Akira Ramen & Izakaya

Decided to revisit akira since other restaurants in the area were closed around 4:30 pm preparing for their dinner menus.Perfect time to get a hot bowl of ramen after all this snow and cold weather. My boyfriend ordered the chasu pork belly buns (1 order comes with 2 buns) and his take of akira ramen (I had my own). The chasu buns were good but a bit too sauce heavy for my liking. My akira ramen bowl was nailed though. Opted In with curry noodles and squid added in. Service was average. I didn't like how they didn't welcome us when we came in. Mind you the staff just took their break and reopened the restaurant around this time but a bunch of them sat around just playing games and talking amongst themselves. It's a cute spot for some warm food. Pretty casual spot.

I can't speak on the service since I ordered through DoorDash, but I did pop in to pick up my order and the place had a charming vibe, at least from what I could gather while standing there awkwardly for 10 minutes. No one greeted me, and employees just walked right by like I wasn't even there. Eventually, someone asked if I was there for pick-up, but by then I'd already mentally planned my escape from the awkward situation.When I finally got home and dug into the ramen, I was underwhelmed. It was fine, but that's about it. The flavors were there, but they just didn't hit the mark. I've had ramen that far surpassed this one, so it won't be making a return trip to my stomach anytime soon.

really quick and attentive service :)the ambiance was really nice. it was a bit slow but we ate between lunch-early dinner. the food came out very hot and fresh. i ordered the tantanmen and my partner ordered i believe the tonkatsu shoyu ramen. we ended up liking more of the other. very rich and savory for both :))

A cute little spot in Rockville that was a great dining experience. I came alone and sat at the bar. The service was quick, answered my questions and was very nice. I started with the salmon nigiri, which was delicate and fresh. I ordered the seafood ramen with an egg and it was delicious! Flavorful and a great portion. The broth is labeled "spicy beef broth," but it really isn't spicy in my opinion. I do wish they had a few more ramen options with chicken broth without pork. I really enjoyed my experience and can't wait to come back and try their speciality rolls and curries!

Lovely ramen place. My kiddos loved the California roll. I loved the spicy ramen, especially on a cold night it hits the spot.

We ordered takeout from Akira and we're not disappointed! The online ordering process was simple and seamless! Lots of options to edit, which I appreciated. We ended up picking up 30 mins after the order was done, but the staff was helpful in telling us the best way to reheat the food (stuck it in the microwave for a few minutes and it was great). My husband is new to ramen and was skeptical, but he really enjoyed it! I thought the flavors were delicious and the sauce options allowed for variations to the base dish. I did not get a chance to engage with the vibe of the restaurant, but in the few moments I was there, it was calm and pleasant. Free parking is available right outside the restaurant that's served multiple vendors next to Akira. We found parking easily, but I could see how it would be packed on a busy night. Can't wait to go to one of their other locations!

I wanted to pick a good place for a little celebration and I have a lot of picky eaters in my family. My son loves ramen and my wife loves a good okonomiyaki. It's not always easy to find both but this place does both fairly well. I really like the ambience in here. It's clean and modern. The service was notably great as well. I thought my Ramen was absolutely delicious, made in a shoyu base with a side of karaage. What stood out was our gyoza appetizer. The okonomiyaki also delivered and the sushi was decent as well. As for value, the portions are big and you really shouldn't leave hungry. There's a lot of good choices for food in this area and this is one of them. We did drink some warm sake, so if you do imbibe like I do, raise your glass and cheers to a dry glass.

This is my go-to ramen spot in the Rockville area and I have yet to find a place that tops it. This spot is not very large but the aesthetic is very inviting and homey feeling. There is an open kitchen where you can see your ramen being made and assembled. My boyfriend would order the Akira ramen usually for the black garlic oil, but decided to switch it up one day with the Shrimp Tempura ramen. The tempura was fried perfectly without being oily or soggy and there was a nice crunch when he bit it. The shrimp inside was not overcooked either, it also had a sweetness to it. The broth was hearty without being heavy which is the same broth for the Akira ramen. On days I am feeling for some hearty warm soup, I always order the Akira Volcano Spicy ramen. The spice level does not overpower the pork broth but it compliments it well. Occasionally, if the broth does not have enough of a kick, I'll add a scoop or two of the togarashi spice that is at table side. During the summer, I don't always crave for the soup so I will opt for the Spicy Tsuke Niku with udon noodles. The udon noodles seem like they are freshly made with the perfect chewy bounce when bitten into. The presentation of the noodles is also very beautiful as all toppings come separate in their own containers and it is up to the consumer to assemble to their taste. I usually add everything and pour the dipping sauce in than dipping the noodles. The sauce has a light soy taste without the saltiness. Additionally, whenever we go, we'll get an appetizer to go with our noodles of choice. Our go to is the takoyaki (octopus balls), the ratio of octopus to batter is even and never soggy. The bonito flakes are ample and the sauce is balanced that the balls do not become deflated. We have tried their other options like the karaage (fried chicken) served with a spicy mayo and wasabi mayo sauce. The pieces are on the smaller side but the flavor is present. We also tried the okonomiyaki (stuffed pancake) which is filled with seafood, veggies and egg topped with sauces and bonito (fish) flakes. We thought it was just ok and it could have been due to the long wait for it or that it was soggier than expected. The flavor is nice but nothing that made me want to have it again.

I enjoyed the Ocean Roll very much- cooked spicy shrimp, avocado, cucumber, spicy mayo, and seared scallop! I will come back for this roll alone. Service was fine. We reported a food allergy and didn't feel a lot of reassurance that everything would be okay but everything did turn out completely fine. Very small cafe vibes inside- which the food was on the much pricier side that I would've expected in a fancier venue. Decor was ok. Again, for the prices- not matching. All in all I will probably get takeout of the ocean roll.

Tonight, I started with a 6 piece sashimi platter. The fish was soft, tasty and melted in my mouth, the way I like my sashimi. For dinner, I had the Shrimp Tempura Ramen. The tempura was very crispy - yasss! The ramen soup was delicious with corn, a half boiled egg that was perfectly done, kamaboko (fish cake slices) and two large pieces of nori (seaweed). I washed it all down with a bottle of Asahi. The ambiance was warm and invited with low key lighting and a cool modern Japan-vibe decor. Upon entry, we everyone received a warm welcome from every staff member, "Irashaimaasen!"