AFURI Houston Heights

One of the best ramen places in the heights! Really deep flavors and well executed. The Karage was perfectly crispy and well seasoned. The ramen boodles had the right cook as well. Overall, really great vibes and food. Unfortunately, The restaurant was extremely short staffed the Tuesday we went. There were only a few servers and most tables were empty and not bussed while many people waited in line to be seated. Hopefully it’s different on the weekend

We had high hopes of it tasting like the Afuri in Japan and we were not disappointed. Both Yuzu shio and tskumen were amazing, the broth is so light and refreshing. The chicken karaage was crunchy n juicy, the hamachi roll was soft n flavorful. Yuzu cheesecake was fluffy n sweet. The aesthetic of the place is nice, and definitely look forward to visiting again next time we are in town 😋

My new favorite restaurant in the Heights, and I weirdly stumbled upon it looking for its pizza neighbor that had not yet opened by the time I found it. Since the discovery, I have visited Afuri at least once every two weeks. It was so tasty, I went back the next day to enjoy the umami goodness of the tonkatsu ramen. The happy hour edamame is a must, and even the sushi hits a home run every time. The menu changes by season, so some of he favorites might change. I cannot place enough emphasis on Afuri and am so pleased it has taken off. Wonderful experience every time, and I enjoy my chats with the crew (hi, Long!). Love this place!

Went here for dinner after last minute Christmas shopping because they were open until 10pm on a Monday! My boyfriend and I started with the wagyu tare tare - delicious and good value ($22) with chips. For main course I got the yuzu shio and my boyfriend got the madai donburi bowl. All the ingredients tasted very clean. The open kitchen concept was nice overall great experience. The wait staff were kind and professional would recommend.

A Tokyo experience in Houston heights 🫶🏼 shout out to Axel, Hawi, Victor, Ling for your professional and friendly service during our visit. We loved all of their dishes. We tried Cucumber salad Softshell crab tempura Spicy tori kaarage Nigiri moriawase citrus hamachi roll Basque cheesecake Yuzu shio Strawberry rose matcha, and all of them were 🤌🏼 definitely worth checking out, we give an overall rating of 4.5/5. Plenty of free parking available.

This has become my favorite ramen spot in town (and I’ve tried ~15 or more)! I get the Crispy Bok Choy to start, which I highly recommend. I tried their Yuzu Shio and Tonkotsu Shio before, these were both good but I prefer some spice. So the Tonkotsu Tantan is my favorite and every bite is wonderful! I add an egg to it as well. I’ll be here often!

The yuzu shoyu ramen is light and refreshing, with a beautifully balanced broth that’s easy to enjoy. Compared to rich tonkotsu ramen, it feels more suited to Asian palates. The atmosphere is relaxed and comfortable, and the blueberry sake cocktail is surprisingly good and well worth trying.

Super good! Came in with my roommate for lunch. Our server Leo was great! We each had the ramen lunch special. I got the karaage with mine, and she the salmon poke tacos. Surper good! Good value, too. Will definitely be coming back!

Very good but I need to go back. The spicy chicken app was great. Lots of flavor. There are lots of other things on the menu I want to try. Service was great. I went for lunch.

Another new ramen spot in the Heights, this time located in a newish plaza on Durham. The interior is more spacious than you would expect and there's plenty of parking in the back. Service is decent and while the restaurant was fairly empty, the food came out quickly and the staff were response. Their menu is not done well; it's three separate pages with front and backs; it makes no sense and is sloppy design. We got the fried chicken and fried egg as appetizers; both fairly tasty. The ramen ordered was the tonkotsu chashu men, which is just a pork broth bowl with your standard toppings. The ramen was solid except for the chicken chashu, which I found unappetizing in texture / taste and took them out. The broth is decent but on the light side, and the noodles had good texture.

3.5 Went to Afuri on a Saturday night. It wasn't too busy and it's nice that they have a spacious parking lot in the back. I was surprised to find out that they have all day happy hour on Saturday, so I just opted for happy hour bites since I wasn't super hungry. I tried the edamame, spicy pork taco, and spicy hamachi handdroll. Everything was pretty good - the only thing of note was that the seaweed for the handroll wasn't super crispy which is what I look for in a good handroll, but it was still tasty. The reason it's a 3.5 instead of a real 4 is due to the service. It took what felt like quite a while for our server to come and take our order, and throughout the night she was not very attentive to us and even to get the check a different server noticed us looking around and asked if we needed anything.

I went to Afuri on a weekend night and was surprised at how empty it was. The restaurant has a huge parking lot, so parking was very easy. We tried the crispy ramen eggs, the tonkotsu chashu men, and the tonkotsu shio. Everything tasted great and the flavors were really comforting. We also ordered a couple of cocktails and they were very yummy. Overall it was a decent spot, not too expensive, and I would definitely go back.

They have pretty classic Japanese flavors for their ramen broths, which is nice and clean tasting. I didn't like most of the appetizers, but the salmon taco was pretty good and fresh. The shoyu broth had a lot of flavor and I enjoyed the thin noodles that had a nice texture. I might go back if I was close by and wanted a clean authentic ramen flavor.

This ramen spot has broths with depth and nicely cooked chashu, both important factors when I make the decision to go for a piping hot bowl of noodles! With plenty of shared parking and quick and efficient service at both the bar and dining table, Afuri proves to be a great addition to the Heights. Their menu offers a variety of ramen, tsukemen, and mazemen as far as noodles, and then some donburi, sushi, hot and cold small plates, and a great selection of beverages (cocktails, beer, sake, wine, and non alc options). A fun addition to the typical menu at Afuri includes flights! Yes, flights of sake, soju, or whiskey! While I've only had their ramen and tsukemen here, I have several other items on my mind. Besides the regular menu, their happy hour or lunch combos are a good deal too. From takeout experience, they seem to also package ramen well for transport. Everything that should be separated is done so nicely. This spot is great for the solo diner or for groups. The clean and modern ambiance makes it a Heights favorite.

Afuri Ramen is a Tokyo-based chain known for the their delicate, yuzu-infused ramen. The chain has expanded international with a location in the heart of Houston's Midtown. As a big fan of yuzu, I was excited to see how the wonderful gentle, acidic flavor would translate into a bowl of ramen. Sadly, the ramen did not live up to the hype and its visual representation. The gentle, acidic yuzu flavor I wanted to experience way too overpowering and it was actually hard to enjoy. From the tough, dry chashu to the pickled ginger in the Tonkotsu Shio, each element felt like separate components rather than a cohesive well-composed bowl. While we tried several items includes Buta Gyoza, Crispy Bok Choy, Tonkatsu Shio, and Yuzu Ratan -- everything was just average. Table water stored in glass container had an extremely off taste, which the restaurant may want to address by replacing it more frequently.

Let me begin by saying how great it smelled when I walked into Afuri this Sunday late afternoon.. My sense of smell was in overdrive with everything that is great about the smells of sizzling meats and spices of all kinds , and so much so that my mouth was watering, I couldn't wait to order and eat! And not to leave out how aesthetically appealing the actual inside of the building is arranged .. That being said, the ramen noodles i ordered did not live up to said buildup....I ordered a ramen bowl called Yuzu Ratan because that one promised "spicy" goodness and comparable to the other options I figured that was my best option to deliver the heat I craved. Man, did it NOT deliver!! It " looked great mind you, as you might think in the photo I left, but looks in this case lied! It lacked depth of flavor, and richness in broth and layered depth of flavor is everything when eating ramen. It tasted very light and soupy like maybe a bowl of pho , but without the lovely flavors or aromatics, and slightly watery..And I don't mind thin noodles, but these noodles were weirdly too thin ..Perhaps they have other treats on the menu that won't disappoint, but sadly if I'm craving ramen, I will not seek this one out...

My boyfriend and I were craving ramen and found our way here. I believe they have all day happy hour every weekday so we were able to get normal dishes and try their salmon taco, which was pretty good! The ramen was solid, not our favorite we have ever had but the location is convenient to our home and the happy hour prices were good. We got a ginger lime yuzu mocktail and it was very gingery but good if you're not wanting an alcoholic drink that night. I think our favorites was the Brussel sprouts and the ramen egg!

Stopped by with my friend on Saturday for dinner they weren't super busy so we got a table right away. The restaurant is very pretty, it's kind of dim, and overall it has a nice vibe. Our server was really nice, he was one of two servers and even still he was really attentive. We started off with the Shrimp Tempura Roll, it was good we both enjoyed it. I had the Tonkatsu Shio Ramen, it was good but it lacked a bit of flavor and I think my friend felt the same way about her ramen. The restaurant is so nice that I'd definitely come back and try it again.

Beautiful interior with a nice ambiance. Definitely a good place to bring friends and out of towners. I had high hopes as this is a Japanese ramen shop with locations in Japan. Unfortunately I ventured a bit too far outside of my pallet and did not select the right item on this trip. Yuzu ratan ramen- 3/5. Unfortunately there the yuzu base is a bit too sour for my tongue so it tasted too acidic for me. I would've preferred the more traditional tonkotsu so I will try that next time. The chashu pork was actually great as it was crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Strawberry milk tea- 3/5. Heavy handed in the ice. Not viscous. Fruity flavor mixed with coconut water There are many options like tsukumen and donburi but I did not get a chance to try on this trip. They also had a happy hour menu that I will try next time.

I came here with friends after the rodeo for a late night bite. It was around 930 when we arrived so not busy and we were seated right away. We ordered an assortment of appetizers - fried chicken, dumplings, and fried egg, plus several types of ramen. The fried egg was delicious and the chicken was so good. I enjoyed the ramen, especially the spicy one. And I had a glass of house bubbles. Reasonable prices and good service. @azfitfoodfun

When I heard that Afuri was a ramen chain that actually started in Tokyo, I was optimistic and skeptical at the same time. Deep down I'm hoping it would come close to what ramen actually tastes like in Japan. In reality I'm just hoping it isn't another Jinya. Apparently this chain is popular for their Yuzu flavored ramen, so I had to give that a try. But turns out that as much as I love anything that is citrus flavor, ramen is not on that list. I could not bring myself to enjoy that overpowering taste of orange in my savory ramen broth in the same way that I love pineapple on pizza. Fortunately they had other ramen options on the menu besides their Renown Yuzu ramen. The Tonkatsu and Miso were both solid ramen where the broth didn't taste like an oily bowl of random seasonings. Love the option for thick noodles, which were very chewy/bouncy. Chashu and soft boiled egg were cooked perfectly. Not quite at the level of ramen I've tried at Japan yet. Not quite at the level of the Ichiran chains in NYC either. But nonetheless it definitely passes as one of the better options for ramen in Houston. #358

Really had a good time here! The food wasn't too expensive and tasted good. I had the tonstanksu ramen which is not bad - I added spicy but beware it's VERY spicy! The salmon hand roll was okay. The crispy bok choy was AWESOME. The karaage don chicken was very yummy. Even though it's called "ramen and dumpling" I didn't see many dumpling options. We will come back again soon!

Had a really delicious lunch here recently - large restaurant with plenty of seating, and better yet - parking! So rare in this area. Staff was very friendly and attentive throughout our visit. I opted for their lunch special which consists of a fountain drink, small plate appetizer, and any ramen. I had the crispy gyoza and tonkotsu ramen and both were a hit; I have been thinking about how delicious it was and want to go back soon! Glad to have another solid ramen option in our area. As another Yelper says - the crispy bok choy is legit. My friend ordered it and I had major envy.

We came across an ad on fb and see adequate rating reviews so we gave it a try to support another restaurant in the Heights of Houston. We were pretty disappointed and probably not returning. First impressions, clean, new, spacious with certain seatings range from bright (closer to the bar) and dark (toward the wall on the left). Service: disappointed! Our waiter initially pour water over the table onto the menu. He didn't realize it the whole entire time and did not give us any extra napkins throughout. Never once he would refill our water drinks. He kept asking if we need anything without really paying attention to what happened at the table. He couldn't explain the menu to new customer to explore different options and tried to explain in a way to get this job over with. The two kudos for service are that our waiter asked for allergies and accommodating with our off menu alcoholic drink. However, when payment at the table, I found it rude to stand in front of customer before giving tips (I feel a certain pressure) and also was told to skip the survey part. I guess they don't need to know how to improve. Food: plain and not tasty! Hotate carpaccio - all I can taste is the after fishy smell/taste of the not so fresh scallop drenched in excessive yuzu sauce.. The silver lining to this dish is the fresh herbs and strawberry. Ramen: broth is plain & nutty, egg noodle thin type similar to Chinese rather than Japanese dish, mushroom and scallion are excessive in the bowl without taste and I guess was added for texture but not even taste good, pork - 1 slide of thick small pork piece without any seasoning, egg - perfect cook but taste like boiled egg without the shoyu seasoning like most ramen places we had. Drinks: the 2 stars I gave are for the amazing drinks (cocktails) they had and the clean new facility. Their cocktails were so good and a tad more on the sweeter side which I like. They do have quite a large variety of drinks/sake and you can also request off menu drinks. Overall, I'm not quite sure I would be back for their food nor their service. We went on a Sunday night and it's not even crowded. We definitely recommend their operation manager for this chain to make some changes before another potential ramen place might not be able to compete with so many ramens options out there in Houston.

Nut allergy friendly: Some drinks have nuts (pistachio) and they have one ramen with nuts, but the dishes I ordered were okay! Parking: Plenty in the lot in the back We dropped in around 6PM on a Saturday evening and got seating easily, but they got packed by 7PM! Order to Appetizers: 9-13 minutes Order to Ramen: 23-27 minutes Service: Spectacular. Very attentive, and even celebrated one of our birthdays! For five people, we ordered: -Hotate Carpaccio: ?/10 I didn't try this as I have a slight strawberry allergy, but it was well received around the table. -Spicy Tori Karaage: 8/10 Would say they nailed the flavor, excellent presentation, but it does not hit the crispiness necessary. Not as crispy as Korean Fried Chicken but very solid for Karaage. Five pieces made it perfectly sharable with our group. -Everyone got their own ramen and I got the tonkatsu tantanmen (4.5/5) and tried my friend's tonkatsu Shio (3/5). I didn't realize my tonkatsu tantanmen did not come with an egg; highly recommend adding one. Overall, they are very light on the proteins (one piece of pork) which is very disappointing. The thick noodle is far superior to the thin noodle in my opinion. Excellent texture, perfect amount of noodle. The shiitake mushrooms were excellently cooked and paired very well. Drinks: -Endomame (3/5): I didn't like this as much, but my friend really enjoyed it. I'd recommend if you enjoy mint flavors or muted vegetable flavors. -Lychee Afuri Chuhai (4/5): Basically like a lychee cream soda. Mix it up and use the straw because drinking from the top basically was just seltzer water. Desserts: My friends got a basque Cheesecake and said it was delicious! I did not sample because of the nuts. Overall, might be the best ramen in the area, competing with several long standing places in Houston. Awesome to have them around.

Overall a nice clean bowl of ramen that was a break from the heavy, oily consistency that you generally find. There were also other food offerings to add to or if someone in your party isn't feeling ramen. We tried a sushi roll and dumplings which were both average. Parking isn't too bad! Located in a shopping center with a quite large space compared to other ramen locations. A great option if you want high quality, clean ramen...

One of my friends comes here almost weekly and raved about the yuzu ramen so I just had to try it. I quite like the atmosphere here, it's more of a modern Japanese restaurant. While the citrus taste was strong in the yuzu shoyu ramen, I didn't feel as if it was overpowering because the saltiness of the soy sauce base helped balanced it out well. Took albacore donburi to-go for a friend and he absolutely loved it, said the tuna was extremely fresh. Next time I come, I'll need to try the tsukemen.

Afuri Ramen & Dumpling has a lot going for it--friendly staff, an open kitchen concept, and some standout dishes. My favorite was definitely the karaage. The crispy skin, mild hint of spice, and well-balanced seasoning made it a must-try. It was perfectly fried and full of flavor. The ramen was good but didn't quite hit the mark for me, especially considering the price. I was expecting a bit more depth in the broth, but it was still enjoyable. The drink menu is also somewhat limited, which was surprising given that they have an indoor bar. What really stood out was the open kitchen design. No matter where you sit, you get a clear view of the chefs preparing and cooking meals, which adds a unique touch and gives the place a lot of character. Overall, a solid spot for ramen lovers, on a Wednesday night the place was pretty packed!

I really really really wanted to like this place since it came from Japan and it's hard to find a ramen spot with a yuzu flavor profile, but the food left us feeling meh. Ordered the Yuzu Tsuyu (dipping ramen) and Yuzu Shoyu and both definitely had hints of yuzu but nothing noteworthy. Noodles were okay, seasoned egg was not very seasoned, and the broths/ noodles were both warm, not hot for some reason. Needless to say, they became cold very quickly and took away from the experience. Hoping it's a one off, because I heard so many good things!

Afuri is one of the new ramen places in Houston so I had to check it out! We ordered the gyoza and brussel sprouts to start. I think I preferred the brussel sprouts, lots of flavor and healthy to boot. I ordered the tonkotsu ramen which was standard. I couldn't really notice a difference from other restaurants tonkotsu. As others have said, not too many dumpling options. Service was friendly and fast. It's a bit dim with the lighting at night but it is a trendy new spot. Lots of parking available in their parking spot.

I visited here about a week ago for lunch. There were a few groups waiting, but we got seated right away at a table for two. The place was pretty busy given the amount of staff there, so it took a little while for someone to greet us. Since it was our first time, we ordered a few items to try: the Buta Gyoza and Spicy Tori Karaage. The gyoza was good--crispy on the outside, but the inside was a bit chewy for my taste. Still, it was tasty! The Spicy Tori Karaage was the highlight. It was perfectly seasoned, crispy, and was a large portion. We also tried the Albacore Tataki, which was fresh and delicious. For rolls, we ordered the Spicy Tempura and the Vegetable Roll. The Spicy Tempura was fantastic and had that nice crunch that I love in a tempura roll. The Vegetable Roll was fresh and light. Both rolls were small though so I wouldn't recommend just having those as a meal. The plates came out as they were ready rather than in a set order. I noticed some mix-ups with dishes going to the wrong tables probably due to the new staff. I also ordered a handroll, which never arrived which was probably sent to the wrong table. They're still working out some kinks with service, but I'm sure it will improve. Overall, I'm looking forward to coming back to try the ramen!

The restaurant itself is decorated nicely. Tons of brightly lit parking lot. Service was okay but slow, but they were slightly busy and had a couple of people waiting to be seated. The food itself was decent besides the ramen. The charsiu that came with the ramen tasted like it was cooked in burnt oil, as that's all it tasted like. The broth was very light and lacked the depth of flavor of any other ramen I had here in the US or in Japan. Also, I ordered a side of bamboo, which tasted like it came out of the can and onto the plate. The gyoza was crispy and was very juicy as for the sauce it just tasted like mayo and sriracha. Overall nothing too special here that I noted from my experience.

Got to visit this Tokyo based ramen shop that just opened up in the Heights! There's ample parking as it is in a strip. We came on a weekday afternoon and the place was pretty empty. It's amazing how big the dining area both inside and outside. They can definitely fit a lot of people in here! We were seated right next to the room where they make the noodles. It's all glass so you can see the process. Pretty cool to see a ramen shop actually make their own noods. For appetizer we got the spicy tori karaage - the karaage itself was good and it sits on spicy mayo which was nice. For ramen I got the Tonkotsu Tantan and my wife go the Yuzu Shio. The Tantan had a good creamy broth, ground pork and big pieces of shiitake. My wife didn't enjoy her ramen as much as I did mine. She did get a chicken broth and may have been too light for her. Service was also pretty fast, but like I mentioned we were the only ones there. I am a little confused though as to where the dumplings were on the menu. Maybe I had to ask. Overall I had a solid meal, and unfortunately my wife thought it was a miss. Still willing to give them another shot in the future. I still prefer a couple places in the area over Afuri in terms of go to ramen spots, but it's a nice addition and everyone should give them a shot. Also cool that they have a big inside dining area and a nice patio with TV's outside.

Waited about 45 minutes for a table on a Saturday and the place was pretty busy. Once they let us know our table was ready we were promptly seated and our orders taken. However, it did take quite a while for our food to come out, but it was rather busy as they have just opened. Our waiter was fun and helpful, but towards the end as he got more tables he followed up with us less and less. We ordered the scallop carpaccio for an appetizer and this was absolutely delicious. The strawberry and scallops paired nicely together. As for the ramen I got the tonkatsu shio which was a little too porky for my taste. The broth was alright in my opinion and the egg that comes with it is not anything great to write home about. The chashu itself was tender and smoky and the noodles were cooked perfectly. Another thing is you cannot customize the noodles (thin vs thick) and after the waiter explained why I understood. I got to try the tantan tonkotsu as well as the yuzu ratan. The tantan tonkotsu was my favorite--rich, creamy, and spicy. The yuzu ratan was interesting because it almost tasted like a fusion of tom yum and szechuan flavors. The restaurant itself is super open with lots of seating, and the kitchen is open to view as well. You can watch them cook all parts of your ramen, and you can watch the noodles themselves be made.

Felt checking a new spot for Ramen on a chilly evening in Houston. We passed this shopping center enough times. First impression was wow there is a ton of seating for a ramen spot in Houston. We were quickly sat since it wasn't too busy. The waiter took a bit to come over to take our orders. We started off with the edamame. The flavor was good. It almost had a hint of citrus. We liked that overall. I personally decided to try the albacore don which I thought would be more of a poke bowl. It had the tuna, raw onion and rice. The sauce was good and by the end had a kick. Overall though most of it was missing flavor. The parts without the sauce was meh. The ramen that my husband had had a great broth. Missed the name of it. Sorry! The noodles and broth definitely good. The dry noodles with dipping sauce had a different flavor. More like dipping in soy sauce. Overall I feel of the entrees I'd only want to do the ramen again. As far as the service, I was disappointed that we didn't really have anyone one come back until it was time to check out. There was beyond enough employees working. However they were all too involved in their own conversations instead of checking on customers. I would have liked the chance to order more sauce or a drink. While it was a nice location, I don't believe I would go back on my own since there are better options around that do the same thing for a better cost.

Afuri is a Japanese restaurant specializing in ramen located in the Heights and has become one of my favorite ramen places in Houston. I have noticed that tonkotsu ramen is more common and popular among many ramen restaurants in Houston. However, I personally prefer something shio ramen, which has a chicken broth base. Afuri has both! I have tried their Yuzu Shio (without the yuzu), Tonkotsu Shio, and the Tonkotsu Tan Tan. You can also customize your own ramen bowl with the shio broth, which I thought was neat. All three broths were great. The shio was light and refreshing and was one of my favorites. The tonkostsu shio was rich and light and not as heavy as other tonkotsus I have had. The tonkotsu tan tan was another favorite. Spice tolerance is subjective, but I would say it is not that spicy. However, there was a nice depth to the broth, and I really liked the thick noodles that come with it. They were bouncy, and you can tell it was made in their restaurant. We had a tuna tartare, which was fresh, but I do wish it has more than four gyoza chips. I also had an albacore tuna handroll on one of my visits during happy hour. It was fresh and reasonably priced. The inside is very very spacious. There's some free parking in the back, but it is shared with other establishments in the plaza. The staff and service were nice and friendly, and everything came out in a very timely manner. Overall, a Afuri has become one of my favorite ramen restaurants in Houston. I especially really like their shio Ramen and tan ran tonkotsu.

Lovely ambiance for a cozy night. The energy was just right here - not too loud but bustling enough. We arrived for an early dinner and got seated right away, though the restaurant was clearly getting busy nearing peak hours. The open concept space is pretty cool because can see the cooks preparing food as well as the dumpling machine The ramen itself had an interesting mix of flavors. Maybe it's just what we ordered but we were a bit underwhelmed. The Yuzu Ratan comes with thin noodles and had a strong tangy taste. The Yuzu Tsuyu was a bit more tame and I actually liked this one better because of the thicker noodles. The Crispy Ramen Egg appetizer was my favorite item - gooey egg with a delicious curry dip! I'm open to try this spot again, maybe next time with more appetizers and dumplings.

Upon walking in, the first thing you notice is how big, clean, and organized the restaurant is. I love that you can see all of the chefs cooking. And when I saw the restaurant is spotless, I mean it is actually spotless. Our server was wonderful, and honest, which is extremely appreciated. So both my partner and I got the Yuzu shio with chicken but made it spicy. I hate to say it, but we did not enjoy is. It was extremely vinegar-y and citrusy. The chicken was very overcooked and lacked flavor. We were pretty disappointed because the main reason we came here is because our favorite ramen place got shut down and this place received lots of hype via social media. However, if a strong citrus flavor, or in general, just a flavor unlike typical ramen is what you're looking for, this may be the place for you!

TL;DR: This place is such a logistical mess and does not have it together. Food is just OK and absolutely not worth the wait. As some reviews have already mentioned, this place still doesn't really have any of their logistics nailed down. I figured since some of those negative reviews were a month ago closer to when they opened, they would've ironed it out by now. But that wasn't the case. Came in around 6:25pm on a Monday. After waiting about ten minutes for a few tables to clear we were seated. We already knew what we wanted to order while waiting, but still had to wait another ten minutes after being seated before we could even flag down a waiter to take our order. So from about 6:45pm, this was the following timeline of when we received each item we ordered: - Fried bok choy @ 6:58pm - Pistachio sour @ 6:59pm - Spicy tempura roll @ 7:03pm - Hotate carpaccio @ 7:08pm - Tonkotsu tan tan @ 7:30pm - Tonkatsu shio @ 7:34pm - Yuzu tsuyu and Kara Tsuyu @ 7:38pm - Spicy Tori Karaage @ 7:47pm - Cheesecake @ 7:59pm I have never in my life in the many ramen shops I've been to seen the staff struggle to get stuff out of the kitchen. It also didn't help that the front of house staff were rotating different duties like cleaning/bussing tables, being a hostess, taking orders etc. It felt impossible to get a hold of our waiter for anything. We also had to double check on the karaage about halfway through our waiting since we assumed it'd be an appetizer but turns out they didn't even put the order in so it ended up showing up after we got our mains. Even after we were ready to leave, it took nearly 20 minutes to finally pay our bill. As for the food, it was extremely mediocre. Nothing felt particularly remarkable. The portions were pretty small and I found the ramen which I assumed would be the star of the show to be just OK. Definitely not something I'd wait almost an hour for. Price-wise this place also doesn't really provide any great value. Total with tip rounded out to be about $180 for 4 people. My advice to the management is their back of house just simply needs to optimize how to get orders out faster and their front of house has to do a better job at delegating people to different sections instead of running around like chickens with their heads cut off trying to do everything. This place is not worth the hype it has been getting from social media influencers.

Came here on a Sunday afternoon and they seated us right away. The service was quick and friendly. We ordered a salmon hand roll, cucumber salad, yuzu shio, and yuzu ratan. The hand roll was great, it had fresh salmon and avocado. The cucumber salad was very refreshing and nicely presented. The broth for the yuzu shio was clean and flavorful but seemed to be missing something. The noodles were well cooked. The yuzu ratan broth was good but also could have had more depth of flavor. Overall we had a great experience here and would come again to try their other foods!

Was excited to try this place because it's close to home but was sorely disappointed. There's plenty of free parking. The ambiance was great and the service was friendly but the food was sub par. The ramen we ordered was barely luke warm. We saw other tables with steaming bowls of ramen so not sure what happened with ours. The rolls were very bland. The other apps were ok but nothing to write home about. Not sure if I will be back.

Walking in and was immediately greeted. Came around noon on a Friday and wasn't too packed yet but after 30 minutes the place was full. Place is cool with an open view of the kitchen and noodle shop. They make their noodles in-house. Service is quick! We placed our order and food arrived within 5 minutes. For apps, we started with crispy bok choy (4/5 - reminds me of Brussels sprouts), salmon hand roll (3/5 - nothing special), tori karaage (4/5 - get the spicy one instead). For ramen, we got tonkotsu shio (4/5 - broth was excellent, noodles were well Al dente, eggs slightly overcooked, pork belly was delish, I think broth could've been bit creamier) and the yuzu-tsuyu with cold noodles. (3/5 - i think the broth needed to be a saltier and thicker for the sauce to hold onto the noodles. I also wasn't sure if the broth was suppose to come out cold too but if so order the hot noodle version instead. Also, I would ask for some lime slices to put on the noodles. Noodles just needed a bit acidity to it.) Overall, I would come back again. Vibes were cool and definitely would come back for drinks. They had some whiskey and sake flights I would like to try.

I've been wanting to try this ramen place since they opened in Houston, since they have locations in LA and Tokyo also. Beautiful casual restaurant with modern and high ceilings. Service was good as well. I might be a bit of a ramen snob since we were just in Japan a few months ago, so the tonkatsu ramen was not my fav. Chicken karaage felt a little short, gyoza was good, edamame was ok. Overall, the food was just ok but just didn't wow me. I might need to go back and try their famous yuzu chicken ramen next time and give another try.

So glad to have a solid ramen spot in the heights! The yuzu tsukemen is so fresh and light, and the noodles have a great bite. I always crave it! They also have an all day happy hour through the end of March! Such a great deal with options ranging from chicken karaage and crispy buta gyoza, which were both delicious and easy to share. Service was so so friendly. The manager gave us a complimentary basque cheesecake due to a glass bottle getting knocked over by accident, and he also kindly gave us a bowl of tonkotsu tantan on the house. Will definitely be coming back again and again.

The place is very clean and the bathrooms smelled nice. The waitress was nice and answered all the questions for the first timers. The food came out pretty quickly. I got the yuzu shio. It was very light and refreshing. I tried the Japanese fried chicken and it was pretty tasty. I asked to sub the egg for bok choy but saw there was a charge for the bok choy. I didn't get my itemized receipt until after I paid. I would've liked to have been notified that there'd be a charge.

A sold B for their ramen. The broth was great but the egg they used isn't seasoned. For apps, we ordered the fried eggs and Gyoza. The gyoza didn't show up until after we finished our entrees. The waitress also got my wife's ramen order wrong. My guess is this restaurant is still working out the kinks - we will eventually be back in a few months and give it a second shot.

Pretty surprised that it was empty, since it's the weekend but there ramen was delicious! It's definitely a must. Would go again, 10/10. Definitely recommend. The environment in there was comfy and welcoming.

I was a little intimidated coming into this restaurant, but the service was so amazing. They have an open kitchen concept where you can watch the chefs MAKE the ramen. Like put the bowl together and everything I thought it was so cool. I originally got the yuzu shio ramen which was tasty but not my favorite. It wasn't until I got the tonkotsu shio ramen to go that I fell in love. Some of the BEST ramen I have ever had I still dream about it. And their yuzu ice cream dessert???!!! Delicious. I crave it all the time.

Afuri Ramen + Dumpling is a fantastic addition to the Houston Heights dining scene, offering a taste of authentic Japanese ramen. The restaurant is named after Mount Afuri, a sacred mountain in Japan known for its pure spring water, and where the restaurant had their first location at the foot of the mountain. Afuri is known for its Yuzu Shio ramen and its commitment to using GMO-free ingredients and no MSG. Afuri first opened in Tokyo in 2003 and has since expanded to over 28 locations worldwide. The Heights location opened on November 1, 2024 and has quickly gained popularity. The restaurant has a spacious and modern interior with minimalist decor and a welcoming outdoor patio. They also offer a free private parking lot with plenty of spaces. We visited around 2 pm on a Sunday with our 1-year-old and were seated immediately. The restaurant is family-friendly, with plenty of high chairs, and we noticed several other families dining with young children. Here's what we ordered: [NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES] +Yuzu Limeade (yuzu, lime, and soda) for $5 - Refreshing and very citrusy. - 4/5 +Housemade Ginger Ale (ginger, lime, bitters, and soda) for $5 - Had a nice spicy kick from the ginger. - 4/5 [STARTERS] +Yuzu Shio Edamame (edamame, yuzu shio sauce, black pepper, and garlic chips) for $6 - I wasn't a fan of the yuzu shio sauce--it overpowered the edamame. - 2.5/5 [APPETIZERS] +Tuna Tartare (spicy tuna, chives, salmon caviar, yuzu kosho ponzu, microgreens, fried leeks, wasabi, and gyoza chips) for $18 - Unfortunately, this dish was drenched in yuzu kosho ponzu sauce, making it overly salty and masking the tuna's flavor. - 3/5 [RAMEN] +Tonkotsu Tantan (spicy miso tare, tonkotsu broth, pork crumbles, bok choy, shiitake mushroom, leeks, chili oil, and thick noodles) for $16.80 - The broth was rich and had a good amount of spice. I wasn't a fan of the shiitake mushrooms and was disappointed that a seasoned egg wasn't included--I had to pay an additional $3 for it. It would also be great if they offered corn as a topping option. - 4/5 The ramen was the star of the meal, with a flavorful and comforting broth that made it worth the visit. However, the starters and appetizers didn't live up to expectations--the flavors were either too overpowering or not well-balanced. Afuri Ramen + Dumpling excels in its ramen offerings and has a comfortable, family-friendly atmosphere that makes it a great spot for any time of day. With some adjustments to the small plates, this could easily become a five-star dining experience. I look forward to returning to try more of their signature dishes.

The restaurant is well decorated and spacious with an open concept. One of the first things I noticed was that it smelled like a KBBQ restaurant so you can expect to smell when you leave after eating. This was off putting to me and I did not enjoy breathing in the burnt smell the whole time we were there. For our appetizers, we ordered the Tori Karaage and Buta Gyoza. Both were pretty good and the portions were generous. For ramen, we ordered the Tonkotsu Shio and Tonkotsu Tan Tan. They do not let you substitute the noodles for thick vs thin. The broth was decent for both. The tonkotsu shio came with chashu that was super dry. I think the way the grill it made it too dry and was the reason why the restaurant smelled like something was burning. The tonkotsu tan tan came with thick noodles. The noodles were clumped together, which affected the overall eating experience. Service from the waiters was great, but the kitchen was super backed up and took a long time to prepare the food. There's a large parking lot so finding parking shouldn't be an issue.

I loved this place! Everything I had here was delicious. I love the atmosphere and service was excellent. I also like how the parking lot seems to have plenty of spots given its location. The ramen was so flavorful and I enjoyed the spice in it. It wasn't too spicy at all, but gave the ramen even more flavor! I can't wait to go back again.

Stopped by Afuri for take out for the wife and I. She's nursing, so spices can be an issue for her and the baby. They were very accommodating to separate the spices so my wife could add as she needed. The two ramens were ordered were delicious and the gyoza was an absolute home run. Can't wait to try the food in the actual restaurant, since take out is never the same..

Had a good dinner here. Place is nicely decorated. Staff were very friendly and helpful with suggestions. We enjoyed our food but nothing blew us away. I do like the uniqueness of their cocktail menu, but wasn't a huge fan of my drink: Endomame. We both got the tonkotsu shio ramen which was much better after asking for some chili oil+paste for the broth. My favorite dish was probably the pan fried nuts gyoza. Overall, good (not amazing) meal, but I'll be back to try more menu items.

It's been YEARS since I've found a ramen place that I've liked which has resulted in me never wanting to eat ramen at a restaurant. I came here for a friend's birthday dinner with a very critical palette. They absolutely exceeded expectations. For my appetizer, I tried the spicy karaage and it was so juicy and flavorful. Such a generous portion too for an appetizer! The yuzu-tsuyu blew me away. The noodles were the perfect thickness and texture and the braised pork belly was quite tender. The dipping sauce was light, citrusy, and refreshing. I ordered another round of noodles because of how good the dipping sauce was. This restaurant has restored my faith in the Houston ramen scene and I will be thinking about that sauce often.

My friend and I coincidentally tried Afuri Ramen as they were revamping their menu. They rolled out a new happy hour menu that we gladly took advantage of. Located in the heights, they actually have a ton of parking available and the inside of the restaurant is very spacious. We ordered the crispy ramen egg and a salmon poke taco as starters off the happy hour menu. My friend liked her poke taco and the crispy ramen eggs paired very well with the ramen. I got their new egg mazeman and she got the tonkotsu tantan. It came with ikura, Tobiko, wasabi Tobiko, yuzu, celery, chives, and wasabi soy. Im not going to lie I didn't even read the description before ordering it and thought there was going to be meat. I personally am not even a big fan of yuzu flavored foods so this dish was just ok for me. The ikura and Tobiko added some citrusy and somewhat briny flavor. I had to get used to the texture since it was basically just noodles with popping boba. The egg was really creamy and reminiscent of those eggs in Japan. The crispy ramen egg pairs very well with it as well. I think I would come back and just try one of their regular ramens instead

This is yuzu heaven. I really wanted to try yuzu ramen in Japan but didn't get the chance to, so I was really happy to see Afuri open up in Houston. We went on a Friday evening, arrived around 7:00PM. Wait was approximately 20 minutes. The restaurant is small and cozy, with bar tables and booths. It's very dimly lit and it remained crowded from the moment we entered to the moment we left. Yuzu is their speciality, it seems. Everything we tried had some yuzu in it. I thought it would be excessive and that my tongue would go numb from all the yuzu, but everything worked well together. We got the tori karaage, which had a lovely yuzu egg salad sauce. We also had the crispy ramen eggs, which were just panko-battered soft boiled eggs. They were a fun texture and came with a mild tonkatsu sauce. We shared a yuzu limeade, which was a strong yuzu flavored soda, reminiscent of yuzu soda from Japan. Then for the main course, we had a yuzu shio and a yuzu shoyu ramen. The yuzu shio was a light, refreshing broth. The yuzu shoyu was also light, but with a much deeper flavor of the shoyu with the yuzu being more of an aftertaste. The noodles were cooked perfectly, just the right amount of crispiness. It came with half a ramen egg and one piece of chashu, with each ramen being $14.50. Unlike the typical tonkotsu ramen, this was a very light broth, not heavy at all, and the portion was just right, to feel full but not bloated. Then we wrapped up with the yuzu basque cheesecake. Absolutely delicious with the yuzu sauce breaking up the heaviness of the cheesecake and the candied hazelnuts adding an extra hint of sweetness and texture. It was not too sweet and it was quickly devoured. Overall, absolutely delicious. We will definitely need to come back to try their other options. Service was good and they allow you to pay simply via online. I'm not sure how much they are relying on the honor system, but we did not get our dessert till after we paid so maybe they have it worked out. This is definitely a lot pricier than most ramen places, with our bill totaling $75 for 2 and leaving satisfied but not overly stuffed, with no leftovers. However, the food was worth it and I can't wait to come back.

Overall a Unique and Thought-Provoking Degustation of a meal. Despite being a Chain from tokyo there are many things of take notice whether good or bad is up to interpretation based upon which bowl of soup. But me nahhhh not my typa ramen Yuzu Shio Ramen- was definitely a choice to be made having such a yuzu centric broth in the mixture. I found the chicken broth and natural yuzu sharpness very harmonious together in combination without one overpowering the other. However though unique I did not enjoy it. The noodles were cooked a tad softer than traditional ramen based in tokyo but on par with houston based ramen in terms softness and bounce. Hazelnut TanTan- the broth was a sweet/thick hazelnutty and spicy broth. The broth was interestingly not to sweet butttt the most dominant flavor of the broth was the sweetness. But also again unique but i did not enjoy it. Appetizers and Starters- not worth mentioning