Kiichi Ramen

I will be the first to admit that I have a genuine bias when it comes to ramen shops. Having lived in Japan for three years with the Navy exposed me to some genuinely amazing ramen craft. To date, I've only experienced three ramen shops in the U.S. that lived up to their heritage from Japan. I wanted to say that Kiichi was another to add to that list... especially since it's just 20 minutes down the road, but my first experience was a resounding meh. The service was exceptional and they were very attentive to my visit. Also, super fast getting the ramen bowl served. The restaurant vibe is simplistic, but a genuine nod to the heritage. The food quality was where I felt there could be improvement. The ramen noodles themselves did not have the texture and chew that I was seeking, the broth tasted a little... wanting, but the other ingredients seemed fresh and well done. All in all... I'll give it a few more chances to establish a better exposure, but right now I can't really give it my whole hearted endorsement.

3.5 stars - Not the best but still pretty solid. The broth was pretty mediocre and the toppings could've been a bit more generous, but ultimately pretty good. Was definitely my mistake to get chicken so can't thoroughly rate it but I'd just say broth could've been better. The gyoza were actually pretty bad, just stick with the ramen.

Kiichi Ramen has the vibe of a Japanese ramen stop. In Japan you order from a vending machine and give your meal ticket to the kitchen staff. This restaurant is laid out similarly. The host stand is where the machine would be. Our server looked to be one of the owners. She enjoyed hearing about our experiences in Japan and hoped our meal here will bring back good memories of our trip.This review says yes. Our takoyaki boat was presented the same way it is when you order from the Japanese street food stall. Our ramen bowls were excellent. The flavor was top-notch and nostalgic. Well done.

This was delicious! The edamame was hot and fresh and not too salty. The broth in the seafood ramen was so flavorful- it was chicken-y with a lot of depth; the menu says it's chicken bone broth with seafood broth. This would be scrummy in a cold night. The fish was good - the mussels had that ocean flavor and the scallop was large and had bee pan-seared. The spicy Dan Dan ramen was quite spicy - and my spouse loved it. The ramen was the best part, he says, but everything else was quite good. The noodles had good texture and flavor. There are lots of other things hints in the menu that I'd like to try; we will be back!

Atmosphere: Kiichi Ramen is a small and intimate ramen shop on 9th Street. With both bar seating and tables, the restaurant was pretty busy on a Sunday night. Service: There was a small hiccup with communication at the beginning of our meal as our servers didn't realize that we hadn't ordered yet. However, our servers were kind, and our food came out pretty quickly. Food: We ordered the Tonkotsu Ramen and Curry Ramen, both with pork. The Tonkotsu Ramen was rich and came with a surprisingly generous heap of noodles, along with a delicious soft-boiled egg. The Curry Ramen was a bit bland and could've used some more flavor from the curry. It was much less salty than the Tonkotsu Ramen, which could appeal to some people more than others. Overall: We enjoyed our experience at Kiichi Ramen. It's probably one of the better ramen places in Durham, but it also didn't overly impress us. We may come back after their soft opening once they're a bit more established.

Having recently moved from San Francisco I wasn't expecting much from a ramen shop in Durham. However, I was pleasantly surprise when I had my first sip of Kiichi Ramens tonkatsu broth. The bok choy was fresh and well cooked, the meat had great flavour, and the overall ramen was tasty. The inside was bustling with both staff and customers. I only picked up my food to go but the host at the front was very sweet and personally put together my order in the back. Overall my experience with Kiichi Ramen was great and I will order from them again next time I'm craving some warm noodles on a cold day.

This is a small restaurant with a simple menu and big flavors and service. You will be treated like an honored guest, or at least we were, by the waitress "Susan". Our food was delicious. I had questions about the proper "ramen etiquette" and was graciously helped. I highly recommend this place. I dined with my husband and 10 month old.

Fantastic food and service! The waiters are always attentive and refilling water. I can finally say that there is a ramen place in Durham I can recommend. My favorite is the Spicy Dan Dan ramen. The seafood udon is also good with a lighter, brighter taste. The ambiance is bustling and feels like an outdoor night market inside.the prices are also reasonable.

Decided to stop by and try Durhams newest ramen restaurant tonight. We came right around 4:30 when they opened and we're seated right away. The workers were all friendly and I loved the cute cat decorations on the walls. The food came out fairly quick, but my friends and I all agreed that it was just okay. The chicken shoyu broth and the miso broth were both quite plain and flavorless. The bowl was mostly filled with noodles and there was not much meat. For $16-18 per bowl I was a little disappointed with the taste and portion size. Overall, it wasn't bad, but I don't think it's worth trying more than once.

10/10 Recommend - Kiichi Ramen is now our go to ramen spot!! My partner and I just moved from New York and LOVE ramen. We'd never been to the south so we were a bit worried the quality of ethnic food might be less but this place made us feel right at home and was DELICIOUS!The second we walked in we were greeted by the sweetest woman. The decorations are beautiful and everything is incredibly clean. There's everyone from families to couples - and they're super LGBTQ-friendly!Our favorites were the chicken karaage (fried chicken), chicken gyoza, and Pork Curry Ramen.