Otaku Ramen

⭐ My Rating System: 5 ⭐ — I’ll definitely be back 4 ⭐ — Might come back 3 ⭐ — Probably not 2 ⭐ — Won’t return 1 ⭐ — Don’t recommend Some ramen soups are very salty. Donburi and kimchi fried rice are mediocre. I liked the tables in the common area.

The fried chicken soup presented an exceptional flavor profile. The dumplings and salad bowl were well-received; however, the chicken's texture was slightly tough, and the noodles lacked freshness. The food pickup process at the front desk, coupled with the absence of table sauces, proved somewhat inconvenient. The ambiance of the establishment was perceived as unwelcoming, AC COLD potentially encouraging a swift departure. Customer service interactions were deemed uninspired. Bah Considering the experience, the results were mixed. Many areas to improve.

They have good choices of food, we really love the sweet potatoes. We go as often as we can.

Otaku has been our staple for Ramen in TN. It’s known this area is not super cultured when it comes to food. We moved from Hawaii 8 years ago and would travel to Nashville just for Otaku. Now that it’s in Franklin we can go more often. It’s pricey for Ramen, but worth it. The Hot Chicken Ramen is amazing. Heat level was quite high for me but when it comes to hot chicken it had better flavor than any I’ve had.

This spot is in the factory and a cool little spot. The food didn’t disappoint and the long line moved swiftly and was worth the wait. The ramen is delicious with deep flavors - I added the pork confit and it was amazing! The appetizers were all fab as well with the hot chicken bun being our favorite. Good food with a nice cold on draft Kirin what else can you ask for. We will definitely be back!

Incredible service from Ash tonight! It was my first time eating at Otaku and he helped explain the menu and pick something out based of off my dietary restrictions. I went with the teriyaki chicken bowl and a vegetarian ramen and both were good! The food was a 4, but I’ll be back because of the great service from Ash. Thank you!!

As we walked up Ash greeted us and led us on a journey through the menu. He made great recommendations and helped design and customize some delicious creations. The order was accurate and tasty! We jumped in on the strawberry hibiscus boba but it wasn’t our cup of tea. Ash kindly help us pivot to the matcha better choice for us! We will be back!

Was a delicious meal, but was kinda surprised about the price tag after tip… but Franklin rent ain’t cheap, so I get it. Not a comment on the quality of food or service, just know what you’re getting into. The place has a great feel to it and there’s always a good line, so you know the food is good. A great addition to an ever growing Factory.

We recently visited Otaku Ramen in The Franklin Factory and had a great experience. It's a fast-casual spot with a modern, quaint dining area, and if you need more room, there's plenty of additional seating in the factory's lounge area. The service was fantastic--when we asked about popular dishes, they offered many great suggestions. We ended up trying the spicy miso and their special, and both were delicious, each with its own distinct flavor profile. The prices seem a little high but portions are large, our dinner for two (no drinks) came out to $42 including tip. Overall, we'll definitely be back!

As i mentioned we come here often. I ordered my regular and it was just way too salty! I know Ramen runs high in the sodium count but this was not pleasant. I'm hoping it was a one-off experience because we love this place!

Otaku Ramen is located in the Factory in Franklin. Food ordering was very prompt, order at the counter and then get a number. Ambience- you can sit inside or sit in the mall / the mall has better ambience IMO. Ramen was good, Japanese fried chicken - ok; ranch fried wontons were good. Order a glass of wine at the bar in the middle of the mall and it really made this meal.

I was craving ramen and it just didn't hit the spot. I got the chicken shoyu and it just felt really oily. I also didn't like the noodles which felt more Iike spaghetti. Their spice bomb tastes like goagugang instead of normal ramen Spence which totally changed the flavor. I also got kimchi and I felt like I could barely taste it. They were super busy for lunch but I just didn't love it

Small location within the Franklin Factory. Small seating area, but fairly quick service. It does get very busy so there may be a wait on the weekends during lunch time. You order and pay at the counter and grab a seat. They will call you when your food is ready to pick up. The menu is limited, but that makes it easier to choose. They do serve beer and sake. Everything tasted great. The pork broth was rich, the fried chicken was crispy and the hot chicken was just enough spice. I liked it on the bun. Satisfying if you are looking for a ramen spot. I would visit this location again. I would also like to visit the Nashville location to see how they compare.

Stopped here on Halloween as it was raining outside and we felt it was perfect weather to try this ramen place in the Factory. I had the Classic and my wife had the kids size ramen as the regular portions are pretty big. My wife is from Hawaii and is picky about her ramen noodles and broth, and she thoroughly enjoyed it. I liked mine as well and it was not too salty at all ( as other reviewers have mentioned). We also got the fried chicken appetizer and it was the bomb. I would come back here just for that!

Ramen is one of my favorite meals, Nice to finally have a place in Franklin to enjoy! The service is fast, the food is flavorful! Nice cool family environment definitely worth a try.

Food was good. Service was also good. I would definitely eat there again.it is in the factory so there were good vibes.

Overall it's a good experience each time... The Szechuan miso has become a lot more oily than I remember from when it first opened ... I used to go a lot and then I was back today and it does feel much heavier... Great service as always

This is another great addition to The Factory in Franklin. Otaku Ramen is located in the main courtyard area, which is becoming a bit of a food court. They have a relatively small indoor dining area, which also features "outside" chairs at an indoor/outdoor bar, which is still indoors since the restaurant is within The Factory. The service was really friendly and helpful, with the staff able to answer all my questions and provide recommendations. I had the Tonkotsu Shoyu, which I found to be really flavorful. This was a pleasant surprise, since other reviews had suggested there wasn't much flavor. Maybe some of the other ramen bowls aren't as flavorful due to different broth, but I enjoyed the Tonkotsu Shoyu. My only complaint would be that it was a bit heavy on the salt for my tastes, but I suspect most would consider that a good thing, and in my experience ramen does tend to be a bit salty. I also had the Tokyo Fried Chicken, which was really tasty all by itself but also comes with a nice wasabi-yuzu sauce. The restaurant was also impeccably clean, which was impressive. Overall I think this is a great addition to The Factory, and worth checking out.

A perfect place to add a trendy ramen spot to the Franklin factory. This place was beyond packed when we showed up. We were invited from a Yelp event and did not expect so many people. This was a great sign though because it seemed like a lot of ppl were willing to wait on a long time for this ramen. It did not disappoint. Many ramen and beer choices, not a ton of appetizer options but you don't really need it. We loved the ramen and the apps were on point. Really good option if you are in the area.

The tonkatsu bowl is heavenly .... Seriously it's hard to find a better owl of ramen in the state! We go back again and again because it's consistently excellent!

Appreciate there is a ramen place in The Factory but I did not enjoy the Spicy Miso Ramen. Maybe I need to try another dish but I felt there wasn't a lot of authentic flavor in mine. Enjoyed the casual atmosphere. There are even tables where half your party can eat inside and half can eat outside (Factory main hall/lobby).

Really stoked on this new location for Otaku Ramen! Ordered a bowl of ramen, kimchi fried rice, tokyo fried chicken, pork donburi, and some taro boba. Everything was phenomenal but beware that the kimchi fried rice definitely has a kick! One of the highlights for me was the wasabi mayo dip for the delicious fried chicken. Just wow! I would come back just for that. The kids said the boba was the best they've ever had and they've probably tried every boba place in middle tennessee. Highly recommend this cool location at the factory in Franklin.

This spot is in the factory and a cool little spot. The food didn't disappoint and the long line moved swiftly and was worth the wait. The ramen is delicious with deep flavors - I added the pork confit and it was amazing! The appetizers were all fab as well with the hot chicken bun being our favorite. Good food with a nice cold on draft Kirin what else can you ask for. We will definitely be back! Not sure what's up with these negative reviews feels like people may have unrealistic expectations of a casual spot in a mall perfect for a quick bite.

I loved the location, it has a great casual vibe since the restaurant and seating is so open. There happened to be live music at the Factory that day so we were able to enjoy our food while listening to some great tunes. I've eaten a lot of ramen but this one fell short of my expectations. The meat and the add-ins were great but the noodles were all stuck together. To me, the broth is what makes or breaks it and the broth was just VERY salty and not flavourful. We also ordered a matcha milk tea, which they initially forgot - understandable because it was quite busy that day. But they made it in front of us and basically poured what looked like green coloured milk from a milk jug and added ice and half and half. It didn't have much matcha flavour and watching them make that really made me think twice about ordering it again. Also for $7, I don't think it was really worth it. I don't think I'm in any rush to come back.

We went on Fridays and boy was it packed! I ordered the miso ramen and edamame and it was delicious. I really enjoyed the ramen and the flavors. Staff is friendly and there are many options. Can't wait to go back!

Had a great time at Otaku tonight. It's an order at a counter setup unlike the Gulch Otaku. Line took 5-10 minutes around 5:45 on a Monday. Happy hour is 4-6 and includes free edamame with a Sapporo on draft, but Sapporo was out, so we had Kirin Ichiban. Found a table easily, there are about 12 four tops in the restaurant and more common food court space you could also eat at outside. Food only took about 10 minutes to come out. My wife got the Miso ramen and I got the Classic Shoyu. Both were delicious. The Shoyu was a thinner chicken broth and the miso was a more savory pork broth that I think I preferred slightly. The pork belly was tender and plentiful. Forgot to add an egg, but always enjoy that! Overall quick service and great food. Will certainly be back at some point.

Went for dinner on a Thursday evening around 6:00 PM. This is an order at the counter, then locate a table arrangement. Waited in line about 5 minutes. While the restaurant was fairly busy, there were plenty of tables available, both inside and in the common area of The Factory right outside. Food prep was quick - took maybe 5 - 10 minutes. I had the spicy Miso which was both pleasing to the eye (colorful) and delicious to the palette. The chili paste and chili oil give this dish a fiery kick which was just right for me but may be too hot if you don't like spicy. The pork bone broth was absolutely tremendous. Staff was efficient, though not overwhelmingly friendly. Restaurant was clean and comfortable. Generally - great food, good service. Will definitely be back. @YelpNashville @otakuramen

Tourist level chain eating at the Factory. At least it's an interesting choice. However it may be the saltiest food I've had in years almost was not edible. Also very expensive. Would not recommend.

This place was surprisingly good! I had the specialty ramen that they had. I would've enjoyed it way more if they had any forks. I asked for one and the employee just walked away and didn't acknowledge my request. Customer service could be better. I thought the seating there was also just odd. But my ramen was delicious

Food was delicious and very filling. Quick service and love the packaging. Husband was pleasantly impressed with the location. We wish we had one in Murfreesboro Tn.

What a great addition to the factory! I came here on a Friday for an early dinner. I opted for the szechuan ramen bowl and ordered the Nashville hot chicken bun and a taro boba milk tea. I had shared my ramen bowl with my son and let me say, it's sooo much food! We could not fish it! The broth was super delicious and creamy. I loved that it was spicy enough to where I didn't need additional chili oil. But also thought a $1 charge for chili oily was a bit silly. I love the generous amount of bean sprouts! There was only one stem of bok choy. If there was a few, it would of made the bowl 10000% better! I love a ramen bowl with tons of veggies! The hot chicken bun was TDF! I love it! I was really craving Hattie B's and this chicken made up for it. The chicken was very similar to many Nashville hot chicken competitors. The taro boba was just ok, it was too milky for my liking, not enough taro flavor. I also tried the hibiscus tea...it was disgusting. I don't think this is a place where you want to order boba, but looks like a Boba shop is opening soon in the factory so that's a plus! The service was great! The guy that to my order was super nice and helpful! They definitely have the right person working up front taking orders.

Well I love me some ramen and this spot doesn't disappoint. Like a true ramen shop there is a full selection of protein and goodies. The Saturday afternoon line was 5-10 minutes with a 10-15 wait for your meal. Plenty of time to walk the factory. Ramen was the real deal and I genuinely enjoyed the meal. Pricing was true to Franklin with a $15-17 bowl price tag before the extras... Wife thought it was good enough but not a big fan of ramen to start. Good spot to people watch if you eat in the concourse. Definitely a two thumbs up

Came over to grab a quick lunch. I chose spicy miso. The food was hot and fresh and just right for a rainy day. Staff was very friendly and professional. Will definitely come back.

Great addition to the Franklin Factory. Sadly it did not live up to the hope. It is new and we will hope it gets better with time. For now: it is a very small space with a few tables and a larger bar type table, it was clean, and staff was very friendly. The food itself was very bland and salty. We ordered the szechuan miso ramen that surprisingly was not spicy at all. There was not many noodles but had an abundance of bean sprouts. The spicy edamame also was not spicy at all and tasted more like it was seasoned with only salt, tokyo fried chicken were small popcorn chicken that were very greasy, and the chicken gyoza were decent gyoza. All of it was very pricey for portion size. Happy hour offered $7 draft Sapporo from 4-6. Overall, it was a cute place to checkout but not worth the price.

This review is simply based on ordering for delivery. They took an 1 hour and 45 minutes to deliver to an address 10 minutes away. You are not provided a way to see where your order is and the phone number for the restaurant is some automated message run by slang.ai (I can't believe a business actually pays for a service to make their customers lives harder) where you are given two options. Text or email in your question or concern. I tried both and did not receive a response to either. As you can imagine the food arrived cold considering the somehow the two hours of travel time. Eat in, ordering for delivery is a comedy of errors.

Fantastic ramen shop. Can't go wrong with a single dish on the menu. Service is quick and friendly, and the restaurant has a chill vibe. Definitely give it a shot!

Good. Very expensive. You have to go to the counter to get your food and then clear your own dishes, yet they ask you to tip on your check.

this was soo delicious! i love ramen and this place had really good options. they don't have too many different ramen options available, but i loved the spicy ramen. i would definitely recommend, and i can't wait to go back again!

The boba was too overcooked and the tea was weak. Out of the dozens of boba places I've tried in the Bay Area, this wouldn't compete. Out of the few in Tennessee, it still wouldn't compete. Sorry

The experience at Otaku Ramen left much to be desired. While the ambiance was pleasant, the food was average at best. The ramen lacked depth and flavor, failing to impress. Moreover, the service was slower than it should be. Despite the friendly staff, the wait times were unacceptable. Overall, I was underwhelmed by my visit to Otaku Ramen and would hesitate to return.

Not really a ramen enthusiast but I don't dislike it. Thought we would give this place a shot as it's in the new section of the Factory. Ambiance is cool and fun which is a thumbs up. The food on the other hand was Decent no meat really and everything is an add on (like egg etc) pretty pricey for an order at the counter type spot. If your in to ramen do take my word but this is what my experience was.

Delicious! Must try. The pork confit is amazing as well as the Schezwan. Must try!!!

Otaku Ramen is one of my favorite spots in Nashville! All the locations are great, but this one is an amazing addition to The Factory. If you haven't been, you're missing out!

Delicious Scezhuan noodle and children's chicken noodle dish. Perfect & hustling service!

Flavor was ok to good. Needed a magnifying glass to find the protein. Picture on web misleading

My girlfriend and I are regular patrons to the Factory and are excited for the renovations/new tenants. We visited this new Ramen place after seeing quite a long line the previous Sunday evening. We each ordered "featured dishes" and a couple of fountain drinks. At $17+ per bowl (with NO add ons), we were hopeful for something great. Nope. I agree with prior reviews that the broth was very salty. We each ordered spicy dishes that seemed to have no spice (or kick) at all. Each bowl was supposed to have a protein, however the amount of protein in each was very low. One only had three small pieces of Tofu and the other a couple small pieces of chicken. Mainly broth and noodles. The cashier was great in helping us pick out our selections. However she input my phone number incorrectly (which is how they notify orders being ready). Our Ramen sat for a while and was not hot when things were figured out. We eat out often and have tried many new places in and around Franklin. Usually we are happy with dishes we order. My final tab for two bowls, two drinks, and a standard 20% tip was $49. Definitely not a great value.

Amazing ramen with Vegan amd kids menu options! Huge portions, Love the homemade noodles. It's definitely the best ramen ive ever had!

Great flavors one of my favorites and it's in the factory! Donburi was good but hard to incorporate the entire dish with chopsticks.

Unfortunately this place is not on par with other eating establishments at the Factory. Ramen is all about unique broth and textured noodles. I found the broth very very salty and the noodles were tasteless. The overall quality is equal to cheap fast food. I do not recommend this place.

I was so excited for a Ramen option in Franklin. I guess they are the best in town because they are the only ramen in town, but they have a long way to go before competing with the options in other culinary cities like New York and LA. The noodles clumped together where slurping was almost impossible. The density of the tonkatsu was too thin and was overall very bland on presentation and taste. The mayu was lost, I could not taste any MSG which is mandatory to get the depth of umami and sodium, the pork belly was either poor quality or boiled the wrong way. We had to ask for salt and got sea salt. Another customer asked for soy sauce, which they didn't have. The branding and website looks great, I just hope they invest into some basic adjustments as their prices are so high for what you get. The hot chicken bun was good but the bun felt cold instead of coning from a steam press and needed much more Kewpie mayo.

I had been excitedly waiting for this place to open, so I could try the food, and it didn't disappoint . I went for lunch and ordered the miso ramen, and my mom had the classic chicken shoyu. They were both very good, maybe a bit salty though. My miso ramen was so rich and I loved the corn and pork added in. I took some to-go and it was just as good warmed up. The service was very helpful, making suggestions for my mom who hadn't eaten traditional ramen before. The set up of the place was very unique and modern. They had cool seating that was placed in the wall separating the restaurant from the rest of the mall.