Salaryman

Such a unique fun experience before the opera salary man was really all about the tasting and experience of authentic Japanese cuisine with Ramen they do not mix any sushi and keep the experience very authentic and the staff is excellent the colors are beautiful they do not take reservations you’re not allowed to take food home it’s first come first serve so please arrive at 6 PM on the dot you might have to wait in line but it’s all worth it. If you’re new to the idea of Japanese cuisine this is a great introduction and a perfect place to start experimenting. The menu rotate weekly they are staples that never change this is our new favorite hang out for a weekly Ramen.

I was expecting many different ramen bowl offerings but instead I was delightfully suprised by it bring more of an experience (and variety) to work up to the ramen bowl offerings with all the early course options ahead of this. Salaryman has a great menu with more offerings than I've previously seen on the small bites / early course section. The ramen bowl I enjoyed with the emulsified chicken broth was deep and rich so tasty. It was absolutely perfect for cooler weather with its rich hardiness. A downside to this richness is that flavors come in big bangs and you lose some of the intricacy of good ramen, however it was a luscious and indulgent joy to try in December! While didn't get much from the Chu Hai - Ume cocktail, I will certainly be looking to come back and try more of the pickled and grilled options and especially the finesse ramen offerings!

I want to begin by saying we are big fans of Japanese food and culture in general, we've tried nearly every Japanese place that opens but Salaryman has a bit to learn, mostly about pricing. First off though, the staff was VERY inviting and friendly, despite the line of customers and pressure they were facing, so they were awesome. Now for the food : For the uninitiated, Yakitori is meat skewers focusing on various grilled parts of chicken. While you may glance at their menu and notice what appears to be fair pricing for the various skewers, when you get your order, you will likely feel a tad let down to find you just spent $5 for a single skewer of chicken thigh, maybe 3 small pieces, barely a mouthful of meat in some cases. This will eventually stack up to build an intimidating tab if you get full and when you consider these next two points, then it starts to seem like you're just being ripped off. 1: The price of one skewer could get you a whole pound or more of high grade, organic chicken meat in the same variety at Whole Foods. Yet here you pay this price for maybe half a thigh on a stick, cooked for you by folks who tend to touch the food with their bare hands (something I witnessed the chef's doing to maybe check the temp? I was seated at the bar, mere feet from them and it was a regular behavior they exhibited as they cooked). 2: Teppo, a staple of Japanese food in Dallas over on Greenville Ave, serves Yakitori, much higher quality, with better spices, for around the same pricing and they give you 3, count em, 3 skewers per order. Ok so that's the Yakitori, now on to the Ramen and Curry. THE RAMEN First off, pricing here is again, absurd. I had the Shoyu mixed pork and chicken ramen, almost $20 for an average sized bowl, 2 (small)pieces of chicken and one slice of pork. The noodle texture was good, broth was passable and the meat, what little there was, was decent. This was maybe $6 ramen though. For $7 you can find a better bowl at Wabi House on Greenville Ave. For $8-13 you can find the best ramen around at Oni Ramen or top tier is Ten Ramen on Ft Worth Ave. All cheaper, built better and made with higher quality ingredients and more meat than what's on here at Salaryman. THE CURRY For those looking for an amazing bowl of authentic curry, let me recommend you to Mitsuwa Japanese Market out on Legacy in Plano. They have a food court filled with authentic curry options for less than $10 a bowl, with much larger portions, more meat and more curry sauce options such as spicy, sweet, savory etc. Here at Salaryman you will be offered one type of fried chicken curry, it's spicy, comes in just this one flavor setting, so damn your palette. The spice lover I was dining with did enjoy it, but also admitted it was a far cry from the curry at Mitsuwa, but for over 2x the price. All of this took over 2 hours, wait times for food were pretty excruciating. Lastly, The Tea, or lack thereof.. How is it that a Japanese restaurant lacks green tea entirely, while racketing off meats, basic ramen and curry for extreme prices, but doesn't even offer the most basic of Japanese beverages? This was extra disappointing. So to potential patrons of Salaryman, I humbly recommend the restaurants above to suit your Japanese cravings this evening, your wallet will thank you and you'll walk away with a better sense of what real Japanese cuisine and culture is about, rather than walking away with the impression they're all just overpriced chicken sticks, bland noodles and spicy curry. Now, to the owner(s) of Salaryman, I did not give you a 1 star due to the smiles on your staff's faces, so your hiring sensibilities seem good at least. As for your representation of proper Japanese cuisine or the Salaryman lifestyle, you're way off. Your simple menu is close to concept, but typical Japanese Salarymen make little, couldn't spend these ridiculous amounts on food. In Japan, you'd be laughed off the block. Please reconsider your representation of Japan and it's working class. Simple but Expensive is not respectable.

The buzz around this place is wild, but luckily it is well deserved! As soon as we sat down we were greeted by an extremely knowledgeable staff who are there to answer all your questions. This place has thought about every detail and executed everything with care. From making their own ramen noodles, soy sauce, and grilling fresh yakitori within arms-length, the experience is top notch. We ordered the Paitan ramen (I wanted to drink the broth with a straw) and the Shio ramen with a few yakatori (don’t miss the chicken oyster or meatball). Everything was awesome. The broth was perfectly savory, the pork extremely flavorful, and the noodles were the perfect texture. As for drinks, the dragon cocktail comes with an awesome surprise toy. Be prepared for an hour+ wait even if you show up when the restaurant opens. However, Bishop Arts is full of awesome restaurants, cocktail spots, and bars. They will text you when your seat is ready and you can sit down for an awesome meal.

Heard disappointing opinions since the opening but finally went and tried for myself. Overall it was fantastic, I think I could have ordered anything from the Yakitori menu and enjoyed it. The chicken hearts were top notch. The staff was well versed in the menu and offerings and explained them well. Japanese whiskey selection was great but I felt the cocktail menu was a limiting, but I like boozy or bitter cocktails. The Iwai Brose was a delightful surprise. Had the Paitan Ramen (closest you’re Tonkotsu) and it was super delicious. Noodles and brother were fantastic. Presentation of the Chashu made it difficult to break apart and eat and I’m not a huge fan of fat, granted the fat on this Chashu was actually amazing. Different than ramen I’ve had before. The best ramen in the city IMO still goes out to Ten but this is a solid neighborhood option.

Some of the best food in the city! The grilled items are so tasty. The pickled mushrooms and mung beans can’t be missed. The entire staff was so friendly and welcoming too!

I’ve had some of the best ramen in tokyo, nyc, and boston. I’ve had some bad ramen too. One thing I’ve never had is ramen served lukewarm. Not sure if mine was the only one—maybe because it was just sitting in the kitchen while they prepared the rest of the table’s food. (I’ve also never seen this. Typically they bring each bowl as it’s ready.) 3 stars because I can tell the effort is there. Waitress assured skewers would come out before the ramen, but they came out after.

Came here for the James Beard award hype and was not disappointed. Nighttime vibe was very chill and the food was wonderful. I love what they did with the interior lighting. I will definitely come back.