you sit down, the server gives you barley tea instead of water. (My inner kid had to order a strawberry ramune though.) I ordered a spicy ramen level 2 (there are 3) and a takoyaki. My friend ordered a chasyu don. The ramen had 3 slices of pork, a soft boiled egg, beansprouts, onions, and wakame seaweed. It was delicious, better than other shops in Atlanta. The broth didn't taste watered down and was actually spicy. What was cool was that instead of regular noodles, the noodles were red and spicy. The takoyaki wasn't that great because it was a bit soggy and had too much mayonnaise. The chasyu don was good too. Chasyu don is a bowl of rice with roasted pork, pickled ginger, green onion, mayonnaise, black sesame seeds and a brown sauce I couldn't really identify. Overall, fantastic place for ramen!

    (4)

  • Skipper W.

    I was really looking forward to their ramen since some of my friends liked it. Maybe it's not the same everyday...my tonkotsu ramen was too greasy. Also, the noodle was not that great. I had a side of something (it was a Japanese item but I cannot remember since it's been a while), and it was extremely salty that I could not finish. I can tolerate salty but it was too much. I've had some good ramen in Japan & California, but this does not even compare. If you are close and you want to eat ramen, I would still come here, but since I like Shoya's ramen better & I live in Midtown, I will just stick with Shoya. One tip: they participate in Japan Fest (around the end of September), and they said the restaurant is not open during that time.

    (3)

  • Lisa Y.

    My oldest childhood friend, of 16 years!, REALLY wanted to take me here. I don't quite understand why, but I just went along with it, and decided why not. It's a nice restaurant, and by far, very different from other noodle shops I've been too. They have chopsticks as their door handle. Pretty cool! Lol. I ordered the spicy ramen (level 3) after much contemplation with my friend and the waiter. I ultimately decided to go for it since the waiter said if I can handle spicy, I should be fine. It's spicy, but I wouldn't deem it SUPER spicy. You can definitely feel your belly burn by the end of the meal though, but if you TRULY love spicy... it's no biggie. My friend and boyfriend both loved their meal as well. Boyfriend got the seafood noodle soup, and my friend got the tonkatsu ramen. No complaints, and they finished theirs down to the bottom of the bowl. I enjoyed my dinner. Quite different from the ramen I'm use to but... good different. :]

    (4)

  • Allison W.

    My husband and I traveled from East Atlanta to try this place on our anniversary and what a bummer it was! The service was terrible! We waited 10 minutes to be greeted and when we were the server merely said "ready to order?" We had not been given a drink menu so when we asked what beers and sake they had, she came off very annoyed, stormed off then dropped a drink menu. My husband doesn't eat pork, and when we asked if we could modify an item she just flat out said "no" and stood there staring at us. We felt really put off and it was clear she as annoyed that we were even there. We would've ordered another beer but she dropped the check without saying a word to us. If the service would've been better we would come back. However Umaido is not worth the drive for OK ramen and bad service.

    (2)

  • Jose O.

    after going back a couple times and trying the other stuff on the menu I can say that their ramen is the best thing they have on their menu but that's really it . I'm knocking them down a start for inconsistent service but still one of the better places in suwanee.

    (4)

  • Angela H.

    A friend of mine is leaving Atlanta tomorrow and will be gone for a few months, so she invited me to lunch with her and some of her friends. When she told me that we were going to Umaido, I looked it up on Yelp (of course) and came across Daniel B.'s review, in which he describes how he totally dominated the Spicy Ramen Challenge where you have to eat a bowl of their Level 100 Spicy Ramen in 7 minutes or less and you get it free (or you have to pay $15 for it). Your picture will also be put up on their bulletin board of challenge winners. Read his review and check out the Youtube video (the link is in his review)! Freakin' awesome!!! Anyway, as my GPS led me closer to the restaurant, I realized that Umaido was located in the building next to the Suwanee H-Mart - and that I had actually eaten here before a whiiiiile back. I think I had the gyoza that time but wasn't impressed. I hadn't had the ramen, though. I ordered the Ultra Spicy Level 2 Tonkotsu Ramen, which is Umaido's Original Tonkotsu broth ramen with their original hot sauce, chili oil, 3 slices of roasted pork, seaweed, white onion (no onions for me, though), bean sprouts, seasoned 1/2 hard boiled egg, scallions, and sesame. I had initially asked for no onions, to which the server had responded would be no problem. However, another server brought everyone's ramen out, and I saw that mine had onions, too. When I mentioned this, the server said he could just go an make me a new one, so I said sure. But everyone started eating while I had to wait a couple more minutes for my ramen. =P My friend's brother decided to take on the Spicy Ramen Challenge! He was all smiles as he "signed his life away," but a few minutes into it, that smile was long gone. Poor thing looked really sick by the end of it, and he was soooo close to finishing it but said he couldn't swallow anymore because he felt like his "throat was closing up." O_o He said he may try again, but not anytime soon. Seriously, that stuff is deathly SPICY, if that makes any sense. We all tried a little bit of the broth that he had leftover, and it was REALLY spicy. Spiciest thing I've EVER tasted! My Ultra Spicy Level 2 Tonkotsu Ramen was pretty good, but I didn't think it was worth $9.95. I was a little disappointed that my broth was not steaming hot (as other reviewers have said on Yelp). But the broth was pretty tasty, and very spicy (Level 3 would have been WAY too spicy for me). The pork slices were also delicious - even though they were mostly fat. But only 3 slices for a $9.95 bowl of ramen?! Really?!! Lame... -___- I wasn't a fan of the 1/2 boiled egg. I wonder if I can ask them to cook it all the way next time... I did think it was cool that the ramen noodles themselves were red-orange in color because I had never seen that before. I'm not a big fan of ramen at restaurants (hey, who needs "authentic" ramen when you have Shin Ramen? LOL...), so I'm no ramen expert. Overall, I feel that Umaido's Ultra Spicy Level 2 Tonkotsu Ramen deserves 3.5 stars, but I have to round it down to 3. The service was fine, we had plenty of water and tea, and they had no problem giving each of us separate checks, but I wasn't impressed by the temperature of the broth and price for the small amount of noodles and pork in the ramen. I will probably be back to try their Original Tonkotsu Ramen ($7.95) and may order more noodles ("Kae Dama" for $1) next time because I was not full after eating a whole bowl and some of my friend's extra noodles. =P [Review 003 of 366]

    (3)

  • Ha N.

    We went here with a group of people right as they opened on a Sunday (12pm). We were seated first, and that was great because everyone filed in very soon after. It got busy so quickly! I don't know if it's like this every other day, but I would advise you to account for lines. We got the spicy miso ramen, the wasabi shoyu ramen, and ultra spicy #3. My favorite probably had to be the ultra spicy...though I would probably get a 5 or 6 next time because I would love for it to be spicier. My friends were perfectly happy with a 3 and the waitress says that the highest level is a 50, so I would suggest trying out 1, 2, or 3 first to see what your thoughts are. All the broths were flavorful, but I would have to say I prefer the spicy miso over the wasabi shoyu because the wasabi shoyu had a grassy and slightly bitter flavor that I am not as fond of. That to me means that the wasabi flavor is coming through--which is good because it speaks to how well they can extract flavor--but isn't something I'm used to or like. The egg could've been a little runnier/softer, the pork was cooked perfectly and had good flavor, and the freshly-ground sesame provided at the table was a great touch. The noodles. I need a separate paragraph for the noodles. They were so perfect in every way: texture, length, size, and flavor. I just couldn't get enough of the noodles, and I think that's where they REALLY shine for me. I could probably have a giant bowl of just broth and noodles and still be happy. It's definitely the main reason I'd be returning to this place.

    (4)

  • Ivan R.

    This place is the best for selling the ramen noodles in Georgia. It is nothing to compare to Ippuddo or any other well-established ramen place, but so far it's my most favorite here. If you like spicy, their spicy ramen is the best, and they can make it in rich soup. Do not expect much from their service, though.

    (4)

  • Carolina M.

    Continuing my search for ramen this weekend, the stop at Umaido was planned weeks in advance. I had high hopes for tonkatsu ramen since that seems to be the usual thing to get at a ramen place and I do love me a bowl of creamy, fatty pork broth. The verdict: the soup was decent, but the noodles fell kind of short. I think I was expecting thicker, chewier noodles. Also, there was SO LITTLE broth! I would definitely come back if I were in the area, but I think I might like Haru Ichiban better. My search still continues. Another damper on our visit were two things: 1) they were out of ingredients for the spicy bowl challenge, although they did try their best to make another bowl just as spicy, and 2) service was kind of terrible and slow but admittedly, we had a group of 14 taking over the restaurant. So I'd make note that this place is a little better for small groups and well, we may have to call in advance before our next trip to "reserve" our places for the spicy noodle challenges.

    (3)

  • Matt M.

    ehhh. When I went here it was admittidly a little later in the evening but there were still plenty of poeple here. The ramen nodles werent quite done and my egg was way over cooked.

    (3)

  • Paul K.

    Yes, go. Spicy Ramen.

    (4)

  • Gisette H.

    This is my absolute FAVORITE restaurant!! Their hot steamy bowls of Tonkatsu ramen never fail to satisfy me.I have tried everything on the menu; however my go to bowl is spicy miso ramen. I order it with extra gobo for $1. Just delicious!

    (5)

  • Mary L.

    Was visiting families in Atlanta and found Umaido. Got the Tonkatsu Raman $12 with tip. Price may seem a little high for raman but their raman is LEGIT! Best raman noodle in the south. You can even watch the chefs makes the noodle. Only thing I don't like is the amount of noodle you in the soup and extra noodle is $1.50 , otherwise 5 star. Will come to this place again if I'm around ATL.

    (4)

  • E X.

    This was my first time eating here for a weekday lunch since friends suggested it. I order one of the noodle soups, which was just okay for the price. I thought the price was a bit high for the amount of food I got. If you want good noodle soup, I would suggest going to Yen Jing. The soup at Umaido was a bit salty for me. Also, the pork slices were mostly fat, not much meat on it. Also the wood ear mushrooms were so little. One hardboiled egg and a few bean sprouts and that is it. Not a lot of vegetables or meat at all. If I am spending $9 on a bowl of soup, it better have a decent amount of food, not just noodles. I could have made this at home for much less. Also, the service was not friendly. They made me feel rushed by giving us the bill when we haven't finished our food. They expected a good tip even when the service was not impressive. I will not waste my money and eat here when I have so many other better choices.

    (3)

  • Aiko A.

    Every time I visit Atlanta I HAVE to come here for a bowl of ramen. This is the best ramen I've ever had ( and I've tried a lot of ramen joints in America.) the broth is rich, the pork is tender and juicy, the noodles are always made perfect. I can't speak highly enough of this place. In short I love it!

    (5)

  • Emilia L.

    In my quest to find good ramen in Atlanta, I HAD to come to Umaido. My friends mentioned the noodles here are different -- they use wheat instead of egg noodles. I opted for the honey miso ramen. Overall, I really liked it. I didn't find it salty. There was the slightest hint of sweetness to the broth. I really enjoyed it after adding a bit of chili oil and crushed sesame seeds. I REALLY loved the noodles! The portion was just enough for me, but you can get a second helping of noodles for a dollar, I believe. The only thing I wasn't crazy about was the meat. I found it was too fatty, so I barely ate any of it. I know, what a waste. I noticed they had Tori ramen (chicken broth mixed with tonkotsu broth) but it wasn't clear what kind of meat was in that ramen, if any meat at all. Maybe next time I will just try that one.

    (4)

  • David W.

    Yea, I know how can they get five stars, very good Ramen, miso ramen my fav. The service is good, the seating atmosphere is simple utility. Just good noodles and broth.

    (5)

  • Jay C.

    Satisfied! Went right in when they opened @ 5. Place looks like a noodle bar alright. Ordered the spicy ultra ramen level 7 and it was burning hot!!! Yet so good! They ran out of the rich broth for a $1 more; even without it, it was still good! Stingy on the pork belly, 3 slices so I order extra for $3. Service was fast too! Nice servers, no English though but that's not a problem.

    (5)

  • Paige N.

    How did I not know about this ramen place sooner, that's all I can ask myself. Oh, maybe it's because it's way OTP which I never ventured to (except for the odd outlet mall fix) before. But now I have a boyfriend who lives OTP and a much wider view of metro Atlanta because of it. This particular night we were supposed to have dinner with a couple of friends but they bailed last minute because one was working late and the other had a sick 3-year-old to take care of. So... what now? Well it was coolish outside (perfect soup weather), we were both tired from the work week, Umaido's had gotten good reviews, and it was just a 10 minute drive. Perfect conditions for a try. As soon as I stepped foot inside, I could tell this was a legit ramen emporium. Every customer (and staff) was Asian. And I only mean this in the best possible way - it's exciting to me when an Asian restaurant actually has Asian people in it - gives me some reassurance the food's more authentic and tasty than your run-of-the-mill Chinese buffet. So in eager anticipation, we were seated at a little table for two in this narrow restaurant with exposed concrete walls, flat screen TVs playing football and baseball and filled with Asian people (families, couples, old people, teens) all eating delicious-looking bowls of ramen. The menu is quite extensive with seven different types of ramen to choose from, plus extra toppings you could add, rice dishes, appetizers like edamame and sake or other alcohol of your choice. For dinner, we shared an appetizer of steamed pork gyoza dumplings and I ordered the soymilk ramen while my boyfriend got the original tonkatsu ramen. Service was not the quickest, I can agree with other Yelpers about that, but it was worth the wait. The gyoza were juicy and hot and fresh and the sesame sauce for dipping was perfect. And the ramen, ah the ramen was great! A big bowl of rich broth filled with noodles, pork, scallions, asparagus (a new addition for me), peppers and bean sprouts. The soymilk made the broth much richer and slightly sweeter than ramen I'd had before and it was really good - I enjoyed it immensely. And it was just the right size - I managed to finish off my bowl, but just barely. My boyfriend also enjoyed his ramen though he ordered corn in it and the more concentrated broth, neither of which he got. Again, he still liked the pork, the egg, the broth and noodles though. Overall, the ramen was not as high of a quality as what's now being served at Miso Izakaya, and the surroundings aren't quite as inviting and warm as that restaurant, but for a good bowl of ramen OTP for a good price, you'd be hard pressed to find better than Umaido. I'll be back to try another bowl, though I don't think I'll ever be brave enough to take on the infamous "Spicy Ramen Challenge."

    (4)

  • Nick B.

    Ordered the soy milk ramen and it was delicious. It had a nice thick and mildly sweet broth with very tender pieces of pork and asparagus. The interior is very unique and had a layed back feel. I will definitely go again.

    (4)

  • Sasha H.

    when it comes to ramen i do compare new places that i try to my favorites which are un nyc. so, this place ramen and pork buns arent at my level of preference. plus, it was colddd inside the place, that was a big disadvantage. staff were friendly. decor is cool.

    (3)

  • Alyx K.

    I drove 40 minutes to get to this place so my expectations were pretty dang high. Let's just say I've already made plans to go back this weekend! I had the ultra spicy ramen level 2. The broth was super flavorful and definitely spicy. It was actually too spicy for me. My boyfriend ordered the same but on level 3 and he said it wasn't spicy enough for him. So take from that what you will. It had a good amount of pork and vegetables. The spicy noodles were cooked perfectly. I would highly recommend it! We also got a bunch of appetizers to share. The first was the inari zushi (rice stuffed in tofu), which I didn't try, but my dining friends said they were very good. Sweet and filling. Second, we got the yaki onigiri, rice balls stuffed with pork filling. This has the potential to be good but certain things about it fell short. The rice on the outside part had hardened and wasn't very easy to chew. The portion of filling is TINY compared to the portion of rice. I took two full bites of rice before I even got to the small amount of filling. Fresh rice and more filling would've made this a winner. Unfortunately, how it is now, I don't think I'd order it again.Third was the mentaiko don, spicy cod roe over rice,. It was by far the best! I think next time I'll order one for myself so I don't have to share. Maybe even get two and make a meal out of it. Yeah...that good. Lastly we got the kakuni, braised pork in a steamed bun with veggies. They come individually and they're pretty small. It was yummy but not memorable. I'm a little torn about the service. They were very attentive and kind. They brought everything we needed immediately. But they kept dropping the check. We weren't even halfway through our meal when they brought the check. We told them we were going to order more so they took it back. My boyfriend ordered a side of noodles for his soup. After the noodles came, they dropped the check again. We told them that we would be ordering more so they took it back. I order an appetizer and my boyfriend ordered an extra side of meat for his soup. The food was brought out and they dropped the check off again. I would've ordered more but I was tired of them continuously bringing the check so I decided my meal was finished. They came by to grab the check just moments later even though we hadn't paid yet and were still eating. Despite the attentiveness at the beginning of the meal, their overeagerness with us paying really bugged me. Did they think we would dine and dash right after? Overall though, the food is good and the servers are attentive. I would definitely recommend it. -A

    (4)

  • J L.

    Lots of young people and young families. Soups were on salty side but flavor was good. Noodle soups are in a 5-7" bowl and range from $7 to $12 a bowl.(broth, noodle, green onion and egg in mine)..lots of stuff like bamboo shoots, meat, roe, mushrooms...are all available for an extra $2-4. There are some rices available...had an egg/chicken rice for ?$6 and it comes in a 3.5" bowl...so prices affordable but portions are smaller than the average restaurant . The staff were friendly except for our grouchy waitress. Went for the "4 bowl noodle challenge" but waitress said they won't do it on a weekend since its busy. Wish that was clearly stated on website or menu...would prob go back if in the area. If say if you want salty savory broth and not super duper hungry, the place Is not bad. Most tables were full of small families that looked like they were food tourists...the rest were small groups of Asians in their early 20's.

    (3)

  • Tanzim M.

    I've been here a few times, and have ordered the Tonkatsu, the Spicy Ramen, and the Seafood Ramen on different occasions. Every single time, the food has been fabulous, although the price can really add up with all of the extra features. I highly reccomend the pork belly as well as the roe, and a side of cold beer with the hot ramen is always a nice addition. The atmosphere is also neat, but sometimes the service suffers when people are too laid back. In fact, during my most recent visit, the server came to the table without a notepad for a long order (3 people) and unsurprisingly, missed a few items when the food came out. Overall though, the place is a real treat that surely beats the packaged version of thsi food most of us are used to. If you are an otaku, a lover of Japanese cuisine, or someone who likes pho and pho derivatives, this is the place to go for some delicious comfort food. Happy eating!

    (4)

  • Emily L.

    I have visited Umaido several times, and each time I ordered the tonkatsu ramen which I felt was so so. This time I decided to try something different and got the spicy miso ramen. While this dish was better than my previous orders, the quality was average. Interior is nice with a long table in the middle and tables on the side. Service was fast and the revers were polite. Everyone I know really likes Umaido, and while I thought the food was good, I didn't feel there was anything special about it. Good place to pop in for a quick meal however.

    (3)

  • Julyana T.

    The best ramen in Atlanta hands down. It even surpasses many ramen shops in San Francisco. I enjoy everything they serves. But our family favorites are takoyaki, chicken karaage, and of course the original tonkotsu ramen.

    (5)

  • Eric E.

    What happen to Umaido?? I have been eating Umaido since it first opened. It was one of the best in town for Ramen. But now it is just full of disappointment every time I go. I ordered the ultra spicy ramen because I love their unique red spicy noodle with the tasty spicy broth. But instead, they gave me the regular noodle with over cooked egg and a broth that taste like sriracha with water. When I ask the server about the red noodles, she told me that the regular noodle taste the same as the red one. She said the only difference is they added the food color to make it red. If the owner doesn't care about the quality control of the food, then I don't think I will go back again.

    (1)

  • Aprile M.

    We drove an hour on traffic from Atlanta to eat here. Totally worth it. I ordered the Tonkatsu Ramen with rich broth. It was delicious. We also ordered the pork gyoza. The ramen was the highlight of the meal. Will definitely go back if we ever visit Atlanta again.

    (5)

  • Amanda L.

    Variable menu, authentic cuisine, delicious flavoring. Mid-range on price, worth every dime. I choose Umaido to Raku (which is a very Korean take on Ramen--fresh but semi flavorless broth) and even to Mizumi, though I have to admit if Mizumi had Umaido's homemade noodles and hirata buns and awesome location and ramen house feel, it would be my perfect ramen spot.

    (5)

  • Jenny L.

    The ramen has turned salty. Ask for broth on the side. The bland broth will even out the taste.

    (2)

  • Coty S.

    Okay guise--- when I first laid eyes on the in-shop photos of the Blade Runner Ramen Bar at Umaido, I almost peed a little. Why do you make me feel so excited? Every time I find yet another plaza outside of Atlanta that is a cultural hub of all things non-redneck, I do a little dance. Not the same dance every time, but just a little uncontrollable arm flailing happy dance. There are only three Atlanta Yelpers that I trust to review this sort of restaurant. And, all three of them would not stop going on and on about Umaido. In fact, in Daniel B.'s review of Raku, all he did was talk about Umaido. So, I just had to give it a whirl. Plus, part of my Duluth vacation was spent attempting to entertain a love-able couple of *pseudo vegetarians. One of wish was a super-cool lady that brought up the fact that her grandmother is Japanese about four times that day. Sooooo... I thought it might be nice to take her for some ramen, because she told me she had never tried bit before. An icy pitcher of chagaun bori cha on the table... just for me?!? I shed a tear of joy, because my wildest dreams came true. It is fantastic to have delicious Takoyaki and delicious ramen all offered at the same location. I was the smartest ramen-orderer in the group--- ordered the house ramen and paid the upcharge for "concentrated broth," then added corn. INSERT FACE IN BOWL. I only have good things to say, and I said them. All up to par, or if not better than, ramen consumed in NYC. Suwanee, you got it goin' on... No hiking in the gray sludge in squeaky rain boots, two train transfers, and a line out the door for me. That is all in the past now. *Kind of eat meat, kind of don't, and really really do not like being labelled.

    (4)

  • Grayson L.

    So far the best ramen in Atlanta. Food: Ramen, I have tried almost all the flavors and love them all. My favorite is honey miso with a clove of grated garlic. You have choice for rich soup for $1 extra, it's more concentrated. Tori karaage: Japanese fried chicken. Very juicy and nicely seasoned. Tamago yaki: Japanese sweet egg omelet. Fresh made, can taste the dashi flavor. A classic Japanese dish. Gyoza: homemade dumplings. Simply Delicious. A lot of restaurants don't homemade stuffs anymore. Chasyu Don: roasted pork over rice. The meat is smoky, lots of green onions. Only thing I don't like is the amount of Japanese mayo, a little bit too much. The price here is very affordable and reasonable. I have eaten a $14 ramen in Joli Kobe for lunch, it was bland, small and way overpriced. You can have 2 bowls of ramen here for the same amount of money. They homemade a lot of stuffs, even ramen noodle. That's a lot of efforts they put into. Even though I had better ramen in Osaka. Still very happy there is at least one good ramen place in Atlanta and it's as good as the Monta ramen in Las Vegas in my opinion. Service and decor: We always get pretty good service, food always come out fast. The decor is unique and fits the style. Ramen is so popular now in other states, if you haven't try the authentic one, this is the closest one you can get in Atlanta.

    (4)

  • Nelle C.

    If you're looking for a fairly quality spot to get your ramen fix, then this place is for you. Visited on a rainy day with my husband, and was able to grab a table before the place closed before they took the late afternoon break at 3pm. The place is clean, run by Korean staff (it is Duluth after all), and has a generally peaceful atmosphere. We started with the ebi gyoza (shrimp dumplings) which were the best part of the meal. The gyoza were not too spongy, had flavor outside of the soy dipping sauce, and were piping hot. They were great with the complimentary generous helping of shredded ginger. The subsequent sea food ramen was unspectacular, but not bad. Any seasoned ramen consumer knows that the secret to a good bowl resides in the broth. The broth was just alright, and tasted like something I could have made myself. While the overall composition demonstrated good technique (quality noodles, pieces of crispy fried octopus, shredded scallion, huge prawns, thinly sliced onion), the broth made the entire dish sub-par. I think I'll return to have the lovely gyoza and perhaps try a different ramen flavor to give them a second chance. I'm partial to miso, but I don't eat meat - perhaps they can hook me up with a miso sea food ramen? We'll see if they'll be accommodating. Stay tuned.

    (2)

  • Mayu A.

    Atlanta is in dire need of an authentic Japanese ramen restaurant. So when i heard about Umaido, which specializes in Tonkotsu (Pork) ramen - my favorite, I couldn't wait to pay a visit. The restaurant is pretty small in size and seats about 40 or so people. The menu has few offerings, which is a nice change from the Cheesecake Factory-like restaurants that are so common. We ordered 2 Tonkotsu Ramen, one with rich soup (koteri-style), Gyoza and Tori Karaage (Japanese Fried Chicken). To drink, my companion had Asahi on draft, which came in a chilled glass and was one of the best parts of the experience. I had oolong tea, which is on every table in a pitcher for convenience. The gyoza came out first but the server gave us two orders of gyoza when we ordered only one. Since we were hungry, we kept the second one and had no problem eating it all. The gyoza was deliciously homemade, juicy and packed with filling. The ramen came piping hot with three thick slices of char siu pork. The rich soup Tonkotsu ramen didn't taste any different from the normal one, which was disappointing. Especially considering there is an additional charge for that style. The broth was tasty but not mind blowing. The fried chicken came out while we were half way through our ramen. The pieces were pretty big and the batter was thick. I wouldn't recommend ordering it. Overall, the meal was good but the service needs a lot of work. There were only two waiters in the whole restaurant and we always had long waits for everything including our check. If i lived in Suwanee, I'd go back again but I wouldn't make the long drive from Atlanta just for Umaido.

    (3)

  • Peter S.

    Fantastic ramen and Japanese style appetizers. Highly recommend the tonkotsu ramen and shishito pepper appetizer. So good! Oishī!

    (4)

  • Stacy N.

    The atmosphere is nice and coo. But I wasn't impressed with it.. We had ask for suggestion on whats the best dish.. She didnt really know.. I assumed if you work at a restaurant you would know whats good or not.. People always ask for recommendation. The noodle was fresh but the broth was very bland.. the pork was super dried like it was a few days old.. The bun was extremely soggy. definitely wont be coming back

    (2)

  • Yoomee H.

    First of all, this was my first visit. My sister, Angela H. told me about this place, so my mom and I came here to try the ramen that they serve. The place and food food didn't impress me one bit. I thought it was going to be a lot better since it got like four stars, but nope.. I guess my taste buds are too high class for this place. I don't know. All I could say is that once you step into this restaurant, the space is really crowded.. not spacious like the one in Raku. The seating is horrible. Plastic chairs.. really?! Ick. My seat was so uncomfortable that I couldn't keep still. The ramen I ordered was the Tonkotsu Ramen ($7.95). You could either choose to have the thin soup (which would be the regular soup) or the "rich" soup meaning it has a lot more "fat" in it and it's a little bit more expensive as well. The soup tasted ok. It wasn't as flavorful as I expected. Maybe I expected TOO much, huh? Oh well.. didn't impress me so I won't be coming back to this place. My mom ordered the Tori Ramen ($8.95). She told me it was really bland and didn't have a lot of flavor as well. How disappointing. **Note: If you want to add the Chili Oil that they have on the side, then remember to press and hold the top and pour. My mom and I had trouble with it, so just letting you guys know how to use the darn thing. Ha ha! The servers were ok (meaning they weren't very nice.. just ok). They weren't very attentive and one of them were clumsy. They spilled water on the floor and it wet my mom (she thought it was dripping from the ceiling) and I got wet as well. I knew it was an accident but what really annoyed me was that they didn't clean it up til later on (that was after we left). Hmm.. isn't that dangerous? What if one of the customers slipped on that? So yea.. I won't be coming back here unless one of my friends wants to come and try out this place with me.

    (2)

  • Bill G.

    I'm no ramen expert but this was some amazing soup. I had the tori ramen (no egg, chicken broth). I did not get it "rich". The broth had some really deep chicken flavor and a touch of black pepper heat. I don't know that I've ever had better chicken broth. My son had tonkotsu ramen, rich w/ level 1 heat. He loves heat, but we agreed that level 1 was plenty of heat. It was wonderful as well, but pork and extra heat are not my first choice. Food was preceded by tea that had a sesame oil taste, and watery consistency. I did not love it, but sipped lightly with the soup, it created an interesting contrast. The atmosphere feels like a warehouse, but one that would make a good date spot. I did not "get" the way the noodle refill worked, so I left a bit hungry, but I could not have been more pleased with the food. Definitely worth a try and my new choice over pho when I want homemade noodle soup.

    (5)

  • Kim N.

    Not the best ramen I've ever had but still the best I've been able to find in Atlanta. Also, Umaido ramen prices are better than some other ramen places that have been popping up around Atlanta (Miso Izakaya, Haru Ichiban, Raku, etc.) I've always had pretty good service here. 3 stars because of the inconsistency and a couple of other reasons listed below: The broth is very flavorful but a bit too salty sometime. The noodle is good but sometime it's under-cooked. Kimchi (spicy pickled cabbage) is good when it's not too salty (if you want kimchi, you have to ask your server for it, they don't automatically bring it out and they don't always have it available) If you're a spicy food fan, try the Ultra Spicy Ramen. You can choose anywhere from level 1 - 100. Level 3 is already really spicy for me but to each his own.

    (3)

  • Elaine B.

    I've loved this place since I started going four years ago. I've tried all the ramen's offered but my favorite is still the spicy miso ramen. I've had a hard time finding another ramen joint in Atlanta to rival this one and sadly now that I've moved I miss this place even more. This is the best ramen I've had since my trip to Tokyo itself.

    (5)

  • Ching H.

    My first time here at Umaido. I've heard so many great things about this place so I was very excited. I guess I was too excited that I had a high expectation. Actually, I don't know what I was expecting. Ramen places I have only seen in Japanese dramas. I love the interior design. Feels like I'm in japan. But as soon as I saw the servers, I knew this place is owned by a Korean owner. I ordered the original seafood ramen since this is my first time, I wanted to try the basic. I also ordered Tako yaki. You can tell if a restaurant is authentic or not by how a Tako yaki taste. Umaido has 5pcs of Tako yaki for $4.95. They are smaller compare to other places. Also, they were bit hard like they've been microwaved. Disappointed with it. Next, my seafood ramen came. Looks delicious. Portion small for $12.95. It had 3 pcs of shrimp, 2 scallops, 3 squids, load of onions, seaweed, and green onions. Noodle looked and taste like store bought and worse of all, seafood was chewy and hard. Again, I think it's due to microwaved. Taste is average. Bit salty and I had to add tons of chili pepper to make it spicy. Another thing is since we were group of 8. We sat at the long table with turning stools. By the time I finished eating, my legs were asleep and my butt was in pain. Not comfortable at all. Decoration 4stars Food 2.5stars Comfort 2.5 stars Price 2.5stars Overall 2.5stars.

    (3)

  • David L.

    We were driving from NOLA back to B'more and we got hungry. I'm not a very polite driver when I'm hungry, so we decided to see what was around. To my delight, we found a Ramen shop in GA! This place was located in a Korean shopping center right off the expressway, making it easily accesible. Parking was ample. To the right of the entrance, there's a glass window that allows you to view into a room where a fellow is making fresh ramen. We sat at the bar and watched the guys prepped our food. Our server was polite and helpful. She explained the difference between a couple of the items on the menu to us. The food came out promptly and the service was consistently attentive. On a side note: they have a food challenge here. Anybody who can eat 4 bowls of ramen (soup and noodles) in a set time frame (I think it was 15 minutes), get's their picture taken and pinned to the wall of fame. If I did not have a 10 hr drive ahead of me, I would've totally given that a go!

    (4)

  • Michelle C.

    Popped in with a few friends based on the good reviews. Ordered the delicious tonkotsu ramen and thoroughly enjoyed it. The restaurant is small and cozy and our waitress was attentive and friendly. I will definitely go back to this restaurant again!

    (4)

  • Kevin C.

    What's up y'all! Let me start off by declaring my love for Ramen noodles, really noodle soups of all kinds! There is literally nothing more comforting than a huge bowl of long chewy noodles basking in some sort of hot delicious rich salty broth. I grew up eating Campbell's Chicken Noodle Soup too, guilty as charged. There's nothing wrong with it, but it might be time to grow up Peter Pan, Count Chocula, there's a lot more to be had out there in the realm of noodle soups! Upon walking into Umaido, we're pleasantly greeted by our host and walked over to our table. Each table has a pitcher to the side of it filled with some sort of water/ tea/ coffee mixture. It sounds a little weird, but try it! It's quite refreshing. Anytime I walk into ramen shops, I go in with the mindset of trying new bowls of ramen. But, as my eyes peruse through the menu they inevitably lock onto the tonkotsu ramen...and don't move away from it. Pork bones boiled for hours to make a rich, creamy, velvety broth...I can't pass that up. Let's get real! Umaido offers two options when ordering their ramen. You can either opt for the normal bowl or have it "rich-ified." When I asked the server how the rich version of each bowl of ramen differed from the normal order, he told me that the rich version contained higher levels of grease and fat to add more flavor. Obviously, when given the choice to add more flavor to any particular dish by way of adding fat and grease the decision is quite simple...I chose the rich option. Additionally, extras can be added to any bowl of ramen so I decided to go with a few extra slices of pork belly and bean sprouts. Fifteen minutes later the bowl of ramen appears on the table in all its glory. The broth is rich and velvety and the thinly sliced pork belly sits on the surface against the side of the bowl. The pork belly is extremely flavorful and if you don't get the extra order you will regret it. The broth is simply amazing at Umaido and packed with flavor. There is a notable difference when opting for the richer bowl of ramen. A visible layer of fat sits on the surface of the broth and clings to your lips with each sip you take. I personally enjoyed it, but it's definitely a personal preference type of decision! I also really enjoyed the soft boiled egg and usually wait until the end to break it open, but couldn't resist myself this time. If you have ever been to Umaido before, you'll note that their noodles are a bit different than your typical wavy, chewy ramen noodles. I'm not sure exactly what kind of noodles they use, but they are different. Not necessarily a bad thing, but I will say that I personally prefer the traditional wavy noodles a bit more. I feel as though when you bite into them they offer a bit more bounce and chewiness. Will that stop me from visiting Umaido? Absolutely not! Just my two cents! As with any restaurant, consistency is key. Umaido has demonstrated time and time again that they are able to replicate their delicious broth giving patrons the same satisfying experience every time they visit. They got it down to a science! If you have not yet checked out this restaurant I highly recommend that you do! Have you completed the challenge of finishing 4 bowls of ramen in 20 minutes? I'm interested in knowing your experience. Or do you have any suggestions for top notch ramen shops in the area? If so, drop me a note so I can check it out! K.Chak

    (4)

  • Boreum H.

    I came here for lunch with a coworker and was oddly impressed. It's in the middle of a "burby" shopping center in the middle of nowhere in Suwanee. But once you walk in, it's a little hipsterish and the food was great. Will be going back soon!

    (4)

  • Tran N.

    I've never had good ramen until Umaido. Actually, I don't think I've ever had ramen, (ramen noodle cups do not count, I have yet touched those for 5 years) This was a convenient dinner on the way back from a long day of shopping. This place is pretty great, they give a lot of noodles, or maybe I just eat tiny and to me it was plenty. I ordered the Seafood ramen, I loved it, but I just wish it comes with the spicy broth. Next time i'll probably ask for it because i love spicy food, other than that if i'm in the area again, I'll probably give the gyoza a try as well. :)

    (4)

  • Nancy N.

    FINALLY! RAMEN!!! My friend and I were visiting Atlanta and some friends for the weekend. When my friends mentioned ramen, my face lit up like a little kid in a candy store. Of course I ordered Tonkotsu Ramen because I haven't had AUTHENTIC Japanese ramen in YEARS.. Oh how I've missed the Tonkotsu broth! The flavors were so rich and the roasted pork was so tender. I have a tendency to look at my neighboring tables, just to glance at what they are having. The table behind us were having rice balls! I was too full to eat anymore, but I kinda regret not getting one now... maybe our next visit!

    (4)

  • Ezbon J.

    Love the noodle here. Always get Spicy Ramen level 10 with scallops and fried chicken.

    (5)

  • K S.

    Spicy Miso Ramen = 3.5-star, Tori Shio = 1-star, Ramen Noodle used = 1.5-star, Shrimp Gyoza = 2-star as i don't even taste shrimp. Service was excellent! Not 'awesome' ramen place, but much much better than Matsuchan Noodle in Canton, MI....

    (3)

  • Hieu H.

    Finding good ramen is almost like going on a quest for the Holy Grail. It's a journey full of hope, based on faith that the next bowl will be the best you've ever had. Every ramen lover remembers their first time tasting Tonkatsu broth. Meaty, salty, with a rich mouth feel that envelopes your oral senses. Forget the freeze-dried ramen laced with MSG "flavor" packets from your college dorm, eating real, fresh Tonkatsu ramen means you've graduated from collegiate slacker to sophisticated grown-up. I had high expectations for Umaido. Maybe too high. I judge every ramen on that one important first sip. In that one sip, I'm looking to have my taste buds come alive. I'm looking to recreate the ramen experience that got me hooked. The broth at Umaido was pretty good. A text-book version of what Tonkatsu ramen should taste like. Good, fresh, chewy noodles. A perfectly soft-boiled egg. Scallions and bean sprouts. But the broth lacks that something extra to make it truly extraordinary. The quest continues...

    (3)

  • Dilys Z.

    I'm not a big ramen fan but I do know good ramen when I taste it. This is the best ramen around. It's a long way from Emory but my friends were dedicated. The noodles are not so wavy and chewy but truly good and authentic. I'm thinking angel hair pasta-like. As I said, I'm no expert. The broth is rich and the thinly-sliced chashu flavorful but light. I love how they have a vast selection of toppings. I've tried the tonkotsu, spicy tonkotsu, tori, and soy milk ramens. My favorite is the soy milk with crunchy asparagus! Refreshing.

    (4)

  • Arpan M.

    I'll preface this review by stating the disclaimer that I'm vegetarian. This place is fairly well reviewed and I'm sure that this joint offers up delicious Ramen to carnivores, but this review will be heavily vegetarian-slanted. The only Ramen that can be served vegetarian is the Soymilk-based Ramen (I forget the name). I wasn't a big fan. It has a hint of sweetness and the bowl itself doesn't come with much more than noodles and a few veggies. When I say few, I mean few. Like 3 bell peppers, a few asparagus, and a decent helping of onions. No tofu. Tofu probably isn't traditional for Japanese Ramen, so I guess I can't blame them too much. Anyways, the decor of the place is nice. It has a simple and modern look. The service was good, nothing special, but good. However, as a vegetarian, I won't be returning. The Ramen just wasn't that good. Maybe sipping on a soup with a milk base was just too big a leap for me. Either way, vegetarians beware.

    (2)

  • Yane Y.

    I went to Umaido with my friends for lunch for the first time yesterday. The noodles were tasted as "healthy" and "light" as one could expect. I was expecting heavy.. But I felt like I hadn't eaten too much greasy food by the time I was done. I even had a second helping of noodles for $1! The Tonkatsu Ramen (not rich soup) was good. Broth was light -- I'm curious how "heavy" the "rich" broth would be? I'll have to try that some time so I can comment. All in all, it was good, and I would go back again. After I go back several times, I may up the rating, but for now, just wanted to leave it as "A-OK". Once I can vouch that I indeed "...am a fan!" or that it is "as good as it gets", I'll up it -- for sure.

    (3)

  • Judy L.

    I've been wanting to try this place out for over a year now and I finally got to. I've been here twice already. I visited this place with my friend and we both ordered the spicy miso ramen and the fried octopus balls. I was skeptical to eat the octopus balls, but after a few moments, I conquered my fear and bit into one. It was still hot from the kitchen and soft and chewy. It was dough on the outside and inside was chopped octopus. The sauce that was drizzled on it complemented it really well. Our ramen came soon after. It was good for us on such a cold, windy day. Each ramen order is about $10. There were lots of toppings or sides in the bowl to eat with the ramen. They even have extra condiments on the side of the table so that the customers can add more as they please. I believe they have sake here as well as popular Japanese soda. The establishment has two flat screen TVs that are always on the sports channel. The restrooms are nice and clean (I know this for the girls' restroom, I don't know about the guys). I believe they have Japanese style toilets where they clean your butt for you when you are doing your business. They have a nice staff. On our second visit, we ordered the fried chicken with rice and kelp. I wasn't expecting good chicken, but goodness, it was SO good. It's more like chicken nuggets, but in a ball shape. The small order comes with 3 chicken balls and kelp. The large order comes with 5 chicken balls and kelp. The rice is cooked on the soft side, which I like because I don't have to chew. I was skeptical to try the kelp since I've never had it before, but it turned out pretty decent. I'm just not used to it yet. My friend LOVES the kelp. The kelp is sprinkled with sesame seeds. Overall, love this dish. If you don't want ramen, order this! It's between $5-$7 depending on the size portion you choose to order. I will definitely visit again. It has become one of my favorite restaurants to go.

    (4)

  • Wen L.

    Good...not great. Walked in around 2:05 place was pretty empty but that was to be expected because it was right after the lunch rush. Ordered the chicken ramen, while my brother ordered the original pork ramen. The food came fairly quick. We got the rice bowls. My brothers pork bowl was alright , while mine was the wasabi octopus..portions were on the small side..yeah it wasn't very good. When the ramen came..they weren't very hot..kind of lukewarm. The noodles were very hard though.. I don't know if that's normal. The broth was a little too salty for me. Got an extra order of the spicy ramen and they weren't spicy just red.

    (3)

  • Lucas L.

    I do not like it. It is really salty! ! ! The noodle is not enough. If you are hungry, you should add more noodle.

    (2)

  • Matéo G.

    Love this place. Never been to Japan, but this is what I imagine a noodle shop would be over there.

    (5)

  • Roxy C.

    2 Stars stands for "Meh. I've experienced better." And I have. Not in Georgia, but still... I tried to this place a few years ago when people kept raging about how great this place was. So naturally I was quite excited. Boy, was I let down. I was looking at the menu and t was explaining the history/rules about ramen or something like that, and there was even a warning about how piping hot their soup was. And let me tell you I LOVE HOT SOUP. Not spicy, but temperature. Got my food..and taste of the soup was so-so, but my soup was definitely NOT HOT. It was lukewarm at best. Gross. Lukewarm noodle soup. It wasn't just me, my friend was disappointed as well, and we didn't even have any where to compare it to, because it was my first time trying "authentic ramen". But now I've traveled far and wide, and had the most delectable ramen, so I can tell you.....this place......is just MEH. I know I should give it another chance since it's been a few years, but I just don't want to be disappointed again. Japanese ramen is just so much better in Asia...(no duh!)

    (2)

  • Grace S.

    This place is just pure deliciousness. RAMEN!!! Woohoo!!! When I first walked in, I wasn't sure what to expect. It wasn't too decorated, and when walking in, I passed by the kitchen so I thought that was a little odd. My group of friends and I sat at a high table that could seat about 8 others. I guess sharing is caring! The seats were pretty comfortable, it was just a little hard for me to get into because I'm short (according to my mom). Now for the good stuff...FOOD. I had ordered the Ultra Spicy Ramen and I am glad I did. It was nothing but heaven in my mouth. They have three levels of spiciness to choose from, and I chose the third because spicy food is kinda my thing. I thought that it was the perfect amount of hotness for me because it wasn't too spicy, just right. This is random, but in the soup, there was also a boiled egg. I usually don't like to eat boiled eggs, so I gave it to my friend. When my friend opened it up...the yolk was not hard so it still had the liquidy consistency that I love to stick in my soup! Ugh, I shouldn't have shared. But, I thought that was cool to point out because I've never seen that before. When I visit the city where the players play (throwback lyrics!), I'm definitely going to stop by here again.

    (5)

  • Anita C.

    I have to admit, their ramen is pretty good, my favorites are the Seafood Ramen and then the spicy ramen level 2. The reason why they did not get 5 stars is because 1) Their service is bad and that's a huge pet peeve of mine. When I ordered the seafood ramen, the shrimp comes with everything; antennas and all. So when I asked her if they could peel it off for me since the shrimp is hot and it's such a mess; she said "No, we are busy." WTH.. 2) The bowl is only half full. Not happy that I am not completely full when I finish the entire bowl.

    (3)

  • Leith K.

    This is quickly becoming one of our favorite place to go out when we are anywhere near Atlanta. Their Ramen is my favorite and I think it is going to be hard to beat, at least in this country. We have tried multiple different items from the menu and all of them have been very good. The atmosphere is very child friendly and there are many dishes that even our eight year old enjoys. I love their cold tea that comes with the meal, even though I am the only one in our party that does! The service is always good, I've never had a problem even though it seems that many people have complained about it. My only complaint is I wish this place was closer to home.

    (5)

  • Laura N.

    The ramen here is very good with a rich, savory broth that is also a bit too salty. Nevertheless, I felt and looked extremely bloated afterward despite eating merely half of the noodle in my bowl. After hearing so many of my friends rave about this place, I feel underwhelmed by the ramen . . . mainly because of its immediate and very uncomfortable bloating effect on me. I like the industrial chic interior design of the restaurant.

    (3)

  • Maxwell L.

    It starts and end with the noodles, and my rating reflects that. Unfortunately the noodles here do not resemble any of the ramen I had have ever had in Japan. The broth is flavorful and the service is quite prompt though. Worth at least a visit so you can decide for yourself. Items ordered: -Spicy miso ramen -Tonkotsu ramen

    (2)

  • Cici C.

    My go-to place for ramen! This place is farther than Mizumi but so worth it! I didn't like Mizumi because their soup was too salty and the noodles were too dry...but Umaido is just right (or better)! Their meat was tender, their noodles were delicious, the soup was too good for me to not drink..I love this place not just because of the food but also the environment. The inside is really cute, just like an authentic ramen place!

    (5)

  • Christina T.

    The best ramen noodles in Georgia that I know of. If you know of a better place, let me know. I've had every ramen soup and love them all, but my fave is spicy miso (rich). The japanese curry dish is also very good. I like how you can add garlic, sesame seeds, and chili oil to your own liking.

    (5)

  • Ana V.

    Visiting from Florida. Found the restaurant in Yelp. It was worth the drive since we are staying in downtown Atlanta. The ramen was perfect. The gyoza was amazing. The service was ok. The waitress was rushing to get our order and it was not close to closing time.

    (4)

  • Addy C.

    Gosh if I'd read the part about the broth having lots of collagen & being good for healthy skin, then maybe I would've made a better effort at cleaning up my bowl. But sorry, the broth while tasty was also a little too salty for me. I'd heard similar feedback from other friends who'd been here, and the same from our party of 7. I'd also heard Umaido probably served the most authentic ramen in Atlanta - I mean, Atlanta & surrounding areas. This place is FAR!! Among the 5 different ramen choices, I decided to stick w/ the basic "Tonkotsu Ramen" ($6.95). For cholesterol reasons, I decided to forego the "rich" broth - also knowing that the others were getting it, and kinda assumed I'd get a taste of theirs for comparison :) Good choice b/c my "not rich" broth was on the salty side, and getting the rich version would be double whammy (salty + fatty). Still, I do want to point out that the broth is very good - salty yes (esp. noticeable as the soup gets cold) - but very tasty. You really can tell they put a lot of love into their broth :) Apparently their broth is made w/ pork & 14 special healthy ingredients. The menu also mentioned that it takes 36 hrs to complete the soup, and it's boiled for over 20 hrs for richness & greater flavor. I also sampled the "Spicy Miso Tonkotsu" and the "Sweet Miso Tonkotsu" broths - both good but I'm glad I stuck w/ the reg. Tonkotsu. Portions are good - and if you're still hungry, you can get an extra serving of noodles for just $.99 to add to your soup. I like that the noodles are made fresh here but mine was a little too al dente. Still I'd probably order the extra noodles just b/c I hated to waste the broth - except I was too full from my "Chasyu Rice Bowl" ($3.95). Thx to Sarah E's review for recommending it :) That stuff is yum and helped balance the saltiness from the broth. Service is good & very friendly. They also offer complimentary radish kimchi - which helped answer my question whether this place was Korean or Japanese-owned. Also liked that they have a fun challenge if you can finish 4 ramen bowls w/in 20 minutes :) FYI - they are great about doing separate checks.

    (3)

  • Jin M.

    My friends & I heard great things about Umaido, so we decided to drive 40 minutes to try their infamous ramen. Located in a small shopping center, Umaido was small & cozy. The servers are very attentive & was very patient with our millions of questions. I ordered the level 3 tonkatsu ramen with regular broth. Although there were only about 3 or 4 pieces of meat, those 3 pieces are delicious. But I do wish I had more meat. It also came with an egg that was marinaded in soy sauce & something (?). Anyways, it was good! I thought the regular broth was perfect, so I didn't regret not ordering the rich soup. The only thing I didn't like was probably the type of noodles. It had a rough texture, & broke easily. I prefer noodles that are.. in Korean--- "jjol-ghit, jjol-ghit", which basically means chewy (?). But the broth was good enough to mask the texture of noodles. Ramen was definitely tasty, but I wouldn't drive 40 minutes just for a bowl of this. But if I was in the neighborhood, I would stop by!

    (4)

  • Sooji K.

    if you're looking for real authentic japanese style ramen... look elsewhere. (either miso izakaya at lunch or haru ichiban). if you're not expecting that level of authenticity, i'm sure you'll find something to your liking here :) as others have mentioned, this place has korean roots and it definitely shows in its palate range. i usually order the ultra spicy ramen lvl 2. the best part of their ramen and the reason i probably keep coming back? their chashyuu and boiled egg. their egg is what dreams are made of. i'm totally serious. perfectly soft boiled. their chashyuu is cooked to perfection, crisp edges and buttery pork in the center. sigh. i have to mention that their broth tends to run a little bit on the high msg route. y'know that feeling of unquenchable thirst you get after a meal? kind of like that. so if you're sensitive to sodium, you've been warned. personally, it doesn't bother me too much as long as i can't taste it when i'm eating... haha i'd say umaido is the best option for ramen in the gwinnett area

    (4)

  • Rumany P.

    The Spicy Miso Ramen broth was good (although not the least bit spicy). The nitamago was really well seasoned. The extra kakuni (braised pork) was really good in the ramen. This extra addition led to an abundance of meat that I usually don't find in most ramen places. The Tori chicken appetizer was nothing special and I wouldn't order that again.

    (4)

  • Donald F.

    horrible food, 3out of 4 of us ordered ramen which was edible, but the yolk of the egg was half cooked. I'll take shoya ramen over this place any day my other fd just wanted gyoza(dumpling ) it came after all our noodle arrived and it's super burnt. asked the server if she think it's burnt her answer was 'i think so too but the chef said it's ok...' we return it waited another 15min here came another set of burnt ones. this time server brought it and told us she'll sent it back again and try one more time by that time everyone else had already finished so we ordered the roll up egg which was favorless. finally some not so burnt dumpling arrived and she said the frozen ones from H mart taste better. gave one extra star caz the only server that was working in the entire place was actually nice and apologize

    (2)

  • Ju Yun K.

    The atmosphere and decor is fantastc, but the food has some problems. The spicy miso ramen was the best of the four that i ordered, and even that was too salty. The wasabi ramen incredibly overbearingly offensive, but maybe that is how it is supposed to be. It seemed that the noodles were made of wasabi. The knly unoffensive part was the egg. The seafood ramen was somewhat bearable with a fair amount of shrimp, but nothing extraordinary The ultra spicy ramen lv 1 was the most greasy piece of crap i have ever tasted in my life. It tasted like a pig was sitting the pot for over thirty years. Additionally, the portion size was extremely small, and we had to go order some tonkatsu at hmart to fill us up. Despite all these flaws, the owners have the nerve to charge upwards of 12 dollars per a meager and mediocre bowl of ramen Maybe i just dont know how authentic ramen is supposed to taste, but i didnt like it.

    (1)

  • Leigh N.

    I'm bringing my rating of this place down to 3 stars. The food is still delicious, but the service is horrible. I understand that we were there on a busy Saturday night, but having to ask 3+ times for everything is quite annoying.

    (3)

  • Chris N.

    They use thin noodles here, which are/were popular in Japan for awhile. I'm not a fan of this type of noodle. I much prefer the heavier egg noodles that you can find in "Nama" Ramen packages in the grocery stores. This place also claims to specialize in Tonkotsu (Pork base) Ramen. I tried the Spicy Lv.3 (goes up to 100) Tonkotsu Ramen which was much more spicy than I expected. My wife had the regular Tonkotsu. We probably should've ordered "Kotteri" (thicker broth) as the regular broth was somewhat uninspiring. Overall, because of my bias on the noodles and not having tried "Kotteri" style, I'm rating a 2 for now. I much prefer Yakitori Jinbei's Tonkotsu Ramen so far. Tried the Kotteri Tonkotsu Ramen, was MUCH better. Still not a fan of the thin noodles, but overall, they serve tasty ramen @ a good price. I would recommend you order any Ramen "Kotteri" style. It's much more flavorful than the standard broth. Steer away from the spicy ramen unless you feel the need for pain.

    (4)

  • Eric A.

    Great ramen, but do not go close to closing time on Sunday night. The waitstaff is inattentative, the kitchen staff miscommunicated and lost my order, but because the kitchen was closed they did not offer to cook me a new bowl of ramen or any other food, so I was left mooching a little ramen from my friend (who actually received her order). Go during a normal dinner time and maybe the service will be a bit better.

    (1)

  • Jeff S.

    I loved this place! If you want real Japanese ramen, this is your paradise! They are very friendly and courteous. If you want a taste of japan this is your place!

    (5)

  • Anita C.

    My husband and I have been looking for a good ramen place with chewy noodles and flavorful broth. This is the place! The noodles are handmade and you can watch someone making it in the window. Because the noodles are handmade, they aren't like the packaged ramen noodles that get soggy like you get in some other restaurants. I love the flavor of the ultra spicy. I tried 3 since I like things really spicy. I ended up diluting it with some of my husband's spicy miso broth so I wouldn't die. It was really tasty. You get a good amount of chasyu compared to other places, but I wouldn't complain if they threw a couple more pieces in there. Love the soft boiled egg!! It puts it over the top. They also don't complain when my husband is craving ramen and I'm not really hungry and we split one bowl with extra noodles. :)

    (5)

  • Jie Y.

    Best ramen in Atlanta. The soup is amazing. Takoyaki and Gyoza are also good.

    (5)

  • Stephanie F.

    .

    (4)

  • Vincent V.

    This place is a gem in Gwinnett! Love how they designed the inside with a minimalistic approach that takes pride in featuring the strong industrial appearance in the inside of the building. I have been here a few times now and am very impressed with the consistency of flavors in their broth and noodles. I prefer the tonkostu ramen most of all, but enjoyed the sea food and spicy ramen in previous trips. Make sure you ask for the kimchi! Highly recommend!!!

    (5)

  • Liz H.

    Not the best ramen I have had, but an overall enjoyable place to go out to. Since this place is known for the ramen, I have tried just the ramen - the Ultra Spicy lv2 and Original Tonkatsu. While the broth is has flavor, it is not as tasty as I would have expected. I love the perfectly cooked egg that comes with the ramen - when I broke it open, glistening, golden yolk appeared. It coated my noodles and tasted delicious. The noodles themselves do not have much taste - all the flavors of the dish are from the broth or toppings. I like the noodle refill for 1.50 - my stomach can only handle one refill, but have had a friend refill his ramen twice. Don't be afraid to order as many noodle refills as you want . The interior has a Japanese feel with a bar area when you come in and the tables are beyond that. There is a large tv screen for when the conversation lags. Employees are great about keeping your glass full of the tea, but there is also a pitcher at the table when you need to combat any spicy dishes.

    (4)

  • Esther K.

    We're a fan of Umaido. We come here for some quick ramen craving in our side of town. This is probably the best ramen place in this part of down (Duluth, Suwanee, Sugarloaf). Then again there isn't a stiff competition on this area yet for ramen besides the instant ones you can get in boxes at HMart or Assi. We've been here several dozen times and the ramen has been consistent. My usual order is the dontkatsu ramen. I like to add the pressed garlic and some sesame seeds into mine. Their pork belly is always thick (just the way I like it) and the broth is pretty good. The bf gets the Tonkatsu Rame Level 2. If your order this don't be alarmed by the reddish noodles that comes in your broth. On various occasions we've ordered their gyozas as an appetizer. There aren't a lot that come in an order; however, each dumpling is filled with hearty yumminess. They definitely do not skimp on the filling. In our recent visit the bf and I ordered their crispy chicken nuggets as n appetizer. It was so good!! Perfectly moist "chicken nuggets" encased a perfectly fried breading. I will remember to order this all the time an appetizer. There are different levels of spiciness on their ramen. We even had a friend that tried the spicy contest years ago. Definitely not for the faint at heart or tongue. I heard it's extremely and unbearably spicy. I probably only know two friends of mine that could probably handle and complete the challenge. Also, make sure you request the kimchee. One of the few ramen places that offer free kmchee.

    (4)

  • Henry Y.

    I came here in a big group of 10, three of us wanted to do a ramen challenge. And some of us weren't that hungry and ordered some appetizers to eat since their noodles are overpriced for their portion and quality. About the food: the noodles are really overpriced, with the same price, you can get much better ramen with a much bigger portion in some other japanese restaurants in metro Atlanta. And my friends complained about the noodle soup being too salty, which is also pointed out in many other previous reviews. About the service: THIS IS THE MOST TERRIBLE PART AND MADE ME NOT GOING BACK THERE AGAIN. THEY SHOW NO RESPECT TO THEIR CUSTOMERS. Here is the story, since 3 of us ordered ramen challenge (which we are given 4 bowls of ramen to finish within 20 minutes, if we can't finish all of them (including the big bowl of salty soup), we have to pay $20) and this is the ONLY rule given on the menu, no any other restrictions. Okay, when the 12 noodles came, the waiter placed all of them on a separate table, and ask 3 of our friend to go the other table and eat under the surveillance of a waiter. But we don't want to be sit seperate and asked if our friends can do the challenge on the same table, the waiter gave us an annoyed face and said, "there isn't enough space on your own table, so we have to ask them to eat on the other table" , but apparently if you re-arrange the dishes on the table, there is more than enough space to fit those bowls in. Ok, the waiter finally put those bowls back to our table with an annoyed and angry face. We were like.. "what the..." and we think the reason is that they want to make sure we don't "cheat" during the challenge. Ok, my friends couldn't finish the challenge in the end, and since there were so much noodles remaining, we asked if some of us can finish those remaining, then the waiter answered "No, you can't share it" . We then asked "then what are you going to do with those remaining noodles, you'd waste the food and throw them to the trash instead of letting the others to finish it?" Then the waiter replied with a "Yes" Fine, but I want to stress one thing: there was not a rule written about "you can't let others finish the ramen after the 20 minute." We did not know or get informed of that before. So, those 3 of my friends said, "okay, we would rather wait for a while and try to eat as much as we can, even though the 20 min has passed, because we don't want to waste so much food" And for the rest of the time, the waiter kept standing there, watching us, making sure none of us touch any of those noodles except those 3 who took the challenge, this is a DISRESPECT of us and made us feel like criminals who have to be watched by police... Overall, the noodles is not good actually, the soup is salty, portion is small and most importantly, they show no respect to their customers! This is a very horrible experience to us and we WON'T GO BACK THERE DEFINITELY.

    (1)

  • Maggie L.

    I have been to umaido many time. Today I ordered three hirata buns and waitress did not mention they don't have lettuce to make the buns. She served me three buns with meat only that is extremely salty without veggie. She walked away when I asked why. I love the foods in umaido but customer service is so so. Feel like they are going downhill :/.

    (2)

  • Angela S.

    Bad night and won't go back again!! It's crowded, which is fine for Saturday night and the wait is about 10 mins, not bad before things went worse. We ordered our ramen and wanted to add the fried chicken toppings, the waitress told us they were out for the night. Fine, disappointed but understandable. So we asked to keep the menu and ordered dumplings and drinks with another waitress. Thanks God we did that or we would walk out really pissed + starved. Waited for 20 mins, our dumplings came. Not awesome but good starting for 8:30 PM. Then, the funny thing came, the table behind us, who came 25 mins after us got their ramen!! So, where the heck are ours? Waited for 5 mins finally got one waitress and asked about our food, she said, " sorry our kitchen is very busy tonight, your food is being cooked now." Put in mind, this was the only excuse they can think about and we probably heard it 10 times tonight. My guess is the order was never put through! It become ridiculous since the table behind us had finished eating but still NO bowls on ours. Decided to leave and they wanted to charge us $2.40 for tax for 5 dumplings, 1 coke, 1 sprite., 25% vs. 6% tax rate. Guys, if you are going, make sure to double check your bill before paying. Good luck!

    (1)

  • Allene T.

    Best ramen I've had yet. I currently live in Manhattan and have tried all the typical "popular" ramen places here (Totto Ramen, Ippudo, Hide-Chan) and for some reason, none of them satisfy me like Umaido does. My favorite is the spicy tonkotsu ramen. Sooo good. The broth is rich (I wouldn't suggest the extra-rich broth), flavorful, and level 1 spicy is just right for the taste buds. The noodles are just the right firmness and an extra plate of them costs just 99 cents (the last time I went, at least). Add a little fresh garlic and sesame seeds and you're good to go. It's a bit pricy for Georgia standards and compared to other noodle soups like pho, but totally worth it.

    (5)

  • Esther K.

    I came here a couple days ago with my friend, Superjjang (yes, I call every one I know by their aliases when referring to them online). I introduced him to this place, and we were big fans. We hadn't had Umaido's in a while, as I had been absolutely spoiled from awesome ramen in LA. So we decided to drop by. I ordered my usual spicy tonkotsu ramen, but I ordered a level 1 as I haven't been eating much spicy food as of late. Superjjang got spicy miso ramen. The soup was beyond salty. I usually never say a word, but I pulled a server aside (since I couldn't find our server at all) and told him the soup was beyond salty today. He just stared back at me with a blank look and said ok. I wasn't looking for a discount or anything, but it would've been nice if he told me he'd relay it to the chef. I am going to give this place another chance but I'm going to hope that the soup isn't as salty as it was this past visit.

    (2)

  • Jonathan W.

    Hands down, one of my favorite dishes of all time. Spicy Miso Ramen is packed with tons of flavor and just enough heat to keep me satisfied without any "side-effects." I've attempted the Ultra Spicy Ramen Lvl 1 but that was just a little too much heat. Staff is fantastic, atmosphere is very chill and price is extremely reasonable.

    (5)

  • M. H.

    I love the tonkotsu ramen with rich broth. This place is kinda overpriced. $10 + tip for a small bowl of soup. But it's truly delicious!

    (5)

  • Jin K.

    I've been here about twice in the last 2 weeks and quite enjoyed their ramen. Their broth tastes amazing on their seafood ramen, their lunch special don for $3 is great portion size and cheap! However, the loss of star is due to price of ramen for the quantity given. I've been to best ramen place in Colorado and it's definitely different but Umaido rly lacks quantity compared to other good places I've been to

    (4)

  • Johnny W.

    One of a waitress is such beautiful! I remember she has a mix-blood face between American and Asian. She looks like very thin. It was my first time went by there during the thxgiving break, and I wish I could be go again when I go chance. I could not be able to pay attention on the noodle when I was eating... nuh...

    (5)

  • Christina K.

    Maybe it was the minimalist, cold decor... maybe it was the really tough noodles, but either way Umaido is not my favorite. The broth is good enough, but nothing that burrows itself into your taste buds memory that makes you go back for more and more. The eating contests are great when you go with that one friend who is up to a challenge, but other than that it's just eh. The menu does offer some diversity, but the broths seem to taste the same each time.

    (2)

  • Gloria M.

    Lo & behold I finally got the opportunity to go to Umaido and try out their ramen. Mind you I've had ramen @ Tokyo town in LA so this probably wouldn't even compare. Yup I was right. I heard of the ramen challenge; the spiciness level goes up to 100 and since I love spicy foods, I gave it a try. I bravely chose lvl 50. It wasn't so spicy as it was salty. Saltiness is something I cannot even bear to tolerate. Seeing that it's a Japanese establishment, I decided to give their takoyaki a try. Dissapointment again, I've had better at Japanfest. It was soggy but the bonito flakes were good! As they should be ha! I came here out of curiosity but most likely won't come back again.

    (2)

  • Elle M.

    Very disappointing on several fronts. First, this place is not family friendly, nor is it large party friendly. My first visit there was with my husband, our two young children (2 years old and 6 months old), and brother-in-law & his wife. They did not have booster chairs - only high chairs, but nowhere to really set the chairs since: 1. Tables cannot be moved to accommodate parties this size (they are bolted to wall); 2. There is not enough room to place the chairs because the aisles are so narrow. They offered to seat us all at the ramen bar so we could be together, but again there was no room at the bar for high chairs, not to mention a high chair couldn't be moved up close enough to the bar for a child to eat. Service is terrible because there isn't anyone managing the floor. The two girls who were working that day were trying VERY hard, but they were shorthanded and the kitchen was obviously having issues, too. Our food was either cold, too salty, very greasy or old (we were served 2-3 day old rice that was browning and crusty). As for authentic...um, not so much. Did I mention that my husband and brother-in-law are Japanese? Robert Irvine would do them well to pay them a visit.

    (1)

  • Karly G.

    Lately I've been craving ramen noodles like it's the best food in the world. It's true, it's one of the best foods in the world, but it's oh so bad for me. So for that very reason, they're not stashed in the house. And every since Rama Girl, I've been wanting to visit one these noodle joints with the bowls stashed up to the ceiling and pot of broth that's been stewing for days... and an elderly Japanese man with a ladle the size of his head gently babying his precious broth. And the sound of people slurping their bowls to the very last drop... Umaido, a haven for Ramen perfectly located in Lawrenceville-Suwanee (in my neck of the wood). The first thing is their door; a 9 foot pair of chopsticks will lead you into the world of Ramen. Just like how I've envisioned it, the first thing I saw is the booths with noodle bowls stashed up high but, you can still look through the screen to the busy kitchen, where the real magic happens. The aroma of sweet rich broth fills the entire room. I really felt like I was in Japan for a moment. The place is very narrow and is very dim towards the back. It feels very intimate and the place is beautiful all on its own. The menu is very simple. One side consists of 7 different types of ramen and plenty of sides to top your bowl with. And, if you save your broth, you can add additional noodles for just $1 if the first bowl didn't do any justice. How awesome is that? And trust me, you will have plenty of broth left, they do give a very reasonable amount of it. By the way, all their broth is pork based so maybe this isn't best for vegans and vegetarian. We had a few to try out: the Honey Miso, the seafood and the Tonkotsu ramen. The honey really makes the broth sweeter. It comes with slices of pork belly, corn, bean sprouts and an egg. OMG, this seasoned half hardboiled egg is amazingly good. I can't really explain the process but it's brown so they must have soaked the egg in some sweet soy for at least a few days before boiling it for maybe 4 min? Because the yolk is still running but so soft and it just melts in your mouth good. The seafood ramen come with 3 sweet grilled shrimps, some grilled squid and I had to order the cod roes (which comes in a small plate on the side that you add into your bowl). The shrimps were sweet and not over cooked and the squid has that smoky flavor from the grill. I was inhaling this bowl. The Tonkotsu is the original broth bowl with tree ear (like a fungus/algaeish), slices of pork belly, bean sprouts and the egg. I'm telling you, that egg is some kind of wonderful in my mouth. You can order additional egg for $2, it's worth it. The other side of the menu consists of several rolls and mini Japanese appetizers. They also have a pork onigiri (which is grilled rice with minced pork inside formed into a triangular shape). Very good! It does take a bit of time to get your food, but there's a reason for it. The presentation for each bowl is beautifully decked out with scallions and sesame seeds and your fresh noodles are being boiled and drained... It's worth the wait. This is why I love Japanese food. They really take the time to make all their dishes aesthetically pleasing to the eye and the palate. They open for lunch from 11 - 3pm and dinner from 5pm to 11pm.

    (4)

  • Han L.

    Aside from Circle Sushi, this is the only other place I have to been that has a bidet. I don't really use it, but cool! It's a ramen noodle house situated in a shopping center. Umaido is smaller than I expected; I bet it can seat no more than 50 ppl. The menu is pretty simple; ramen with stuff, ramen with other stuff. There are various levels of spiciness you can select as well. One neat thing is, if you finish the noodle and there's broth left, for an extra .99 cent, you can ask them to refill the bowl w noodles. Well, the ramen is a tad too salty for me, but my dining companion told me that's how it is and to deal with it (jk). There's fresh garlic and a garlic smasher thingy for you to add to the soup. There's also fresh ginger and sesame. I also ordered the gyoza there. It seemed pretty fresh, but the gyoza came about the same time as the noodle. I thought they were a bit bland, but I bet it was because the noodle was so dang salty to me. Who knows. Maybe my taste buds were whacked that day. Anyway, I'd come back. I feel in my heart, I can beat the spicy ramen noodle challenge. Also, as a girl, I get 5 minutes grace. It pays to be a lady (sometimes) ! Yelp 365 #14/365 ( yay for West Coast time! whoot!)

    (3)

  • Larry D.

    Good ramen place and reasonable prices. I had the basic with rich broth. They are very consistent here, and serve fast. I would not recommend for dinner as it's pretty basic looking and the menu is limited, but a great lunch place.

    (4)

  • Amanda T.

    This is the only ramen restaurant I've been to, so I don't really have anything to compare it to, but overall my experience was great. I went with coworkers who frequent asian and ethnic restaurants very often and know what's good and what isn't, so I trust them. I got some regular Yakitori, and someone else got the seafood Yakitori, and we shared and both were probably some of the best food I've ever put in my mouth, I could make a whole meal out of Yakitori. I ordered the Spicy Miso ramen, and I definitely left feeling full and satisfied. this ramen is much different than the cheap packages you get at the store, this is broth (I recommend the rich soup for an extra $1, it makes the broth a bit thicker) with egg, veggies and sliced pork, it was excellent. I wasn't sure what to expect, but I added some sesame seeds and that added a nice flavor to it. I see in some of the reviews that people actually added salt to the ramen, and I didn't feel like it needed any salt, most foods are overly-salted today anyway, not sure why you'd want to add even more unless you're used to eating a lot of processed food, frozen food, fast food, etc because those have crazy levels of sodium. salt is not a substitute for flavor, but some people think otherwise. We also had the "japanese fried chicken" which was interesting, it came with salt to dip it in since it isn't seasoned, which i thought was kind of cool. it didn't need salt in my opinion, though there isn't a lot of flavor, i thought the chicken itself was flavor enough, the crunchy bit on the outside was more to cater to a more American audience...if you want real chicken nuggets, go to Mcdonalds, not a ramen house.

    (5)

  • Qianqian B.

    Such a great affordable place to eat! I like all their noodles and rice, even though didn't try them all yet, but keep trying and never disappointed. What's that appetizer my boyfriend and I tried last time? The little ball thing with calamari inside. Forgot the name, my boyfriend said they aren't as good as the ones he ate before, but for me it was fine. He's a little bit picky. Anyway, the greatest Japanese noodle place in the area. Definitely recommend!

    (5)

  • Maggie T.

    Mmmm Tonkatsu ramen!!!! Wow. Yummy In my tummy please.

    (5)

  • Andrew H.

    ITADAKIMASU! Came here after a movie and found it kind of hard to find. The U is sideways! Anywho, I started off with the wasabi octopus. It was okay, the pieces were cut small, maybe too small. It took me a while to eat it with chopsticks. Flavor wasn't bad though. Then comes the tonkotsu ramen. I saw a tip for spicy tonkotsu, but they wouldn't let me have mine spicy so I got the hot sauce... for a buck!? The ramen tasted good though, could've used more char siu though (what can I say... I'm a meat lover through and through). The rich broth was nice and tasty maybe a tad salty but no biggy. Kae Dama! spicy! I got excited as I saw the guy bringing me a plate of ridiculously red noodles. I could only imagine how spicy and delicious these noodles were going to be! Sadly, the noodles were al dente to the point of being almost raw and the noodles were just not spicy in the slightest.

    (4)

  • Lauren H.

    I've been wanting to try this place for awhile and finally came around to doing so this evening. After a day of snowboarding, I figured a nice hot bowl of ramen would be perfect to top off the day. I ordered a bowl of spicy ramen level 1 and my fiance ordered the level 3. The level 1 was not spicy at all and level 3 was too spicy for me. Next time I'll go for level 2. The good. -broth is flavorful -meat is tender -egg is cooked perfectly -kimchi is fresh The bad. -broth is a little too salty (I've drank about 3 bottles of water since dinner) -small portions (meat, ramen). If you're going to charge $9-10 for a bowl of ramen, I should get more than 3 pieces of meat. -service was eh. Friendly staff but we had to flag our waitress down several times to get some service. Overall, the ramen was good but it wasn't the best thing ever.

    (3)

  • Jason F.

    So far the best ramen I've had in Atlanta. I know I am stealing a line from someone else's post (Hieu H.) but it's the truth, "Finding good ramen (Really!) is almost like going on a quest for the Holy Grail." If you live in the area, you might as well start your quest here, and then fly to Japan... cause let's face it, if you're looking for the best, you have to go to Japan. My only wish is that they would make the noodles differently. I gotta have egg noodles with my ramen. Itadakemasu and Gochizosama! Shouldn't be too hard to find. Look for the HMart. They share a parking lot.

    (4)

  • Amrita R.

    I went here a few days ago with a couple of friends. I asked for a table for 7, three different times to three different people, yet the people I asked would keep disappearing and never return... then someone new would approach me and ask me what I want. In any case, they were accommodating and nice, even when my boyfriend's little cousin spilt his drink... twice. We mostly got the tonkatsu ramen, with some of us getting levels of spicy. My bf needed the extra noodles, and I'm surprised that even his 12 year old sister requested it. I thought it was just the right portion size for me. But for only 99 cents more, it's not a bad deal. I don't think the ramen was as good as the ones I had in California, although my bf insists that it was better. Level 3 was also making him sweat like a mad man. It was a tad saltier than I like it, but definitely worth trying, for Atlanta. It's much better than store-bought ramen ;) There is a slight overload of bean sprouts, but the broth is hearty and the boiled egg is perfect. I can't imagine what the level 100 ramen challenge would taste like! Bravo to those who actually win those... PS. The place is a bit hard to find, but it's best just to know that it's in the Super H complex once you get to the area. Also, the first letter of the name is in a Japanese character (I believe) so it can be a little confusing when you see it.

    (4)

  • Tommy K.

    We got here at 7:55pm, placed our order for ramen. Moments go by and a diff waitress asked if we paid already. I informed that waitress we haven't ate yet and is waiting for our food. Moments go by and a 3rd waitress brings a tab to us that wasn't even ours. I brought the wrong tab to the cashier and informed them that we have not ate and is still waiting. Their response? Deer in headlights. They started to speak Korean to each other for 5 min trying to figure out what happened. Then the waitress who took our order said she wasn't our waitress and didn't take our order. REALLY? Then, "oh I did take your order." Back to Korean talk and then said to me "oh, the machine didn't take your order, sorry we shut down the soup station so can you order a rice plate?" what a fucking disappointment. Needless to say we left. The reviews did say that service sucked but c'mon...their lucky I didn't slap the shit out of them.

    (1)

  • Steve S.

    It's decent. I guess I was spoiled by all the great ramen places in the Bay Area. I'm hoping to find a better ramen place soon.

    (3)

  • Paul H.

    Still love this place. I think the portion size has gotten a bit smaller, but the taste is still great. I also like the expanded menu from when I was last there. The original ramen is the best! I also like some of the appetizers, like the grilled squid legs! Yummy. Great place to bring kids that like noodles! They suck it up!

    (4)

  • Tuan P.

    Is this Ramen good? YES. Is it worth it? YES. Should I get more meat? HELL YES! If I lived in the area, I would be eating this at least twice a month (gotta save meals to try other places to right?). If you like this, hit up Ippudo in NYC if you get the chance. Different styles of Ramen, but both equally good in their own ways. The naruto drawing on the wall here was inspirational haha.

    (4)

  • Jang C.

    Addy drove us halfway to Japan to try this new ramen place. This was Yelp's new, hyped up restaurant of the week. When we got there, it looked like the store was closed. They even boarded up the door with 2x4s. Man, the economy must suck if Umaido is closed already. Oh wait, that's just the design of the store. They made the 2x4s to look like chopsticks door handles--not very intuitive. I hoped their ramen wasn't bad as their exterior design. Speaking of weird designs, their sesame grinder was tough to figure out. It took our group, using good teamwork, about 5 minutes to figure out how it worked. Anyway, I ordered the spicy-miso tonkotsu ramen with the rich broth. The first few initial bites tasted good. At the end, however, I could not finish the broth. It was too rich and too salty. I felt like my veins would pop from all the sodium. Since I still felt a bit hungry as I was finishing up my noodles, I did the kaedama. If you eat up all the noodles near the end, you can say "kaedama" to the server, and she'll get you extra noodles for a $1 more. The second round of noodles, however, was pretty tasteless. Maybe I should have let it sit in the broth for a bit. I also tried their chasu. That tasted pretty good. I also tried other people's broths, They all tasted decent. I think the regular tonkotsu broth tasted the best. Also, a bit of warning: their garlic condiments had mold on them. So, check for mold on the garlic if you come here. We did leave a little pile of moldy garlic on their table. I hope they got the hint--passive aggressiveness FTW. Overall, I thought the ramen deserved about 3.5 stars. Since I could not finish the broth, which is saying something since I love to drink all the broth on my ramen, I would dock a few points. Also I would need to dock some points for the moldy garlic. I would like to try it again, but it's too far. It's not worth the drive. Not even the bidet toilets in their bathroom would make me come back. If somehow I do come back, I would just get the regular tonokotsu ramen, and that's what I'll recommend you to get.

    (3)

  • Tony Y.

    Atlanta does not have a good ramen joint, no more to be said. Umaido is ok but for the price charged on the tiny portion of noodle, expected more, a lot more. Portions are small, even by Japanese ramen standards (seems this is Korean establishment). Ingredients used did not deliver any sort of uniqueness to flavor or texture. Side dishes were very subpar. Service, very weak given it was not even that busy.

    (2)

  • Kim N.

    Being such a anime fanatic I always dreamed to eat at a authentic ramen shop raise my chopsticks and just scream "itadakimasu!" And grub. But as I was being seated I noticed the staff was Korean....boy was I disappointed then. Authentic? Probably not. I was a vegetarian at the time and got the vegetarian ramen and specified for nothing animal based. They listened well and assured me otherwise.They substituted the pork and eggs with Chinese broccoli and bean sprouts. And the soup base was soymilk. At first that made me question how my ramen would taste but i like taking food risks. To my surprise it was actually good and went really well with all the veggies. Although the bowl of ramen looks large there weren't enough noodles to fill me up so I paid for extra noodles. Now that I'm eating meat again id love to try this place again.

    (4)

  • Tim E.

    We have been going to Umaido pretty regularly since it opened. Now it's about time I wrote a review. Many people complain about having to drive so far for good ramen but we are fortunate to have this place nearby. I swear every time we come here the broth gets a little better. We have tried all variations except seafood and we usually stick with the regular Tonkatsu. I think it has the best overall flavor and if you want it spicy you can always add a little spicy oil. Sometimes the pork can be a bit inconsistently sliced and too thin but the flavor is oh so good! The egg is always perfect with a nice, runny yolk. I don't often come here on weekdays since I work over in Alpharetta, but when I can I love the combination lunch with ramen and the chasyu rice bowl. That is enough to really fill me up. I love the rice bowl as much as I love the ramen! I don't know if they have changed the gyoza since we first tried it but I would skip it. It was more like a typical Korean gyoza which I usually find very weird tasting. Overall this a great lunch place with a nice relaxed atmosphere and friendly service. A definite "regular" for us.

    (5)

  • NN R.

    The ramen, if you get extra "rich" broth, is 5 stars. But the portions and service are somethings to be desired. I don't know what happened, they used to have tasty broth without opting for the pricier, "richer" broth. The service used to be good too without a long wait time, but ever since management was transferred to more traditional, Korean way of business, the experience has been downgraded. You don't get as much and the regular broth is not as good. You'll have to get the more expensive broth for it to taste as good as it used to be. Although it's still the best ramen I've had so far, the difference in quality and service is a disappointment. However, first timers without expectations would fall in love with the authentic ramen.

    (4)

  • Sunira M.

    Ok the decor in this place is awesome! It's modeled after honest Japanese decor and it feels like you're walking into an anime! Decor novelty aside, the staff is very friendly and attentive. Their food is served quickly and is also delicious. I had the ramen with spicy noodles and the rich broth. The quantity is pretty good, and there is more than enough soup and noodle to satisfy my palate. I don't have any complaint about this place! Definitely a good choice if you enjoy ramen.

    (5)

  • Kathy H.

    Wow, what a NEAT eclectic little place! Noodle bar straight out of Tampopo...well, maybe not quite Tampopo because it's stateside, but as good as I've found here by a wide margin. Complimentary rice water on arrival, very refreshing. Great little sake selection (citron was too sweet for me, but unfiltered was DELISH, and i think we had one other but i can't remember which :), and I love that they let you choose your own sake cup! Noodle menu looked fabulous, and I was slobbering over every bowl they carried past me to other patrons, but I was swayed by the house-made gyoza, house-made pickles, pork belly, wasabi octopus & other wondrous appetizers - tried so many before i had the japanese curry (awesome good) tha I had no room in my belly for noodles! I did manage to make room for the green tea mochi though, always a place in my stomach for that! This place will be a haunt for me in the coming months, I'm back VERY soon for the beautiful, delicious-smelling noodles!

    (4)

  • Kevin S.

    Food is good but service is terrible ! The waitress is rude and mean to the customers. Don't go there with your date on Saturday night if you don't want ruin your romantic night .

    (1)

  • Paul H.

    I love this place, real authentic Japanese ramen at a cheap price. The tonkotsu ramen is so delicious with it's rich broth and I can eat the pork belly rice every day. The gyoza and seafood ramen are both quite good as well and you can try those in future visits.

    (5)

  • Diana C.

    I don't know what happened today, but we are frequent customers to Umaido... today really makes me not want to come back, lol. Friday, prime time for lunch, only one waitress... (friendly, but fairly new seeming) We all take our orders, and I ask for Kimchii, she says they're out. No problem, it happens. One of our group only eats vegetarian, so he orders the soy ramen which is normally very delicious... the waitress comes back 10 minutes later to let him know that they don't have the broth. He's stuck ordering inari sushi and some rice... She comes back again and lets us know that chicken karage is out. 4 people at the table ordered that... so we got menus to order again. Some regular tonkatsu ramen comes out, and the rest of us order... After about an hour, we finally all get our food, including the vegetarian guest who actually got a plate of raw toppings + spinach.......... unfortunately for me, there was a miscommunication about my order, thinking they were only out of chicken karage, but they were out of the tori soup too so I had to reorder an hour into our "meal" ... It took another good 15-20 minutes before it finally was coming out, and I order it to go. It took a good hour and a half to wait for ALL of the food. Still giving them 2 stars, because the food still tastes great, and the waitress was very friendly, but I'm sorely disappointed in the fact that they basically didn't have anything prepped for lunch (I saw almost every other table with no food) ... and we got charged full price for everything, including the guy who had a plate of toppings...... Seriously, what happened today?

    (2)

  • Lydia E.

    I absolutely enjoy the ramen here. The broth can be a little salty at times, but the consistency of the quality of food brings me back every time. There's even a garlic press at each table if you want to add more garlic. One must try the chasyu don rice! Asparagus wrapped in bacon appetizer... yum... well, anything wrapped in bacon is pretty damn good. Service has always been prompt and courteous.

    (5)

  • Agnes C.

    Noodles had a weird texture, but the meal wasn't bad. The portions are small.

    (3)

  • John B.

    A friend found this place, way on the outskirts of town, but after making one trip I knew I would be back for more. I've made the journey three times now to meet up with friends, and its well worth the drive. I love the porky tonkatsu ramen with the rich broth and extra chashu, and I always go for the extra serving of noodles before I finish that delicious broth. Those noodles are not too firm and not too soft; just right, as Goldilocks would say. Next time I think I'll try the spicy miso. The decor is modern and minimalist, with Asian pop playing on the big screen TV overlooking the dining tables. The giant carved chopsticks on the front door let you know you've come to the right place. I recommend you finish the evening with coffee and a pastry at Mozart Bakery a few doors down.

    (5)

  • Alice L.

    Not bad, not great. I've been on a bit of a ramen-hunt in Chicago in an attempt to duplicate my Ippudo NY experience. As it turns out, Chicago has virtually no restaurants that serve quality tonkotsu ramen, but the Atlanta area does have some contenders. I had the Spicy Miso with the regular broth. Compared to Ippudo, their broth is somewhat blander, though I'm not sure how much better the rich broth would be. I also thought the noodles were just a tiny bit on the al dente side; I know ramen is supposed to have some bite, but the texture of the noodles were a bit off. I did really enjoy the braised pork as well as the soft boiled egg, and each table comes with a nifty assortment of various seasonings to add, including freshly ground sesame, peeled garlic that you can press yourself, spicy oil, and pickled ginger. The portion sizes are reasonable, as in you'll finish your bowl and leave the restaurant still feeling nimble. I'll probably come back at some point due to the convenience and because I really adore ramen. This place is, if nothing else, absurdly cheap. I had dinner for two with a green tea ice cream for $21, which isn't bad at all for an authentic and delicious meal.

    (3)

  • Khoi T.

    Umaido took my Ramen virginity and it has really sparked my interests for Ramen. Unfortunately, I have only had the opportunity to consume Ramens from a few establishments. Therefore, I can't compare much. Appetizers: I would suggest you skip this part. The Goyza was just ok while the Japanese Fried Chicken was just simply horrible. Fried Chicken? More like Chicken Fritters. Ramen: I have ordered the Spicy Soy Ramen and the Tonkustu Ramen. I find the Soy broth to be nice, thick, and rich. On several occasion, it can get really salty though. The soft boiled eggs that comes with it is just simply heaven. In comparison to other places, I would say Umaido gives you less for your buck. Time wise, it can take up to 20 minutes for your bowl of Ramen. Service is good.

    (3)

  • Hiro T.

    Alright, I'm going to preface this review by saying that I went into the store ready to compare the ramen to true Japanese ramen because of all the good reviews. Let me go ahead and say that this restaurant's ramen DOES NOT EVEN GET CLOSE to true Japanese ramen. So, if you've been to Japan and expecting the same taste, you will be disappointed. If you go in thinking, "hey, this place is in the states, I'm expecting something that's going to taste accordingly," you will probably be very satisfied. Now, to the ramen. The noodles just don't have the flavor of ramen noodles. They taste rather bland and are a little on the soft side. I went with the spicy miso, which turned out to be spicy, but no miso. I could barely taste the miso and felt like I was sipping on spicy water. I can't say that I will not return because I am a sucker for food challenges and they have two. One where you eat four bowls of ramen, and another spicy ramen challenge. I may return for these, but I would never consider driving all the way out to Suwanee from Atlanta for this ramen. I advise that if your not from the Suwanee area, it's not worth the drive, save some gas money and get some ramen at Shoya. But, if live in the Suwanee area, this place might be worth a visit...

    (2)

  • Bry A.

    where to start. atmosphere I assume they were going for a street feel to add some genuinity ( yea I made that up ). I had the original tonkotsu ramen. pretty good. what brought this place down might have been service or the fact that my hot tea came from a soda can.

    (3)

  • Christofer B.

    Their ramen is good but not the best I ever had. However, I really do like their rice dishes. The place is definitely oriented for young adults so maybe not the best place to bring children.

    (3)

  • Todd P.

    Having lived in Japan for a few years, I had learned early on in my adult life that "ramen" doesn't always mean cheap, nutrition-less crap in a bowl ala "Top Ramen". And therefore was really excited to join a group of crazy people who planned a UYE in Lower Tennessee to snarf down some REAL ramen noodles. While Daniel B. and Dio S. decided to give Umaido's spicy ramen challenge a try, I stuck with the regular tonkotsu bowl (not to be confused with tonkatsu, which I did initially until Dio set me straight. Tonkotsu = roasted pork; tonkatsu = breaded/fried pork cutlet). The pork was very delicious. Noodles had heft, broth was rich and salty. Hard boiled egg was nicely done. The food hit the spot and made me smile. The service, on the other hand, was the shits. Our server, a young high school-aged kid was disconnected and disinterested. When informed about a missing bowl of ramen for one of our party, he shrugged his shoulders and walked away. Boo! I guess it would suck if your parents owned a ramen shop and made you work there (assuming this is the case), and I know we're not talking about The French Laundry here, but come on!

    (3)

  • Carlos C.

    It was certainly better the 3rd time I went. Like pho, it is an acquired taste and have to find the right blend of spices and ingredients to make just right and palatable. So, like any peculiar food, try at least three times before you choose to like or hate it. I'll personally have pho over 'ramen" any day, but Umaido is good for what they do. Will eat again....sometime...on a cold day...when I don't crave Korean, BBQ, Southern, or Chinese food.

    (3)

  • Mi G.

    Darn it, I really wished we didn't run out of batteries for pictures! So sad I wasn't able to document a great moment when my boyfriend ALMOST completed eating 4 bowls of ramen for the challenge. The half-eaten egg yolk threw him off (he hates the sight of it), and he puked half of the broth back into the bowl (another Kodak moment gone to waste), thus, being unable to complete the challenge. So sad. He only had a few drops to go...I curse that egg yolk! It was pretty awesome. I tried eating 4 bowls too; I've always thought that I was a big eater. Being 5'2 and around 90lbs makes it even more unbelievable to some people that I can eat. I really wanted to prove my eating abilities, but I failed miserably. :( 3 noodle bowls into the challenge, I felt myself getting sick. Not to mention the broth was SCALDINGLY HOT. My tongue still feels the burn. I had the 4th bowl to go. Too good to let go to waste (nom nom nom!). I can't say I'll be willingly making myself sick again by consuming massive amounts of food I can't store, but for sure I'll be coming back to Umaido for their thick, rich, delicious ramen, and possibly trying out their spicy challenge next time! :) Needless to say, our experience was pretty epic. My boyfriend is not going to be eating ramen for a while but I'm excited to come back again once he recovers from his new-found fear of ramen. Hehe. :)

    (4)

  • David Y.

    I read many reviews prior to writing it. Why is that people complaint so much on driving so far and decided this place place a less the medicore review? That's your fault for living too far and shouldn't have anything to do with how this resturant is. Do you ever see zagat reviewer going "I had to drive 1 hr to get here and its not worth it" That's so crazy. I rely on yelpers honest review before going to any new resturant...but distance shouldn't be a factor when it comes to writing a review. I think I would give 3.5 stars but I would give it 5 just to even it out. I am not fan of ramen noodle in general. Decent food and good service. Could be managed better. Needs some rolls and other varieties in this place. Hope this place would stick around.

    (5)

  • Navi K.

    So, I have not visited Umaido in months since Spring & this cold night had me craving for a hot bowl of noodle soup...I debated between Vietnamese's Pho or Umaido's mouth-watering rich broth ramen...and being out here in the suburbs left me only a few options..it was obvious Umaido won. I entered with a friend & as always greeted by the friendly patrons...First thing I've noticed is that most of the workers now spoke Korean, kind of raised an eyebrow for me, I recalled from all of my previous visits the workers were Japanese, so wondered if management had changed. I crossed my fingers hoping that food quality will remain the same..I usually start with an appetizer, Tako Yaki or Tori Kaarage, but passed on that today and went straight for the good stuff! I do recommend the Wasabi Takowari though..so I ordered the Tori Ramen (chicken broth based) for the 1st time, thought pork broth was a little too rich to digest after a long night out the day before. I have to say all of the other ramen selections are all delicious, but my favorite is the Spicy ramen & Soymilk ramen. I also ordered the Chasyu (chopped roasted pork rice bowl) to share with my friend, knowing I might be still hungry because the ramen portion here is not humongous, there is only one size bowl here guys..Both were a little disappointment ;( My ramen was meatless, only fried onions, an egg & spinach, most of the ramen comes with at least 3 slices of roast pork, I should of read the menu carefully, that was my fault, but the chewy texture of the buckwheat noodle and broth was on point. Chasyu on the other hand was disappointing, the chopped pork quality wasn't the same, I honestly couldn't tell it was pork this time since it was waaay overly chopped & seems like old pork from earlier in the day & every little bit of it they had left went into the bowl. It had too much mayo too. I see that a few people complained about the small portion of toppings in some of the reviews; ok guys let me educate you on this; Japanese cuisine is very simple & minimal, they do not devour big portions like us Americans, they treat their dishes like art works & the reasons behind small portions is for you to get a small taste of each ingredients that makes up the one meal, they are not greedy with their tongues. And to the people who thought the eggs were half way cooked, well it supposed to be half way cooked because that is how it is traditionally eaten..if you are going to venture out of you safety food zone I would recommend learning about what you are going to eat. I am a big foodie & Ive encountered many cuisines from all over the globe, & I respect the cultures & the traditions behind each one.

    (3)

  • Joy M.

    I've never been disappointed with this place, and I've been going for a couple of years now. The ramyun is great and the decor makes you want to stay longer. It's such a pleasant hole in the wall.

    (5)

  • Destin D.

    I have been back recently. Twice actually. The spicy miso ramen kicks ass! Also, they have a vegetarian option now and it's quite tasty. The broth is made with soy. Everyone should try this place STAT!

    (5)

  • D L.

    Ordered spicy tonkatsu ramen at "average spicy". I thought it was good, until I realized how much water I was sucking down. Each bite washed down with a glass of water... So salty... So rich... However, good service. The waitstaff is always looking around, not in an intrusive way, and it is easy to get their attention. The end.

    (3)

  • Leeanna L.

    I've been searching for a Japanese noodle house in Atlanta for a few years now and honestly, I really wasn't looking hard enough. Umaido, located in a small shopping center next to the Super H Mart in Suwanee, has been open since 2008. Umaido specializes in pork-broth based ramen and offers you a choice of 6 flavors -- Tokatsu, Spicy Tonkatsu, Miso, Sweet Miso, Seafood, and Soymilk. You also have the option to upgrade your regular broth to a "rich" broth. If you're feeling in a competitive mood, Umaido offers a unique challenge. Eat 4 bowls of ramen -- it's free if you finish, $20 if you don't. On a second trip, I spied a hilarious wall of photos of the attempted challengers. I say attempted because of the 60 or so attempts, only 15 have made it. As a personal challenge, a different one sorry, I got the tonkatsu ramen with rich broth. Though the soup had a flavorful start, the salt builds on your tongue rather quickly. On top of that, the rich broth is no-kidding freak'n riiiich. Bring an extra Zantac. In comparing the rich broth to the regular broth, the surface is palpably graced with an oil slick sheen. I cleaned up my noodles, pork slices, and soft-boiled egg but I was not able to finish my broth. For ramen, that's nuf said. Other items of note include the Chasyu Rice Bowl. It was surprisingly complex for what is essentially a bowl of rice with really tasty toppings. Now that's comfort food I could do with on a regular basis. Too bad we're talking Suwanee here. Overall, not quite the Tampopo experience I had in mind. However, if you're weighing that dried packet of ramen for dinner, consider tossing that for the real thing if only for one night. Umaido is a respectably decent Japanese noodle house and a worthy foodie adventure.

    (3)

  • Mark B.

    Yes! Damn good noodles! They really deliver an authentic Japanese noodle soup. If you like spicy then go for the level 2 or higher spicy bowl. I would recommend 2 bowls!

    (4)

  • Betty C.

    I visit Umaido every time I'm back home in the Gwinnett area. It's not the best ramen I've ever had, but it's pretty damn good for the area, and it definitely hits the spot. I would recommend the tonkatsu ramen. Be warned though... the broth is very rich and on the salty side, may not be the best option for someone watching their fat/sodium intake!

    (4)

  • Mike Y.

    Umaido offers up a small menu mostly consisting of Ramen dishes that are supposed to be the most authentic in the Atlanta area. This place is in the friggin 'stix though. I'll admit the only reason I went to bumblefuck was to do their event challenges. My brother double dog dared me. How could I refuse? They offer 2 challenges... Event 1: You have 20 minutes to eat 4 bowls of ramen. Failure means you pay. Winning means you walk away with a free meal Event 2: A spicy bowl of ramen that you must devour in 10 minutes with no water to cool the mouth. Same prizes as above. My friends and I opted for the challenge 2. They offer 3 different spice levels to normal dishes. Level 1, 2, and 3. The spice challenge is supposedly level 100. It was definitely spicy, but not challenge worthy. The difficult task is to drink the boiling hot broth in 10 minutes without scalding the inside of your mouth. As for the taste, I was trying to beat a challenge so tasting, chewing, and took a back burner to winning. I eventually took it down, but it left my a rumbling in my stomach that lasted for hours. I'm gonna have to go back to see how a real dish is supposed to taste. My table mates seemed to enjoy their meals so I guess it wasn't all bad. Either way I got a nice profile pic to go with my free bowl of noodles. Win!

    (4)

  • Aimee W.

    Tonkotsu ramen was spot on. First time wasn't as impressed but this time it was different. Noticed the high gluten flour in the kitchen as I walked in and realized that they actually make their own noodles. This is the difference between a good and average ramen noodle house. I wish they didn't close at 3p on a Monday as it feels rushed being shooed out while the staff has their family meal. Had the wasabi octopus appetizer and for under $2, it was delicious. Will definitely be a stop every time I pass through ATL.

    (4)

  • Derek L.

    This place serves pretty decent Ramen... I hope I don't offend anyone by saying this, ITS RAMEN.......This place is definitely better than Shoyu. The soup seems a little bit less watered down. I tasted the rich soup and regular soup to me it tasted exactly the same. So its up to you if you want to spend an extra dollar on it or not. Its just MSG with soup and noodles and a boiled egg. I do give it credit for the small setting and surroundings. It seems very comfortable. Also there is a challenge there if you could eat a certain amount of the Ramen noodles you get a prize like 1 year free Ramen or something like that. If you like Ramen noodles and live in the Sawnee area, by all means go to this place. If you are looking for a place to have a date, pretty good place in the H-mart in Sawnee's shopping center.

    (3)

  • Alex R.

    I will just say this: My japanese coworker ranked it amongst Ramen Noodle Shops in Shinjuku (Tokyo).

    (4)

  • George L.

    I'm a Ramen aficionado. On the east coast haven't really found many that actually has ramen. Only two places I can say: Orlando at Hana Mizuki (on I-drive) and here at Umaido. By far Umaido has soup base that is unique. They have soymilk-, honey miso-, tonkatsu-, and a few others. The soup is rich just how ramen should be made. If you're on the east coast I would say, as of this moment, Umaido is probably as good as it gets for ramen. Orlando is next. Those are about the only two places on this side of the country I would recommend for ramen (but you really have no choice there aren't any others). But I do highly recommend Umaido. Unfortunately the noodles themselves didn't quite impress me as some other ramen restaurants I had in the past. Otherwise enjoy! I love this place and I will be coming here every time I pass Atlanta.

    (5)

  • Ellie N.

    This is my second time here and probably my last. I really don't know what the hype is about this place. Their food is average at best and their service is..snobby. Maybe this place has declined recently but I dont remember my first time being out of this world either. Everyone else in my group was not satisfied with their meal either, there was just not enough flavor in the soup. Maybe their goal is to make a bland-ish soup and then people can flavor it to how they want. This sort of defeats the purpose though. Last time I got the extra noodles but this time I didn't even bother, I had to force myself to finish my bowl cause I was so hungry from an entire day outdoor. That's saying something when a group of super super hungry people (who've been outside all day) dont enjoy your food. I've never tried the super spicy broths, maybe that's why people love it so much, I just dont get it.

    (2)

  • Gloria W.

    I've been obsessed with ramen lately.. especially spicy ramen. I ordered level 3 spicy ramen thinking I could handle it. Well, I did eat it, but didn't enjoy it. It was my fault for being that adventurous.. but it wasn't the spiciness. I just can't put my finger on what it was that made me not like it. Maybe it was the MSG? Salt? I don't know. But I had some of my friend's chasudon and it was really good. If I come back, that's what I'll get.. LARGE sized and maybe bum off someone else's ramen. If I want ramen, I'm going to Haru Ichiban. Bigger portion and more yumminess.

    (3)

  • Eva T.

    Compared to the ramen houses on the west coast and in NYC, I think this is probably the most spacious ramen house I've ever been to. The tonkotsu ramen broth was very rich. My husband ordered the tonkotsu rich broth and that was way too rich. The regular broth was just fine. I thought the broth was on the salty side. The egg was good with the runny yolk. I thought the noodles reminded me of Chinese egg noodles. I liked the broth, but not so much of the noodles. The fresh garlic on the table with the garlic press definitely added a nice touch to the ramen experience. The portion was just right for me, but on the small side for my husband even after ordering the extra noodles. Overall, I thought it was good, but not great enough for me to drive all the way up to Suwanee just for ramen.

    (4)

  • Sarah E.

    4.5 stars, rounded up because these folks really treat me right and I haven't found better ramen in Atlanta (well, NEAR Atlanta) since Sakana-Ya closed down a few years ago. I figured I should update my review, since I eat at Umaido so often that most of the staff recognizes me now. I have become addicted to the delicious tonkotsu broth and the laid-back atmosphere. I've brought a friend here for lunch and he raved about it, and I finally brought my husband here last night and he was a fan, too. The atmosphere is laid-back and the decor is cool and I guess kind of industrial. I'm a fan of the perky J-pop and Japanese techno that's usually playing. I always get good service and I always feel welcome. Don't bother with the gyoza - they're kind of small and not really filled enough. I usually get the chasyu rice bowl, though I want to try the onigiri (rice balls) sometime, too. I never get around to it because I like the chasyu rice bowl so much. It's a bowl of perfectly cooked rice topped with the perfect blend of pork, soy sauce, ginger, aioli and other flavors. On weekdays during lunch, you can get it for 3 bucks along with a little edamame. Order a rice bowl along with a bowl of the ramen, and you'll leave pretty full. I usually just order the regular tonkotsu ramen, but you can order extra pork or other extra toppings for pretty cheap if you so desire. I highly recommend using the garlic press at your table to crush in one (or two or three) whole cloves of garlic. The garlic really brings out the rich flavor of the broth even more. When your bowl of ramen comes out, it looks beautiful. Green onions, bean sprouts, "tree ears" (which I think are a type of mushroom), and a few slices of pork are arrayed atop the broth with care and accopanied by a soft-boiled brown egg. The pork is tender and perfectly cooked. The broth is rich, creamy and delicious (and probably filled with millions of fat grams and calories). Umaido's menu says that it takes them 36 hours to prepare their broth, and that care and attention to detail really shows in the flavor of the soup. The noodles served at Umaido are a lot different from any ramen noodles I've had before. When I used to enjoy ramen on a regular basis at the old Sakana-Ya in Chamblee, the noodles were curly and sort of a fresher, much yummier version of the noodles you think of when you think of instant ramen. The noodles at Umaido are thicker and straighter, but they taste delicious and fresh. I had to get used to them because they were different from the noodles I'd tried before, but now I love them. Up until recently, Umaido offered only 3 flavors of ramen - regular tonkotsu, miso ramen, and spicy tonkotsu. I have tried all of these, and the regular tonkotsu is by far my favorite. I also enjoyed the miso ramen, though I'm a creature of habit and keep going back for the regular tonkotsu. In my opinion, the heat of the spicy ramen takes away from the complexity of the tonkotsu broth, so I don't really recommend it. They recently (within the past month or so) updated their menu to add some new flavors - seafood ramen, sweet miso ramen, and soy milk ramen. I haven't tried any of these yet, though I do plan to try the seafood ramen when I'm in a fishy mood someday. I hope the expanded menu is a sign that Umaido is doing good business, because I want them to stick around for a long, long time.

    (5)

  • Daric M.

    I've only been here twice but like it a whole lot. Menu is very short, really just 3 dishes. Noodles in a rich pork broth, Noodles in pork broth with miso, and noodles in spicy pork broth. The broth is unlike anything I've had before, super rich and tasty. I'm sure it's got loads of fat in it, but it's like it's emulsified, as it doesn't seem fatty but almost creamy. They all come with a little thinly sliced roast pork, lots of green onions, some seaweed and a soft boiled egg. You can get extra noodles, extra pork or extra rich broth for a little extra. Or you can get sides, either a little rice dish or dumplings. My advice, get the basic noodle bowl. If you like spicy, add the chili oil on the table instead of getting the spicy noodles. The spicy broth doesn't seem to have the complexity. And get the rice side instead of the goyza. The rice dish is wonderful but the goyza are just average. Service is annoyingly attentive. I almost docked them a star but I understand that they probably get lots of confused round eyes in there.

    (5)

  • Joseph M.

    Won't find better ramen in Georgia

    (5)

  • Canyouwoowoo W.

    Guys, guys, seriously c'mon. Ima grown man here for cryin oud-lowd! (pounding the table)... I am won hunnert percent Amer-can! So where's the beef?... Oh wait, I mean to say, where's the meat? Where's didya stash the rest of the little piggie? Tonkatsu Ramen costs $7. The portion given was for hello kitty dolls. Ima a grown man dangnabbit! But gotta admit. It WAS good...

    (3)

  • Sean L.

    Although this restaurant is operated by Korean, their ramen flavor is the closest one I ever had in the US to the Tonkotsu Ramen I had in Hakata () , Kyushu, Japan. I really enjoy it. We ordered the Spicy Tonkotsu ramen and the Miso Tonkotsu ramen. The Miso one is pretty authentic, while the spicy one is, I guess, customized for Korean folks. Anyway, I never found a good ramen place when living in California, this one tops all the ramen places I have been in several states.

    (5)

  • Peter B.

    Many people wouldn't know the difference between the multiple varieties of ramen in Japan (salt, soy, miso, pork broth), but those that know usually have a favorite, and this is mine. Umaido is unquestionably the best pork broth ramen I've found in the Atlanta area. The flavor is spot on; they have all the right toppings at the table (sesame seeds and pickled ginger); and you can order refills of noodles for just $1 (one of the well-known quirks associated with this style of ramen). I highly recommend it if you're looking for authentic Japanese ramen.

    (5)

  • CC S.

    Hands down one of my favorite places to eat in Atlanta. The night before I ate at a fancy restaurant downtown, and Umaido was 10 times better. The service was great (maybe a little too much but only because there weren't many people there). The food was fantastic. If I hadn't been so full, I would have ordered another bowl. I wanted to eat here for every meal while I was in Atlanta. I can't wait to go back.

    (5)

  • Janice K.

    I love this place, I wouldn't go anywhere else. My cousin introduced me to this place about a year ago and I've been hooked ever since. The spicy ramen is pretty dang spicy to the point where it makes you cry and sniffle depending on the level of spiciness you choose, but you can't help but to consume the whole bowl.

    (5)

  • Charlene W.

    One day, I went to Umaido for lunch because I had a craving for ramen. Strangely, most ramen places in Atlanta and even OTP are closed for lunch. Places like Miso Izakaya only serve ramen during late night (after 10pm), so my options were limited. After some severe Yelping (thanks guys!), I begrudgingly accepted that I had to drive out to Suwanee for my fix. This place really does an authentic and fantastic job. I got the Tonkotsu Ramen with extra chasyu (roasted pork). The broth was rich with lots of flavor, they had the right amounts of toppings, and I liked the flavor the tree ear added. I also appreciated that you could get a refill on noodles. For those who aren't familiar, in traditional ramen places, you can get a refill on noodles when you are done but are left with broth and toppings in your bowl. I definitely got a refill on my noodles (say kae dama to get the refill) and happily slurped down the rest of my bowl. For the record, I eat like a fat kid -- a refill is definitely not necessary for the average person to be full. My only gripes, if you can even call them that, are that I wish the pork was sliced slightly thinner and I prefer a poached egg rather than a soft boiled egg for ramen. (Note: The menu calls it 1/2 hard boiled, but the eggs are soft boiled.) The soft boiled egg was actually done perfectly, so it's hard to complain. If you're a fan of spicy food, you can try the Ultra Spicy Ramen where they have different levels of spiciness, or try the "spicy-men" for actual noodles that are made to be spicy. There are also other types of ramen (miso, tori, etc.) available, since Umaido is a ramen house. I stuck with the regular ones because I don't like spicy food that much. It's a pain to drive out to Suwanee, but is Umaido worth the drive out to Suwanee? Definitely.

    (5)

  • Vy A.

    I was pretty excited to hear that there was a ramen place in town. In fact, we were so excited to hear this news that we ditched our original dinner plans (while already in the restaurant) and made the trek up to Suwanee.The restaurant was clean and has a fresh layout, with the front reminiscent of an old ramen house and the back being a bit more hip. Menu: The menu is limited to variations on the Tonkotsu broth, which is usually my favorite when it comes to ramen. There are basically three things to get 1) Tonkotsu 2) Spicy Tonkotsu and 3) Miso Tonkotsu; Of course there are some adds that you can get eg. rice with fish eggs, gyoza... Service: Service was good...nothing much to expand on here. Food: I enjoyed the broth of the classic Tonkotsu. It is some of the better ramen broth I've had in Atlanta. It is has the richness and flavor that Shoya's Tonkotsu broth lacks. The egg was carefully cooked and the meat was not bad. We also tried the spicy Tonkotsu broth, which was disappointing. The spices used really highlight the Korean influence and straying away from the traditional Japanese flavors and detracted from the flavors. I also did not appreciate the texture of the noodles. I'll probably give this place another whirl and I do recommend that people giveit a try, especially if they happen to be in the area.

    (3)

  • Andres C.

    Quite the gem in suwanee, ga.

    (5)

  • FangFang W.

    It was my favorite. However, it seems changed a lot since last time I came. It becomes more Korean rather than japanese. Tamagoyaki tacoyaki are great.

    (4)

  • Kipp S.

    For it's category (Ramen Noodles), this place is a 5 star. Surrounded by Asian cuisine, Umaido's stands out from the crowd. Starting with the cuisine, the food was fresh and full of flavors. The ability to mix so many ingredients together without the individual flavors being lost is akin to sushi. (that's an analogy. they don't make sushi) As far as the restaurant, it is very clean and has a comfortably modern style. Anytime I am in the area I make sure to stop in. I hate TV's in restaurants but if you like them, they have those for you. Service is average. On the 3 weekday occasions I've visited, the servers were eager to serve but not too experienced. In the end, I highly recommend for a anyone who wants to try great ramen noodles, wants to try something new, on an informal or semiformal date, or out with friends. Nice Job Umaido, I don't give 5 stars to hardly anyone!

    (5)

  • Suzy J.

    Chasyu Don was fantastic, the pickled ginger makes the dish.. otherwise it would just be tasty pork, sauce and rice... :) yeah it was great. Now, I ordered the Tonkatsu Ramen as my main dish of choice. The ramen noodles were WONDERFUL but I have a place in my heart for the broth and some of the tenderest pork @ Haru Ichiban. So if I could put the two together, how sweet life would be. Alas I cannot and I would have to go with Haru Ichiban for the dish overall crying that I could not have the awesome noodles of Umaido. I agree with s k.'s review but I might go again just for a bowl of something different.

    (4)

  • Ikam L.

    Just stopped by yesterday and I rate 3 stars. Well, it was okay but the soup was a bit salty and they did not bring gyoza after we finished eating ramen. If you are fan of Hakata ramen, you'll love it. As far as restaurant atmosphere, it was nice and clean, the staffs were very nice.

    (3)

  • Christopher V.

    I only give this place props for being the only Ramen shop in the Atlanta area. I lived on the west coast and in Hawaii, so I know what ramen is supposed to taste like and this is not it. What they could do to improve it: add a fish cake, use STRAIGHT thin noodles (or at least the option), offer white AND red pepper, more flavors of broth, and maybe offer a katsu/tempura bowl. The ramen I am used to eating out west contained a variety of ingredients including: corn, squid, pork, beansprouts, seaweed, fish cake, and other such ingredients. If you want something to munch on that's better than this, I suggest going to your local Pho shop. The Vietnamese cuisine in the Atlanta area is pretty good.

    (3)

  • Kevin K.

    Best japanese ramen in atlanta.. but that's not saying much since all others (Raku, Shoya, Haru Ichiban) taste like crap. Portion is small, taste is whatever, and it's quite expensive for what you get. The soup leaves a grimy feeling in your mouth after you finish. Their spicy miso has a kick to it but no real taste. This place is a 1 star compared to a real good ramen places in NY such as totto and ippudo, but then again, this place is the best in atlanta.. if you are a ramen lover, don't come here with high expectations..

    (2)

  • Madelene P.

    For all you Ramen Noodle lovers out there, I recommend this restaurant if you want to upgrade that packaged noodle and take it to a whole new level. However, here at Umaido, they don't actually use those cheap packaged noodles that you can find on the shelves in the Asian aisle of your local Walmart. They actually use fancier noodles---noodles that are worth serving. This was my first time eating here at Umaido and just by the sound of it, I was really intrigued. A ramen noodle restaurant? Really? Well, I ordered the Honey...something.... Ramen noodle. And, to my surprise, I was very dissatisfied. The broth was just missing the pow and kicking flavor I was dying to taste. Maybe it was just because of the person that was making my food. Or maybe I didn't really order the best item on the menu. However, though my first experience wasn't satisfying, there's just something about this place that makes me want to come back. Maybe next time, I'll try something different from the menu. Kudos to the atmosphere. It was very unique. It looked like a factory. I know that sounds weird but I was very fascinated.

    (3)

  • Peter Y.

    So now that I beat their spicy ramen challenge, I am considered a "champion" and get 10% off all my bills......victory is sweet.

    (4)

  • Miss K.

    Very authentic and delicious ramen! A note to the curious: "tree ear" means mushroom. I recommend the honey miso or spicy miso ramen and the Gyoza

    (4)

  • Vivian C.

    What can I say? I'm addicted to coming to this place after trying it out. I used to come every single week, but over a year later, I'm still coming every few weeks. The soup is pretty darn tasty (albeit a littley salty), and I'm a fan of the half-boiled egg with gooey yolk and the super flavorful slices of pork, but it's those dratted freshly-made noodles that I can't get out of my mind. I think I could eat them every day with anything- breakfast, lunch, dinner, midnight snack. Of couse, I order the extra noodles. Service can be slow if they get crowded, and it seems to get more crowded on each of my visits, but the staff are cheerful and helpful. The kimchi (free, but you need to ask for it) is decent and I've tried both the rice dishes which are solid, but much overshadowed by the ramen.

    (5)

  • mind your b.

    So disappoint last time we order to-go. They mess up the order. I wanted spicy ramen but they gave me miso ramen. I wanted extra noodle and they didn't pack them. When I got home and open the bag I didn't get my extra ramen, the broth was wrong, and I didn't get my sliced pork- what a total disappointment. I wish there was such a language barrier when trying to order because I guy took the order acted like he understood what was saying to him.

    (2)

  • Emily S.

    My husband and I stumbled upon this place while driving from Atlanta to Greenville, SC. What a find! Great soup, cool vibe, friendly staff. It has a ultra-hip Japanese vibe and the food was outstanding. Loved all the extra condiments on the table. I had the original ramen which was better than my husband's spicy ramen. Very rich broth with lots of texture added from the mushrooms, egg, bean sprouts, and burdock. You really should try this place. We hope to be back in the area soon so we can do it again.

    (5)

  • Ana A.

    the pork belly is soooooooo good!

    (5)

  • Owen R.

    Looking at the posts from other Atlanta-area food bloggers, I can't pretend to have found this one on my own however, earlier this week to Suwannee to experience the ramen at Umaido, as it was a rainy respite from the oncoming summer. Let me preface this with stating that I am a relative neophyte to ramen, my only other in experiences in metro Atlanta being with Yakitori Jinbei, and a small sampling of ramen during a sake tasting at Taka. All three have been unmistakably unique. We arrived to the location which, not surprising for the restaurants I have been trying lately, is located in the same shopping center as a Super H Mart, a good omen if I have encountered one before. From the front and initially entering, Umaido appears empty, however as you are taken past the open kitchen the restaurant opens up into a few tables and one long communal bench in the middle of the room. The waitstaff was wonderful and attentive, it must have been apparent that we were new to Umaido; our waitress did an excellent job however of going over the short menu and offering explanations when necessary. The menu is not that much to traverse; only offering a few variations on raman and a few a la carte options. In the two times I have visited I have gotten the spicy tonkatsu ramen both times, Alex has sampled both the seafood ramen and the miso-based broth. I am not a fan of the miso/shoyu ramen as much as the pork-based tonkatsu, however Umaido offers a 'rich-broth' option on all it's items so you can achieve the richness of the normal tonkatsu with any of the selections. The bowls when delivered are undeniably appealing. I was worried that using just my iPhone to get the photograph of the dish when it was brought to the table would not do justice to the myriad colors coming from the bowl. Looking at what is posted above. The slices of pork are extremely tender, I was unable to resist tasting one as soon as it landed on the table and it was extremely lean yet flavorful, the other two slices I promptly buried beneath the fresh noodles to absorb the flavor of the broth. The soup is garnished with seaweed, green and white onions, garlic, and a soft-boiled egg -- which I have always had an affinity for since having them served for breakfast when I was in grade school. Despite ordering the broth spicier than I thought, it did not out-balance the other flavors in the bowl. The noodles made fresh in house were not all notted up, and retained their own flavors as well. Balance is extremely important to me in any dish, and Umaido definitely does not disappoint in being able to combine all these things together, and not compromising any of the individual aspects of the dish. I am pleasantly surprised; often times extremely wonderful food does not photograph well and loses all it's appetizing appeal once captured on film, I am glad to say I feel the picture above does this one justice though. My apologies to Yakitori Jinbei, which I still love tremendously for their wonderful in house grilled yakitori, however Umaido, at least for me, wins the Atlanta ramen contest hands down. I have been back once already since originally beginning to write this article and will definitely be making this a regular stop after work; unfortunately it's jus

    (5)

  • Scott T.

    I thought I'd found my favorite restaurant when I found Umaido. My wife and I used to come here at least once a week for the excellent Tonkatsu Ramen. We drove 30 minutes each way from the other side of Cumming. Unfortunately, they have recently made changes that have us in search of a new ramen shop. While the ramen has always been pretty good, the portions have always been on the quite small size. Not really a good value. It helped a bit when they had their "loyalty card," which you got stamped for each ramen you ordered. After 10 stamps, you got a free one. Apparently, in their attempt to raise profits, they recently (July 2012) eliminated their loyalty card, which is an effective 10% price increase on top of their already not very good value. Even worse, they have cut their kitchen staff down to a single "chef" (which is actually just a high school kid without much experience. So now it takes over 45 minutes from the time you enter the restaurant just to get a bowl of ramen. After driving one hour (round trip), I really do not want to waste another 45 minutes waiting for a bowl of soup. I am disappointed, Umaido, that you were not satisfied with making a decent profit, and that you got so greedy as to lose - not only a very loyal customer, but someone who used to be some of your best word-of-mouth marketing support. The profit you will lose by raising your prices and reducing your services will not be trivial, as my wife and I typically ordered at least $50 worth of high-end sakis to go with our $20 ramens. It is this customer's opinion that you have tripped over a dollar to make a dime. I can no longer give my passionate rave reviews for Umaido; although I may still come for your ramen a couple of times a year until I find the new alternative.

    (3)

  • Tulie L.

    I was very excited to hear about a noodle house here in Georgia..but the drive.. a whopping 35 minutes was a bit much for the experience. What am I saying? Well if you live like 5 minutes aways.. it would be worth it to frequent the place.. as for me.. being ok means it was an experience..and I won't be coming back. Went with a couple of yelpers..everyone was very excited! The place is nicely decorated with a contemporary style very much like Ikea furnishings. So I ordered number 2 with the sweet miso rich broth which contains 4pieces of VERY thinly sliced roasted pork ( this was yummy but pretty fatty),seaweed, bean sprout, and corn. The noodles were good, but I am used to something a bit more thicker and chewy.. The broth was a bit too rich for me you can see chunks of floating fat, as well as a creamy colored broth - You can definitely taste a hint of miso..The corn blah.. I am not into corn unless it is on the comb and it felt like canned corn.. Also ordered gyoza but it never came out but somehow it ended up on the bill? The waitress was very nice and once we told her she took it off.. I think the broth was a bit too rich and a bit salty for my taste, because 3 hours later my tummy felt unsettled.. it was not food poisoning..it's just that bleh feeling, like if you had eaten fast food.. In a review like this.. I wish I could give 2.5 stars.. but since i cannot.. and the service was ok.. food was ok.. but gyoza was missing from the order.. and was charged.. I'd have to place it 2.5 to a 2.. for yelp rating ..

    (2)

  • Lilik T.

    Order tonkatsu ramen, order the bakaidon (i think) for the spice..careful, it is really really spicy

    (5)

  • P M.

    mmmmmm Umaido, I first made the trek out there back in winter 2010 and have headed out to suwanee at least 3x since to specifically get to Umaido. I love the atmosphere of the place, service can be slow but is always done with a smile. I typically get the spicy tonkatsu, they used to have only 4 types of ramen on the menu but they've expanded to having a seafood option and a vegetarian option (I think this is there 2nd take on the vegetarian option as the first one they offered was fairly bland and had to be ordered well in advance so that they could cook the broth separate). I've forced many a doubtful friend into my car to drive 40 minutes out of the city to eat at Umaido and none of them have ever left disappointed (I'm pretty sure one of my friends almost shed a tear of joy). I may not be the finest connoiseur of ramen but good food is good food.

    (5)

  • young k.

    Ramen is ok. Not as good as my old neighborhood ramen in Cali, Nippon Ramen on Reseda and Asahi Ramen on Sawtelle. The selection is small and the portions are ok. Wish they had side fried rice and more appetizers to go with drinks. I wish someone would open a sake bar and yummy okonomiyaki. Wish they had better ginger rather than the beef bowl red ginger.

    (2)

  • Alice C.

    Was attracted by the photos on the website, but disappointed after visit honestly. Food: (Ramen) The soup base is more oily then rich.; noodle is not the ramen noodle; the toppings are not the authetic flavor either. Service: the waitress served us seem to be in a hurry and rushed us and no smile at all. The manager (owner?) is friendly though. Btw, the owner and the chef don't seem to be Japanese and if you are looking for authentic ramen, I'd recommend Shoya over Umaido.

    (2)

  • Jo X.

    My favorite Japanese noodle restaurant! The food is cheap and authentic! Although it's kind of out the way, but it's worth the trip.

    (5)

  • n y.

    came back and the noodles were much better. I also tried the rich broth and I love it! I can't wait to come back here for more. 2 bowls is my limit though. I'd say probably 1.5 bowls would be optimal for me. Just get some bigger bowls and add a new size to the menu!

    (4)

  • Chloe M.

    Despite its Korean roots, this place serves excellent Japanese ramen noodle soups. I love the soft boiled egg served with the soup -- it adds a distinct taste to the broth which is quite nice. The gyoza is ho-hum so I wouldn't waste my time on it. Get an extra order of pork or noodles instead. Better yet, get the pork on rice -- yummy!

    (4)

  • Todd M.

    I'm a sushi-holic...and for the longest time I thought that was all there was to japanese food. I've since broke that habit, going to places like Shoya Izakaya and now this place, and I have to say, there is a whole lot more to Japanese food that I love. I'm a typical white guy (ok..actually 1/4 native american..) but after growing up in the Midwest I have to say that bland, boring food is not my favorite stuff anymore. Give me a bowl of I-dunno-what, and I'm grinning ear to ear. I've passed Umaido several times because I shop at Super H a lot to get the yummy mixings to make some of this internation nosh at home. I've never once thought twice about Umaido until I read the reviews on Yelp. So tonight my wife and two kids decided to try something new. Very helpful staff. I told our waitress that I had never been before, and she explained everything in a way to relieve any fear of jumping in. We got two simple bowls of Ramen for our children (still pretty complex) and I got the spicy ramen with #2 spice level. My wife got the same ramen my children ordered. (BTW..my children are 5 and 8 years old). The food..excellent. The noodles are obviously freshly made, and had just enough 'bite' to them to be pleasing to the mouth. The broth was yummy, but from what I can tell, there are things at the table you can use to season it even more to your taste. Each bowl comes with an egg, which is almost hard boiled, but when you cut it open the yoke is still a little soft....amazing how it adds so much flavor. You can order it a little thicker, a little more flavorful. I chose this option. The broth itself became a meal. The collagen almost coated your tongue, but not in a bad way. So fresh..so good, so friendly...you can't go wrong here.

    (4)

  • JOY T.

    I recently went here with a fellow yelper for lunch to see what all the hype was about. The restaurant had an urban feel, but still Japanese-ish. The actual restaurant was kinda small, which I guess resulted in having really small tables? I mean like really small....it barely fit 2 bowls, 2 cups, and a pitcher of tea. The menu was straight to the point with 3 different types of ramen noodles. We both ordered the tonkotsu ramen with an extra order of noodles. The broth was good and had a lot of flavor. It had a lot of fat in it, and at the end of the meal you can see the fat layer on top of the soup starting to form. The portion was small leaving us not full, but not hungry either. The service was really good for an Asian restaurant. They actually knew how to speak English!! They were really polite, attentive, and quick. In my opinion, it was a glorified "Maruchan Ramen" with meat and egg. Not that great for 8 bucks.....I can make this at home with the Maruchan Ramen for less than half of that. 6 packs for a whole dollar! and they say you cant get anything for a dollar anymore....ppssshhhhh

    (3)

  • The P.

    Umaido, you are my enemy. Why so much salt and fatty goodness?! Why do you taste so good?!? I've been here multiples times and I CANNOT FORGET the eggs. Why do you have such yummy eggs? I adore the entrance doors with chopstick handles. OH you are too cute! I love the soup but I'm not a big fan on the waxy, weird, slight odor of the noodles. Umaido, please change your noodles! Not everything homemade is delicious.

    (4)

  • Michael L.

    After getting some pretty good ramen out in LA (Hakata Shinsengumi and Ramen California), we figured that we'd give this a shot and see how it compared. I got the normal tonkotsu ramen with rich(fatty) broth ($1 extra), and she got the spicy (level 2) tonkotsu ramen. Another friend got the miso ramen. Normal Tonkotsu w/rich broth: I'm guessing that the black powdery element in the soup was probably black sesame powder incorporated into the broth- this broth was really tasty, but as other reviews mentioned, super fatty. I don't mind that- just don't drink it all if you can't take it. :) It reminded me a lot of the tonkotsu ramen broth I had at Ramen California- flavorful, creamy/heavy, and on the salty side. The Chasyu (roast pork) was a bit chewy and seemed overcooked- though the flavor of the pork itself was good. The noodles were on the hard side (I tend to like it that way), and it was the straight type of noodles (like at Hakata Shinsengumi). Their parboiled eggs were AWESOME. Unlike Shoya, they keep their eggs intact instead of halving them. (4) If you'd like to get a refill on noodles (kaedama), you can pay an extra buck for it. It's a better way to get the most out of the tasty broth. The spiciness in the spicy tonkotsu ramen tended to mask the pork bone flavor, so I wouldn't recommend this one as much. (3) I only got a spoonful of the miso broth- it tasted lighter (not as fatty/creamy), but was still decently salty. (3.5) For a bowl of noodles, 7-10 bucks is okay....I just wish I didn't have to drive 40 minutes to get to this spot. I'll have to try Yakitori Jinbei's tonkotsu next.

    (4)

  • Joe O.

    Tokoyaki was awesome. Got two servings. Honey Tonkatsu is always good. Level 100 is on another level. Just down the broth or you'll vomit.

    (5)

  • Peter O.

    Spicy Miso Ramen is heaven in a bowl, marry this with the unfiltered Sake (Shirakawago) and you have a party in your mouth.

    (5)

  • Sonia C.

    So I saw one of my friend ate Tonkatsu in Japan and that makes me craving tonkatsu ramen. So i yelping the best tonkatsu ramen and i decided to try Umaido. This small restaurant located beside H mart Suwanee. The interior just simple and clean in my opinion very "street looking" compared to traditional Japanese restaurant. The menu is not that much. Mostly ramen. I did yelping before i ordered :P And decide to choose spicy tonkatsu ramen. The menu came couple of minutes after i ordered. They taste tasty salty and it have meaty pork rich flavor , the broth has milky colour, unfortunately you only get 3 slice of pork and the rest is the ramen and small (i forget the name) circle thing and taste like artificial meat. The good point : You can order the ramen for free because the waiter asked me if i want more ramen i just have to called her. Well, I personally don't like order another ramen because i feel like i only eat the ramen with milky soup and that's why i feel not full, i guess you can eat it as a brunch. Advice : Please add more pork meat, 3 slice is not enough.

    (4)

  • Louise S.

    Umaido is a great spot for some authentic tasty noodles. It's just a shame it's about 200 miles away from anywhere. Husband has successfully completed the Spicy Noodle challenge so the last couple of times we've been back he has not felt the need to force a bowl of scalding chili water down his gullet. The broth comes in 2 strengths regular and rich. If I go for the rich I can't finish the bowl. The food is streaks ahead of the service, with the seeming obligatory contingent of slightly stroppy bored teens, huffing when asked for anything and rolling their eyes. Our waiter came round to ask our table if we needed anything else but neglected to mention the reason she was asking was that the kitchen was closing in a couple of minutes (at 8.30). Umaido is pretty good and if we suddenly decide to move out into the arse end of Atlanta so it becomes local I could see it becoming a regular spot. As it is it's just not quite special enough to be worth the epic trek

    (3)

  • JEWELe M.

    Umaido is still my favorite ramen spot in Atlanta, and maybe in the Southwest United States! At this visit I tried the Honey Miso Ramen with extra pork belly! Delicious! I enjoy my ramen a little sweet with extra corn, so this was a delicious treat! Check it out! And yes, I believe the collagen in the broth is doing wonders in my Asian skin! ;D

    (5)

  • Jeannie L.

    I came back with a group of friends this weekend, one of whom came as a CHALLENGER and cleared all 4 bowls of ramen under 20 mins. :) Today I ordered the original tonkotsu ramen, the soup wasn't as good as previously but the chashu (roast pork) was more tender and better tasting... Had a fun evening, will be back sometime for more ramen...

    (5)

  • Sara C.

    The vegetarian soy milk broth is the JAM. It's a little sweet, but rich in flavor. Word of advice to other vegetarians: do not get the "rich soup" broth, as it has pork in it. I am only leaving off a star because I think they should throw in a few extra vegetables (since there are no meat chunks), and because there were noisy children banging on the table with no supervision (not their fault, but it definitely makes me think twice before making the trek out to Suwanee...).

    (4)

  • rob s.

    Well damn, the newspaper article said the hubby was Japanese and he speaks enough of it .... though like it matters. Still my favorite place to visit when seeing the folks.

    (5)

  • Ji H.

    Had to eat it a few times to really like it, but now I really like it.

    (5)

  • Julie Y.

    Cold weather makes me crave ramen noodles. The miso noodles come with burdock root which I'm a fan of, but overall I liked the flavor of the regular noodles more. Both come with a soft boiled egg which I loved! The portion of pork is rather small though you can add more. I think I saw a flyer that said if you eat 4 bowls in 20 min. you get the meal for free.....

    (4)

  • Dio S.

    Umaido, the only specialized ramenya in the Atlanta area is cruelly situated 30 miles north of downtown. Fortunately, the ramen does not disappoint and I find myself driving up here to eat once every couple months. Here you find some description about the hours of labor that go into making the pork bone soup base and home made fresh noodles. The menu prominently features several ramen options, and a few side dishes. The ramen style advertised is called Hakata, and the thick white broth, thin straight noodles, and the toppings affirm the identity; on the table are peeled garlic cloves with crusher, and red ginger. The broth is intensely fragrant, as are certain toppings such as the roast pork and the squid. The intensity and uniqueness (as in contrast, most other places' broth smell quite like one another) of the broth fragrance are impressive. The taste is rich and substantial, but generally not salty enough to me (except for the tori ramen, which has a modified shio-style broth). It is improved a notch by the addition of crushed garlic (also smells better) and becomes excellent, though still slightly lacking saltiness. Getting the "extra rich" broth increases the substantial-ness, but unfortunately doesn't necessarily make it tastier. Noodles are always slightly under-cooked and have a wheaty chew quite unlike the common curly egg noodles found at most places. It is unique and good, I am just not sure it's that much better. Because of the rich broth they expect you to and I typically find myself requesting extra noodles, which is another prominently featured option on the menu. Toppings are very flavorful with some great recipes, and the egg is cooked just right and oozes warm yolk when you bite into it. I've had some side dishes like chicken karaage and gyoza here, they have not been too memorable. The service is usually lousy, which is tolerable to me. Overall, Umaido gives you a wonderful smelling and very good tasting ramen that has a strong style identity, and the dining experience of eating at a specialized ramenya. I'll eat here much more often if it isn't so far.

    (4)

  • James S.

    Outstanding!!!!! (Again for Buford) My favorite is Haru Ichiban when I want to make the drive.

    (4)

  • Richard A.

    I'm a fan of Santouka Ramen in Mitsuwa stores in various parts of the nation. I stumbled across this place one night during these past holidays, when me and my brother were looking for some new place to eat. The huge chopsticks on the door must have caught our attention, and also their BOGO special then. I must say though, I'm glad we stepped foot through those doors because we've been back several times since. In comparison to Santouka, this is good but not better. Santouka has the better broth, but Umaido has the better pork! When you enter Umaido, you may notice the little press that they use to make their noodles. The menu choices are small, but I've come to love the regular order with the rich broth, I keep it simple. It's definitely not the college ramen noodle that you're use to, but I suggest you try it out now because I did notice that the prices have increased on some of the items since the first time I went there. So a solid 4.5 stars from me, 5 stars once they start offering sake or some sort of alcohol!

    (4)

  • Dorothy P.

    finally made it out here! and it was only b/c of a hiking injury and I was headed to an ER nearby that I happened to be near this place (it's a little bit OTP). it was well worth puttin the x-rays off for though. we ordered the spicy and regular ramen and an order of gyoza (japanese potstickers). everything was piping hot and delicious! I like it that the broth is suppose to be very good for your skin too. apparently it has collagen in it and it prevents wrinkles. wow, forget skin treatments, just come here for ramen! (I was secretly hoping it would help my bones too in case I had broken any) We enjoyed the fast and friendly service. I'd recommend sitting on the stools in front of the kitchen, it added some entertainment to our meal watching the kitchen in action. definitely will be coming back...maybe for the ramen challenge next time!:)

    (5)

  • Alice Y.

    The ramen here is average. The soup is somewhat one-dimensional, with an over-emphasis on the salt. The toppings are unremarkable, with the exception of the egg which was very good. Had much better ramen at Ippudo in NYC.

    (3)

  • George C.

    Now those of you who don't live OUT HERE would NOT understand this, but traveling from certain areas to certain areas for shopping or eating purposes is an exercise to be avoided to an extreme. For example, driving from Alpharetta to Marietta, or vice versa, is only for the true masochist. Likewise, driving from my house to any point east of I-85 has been known to give me hives. Today, I decided to go into my discomfort zone for the sake of checking this Umaido place out. The inside is sort of Euro-chic, with techno/Tokyo rap playing in the background a liitle loudly for my taste. Unfinished concrete interior walls, bright colors on seating and countertops, open kitchen, and halogen pendant fixtures complete the scene. Very helpful and polite staff. I was pleased to see they offered onigiri as a side item. BIG bowls of pork-based broth (extra rich available for $1 more-slurp), nice textures and flavors with properly cut ingredients. I'm pleased, enough to stray over the line to return.

    (4)

  • Spoon A.

    This is NOT your typical ramen you ate when you were broke back in your college days. The broth is rich and full of flavor, the noodles are cooked perfectly and are exactly as tasty. Price (at least Lunch) was very affordable. I recommend the tankatsu Ramen. Friendly service, great food at a great price!

    (5)

  • C D.

    I'm from Japan,love RAMEN,and eaten lots of it..I was so excited about this place when I found out there's ramen restaurant in ATL.I had spicy tonkotsu w/kotteri soup.First,I was disappointed with really thin noodle.Usually,ramen noodles little bit thicker,and almost like mochi kind of texture.Soup was needed more flavor,it was too salty for me,not enough tonkotsu flavor,but toppings were awesome.I prob won't go back,nor recommend this place to my friends.When I'm craving for ramen,I will def go to HARUICHIBAN,or HASHIGUCHI Jr.

    (1)

  • Julie J.

    Sorry Yelpers, I may be in the minority on this one, but I'm not a fan of Umaido. Every time I've come here, I've been duped by the first bite, but by bite 5, 6, and 7, I'm sick of my bowl. The broth was so incredibly salty, and though I finished my noodles, I left 2/3 of the broth in the bowl, which was such a darn waste. The noodles are tasty, as are the other ingredients (mm, pork), but they ruin it by over-salting the broth. Bleh.

    (2)

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Map

Opening Hours

  • Mon :11:00 am - 3:00pm

Specialities

  • Takes Reservations : No
    Delivery : No
    Take-out : Yes
    Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
    Good For : Lunch
    Parking : Private Lot
    Bike Parking : Yes
    Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
    Good for Kids : Yes
    Good for Groups : Yes
    Attire : Casual
    Ambience : Casual
    Noise Level : Average
    Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only
    Outdoor Seating : No
    Wi-Fi : Free
    Has TV : Yes
    Dogs Allowed : No
    Waiter Service : Yes
    Caters : No

Umaido

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