RAKKAN Ramen - Houston Heights

We were there for a dine in lunch. We ordered the Asian Spicy Ramen bowl with pork. The broth was flavorful and delicious, spicy yet not overly so, with the right smog heat. The other entree we got was the small rice bowl with chicken. This was also very delicious, the chicken was fried but not oily at all, and cooked to perfection. The entree tasted very fresh.

Great location, friendly greeting and service, fast delivery of entrees, super clean premises; delicious food! Appetizers were very good - the spicy cucumber was good (perhaps it can be sliced thinner?); crispy and flavorful chicken karaage and the salmon tartare (only wish was that the wontons were just a bit more golden) Went for the classic Amber ramen; nice broth, hot broth but not mouth burning, love the thin noodles and overall a very good bowl of ramen! Staff were constantly cleaning tables and chairs, even though it was jam-packed and I liked that.

I really like the broth to their spicy ramen. I've tried many and for some reason this one is memorable to me. It's thick, creamy and just hits the spot. The poke bowl isn't bad, the scallops and salmon were yummy! Great experience and we would go back!

Server offered an exceptional service, she was very attentive. Food was delicious, it would be great if they could offer more ramen options. I liked how quiet the place is, they had music on a good volume so we were able to have a conversation and a good time.

Had an amazing meal at Rakkan Ramen! The pork fried rice was delicious and full of flavor. Our server, Viet, was super friendly and attentive, which made the whole experience even better. Highly recommend!

Fantastic food. The ramen is flavorful and the noodles are thick with a nice chewy texture. Highly recommend but just be aware the parking lot gets packed really quickly

This was the best spot we ate at while in Houston. Ramen was SO flavorful and delicious, it was a generous portion, and the service was attentive. Makes my mouth water just reminiscing! I got spicy miso, the other one was creamy and had chicken but i forgot the name. The tokoyaki balls were also really good! Would definitely come back !

I ordered the quartz. It was mildly spicy and tastes rich and umami as it should. I got chicken fried rice to-go. I wasn’t used to the thigh meat not being chopped up and incorporated. It was good though. Nice servers.

Made dinner reservations and they were quick to put me on the list. Super cute vibes! Loved the atmosphere as soon as we walked in. Felt like a hidden ramen shop in a different city. Food was great! I got the Pearl and Garnet ramen, sushi flight, brussel sprouts, and hot sake.. all super delicious! Only wish they gave more pork belly with the ramen so we ordered extra for both. Service was great, friendly, and fast! I would definitely come back.

Rakkan Ramen is a veggie soup basked ramen shop located in the heights/ MKT shopping center. upon arrival we were greeted immediately by the friendly staff. The restaurant was clean and had a welcoming atmosphere. Our waitress gave us a tour of the menu and recommended Goyzas to start and gave us the run down on what makes their ramen different . All soup bases are veggie base! granted they still have meat toppings and are by no means a vegetarian place, but overall a unique touch. Pros: food came out so fast. Like unbelievably fast. the gyozas were crispy and flavorful. The filling reminded me of the contents of an eggroll. For a veggie broth, the soup was very flavorful. The noodles were cooked perfectly and was a decent size. Cons: I was excited to see broccolini was a topping for the ramen I had picked. What I didn't expect was the insane amount of oil that the broccolini had been soaked in. Image two shows the oil that came out once the veggie was removed. Our friendly waitress was shocked when I showed her the oil but let me know that their broccolini is pre fried so that is probably where the oil came from. We were given a little discount to compensate for the broccolini

We found this place on our maps after visiting a museum nearby and we absolutely loved it! Prices are fair, area is nice and food was great. We had gyoza, pork buns and the Brussels sprouts as appetizers and they were all very good. Ramen was delicious as well. The best part was the service, as soon as we walked in we were greeted with friendly service. Our waitress Kamryn was great. Will return :)

Creamy delicious ramen! I was debating between the spicy quartz and the spicy garnet and I'm glad I went with the quartz. The texture was great and broth was super flavorful. We also got some sake that was delicious. Seating is somewhat limited because the location is on the smaller end but we didn't end up having a wait time or anything on a Saturday night. Parking is plentiful as it's located in a shopping area. Overall, a great ramen spot in Houston!

My first time visiting this place it was amazing the costumer service was amazing they were very fast in serving our food, super clean and cozy place I usually don't choose Japanese noodles but this was an exemption I would definitely return to this place because it was so delicious !!!!

January 8, 2025 Drove in from Galveston to try this ramen and it did not disappoint. We had a feast that consisted of pork and chicken bao buns, spicy umami miso garnet ramen, spicy umani creamy quartz ramen, chicken karaage [fried chicken] and octopus balls. Regarding both "spicy" ramens... they were really flavorful not hot, which i love. The bao buns were great, the octopus balls were mushy- do not recommend. Fried chicken crispy. Had macha latte to drink Restaurant is very small... doesn't hold a lot of people...probably less than 40.

Great ramen place! Was craving some ramen and saw this place near me in MKT. plenty of parking of course since it's in this shopping center. It's a generally small area inside with few seating outside so it can get packed quickly. They seemed to be pretty busy when I went on a Saturday night, both dine in and to go, so the serve we received was a little bit slower. Although the food did come out relatively quickly. The food was pretty good! We had 2 of the spicy hotate sushi, 4 salmon rolls and a spicy quart ramen. Ramen could have used more spice in my opinion. But overall this place was good!

Went around 2:30-300. Was chill and not a lot of people's Service was really good but seemed to be short staff....but that didn't stop them from providing good service Food was amazing. 10/10 on both ramen bowls Spicy garnet and spicy quartz Chicken bun was 10/10

Decided to try something new in the area so, this cute ramen spot it is. Table for two please. This place is open seating so you sit wherever you'd like. We chose to sit outside because it was freezing in there. Off the top, didn't like the service; the waitress seemed impatient and a little nonchalant. Nonetheless, we begin to order starting with appetizers: octopus balls, spicy cucumber, and pork bun. As for the main course we ordered a "ruby" and a "spicy quartz". For drinks, a coke and lemonade. I asked if the lemonade was freshly squeezed or fountain lemonade, and she replied that it was freshly squeezed so I was all in but asked for light ice because I don't like really cold drinks (sensitive teeth) and also didn't want the drink to get watered down (not the quickest drinker). The drinks come out first and the lemonade is filled with ice to the brim. I didn't feel like that was a big ask but okay, just dealt with it. I'm not really a fan for super sweet but this lemonade was super sour. Wouldn't recommend or get it again. The appetizers came out next. The octopus balls were my favorite part of this experience. Just the right amount of flavor in every bite. The spicy cucumber was not spicy whatsoever, spice level none. No complaints about spice level because I was concerned already so better for me, just don't expect spice. Not sure how the pork bun was because it wasn't for me. The shrimp and chicken with the egg attracted me to the "Ruby", by the way I also subbed for rice noodles which were delicious. I can't put my finger on the aftertaste the broth was giving but I wasn't really a fan of it. I've had many ramen and this was just different. The broth also needed a little more seasoning or a kick of something. The fresh garlic topping didn't help much with it. The chicken was delicious and tender. Not quite sure the shrimp in this was for me; it was flavorless and charred but seemed a bit undercooked to me. Not going to lie I was pretty scared eating it. Overall I would give the "ruby" a 5/10. The place isn't that big on the inside so there's no real privacy. When I walked out of the bathroom I heard the waitress make a comment about a customer; just unprofessional and inappropriate. Might try again but not anytime soon.

Went on a lunch bro date with one of my coworkers. I had the spicy quartz and he had the spicy garnet. Neither of us thought that either dish was that spicy and ended up adding some chili oil to kick it up a notch. We both really like the flavor of both of our Ramen's and would definitely go back. The inside of the restaurant is small and casual making it feel like an Izakaya. They have three offerings of beer, however during our visit, they were out of kirin. The surface was overall good. It was pretty empty for a Friday at lunchtime, but I can imagine it is much busier in the evening.

We went to Rakkan Ramen in search of a new favorite ramen spot in Houston. I'll mention what I love about it and what I don't prefer about it. Something that's super neat about this place is that it's labeled as a healthier ramen spot because it features many vegan ramen dishes, amongst other vegan dishes, and most of their broths are vegetable based. That being said, their ramen is very veggie/earth flavor forward.. and I think you have to be very into that to enjoy Rakkan. I personally am a bigger fan of meat based broths and those encompassing flavors. However, if you're more of a vegetable or a vegan person, this is an amazing place to go. Our server was very nice and did a great job giving us a breakdown of the menu. Rakkan is not the place for me, but it's not bad at all! I would absolutely recommend it to my vegan besties.

Service - was great - Angie S was our server and was super attentive and pointed out all the menu features and reminders about happy hour! Food also came out really quickly which was a plus.... But maybe at the expense of the quality of the flavors. I got the Amber ramen and was pretty disappointed in the broth flavor and components. It's listed as one of their most popular items so expectations were maybe a bit too high! Basically tasted like unflavored salty broth. The pork was a little crisp and noodles just okay. I'd probably go back again for a quick bite but might try their other food items!

The limited special Creamy Truffle Vegan Ramen is AWESOME!!! It is only available until 11/30/24 so I feel quite lucky to have a chance to try it. There should be more truffle ramen - they are a pair made in heaven in creamy richness! So decadent and full of umami flavor!!! I also got the gyozas, which I didn't enjoy as much and didn't finish most of it - it had a fishy taste despite my order of beef gyoza. Happy Hour gyoza is 5$ for 5 pieces. Large selection of beverages - The tea is not gratis, it's only $2.50 but also just a tea bag (Itoen I think). Overall cute ramen shop at MKT, which has tons of free parking in the lot. The food came out quickly and service was functional. I will return to try the other ramens!!

Still one of my top places to go when craving ramen. This location has always been consistent with the quality of food. I enjoy the gyozas and I really haven't had a ramen I didn't like, but I tend to steer towards the Pearl ramen with its broth and texture of the noodles. This last time, it seems the sushi place next door took over some of their outdoor seating so I can see at peak times it can be a bit of a wait, especially since the inside is limited in tables as well. They also stopped doing the combo option now. I'd still recommend if you want ramen in the area!

Came in to eat for the first time today. Not big on ramen so little skeptical trying any of the ramens but my server Albert was very knowledgeable about each ramen letting me know which ones are popular and the flavor profile of each which made it so easy to choose! He was very attentive, never had to ask for water or for anything to be taken away because he'd be right on it. Ramen ended being delicious! Would come back to eat again and would definitely request Albert again!

This is such a cute little spot! Came here on a weekend and fortunately there was no wait. Service was quick and food was delivered quick as well. The restaurant itself is a bit on the smaller side, so I can see this getting packed. The gyoza and ramen broth were rich and tasted very authentic. So so yummy; however, this noodle and meat ratio definitely favored the noodle side. Would get extra meat and egg next time! This place has very comfort food level taste.

The ramen broth was rich and had a little kick to it. It got better and better as I ate it, which was a nice little surprise. The broccolini and egg added to the flavor components of the dish, and I liked that the noodles had a bite to them/ they were chewier. We also got extra fresh garlic on the side to add to the ramen, and that really enhanced the dish. I wish there was some extra crunch for texture, but other than that, the ramen was great. The appetizers were good, especially the strong flavor of the gyoza sauce, but I wish there was a different filling in the gyoza than potato. The bun texture was amazing, but I also wish there was a little more flavor in the filling. The service was great. The place was packed when we got in, but we were seated very quickly. The ambiance was also super quaint and intimate.

Checked this place out during Houston's restaurant weeks. I ordered the vegan spicy garnet ramen, crispy vegan gyozas, and matcha tiramisu. It was a great deal and the food was delish. Lis was super sweet. Overall great spot!

Service. Five stars. The staff was so nice and helpful even during a busy time. Chicken karaage: four stars think it was thigh meat though FYI Kids ramen: two stars. did not love. Broth was sad but I forgot it's a vegetable based broth. Maybe that's why? Salmon nigiri: two stars. rice wasn't seasoned well. This review and its lack of punctuation, also two stars but the taste just wasn't there. Review reflects experience ‍

I came here on a Sunday afternoon with my fiancé and our two dogs and there was no wait at all. The outdoor patio is dog friendly which is a plus. We ordered the pork gyoza and takoyaki for apps. The pork gyoza was just ok. I loved their Takoyaki. I had the spicy garnet ramen and I enjoyed my meal. It was very filling. There are plenty of food options on the menu including rice bowls for those who don't like ramen. Also plenty of vegan and vegetarian options.

First time here and the ramen did not disappoint! We ordered the Takoyaki which had a great ratio of octopus to batter. We ordered the spicy garnet, quartz, and amber which were very flavorful and not too oily. The pork was just the right amount of fatty which paired well with the bamboo shoots. The noodles were a great texture and just the right amount of chewy. Ashley, our server, was great and super accommodating which made this experience even better. Will definitely be back for more!

I can't believe I haven't reviewed this place but here it goes. Rakkan has been one of our favorite ramen spots in town. They're a ramen spot from Tokyo. All their broths are plant based and very delicious. In our most recent visit I got the Pearl (salt+umami sauce) which very light, salty, flavorful broth and my wife got the Quartz (creamy sauce) which was creamy, full bodied and flavorful. The noodles, chashu pork and egg were also perfect. Service was super friendly and prompt. The shop itself is nice and clean. They even have a community table which would be good if you have a big group. Overall, this place is def a top 3 ramen shop for us. It's also in mkt so it's nice to kinda walk around after eating. Go check them out!

I'm a huge ramen fan and was skeptical about Rakkans' vegetable broth as I'm a bigger fan of savory broths made with pork and chicken bones. I wanted something lighter for lunch though and decided to stop by and give it a try. Service was good and the waitress was helpful in making our choices. I saw they also had an off menu seasonal special but wanted to try their traditional ramens first. We went for the Pearl and Spicy Quartz so we could try a creamy and the more original soy sauce flavor. However, we both were not very impressed with our rmaen. The Pearl was supposed to be less salty compared to the Amber, however, it just tasted salty to me without any depth of flavor. The Spicy Quartz was a bit better but still just did not have much flavor. Our eggs were also overcooked. The gyoza appetizer wasn't bad. Overall, I'm not sure if we went on a bad day as there are so many good reviews about this place but we left disappointed and likely won't be coming back especially with all the other great spots in Houston we have access to.

Not much to put. It was a little hidden in all the buildings. Good ramen and good gyoza! Not that cheap but good portions. Not sure I'd go out of my way to go here versus ramen other places. Especially since a lot of the buildings by it are also food or expensive stores. But good nonetheless! Additionally the entire time I was here only Charlie Puth played and idk I just thought it was so funny.

Great food and cozy environment! I always get the spicy quartz ramen + takoyaki balls it's a must try. Service is always great I've never been treated bad and haven't had any issues with my orders. Last time I went it was close to closing time and the employees had a good attitude (even tho we did apologize and tried to leave quickly lol)

Came here for a quick bite. The service was good and timely. The ramen was just okay. I got the Jiro ramen which was supposed to be the spiciest option. It was not so spicy and the broth was just okay. I've had better ramen. I also did not like how they pushed for a review to give a discount. I did not care for the discount but it appeared the waiters were trained to convince you to do one.

Service was great and so was our waitress Lis! There was a lot of really great options on the menu. Will for sure be going back.

This is a cute ramen bar tucked in the cozy Heights MKT area. The staff was friendly and seated us quickly. We have thoroughly enjoyed Houston Restaurant Month and this was one of the menus we tried. For $39 you can get 1 appetizer, 2 bowls of ramen, and a dessert! We added on one extra appetizer. The hot brussel sprouts sounded strange, but I could've ordered 2 more plates of it after I tried it. It was so good!! The pork gyoza was also very tasty. We enjoyed both the quartz and garnet ramen bowls. The quartz bowl tasted more like a vegetable broth with chicken pieces and the garnet bowl seemed like a pork broth with chasu (pork) pieces. If I were to go again, I would order the garnet instead of the quartz-- I liked the bolder flavor of the broth. Finally, the mochi. It was my first time trying mochi so I did not know was to expect, but I really enjoyed it! It is a frozen ice cream-like filling wrapped in a gummy jelly candy. The perfect ending to our meal!

The staff is always very friendly and welcoming. I usually get my food to go. I love that they have vegan options and the Ramen is delicious. The flavor is very well balanced. I always get a little chili oil on the side for some extra spice. My favorite thing I've had on the menu so far is the Vegan buns. 9.8 out of 10 the buns are pillowy soft and the feeling is savory. The mushrooms are cooked just right they still have a bite to them. It melts in your mouth. I also enjoyed it edamame eight out of 10, and the crispy Vegan Gyoza, it's definitely crispy some nice vegetable filling. I would give it a seven out of 10. My favorite Ramen so far is the Garnet, has a great Amami taste to it the broth is seasoned nicely. It's not overly salted. The vegetables are always fresh. It's just a really nice balanced bowl of Ramen. A 9.2 out of 10. This is my go to place for Ramen. They had a lemon sorbet, which was absolutely amazing. Unfortunately it's no longer on the menu and I truly hope they bring it back. It was light refreshing, and the perfect blend of citrus. A 9.8 out of 10. The staff is great. The restaurant has indoor and outdoor seating. It's really cute and quaint.

Yesterday's cool, rainy weather was perfect for ramen ! This was my second time here and I enjoyed it more than the first (though the first time was good too). Since it's so cold indoors, I opted to sit on the patio. The cool breeze and sound of rain was lovely! The patio is covered so you are protected from the elements. Also, while it was quite busy inside this time there was almost no one on the patio. The service was extremely quick this time around too! I definitely think as we get further into the cooler season this will be a regular lunch spot for me

This is Ramen for Americans who don't like real Japanese flavors. Veganism isn't even a thing in Japan! That should be a red flag right there. The broth was not right at all. It didn't have that salty umami richness that defines good Ramen. Some of the noodles were stuck together with some chunks of undercooked noodle dough. Our soup was brought out before the appetizers. It's the server's job to time the courses. We left hungry and went next door to Da Gama for some good food.

I like coming here for lunch because it's not too busy and the food comes out fast. They have a cool lunch special $12.50 which includes an entree & appetizer. I recommend the Avocado tofu rice bowl. They also have vegan ramen and/or you can substitute most of their other ramen bowls to make it vegan. Servers are really nice and well trained. Soft music vibes in the background. Lowtop bar and hightop community table in addition to some booths and outside tables.

Excellent flavors. A bit crowded and loud but would definitely come back. Friendly staff.

The amber ramen was perfect, not too rich, but leaves you full. Location is tucked away in a shopping center. The staff is great especially Lis! Lis took care of us today and went above and beyond! Drinks always full and the ramen was delicious!

The ramen and broth was really good, and the staff was very mindful. It was my friend's birthday and she let her choose a free dessert, which was a matcha tiramisu with vanilla ice cream. It was an aesthetic place and the lights dim down I when the sun sets as well.

Had a good experience at Rakkan. It gave an authentic Japanese vibe when we entered. Service was great. Got the Amber ramen and it was super flavorful.

Lis was great. Good service, delicious ramen. Not too salty, not too heavy. Will be back

A small ramen shop in the MKT plaza with cozy vibes. Our server, Sophia was nice & helpful. I tried the Spicy Garnet and Asian Spicy Noodle. I liked the Asian Spicy because it had a smooth umami flavor. The Spicy Garnet was rich, creamy but not very spicy. Noodles were al dente and maintained a nice chew, they were my favorite part of the meal. Chicken karaage was juicy and crispy.

Our server was nice and friendly. I loved the special "Asian Spicy Ramen" broth and the noodles have the perfect texture. It was super umami and very flavorful without being too salty. We also tried the spicy garnet which was rich and creamy, but not that spicy. They do provide chili oil on the tables which you can add to the broth. The chicken karage is also really good. It's super moist and lightly battered, perfect size for sharing!

A cold day means it's a ramen day. This is a small shop that is easy to walk by. Walking in, the decor and ambiance was great. They stated a 30 minute wait, however 10 minutes later we were seated. I got to try their Octopus balls and spicy Garnet for the first time. The ramen was warm and flavor and I liked that they charred their pork. Definitely coming back soon.

Food is good, but the ramen is not hot & spicy as advertised on the menu. We tried the aburi salmon sushi, spicy garnet ramen, and spicy beef gyoza. Service was normal, but the vibe is nice. We were able to sit outside and enjoy the nice weather. Restaurant is located in a nice area where you have different options. Worth a try!

Kaylee was amazing and super helpful! She brought everything in a timely manner. Food was wonderful!! Will come back again

This place is always so good....!!!! Kayleigh was amazing with our 6 top lunch group and everything I ordered was amazing! If you are in the Heights area definitely come here!

this place was amazing !!! the food was so delicious came out really fast and hot ! Also our server Lis did an amazing job, she was really attentive and made sure we were having an excellent experience! Definitely will be back !

Ramen amazing, feeling great, not groggy, or over stuffed. Absolutely fine lunch. Broth was light, yet so flavorful and rich. Pork Chasu was tender and delicious, egg was perfect. Location is tucked away almost got lost and service could have been better, but lunch rush happens.

Still amazing as always with their ramen I always get here (Quartz Ramen w/ chicken)! I love that all the broth is 100% vegan, and surprised our friend with that who loved this place as they never been here before. They are usually picky on ramen places too, so that should say a lot coming from them! Service was good and welcomed as soon as we walked in. I was happy they had their iced matcha latte, which was sold out last time I visited. Glad I got to finally try out their iced matcha latte and it tasted balanced/just right. Not too sweet and not too "matcha bitter", so no wonder why everyone ran to it before me last time haha. As far as the restaurant's environment, then it was more on the busy side but we were all easily seated and given menus to look over.

Amazing service by Jose this Sunday evening. Amber is a great choice along with the pork buns. Great lunch spot during the weekdays too.

Was excited to try this ramen spot in the MKT plaza, but was pretty disappointed with the experience. I'll start with the positives: The service was very friendly and the atmosphere of the shop is nice. Small, authentic feeling to it. The Sake Drop cocktail was delicious. I also fairly enjoyed the Sushi Bites and Spicy Beef Gyoza. As for the negatives: The service, despite being friendly, was relatively slow, especially considering it wasn't very busy when we came. I also really did not like the ramen. I ordered the Garnet ramen, substituting the pork for "crispy" chicken. The chicken was not crispy, in fact it was pretty soggy and rubbery. The Garnet broth tasted weird--almost bitter, and lacking the heartiness that miso broths usually carry. And I was really surprised by the lack of toppings on my ramen. It only came with green onions, a half egg, and bamboo shoots. Normally I would expect more on ramen. The noodles were fine, but that's about it. There are much better ramen places in Houston for sure. This place is also very expensive; I paid about $30 (not including the cocktail) for a subpar meal. Not a terrible restaurant, but I don't plan to come again unfortunately.

Cozy spot in the MKT that serves up a fairly standard ramen experience. Wait staff was helpful in explaining any questions and provided suggestions when asked. The major let down for me is the fact that they only make vegetable broths. The broth however is well prepared and tasty, but nothing quite compared to the velvety unctuous mess of a well made pork broth. The toppers and add ins are standard, there's nothing that's a must have or breaks the mold. I think all the different ramens are probably about the same based off the descriptions. The apps were adequate, but not necessary to get the best they have to offer. Tried the takoyaki, which were lucky to get a piece octopus, but that's a problem everywhere. The Brussel sprouts were crispy, but could've been tossed or coated in a sauce.