Gaman Ramen

I love Gaman Ramen; it’s my go-​to place in Reno when I’m craving a hearty helping of ramen. I always order the tonkatsu (pork broth) with extra egg and nori, but not before an order lotus chips :) The atmosphere is pretty cozy, but since it’s a small place, it gets crowded easily.

This place is so good! Seriously after we came the first time we were back 3 – 4 times within the week. The miso broth is the best, you can add meat and it is great. Parking can be a little tricky and also they don’t open until 5pm but that is my only complaint. Definitely recommend for amazing and authentic ramen.

The 3.5 star average on this place is accurate. I understand the food scene is developing in Reno but this place just doesn’t serve that great a bowl of ramen and I would not recommend coming here. It gets crowded because it’s in a great location and I honestly just think people don’t know what «good ramen» is. I’ve eaten amazing ramen around the world and the bowl they serve here is substandard. I went with a bowl of the Tonkotsu and it just seemed bland without enough flavoring or fatty content. The noodles weren’t bad but nothing special. I don’t know what the ethos/​mission of the owner is, but I think it might be more to sell a «novel» thing in Reno – a «gourmet» bowl of ramen but not necessarily use techniques or ingredients that big league ramen joints use (Shin Sen Gumi is my favorite in the world).
On top of a bad bowl of soup/​noodles, the service is terrible. It takes forever and this one server seemed so shy (doesn’t make any eye contact with you) that it just comes off as rude.
So, this place either needs to revamp their recipe/​technique and service or I don’t think this place will survive. If it does, it’s because of the 2 said reasons – location and the untrained ramen tongue. Go elsewhere!

Wanted to try somewhere new and didn’t even know Reno had a ramen place! The ramen was honestly okay, the broth was more salty rather than rich. Vegas has spoiled me with their ramen locations but I would say this would be a great place to visit for a college student. Ramen isn’t too expensive but adding extra toppings will cost you. Must try the green tea ice cream! It’s delicious and different from matcha and is hand made. On top of all this it had a really great atmosphere.

Great location. Local beer on tap. Delicious noodles with a twist. $ 8 per a bowl. Cozy atmosphere.

Small, both in space and food selection. Bar menu is larger than food menu. Food was good but strictly average. But to be fair, I have had Ramen around the world. Price is not outrageous but on high end of average. Service is slow but better than some of the reviews. Would go here more for the trendy location than the food.

Gaman Ramen is Reno’s ramen joint. Every city has one top spot for Japanese noodles, and this place is your go to in the city if you’re craving a warm broth and hearty ramen.
I ordered their traditional Tonkotsu, a pork broth with the usual ramen toppings, and was unsurprised. Satisfying, but not the same sweet/​umami pork flavor you get with the best ramen places.
Overall, Gaman Ramen is a standard ramen joint, on par with a corner shop in a larger city, but a welcome local hotspot in the Biggest Little City in the World.

My favorite place in Reno. Food is spot on. Good music. Friendly people. Laid back vibe.

Tragically Trendy:
If you like average noodle soup and the instrumental soundtrack to «Adventure Time» on repeat — this is the place for you!
Waitstaff is not ever out front. Always in the back. They’ll come out to seat you, hand you a form to fill out but then you’re on your own until they decide to make a round.
Prices are very low which makes sense for the quality of the food. They can’t be bothered to be open on Mondays and Tuesday’s just like they can barely be bothered to serve you. Does anyone even want to be there? It’s all just dripping with being «too cool for school».
Pop in and try it if you’re around but it’s not worth the 30+ minute wait when it’s crowded. Oh! If there is a wait you have to sign in and give your phone number so they can call you. You can’t wait inside and there’s never anyone there to ask about a how long the wait is anyway.

I had heard a lot about this and the reviews were mostly positive. I really wanted to enjoy this more but it was just eehhh. The appetizers were really good. We had the Lotus chips and the pickled vegetables, which were phenomenal (especially the eggplant).
Dave ordered the pork belly Ramen with kimchee, egg, and extra meat. I had the chicken broth with duck with extra meat and extra veggies. My order came out without the duck. When it was corrected, there were six small slices of duck breast (didn’t seem like double meat). The extra vegetables didn’t seem extra. Mostly snap peas, two pieces of broccoli rabe, three slices of radish and that was it. The spice box eventually came out and I added to the broth — but we really weren’t that impressed.
There are quite a few things that could be done better. It didn’t seem like the servers cared that they didn’t put the duck on the extra meat order. Dave’s pork belly had three slices of pork belly (this was also extra meat). Just kind of blah. Not much flavor and the ramen wasn’t as good as I expected. We’ll probably go one more time to give it a shot and see if it was an off night.

I love ramen, and growing up in Hawaii we have awesome ramen shops. That being said, I really wanted to love this place. I have been looking for a ramen shop in Reno that would be able to satisfy my craving for this quintessential comfort food. Alas my quest must continue as the ramen from Gamen while tasty did not quench my thirst for ramen.
I don’t want this to seem like a negative review because we did enjoy our meal; I just can’t call this «my favourite place ever».
Let’s get down to the details.
Food: We started with the pickled vegetables and smoked Char salad. The vegetables consisted of cucumber, beet, and eggplant. I really enjoyed the cucumbers which was pickled in a namasu style with the wonderful twist of fresh mint. My least favorite was the eggplant which was preserved in a thick gingery sauce. I think it would have been successful as a side dish with rice rather than an appetizer.
On to the main event… the ramen!
I got the tonkotsu ramen which is a pork bone broth. The mark of a great tonkotsu broth is the stickiness felt on the lips from the collagen which is extracted by boiling bones for hours and hours; even though it did achieve that stickiness I do agree with other Unilocalers that it needs more seasoning. The noodles were cooked to perfection: firm and crewy; but really when it comes to ramen it’s all about the broth.

I really enjoyed this place. The broth is flavorful. I had the tonkotsu ramen, which was a little on the salty side which was honestly fine but indicates they probably boiled their broth a little too long or added seasoning. I think they handmake their noodles which is a huge step up from your regular top ramen packets. The lotus chips taste just like potato chips, but they are aesthetically pleasing. The ginger beer was also really good, and even though it was so small, it had a lot of powerful kick to it. This does have an americanized twist where the toppings are full of green veggies and radishes, but I really enjoyed it. I will say this is on the pricy side. My ramen came out to about $ 15, when I can go to Vegas or L. A and even San Fransisco, and find it closer to the $ 10 range with the same amount of toppings. But at the end of the day, this is the best ramen shop in Reno.

I arrived a few minutes after 5 on a Wednesday evening. There were a few tables occupied and I was seated at the counter that overlooks the patio area. The gentleman that seated me gave me a quick rundown of the menu and ordering process and then said he would be back in a few minutes to take my order. The menu is really small so it took all of about 2 minutes to decide. Unfortunately, I had to wait at least 15 minutes before he came back to take my order. There was a group of about 8 – 10 people at a table and then a couple smaller parties of 2 – 4 people. I noticed others were being waited on so I don’t know if I was off the radar because of where I was sitting or what.
My food finally came and it was delicious! It was definitely worth the wait. I ordered the Tonkatsu Ramen with Pork Belly and added a seasoned egg. The broth was so rich and delicious and the noodles were thcker than packaged noodles. The egg was cooler than the soup which seemed a little odd but not offputting. After I finished my meal I had to wait another 15 – 20 minutes for my check and to pay. I thought this was a little excessive. I was there a full hour form the time I walked in until the time Ieft which seems like a long time for just a bowl of soup for one person. Will I give them another try? Definitely. The ramen was amazing. I just hope the service is a little better next time.

Imma be honest, I was gonna stay the hell away from this place after I saw the Unilocal reviews and one of my family members actually saying it was bad.
buttttttttttttttttttt. Gaman proved me wrong.
Used to hear about not enough broth. .. fixed.
Used to hear about bad noodles. .. fixed
Used to hear about bad waitress. .. meh. I mean you can’t win it all amiright?
Used to hear about crappy condiment box. .. I deny paying $ 2 for the spice powder that should be already at my table. Just to make a statement, I didn’t buy it even though I wanted it. And I’m judging the ramen for not having my spice in it.
BUT.
Pork is HELLA bomb, overall taste is great, and price is a nice $ 8 (or $ 10 if you wanna get scammed)
I hate, but honestly this place is great — come and you won’t regret!!!

This place is wonderful for a nice date or just a relaxing dinner with friends, but I cannot give it more than 3 stars because of the food quality and price.
Most ramen joints will include your egg without charging, at least. This place charges for everything. Additionally, the broth just isn’t as flavorful or salty as any authentic ramen I’ve had. However, it’s still really yummy, and despite charging for add-​ons, this is a filling and affordable dinner. I’m also glad that they offer a vegetarian broth option for my vegetarian buddies.
I do NOT recommend ordering the lotus chips, though. When first trying these, the servers screwed up our order and overcharged us. My fiancé and I ordered only one serving of lotus chips to share, just to try them. I thought they had just split one order into two teeny tiny bowls, but nope. That was two orders. $ 6. For barely anything. The chips were yummy but so overpriced for the portion.
I appreciate it being probably the only ramen spot in downtown, so if you’re chilling out in the area, I definitely recommend going.

This restaurant is relatively new in the downtown Reno area, maybe just under a year or so. I do enjoy ramen and they have pretty good ramen here. The broth is flavorful and the meat portion is decent. The noodles are good, which makes it a good ramen. I’ve had good service as well.

This place is awesome! I mean, it is truly great. The interior is beautiful, the ramen is the best in Reno, and the ceramics are stunning (I guess the owner makes them all by hand!)
However, where they really shine is the service. I came here with a group of 9 for my birthday. Although they are not set up to accommodate such a large group, they were very kind and moved together tables for us and were very prompt in doing so. They also answered all of the petty questions from my grandparents and were kind enough to cut up my birthday cake.
Now as for the food: I ordered a vegan miso ramen. It was very good, but not spicy enough for my liking and the broth was very salty. The vegetables were fresh and palatable. Maybe the saltiness was just a casual mistake, but I am definitely eager to try it again!

In my Boy Scout days, instant ramen noodles were a staple of camping trips; lightweight, filling, cheap and easy to prepare. However, in Japan every region has its own version of ramen soup, none of which resemble the brick o’ dry noodles and salt packet found in every American dorm room. Gamen Ramen’s goal is to bring an authentic, contemporary ramen experience to Reno, and though I’ve never been to the land of the rising sun I’d say they’re doing a pretty good job.
With only 18 – 20 seats and dinner served for just 20 hours out of the week, don’t plan on bringing the whole family to hang out for hours on end. You may need to wait a bit to get a table, but the friendly and efficient staff do a good job of turning tables without making you feel rushed or unwelcome. The décor is spartan-​yet-​tasteful, the earthenware serving bowls are handcrafted by one of the owners, and everything that can be is made in-​house. We started with Lotus Chips ($ 3), thin slices of fried lotus root, lightly salted and deliciously crispy.
Three varieties of ramen are served ($ 8), all including locally-​grown pea shoots, nori, sliced radish, spring onion and egg/​wheat noodles; gluten-​free vegan noodles are available for an additional dollar. I chose Tonkotsu, a rich pork stock simmered for several hours and served with pork belly. Additional toppings are available and I selected extra vegetables ($ 2), hon shimeji mushrooms ($ 1), and an organic, seasoned soft-​boiled egg ($ 1). My wife selected Shio, a delicate chicken and dashi broth served with thin-​sliced, house-​smoked duck breast (no extras). A Miso ramen is also available (soy/​veggie).
Complimentary hot sauce and chili oil are included, but if you really want to kick up the spice I recommend adding the condiment box ($ 2). The broth was great on its own, but the addition of housemade black garlic oil, hot sauce, pickled ginger, and togarashi – a Japanese blend of seven spices – made things even more interesting. Order a box to share with the table and you get complimentary refills. I enjoyed all four items, but the black garlic oil and pickled ginger made it a «must order».
My wife’s bowl of food was pretty tasty and she was very happy with it. My meal was sublime. The noodles were al dente, the broth was the definition of umami, and man did I love the extras. The extra veg added a lot of texture, the mushrooms were unique and earthy, but that egg. Oh that egg. The yolk was semi-​jellied and the seasoned albumen had its back. The dish was already delicious, but the egg’s rich flavor and texture sent it over the top.
How to top a simple-​yet-​superlative meal? Housemade dessert. My wife’s Meyer lemon sorbet was icy and tart, with just enough sweetness to hit the spot. Yet it was surpassed by a Genmai green tea ice cream that was nothing like I’ve had before. First, it wasn’t that food coloring shade of green. Second, it actually tasted like tea. In fact, I’d say this ice cream tasted and smelled more of tea leaves than most pots of green tea I’ve been served. The nose on this dessert was a revelation.
To be honest, our experience wasn’t perfect. My Lucky Buddha lager ($ 4) was served at room temp, and when we entered a mostly-​empty room we were told to wait while the front window seat was bussed. I understand wanting to keep that showcase window occupied, but there were other tables available and making us wait made a poor first impression. Luckily, the quality of food and the rest of the service completely erased my initial irritation. You could pay twice as much at Gamen Ramen and feel like you got your money’s worth.

So what do you want from me? A jaded frustrated angle that dogs them for their prices? Or a glowing and effusive review that just focuses on the positives and doesn’t deliver what you really need?
Hows about I just do what I always do, or at least try to do. Give you my honest point of view.
That view is limited when it comes to ramen. I know store bought ramen. I’ve been to the first local ramen place once. So really I only know crap about ramen. And by that I mean I know that when I have eaten ramen every single time in the past. The aftermath has not been good. If I go any further in detail… you will click the «TMI» button and not the UFC buttons. Suffice it to say, this «aftermath» didn’t happen this time. I don’t know why nor do I really care why. I’m just so glad it didn’t happen this time.
Now to my experience. I came in right at open because I wanted to miss any rush that may come up. Overall my dinner took about an hour. Not really bad. Since I was first to sit, I picked my spot and looked about the place. I hadn’t been in but once during the Z Pie days so I can’t really compare. But I have been told that the cool cardboard light fixtures are from at least the Z Pie days. This isn’t some crappy corner ramen shop. It’s nice. Nice enough to be a «date» place for a casual date. The place is small, so there might be a wait! I wonder if they will start taking numbers and letting people go to the wine bar to wait there.
The food. How do I tell you about how good this ramen is when I only have garbage to compare it to? I haven’t done ramen in the bay area or in other places where they «do it right» This is all I know. And when it comes to the food. I know it was darn right good! I wont bore you with details other than the noodles were fine to me. The Pork belly was the best pork belly I had ever had. (not usually a fan, to fatty). And the lotus chips were darn right addicting! Yes, I mean to say darn. Loved the egg! Sake was nice too. Even thought they didn’t have warm options when I was in, they are working on that and will soon have it.
Now comes the dark side… the gross under the rock part. This will not be a place I can frequent. $ 10 for a bowl of ramen seems just a little pricey to me. But then we start to upcharge you for all the other things? This ended up being a very pricey bowl of soup for me. (check my receipt photo). Honestly, the too many upcharges make this a rare treat to go to. Yes, I love all of the freshness and goodness, but can’t justify spending this much money and being hungry 2 hours later.
No, I’m not some philistine that doesn’t «get» quality products and want only chains, so don’t even go there. I am someone who is willing to spend $ 10 on a bowl of ramen. But not willing to be nickel and dimed with each little thing that I add to my already $ 10 bowl of ramen.
I look forward to how they respond to the market and see where it leads them. If they stay busy with their current model, more power to them. But my hope is, the prices wont be so stiff just because they are the only place in town doing it right.
So lets end on a good note and talk about the service that I had. SUPER friendly woman was the first person I met. Very personable and professional and had a great spirit about her. Things were taken away and picked up efficiently.
I will return with my wife when we have a little extra scratch to spend and are looking for a flavor profile that is unique in our little valley.

This place is a BIG JOKE! Never ever gonna go back here. First came in and none in front because they have no cashier desk, so seat yourself.
Then came the menu and was surprised with it because they have not so much choices of ramen only 3 flavors and this is the big surprise, that everything such as ramen toppings you’ve to PAY start $ 1– $ 2
Drink menu had more choices than the ramen LOL
Oh my God, really??? Even for the boiled egg customer has to pay $ 2? Are ya kidding me??? When in every ramen place it is always come with EGG without any additional cost. And this is more unbelieveable, that you have to pay extra $ 1 for a Nori /​seaweed, ROFL. I was speechless though.
Sure you want more of this and that, we can do that, just pay the bill later
The tonkatsu ramen was just so so, i mean the pork was good but i am talking about the portion, like the broth and it came only with 2 pieces of pork belly oppss i forgot, if i want more sure they can add more but extra money please cha-​Ching lol
The noodle was too mushy and sticky and the broth was nothing.
Service wasn’t good at all. Why? when my husband said to the owner for extra broth would be nice (i guess because most of customer who came today seems knowing her) and what did she said?
She loook at him like what? extra broth and her response such as an attitude, she said every bowl in every restaurant are different.
Oh hell yes we knew that and we’ve been into different ramen place and this broth was skimpy. (you can see that on the pictures that this bowl is almost empty, full of noodle only. Ramen is supposed to be a noodle soup, lot of broth not just a chunk of noodle in a bowl.
Want more broth sure if you pay for another extra, we will give ya lot of broth like some photo here, no paying for extra so that’s your broth Hahahahaa, not gonna paying extra $ 2 for egg or $ 1 for nori
So i guess Don’t call this is RAMEN place, it would be more perfect called this place as a NOODLE BOWL and hangout
if you are one of the owner, at least when a customer asked for little adding broth, you should pleased the customer, and how much expensive is that for a scoop of broth while you already charging too much for everything.
If someone wants to come here and give it a try but don’t want to pay the extra so better bring your own nori, eggs, veggies LOL
This place is thinks their hip. Maybe for some local who never /​have no idea about what ramen will taste like, thinks their ramen is yummy but it wasn’t working for us
It wasn’t only about $$ for the extra, as i said usually it always comes with eggs, nori or even with corn and chili sauce like chili oil etc even nothing on their table.
I never been into a suck place with a not special taste and bad service ever. This is seems a place to hangout and get couple of drinks with the owner’s friends. This is absolutely not a restaurant, this is a club house.
In summary, pretentious, over priced, way to hip, very noisy and not a place for
lovers of ramen.
Oh btw now i am not sure if there is 5 stars reviews so I’m guessing they are all friends of the restaurant