Buya Ramen

Great noodles, but a few misses. We had a nice time at Buya. I ordered the crispy duck ramen and the short rib bao buns. The ramen had solid flavor, and the noodles were excellent. The duck came in a patty shaped like a block of spam, which was a bit awkward. While it was tasty, it lacked heat. I added some of their hot sauce, but the real surprise was the seasoning on the table—it ended up being the perfect touch for the broth. The bao buns were disappointing. The buns were soggy and fell apart easily, and the meat inside was just average. Overall, I’d come back for the ramen, but it’s not making my top ten.

This place is absolutely amazing. We had the seafood and short rib Ramen along with the volcano shrimp as an appetizer. Everything was delicious. Service was great and the bar makes some of the best unique drinks we’ve ever had looking forward to our next visit.

I ordered the Crispy Duck Ramen. It was a very unique experience. The duck meat and broth complemented each other nicely. Lots of interesting items from the menu. If you have some time, try the appetizers!

Buya absolutely blew me away! The broth was rich and flavorful, the shredded beef was super tender, and the toppings were fresh and delicious. The portion was huge — almost enough to feed two people! Great vibe, great food — I’ll definitely be back!

We tried the pork ramen, chicken ramen, and poke rice, and everything was delicious. However, the ramen was a bit dry—I would have preferred more broth. That said, we truly enjoyed their food

Got it Togo for my son plus me and i wish the potion size was bigger or that they had a kiddie menu I loved it the flavor was there good job Cooks and hostess are friendly definitely see myself going back soon

Today we walked in for the lunch special, 1/2 entree w/ 1/2 selected appetizer which is an awesome deal and just enough to fill you up w/o being stuffed. My husband got the pork ramen which was tender, flavorful and a fan favorite w/ bok choy. Mmm. I ordered the grilled chicken ramen, tender chicken thigh w/ edamame and corn(my favorite part of dish. The pork gyoza is outstanding, homemade and lightly pan fried served w/ a chili scallion sauce and the best in the city imo. I’ll continue to eat here despite sometimes slower service. Delicious.

Nice little rawmen noodle place. They have decent pork rawmen. Shishito pepper was good. The fried chicken with sushi rice was a little too mushy for my taste.

Favorite ramen in town! I always go chicken ramen and my sister loves the duck! Cocktail are great as well as the crispy rice tuna appetizer.

We've eaten here a handful of times and it's usually good, but I've noticed they often have nights where they seem thrown off and things don't go smoothly. They often appear to be short staffed, like today our waiter seats us, takes our order, and then is the only one making drinks. Though I was informed they were over-staffed and the delay was due to many delivery orders. Anyway, today they were out of my favorite ramen, the short rib ramen so we tried sliced pork instead. It was good, but not as good. Our cocktails were ok, but not anything I'd order again. One was a bit watery and the other overly sour. I'll be back again, but next time I'll call ahead to confirm they have the short rib.

Ambiance is perfect. Yummy Asian beer and spectacular ramen. If you're a fan of ramen and with the area- you have to give this place a shot. Recommend going at night and walking the streets afterwards

This place was delicious, from beginning to end! First impression was that the staff was kinda all over the place. Likely very busy, perhaps. But we didn't necessarily feel an inviting vibe and our server was informative, but seemed in a bit of a bad mood? That was the only aspect that was a bit odd from the experience. We decided to eat outside, so we didn't get a full feel for the inside. Though, what we saw, we liked. The food... oh man, the food! We started with the Shanghai Wings and the Pork Gyozo. Both were very tasty. Wings were delicious, but needed to be crisped a bit longer. The Gyozo is a fried dumpling and they were very nice with the sauce. For the entrees we ordered the crispy duck ramen and the chicken poke bowl. The ramen was delicious, though not unlike many other ramen spots I've tried in Tampa. The poke bowl was mind-blowingly delicious! We'd return just for that. Overall a very delicious meal and we'd definitely recommend stopping here.

We decided to check out Buya on our last night in St. Pete's. The restaurant itself is massive, and even during peak dinner hours, there were plenty of empty tables, which was surprising. It was nicely decorated, so it added to the vibe of the restaurant. That said, the service was great--our waiter was very attentive and checked in on us often. We ordered one appetizer and two bowls of ramen. The ramen took a while to arrive, and when it did, it was a mixed experience. I had the short rib ramen, and honestly, it was pretty mediocre. The broth was just okay, and the noodles were average at best. I tried a bite of my partner's pork belly ramen, and while the pork belly itself was delicious, the broth was surprisingly bland. My partner really enjoyed his ramen, but for me, having experienced some truly exceptional ramen in NYC, my expectations were much higher. Overall, it was an okay experience, but I probably wouldn't go out of my way to return.

MOST EXPENSIVE RAMEN IN TAMPA BAY One of the best date night spots for ramen in Tampa Bay is also one of the most expensive bowl of noodles. That's why the latest visit features their lunch special, which is a smaller bowl of ramen with an appetizer set. With all of the upcharges, it still adds up. I also wanted to try their new crispy tuna rice appetizer, which still needs some perfecting, as the rice falls apart easily. Very cool dining area, and the DTSP location is what you pay for.

Wanted to love it but wasn't impressed. Came on a Tuesday night and service was almost nonexistent. It was dead, maybe two other tables of people in the whole restaurant. After being seated, nobody came to ask us if we needed water or anything for probably 15 mins and when I finally got tired of waiting and started looking around, I saw one waiter dodge behind a wall to hide from us! Shortly after that, someone finally came over to take our order. We asked for water and two ramens - a mushroom ramen and pork belly tonkatsu ramen. The food came but we never got water, so we had to ask for it again. The ramen was just okay - lots and lots of toppings and noodles but the broth wasn't that flavorful on either of them and there wasn't enough of it. Between the food and service, it was just ok and we probably wouldn't come back.

Just okay. I'm no ramen connoisseur...but I have had really good ramen, both in the states and in Japan. I had the chicken ramen and while the portion was decent and the chicken was flavorful, the broth was sub par. It was almost flavorless. We ordered the pork belly bao Buns for an appetizer and they were decent. Again, not the best I've had but not the worst either. They do have happy hour on all the shareables during the week as well (I think it's only 1$ off tho). I'm still on the hunt for the best ramen in the area. Maybe I'll have better luck in tampa!

I would give it a 3.5 star. I love the decor and ambience at Buya. We ordered the braised beef, pork roast and crispy duck ramen. All of them are good except my husband expect something different on his crispy duck ramen. It was tasty and i like it. Love their fries too.

Date night is a once a month activity for my partner and I, making it a whole evening of getting dressed up for a night on the town. I won't lie, ramen isn't typically at the top of my food choice, but Buya might have changed my mind. With reservations set for a Friday night I was looking forward to seeing what the hype was all about. The location on Central in Downtown St Petersburg makes it a great walkable option for those residing in the city; allowing you the simple pleasure of perusing the local boutiques, cafes, and eateries the town has to offer. We sat in the center of the lively establishment with a perfect view for people watching. Our waitress was vivacious and knowledgeable of the menu, giving us recommendations and her personal favorite dishes. We decided to place an order of Karaage Chicken and Pork Gyoza. Both dishes came out with an abundant amount of green onion, and honestly both were a bit underwhelming. Actually, the chicken reminded me a bit of Publix's rotisserie chicken while the gyoza was wet and a piece didn't even have pork within it. The braised short rib ramen saved the night, with its savory broth, fresh vegetables and perfectly cooked egg. The portion was just enough to fill me up without feeling too full. Overall, I'd rate Buya a solid 6/10. For those who love ramen, I've heard this is more or less "okay" ramen, but I'd say Buya is a good introduction for those who haven't experienced traditional Japanese ramen.

We met our friends here last night. It was such a great experience. I love the poke there and when it's hot it's even better as it's a cold dish. The short rib Ramen was great too. The service was excellent. The only downside was a particulary aggressive panhandler and this was no fault of the restaurant. We've come here several times but this time it was particularly good all around!

5 stars for the food, 3 stars for the service! My best friend and I were seated for our reservation a little after 7pm. After about 10 minutes, we ordered the bok choy, two ramens, and a drink. 20 minutes later, the drink finally came - and wow, it was DELICIOUS! I think it was called the Coco Loco or something like that, it was a vodka cocktail with espresso, vanilla, and something else I don't remember. It tasted like a sugar cookie, but also like coffee ??? and it was amazing. 30 minutes after we ordered, our server came back up to us and let us know the kitchen was having problems, so she actually had to jump back there and cook with them, and she apologetically never put in our order. We put in our same food order again and were informed that it would be awhile. We definitely didn't realized that awhile would mean a full hour since we'd ordered. We ended up not eating until 830pm. We could tell there was a lot of stress and tension on the floor, and we get it - stuff happens. Our main complaint was that we weren't notified of any issues with the kitchen until so long after we ordered, and they were still pumping out to-go orders despite not being able to accommodate the in-house guests. Once we got our food, it was incredible. I had the duck ramen and my friend had the short rib. We loved every bite, though we basically vacuumed it into our mouths because we were so ravenously hungry at this point. Overall, it's a really great ramen place, and I imagine it was just a rough night.

After my last review I decided to go with the Seafood Ramen. Overall it was pretty good. I like that it's not a pork based broth (since I don't eat pork). Since all the others are a pork based broth other than the mushroom ramen, my options are limited. The noodles were plentiful and not overcooked. I would have like more of a variety of seafood, I felt like it was mainly shrimp. The broth was a little overly salty. However, I definitely enjoyed it. This place is pretty empty for lunch on the week days. Service was weirdly slow this time that we went. I got a small pot of the tumeric ginger tea and it's a pretty small amount. I always love this tea though (Blind Tiger serves it too). If you like to drink tea, I would recommend going with the bigger pot. I like the decor of this place, it's very cool to me. I think if you're in the area it's worth stopping here, but I wouldn't go out of my way to come here.

This ramenya has a great overall menu. Had a tough time choosing what to order! Definitely get the seaweed salad app, I couldn't stop eating the darker seaweed salad in the center but the cucumber pickles were also addictive. My date ordered extra egg on his, and when I saw only 1/2 an egg is put on the ramen I understood why however, the ratio of ingredients is right for the ramen and I didn't feel like I was swallowing noodles only during my meal. The ambiance is also very lovely, and I could see why my date picked it.

Pork belly ramen is a must. I've been here so many times and every time the ambiance is great, food is high quality & service is good. Try a Japanese whiskey, they have a large selection!

Wish I could give this a 3.5 rating. Visited a few days ago, late Sept 2024. Came into this wary after mixed reviews from friends, & still mourning the closure of my favorite ramen shop (RIP Crane Ramen, I miss you all the time) in 2022 - I've seriously never found anywhere nearly as good, please rec me if you have anything. On to the review! Buns were okay, flavor wise - temp wise, they were cold but maybe it was an off night? Ramen was good! Broth was flavorful & I loved the egg + the duck. Lots of bok choy which I liked but others may not. Add the chili oil + whatever you prefer on it though - it's definitely a template made for customization. Noodles were perfect. Music was good, place was clean. I don't know if every ramen place just pales to my lost shop, but this was just average overall. Nothing insanely good, nothing really bad.

Seafood ramen and the seaweed salad were fantastic. Went on a Saturday night after the Rays game, it was packed so service was a little slow but very nice. Really cool decor inside, too!

Amazing food! Everything was delicious and I love a good service. This staff was wonderful! My only regret is I should have gone with the spicy kimchi. Con: I wish there were cushions on the seats. LOL

Loved the short rib noodles! It was a beautiful night so sat outside to enjoy it, but I realized how nicely designed the interior space was so will sit inside at the bar next time. You can't go wrong with the short rib ramen. They have happy hour drink specials starting at 4pm (until either 6 or 7pm) and the mango mule was a winner.

The vibe was nice. Nice ambiance. Easy to get seating for 4. Waiter was attentive. Shishito peppers had brown sugar on top, awkwardly sweet. We had duck ramen that was salty. Poke bowl that was ok. Karaoke was ok. Overall, just ok.

My wife and I decided to try this place when I was home for Christmas break. Ramen is one of our favorite meals so we couldn't help but stop in this spot. And let me tell you, we did not leave disappointed! We brought our newborn son so that was a little difficult to navigate but other than that the meal was good. My wife had the pork bao buns and I had the short rib bao buns. It was so good. The short rib was so tender and juicy. It also had a good sauce. For my main course I had the karrage chicken. This is one of my favorite dishes. The sauce they had to go with it was very tasty. I had a Cigar City Jai Alai with my meal. I must also say the ambience was very nice in the restaurant. The playlist they had was very good and the waiter was very hospitable. I'd recommend this restaurant to anyone in the Tampa Bay area.

I ordered Buya after my friends saying how good it was. I really need to see if they have taste buds or what because omg this was the most BLAND ramen I've ever had. I've lived in nyc, Miami, Salt Lake City and this was like having bathtub water for broth. The broth was beyond flavorless. I got the crispy duck ramen and the duck was good but that's literally it. If these people want to keep their doors open they should really take a quick refresher on how to make good ramen broth. This might as well have been warm well water with brown food coloring. Seriously. Step it up!

I picked up an order to go this evening. The Restaurant was easy to find and has a beautiful Japanese decor and furnishings. The staff was friendly and the Ambiance had good vibes. I got the Crispy Duck Ramen bowl to go. I just wanted to let you know that the bamboo sprouts in this dish smelled and tasted rotten or bad! Might want to check on your source! Thx

It was a peculiarly chilly day in April--perfect weather for ramen--and Buya absolutely delivered. We stopped in for lunch and tried their lunch special, which included half a ramen and an appetizer plate. I went with the brisket ramen and pork gyoza, and wow... every bite was incredible. The ramen was rich, flavorful, and surprisingly generous for a half portion. The brisket was tender and perfectly cooked, with that slow-simmered depth that makes you want to savor every spoonful. The pork gyoza were crisp on the outside, juicy inside, and just the right amount of savory. The whole experience hit the spot--a comforting, delicious meal that warmed us right up. Highly recommend Buya for anyone looking for a cozy, satisfying lunch in St. Pete

Food was excellent! At first glance, I thought that it was a bit pricey, but once our ramen came out and I saw how loaded up the bowls were, I totally understood. They put a really generous amount of the delicious short rib in my dish, which was made even more delicious with the array of sauces that are available at each table. I could tell that the restaurant may have been short-staffed when we visited, but our server was still super quick and friendly. Would love to come back!

I am very saddened about all the reviews claiming that Buya is the best ramen they've ever had because that just proves that good ramen does not exist in St. Pete :( Anyone claiming that Buya has good ramen clearly has never had ramen anywhere else outside of Florida. If you have no idea what ramen tastes like, then go ahead and enjoy Buya. But for people like me who had high hopes of finding a good ramen joint in St. Pete, Buya is far from it. It's a good noodle soup at best, but it's nowhere near the same room as ramen. The short rib ramen had very thin broth, no collagen, not rich, and just plain meh. The short rib itself was good, but this is more a short rib noodle soup with egg noodles than a ramen. The chicken bun was nice except for the extremely soggy bun. The service was so-so. I went at lunch time and the staff was as lethargic as the day. Nice looking resto, though something you should expect at DTSP. Wouldn't come back for the food though!

I went on a date and ordered Braised Short Rib Ramen and split some gyoza with my date. Let's start with the positives: Great location and proximity to a lot of cool things to do in Downtown St Pete. They got the vibe absolutely right. From the industrial looking interior to the lighting, they clearly know how to curate an ambiance. Plenty of seating options! Indoor, outdoor, tables, booth, bar, window. Idk I feel like this makes a difference for me because I *thought* there would be a wait, but there's tons of places to sit. Fabulous menu selection. Whether you're a new ramen girly or true ramen girly, there's something for you on the menu. Great portions!!! I took half my ramen bowl home. Now for areas of growth: While the meat in my raised was cooked well, it was significantly lacking in the flavor department. I added some of the chili oil and sauce on the table to the dish to make it taste like something. From there, it was smooth sailing but without it, I would have struggled to want to finish. The gyoza was good but the pieces were falling apart when we picked them up with chopsticks. I would've preferred them to be cooked longer/harder as the texture was really soft. Overall, this was far from the best ramen I've ever had, but the experience makes up for the food in other ways. I'm not itching to get back here but that's not to say I'd never return.

Wow! My Wife & I just finished our first order of Ramen from Buya and we can't wait to order from here again! She had the Grilled Chicken Ramen while I enjoyed the Short Rib Ramen. Both were just delicious! Very generous servings of both protein and veggies. Our respective broth's were both exceptional. My only slight 'demerit' is that Buya did not mark the respective broth containers so we didn't know which broth went with which Ramen bowl. We tasted both and picked the one we each liked and went with it. Give this place a try for quality Ramen soup. We will be ordering from Buya again VERY soon!

Saturday night was our first time dining there, and both the food and our service were really good. Mina was amiable and highly attentive. I will most certainly be back!

The food was great. Duck ramen was not too fatty and plenty flavorful. The Godzilla drink was not my favorite but their sake is good and smooth. Portions are big so we had leftovers. The char grilled edamame is an absolute MUST. I've never had edamame like this so I'll definitely get it again. The service was decent. Our server was courteous but the restaurant in general seemed all over the place. There were errors in the orders to the point they comped our dessert. Wait time for food was a bit on the long side too. Also, def get a reservation ahead of time. Lastly, the ice cream flight is awesome. Nonetheless, I'll def be back.

We've been eating at Buya since their opening, so we've witnessed the evolution. We went sometime in the last six months and left believing that the golden days were truly done (as others have recently noted--flavor, disproportionate bowls, etc). I'm very happy to report that tonight was different. Flavor was on point and service from Kieth was great. It was the Buya we always looked forward to years ago, and hopefully the magic remains.

The best ramen I've ever had. Drinks were amazing and service was great. I'll be back for the braised short rib ramen for sure.

Loved the short rib ramen!! Located on central Ave, this ramen place is close to lots of bars and restaurants and has plenty of nearby parking. They also have rice bowls on their menu which are gluten free. I took a star away because the servers weren't very helpful or friendly but I would definitely come back to try more items on their menu.

My brother and I arrived a little before Buya opened, so we waited less than 5 minutes outside on their outside furniture. I'm glad we beat the lunch rush, because we got to sit wherever we wanted. The waiter was patient and answered all our questions and recommended some dishes for us. For appetizers my brother got the bao buns, I got the vegetable gyoza , and my daughter got the karaage chicken; let be just say yummy! So delectable. This was my first time having ramen outside of the packets you buy at the grocery store and I must say their ramen is in huge bowls, worth the price. The grilled chicken ramen was steaming , fresh and full of the spices and seasoning that I cannot duplicate at home. I've tried and it's not the same, so I'd rather order ramen now. My brother got the seafood ramen and made it spicy, let me just say he was drinking a lot of water, but overall he enjoyed it so much that he made it to the bottom. I also ordered a peach tea drink and it was refreshing, my daughter had a lemonade and my brother had an alcohol beverage. The ambiance is gorgeous, it has a lot of Japanese history, very modern and vibrant. We thoroughly enjoyed eating here.

Being an anime geek, I had to stop and check it out ... I think Naruto would like this place because I sure did! Excellent favor to the Ramen, just a hint of spicy kick!

Delicious Ramen. The short rib ramen was perfectly seasoned and a little spicy. The broth was rich and incredibly flavorful. We shared the blackened edame, which were delicious as well. The appetizer was large enough for the 3 of us to share. They have an extensive sake and Japanese whiskey menu as well but we didn't try any this time. Interesting edgy vibe, high ceilings, Japanese tapestries and weathered wood. We will definitely be back!

You will definitely get a good bowl of ramen here! In addition to the tasty ramen, there's a good amount of appetizers and a pretty good cocktail list. On New Years Eve, we decided to give it a try. Holidays can be a hit or miss. You know it's legit when it's a hit on a holiday. The food and service were spot on! We started with the shishito peppers. They were sprinkled with brown sugar, which took them to a whole elevated level. I wanted to try the short rib ramen, I usually get pork but it was something different. It was delicious! My husband got the pork belly, which is classic and was just as delicious. We had cocktails as well, I had the mule, it was so yummy and refreshing. They had so many good options for both food and drink, something for everyone. It's a good sign that on a holiday their quality was still on point. Definitely some legit ramen to try in the downtown area!

I was crazy busy and still stuck at work, but HAD TO HAVE bao and ramen, so I did what I thought was sacrilegious: order delivery. I've been wanting to try Buya for a while, so couldn't resist. Oh man, what a nice surprise! The buns arrived with the perfect texture and still warm. They didn't skimp on the toppings nor the pork belly slices. While the pork was a little dry, it made a perfect bite with the other bun ingredients. The ramen, on the other hand, was good but not spectacular. The duck came shredded and didn't have any of the fatiness that I was expecting and love about duck. I was hoping for at least some fat to be present to blend beautifully with the ramen broth and egg, but alas. Being used to Ichicoro's broth, I'm not sure if I'll order the ramen at Buya again. I still enjoyed it, though. All in all, a good first experience and I'll be going back to try their other small plates and have more buns.

I came back to my 2nd home just to have a good time and eat good food. I'm to eat locally. But this wasn't I could have gone to my other restaurants that cook the same but good and better. Let's start with the bao bun's short ribs the sauce is good I give them that but it was something about the meat it was dry with the sauce made it something. It's like the sauce should have been tossed in the meat and then planted. Because it wasn't good like it didn't take overseas. The Duck Ramen I have never seen duck served that way fried on the grill and then put in the Ramen are u purchasing it this way Clueless. It wasn't good at all and the broth was salty. Just getting a taste of culinary arts school and knowing that the measures of cooking broth take a long time. But at the end of the day I will recommend this restaurant to anybody cuz they made some changes stop skipping doing short stuff and doing the food that they love when they were doing the beginning that got these four stars at the end of the day I'll try you again. But you going to have to up your game.

We went to Buya while visiting St. Pete for the holidays for some ramen and I'll admit that I'm not a ramen expert by any means but I loved my food here. I ordered the short-rib ramen and it was tender and flavorful. I thought the noodles were well cooked and the broth was savory as well. The portions of the ramen here are quite large so you may need to pack some of it to go, which is not a bad thing. The interior of Buya is also pretty cool and gives off a modern Japanese vibe with dark colors and ambient lighting. Overall it seems like a pretty relaxed spot to grab some good quality ramen. For visiting around the holidays for dinner (with a party of 6) the service was quick and friendly, and there were no issues with getting our food.

This has become my favorite ramen place when i come to tampa! As always the mushroom vegan ramen with half mushrooms is delicious But this time i decided to try the mushroom buns! Ohhhhh myyyyy ! Absolutely delicious. The mushroom tasted like meat , it was Smokey, there was like a sweet soy sauce. Idk but it was delicious!!!! I'll be back lol

Pretty cool spot, would recommend more for dinner than lunch to feel the vibes more. Tuna crispy rice was not the best, edamame needed more salt but flavor was good, and the pork on the ramen was solid.

I stopped by Buya on the way to Tropicana Field. I got the street corn and the tuna fried rice, which were both tasty. I want to check out their ramen on my next visit.

Tonight was the worst experience I have had in st Pete since moving here. What a joke. Waited an hour for ramen and finally just had to leave. After being told they were "a little behind". BS The serve kept saying if we were hungry we could pay more and buy apps cause they were coming out fast. YOUR A RAMEN RESTAURANT WITH 12 THINGS ON YOUR MENU. Service sucked and food...well I guess I'll never know! Be careful coming here...they have "all new kitchen staff" so I guess that's the problem?!?! Way to throw your coworkers under the bus!

2023: Can't get within 100 miles and not stop by one of our favorite TripleD places! The Crispy Duck and Short Rib Ramen were excellent and the Pork Gyoza was outstanding. A little twist on the Godzilla this time as they were out of the Kiwi puree...the waiter asked if I'd like to try it with the Mango....I was game...it was deeeeelicious! Add the Mothra to the drink menu Bryan!!!

Extremely overpriced and bland, my Kirin was the best tasting thing I ordered. Service was also very slow for how empty the restaurant was.

Service was not good. They seemed really short. I didn't like the food. Wished we had gone back to Fortu.

Cocktails and ambiance amazing, unfortunately the ramen did not live up. I was quite surprised as I had been here before last year a few times but something has drastically changed with the ramen recipe. I will say i loved the presentation of the pork, as it was easier to eat than some other chashu but the broth was on the bland side so i tried to dress it up with chili oil. Overall I did have a pretty decent experience as the drink and the service made up for it especially for a weekend day.

We went on a Sunday and ordered the short rib ramen, edamame and volcano shrimp. Since then I've ordered take out and the food is always great!! It's a very laid back atmosphere and they have good service. I think they also do a happy hour as well during the week but I haven't checked that out yet.