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Samurai Noodle
Category: Restaurants Japanese Japanese [Edit]
4138 University Way NE(between 41st St & 42nd St)
Seattle, WA 98105
Neighbourhood: University District
(206) 547-1774
Announcement
Come in and try our new sake shots! So many different flavors, so many combinations, the perfect accompaniment to that hot bowl of Tonkotsu!
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 10 am - 10 pm
Fri 10 am - 11 pm
Sat-Sun 11 am - 10 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
138 reviews for Samurai Noodle
Review Highlights
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"...tonkatsu with a teriyaki pork rice bowl, and it's always..." In 2 reviews -
"The broth is amazing and so are the noodles." In 61 reviews -
"They have a great happy hour and great deals for students..." In 14 reviews
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138 reviews in English
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Review from Tan Lo S.
2/8/2012 1 Check-in Here
I love Ramen! Mmm. This place is pretty small, and I"m sure it's always busy too. I arrived with 2 of my girlfriends and it took us a few minutes to get seated, but we were seated. The server at first, was great, & wanted us to order fast, it seemed. After a few minutes, we all decided to order.
I got the chicken and tonkotsu, but I'm pretty sure mine was just the tonkotsu ramen. I ordered it medium, and it sure was medium ramen. I should have ordered soft. Nonetheless, the broth was DELICIOUS and very clean and rich. I loved it! I tried my friends broths too... the spicy miso ramen and the tampopo.
Both broths were soo freakin' delicious. I loved it. I liked it because it wasn't too oily and it didn't taste like powder.
The only bad thing? I would say that there's not enough meat, and we never got a refill on water. My friend waited 20 minutes, and after that, we just paid and left.
Oh, I almost forgot. Their shrimp shumai is not a shumai. It's a shrimp bun. It tasted mushy, and almost like a humbao. It was alright, I would give that overall taste a 3/5. It wasn't to die for, but it wasn't horrible either.
But I like this place. It's fast service, delicious food, and I'd I finally tried this place. Definitely coming back that's for sure. -
Review from Marilyn V.
Seattle, WA
5/9/2012 1 Check-in Here
I don't come to this specific location often, but if I'm in the area I'll stop in for some Tonkatsu ramen. Service is casual, they're not very attentive, but are there when you need them. They appear to have added more items to the menu, but most of their food is centered around the different ramen bowls they have.
I used to go to the ID location often, so I felt this location lacked what the first location has. (Though there is a lot more seating here, which is a plus.) They provide smaller portions of their tonkatsu meat and the fat is a lot more prominent in the cut. (Maybe they started buying less lean pork?) Sadly, the quality in their meat has slightly deterred me from wanting to come back. I hope this has not changed at the original ID location. Hate to leave this on a bad note, but at least their noodles still taste fresh! -
Review from Lyna N.
Lynnwood, WA
5/4/2012
The food here is pretty good. I especially love the croquettes (even though it is vegetarian and I really like meat).
I have been here quite a lot, having a punch card and all. The noodles and broth are overall pretty good, but sometimes WAY too oily. It looks like fat/sodium soup, especially in the Tonkotsu Hellfire. The original one is more balanced. Dipping noodles are probably my favorite, and you will probably need to order extra noodles (they give you double for a couple bucks).
What I don't like here is the inconsistency, both in food AND service. Sometimes the noodles are hard or broth tastes not as good. Sometimes the servers are very friendly, for example, one of them let me have a little sample bowl of the bamboo so I knew what it would taste like before I ordered the dish with a bunch in it. Another time they forgot part of my order, and a cashier did not stamp my punch card because I used my Husky Card discount, which is weird, because last time I used it I still got the punch on my card.
It's a nice go-to place if you're craving Japanese Ramen and the portions are good. -
Review from Stephanie C.
Lynnwood, WA
3/9/2012 1 Check-in Here
Our experience at Samurai Noodle was pretty similar to many other reviews on here. The service was slow and didn't have much of a friendly face on. We were seated pretty quickly, but it took awhile to get our order. When he did arrive he simply said "Sorry. I had three people in line." Honestly, I just wanted to order.. I didn't need the reasoning. Anyways, it was the first time I've had the not-10 for a dollar ramen so I was pretty excited. I tried the Tonkotsu From Hell and the Sumo Bowl. I thought the broth would be spicier by the looks of it, but was quite wrong. It hovered around a 2-3 star, but it certainly had flavor. I wasn't a fan of the pork. The Sumo Bowl was quite tasty and the egg was good too; I've never had mayo on a rice dish... interesting for sure!
I enjoyed it... but I wouldn't go out of my way for it. -
Review from Inna B.
2/22/2012 3 Check-ins Here
It seems kind of crazy to go out for ramen, but... it makes sense... sort of. It's not like they just add top ramen from a bag to a bowl of hot water. They have a variety of broths and other things that make it... interesting. Not quite unique and amazing enough for me to fall in love, but... interesting. Plus, it's super filling and not too expensive.
Service is okay. Minimal. They normally just take our orders and then deliver our food. If you're there with a group and sit for a while, they may refill your water. One great thing is that splitting the bill is always super easy because we just tell the cashier what we ordered when we pay at the counter after we finish eating.
The soup has been pretty good each time, but the shumai... not sure if I was just unfortunate that day, but it was bad enough experience to teach me to never order shumai there again.
I haven't been to any other ramen spots, but I'd say the U-District Samurai Noodle is an a-okay lunch spot on the Ave. -
Review from Rosy H.
Seattle, WA
4/21/2012
I used to like this place(two years ago), but the quality of the restaurant has been going down ever since. Last week me and my friends decided to give it a try again, and it was a wrong decision. We waited 30 minutes for 3 bowls of ramen, and another 15 minutes for the extra noodles... And the ramen wasn't even that good...
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Review from Clarissa J.
Seattle, WA
4/18/2012 1 Check-in Here
The noddles are okay. I go here for the gen maicha tea. MMM.
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Review from Elizabeth L.
Seattle, WA
3/18/2012
Cheap, fast ramen, nothing incredible but satisfying if you're on the go. Pork broth (tonkatsu) was tasty. Ingredients serve as garnish and are minimal, as previous reviewers state - tonkatsu comes w/1 slice of pork, half egg, 2 pieces of roasted seaweed.
Listed in: Seattle Good Eats
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Review from Lauren K.
Seattle, WA
1/11/2012
Come on... I know I'm not in Japan and I know I probably will never have that kind of ramen again (My heart hurts imagining a bowl of Okinawa soba and tofu) but this sucked on a few levels, which have been mentioned but let me reiterate:
Slow, lame service. Ok people, didn't seem hostile to me, but forgot my drink.
The portion (I ordered a reg pork ramen) was tiny and I agree, ONE piece of pork? gads.
Also someone said no spice, no punch...I agree. I put like 5 huge spoons of chili sauce in it and that made it okay. Not good but ok.
Also the price is crap for what you get.
Where is a GOOD place to get ramen in the Northend? -
Review from Emma A.
Seattle, WA
Having gone to all three Samurai Noodle locations I can say without hesitation that this is my favorite. The broth tastes cleaner yet richer somehow, the location is more comfortable and the servers are super nice, if a bit ditzy.
I have read a lot of complaints about the meager servings of pork but they give you such as large bowl of ramen I can hardly finish the noodles and pork, let alone the broth. More importantly, the flavor of the pork is excellent and if you want more you can get 5oz of it for 2.50, not bad. I have never been to Japan so I can't speak to how authentic this ramen is, but my husband lived in Japan for about a year and he says it is fairly close. Frankly, I don't really care. I am in Seattle and this is a damned good noodle soup for our cold-ish rainy days.
Here is a list of what I have tried here and my impressions.
Gyoza - they get the crispy crust right (yes that's supposed to be there) but the flavor of the Gyoza are sadly grocery store freezer quality. Unless what you really want is the crusty numminess it's not worth it.
Shumai - they suck, don't waste stomach space.
Tonkatsu from hell - My favorite! This is about a 3* on the spice level so if you like it real spicy you have to ask for extra spice. I would recommend ordering it with the thicker egg noodles as this comes with the thinner ones that don't hold onto the rich, spicy stock as well.
Tonkatsu - When I don't feel like destroying what's left of my stomach lining this is what I get. I get it with the standard stock and that's thick and rich enough for me. That said, they are now offering a richer, fattier broth; I don't think it's necessary. Again, I order it with the thicker egg noodles.
Miso Ramen - This is a more delicately flavored broth than the pork one and the noodles are excellent. My favorite is that it comes with a pat of butter. I like it cuz it's butter and I love butter AND it works really well. My husband says he likes it cuz that's how they served it in Japan. Whatever I think he just likes butter.
Green Tea - It is very grassy, Japanese style green tea.
Extra Noodles - Last time we were here I swapped bowls with my husband and in the time it took me to take two sips of his broth he sucked down all my noodles... so we got more. They come out a bit chewier than the noodles that come in the Ramen which was quite enjoyable.
Their menu is growing but I doubt I will try any of it, it's all about the Ramen. Overall, this location is more spacious and the staff are more attentive than at the other locations, but any of the three will serve you a delicious bowl and noodley goodness. -
Review from Ting W.
San Jose, CA
1/27/2012 1 Check-in Here
I ordered the spicy miso, pork broth.
BF ordered regular Miso
it was OK. although I felt like this place was pretty authentic, signs in Japanese, different Japanese dishes like cold ramen and buckwheat noodles. The soup is too thick and oily. The pork slice in my noodles was really soft, not chewy or tough which was great. The regular MISO isn't all that. -
Review from Jeremiah O.
Seattle, WA
5/2/2012
I've eaten my fair share of Japanese-style ramen and the best thing I can say about this is that it's adequate. For my money, you really can't beat Aloha Ramen. I'll just say that if you're hankering for ramen, head up to Greenwood and go there.
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Review from joel b.
Seattle, WA
12/11/2011
We moved to Wallingford a couple years ago and I'm making my way thru the UD eateries. Samurai is a nice balance of faster service and predictable quality. This place has Good Value (i like options and there are many), and is in the top tier of soup offerings on the Ave. I have returned here several times.
It's not fine dining, but the cost of one bowl is enough to satisfy and you can add more side dishes (teriyaki pork bowl, yum) if you're hungry. There's a rotation of specials and side dishes which is a nice touch. The staff always delivers at least a minimum of good service if not better.
Im not a ramen expert but compared to another place on the Ave I went to today, this place will keep me coming back. They deliver what they advertise and I think it's a great place for novice to more experienced noodle lovers to chow. -
Review from Linda L.
Seattle, WA
12/29/2011
Pros:
- delicious karaage (fried chicken) with awesome butter/mayo for dipping
- really strong, thick broths ... I would recommend either the miso ramen (buttery, chicken broth) or the tetsu hellfire (very spicy)
- they just added rice bowls with shredded pork to their menu, and they are pretty good and cheap options
- FLAVORED EGGS ... yummy ... these are kind of an acquired taste, but these are by far my favorite flavored eggs of any I've tasted (including at numerous restaurants in China and at my mother's house)
Cons:
- the service is very hit or miss ... a few times that I've been there, the server has completely forgotten our drinks and even given us the wrong orders
- the prices are a bit steep for just a bowl of noodles ... $8.25 versus $5-6 at other noodle places in the U District -
Review from Sarah m. G.
Seattle, WA
1/4/2012
Lots of selections of noodle dishes, pretty pricey for udistrict restuarant, crowded around meal time. Food's not so good...at least for me. They provide calories on the side of the menu (which's good and high). There's also happy hour time and sake.
The normal size noodle's not filling at all. My male friends always have to order extra noodle or their rice bowl. There pre-made gyoza and dimsum's and fried chicken's really good.
I know they design the seatings so it's more japanese but the chairs are seriously low and uncomfortable. But the seatings are not crowded though. -
Review from Chris Y.
11/2/2011
I've been a long-time fan of the International District location and visited the University District one a few times now. I have come to the conclusion the U-district one is not as good as the International District.
Before I mention the food, I have to say something about the service at this location. I'm not sure if its because its in the U-district and they think that students deserve lesser service, but the service I got yesterday was downright rude. The girl who served us had an attitude after we asked to switch tables. After taking our order, she came back and said to me, "you forgot to mention what kind of rice cup you wanted." I specifically remember telling her that I wanted a Mentaiko (spicy roe). But even if I didn't mention which one, as the waitress, you should not come back to me and say "you didn't tell me which rice cup you wanted." It's your responsibility as the waitress to make sure that the order is taken properly.
Getting back to the food, the ramen is pretty close between the two locations. I would say the Tonkotsu brother is not quite as deep as the ID location, but still very tasty. But the pork slices is where things start to go down hill. The pork slices at U-district is quite dry and overcooked. I also ordered the Mentaiko (spicy roe) rice cup that was a total disappointment. It was very fishy and didn't quite taste right - similar taste you get with not so fresh seafood. I had the spicy pork rice cup in the past and liked that better. But bottom line, stick with their ramen, the rice cups are an after thought here.
I wish this location kept the same standards, but in the future, I'll only go to the ID location. -
Review from Jen T.
what can I say? I am a fan of Samurai Ramen!!!
I absolutely love their tonkatsu ramen, broth does it for me.
This location does well with temperature.. the ramen/soup comes out steaming hot....but not too hot to dig into. The pork is tender and pieces are a bit more generous than the other locations.
However...since I am a broth lover- I do wish they would cut the portion of ramen down and give me more broth! I am always the last to finish because for some reason my bowl always gets lots and lots of ramen. Still delicious. no complaints.
I also do enjoy the condiments at the table. The pickled ginger for every bite of ramen is a must! So is the Japanese Chili pepper!
I wish their happy hour was better...but no worries I will continue to go...HH or not. -
Review from Charisma Y.
Seattle, WA
10/4/2011 1 Check-in Here
I've been looking for a ramen place in Seattle ever since I first had it in Vancouver. I searched on my Yelp app and this was the first option that popped up. Even though parking can be difficult to deal with, I found the trip well worth my time. It is absolutely delicious. I tried the tonkotsu ramen, which was very hearty.
Only thing is, this place gets pretty busy. It is on the ave, after all.. so they get a lot of the UW students coming here.
Another bonus is that they have happy hour everyday from 3-6pm and from 9pm until close.
If I ever crave ramen, you'll probably find me here.Listed in: Hearty Soups
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Review from Lilani E.
9/28/2011
I just moved from the suburbs so every noodle house on "the Ave" is wildly appreciated by me. I thought Samurai was really good. The broth's are well flavored and I love the al dente noodles. If your not into them, chill out, wait a couple more minutes then enjoy.
The shu mai was sub par but the Japanese mayo they were served with was pretty darn delightful. The prices are reasonable. They post the amount of calories each bowl has which is either a good or bad thing depending on whether or not you wanted to know you are about to devour 700 calories of soup.
I agree with SuieC. that the spicy miso is not as spicy as it could be. Maybe consider giving the option to go spicier? Just a thought. -
Review from Suie C.
I've never been the biggest fan of Samurai, but we decided to grab lunch here as we were in the area and looking for somethingy soupy.
I ordered the spicy miso tonkatsu ramen which was the daily special $7.25 before tax.
It came with one (yes one) slice of pork, corn, and beansprouts. The broth was good n hot, but it was super salty and....NOT spicy! I put in chili flakes and asked for a chili sauce from the kitchen and...it didn't help with the spice level.
I think everything time I go to samurai, regardless of which location, I always leave feeling somewhat unsatisfied.
Service here was also a bit slow, had to go up and ask for a box togo as our waitress hadn't come by in a while.
Nothing too special about the ramen here. -
Review from Ryan S.
Seattle, WA
11/27/2011
OK, I am confused about the reviews on here that state the "great value" or "great food. This is probably the worst soup you can get on the Ave. and $9 is not a good value. Spare your money and head to Than brothers for some pho across the street.
Now for the details:
--Offerings--
It's nice that they list the ingredients and are very specific about what's meat and what's vegetarian. Having vegetarian gyoza is a plus. So is a vegetarian soy based broth.
--Service--
Pretty pleasant and good, although a bit scattered. We ordered beers and he brought 2 and then served some other guests and finally brought the 3rd. Still pretty nice. Nothing to complain about.
--Food & Drink--
Kudos for carrying fresh, cold Mac N Jacks. This is where the good reviews end....
Appetizers: there were 3 of us, 2 of us ordered the vegan gyoza and 1 the spicy tofu appetizer. The qyoza is so so. It's basically a dumpling with tofu and green onion and shoyu to dip in. Not great, not bad. The Tofu appetizer was confusing though. Get a package of tofu out of the fridge, dump it on a plate. Put some chili oil, green onion and bamboo shoots on top...serve. What? This is awful, what is is supposed to be?
Soup: Well as mentioned one of the reasons we went in was for vegetarian soup. We were then told they were out of the soy based broth. What? You are out of the staple broth that doesn't have meat? Inexcusable. In lieu one of us got the "zesty" tomato. It should be called Ramen O's though since I think Chef Boyardee made it. Terrible. One of us got the rice based broth. SOOOO bland and boring. Do you think 3 bits of corn and 3 bits of tofu make good soup? The last of us got a pork based soup and also found it boring.
In fact the whole restaurant feels as if everything came in a can and was heated in a microwave.
I'll pass on this one next time....Comment from Lyn K. of Samurai Noodle 11/27/2011
Hi Ryan, I appreciate your honest evaluation of our… More » -
Review from Rich X.
11/9/2011
Ill keep this short and sweet
Pros: Decent ramen, good broth, and reasonably quick.
Cons: Everything felt kind of dirty and the service was kind of rude.
It's ok but not something to brag about. -
Review from Diana N.
11/9/2011
After a long day traveling to the San Juan Islands, we were pretty exhausted and wanted some food that was warm and comforting. This place was exactly what we were looking for! I had the Tonkatsu with a side of spicy pork with rice and my companion had the Tampopo. Both dishes were extremely good. The side rice wasn't as hot or as delish as the ramen but it did fill us up and was only $4 extra.
I also ordered a pineapple sake cocktail but wasn't too impressed with it. It was a bit on the sweet side. However, for $3.50 it is very affordable. We also got to sample a strawberry mochi on the way out and it was the best mochi I have ever tried!
I'll definitely be returning to this place and will make it a point to try out the other locations. For Christmas this year, I am wishing for a location to open in Houston! =) -
Review from Chris F.
Seattle, WA
11/26/2011 1 Check-in Here
DAMN! This place makes something wonderful. Its located at the UW so its going to be busy and lots of students go here, so it could be a nicer place, but the food is worth putting up with the noise and rudeness.
The classic pork soup will make you cry from bliss and the pot stickers are both crispy and delicately steamed! Honestly, I won't order anything else as its JUST THAT AWESEOME!
If mgmt is reading this, more attentive staff would kickass, but please don't change the broth! -
Review from Kelly L.
9/3/2011
I think this is the worst ramen I have ever had but I've lived in Japan and New York so I've been really spoiled with good ramen.
Ramen doesn't seem to be a big thing in Seattle (which is surprising because the Japanese population seems to be big here) and there aren't many shops that specialize in ramen. So when I heard about this ramen place, I was really excited to try it.
When my bowl of ramen arrived, I was disappointed with the presentation and even more disappointed with the noodles and the broth.
Don't think think I will be coming back. -
Review from Sonia C.
7/9/2011 1 Check-in Here
I understand that there are not many good ramen options in Seattle so I'm not going to be too critical of Samurai. However, if Samurai was in NY, I would've only given it 2 stars and I don't think it could survive with all the cutthroat competition out there.
Anyway, Samurai is just ok. I ordered the Shoyu ramen and I was kind of sad at what I got - weak watery broth with just one (!!!) slice with pork. The pork was even that tender or flavorful. The one saving grace was the adequately firm ramen noodles. Portions were so small that my boyfriend had to order extra noodles.
The gyoza were tasty though and fried so it had a nice crispy bottom. Sadly, I will probably be back since there are so few options in the city. Oh, how I miss NY ramen! -
Review from Kevin T.
8/22/2011 1 Check-in Here
Coming from Vegas I don't have too many ramen options outside of Monta, so when I heard that we were going to have ramen I was excited.
Maybe being excited leads to greater disappointments.
First off, it was pretty busy when we got there, and having my large group of 7 didn't help either, so I can't bust them too much for being slow.. but seriously took over 40 minutes to get our food out. If you can't meet the supply don't feed the demand, or at least tell us that its going to be a longggg wait.
Hate to say it, but there are probably too many options. If I remember correctly there are over 10+ different ramens, and then you can change the thickness of your soup, the firmness of your noodles, and then all the accommodations . I only saw one guy slaving in the kitchen, and props to him, but he definitely needs more assistance if they're going to offer all that.
My tonkotsu-shoyu was good, flavor was not bland, salt was not an overwhelming factor, and smelled great. I'm going to assume that the noodles they automatically serve you if you don't request a change is medium. Medium is way too firm for what I want my ramen noodles to be, definitely go with something softer. A definite bonus was that the extra noodles were only $1.84, back at home it is $2.50.
Don't go here if you're expecting somewhere quiet to enjoy a bowl of noodles, its pretty loud in here lol.
Would go back again, but only on a slower night lol. -
Review from Ally W.
Seattle, WA
10/4/2011
I've heard such mixed reviews of this place, but I honestly really like it! I'm a creature of habit, so I always get shouyu with medium noodles. The noodles and brother are delicious, plus the fact that they give you a whole chunk of yummy pork up in there - what's not to like?
The only reason I gave it only 3 stars is because it is a bit pricey for the amount you get, but they do have student discounts (like a "happy hour") during the day, which is nice. -
Review from Quynh T.
Seattle, WA
5/11/2011
Not. Good.
I went there with stuffy nose from allergies, as these type of soups usually get my sinus pretty cleared up. I ordered the spicy seafood ramen. The noodles were bland and soggy, and didn't have the bite or chew that ramen noodles are supposed to. The soup was salty and flavorless, and left me feeling thirsty, which leaves me to believe that they overloaded it with MSG.
Usually I love the yummy umami taste of MSG, but as I understand the risks of it, I try to treat myself with it only occcasionally...and spending it on this made me feel robbed!
And...to top it off, it was lukewarm when it came out...
I'd opt for freeze dried noodle bowl any day before i'd eat this again. -
Review from Jason C.
4/8/2011
This is one of those restaurants and eating experiences that I will literally forget about 10 mins after it happens. But I'm writing about it because a) it adds to my list of reviews b) I want to one day several years from now (yelp, you better still be here) and say "Why did I even review this place?"
It's this retroactive reflecting that makes mediocre dining experiences something a little more...less mediocre.
Oh, the food. Services was a little slow and the food looked and tasted like something my buddy Marlon could have whipped up.
Marlon is a miniature pinscher mix who has a hard time reaching the kitchen counter. -
Review from Jannie H.
Jacksonville, NC
6/8/2011
The service of the place varies, depending on who your waiter is. Our waiter took our order, without asking us how we liked our noodles, and while we were waiting for our food, we noticed that another waiter taking an order for another group, asking how they liked their noodles.
Pretty much a hit or miss, depending on service. The food was definitely delicious, and they do have happy hour and a student discount from 3-5pm I believe. The student discount is like $5 for a bowl of ramen, which is a very good deal. -
Review from Leslie N.
Renton, WA
4/11/2011
This location is okay but the one if the ID is better. Though if you have a group this spot is more accommodating. This location tends to rush things a bit and on a few occasions my noodles were undercooked and they have forgotten parts of my order.
Pro; Samurai Happy Hour $5
3PM-6PM and 7PM-Last Order.
+Pick one; Beer, Sake, or Wine
+Pick one; shu mai, gyoza, or tofu appetizer
+Edamame -
Review from Maria G.
6/14/2011 11 Check-ins Here
Best water pourer in Seattle -- Phil T.!
Our waiter Phil is funny and friendly. When my friends and I told him the menu is not intuitive at all and we dont know what to order, Phil took the time and explained the menu to us. He also recommended some popular dishes for us. Delicious ramen and broth!!!
Before my friends and I visited this place, I hesitated to try this place because I read very mixed reviews. After my visit, I think the food is slightly overpriced but I definitely think our funny waiter made our experience enjoyable. I really liked the ramen broth but I don't like the fact that i had to pay extra $4 for extra broth. You also pay extra $1.5 for extra noodles. Refill of a soda drink is extra 50 cents. I really dont like the price charges for extras, otherwise I would give this place a well deserved 5 stars.
Since my friends and I just really needed a place to talk and hang out, we talked a lot and kept asking for more water refill. Phil would gladly frequently pour water for us and claimed himself as the best water pourer in Seattle and he would even ask us "hey how is the water tasting?" Phil is nice after all since he let us stay after half an hour they close. We were not rushed at all and we only knew we stayed way after closing because Phil joking said that "since you are yelping you should say am the best water pourer in Seattle and how nice i am since i let you guys stay for half an hour after closing." We all thought our waiter Phil was extremely nice!!!Listed in: Best (for) Happy Hour
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Review from Ben C.
5/18/2011 1 Check-in Here
This place is so so...I think the one next to Uwaji in the ID is better but not by much.
Broth is alright, pork is good, noodles are ok, they seem to have a few different noodles. Which they don't really specify on the menu so when you get your dish you are expecting regular ramen but you wind up getting something else. So if you are looking for a specific noodle make sure you specify. Ordering the sides...I think the sides are microwaved, definitely not freshly done and most likely frozen. We ordered the dumplings and they were mushy and not very good. Also ordered the Tonkatsu (Pork Broth) and it was pretty salty.
If you want soup and noodles I recommend just getting pho, lots of choices of pho on the ave. -
Review from Kelsey F.
Bothell, WA
12/28/2010
Sometimes, you want ramen.
It's funny to say that - as a college kid, I lived on ramen because you could buy it cheap. SUPER cheap, if you knew when the sales at Safeway were. So once I graduated, I kind of swore off the ramen. You know, four years of it being a staple will do that to you.
But every now and then, you crave it...because it reminds you of a time when life didn't mean staying at work a couple of hours after your shift was over and coming home too exhausted to eat. A time when the words "Christmas break" still meant something. And so, from time to time, I turn to ramen again.
They didn't have Samurai Noodle when I was a college kid (and now I sound old), and that's okay - I think they'd be too pricey for my blood back then. That said, for someone who's just occasionally around campus for a basketball game, this works well - service is pretty good and the food is pretty solid. Just...overpriced.
On the up side, they have beer. Mac and Jacks! On tap! WITH MY RAMEN!!! That's just awesome.
SO - fills a void when you really want/need ramen, but otherwise I don't seek it out. -
Review from Sonia Y.
3/22/2011 6 Check-ins Here
Samurai Noodle in U-District is nice, big and roomy-- very very different then the closet of a store in the International District. However, the food at the U-District one is pretty different, almost as if they are two completely different restaurants. Sure, the menu items are all the same, but for some reason, this one just doesn't taste as good. Maybe it's always the long wait of being able to get a table at the one in U-District that makes it worth while, but really, I think it's just the differences in the chef's.
Ramen here is sub-par, it's a nice change to Pho noodles when you need a hang over cure, but nothing spectacular.
Though, I do love the pork rice bowl... super big rice bowl for the price! -
Review from Alice R.
3/12/2011 4 Check-ins Here
I admit it. I went back twice in a week because I started daydreaming about their Tonkotsu porked up to Ultra rich not long after I left. Normally, I don't eat all the broth because I'm more of a noodle person. Here I can have it all. I can order the desired thickness and doneness of the noodle and have some of the best tonkotsu broth I've had. And my time in Sapporo is not that distant a memory. Nothing will compare with THAT experience, but Samurai Noodle comes pretty darn close.
I've also had their Tonyu-Tonkotsu and Tampopo ramen. The Tetsu Hell fire looks really good, too but that will have to wait until another time. Considering, I've been back so many times, I'm sure I'll make my way through the menu before the end of next week. Overall, I'm glad to have more ramen options outside of the I.D. If you want to avoid the lunch rush, come closer to 1:30pm and you will usually be seated right away. I also love that it is open late. -
Review from J K.
Seattle, WA
Apparently some of my fellow yelpers have had bad experiences here. I can see how the seemingly low-paid staff may make a few mistakes here and there. But overall, I think this is a good place to get a cheap, yummy bowl of ramen.
I think people put ramen on a pedestal -- if it's not perfect then it's crap! But I, on the other hand, like ramen in all its permutations. It's like my relationship with hot dogs: Do I scoff at sidewalk hot dogs on 1st ave on Friday at 3 am? No, I do not. I enjoy the food within its context. Ramen at Samurai is cheap, fast, and good within a university neighborhood.
It's not as perpetually crowded as the Chinatown Samurai, but it's just as full of my fellow Asians. Loud alt rock. More room to stretch out. Long menu with helpful pictures. Lots of options like noodle firmness and two degrees of "porking up" your tonkatsu (extra pork fat = yummy heart attack). Cheap prices too. Relatively quick.Listed in: 100+ Seattle Japanese Joints, Ramen
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Review from Mandy C.
4/26/2011
My boyfriend introduced me to this place after I had my first tattoo. Oh, I was achey and sore, and Samurai Noodle, you made me happy again.
We sat at the bar and I wished I remembered what the name of the bowl I had was, because it was delicious. Regardless to say, the broth is TASTY. I completely satisfied with the food. Our waiter was a little rough around the edges and had sarcastic humor but I didn't mind it one bit. On top of that? STUDENT DISCOUNTS if you're at the UW :)
Hurray! Samurai, you're a four in my book. That means I'm coming back one day :) -
Review from Lilly A.
5/24/2011 1 Check-in Here
One of my frequented spots on the Ave. Looking something a little different than pho and a bit more personalized? Well here you are. I like to order the #5 (comes with some meat, an hard boiled egg, naruto slices and bamboo shoots). The best part is that you can add extra noodles, and assorted extras like the stuff that comes with your meal.
Not a ramen sort of person? I have personally never tried any of the other dishes, but my boyfriend has enjoyed the gyoza and I often see people eating those dishes.
