Maneki Ramen

Maneki Ramen, situated in the heart of the city of Worcester. This modern, atmospheric and delightful gem of an establishment caught myself and my partner off-guard. Immediately off of the bat, we were served by a polite young man who situated us at a table for two; without needing a reservation (we went on a midday Friday). The waitress was friendly, polite and well dressed. The restaurant is medium sized and could possibly sit perhaps 30-40 people at a time. The lighting, music and ambience that the restaurant has built, is in my opinion, some of the nicest the city offers from a restaurant. Service was quick, yet respectful. Myself and my partner opted for the "Tonkotsu Ramen" bowl. Which came to £13 each bowl. Compared to other Japanese restaurants, this is a very reasonable price for the quality you receive. You are presented with metal chopsticks (forks are available on request as servers politely ask if you'd require any) and when receiving your ramen bowl, a wooden broth spoon accompanies the dish. The 'Char Siu' was succulent, fatty and incredibly tender. The broth rich with umami flavours from the fats, mushrooms and spices. Spring onions bring a delightful crunch alongside bamboo shoot and ginger to help cleanse the palate. The half egg is perfectly cooked. Not overly hard but still gooey in the middle. The 'soba' style noodles they use have a firm, slightly chewy texture which I personally adore. I am unsure if they source these elsewhere or if they're made in-house. Either way; the ingredients are delicately combined to give an incredible explosion of flavour! It left me feeling adequately full, however I could easily finish another bowl if presented. Worcester has needed a restaurant such as Maneki for a very long time and I pray it stays for many years. Maneki Ramen serves as a diamond in the rough. The delight I had from visiting for the first time remains. The flavours, even days later I remember. This restaurant is memorable, stylish, professional and classy. They deserve 5 stars throughout the board. I could not find fault. I fully recommend the establishment as they will definitely continue to receive my patronage going forward. Disclaimer - I was not paid to promote this restaurant. All views expressed are my own.

Booked a table after knowing that this place won the award for Best Japanese Restaurant in UK. Place is really nice, service is excellent with friendly members of staff who always help and who are quick. The food is amazing and extremely flavoursome. The wife and I had rice crackers and small chicken bites for starters. Both came with a beautifully made dipping sauce. Mains I took on a ramen bowl and paid extra to have it spiced up. I was never disappointed as again it was just stunning. Price came to £50 for 2 people and I was very happy to depart my cash for this quality food. Clear why the award was given. We will definitely return.

Went there with my friend under recommendation of another friend and ngl had the best ramen I've haver had. We took as starter the Tonkatsu Pork Belly, enough pieces to be shared between two people and the pork belly was melting in your mouth. As mains we both got the Roast Duck Sichuan, it was literally to die for. The right mix of flavours and the crunchiness of the crispy duck was an amazing combination. To drink I got the East & West cocktail and I highly recommend it too.

Gluten free options are amazing, I cannot believe the noodles are gluten free,... Absolutely beautiful food and fairly priced too! The chicken was delicious, everything was just great. We will definitely return here. If you're looking for something gluten free... this is the place to come. Brilliant value and outstanding quality. Atmosphere was nice under the viaduct. Chilled out and not a busy area. 🥳