Akasaru Ramen and Poke

Akasaru Ramen was a nice visit to for a yummy lunch during a rainy day. There was window seating here which is always a plus from me. All of the prices for the items seemed reasonable and the ramen I got was yummy. The only thing I hope is improved is the ramen noodles itself. The ramen noodles within my dish were still hard and clumped together at some patts, like they came out of a frozen package and needed time to thaw. If that could've been improved the dish would've been even better. I still recommend a visit here, it's the only ramen spot on Alberta I know of making it a valuable location!

I tried the coconut miso since that's something I've never seen (and I'm a fiend for coconut). It wasn't my favorite flavor of ramen but it was a solid bowl. I really had to hunt for the coconut flavor (which is prly good for most ppl) but I was hoping for more of a coconut-forward dish. That aside, the broth was like a miso/tomato/gochujong flavor. The chashu was tender and smokey like it was torched. Eggs were perfectly cooked. Nüdz were nice and chewy. Service was friendly and the bowl was out in under 5min. I'll be back to try other bowls 🍜

Chicken karage was perfect. The ramen was disappointing. Broth and noodles were good. The pork belly was ok I guess. Egg texture was strange to me. I sat in a wobbly bench that moved whenever the other person on it moved. No public bathroom. It's was a neat, clean place. Self bus tables, but was unclear where to put dishes? It was just a sad, uncomfortable, unsatisfactory experience.

The karage and the Akasaru Ramen were delicious! Small footprint and big flavor. Well worth a chance.

Akasaru ramen ⭐⭐⭐⭐ - pretty solid, I for some reason have higher hopes for the coconut miso which is what I'll probably get next time I need ramen from here - I really like how the chashu is done here - the vegetables were delicious - eggs were perfect! Veggie miso ⭐⭐⭐ - didn't love the tofu - ask for chili oil - my partner had to put a ton of chili oil to enjoy it - mushrooms were delicious --- drinks --- Mango lemonade ⭐⭐⭐ Green tea ⭐⭐⭐

Stopped in for dinner with the whole family. Service was fast and food was excellent. I had the lemonade. Downside there were no refill's

The soup here is so fresh and filled with amazing ingredients! I haven't found another ramen place that includes two pieces of delicious shumai like Akasaru does. They're also generous with their pork belly without making it overwhelm the noodles and broth. All of the flavors just work together so well. Reasonable prices too. The place is a bit on the small side which makes me a little bit claustrophobic, especially if people are coughing inside, but service is wonderful and fast. Very efficient place to stop by for lunch.

Yummy ramen! Ordered the spicy coconut miso and the Akasaru. I love that they include 2 shumai in the ramen + the egg yolk was really good! Very small and cute lil restaurant. My pork belly was mainly gelatinous fat which I don’t like, but I passed it on to my boyfriend lol they give you a good amount of pork belly tho so that’s a plus.

My favorite ramen joint in Northeast. I usually get the Shoyu ramen spicy, it's the best.

It's been a couple of years since I've stopped by at Akasaru. A friend and I decided to get a takeout from there during the recent cold snap. We both ordered the spicy coconut ramen and split a side of edamame and gyoza. The broth for the ramen was as tasty as I remember it. However it was a LOT saltier than I recall. So salty that it was close to the point where I didn't want to eat it. Like I said, the flavors were right, but I'd prefer significantly less saltiness. It ruined what would otherwise be a really tasty experience.

Not the worst ramen in Portland, but there are better ones that outshine this Akasaru. Located on NE Alberta, Akasaru adds to the diverse food profile this street has to offer. A small storefront, they are counter service with a few tables for indoor and outdoor dining. We came with a group of 6 on a Monday evening and there was plenty of seating. I opted for the brothless abu-ramen. The noodles were cooked well - chewy, al dente, and not mushy. The ramen had too much chili oil, and the taste was overpowering. The chasu pork was also a bit dry. They also offer poke bowls and rice bowls that look decent. Their price point is fair and on the cheaper end compared with other ramen restaurants in Portland. The taste and quality of Akasaru were a bit underwhelming, but a quick and casual ramen place may just hit the pot once in a blue moon!

I love Akasaru Ramen. I recently ordered food for delivery. The food arrived on time and hot. My food order was prepped and packaged correctly as well, with the broth separate from everything. The food was delicious. All the flavors of the food meld together so well. The noodles are good too. Would definitely recommend!

Delicious and very flavorful ramen! Friendly servers and cute interior! Server was very helpful when answering our questions about the menu items as well. Definitely will be coming back to this location.

Ramen was delicious and very flavorful. GF had the Shoyu Ramen and I had the Miso. Miso was damn good. Shoyu was good as well but that Miso was soo good. I personally think the portions are perfect. Very fast service and we personally really like the QR code ordering. Made it super easy. Will be returning on our next trip to the Big Island.

Quick & Tasty! A little tiny ramen shop that will fill your tummy. Service was quick.! I think it took about 10-15 min for our food to come out after we ordered. The noodles were cooked perfectly. Broth was at a good temperature where you didn't have to wait for it to cool down or spend too much time blowing the heat away. Akasaru Ramen- the base of the broth is chicken with bonito dashi and the added duck fat with toasted chili just made it *chefs kiss. Spice level to me was 2/5. I liked how the flavorful broth comes out from the spice. Instead of the other way around. The torched chashu pork also gave the dish a nice smoky flavor. Red Miso- I wasn't expecting this type of flavor profile since most places just add a spice seasoning with the miso broth and call it a day. I wish they had the coconut miso though. But they had already run out for the day. Maybe when I return I get to try that one. Overall, it's not a bad place. Nothing super in your face that makes it better than other ramen spots.

This is one of those spots that you have and go...meh, it's ok. Take it or leave it. And then you give it months and months of space and come back again and say, meh, it's ok. I guess it's a consistent middle of the road meal for me. Usually have the edamame that doesn't have salt and is room temp. The tofu was a first to try and the mushy rubbery texture won't have me trying that again. The ahi poke bowl is pretty basic and no sauce. So I bring it home and doctor it up! The base is good, tuna tastes fresh and rice is fluffy. Saw they have a broth less ramen now. I'll have to try that next time. They have vegan options as well here and basic drinks in a can. Also have sake, beer.

I have ordered their ramen time and time again both in person and through delivery. Always a staple always delicious food. I adore their ramens especially for winter months. Service is speedy and kind, and a clean and organized establishment. Have, will, and continue to enjoy this restaurant!

I've tried a couple ramens here, not bad but not my favorite especially with so much competition and boxer just across the street. Their house Akasaru ramen seems like a slightly spicy tonkotsu, and the broth was ok but not the richest or creamiest I've had but I also wasn't a fan of their toppings. It was a soft boiled egg, green onions and seaweed, and Pork Belly. I like simple but the seaweed was wet blanched wakame instead of dried nori strips and the egg was past soft boiled for sure. And the chashu was a little dry and tough. I also tried their dry abu ramen which was ok but nothing special.

Stopped by Akasaru Ramen today while exploring Alberta Street and loved it!! I got the miso ramen and the flavors were fantastic. I usually don't love pork, but the chashu pork belly was surprisingly delicious and the noodles were the perfect texture. My friend got the vegetarian ramen with gluten free noodles and said that it was top tier ramen and that the broth was fantastic! Inside, you order at the counter and then seat yourself. There are utensils and napkins at the table and you bus your own plates, so you can really eat at your own pace here. I ate my leftovers for a late night snack the same day I went because it was so tasty!

Like others have said, the menu is definitely limited, but I don't think that's a bad thing! They know what they specialize in and from what I can tell they nail it. I had the Shoyu ramen and it was great! Rich broth, lots of meat, great noodles. It seemed a little expensive for what I got, the total coming in at $13, but I'm new to the area so maybe that's just standard. Service was great, server was super nice, and the food came out unbelievably fast. The actual space is super cute and vibes are really good. I'd recommend if you're feeling like ramen and in the area!

Cute restaurant with a few tables and window bar seating. The menu is limited. We opted for the poke bowls (cream salmon and tuna), along with edamame and fried tofu. The poke bowls were very fresh but I missed having more of a sauce to pull all the ingredients together. The edamame was delicious! The fried tofu was soft with a light breading. The dipping sauce was pretty flavorless making the tofu also flavorless. Overall good dining experience.

Very tasty and it was nice they had a vegan protein. We've recently gone to The Boxers ramen and I liked their broth better but no vegan protein. I would definitely recommend Akasaru again.

The first time my wife ordered from Akasaru, she had it delivered via DoorDash. The second time, she had it delivered via HusbandDash. Both of these occurred within days of each other, indicating that she was pretty darn happy with her order. This meant I had to get in on the action as well, to see what I was missing out on. When it was my turn to taste their namesake dish, which came with a warning about its level of spiciness (please! do you know who I am?!), my body was ready. We ordered ahead, and once more, I drove across town to Alberta Street, arriving a few minutes early. Everyone present was incredibly friendly and conversational during my wait, in a way that has become so uncommon, it was almost alien. A sign of good things to come. I rushed home with our order, finding it to still be piping hot upon arrival and transference into proper tableware. The Akasaru ramen broth does have a fierce heat to it, almost too much for my wife, who could be heard sniffling and seen with watery eyes, but it's just perfect for me. The savory, umami combination of chicken broth, pork belly and bonito immediately warms and comforts you from the inside out. This will easily be my go-to order here, so for anyone looking for reviews of other entrées on their menu, I am sorry to say, you're going to be disappointed: I see no other reason to order anything else! Although, I've heard wonderful things about their spicy tuna poke don, and my wife has been side-eyeing the spicy coconut miso ramen, so perhaps I should hold off on carving our default order into stone. All that said, we've also sampled the side of kimchi (great! but isn't all kimchi great?!), gyoza (great!) and chicken karaage (great!), for the kids. There has never been a grumble of complaint from anyone in our house, and considering how finicky our kids can be, that's saying something. So far, we've never actually dined in the restaurant itself, since everything has been ordered and carted across town. Thus, since we're experts on ordering to-go, here's my take-away for Akasaru Ramen: don't skip this place, or you'll be Aka-sorry!

Small but cozy spot. Quick service. Coconut broth was sooo tasty. Very disappointed in only receiving half of an egg? Never seen that before.....just give people a whole egg lol! The pork is very thin. Otherwise it was a tasty bowl. Edamame was extremely dry.

Loved my Abu-ramen, service was fast and friendly. Ambient music was great and I really appreciated the ergonomics of the front bar seating!

This ramen spot has been on my list for a while. Decided to stop by here before heading to the airport. The broth was decent, not as rich as I thought it would be. Didn't know the ramen came with bean sprouts or else I would've told them not to include bean sprouts...each order comes with 1 gyoza which it took a bit to hand out despite already receiving our ramen bowls. Decent amount of protein and good amount of noodles.

This ramen wasn't the worst, but I was not impressed with it either. The flavor in the broth was fairly bland. It was a good hot temperature for takeout though. The poke bowl was a little better but still not mind blowing. Service was fine and prep time was fairly quick.

I used to like this restaurant, until the camera over the door started moving around and looking at me. When I asked the server, they said the owner was checking up on them, and as the camera moved to me, I flipped it off. Fuck surveillance. I will never eat there again, I dont care if the food is good or not. I hate bosses who do not trust their employees.

This ramen is so special to me, I went to school in Portland and ate here as much as I could. After leaving PDX, I often find myself remembering and craving the ramen from this place! I especially love all the extra goodies they include in their ramen (greens, pork, wontons, etc)... this is definitely something that sets them apart from other places. Love them!

Ordered Miso Ramen. It was just ok... nothing special at all. Had to add a few shakes of Soy Sauce and Schiracha just to have some flavor. Also, Mexican music blasting pretty loud... doesn't really inspire confidence in terms of Ramen makers.

I was hopeful, but hesitant coming to this ramen place on Alberta because I've had some not-so-good ramen in Portland. I ordered the shoyu ramen and chicken karaage and was pleasantly surprised with how my food tasted. The broth was a little salty, but that's to be expected with shoyu flavor. The noodles were a perfect consistency and the toppings were decent. The size of the bowl is kinda small, but not too bad for $11. The chicken karaage was tasty, but came with so little sauce that the last couple pieces was were plain. My reason for three stars is because I waited 30 minutes for my chicken karaage to come out and another 15 minutes after that for my ramen. When my ramen finally did come to my table, I was super confused because the only toppings in it were an egg and pork. The shoyu ramen says it comes with more toppings, so I brought my bowl up to the counter and the guy who brought my food out was like "yeah we gave you the kids ramen on accident." He already knew he gave me the wrong order and didn't say anything! It's like he was hoping I wouldn't notice. So I had to wait another 10 minutes for my new bowl of ramen and wasn't given an apology or anything. Overall it was a disappointing experience.

Expensive hot water? Just another over priced bland food place on Alberta. Ramen is all about the broth plus why is it sooo expensive. Ramen is poor people food, thanks Portland for ruining all the poor people food...

So I think this place is great in that it's a good ramen shop in the area, but I don't necessarily think that the ramen here is the best that you can get in Portland. That honor goes to AFURI (covered in another review). Now let's talk about the positives of this place! PROS: - you pay first (not commonly found at ramen shops) - the ramen is as advertised. The broth is delicious and hearty. - its a cozy location and seating arrangement. - staff is knowledgeable about the food and their broth, a rarity for most ramen shops! CONS: - definitely not authentic tasting Japanese ramen. The noodles taste like noodles most commonly found in instant ramen. - it doesn't taste like traditional ramen (though to be fair. They don't advertise themselves to have that, so I'm not knocking them on this point, just wanted to let y'all know) - you pay first (both a pro and con.) con because you're asked to tip after you pay, but you can't really judge the tip without given service yet hahaha. Anyways, I think this ramen shop is fine the way it is. It's a non-traditional take on ramen, and it's fulfilling. It's certainly not terrible, but it's not something to write home about. You can get in, order, pay, eat, and get out within 30 minutes. I recommend going here if you're not down to wait at AFURI, or don't care for traditional tasting ramen.

Great noodles Vegitarian option with (slightly over salty) miso dashi fill of melting butternut squash. Help yourself water Good space for diners in larger or small groups Nice staff They have beer and fun non alcoholic options. Sake is $7 for hot or cold- I like a sake machine, but y'all should put the price up somewhere. Bathroom is gender free one room. It's yellow and has hook on door w solid lock. All good!

Great nice and quiet setting. Conveniently located in the Alberta Arts District! However, I've had better ramen in California. I was disappointed that the egg did not come automatically with my bowl (had to pay extra fee). So-so for me. (3/5 stars).

High quality ingredients great service, solid ramen great easy casual environment. Recommend the chicken kaarage!

we returned for lunch, and sat outside on a warm day...we shared a sapporo lager, and the tuna poke bowl.....both were excellent....we people-watched and relaxed in the shade...the staff is very nice and quick...thx so much.....

Best ramen in Portland!!!I've went around trying different ramen and I cannot find anyone better!!hands down the bedt

Came here upon request from a friend whose brother raved about the place. Apparently it was the ramen place to go on Alberta. Place was cute and small, seats approximately 20 people, 3 picnic benches plus window seats. Menu was relatively minimal and simple, which is nice since I get overwhelmed when menus are too big. You order at the counter than seat yourself. I ordered the Chasu Don and was underwhelmed. While the chasu pork was flavorful and juicy, the rest of the bowl, including all the toppings (yu-choi, oyster mushrooms, scallion and pickled ginger) was super dry. If not for the chasu pork, arguably the star of the dish, the rest of the bowl was mediocre and near hard to finish. My friend did tell me that in the past when she had it, it's not supposed to be this dry and that they drizzle some broth or oil into the bowl? Don't know if this is true or perhaps they forgot this time? However, it's really hard to justify paying $12 for a not so well done rice bowl... Another downside was the wait time, which was around 30 minutes. As the kitchen was backed up by an overwhelming amount of online/to go orders. Perhaps I'll give this another try sometime in the future, but don't think it'll be anytime soon as there are definitely some better and more affordable options out there.

Was absolutely craving ramen, after work, didn't want to drive to SE for my normal spot (Kiboshi, formerly Marukin) so I found Akasaru on yelp and was not disappointed even slightly. The spicy miso was some of the best broth I've ever had, the noodles were damn near perfect. Everything I wanted in a bowl of ramen!

I really loved the Akasaru Ramen. It was the perfect amount of spicy and was flavorful without feeling too heavy, as ramen can often be. The wonton was delicious and was a really nice addition to the soup. My favorite part of ramen is always the soft boiled egg, and this place did not disappoint. They also serve poke here and I will definitely have to come back to try it another time! This is a small and cute place with a couple of outdoor tables- perfect for summer & great for lunch. They also offer gluten free noodles for those of you who have allergies/sensitivities! You should absolutely give Akasaru a try :)

We were in Portland for a mini vacation and came here completely randomly not knowing the street or area or really anything about the ramen. Last time I had a nice big bowl of ramen was at my favorite place in Mountain View, CA over 2 years ago so its been a long minute! First off, this street is full of cool little art galleries and a fun place to walk around. Akasaru Ramen is a little hole in the wall type place, but they had 2 picnic tables outside and there was a nice breeze happening in the shade, so we were like, heck yeah! We both ordered the Akasaru ramen bowl in medium spicy. The broth was very red. There were several pieces sliced pork belly (thank goodness mine was extra fatty, YUM!) and great noodles cooked al dente, which I loved. The broth walked the fine line between perfection and fire water. I was super happy with it! But no way would I get anything spicier than medium!! Good amount of bok choi in it and half an egg. Super filling portion. I would definitely come back again if in the area.

the Akasaru ramen here is so good. I love coming here. The miso ramen is great too. :)

Pretty unimpressed with this ramen. Of course I love high end restaurants, but I also totally have a special place in my heart for "cheap takeout" type food, as well. This was just bad all the way around. I had the Spicy Coconut Miso ramen and the broth truly tasted only of watered down coconut milk. Super confusing. It didn't even have that excellent creamy texture that usually accompanies anything with coconut milk. Definitely not spicy, either. Gyozas were just as disappointing. Obviously having them delivered meant that they weren't piping hot fresh out of the kitchen, but even the flavor wasn't there. I can usually find something to appreciate in any restaurant but this one was a major thumbs down for me.

Cute restaurant with good flavors. The shoyu is decent and the akasaru signature flavor was nice. But, the ramen noodles themselves could be better.

Flavorful ramen and friendly staff. Came on a weekday afternoon with a friend it was steady with people but quiet enough we could enjoy our conversation. Ramen had a great ratio of broth to noodles. Not overly salted which was a refreshing! Meat was very tender and paired well. Would definitely recommend this place for a weekday outing dm with a friend or a quick lunch.

Good ramen and crispy chicken side dish. The spicy miso and miso ramen both include shrimp and pork dumplings with pork belly, scallions, soft boiled egg and of course, noodles. The only difference is that the spicy has red chili paste. I recommend getting the miso and then adding your preference of spice with Sricha or whatever after the fact. The flavor of the miso was better than spicy miso but overall, both were good. Portions seems slightly smaller than what I've had at boxer Ramen and I think I preferred the broth at Boxer as well. All in all, the ramen is great and if you prefer dumplings, this is a great place to eat!

I ordered the staple spicy miso ramen with pork belly and egg. The ramen was pretty good but nothing spectacular. I did enjoy the homemade kimchi.

Cute spot, great ramen - and I appreciate the number of gluten free options (gluten free noodles, etc).

I arrived at 11:39 a.m., nine minutes after they had been open and the staff was still setting up. The service was pretty bad, as I had to wait an additional 5 minutes to order. I ordered the veggie ramen and it lacked flavor and ingredients. Very subpar ramen. Maybe their pork ramen is better... Sorry, but I will not be coming back.

We ate at Akasaru Ramen for lunch on a Monday. We ordered gyoza, edamame, Akasaru Ramen, shoyu ramen and miso ramen. The gyoza were good. There are 5 to an order. The edamame never came but he might not have keyed that in because my daughter is particular with what she wants in her ramen so that might have confused him. The ramen here was ok. It came out warm but not hot. Which means it cools down fast and take the eggs and won ton in the ramen longer to warm up. I'm not a fan of eating cold won ton. The Akasaru broth was spicy and good but not great. Probably the temperature of the ramen effected my entire rating of this place and hopefully it's just a 1 off. I will try to visit again and give an updated review.

Amazing ramen, tasty lemonade, can't go wrong. Love this spot to get my ramen and karaage fix.

We picked Akasaru Ramen for supper based solely on a super-convenient location at 27th & Alberta. We were on a tight schedule and their quick preparation and delivery worked out great. Nothing particularly delicious, but wholesome and nicely presented. Service was polite, prices were reasonable, and while the interior seating had the look of picnic tables, it was comfortable enough. My choice, Ahi Tuna Poke, seemed bland. My companion said his Akasaru Ramen was quite spicy; he often orders spicy when asked, but was not asked here. But all in all a fine choice for quick healthy-looking refueling. I enjoyed the effect of the interesting colorful mural on one side of the storefront space and large mirror-covered wall on the opposite side.

After trying several PDX ramen spots, I feel like I have a seasoned palate for ramen. Akasaru is a small restaurant on Alberta, overall reviews seem to be good and I liked that their broth is all chicken broth rather than pork (I don't eat pork). We walk in and the counter girl seems less than enthusiastic about her job. . we order kimchi, squid leg karaage & two ramens - spicy miso as it comes and the spicy coconut ramen no pork but add tofu. Squid legs were kind of pungent, but the flavor of the spicy mayo they were paired with masked any fishy smell/taste. They were good. Kimchi was good as well. The ramens were both underwhelming unfortunately!! Nothing to write home about and that is why I am writing a review. Ramen is ramen, but it has the option to be amazing and we just didn't love what we tried.. my guy described his ramen as "something he could make himself at home" ‍. To describe the ramen in one word it would be "mediocre" Noodles were soft, a little over cooked. We spent $39 + tip. Matcha tea latte was good I recommend that, my guy enjoyed his mango basil lemonade as well.

The broth was surprisingly nice and clean but I prefer a pork based when it comes to my ramen. I believe everything was chicken based, which would explain why it's not as fatty compared to some other ramen places. I ordered the Spicy Miso and my boyfriend got the Shoyu. We were pleasantly surprised with the soup and the ramen. Both were good. Texture of the ramen was good and the type of the noodles were good where I would come back if I was in the area. It's a pretty big bowl for what you pay for, so you definitely get your moneys worth. Though there were a few things in the bowl that I wasn't too big a fan of. The veggies that came in the bowl were cold. Given that its a hot soup noodle bowl, I would think they would think everything in the bowl would be hot. Seems like they pre-cook the veggies and then toss it into the bowl. They should reheat it back up into the soup... Wasn't a fan of the wonton in the bowl. The stuffing wasn't that good and they were overcooked. The wonton was falling apart. The pork was really fatty too. I'd prefer more thinner pieces than one big fat piece. It is definitely tender and soft, just a bit too fatty for my own preference. It's too bad that Yelp does not allow you to give half stars, otherwise I would give this place 3.5. It was good, but not enough to round up to 4 stars.

I came here with my family for lunch, it was amazing! The vegetarian ramen was delicious, and my husband loved the crispy chicken don. Highly recommend!

I really love this place and it's my favorite ramen in the city. I've gone many times, and never been disappointed. The prices are fair as well, as many other places have the same selection but higher prices. Personally I enjoy the spicy coconut miso the best, it's my go to! The meat is always cooked well and the broth is super flavorful.

I love love love their spicy coconut miso. I usually call in the order for pick up. By the time I get to the restaurant (20-25min drive for me) my food is typically done. As of lately tho when I try to call in my order I'm asked to hold. I don't have an issue with waiting (their food is so good!) but the last 2 times I've called, I'm put on hold for 10+ mins and forgotten about. I can hear the person taking orders or just chatting with co-workers on where orders are going and what not. I've hung up and tried calling back even 20mins later because I love this ramen spot so much but the phone immediately goes to voicemail with no option for a message. Really frustrating.