You order your food using the kiosk machine and find your own table. Food is ok, ramen has thick broth.I gave 3 stars because the overall environment is just okay, they seem under staff. Only two people, one cooking and another serving.
Kiko Ware
My friends and I went to grab a bowl of ramen around 3pm on Sunday. It was not crowded at all. There were plenty of parking spaces.The order machine was easy to use (when the machine asks you about your table number, it means the number on a black block you grab right next to the machine to show your order number to a waiter).I ordered Yuzu soy sauce ramen. The aroma was soooooo good and appetizing! The soup was really good! The noodles had a unique texture but I liked it very much. Their cha-siu was not flavorful, unfortunately. The flavored egg was a bit too sweet to match the soup.I tried their fried gyoza. I liked it, but my friend wanted it to be crisper. So it depends on how particular you are about your gyoza, I guess.
Lawrence L
The food was alright; the most interesting aspect was the yuzu broth. However the experience overall was poor due to the logistics. You order and pay at two kiosks at the corner. Unfortunately a table number is required to complete the orders, and you have to find a table number column at one of the vacant tables (I think the staff was too busy to collect them). We moved the dirty dishes out of the way and wiped down the table. There were no more water cups available. Food came out sporadically and took about a full hour for all items to be brought to the table (including the soda). It didn't help that there was relatively small staff for a fairly large restaurant including the outdoor patio.I think mostly this is an issue rooted in an attempt to make things more efficient, but the results were the opposite. If they can fix the logistical issues it would be a much better experience.
Gitesh D.
Went to this location with colleagues. I had the vegetarian option and really liked it. The soup was flavourful and a bit creamy due to peanuts. The yuzu lemonade that I had for drink was great as well. Overall good food but a little pricey but that's every place in Bay Area.
T P.
We have been to both Cupertino and Mountain View locations. Service is not welcoming at both locations. Soup base is overpowered by strong mandarin peel flavor.
Sankari V.
I was in Cupertino for a business meeting. I have always wanted to try a Ramen Place. I went in without any expectations. I was asked to place my order at the kiosk. I am a vegetarian and I asked the hostess for recommendations. Based on her recommendation I tried the Hazelnut Tantanmen. It was delicious. Will be back again when I am in the neighborhood.
Anthony P.
I visited this location on Saturday (5/28) at prime dinner time (7:30pm). I was surprised to see it mostly empty with only 2 tables taken up. I've been to the downtown Portland location many times and I consider myself a fan of the chain, but there were a few issues that may indicate a much deeper issue than just an "off" night for this location. We ordered several variants of their potstickers (buta. steamed, crispy pork, and the gyoza soup), a pork belly bun, and the tonkatsu tantanmen ramen with a ramen egg and chasu added. Buta Gyoza - the dumplings were soggy and on the bland side. The dipping sauced helped a lot Steamed Gyoza - these were cooked well and tasty Crispy Pork Gyoza - the dumplings were served fresh out of the fryer and were just fine. Nothing spectactular. Gyoza Soup - The broth could have used a little more seasoning and this was basically the steamed gyoza added to broth. I would have just preferred to order a second order of the steamed gyoza. The tonkatsu tantanmen ramen ended up being on the opposite extreme. I'm guessing the cook may have been heavy handed with one of the seasonings because I tasted the broth and it was fine until I mixed everything together. Then it was so salty that it was inedible. I've had this ramen before, so I know it's not supposed to be like that. I could only make through half of it before I called it quits. The highlight of the evening was the pork belly bun. The pork belly was perfectly tender with a nice glaze and some cucumber to add texture to the bite. It somewhat salvaged the meal and I'd order it again. Other things to note: - Ordering is done via kiosk and you assign your order to a table marker with a number on it. - Most of the alcohol listed on the kiosk was marked as out of stock/sold out. The few cocktails that we were able to order also ended up being out of stock after we paid for it. They refunded it to us in cash, I guess they couldn't reverse the charge for it. Despite the issues noted above, the staff was nice and friendly. Our server was quick to clear our table as we finished each dish. I don't know if I'd come back, as the ramen scene in the bay area is highly competitive but I hope they manage to succeed.
Ye - Zoe Zu
Came a while ago when it first opened. There were a lot of customers line up back then. Food was average, don’t live up to the hype.Today I walked in with a drink in hand, a staff yelled at me: No outside food or drinks! I understand the policy, so I asked nicely that I could leave the drinks with them on the counter and not bring it to my table. The staff yelled at me again: No outside food or drinks!!! I asked nicely again: I’ll need to walk back to my car, can I just leave it on the counter? The staff yelled again: Then walk back to your car!!!I walked back to my car and I would never come back. With this attitude, no wonder you have an empty restaurant during Saturday lunch time.
Maya G.
FOR CONTEXT: I was introduced to Afuri in Portland -- there's just no way you can beat the original. Afuri is a gem. Known for its Yuzu Shio ramen, I used to go out of my way to hit up Afuri in PDX so when I saw there was one in Cupertino, I decided to skip the plane ticket and zip down to check out the Cupertino version of Afuri. I've actually come here 3 or 4 times because it does hit the spot but I always leave a little disappointed. There is a large parking lot but it's generally full. In the evenings its less crowded so I recommend going then. During lunch you'll get the overflow from people who don't want to wait in a 20min line at Sizzling Lunch across the street. You order at the kiosk which is easy and convenient but it's hit or miss with the waitstaff. Sometimes they are a delight and other times you'll get a server who is clearly going through something that day. I still recommend getting the Yuzu Shio ramen. The pork belly is a little meh but the broth is still good. I do NOT recommend getting the gyoza. It's been a miss each time I've gotten it at this location. Sometimes it comes after I've already finished my ramen. Sometimes its burnt etc. The ramen is already expensive so it hurts to waste money on sub par gyoza. Just get the ramen and you'll be happy. But hey, even though I'm giving this place 3 stars I'll still be back because it's cheaper than flying to Portland.
Jen L.
Very disappointed with this place. I am a huge citrus fan and I had been wanting to try Afuri for awhile now because of their yuzu ramens. I will preface this by saying I do prefer strong sour/tart flavors in my soup, so for me the yuzu flavor was definitely lacking. The ramen itself was just okay, not good and not bad, but definitely not good enough for me to return when there are so many other options in the Bay Area. The gyoza was also a huge miss for me. We originally had to send the first order back because it arrived to us with soft, mushy, and almost slimy skin, no crispy exterior what so ever. Our replacement order came looking and tasting exactly the same as the first, and the waiter blamed the frying pan saying that is was new and that all of the gyoza orders come out like this. We ended up peeling the skin off and just eating the filling.
I have been to Afuri in Ebisu, Tokyo, so my review will be biased by that experience. Upon entering the shop you will be directed to order and pre-pay using a machine. The interface is intuitive and easy to use. You can then seat yourself. Water is also self-service. The food: Ramen noodle and dip is good, comparable to Tokyo. The chashu pork is a bit sweet and could be more tender. Ajitama is overcooked imho. Gyoza is too oily and disintegrated upon biting. Price: ~$16 ramen, $11 Gyoza Staff: I do not feel welcomed by the staff member that I interacted with today (4/23/2022). Overall, I would go back for the yuzu tsukemen, but I wouldn’t be ordering any extra (other than perhaps noodle)
Elise M.
Ramen broth was very acidic with little depth. Noodles were cooked well. Karaage came out 25 minutes into eating, well after we finished ramen. The chicken came burnt on some edges, but also cut like katsu? Very bizarre. Boyfriend felt super sick in the afternoon, perhaps from eating there? Unclear. One extra star because I like their kiosk order system.
Mitch Grieb
Great ramen. Order via a kiosk and pay for your food, grab a number, find a table, and they bring your food to you. I will definitely eat there again.
Brian Y.
Oroginally was waiting in a 10 deep person line to go to Sizzling Lunch across the way. Saw AFURI and thought I would give it a try instead. Walking in, you immediately notice the open kitchen and chill atmosphere. Small spot though. Theres only like 4 tables or so, but more tables outside. You have to order through tablets and then grab a Number Block to place it at your table. Then the food will come to you. Easy ordering! At the tables are Chopsticks and napkins. They have cold water and got water available for free inside. Also ToGo boxes you can grab inside on a counter 10 different Ramens to choose from. All unique like Yuzu Shoyu, Miso Tare Tonkotsu, Hazlenut Broth, Creamy broth, and cold ramen just to name a few. An assortment of dumplings as well! All in all, food came quick and was Pretty good spot to try! Size of the Restaurant: 2.5 Food: 4 Ordering: 4 Menu: 3.5
P I.
My experience here was very uncomfortable because of an extremely rude server (wearing a gold mask) that many others have mentioned in their reviews. First of all let me say that the food was just okay. The ramen was flavorful but it was way too oily and I couldn't finish it. It could've been the type I had which was Niniku Shoyu Ramen. The rude served made the food taste worse because of the way he was screaming other people over me while I was trying to enjoy my food. He literally yelled at a young lady for taking too many napkins. She told him she was taking extra napkins to clean the table then asked if she should put the napkins back and he clean the table instead. Of course he told her no. At that point the mediocre food was no longer enjoyable. I'm usually very optimistic when I try new places but that server really ruined things for me. I thought that maybe he was just having a bad day but after reading through other reviews I see that he is always this way. I wonder why the owner hasn't taken any action? That dude needs to chill and be more respectful to people. Taking a few extra napkins has never been that serious.
You order your food using the kiosk machine and find your own table. Food is ok, ramen has thick broth.I gave 3 stars because the overall environment is just okay, they seem under staff. Only two people, one cooking and another serving.
My friends and I went to grab a bowl of ramen around 3pm on Sunday. It was not crowded at all. There were plenty of parking spaces.The order machine was easy to use (when the machine asks you about your table number, it means the number on a black block you grab right next to the machine to show your order number to a waiter).I ordered Yuzu soy sauce ramen. The aroma was soooooo good and appetizing! The soup was really good! The noodles had a unique texture but I liked it very much. Their cha-siu was not flavorful, unfortunately. The flavored egg was a bit too sweet to match the soup.I tried their fried gyoza. I liked it, but my friend wanted it to be crisper. So it depends on how particular you are about your gyoza, I guess.
The food was alright; the most interesting aspect was the yuzu broth. However the experience overall was poor due to the logistics. You order and pay at two kiosks at the corner. Unfortunately a table number is required to complete the orders, and you have to find a table number column at one of the vacant tables (I think the staff was too busy to collect them). We moved the dirty dishes out of the way and wiped down the table. There were no more water cups available. Food came out sporadically and took about a full hour for all items to be brought to the table (including the soda). It didn't help that there was relatively small staff for a fairly large restaurant including the outdoor patio.I think mostly this is an issue rooted in an attempt to make things more efficient, but the results were the opposite. If they can fix the logistical issues it would be a much better experience.
Went to this location with colleagues. I had the vegetarian option and really liked it. The soup was flavourful and a bit creamy due to peanuts. The yuzu lemonade that I had for drink was great as well. Overall good food but a little pricey but that's every place in Bay Area.
We have been to both Cupertino and Mountain View locations. Service is not welcoming at both locations. Soup base is overpowered by strong mandarin peel flavor.
I was in Cupertino for a business meeting. I have always wanted to try a Ramen Place. I went in without any expectations. I was asked to place my order at the kiosk. I am a vegetarian and I asked the hostess for recommendations. Based on her recommendation I tried the Hazelnut Tantanmen. It was delicious. Will be back again when I am in the neighborhood.
I visited this location on Saturday (5/28) at prime dinner time (7:30pm). I was surprised to see it mostly empty with only 2 tables taken up. I've been to the downtown Portland location many times and I consider myself a fan of the chain, but there were a few issues that may indicate a much deeper issue than just an "off" night for this location. We ordered several variants of their potstickers (buta. steamed, crispy pork, and the gyoza soup), a pork belly bun, and the tonkatsu tantanmen ramen with a ramen egg and chasu added. Buta Gyoza - the dumplings were soggy and on the bland side. The dipping sauced helped a lot Steamed Gyoza - these were cooked well and tasty Crispy Pork Gyoza - the dumplings were served fresh out of the fryer and were just fine. Nothing spectactular. Gyoza Soup - The broth could have used a little more seasoning and this was basically the steamed gyoza added to broth. I would have just preferred to order a second order of the steamed gyoza. The tonkatsu tantanmen ramen ended up being on the opposite extreme. I'm guessing the cook may have been heavy handed with one of the seasonings because I tasted the broth and it was fine until I mixed everything together. Then it was so salty that it was inedible. I've had this ramen before, so I know it's not supposed to be like that. I could only make through half of it before I called it quits. The highlight of the evening was the pork belly bun. The pork belly was perfectly tender with a nice glaze and some cucumber to add texture to the bite. It somewhat salvaged the meal and I'd order it again. Other things to note: - Ordering is done via kiosk and you assign your order to a table marker with a number on it. - Most of the alcohol listed on the kiosk was marked as out of stock/sold out. The few cocktails that we were able to order also ended up being out of stock after we paid for it. They refunded it to us in cash, I guess they couldn't reverse the charge for it. Despite the issues noted above, the staff was nice and friendly. Our server was quick to clear our table as we finished each dish. I don't know if I'd come back, as the ramen scene in the bay area is highly competitive but I hope they manage to succeed.
Came a while ago when it first opened. There were a lot of customers line up back then. Food was average, don’t live up to the hype.Today I walked in with a drink in hand, a staff yelled at me: No outside food or drinks! I understand the policy, so I asked nicely that I could leave the drinks with them on the counter and not bring it to my table. The staff yelled at me again: No outside food or drinks!!! I asked nicely again: I’ll need to walk back to my car, can I just leave it on the counter? The staff yelled again: Then walk back to your car!!!I walked back to my car and I would never come back. With this attitude, no wonder you have an empty restaurant during Saturday lunch time.
FOR CONTEXT: I was introduced to Afuri in Portland -- there's just no way you can beat the original. Afuri is a gem. Known for its Yuzu Shio ramen, I used to go out of my way to hit up Afuri in PDX so when I saw there was one in Cupertino, I decided to skip the plane ticket and zip down to check out the Cupertino version of Afuri. I've actually come here 3 or 4 times because it does hit the spot but I always leave a little disappointed. There is a large parking lot but it's generally full. In the evenings its less crowded so I recommend going then. During lunch you'll get the overflow from people who don't want to wait in a 20min line at Sizzling Lunch across the street. You order at the kiosk which is easy and convenient but it's hit or miss with the waitstaff. Sometimes they are a delight and other times you'll get a server who is clearly going through something that day. I still recommend getting the Yuzu Shio ramen. The pork belly is a little meh but the broth is still good. I do NOT recommend getting the gyoza. It's been a miss each time I've gotten it at this location. Sometimes it comes after I've already finished my ramen. Sometimes its burnt etc. The ramen is already expensive so it hurts to waste money on sub par gyoza. Just get the ramen and you'll be happy. But hey, even though I'm giving this place 3 stars I'll still be back because it's cheaper than flying to Portland.
Very disappointed with this place. I am a huge citrus fan and I had been wanting to try Afuri for awhile now because of their yuzu ramens. I will preface this by saying I do prefer strong sour/tart flavors in my soup, so for me the yuzu flavor was definitely lacking. The ramen itself was just okay, not good and not bad, but definitely not good enough for me to return when there are so many other options in the Bay Area. The gyoza was also a huge miss for me. We originally had to send the first order back because it arrived to us with soft, mushy, and almost slimy skin, no crispy exterior what so ever. Our replacement order came looking and tasting exactly the same as the first, and the waiter blamed the frying pan saying that is was new and that all of the gyoza orders come out like this. We ended up peeling the skin off and just eating the filling.
Restaurantji Recommends
I have been to Afuri in Ebisu, Tokyo, so my review will be biased by that experience. Upon entering the shop you will be directed to order and pre-pay using a machine. The interface is intuitive and easy to use. You can then seat yourself. Water is also self-service. The food: Ramen noodle and dip is good, comparable to Tokyo. The chashu pork is a bit sweet and could be more tender. Ajitama is overcooked imho. Gyoza is too oily and disintegrated upon biting. Price: ~$16 ramen, $11 Gyoza Staff: I do not feel welcomed by the staff member that I interacted with today (4/23/2022). Overall, I would go back for the yuzu tsukemen, but I wouldn’t be ordering any extra (other than perhaps noodle)
Ramen broth was very acidic with little depth. Noodles were cooked well. Karaage came out 25 minutes into eating, well after we finished ramen. The chicken came burnt on some edges, but also cut like katsu? Very bizarre. Boyfriend felt super sick in the afternoon, perhaps from eating there? Unclear. One extra star because I like their kiosk order system.
Great ramen. Order via a kiosk and pay for your food, grab a number, find a table, and they bring your food to you. I will definitely eat there again.
Oroginally was waiting in a 10 deep person line to go to Sizzling Lunch across the way. Saw AFURI and thought I would give it a try instead. Walking in, you immediately notice the open kitchen and chill atmosphere. Small spot though. Theres only like 4 tables or so, but more tables outside. You have to order through tablets and then grab a Number Block to place it at your table. Then the food will come to you. Easy ordering! At the tables are Chopsticks and napkins. They have cold water and got water available for free inside. Also ToGo boxes you can grab inside on a counter 10 different Ramens to choose from. All unique like Yuzu Shoyu, Miso Tare Tonkotsu, Hazlenut Broth, Creamy broth, and cold ramen just to name a few. An assortment of dumplings as well! All in all, food came quick and was Pretty good spot to try! Size of the Restaurant: 2.5 Food: 4 Ordering: 4 Menu: 3.5
My experience here was very uncomfortable because of an extremely rude server (wearing a gold mask) that many others have mentioned in their reviews. First of all let me say that the food was just okay. The ramen was flavorful but it was way too oily and I couldn't finish it. It could've been the type I had which was Niniku Shoyu Ramen. The rude served made the food taste worse because of the way he was screaming other people over me while I was trying to enjoy my food. He literally yelled at a young lady for taking too many napkins. She told him she was taking extra napkins to clean the table then asked if she should put the napkins back and he clean the table instead. Of course he told her no. At that point the mediocre food was no longer enjoyable. I'm usually very optimistic when I try new places but that server really ruined things for me. I thought that maybe he was just having a bad day but after reading through other reviews I see that he is always this way. I wonder why the owner hasn't taken any action? That dude needs to chill and be more respectful to people. Taking a few extra napkins has never been that serious.