Chris V.
Yelp
It doesn't live up to the anti-hype at all.
Shogun Ramen is a local restaurant that was formerly a chain but now survives only in the Canteen Food Hall of the Rio Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. I enjoyed their location on Blue Diamond back when it was the best in town. Their Henderson expansion may have hit a snag because the broth was too salty, at least in my experience. And now that I'm getting promotional dining credit from this casino, I figured I may as well give them another look-see.
Ordering can be done at the register or via one of multiple kiosks located around the food hall. I went the latter route, swiped my Rio players card, and took care of payment easily. The food didn't take too long to come out; I picked my bowl up at the window (and also got a cup for water, which can be obtained at the soda machines), but I saw other guests simply sitting at the counter and waiting for the cook to bring their bowls over.
I went with my go-to order, the namesake Shogun Ramen ($15.00). The tonkotsu-based broth is not too salty here and at first seemed about as flavorful as I could remember it. However, it did feel a bit muted later on for some reason, so I didn't feel obligated to slurp every last drop. The noodles were firm enough, and the chashu was thick but tender. The egg yolk in the half-egg was soft enough, so it wasn't overcooked. The green onions, sprouts, and nori were fine too.
Aside from the ramen simply not being the best in town anymore, there's an issue related to Shogun's presence in a food hall: they don't offer proper ramen spoons here. All you get is a flat plastic soup spoon. Not only is the capacity too low, but the angle isn't right to reach into the deep bowl.
Overall, Shogun Ramen is a great option if you're eating at the Rio, and it could very well be the best food available in the building at any price point. I must have missed the growing pains in the first year, but I'd take the Shogun which I just experienced over many other ramen spots around town.