Sluurpy > Restaurants in Auckland Central > Genzui Ramen Noodle Bar

Review Genzui Ramen Noodle Bar - Auckland Central

Jules Whiteman
Popped into Genzui after an evening show at The Civic. Although it was after 8.30pm and they were busy, we were welcomed & seated promptly. Staff are friendly & courteous, the place is clean & tidy. Our meals came out quickly and they were delicious! Big serving sizes. Prices are very reasonable and great menu choices.
Summer Shimizu
The reason why I've given 5 stars is because of the value of the money. As a Japanese Genzui is one of the best Japanese restaurants in NZ and I always recommend them to the others. It's easy to give high rate if you go to those expensive Japanese restaurants but Genzui Ramen bar is very very reasonable price n their food is delicious. Their generous portion of the food is amazing! Not only that but also the staff members are all well manners. I think they are all Japanese people. I can feel they honestly want to serve great food for reasonable price n make their customers happy. They are not like the other Japanese restaurants that takes advantage of what Japanese food as a brand and over charge on the customer who don't really know what Japanese food is. Also, some others rated them very low but hey, when you pay from $8 to $12 for a big portion lunch, what would you need to complain or expect more? And, some reviewers complaines about the taste, food was off n guts in their grill fish, they obviously don't know what the Japanese food was. What they know about what Japanese food is Kiwi-nalised, and those were cooked by non Japanese people. I'm talking about different culture that people need to be aware of. Thanks Genzui! Please don't change as you are, you guys are amazing!I
Jamie
Hidden gem! Almost didn't enter because it was in a fancy hotel building. Affordable ramens and Don's at $10/bowl. Super yummy and filling. Rich ramen broth, crispy shrimp tempura and tender chicken Katsu. Very fast service. Recommend!
Jessica Ji
šŸ‘ I've been going to the restaurant for more than 2 years. Over time, the staff have been less friendly but food is still great. Everytime I come here, I'll either get the miso catsu don or the curry one and the meat is always crunchy and tender, the salad is always fresh. Best Japanese restaurant in the city!
Dean Ching Yee
Such a great place to have lunch or dinner. Close by to the workplace in town. Small and cosy shop, could get busy at times and will have to wait for a seat. But food was really good portion and very good value. Adding 2nzd gave me 3 huge piece of bbq pork! It was yummy with excellent broth base. Service was nice and quick too.
Fraser Lewis-Smith
Likely to be the best value for money Japanese you can buy in the City. Mains are all around $10 and the large portions are guaranteed to be filling. I had a chicken katsu curry don, the chicken pieces were awesomely crispy and tender inside.
Giang Nguyen
One of the best cheap eats in Auckland. The food quality is fairly tasty and the portion is rather big for the cheap price you pay. If you're looking for nice restaurant with high quality food and service, then this is not the place to go to. But if you're looking for something cheap, tasty and filling, then this place should not disappoint.
Von Caboteja
I visit Genzui from time to time for my lunch break and it never fails to satisfy. Iā€™ve had various ramen at this restaurant but the Tempura Ramen is one of my favourite go toā€™s. The staff are lovely and the waiters are always quick and accurate, the place itself is cozy and I can guarantee that you will leave the store satisfied and coming back for more.
Jina Hong
This place is a total gem! Menu items are cheap, and so good! Their serving sizes were also very decent. Great service to add. Couldn't fault this small restaurant!
Lilian Monaghan
I had the curry chicken katsu which was so delicious, and itā€™s the best curry chicken katsu that Iā€™ve ever had in town. And the portion was huge. Staff were friendly and nice! This is going to be my regular lunch spot:)
Endy Widjaja
The curry katsu is so yum. Katsu pork is thick and juicy. Curry taste perfect accompany w salad as well in one huge bowl . The portion is so generous and you cant find anywhere else in cbd with this price and value
Angela Yang
Busy little restaurant with basically the cheapest quality ramen you'll find in the city. I had a miso butter corn ramen which was absolutely delicious, and it was quite a large filling too. Their interior design and general atmosphere felt very authentic, like a small restaurant you'd find in Japan. Would definitely come here again.
Sarah
This is a casual little ramen bar tucked away off the main road. There's a decent menu for ramen options and a few other bits and pieces. The ramen is decently priced starting at $12 and the portion sizes are quite large, I only got about a third of the way through. The broth was rich and flavourful and there were heaps of meat and noodles. A friend did have a bone fragments in her salmon sashimi which was a bit of a negative as it meant she couldn't really enjoy it but I would definitely come back to try a few other types of ramen! I tried the cha-shu-men (pictured)
Derik
Lovely little place, with friendly staff on premise. There are a lot of different ramen dishes and they are pretty cheap considering the huge portion you get.
d
I ordered the miso butter corn ramen and it was very rich, tasty and decadent, with a wonderful mix of savory and sweet notes. The soup stayed piping hot till the last mouth. The portions are very big so we asked for half noodles so as not to waste food - it was still a very filling bowl!
Matthew Franks
One of my favourite places to go to for lunch. Always fast and friendly service. Delicious food.
Ha Ho
Absolutely delicious ramen. Huge portion for the price. Fast service. Would definitely come back to try other dishes.
Maki
We normally have Tofu salad, Karaage fried chicken and Gyoza dumplings and they are always so good but we tried katsu chicken salad this time and that was great too! Impressed with nice crispy skin. Salads come with lots of cabbage, so even we have lots of deep fried foods, still feel healthy.<br/><br/>Genzui is our favorite Japanese place for long years, and the prices seem never increased as far as I remember! They serve alcohol including sake and they are so cheap too. Authentic cheap eat yummy Japanese.<br/>
Sati
I ordered spicy chicken don. It came with good portion and taste. The spicy was in a good level. Overall is great experience !
A
I love this place! Friendly service, lots of variety, tasty food, large portion size. I have brought so many people here in the past. Great value for money as well. Would recommend for students on a budget as well. It can be hard to get a seat because itā€™s that popular
Jedediah J
Genzui ramen bar! Great place for a quick fix of Japanese cuisine. Decent service and the food came out really quick. Portion sizes are fantastic so best to go when your absolutely starving. The flavours are really good too and the chicken cooked to perfection. Good ramen, and japanese curry. Only issue was the sauce in the donburi. It was way too sweet for my liking. I think they need to reduce the amount of sauce. But otherwise it's great!
Amindha Fernando
I am an absolute sucker for an Oyakodon. If it's on the menu, I'll order it. <br/><br/>I remember trying this place for the first time a few years ago and I haven't been able to find an Oyakodon as good as this. Mentatz on Lorne Street is probably the closest and I assume owned by the same people. The gyoza is also consistently top notch. Super thin dumpling skin and the filling is super pork and prawny. <br/>
Manz
Rating 3.5 it was just impossible to find this place! Finally got there from going through the hotel entrance. The ramen was definitely good. Thick broth, very spicy, lots of flavours. The side salad was way overdressed. For the bargain price, The ramen was definitely worth another visit.
Persian Foodie
Genzui ramen, miso butter corn ramen and fried chicken. Presentation was really nice with all the photogenic toppings like the mushroom and naruto fish cake but the flavors in the broth werenā€™t there. The genzui had a soy base that was a little too salty and lacked depth. The fermented bamboo shoots really overpowered the dish. The portion and texture of noodles were great however. The miso ramen was a lot thicker and sweeter but still lacked that deep flavor, but the corn was a nice addition, wish they offered boiled eggs as an extra toppings but was told they only do them raw. The fried chicken was the savior of the night, crunchy and light on the outside and juicy and tender on the inside. Note that they give 2 decent sized pieces and 2 small pieces for the chicken. The pork in my miso was nice and tender but the pork in the genzui was chewy. Inconsistent mains that lacked the exciting flavor that ramen is supposed to have
Foodmaster
Been here couple of times, went there again and order noodle, kasu pork rice and grill chicken. The noodle was OK. The pork was so hard to bit spend long time to finish the rice. The grill chicken was the worse ever. When it serve it looks OK but when you turn it over is all burn. So we decide to ask to change another one. The lady with glasses came up and did not say anything and took it away. After than another lady with short hair came to us and we said we would like another one without the burn. She directly told me, it will still be the same when the chef cook you another one. I was so unhappy about it. Never go there again and poor customer service.
TheDiner
I came in with my Japanese friend and we ordered in Japanese for a late evening dinner. Really amazing Japanese style food. Menu has great selection that is very affordable and large serving sizes. The Staff were very friendly and the atmosphere is much nicer in late evening. Honestly a great place for students to hang out and dine. Would definitely recommend the ramen, if I had to choose.
Sanjay Deshpande
Used to eat frequently years ago, went again yesterday. Awesome! Still the same quality, taste! Amazing food!
Katyanne Hall
Genzui Ramen does the best ramen Iā€™ve had in Auckland so far. My favourite is the Shio Ramen (pictured) and I love both the broth and noodles. The broth is full of flavour while being nice and light. I love that they make their own noodles on site too. I normally go by myself so I hardly ever have to wait as I prefer to sit at the bar. Iā€™ve only ever had bad service once and that was from a newbie. Iā€™m a regular for a reason.
Jay18
They're very busy when we came, but service was fast. Food came quick, but quality was not compromised. Good portion as well. Will definitely be back again.
Shnaia Xu
Loved the miso buttercorn ramen
Yuri
Their price renge is so cheap even though they are in CBD!<br/>I usually go for Miso Ramen which reminds me Japanese typical taste of Ramen.<br/><br/>Wish if they have vegetarian or pescatarian options for Ramen.
Esther Jeon
chasu ramen ($13)
LilianMonaghan
Seriously the best curry chicken katsu that Iā€™ve ever had in town!! The chicken katsu was so crispy outside and tender inside and the curry sauce was very delicious not too salty. Teriyaki tofu was super great as well. Service was fast and staff were super nice. Itā€™s going to be my regular lunch spot. <br/>Today I hit the spot for dinner but turned out the rice was not soft and fluffy compared to lunch time which was quite dry but except that others were all delicious and good.
Shannon
My go-to Japanese, they do the best donburi Iā€™ve had in Auckland. It is such good value. My fav is the teriyaki tofu Don. Their salads are great too, the $2 mini salad to accompany a bowl, or the tofu salad as a meal on its own. Canā€™t beat it.
Sharon Louie
I came to Genzui with two friends for dinner to catch up. I got the salmon teriyaki and my friends got the don. The service was alright, nothing really special. The food was really cheap and the portion size was decent for its price. The salmon teriyaki was delicious but didnā€™t fill me up, but because itā€™s $11, I canā€™t complain. My friend said her pork don was good but the pork was so tough that she couldnā€™t chew it. Overall, a good place to go to if youā€™re looking for something cheap.
Patricia Steffi
A great restaurant to grab lunch from and really affordable compared to other restaurant in Auckland. Generous portion for Chashu ramen (heaps of BBQ pork and noodle šŸ’•šŸ’•).
Miguo
Been to this place many times. The food is always good. The dining experience was nice. However, the service that I encountered today was so unpleasant. The waitress wearing glasses was super rude. She took the wrong order and insisted that she confirmed the ordered with me. Thereā€™s big difference between ā€œKatsu chicken Donā€ and ā€œBBQ pork Donā€ in pronunciation. She was inpatient when I was paying the bill. Itā€™s so disgraceful to treat customers like this.
Anita Lee
A lovely and crowded diner at CBD. Service is good, price is not high and food is yummy and good potion. The soup of tetiyaki beef ramen is too salty otherwise it is perfect
Sunil Nataraj
Good food, friendly and fast service. I tried the Chicken Ramen and itā€™s close to what you can typically expect from the ramen dish. The broth was a bit spicy which I like that way. I would have liked the chicken to be sliced as you find in the traditional dish.
David Chen
Absolutely the best Japanese food you can get for the dollar. Love the dons in particular (especially the Oyakodon). Service is quick and friendly. Been here many times and will definitely continue to do so.
Arianaaa
Best ramen in Auckland! Not only are there so many options to choose from ramen to donburi, the flavours are the quantity are amazingly tasty and generous! Such a quaint little Japanese shop! Service was amazing as well! My go-to comfort food especially during rainy cold days ā˜ŗļø
The Mad Diner
One of the best katsudonā€™s I have ever had! The goyza is very nice as well. A plus is that they have my favourite cold green tea!! I was surprised how big the portions were for the price. Friendly, helpful and gracious staff as well. I would highly recommend and will return.
Alma Eats
Genzui Ramen Bar, found on the upper levels of Atrium on Elliot, is one of, if not the cheapest Japanese spots in town. Most of their dons are only $10 and similar pricing for their ramen. Pictured are Curry Katsu Dons with chicken and Miso Butter Corn Ramen. Definitely can't be disappointed with prices as low as that.<br/><br/>Check out my insta @ohmyfoodiegoodie to follow more of my tried eats.
Asianfoodie
Tried the spicy chicken don and a chicken & prawn bbq. I enjoyed the prawn because it was accompanied by a great sauce, but the chicken in the don was a little burnt :( staff are attentive and friendly
Brandon Li
Good value for money, Chicken Katsu rice for $10! Ramen is also from $10. Portions are quite good. Taste great. I have been there many times now, it gets quite packed at night during weekends, with such bargains no wonder. Well done.
Hungry Teddy (20% Zomato Gold, Use : HUNG2716)
Cheap and tasty Japanese food. Genzui offers a selection of donburi, ramen, and other japanese food. Itā€™s not an authentic japanese ramen, but tasted pretty good. The spicy seafood ramen was tasty and spicy. The miso spicy ramen didnā€™t taste like normal one, but not too bad either. Priced around 10$, it is definitely great value for your pocket.
Fangzhou Zhao
Genzui always have great quality and excellent tasting food! they absolutely have the best katsu chicken in all of auckland! Wish we lived closer so we could go more often !
Sophia
Finding this 4th floor restaurant was a bit of a treasure hunt at first but it was so worth it. Ordered the Genzui ramen (soy based) and it was delicious! Really decent portion size for the affordable price, a wonderful variety of toppings and an umami-rich soup base. It was comforting and filling without being heavy. Service was friendly and prompt. This place is a hidden gem, will definitely come again!
Charis Yang
Nice ambience, and I'm super happy with my meal. I ordered the katsudon with chicken, and it is only $10.00! The chicken is not the best I have tried and was a little soggy, however, for the price it is not bad at all. My friends are all happy with their meals too, so I do recommend this ramen bar.
Lena X
I came here with my love and we had a fantastic meal. We both got ramen and I can say that this is ther best quality ramen noodles I've ever had! The noodles were firm and the broth was delicious. The meat in my char-shu-men were thick and yummy. The staff are very nice and the restaurant is cozy, perfect for a nice dinner date with your lover!
Jennifer Hibdige
Yum food and nice staff. Portion sizes were big, and some of my table wound up taking their left overs home. <br/><br/>Only problems were that they only had one flavour of dumplings available, and that it didnā€™t feel like that big a space.
Grace Huang
The definition of a hidden gem.<br/><br/>Service: 6/10<br/>We were left waiting at the front of the restaurant for awhile alongside a few other customers, even though there were tables empty.<br/>The food took quite some time to be made considering itā€™s noodles.<br/>The server was pretty nice though.<br/><br/>Food: 9/10<br/>This is probably the best ramen Iā€™ve had in Auckland.<br/>I ordered the nabeyaki ramen which is a combination of meats put into a clay pot.<br/>The variety of meats meant I never got bored of anything while eating.<br/>The soft boiled egg is barely cooked when itā€™s served and it tastes so good when you mix it in.<br/>The noodles are chewier than typical ramen noodles which is why I liked it more.<br/>The broth wasnā€™t too salty but still had enough flavour.<br/><br/>Ambiance: 7/10<br/>The store is quite difficult to find if you donā€™t know where youā€™re going.<br/>The restaurant is in a middle of an empty floor which has quite a cold and eerie atmosphere.<br/>The restaurant itself has warm tones because of the brown wooden floors, and it feels quite homey.<br/>There arenā€™t a lot of tables so you might have to wait during peak times.<br/><br/>This is so far the best ramen Iā€™ve had in Auckland and Iā€™ll definitely be back.
Daisy
Ramen was very good. However, the server was very rude and had a bad attitude which made the experience worse than it should have been- this will prevent me from visiting again in the future.
Hotdog&Buns
Food is delicious. And despite the low prices, they don't skimp on the portions! Their ramen and donburi are the best in Auckland. No wonder it's always packed in here.<br/><br/>Only complaint is the rice is too soggy.<br/><br/>4.5/5
Lala
Great quality Japanese food and super affordable too! No wonder this place can get pretty busy but it's always worth the wait. My personal favourites are the Teriyaki Chicken Ramen and Takoyaki balls.<br/><br/>Perfect for students on a budget and workers that constantly eat out for lunch.
Vivian C
I got a Genzui Ramen while my boyfriend ordered a Miso Katsu Don and a Chicken Katsu Salad.<br/><br/>The ramen was packed with a bunch of different ingredients and I especially loved the pile of seaweed and tempura prawn. The chashu however was very dry at times and the broth was too salty for my liking.<br/><br/>The miso and chicken katsu was very fresh, crispy and succulent, my boyfriend loved his two dishes, hence he comes here quite regularly.<br/><br/>Service was very efficient and friendly with the manager going around each table asking how their food was even though they were quite busy.
EA.
If I can give them 10 stars, i will!!! The best place to eat Ramen in the City!! Cheap but sooooo gooood. The pork katsu was also yummy plus the Takoyaki. Highly reccomended šŸ‘šŸ’ŖšŸ’Ŗ
Jing Jing Zhou
The lady serving us was very nice and not too serious just how I like. We got two of the spicy shio ramen and the deep fried gyoza, both of which was slightly disappointing. The deep fried gyoza was very satisfying in texture since it was crunchy but the filling was way too dense unlike traditional Japanese gyoza which has a much looser filling, it was more similar to a Chinese dumpling instead, taste wise was very 2dimensional as it seemed like the only seasoning used was salt. The ramen was also somewhat disappointing as the broth lacked flavour but was packed full of salt and msg (we were VERY thirsty after) the noodles seemed to have been in the broth for a bit too long, however the toppings were very abundant unlike some ramen places. The $10 ramen had a surprisingly large portion which I could not finish but the taste was mediocre at best. A good place to go for struggling uni students or if you are living in the hotel opposite the store.
CG
Great place. Really good prices to. Fast service. Often busy which is a good sign. Good sized meals to. Great place to go for a good cheap dinner. Spicy chicken Don was good and actually spicy. Will be back for sure.
Food2belly
This is my go to location for cheap eats in the city. I have come so often but never remembered to take a photo as the food comes out so fast and I'm always hungry. The spot to be for large portions and low prices.<br/>.<br/>This black tonkonku is one of their richer broth, definitely recommend if you want more flavour.
German Yakushkin
Second best ramen place I know in Auckland. Highly recommended! Nice Japanese Kirin beer is a must to add to your order! Very friendly staff. Š +++!
Vanessa Gao
This is a tiny Japanese restaurant which can be easily overlooked but their meals are delicious! I often come here for an affordable yet tasty bite of Japan. The ramen had great texture and was chewy but soft, while the broth was flavoursome and filling. You feel warm and well fed after eating here. Their price is affordable with large portions. This is a hidden gem I recommend everyone should try!
Bernardo Jacobi
5 for effort, 1 for food quality. Sorry guys this is just NOT legit Japanese food. The menu is Japanese inspired though. Portions were generous and service very good. Tried spicy chicken Don, gyozas, takoyaki and BBQ chicken and prawns. Gyozas and takoyaki passed the test but the rice dishes didn't cut it, rice was not Japanese and not properly seasoned. The chicken and prawn bbq was just awful ā˜¹ļøsoggy, full of oil, no seasoning... so misleading, I'm never coming back. Come on guys, you can do better! Update: i ended up with a terrible stomach ache and my partner threw up.
Doris Ma
Went for the first time tonight and ordered a takoyaki, spicy shio ramen, and oyaku Don between two people.<br/>Takoyaki was actually crispy on the outside and had generous amounts of squid. The oyaku don and ramen flavours were exceptional, the ramen noodles were also perfectly cooked.<br/>We had only spent $26 but were both very full. Love this place!
International Foodie ā˜ŗļø
Genzui is a great place for cheap, filling and delicious Japanese eats! The staff are really friendly and helpful. The service is fast and efficient. We opted for a selection of ramen and donburi. Both of the dishes may look a little small but don't be fooled by the appearance! The portions are very very generous at an affordable price for all! The ramen noodles were chewy and thick and the broth is rich and slightly on the saltier side. The don came with a lot of meat and the katsu was fried very well so that the outside remained crispy despite the curry sauce. However would be nice if there was more meat for the ramen too. šŸ¤” Overall, a pleasing experience and would highly recommend for a fast, hearty meal!
Seo
We come here often, one of our regulars. Have tried most of the ramen dishes on the menu and theyā€™re all great but the depth of the broth could be improved on. Also sometimes theyā€™re inconsistent with the flavour / portions, but great place nonetheless. The price is so generous you canā€™t really go wrong! Itā€™s good for a quick bite.
TheBearReview
This little eatery is no 4 star in my opinion. It is a fine place for a quick bowl of ramen and some gyoza, but itā€™s a rather ordinary ramen with a bland soup that was hard to distinguish from a freeze-dried powder reconstructed soup. I had high expectations so perhaps that was part of the problem. But at 3 star it is probably about right.
G1k
My partner and I dine here quite often for a quick bite, not only because its close but also because there is never a queue to get in (unlike Mentatz where you have to wait to be seated in peak dinner time). Maybe its because the place is sorted of hidden away inside Crown Plaza by the hotel.<br/><br/>Their miso ramen has thick broth and a strong miso flavour so if you like miso well recommended! Sesame cold ramen is soupless and like a salad so its light and prefect to eat when itā€™s hot. The gyoza (dumplings) comes out slightly burnt on one side but its still nice, oyako donburi is average but is of generous portion ā€“ just one thing to note, their rice in the donburi has always come out sticky and a little bit watery so if you donā€™t like your rice like this it might be wise to stick to ramen.<br/><br/>Overall, a cozy little Japanese place that have relatively cheap ramen and donburi.
Tomo
I will never come back to this place again because :<br/>1. Waited for 30mins to have one Pork Katsu donburi <br/>2. Donburi looked so messy like made and decorated in a hurry<br/>3. Pork was totally undercooked and bloody.<br/>4. They took it back and served me a new dish after I complained but I believe they used microwave. Everything was too hot to eat, and rice was a disaster like totally watery. I could not eat most of rice even though I was hungry.<br/><br/>I understand the price is really good but I will not pay a single dollar for the meal like that.<br/>
Clare Ang
Enjoyed my bowl of truly affordable ramen here. had some fresh sashimi too! cons is that it's really packed at lunch time and may take awhile for the staff to notice you for order taking etc...
Toby T
Very good value for money, food is well made with good sized portions. I ordered the pork katsu curry and miso ramen. The miso ramen is made with seafood stock base which makes sense as this place does not offer tonkotsu ramen to begin with. Both dishes tasted great and they did not skimp on the noodles/meat.Ā <br/><br/>Great place to go for a quick and affordable lunch, just be aware you may need to wait a few minutes for a seat/table at peak hours.
Emma
Lunch here was really good. I ordered the genzui ramen and my friend ordered the chicken ramen. Both were generous portions and really nice. I liked the texture of the noodles and the broth itself was also good. We also ordered the gyoza which were 6 for $6 which were decent but not amazing. Service was nice, friendly and quick too.
Erin - Gold Code For 20% Off : CATH6386
This place was on my bookmark for long time and just have a chance to try with Denny Setiawan.. we ordered curry katsu pork don and genzui ramen.. the food are the best, they have authentic taste and we love it.. good price for the good food in the middle of CBD..
Yessika Aditya
The most worth it food in Auckland I guessšŸ˜‰. I was order chicken curry rice, the salad fresh and the chicken so crispy covered by vege curry. Love it
Jessica Ji
One of my favourite restaurants in Auckland. Really great if you're really hungry because the big portions will definitely fill anyone up. I suggest asking for separate curry so you get crunchy chicken and lots of curry and choose the pan fried dumplings NOT the deep fried ones (in photo).
Ryan Binny
I went here with a mate and I tried to the chashu ramen. I think the ramen was great. The broth was really flavourful and the chashu pork fatty, tender and tasted so great because it had absorbed that broth. My only critique would be the noodles but this is only really dependent on your style of noodles. I didn't like the texture of the noodles personally, I think they tasted rubbery in texture but this might be just a preference thing. I don't know if there is, but it would awesome to have some options in the noodles you can get in ramen. Overall, I think it was a good experience and I would consider coming back here again.
Rae
Always a pleasant experience going to Genzui and today was no exception. Came for lunch on a Monday and it was busy but people come and go very quickly so it's not too long of a wait for a table.<br/><br/>We ordered the nabeyaki, vege and tempura ramen. All came out within 15 minutes and was deceptively filling. The nabeyaki had ramen like noodles which is quite different but very good.
MaxTheRocker
STUDENT POINT OF VIEW<br/>Price: 4.5/5<br/>Service: 4/5<br/>Food (Taste): 4/5<br/>Food (Size): 4.5/5<br/>Summary: i went there with two other people, i got the Chicken Ramen, the other two got Genzui Ramen and Beef Suldyaki and two Heinekens , overall we all had a really good experience, there is nothing outstanding to comment on as it was just a great experience and great value all around!<br/>Positives:<br/>- Food came out quicklyĀ <br/>- The service was really good (nothing to amazing but not bad at all)<br/>- The quality of the food was really good for the price<br/>Negatives:<br/>- One of us thought the Ramen was a bit to salty (to be fair it was the first time they had Ramen in a while, but for them it was to salty)
Riputation
The flavor is good but this is the second time I ate the little iron wire in their ramen. I think that might be the little iron wire on the dish towel. But itā€™s quit sad . Coz I love their ramen so much, but itā€™s a little bit dangerous if I eat it again. Honestly I wonā€™t
Silvia
Dry curry I ever had, I asked for little more sauce for katsu curry rice because the curry sauce is only covering crispy chicken parts but not rice as the firsr photo shown are when we first got the food. The staff asked me to pay $3 for extra curry sauce as it is normal amount. Told them it's not normal but rudely said it is normal for them. Also their miso ramen is way too salty.
Amy
Have been here twice and enjoyed both my experiences.<br/><br/>A lot of their udon and donburi dishes are $10 and their servings are huge! I ordered the pork katsu with curry both times. The size of the pork katsu is quite big.<br/><br/>Both me and my mum ordered a donburi dish each the second time round and we ended up taking half of both our dish away. So if you have slightly smaller appetite, would recommend maybe sharing a main dish and order a side dish.
Rachel Liew
It's very tasty ramen veggie and tofu with chicken and pork stock. Delicious beyond my expectation. Also it's cheap with so big portion. Definitely on my list.
Veryblueberry
I'm a big fan of Genzui.<br/>when they are not very busy, their ramen is best ramen in New zealand! Donburi also taste really good. I love here. small but cozy, staffs are friendly, price is cheap, and every ramen i've tryed in genzui was fantastic!! The soup of ramen has deep flavor.<br/><br/>But honestly, I disappoint everytime they get busy..<br/>I know it's hard to keep same taste every time, but one day, noodle is not cooked enough ,<br/>one day, noodle soaked so much soup that I couldn't have enough soup.<br/>and one day, red hot miso ramen which doesn't contain milk product taste like cheese.<br/>and one day the amount is so small.<br/><br/>I still want to visit here , I would recommend here but only when they are not busy.<br/>They are super busy on weekend.
Ronagrail Totanes
I always come for their teriyaki tofu or miso dare tofu. Good serving price for the size. The only thing i dont like is that it gets so busy on lunch time and there are no seat. But overall food and custumer service is good
Tanz
The ramen was good, tasty with rich soup, but the quality of donburi was unacceptable. The rice was badly cook and very watery. The katsu was also not properly fried, not crisply tasted.
Bean
Very busy even middle of the week had the fried chicken don Which was amazing. Then takeaway fried Pork dont know What happened with that one was Super chewy overall good experience.<br/><br/>Food 4/5<br/>Service 4/5<br/>Atmosphere 4/5<br/>Price 5/5<br/>Lane Fluffy<br/>
Haim Sommervile
Not the best Beef Sukiyaki Iā€™ve had but not the worst either, would recommend for people who want a quick dinner with some better than average noodles. I would certainly keep coming back just as Iā€™ve had in the last 5 years.
STRADS
Seafood ramen was with an oyster, a couple of mussels, a few pieces of calamari, shrimps & veggies.Ā  The taste was good. The soup was very nice. (But I prefer not having the shell of the oyster inside the bowl.) Tempura ramen was OK, but not as good as the seafood ramen. Grilled Salmon wing was not available today, so we had the whole sanma instead. It was nicely grilled & the taste was just right. <br/>P.S. Credit cards not accepted.<br/>Visited on 11 June 2018
Mari Flores
It quite fun of the fact that this is just right outside a 4 star hotel but at the very same time its a very good ramen restaurant.Ā I tend to go to this restaurant just before starting a late shift at work so its not that packed with people but normally during lunchtime it can get full from all the office people. Overall the food is delicious and the staff are quite attentive.
Annie Low
This place was crowded when I went there on a Friday night. Iā€™m surprised that they served very cheap Japanese food! First time there and I ordered spicy shio ramen that only cost me $10 šŸœ the portion was big but the taste of the ramen was average
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Food:<br/>R8 - Nabeyaki Ramen 鍋ē„¼ććƒ©ćƒ¼ćƒ”ćƒ³ <br/>I was really craving the kind of ramen that I can get back in Japan from my school days, and some of what they have to offer hits pretty close to home. Unfortunately, while this one in particular had some good flavours, it was too salty to finish on my own. The noodle serving was generous, and texture was good.Ā <br/><br/>D7 - Beef Sukiyaki Don ē‰›ć™ćē„¼ćäø¼<br/>The meat was the real showstopper here (albeit a bit too salty), and was balanced quite nicely with the vegetables and rice. Serving could have been a bit bigger. However, if you have to choose between beef sukiyaki on rice or in noodle soup, go with the latter. <br/><br/>Service: <br/>Service was efficient, without hovering. Orders were taken quickly, followed by the prompt arrival of our dishes. The staff all speak Japanese and English, so for people that donā€™t speak Japanese communication will be easy, while also getting some of that real authentic Japanese feel.<br/><br/>Ambience:<br/>On the top floor of the Atrium on Elliotā€™s retail sector, nothing special, but not a bad place to be. Quiet and comfortable. <br/><br/>Recommendation: <br/>Come here for some good Japanese cuisine, but donā€™t expect everything to be amazing. Dishes are hit and miss, but definitely worth trying.
Jan Airam
We chose this place because of its good rating...but sorry itā€™s below average to me..usually whenever i eat ramen and if i like it I could eat the whole bowl but the miso ramen butter I ordered was not delicious at all so<br/>i only ate half of<br/>it. Itā€™s tasteless. The japanese old lady was a bit rude to<br/>us coz when we asked her if we could sit inside then she just gave us a disgusted look and did not respond. The portion and price are good but whatā€™s the point if the taste is just below average i would rather pay a bit more to<br/>enjoy my cravings for japanese ramen than this.
Gordon Geko
Great value and quality, got the spicy seafood ramen which was only $13 and had heaps of prawns, calamari and muscles.<br/>Would definitely recommend.
Mia Suzuki
This is my go-to place to eat for lunch when I donā€™t bring my own lunch to work. Awesome food and very close to being authentic Japanese food! <br/>My only criticism is that it takes awhile for the meal to be ready BUT that only happens when I dine in. Take away is 10mins (standard) <br/>But other than that, AMAZING
Jay
The cute old asian lady is half the reason I come here, she makes it feel like Japan, even if it's in the lobby of a 4 star Hotel. Food is super filling and the prices amazingly decent.<br/><br/>This isn't really a proper or fancy restaurant by any means - it's a practical and efficient place to grab lunch or dinner with your partner / buddies. In true Japanese fashion.
Mocha
I really love the miso butter ramen here! Its rich and delicious, and the prices are also verg good considering the bowl is huge and filling! Also tried the black detox ramen, its quite yummy too just tastes like miso.
Tan.ned
One of my go-to Japanese restaurants. It's very affordable with high quality food. Hiiighly recommend this place for a quick lunch on a budget :)
Rosanne Choy
Came in with friends for lunch last year after an exam.<br/>Great price for a great portion size. Chicken was tender. Charcoal ramen tasted quite interesting. if you haven't tried it, would definitely recommend it. Although, I have to say the spicy seafood ramen was one of my favourites. Takoyaki is also a great side to order before having your ramen.
Keith
cheap meals and good service but everything we tried was just so ridiculously salty. The Ramen was disappointing as it was very ordinary tasting with lots of soy sauce (plus overbearing salt). I had the genzui Ramen as I was told it would have tempura veggies but it just had steamed veggies and 1 tempura prawn. the donburi was a little tastier but again too salty!
Aleana Fernando
Comforting and Delicious Japanese foodFairly reasonable prices and serving size<br/>Ramen is good quality and very filling. They don't have a pork based ramen which is usually my go-to so I opted for the chicken ramen which was shoyuĀ (soy sauce) based. Broth had a nice flavour and was not oily or heavy feeling and noodles are nice and chewy.<br/>Went here again and got the Chicken Katsu Salad since I wasn't too hungry and didn't want a bowl of ramen that leaves me in a food coma haha. Katsu chicken was crunchy and succulent and a lot of salad with a light dressing, kinda wish they added Japanese mayo too but thatā€™s my personal preference.I was still pretty full, but definitely a good option if you're not wanting anything too heavy.<br/>The food doesnā€™t take too long to come considering that sometimes there are only a couple people working <br/>Definitely would come back here every now and then for some comforting Jap food
Dael Mckimmie
Like I've mentioned in previous comments, I am a loyal customer to a good ramen. We call this place 'the local'. For good reason too! A colleague of mine and I have done the Ramen Rounds and have always ended up back here. The Black Detox Miso Ramen and the Red Hot Miso Ramen are the faves so far! Fast service, no mucking around, and TEN BUCKS. Portion size āœ” Taste āœ”āœ” Value āœ”āœ”āœ” Deserves the 5 star
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My favourite ramen bar! Massive portions - i can never finish all of the ramen. My go to is the seafood ramen, theyā€™re very generous with the toppings - veges, seaweed, mussels, squids, lotsssss of shrimps, & oyster (the only place that serves oyster in its ramen) yum!!<br/>Plus they have many little side dishes&entrees. <br/><br/>Everything is so incredibly cheap, you almost feel bad paying so little money for the food! Food are always well presented & of great quality.
SuTing Khoo
I first came here about 2 years ago. Food was fine. I came back today for dinner and it was utterly disgusting, I'm still baffled how we managed to stuff the food down our throat and paid for the meal in full price. <br/><br/>We ordered a miso butter corn ramen, grilled sanma fish and a prawn tempura Don (supposedly like oyako Don with heaps of egg).<br/><br/>When each item came, our hearts sank deeper and deeper.. The cha su on the ramen looked sad.. It was dry and looked like it came straight out of the freezer. My partner tried to drench it with soup, in hope it'll taste ok. When I had a bite, it was tasteless and a little off. When my partner observed it, he noticed it was glistening green. We used phone light and everything and we were so sure the meat was definitely off. I've attached a photo of it here, lighting isn't fantastic but you can see there's something obviously wrong. Especially near the left side of the meat. <br/><br/>The prawn tempura don was.. Let's just say it wasn't as eggy and delicious looking like the photo on the menu. The prawns were fine but the Don was just.. Sauce-less and tasteless. The only salvation was to pour heaps of chili powder over it, note, it's chili powder, not the shichimi in normal ramen shops.<br/><br/>Lastly... The grilled sanma fish. I understand that for some people don't gut the fish because the bitterness of the intestines could balance the flavour.. But in a restaurant.. I don't know. Maybe I'm being demanding but.. I don't know. It is definitely the first time I've encountered a cooked fish in a restaurant that isn't gutted. See photo for reference. The fish was fabulous. It was tasty, as you can see we ate almost every bit surrounding the gunk. The dish would've been wonderful if they would have just gutted the fish.<br/><br/>Now, for the staff.. We told the waitress that the meat was inedible. She looked at it and then said ok. When we told her about the fish, she said you can eat everything. 'It's normal'. Then she slowly walked back to the kitchen to let them know. They discussed it in Japanese, so I have no idea what they thought. <br/><br/>We tried to finish up our food, when we went to pay, they gave no explanation, I brought it up again while the cashier was calculating our meal, saying that they cannot serve meat like that. The cashier looked at me, and asked, 'so you don't want to pay for the meal?'<br/><br/>That was baffling. It made us look like we were horrid customers who were trying to get a free meal.<br/><br/>Of course we were egoistic about it and paid for the meal in full and obviously regretting it now while we both suffer with food poisoning.
Kylie
Decided to try this place out as I was craving curry and Japanese Dining You has been closed for a while. Really pleasantly surprised!<br/><br/>I got Chicken Katsu Curry which was $10. I expected a large rice to meat ratio for the price but it was actually really good. Only had a bit of rice left at the end. My friend got ramen (canā€™t remember exactly which one) and there was a good amount of meat, more than I usually see at other places. It was a good hearty meal in general, and I would give the food a 5 - great portion size for the price and tasted good.Ā <br/><br/>The food came out really fast but we went at a non-rush time. Staff was helpful and friendly. Would come here again!
The Poor Foodie
Ordered Genzui Ramen and tofu don, both were quite average to be honest.<br/>They both had a nice appearance but the taste was not impressive. Tofu don had a lot of rice also so it was quite filling.
Sakshi Chadha
I absolutely love their portion sizes and all their dishes are so flavourful! (And well-priced) The only drawback is sometimes thereā€™s a long waiting period before you find a seat but itā€™s totally worth it!
Rachel Shen
3.5 for Genzui.<br/><br/>The food is not bad, my friends and I have tried nearly half of dishes. <br/><br/>But they are toooo slow. Only a few times we got what we order in 20 minutes. Most of the time you need to wait for more than 30 minutes. <br/><br/>There is a Japanese Cuisine in high street which has similar menu and decorations with Genzui. These two place are belong to the same owner.<br/><br/>So when the high street one is busy, most of Genzui staff will go there to help.<br/><br/>Many times we go to Genzui<br/> But there is only one or two staff there. I think it is why we have to wait so long time.<br/><br/>Their food can be rated as 4, the only problem is sometimes the food is too hot.<br/><br/>But the service is so poor that affect our experiences.
Christian
A very good Japanese shop hidden in the lobby of Crown Plaza. The reman was really good with flavoursome soup. The BBQ pork was a bit hard and needed a bit seasoning. The portions were very decent given the mere $10-12 prices each. Limited choices of side dishes but the ordered dumplings and salmon tofu were both delicious.
Msav
Love this place with passion! <br/>Iā€™m a loyal regular, I dine in and takeaway minimum twice per week, itā€™s definitely easy on the pocket! <br/>My fave would have to be the Spicy chicken donburi and I always pair it with the green salad. I would eat this everyday if I could!! Only downfall is that their not open until 6pm in the weekends, other than that itā€™s 10/10 from me! <br/>Friendly staff, very welcoming and fast service! <br/><br/>
Vivian Liu
I had the worst service Ever in my life from this Japanese lady in photo. She was so rude to me, my parents and my daughter only because we came 5minuts before their opening time. She shouted at us when we walk in the door at 5:55pm, telling us off to get out of the restaurant and queue outside to wait for open hour even there is an European lady sitting by the bar to put her order through way before we walked in. After we sitting down, she took order randomly, of course we were the last to be served. Disgusting!
Martin Geesas Gabion
Great place to grab a very well priced meal. Generous portions, well cooked and very consistent. Not to mention the lovely staff and welcoming atmosphere. Love the miso Katsu don. They hook you up with a massive amount of meat and the miso sauce is so so good.
S J
I ordered sesame cold ramen. It was the right choice to have a cool down meal like this when u feel not so hungry and want something not too rich in a hot weather.<br/>I had the same dish again. Sesame cold ramen but this time the taste was not that good like the first time I tried, the sauce was not enough and thinner, the noodle was too soft.<br/>The other dish I tried was pork miso katsu don - the meat was fatty + chewy, I think choosing the chicken one might be better. The rice was too soft. The amount of rice is huge. I often feel I need more sauce to go with a lonely looking white rice left behind after all the meat is gone.<br/>Overall I need more consistency in noodle & rice.<br/>
Rochelle Holland
This is a really great place if you want good Japanese food for an affordable price. My friend and I came here after the movies and shared a bowl of noodles, with takoyaki and tofu salad on the side. Everything was delicious! I enjoyed the meal a lot. Clean premises and the staff were friendly. Food came out quick. Would definitely recommend šŸ‘
Cindy Chang
We had two Ramens and one Don. The Ramen were tasty, lots of noodle and very good value. The chicken don was yummy too! The food delivered fast!
Zina Govaerts
Great ramen! I must say that as a non-local, I did struggle to find the place, I knew they were on level 4 of the Atrium but had no idea how to get to the elevator until I went to abandon my search and try somewhere else. Thankfully I spotted it and made my way up (next time I know I can enter from the Crowne Plaza entrance). SUPER amazingly priced and extremely tasty food. Staff are friendly even though they do get quite busy. Wait time isnā€™t super fast, but then you know itā€™s fresh.
Victoria Huang
This was my first time visit Auckland. Just saw the high ranking of this restaurant , so my friends and I gave it a try. I ordered a miso spicy soup noodle. Really good!
Foodiesquarepants
Yeeeeaaaah buddy!<br/>Cheap, honest, tasty; what Ramen bars should be like! Say no to $15-20 small ramens and say hello to large portions of yummy yumminess for $9-15.
Amod Indap
Brilliant way to end my Sunday. Stumbled upon this place, went by the reviews and was glad I did so. The portions are big, prices are reasonable and the staff is very good and helpful. We arrived about 30 mins before closing time, on a Sunday night and yet the service was a 5/5. When asked for suggestions, the wait staff was very helpful with her suggestions as well. Food was brilliant, no wonder it's been listed among the best ramen places in Auckland. We ordered for Red hot miso ramen, Spicy chicken Don, Tofu don and Prawn shio ramen. The red hot miso and chicken don were splendid and a must try (staff reco.). Prices are pocket-friendly (avg.$10 for mains). They serve beer as well ($4-5). Overall, a must visit when for ramen and don.
Joanna W.
One of the worst I've ever had, and this is supposed to be one of the best in Auckland???? They might look okay, but that's where the good things stop.<br/><br/>As a ramen lover I decided to google around and see if I can find somewhere I haven't tried before, one of the websites called this place one of Auckland's best, and since the other recommendations seemed legit, I thought I'd check it out. I sat down on benches along the wall that are clearly broken, half of my butt hanging. Deep breaths, we're here for the ramen, I thought to myself. <br/><br/>I ordered Genzui Ramen, which is named after the place. The supposed chicken and pork soya broth cane with an overwhelming seafood smell (and not the good kind, more like age old dead seaweed), BBQ pork is definitely not BBQ pork by any standard, and cut long the grain??? I'm pretty sure its cooking 101 to cut meat across the grain, their meat was extremely hard to chew and impossible to bite. I had to shove a huge piece into my mouth and chew on its rubbery texture. Everything is overwhelmingly salty with a definite lack of flavour. Proper ramen is salty but with strong umami, this... I just cannot handle...<br/><br/>Stay far far away from this place if you have any respect for your palette at all.
Melwyn Pereira
Tried their pork katsu, gyoza and tonkotsu ramen. The dumplings were very good. The pork katsu meat was so tough, it felt like horse meat. The ramen had so much carrot, it felt like home made ramen. This is a highly overrated place. The portions are good and the service is quick but there are so many better ramen and donburi options in the city.
Jasmine
Went here right after arriving from the airport. Was close walk from our hotel, and service was quick. Not sure if it was because we were starving, but we really enjoyed the ramen & beer.<br/><br/>Very casual, and is just in a plaza connected to the Crowne Plaza Hotel.
Alonso Coutinho Licks
Can't believe I had never been to Genzui before. Ramen at its best for an unbelievable price. Loved it. Gotta go back and try the rest of the menu!
Marggie Pascua
I usually get Miso Katsu Don for lunch and they are the best. Good and fast service for takeaway and great food with it too. Price is good for what you get and the place is always busy
Bella Luv Food
If I come here for Don, I would give this place a 3/5 but because I'm always after the noodles, I think Genzui deserves 4/5. My advice to you is don't have the don as it's quite salty, too much sauce. On the other hand, they have a wide choice of noodles with a very very reasonable price. The spicy noodles or the dry noodles are my favourite. This place may be the cheapest price ramen in town. The food is also cooked and served by real Japanese :)
May Lee
Good spot to come for a decent and affordable meal. We ordered the Tempura ramen and Chashu ramen, I liked how they cooked the noodles al dente but the broth was a tad salty. We also ordered the salmon sashimi which was OK, we prefer ours sliced thinner. Service was swift and the staff were polite, will definitely be back to try some other items off their menu.
FoodieOodie95
ā–ŖļøCheap Eats<br/>ā–ŖļøSpeedy Service <br/>ā–ŖļøHuge portions <br/><br/>This place is so close to UoA which is pretty dangerous...coz a)the prices are perfect for the student budget, b)the portions are incredibly generous and c)their Ramen selection is so so good! Ramen is honestly such a winter favourite for me and this place makes for a good visit on a chilly/rainy day in the city! <br/><br/>The Curry Katsu Don is spot on. I also tried the Tokoyaki for the first time and I can't say I'm a fan...but that's just on personal taste! I will definitely be making my way through their menu over time. This is a hidden cheap-eat by the Crowne Plaza and so worth the visit for a wholesome,filling and cosy meal. Although the food arrived fast, I reckon their service can be improved. Otherwise, it ticks all my boxes!
Vicki Wong
Was looking for a cheap and cheerful place when I found Genzui. Tucked inside across from the entrance to the Crown Plaza hotel seemed an odd space but with the throngs of people inside, affirmed that this was a place to be. The menu offers a range of ramen but decided upon the spicy miso as tonkotsu is usually my go to but wanted to add a kick. I asked if it was hot and they could create it mild. Although more of a med-high heat preference I didnt want to confuse her anymore so just said yes. Subtle flavour in the broth but not an overly rich umami taste that I so often crave when eating ramen. The carrot and cabbage combo was also something I was new too. The pork was tender yet underwhelming but at $10 for a large portion well it was an overall pleasant meal but not rip your pants off fantastic.
Simon Pheonix
I have been going to this place for over 15 years. This by far is one of the best japanese joints in NZ! They have been open for well over 25 years and through out this time - they have not changed their menu or price!! This place offers a wide range of food items on their menu. The quality is on point and the flavour is amazing! Always consistent! Highly recommend! Yes its super busy, yes its not fancy, but think past this and the chefs and owners have remained for 25 years! Thats magic!
Tony Greenwood
The food was extremely salty. I believe there was too much shoyu in our food. Furthermore my friends Donburi was very dry and also salty. We eat a lot of Japanese food. Do not recommend unless they fix it.
Jamez Hill III
Before I start, I do need to point out that i'm not a fan of ramen. Every place I've gone to seems average to me and I only came because I wanted to see if I could be convinced. Unfortunately this isn't the place that has convinced me about the joys of ramen. The place and the service was very kind. So if that's your thing then bless you. The food however I felt was a little average. I ordered the spicy pork ramen and dumplings. My pet peeves with average ramen which in this case was true was that the pork meat was overcooked and tough. I just can't seem to get a break with tender pork meat at any ramen restaurant i've been to. This has led me to believe that it's meant to be tough and overcooked? Surely not?! The flavour also had a hint of seafood, or maybe they were heavy on the seafood flavouring so it really threw me off when I'm trying to enjoy a pork meal. The dumplings were probably the highlight, but like a pretty girl who brings her ugly friend to the club; I could only assume I enjoyed the dumplings more because of the average ramen. I hope my trip to Japan later on in the year shows me exactly how pork ramen should be made. Come here if you're craving and you enjoy Naruto and want to fanboy for an hour.
Hungus Girl
Small restaurant located inside crown plaza. Gets crowded prob coz prices are affordable and portion sizes are huge! <br/><br/>I had the chicken ramen noodles. Soup broth was too salty. I dont think they brew their soup and just use soy sauce. Noodles looked and tasted good, not the dried stuff and freshly made. If the soup tasted better then it would have increased my rating.
Kombie Stanley
Hidden cheap eat place! For what you get for this price, it is very good!<br/>We have ordered a ramen and the egg katsu don. the texture of the ramen is great! However the soup is lacking a bit of favor. But we think the chef is great as we can tell the ramen is great!<br/>For the egg katsu don, it is good as well - the only thing is we think they are using the normal white rice but not japanese rice.
Anna Wei
Genzui Ramen Bar isĀ one of my go-to places when I donā€™t know what I want to eat and donā€™t want to spend too much money (gotta love the poor student life). It also holds a special place in my heart because it was where my boyfriend and I had our very first date!. Since 2014, I have been back here numerous times and I have loved every single dish that Iā€™ve tried. If you love Japanese Ramen and Donburisā€™ then this is the place for you. Genzui is super affordable, has generous portions, staff are super friendly and its location is close to Uni. Itā€™s a win-win for sure.
Sydneyguyrojoe
Dear NZ foodie reviewers <br/>On my travels to your great land,I've noticed a few differences compared to Sydney Australia <br/><br/>Never at a fish and chip shop have I ever gotten a donut and sausage/Pluto pup (Catch 22) <br/><br/>Never have I been to a Korean place where they don't give Kim chi as a side dish (bann sang) <br/><br/>Now I've never had a curry katsu don that comes in a bowl and not a plate with a big dob of mayo <br/>While I liked the curry itself,the pork pieces were chunky and chewy<br/><br/>My missus has never seen a ramen come a square of butter <br/>She thought it was ok,the soup base is thick and the taste was ok,nothing special <br/><br/>I think the main thing this place competes in is price. Good portion size also but this place is not for me
Pujan
Ordered the spicy soup ramen and the curry don. Both were delish. Large piece of the crumbed chicken for the Don and a delicious spicy broth for the ramen.
Alex Tan
Curry chicken gatsu is the best! They serve a whole chicken cutlet to you unlike other restaurant that only gives you curry sauce with rice. The price is pretty good for the portion and service is good but sometimes the waitress can be quite rude
Iris Joy Ebasco Edic
This food comes to a total of $16. Very affordable for the quantity.<br/><br/>And the taste, never lets me down. Authentic Japanese food.<br/><br/>service is also good. Staffs are friendly and approachable. <br/><br/>Will be back for more.Manpreet Singh
Shyan Phoenix Uno Walker
We went there based on the reviews<br/> takoyaki, gyoza and tuna sashimi were although smallish portions were delicious and fresh.<br/>Those things as well as the katsu curry and ramen were also convincing factors as to why we chose this place, I do regret going here with an empty belly as curry was so strong and spice was a little overpowering (and I love spice) I ordered the pork katsu and that was burnt on the outside but raw on the inside, the rice was mush and over cooked I thought maybe they were having a bad day and I'm not one to complain as our starters were amazing and we had a ramen to go still.<br/>We had the shoyu ramen, the pork was over cooked and cold while the soup was so fishy I felt put off. So I think it's fair to say we won't be going back. I feel this review is fairly rated and honest. So sad really.
Sebastian Kandi
If you are looking for authentic ramen flavor (pork broth etc.) then this should be your last choice. We ordered 5 different ramens, seafood, spicy, genzui, black and cold ramen with side dishes fried chicken and tofu steak. The soup based ramen tasted really "different" than your usual ramen. The rating is more for the price and good service but avg still low due to the taste. This should probably more like fusion ramen/noodle bar (mine was more like kimchi ramen). <br/><br/>
Sharon
Great little place for a quick dinner. I find ramen there quite salty but their curry is pretty good. Just wished they had more sauce to go with their curry..
Winnie Chauchau
Really good ramen for a good price! We got the tempura and chashu ramen. The ramen came loaded with toppings. Tempura was crispy, even after sitting in the broth, and the broth was well-seasoned. I was a bit sad there wasn't a soft-boiled egg, but was pretty pleased with the value and quality of the meal šŸ˜„
Stephanie J
This place is a hidden cheap-eats where the crown plaza hotel entrance is. I come here at least 2-3 times a month! Their pan fried dumplings and the curry katsu don is my favourite go-to combo for a feast when I get hangry!! Their other don menu is great too but the curry is the real deal (in my opinion). Their menu is simple (meaning there is not much to the ingredients for each item) but extensive, and their price range is cheap and their portions are quite large too so you won't finish all your food if you go on a half empty stomach. Their ramen is also great but not the best I've had, but its very fulfilling with a rich broth and also has an extensive range. Though sometimes I find the service a little indifferent as when I enter the premises they seem like they don't care until you call out to them.
Vanya
The ramen tastes really good. We have been here several times. We tried a lot of dishes and most of them are good. Would like to go to this place regularly:)
Sandy Hsiao
I came here so many times when I worked in the city. It's usually packed but the Ramen is great! Large portions, very tasty and well priced. My favourites are the non-soup ramens which include the teriyaki chicken and salad Ramen.
Vaekehu Tamarii
Good restaurant,good food, well sizing , good price<br/>Just amazing.the taste of food is like in Japan <br/>Good address I will coming back.i took the miso ramen,it was excellent
Alina Mansuevna
One of the cafes where I would definitely come back again. Very huge portions for such a cheap price, I would recommend to try their salads and ramen soups. Very yammyšŸ˜Š
Raymond Tiong
Three reasons why Genzui gets packed during peak hours: well-portioned dishes, rich flavours and friendly, down-to-earth service. <br/><br/>If your experience of Japanese food has so far been limited to lunchtime sushi and instant miso soup, you need to try some of Genzuiā€™s donburis. Thereā€™s a decent amount of variety, theyā€™re quite filling (with plenty of sauce), and they're relatively cheap. <br/><br/>However, I'd also recommend the ramen salads because they don't make you feel as bloated as a rice dish. The noodles in these type of salads aren't the best tasting, but the broth at the bottom and the huge chunks of chicken make up for this. <br/><br/>Iā€™d say this place is right up there in terms of being one of the best cheap eats in Auckland. Definitely looking forward to the next time I get to come here!
Foooood
Hidden gem inside Crowne Plaza hotel. I go there on a regular basis but it's never been disappointing. The quality of the food is superb for its price! The ingredients always taste really fresh.
Robert
A quick Google search brought me to this restaurant as one of the best ramen places in Auckland. So I decided to try. Indeed their ramen is great, worth their reputation as the best. My picky-eater toddler ate 3 times his usual portion, my wife and I couldn't be happier.<br/>Too bad their best ramen is not available for takeaway. I certainly will try to revisit if time allows.
Sulin Wang
Finally after trying a number of times to come for lunch, did I manage to get in today! This place is always packed, and for good reason. Come before rush hour to ensure a spot.<br/><br/>Such a cosy little ramen bar with lovely staff. Our order took a little long to come, but nothing unbearable and was pretty quick given how many people were dining there. The portions and the quality of the food was so on point!! Great care taken into making the food and tastes amazing, yummo :D <br/>
Pattarintorn Emmy Jusakul
I went there for Taking away Spicy Chicken Donburi.<br/><br/>The waitress was very nice and give me a decent service.<br/>Unfortunately,It took so long time for my order.I understand that it was quite busy at lunch time but that doesn't explain why the person who came after me got his food before!<br/><br/>I was hungry and a little bit upset at that time, however,the food was delicious .<br/><br/>I might come back here again but to be honest,I prefer Mentatz on Lorne Street.
Medium_Rare
Fantastic little spot within the Crowne Plaza hotel. Genzui Ramen Bar provides delicious Japanese cuisine that keeps your tummy and wallet relatively full.<br/><br/>Dining in with a group of 7 it should be noted that this place doesn't take bookings so it could be a bit of a mission to get seats for a group. <br/><br/>We were fortunate-- we arrived as another group was vacating. We ordered a variety of dishes such a Black Miso Ramen, Chicken Katsu Donburi, Teriyaki Tofu Donburi, Grilled Cheese on Seafood hotplate, Fresh Salmon Slices, Japanese Gyoza, Tempura Ramen, Edame Beans, Mussel Hot Pot, Karage Chicken and a Tofu Salad.<br/><br/>Amazingly our food all relatively came out at the same time, 2-3 minutes between each dish max. Our portions were plentiful and all had a distinct flavour. Favourites for the table was the black miso ramen, a peculiar taste for some but definitely something different and a little adventurous. Fresh Salmon slices were creamy and generous sliced, the cheese seafood grill was the champion of the table though. <br/><br/>The cheese paired surprisingly well with the rich seafood flavour and for many on the table this dish was their main highlight.<br/><br/>Genzui Ramen Bar isn't the largest of venue but our group's experience here was cheerful and enjoyable.<br/><br/>Showstopper: Black Miso Ramen and Grilled Cheese Seafood Hotplate.<br/><br/>Overall Grade: -A
Ms Jones
I have been coming here for years. The food is consistently delicious & tastes authentic. Best ramen in AKL (that I've found so far). The prawn & chicken BBQ is delicious. Please don't close or move! :)
Paul O
Definitely one of the best places for ramen in the city. Delicious miso ramen or 'red hot'miso ramen for the more adventurous fly out of the open kitchen. The donburi isn't bad either.
Tiana Meintjes
We LOVE this place!!! The staff are absolutely lovely and the food always seems quite authentic. If you're looking for a delicious Ramen or Donburi dish then this is your place to go. Very well priced for the amount of food as well!
Sash Grigo
Great food , poor customer service!Waitress so rude......................................................................................................................
Diogo Reck
Great Japanese place in the city. Had for the first time Japanese curry with chicken and it was just awesome. The chicken was super crispy and moist, and the dumplings (pork and shrimp) couldn't be better!<br/><br/>
Pamela Mansell
Really good value for money. My favourite is the miso butter corn ramen, rich and delicious. The restaurant itself is a little small and cramped, get here early if you want to eat in.
Cathy Xiong
Friendly staff. Prompt service. Fair enough price so food isn't the most amazing. The place is set out like the ramen houses in Japan, neat atmosphere. Litle tricky to find but still very busy. <br/>Had the beef sukiyaki ramen for $10, the beef was quite nice but the soya soup base is quite salty. Need the self-serving water to balance that. <br/>Worthy place if you work or live nearby though.
Rachel Holy War
Genzui is, and likely will always be, my favourite ramen joint in Auckland. The staff are friendly, they serve the Japanese imported Asahi which is refreshing, and for a ten dollar ramen, you really couldn't get better value on a budget. Portion sizes are always generous, and their attention to detail is fantastic. I've had better ramen on a couple of occasions, but never for less than twice, even three times the price. I'm a pretty regular visitor of Genzui and have no plans to change this. Also, park in the Crowne Plaza parking building, take your Genzui receipt when you leave, and get big parking discounts. I paid $2 for I think two hours worth of parking. Recommended to anybody.
Cheapster
I had heard about Genzui from various friends, but its location in a hotel lobby was a little intimidating. I visited with a friend who had insisted its food was worth trying, so I took note and visited on a free evening in the city. Genzui was far from the average, overpriced cliches I had expected, utilising as much of its limited space as possible with crowding tables without being cluttered.<br/><br/>I had also not realised it to be a ramen bar, and upon ordering my favourite (miso tonkotsu), I was amazed at the sheer size of the bowl. At only around $10 for a bowl, the portion was far more generous than many other ramen bars that demanded higher prices. Salty and flavourful, there was plenty of meat and toppings, making it one of the cheapest bowls of ramen I've had. While the broth was not to my taste as some other places, Genzui's had little to fault.<br/><br/>Definitely worth a try for plenty of hot, cheap, and filling ramen.
Julia Zou
Great place to drop by with a friend for a quick lunch in the CBD. The quality and portion well exceeds the price of the meal.<br/>I absolutely loved the takoyaki and the curry katsu don~
Karen Gu
Honestly, I don't know why the rate is so high of this restaurant. My friends and I order D1,D4, really taste strange .... Meat too tough to eat and the beef also taste not good. Salmon is so tiny'... We won't go there again /lol
Claudia
Cosy restaurant by the Crowne Plaza Hotel, was quite full when we went. We ordered the miso butter ramen, chicken katsu don and takoyaki. Portions were great for how much it was, and all up we spent about $26. The ramen soup was super buttery which I loved and the others tasted pretty good as well. Service was attentive and polite, the food just took a little while to come but the waitress apologised for the wait and it wasn't a big deal. Would come back again for a quick and cheap meal.
Queena
Found this place on zomato. Would've never thought to come here. It's kinda inside the Crowne plaza.<br/><br/>Ordered a miso butter corn ramen and it smelled and looked amazing. Was a little but on the sickening side cos it was so... "Fattening" -which is expected if it's got butter in it. Think I'll have to choose a different one next time. Ordered it cos of the corn šŸ˜† but in saying that, the soup base was actually very tasty. Portion was good too! So filling. But I guess always room for another bowl... Hahaha. <br/><br/>Also ordered the mixed sashimi (tuna and salmon) and oh my life, it was to die for. Seriously, it was cut so thick! Other Japanese restaurants cut it quite thinly but this place! -beautiful!! <br/><br/>Service wasn't bad too and it's great they are actually owned and operated šŸ‘ŒšŸ¼ would definitely come back!
Nathalie
Love this place! This is by far my fav jap place cheap eats! Quality and serving very well done and packed with lots of flavours. We Ordered tokoyaki, fried chicken, katsu curry and donburi all for $35 and really authentic flavours and fast serving. Place is small and gets busy not much table so it's best to get here early, ambiance is "okay" nothing fancy but food is really good and cheap compare to other Japanese places. Will be back to try their ramen!
Vivien @ KJAS Blog
It gets incredibly busy during lunch hours, which was testament to its broad appeal I thought. They have a range of ramen here, including one that involved butter, which intrigued me.<br/><br/>In terms of the basics though, I went for a shio ramen as a first go and found the broth flavourful but a bit more watery rather than thick. I feel like you'd come here for a refreshing ramen in the summer rather than a thick comforting ramen. For the price, it was also a smaller portion than I expected and I wasn't fully satisfied. There was also only one slice of pork in my shio ramen, which isn't much compared to their CBD competition.<br/><br/>That being said, the noodles were of a nice texture and soaked a lot of the broth's flavour. I also liked how the seaweed was a sprinkling that mixed with everything rather than just a crunchy slice accent. I just wished mostly that there was more potency in the broth and far more noodles.<br/><br/>On a subsequent visit a year later, the beef sukiyaki ramen and cha shu ramen both had incredibly tough meat, although the broth was more potent and the noodles fresh and with bite. I still think there are other better ramen places in the CBD though at a similarly affordable price point.<br/><br/>It's a great location and atmosphere for a catch up with a friend or colleague over lunch though. It's warm, with great service. Overall, while not great value for money or the most outstanding place for ramen, it's a great meet up place for a ramen to suit anyone.
Makan
My favourite quick eat Japanese joint for years in Auckland and it hasn't changed. Over the years we have ordered a bunch but I still return to my favourite dish - The miso katsu don which is both cheap ($9.50!) and tasty! I love the causal atmosphere and the view into the kitchen.
CrazyCatLady_EmmaC
Great flavor and generous portion, it's gets very busy during dinner hours and we always try to avoid the busy period as the restaurant is not that big. Love the Katsu don and miso ramen.
Ati
I came here with my sister today and we had a very enjoyable experience. She has just arrived home to New Zealand from Sweden and was saying how not only the price but the taste of the food at Genzui Ramen Bar were wonderful. I ordered the Spicy Chicken Don and she ordered some noodle salad dish with tofu along with a calpico and plum wine! We really enjoyed the food and will definitely be returning again!
Lorli
Came here cause of the high rating and positive reviews. Generous portion of rice & noodle. Both shoyu ramen and katsu don were on the salty side! Tofu salad came out like a mountain but the tofu were hard tofu rather than silken. Good value and that's about it! By no means does it equal great food though.
Thegreeats
Wow<br/>Along with kiraku and tanpopo top 3 ramen in AKL !<br/>I love ramen so have tried many from different places but it was really nice. Ordered the shoyu and it wasn't too salty, not too greasy, soup was perfection.<br/>Portions were generous too<br/>Wish they had better interior and seating<br/>Good service too<br/>Please have a/c during summer šŸ˜‚
Eggster Eats
I went out to the city to try Genzui Ramen Bar and I ordered the Tempura Ramen and takoyaki. It was amazing and I absolutely enjoyed the atmosphere. The food was splendid and I definitely recommend the takoyaki. They have great prices for the food so its definitely worth it.
Danny
What amazing value is Genzui?! We have been here for lunch twice now and most of their (delicious) menu is priced around $10-12. And it is all delicious.<br/><br/>Last time I came here I had the spicy chicken don and I have to say it is the spiciest thing I have had in a Japanese restaurant. I was surprised (in a good way). The portions here are pretty generous for the price and I like the amount of vegetables served with most of their dishes. <br/><br/>The service is also excellent. I highly recommend Genzui for your lunch next time you're looking for something Japanese (or spicy!).
Amit Tripuraneni
Efficient service, good portion sizes and budget friendly prices make this an amazing place to visit for some good Ramen. Pick anything from the menu and you won't be disappointed.
Tip Varnakomala
Amazing value.Ā <br/>What i got:<br/>$9.50 for a MASSIVE Teriyaki chicken don. Ā <br/>It includes heaps of large chicken pieces, fresh veges and the baby mayo which compliments the food amazingly.Ā <br/><br/>It took me a while to find it because of its weird location but once you find it i promise you will come back.
Kirsten
Came in here for the first time to try out the Curry Chicken Katsu Don! The food there is really cheap and affordable. It was $10 for my meal plus the Takoyaki which was $6. My friend irdered the Shio Ramen! The place is really small, but I guess you get a true feeling of what a Japanese eatery is like. So ut may not be the best to bring in a large group of friends. My friend and I sat at the very front of the counter and you could see the staff working hard and cooking. I was really amazed and interested. The portions are just right for me! Japanese curry is truly sensational. I was dying because it was so hot inside. The rice in the donburi was maybe a bit too soft, but I still enjoyed it. I think adding mayo wasn't necessary. The takoyaki is best eaten when it's hot, even though it might burn your tongue a bit! But do blow on it before you eat it. Again, I enjoyed my time here at Genzui, everyone is lovely and the food is fantastic. I'm loving Japanese cuisine. Will come back here later!
Paola Gee
I came to Genzui with friends for dinner after reading great reviews about the tucked away gem in front of Crowne Plaza. What I can say is, that they definitely have great portion sizes that does not leave you unsatisfied, especially with their inexpensive prices! Although quite busy and there aren't much seating (you may have to share a table with strangers), service was good and very quick.<br/><br/>I ordered the miso detox ramen that had charcoal in it because I was very intrigued. They have a wide variety of ramen choices that sounded all delicious! The ramen I got was pretty good although it was a bit salty. My other friends didn't go for the ramen but went for the don buri options and were happy, not much to rave about taste wise, but very happy with the sizes of the food. <br/><br/>Definitely coming back to try the rest of their ramen and make this rating higher because it seems like they are known for it and I may have just ordered one of the 'not-as-good-as-the-rest' items on the menu! Great place to go to on a uni student food budget for a quick feed.
Flora
After my journey to Japan, I always want to find a ramen bar in Auckland which is with authentic Japanese flavor. So when I see Genzui I really want to try it. I went there at busy lunch time and I can tell how popular the restaurant is. Actually the noodle is not as yummy as I tried in Tokyo, but for such a low price, the food is far better than what I can expect. I think it's not easy for you to get a such good ramen with 10 dollars. Try it and u won't feel disappointed.
Labellelune
I absolutely love this restaurant. It's my go to Japanese restaurant for sure. Crazy cheap and food is soooooo goood. The proportion is very big too. I normally order their red miso soup ramen-so good-if you are into spicy pork ramen, I would definitely recommend this dish. However I wouldn't recommend ordering the sashimi though because it's really not fresh. Most of their dishes are great, very tasty. During rush hours they are really busy and they don't take reservations so it's all on your luck.
Charlotte
Absolutely delicious ramen for a very affordable price. I got the shio ramen and everything in the bowl complimented each other so well. It took a little while but it was well worth the wait. It's a very small place so it's perfect for a small group dinner
Michelle Huynh
Yes ! I have found my home for ramen <br/>Good portion and affordable <br/>Shared sashimi $12 <br/><br/>SPICY SHIO RAMEN<br/>Yum but u get sick of the taste of you try the corn one :) <br/>Salty ~ ask for moderate spicy cos the chef can make it mega burn. Bamboo shoots. A thing of not really tender pork. Super savoury taste. $10<br/><br/>BUTTER CORN RAMEN <br/>my favourite. Don't let all the butter melt. 1/3 to 1/2 of it would be enough. If you love creamed corn from a can ~ this taste like it. Sweetness of the corn is Brough out by the butter. Only con is this can get too sweet. It's like not salty or savoury. But I would come back for this wonderful combo $11 <br/><br/>Huge portions of ramen <br/>This is linked with mentatz <br/>I like this one better atm <br/>
Shirley Yu
The food here is really worth the price! It's rather hard to find such a good place to have lunch in the city central with such a low price. I ordered a fried tofu salad and my friend ordered a curry chicken don. The don had a great proportion of veg and meat, which gave a balanced nutrition. The fried tofu was delicious. Definitely I would come here next time!
Giraffe&Hippo
An awesome place for a cold rainy day and you want something to warm you up! We have had a selection of ramen here and non of them fail to impress! Cheap but very very nice! Would highly recommend. <br/><br/>By Giraffe
Josh Law
What a fantastic place! Tucked up in the mall on the top floor above Elliot Stables. It is opposite the Stamford Plaza. The food here is amazing. We ordered teriyaki chicken, pork katsu and donburi. Each meal was cheap $44 for 4 of us. Would 100% recommend to anyone. It can get quite busy though at lunchtime.
Jaline Antonio
Had tried the Miso Butter Corn Ramen and it was super yummy!. The flavour of the broth was creamy and flavoursome with the butter adding an extra depth of flavour. Not to mention the ramen came in a very generous bowl which my partner had to later help me finish. I had never actually been here before till seeing the reviews on zomato and i am very glad i came here and tried. The location was also good, it was quiet and also has an open air feeling which is good when eating a hot bowl of ramen :). Will deffinetly come back and try the other food in the menu.
Razelle Icaro
Service was really quick! Got our food in less than 10 mins. The soup base was really nice, and the servings were quite big which is such a good deal considering the Shoyu Ramen i ordered only costed $9.50. Definitely a place to go if you're looking for something cheap, filling and tasty!
Jade Lim
One of our favourite Ramen restaurants in the CBD.<br/><br/>Broth: 4/5 (always consistent and have never failed us)<br/>Noodles: 3.5/5<br/>Ingredients (which comes together with the Ramen) 3.5/5 - I have a feeling it used to be a much generous portion.<br/>General Ramen Portion: 4/5<br/>Taste + Flavour: 4/5<br/>Price: 4/5<br/>Service: 4/5 (very efficient for such a busy little place)
Thirdwill
Was a bit hard to find. You need to catch an elevator to level 4 of the Atrium to get to this spot. However the ramen were great and is good value. We also had the oysters which were creamy and delicious.
Sarah Cornes
Went here last night and were lucky enough to get a table straight away. We didn't have to wait very long for our meals and the staff were very welcoming. Ordered the Chicken curry katsu don, spicy chicken don, and takoyaki - all were delicious. Decent sized meals and well worth the price.
Den Teo
Best place to get your Japanese food!! Reasonable price for reasonable portion. I got the nabeyaki ramen and it's awesome! Totally worth the money! Nice service. However, place is quite small so expect to wait a little during peak hours. Totally coming back!!
ANKIT
I went for lunch. I ask to dine in. Didn't get place to sit. It's Very small place for less then 50 people.so k have to order takeaway furthermore,food is average.rice were not properly cooked. I will not visit this place in future . <br/>Customer service : 3/10 <br/>Food quality : 5/10
Auckland Foodie
Excellent find on the same level as the Crowne Plaza reception. On any given day this place is brimming with a mix of suits, students, and holiday makers. I came here ravenous straight after work and keen to miss the home time commute on a rainy winter night. What better way to get warmth in your bones than a bowlful of pleasantly chewy broth-resistant ramen noodles sharing a cosy bowl with tempura shrimp, vegetable florets, and seaweed. Even better accompanied by shrimp and pork gyoza with their caramelised bottoms harmoniously contrasting with their softer tops all dunked in a soy vinegar dip that cuts through the fat. Eat this within an hour and you get your parking free. A big bonus in the CBD.
Ping
Came here for lunch after 4 lectures, so I was pretty much ravenous:D luckily at Genzui I got a generous portion with great value ;-) The flavour is great too, not too salty but enough to leave you satisfied <br/>
Tian Tian Zhang
A good value for money restaurant for a filling ramen meal. I have heard great things about this place and I was not disappointed. Their soup was a bit salty for my liking but overall I enjoyed my beef ramen. Quite similar to the quality offered at Mentaz I think.
Genie @ BunnyEatsDesign
My friend and I came here last night after seeing a movie nearby. Tucked away near the lobby of Crowne Plaza Hotel, this place is easy to miss. It was late on a Sunday night and they werenā€™t busy so we were served right away.<br/><br/>Their menu is huge with heaps of options all clearly marked and most dishes have accompanying photographs. I had the Wafu Ramen which is a fish and soy based soup and my friend had the Beef Sukiyaki Ramen. These came out quickly and were hot and tasty.<br/><br/>The noodles were smooth with a lovely texture though the broth had fish and mushroom flavours, lacked the complexity of other ramen broths and mine was a tad salty. Not my favourite bowl of ramen around, but for $10 this is great value.<br/><br/>Iā€™d happily come back to try some of their other dishes.
Simone Halstead
Had lunch here and it was amazing! The food is really good value with large portions and good decor. I had the spicy chicken salad and my bf had the spicy chicken donburi, portions of meat were large and the dish was super filling that I couldn't finish.
FoodiePhysician
Tucked away inside the crown plaza building is a hidden gem taking the form of a Japanese noodle house.<br/><br/>Small but constantly busy, this place packs a punch in flavour and portion.<br/><br/>We had the Miso Butter Corn Ramen and the Red Hot Miso Ramen. The soup itself was amazeballs - it has a deep savoury rich meaty flavour that can only come from meat stewing all day in it. The butter corn was heaven; if you like butter then this is a must as it is a creamy addition to the already amazing base soup. Noodles were great; chewy and fresh, doesnt let the dish down.<br/><br/>Not much else in the soup; a slice of meat and some veges but in saying that, you dont need anything else coz the money is in the soup.<br/><br/>I was totally stuffed with my bow of noodles but couldnt help finish every drop of the soup as well as my partners.<br/><br/>Definitely one of the best Japanese noodle joints in Auckland so far; would recommened to friends.<br/><br/>Solid 4.0 Oishis
Victoria
Really good, we ordered hot pot and ramen. Both generous servings and good value. I like Genzui as its in a location you wouldn't expect to find and its reputation seems to be mostly word of mouth, it was fairly busy when we were there on a Friday night.<br/>The entrees looked really good too. A must try if you like Japanese.
Heartshrooms
Genzui Ramen bar is located in a place you probably wouldn't have thought to venture, it's on the fourth floor of The Atrium on Elliot, where Crowne Plaza is. Having seen it pop up recently on my Zomato feed, my interest was piqued. Genzui attracts crowds of all kinds from those dressed in suits to the casual diners. The menu is extensive, with plenty of images of the dishes which makes it so much easier on knowing what you want to order (although it kind of made it hard too because everything looked really good). I ordered the tofu salad, Mira BiĀ ordered the Spicy Chicken salad, and YatchiĀ ordered the Chicken Katsu Don.<br/><br/>The size of the salads are huge for the price! Super delicious and healthy yet filling, I demolished mine happily. If you have a bigger appetite but still want to be healthy, go for the spicy chicken salad, I doubt I would have been able to finish that one. Interestingly, we discovered that Mentatz and Genzui Ramen bar are the same which I found ironic as Mentatz seems to have quite a few bad reviews for some reason. Regardless of which restaurant, I'd happily return to either of them for a cheap and filling lunch any day!<br/><br/>Sarah ReynoldsĀ  #challenge
Fanta
The chicken salad was surprisingly good. There are many Japanese restaurants in the CBD that serve almost the same dishes but I find this particular one does it slightly better. Beware they open late on weekends so don't despair if you go there on a Saturday/Sunday and find it closed (learned the hard way, twice). It is kind of hard to find and has limited seating but worth the hassle if you want some good ramen. Friendly staff and great atmosphere.
Jasmine
I can't believe i've only just been to this place. The price is affordable (more like cheap), the food tastes awesome and you can't miss out on the $4.50 Export Gold beer deal. I paid$13.50 for a large portion sized meal plus a beer in AUCKLAND CBD! I've heard that the chef is originally from #Mentatz - the Japanese restaurant in Lorne St, I had been dining there at least once a week back in my uni days (around 6 years ago). It brought back memories of my student life. Highly recommended and will definitely be a regular. #friedtofusalad
Bobby Anderson
Absolutely love the ramen at this place! Tonight I had the Miso Butter & Corn ramen. The flavours goes really well together with the smooth texture of ramen.
Annie Ren
Strong flavour combined with generous piles of katsu pork, fresh salads and touches of their special sauce, Genzui has definitely made their lunches simple, yet irresistible. Besides, who doesn't love a gourmet lunch that comes at an affordable $10? :D
Abby Ong
It is amazing how after so many years, they still manage to serve good food, good portions and keeping their pricing at $10 a bowl. Really love the chicken egg katsu Don and teriyaki chicken Ramen. :) we have been and will be returning for many years.
Gentlepig
How was one simply add butter and completely transform a broth? You'd better ask Genzui - their miso butter ramen is to die for, easily the best bowl in Auckland in my opinion. The amount of side dishes and variety is impressive for a ramen bar, not only because of diversity but also because of execution. Service passes the sternest test of feeling like being in a ramen bar (instead of a random noodle joint) so kudos to the team here for their work.A modest ramen bar, but a gigantic jewel in the Crowne.
Frank
Finally managed to weasel my way inside. It's been a place which I've walked past quite a few times but it was always full.. how often does that happen? It's also small, but has a fantastic menu and prices are super reasonable (which probably explains why the busyness factor). All the food being served looked as good as the menu photos, so will surely be back to try some other dishes!
Kelly
Great ramen place! Cheap $10 bowls for such a big portion! Great place for uni students like me haha! Will definitely be back for more ramen
Jeremy Koh
Best japanese restaurant , cheap meals averaging $10, large portion of meat, excellent and fast service, and always consistent. Only downside is it get quite busy during peak hours of lunch & dinner
Breadzania
I love this place. We go here all the time. This is seriously the only place in Auckland that gives good meat portion for ramen. And priced reasonably. Service is good and food is fast . Try the gyoza and teriyaki chicken dry ramen . Its amazing. So far this is the only place I've tried that's close to Japan's ramen.
Annette Wong
Ultimate cheap Japanese eat in Auckland. Best bang for your buck - $10 will go a long way here. A regular family favourite diner to eat at. Always consistent with quality of food and huge serving sizes. Our favourites are the miso katsu don and Japanese curry.
Andy Leung
Best Japanese Cuisine in Auckland. I love their ramen and donburi. Great price,but I dont like the tight and discomfort area. I would suggest this cuisine need bigger space.
Eli A
Another great Japanese restaurant!!!! Had the chicken katsu and takoyaki, fabulous!!!! The teriyaki chicken was not the best though. And i was disappointed they didnt have green tea icecream. Never mind, I will be going back to try that and the ramen and the curry....
Flora MacDonald
This place is fantastic if you are hungover in town, need to be at a party and just can't even. Get the detox charcoal ramen, some sashimi, karaage chicken + a beer and you'll feel ready to take on even the worst Queen St clubs. Great spot for a date night as you'll want to try everything on the menu. Bonus tip: If you go late at night it makes for great people watching to see the flight attendants and pilots checking into the hotel.
Hungry Hippo
Absolutely love this place, taste great and really good price. Very well worth it. Mouthwatering and looks delicious. Would recommend it to everyone! The people working are also Japanese adding a great feel to the place
Charica Roche
I had visited this restaurant before upon my partner's recommendation, as he saw heaps of people having their ramen noodles for lunch. And also my colleague in the same department I work with said their donburi is delicious, cheap, and comes in big servings. So in my ongoing quest to find good restaurants, another work colleague and I went to Genzui for dinner after work.<br/>Ā <br/>The restaurant is located beside the lobby of Crowne Plaza Hotel in 128 Albert Street, Auckland. Although the place is small, it is always packed.<br/>Ā <br/>I chose the Miso Ramen while my friend had two bowls of salad. His salads arrived first, while I waited for a few minutes because it does take time for everything to be put together, but it's really worth the wait, I tell you. The miso used in this dish may be different from that of other ramen restaurants, but I really like it. Heaps of vegetables and slice or two of pork on top. Very huge serving to the point my tummy feels very full. And their salads are really generous.Ā <br/>Ā <br/>Aside from miso ramen, they also have different types of soya based and other types of ramen. Donburi, gyoza, and other vegetarian meals are also available.Ā <br/><br/>I had visited Genzui a few more times after this, one of those times I requested for a medium size bowl and they gladly did it. But I realized, maybe a bit late, that Genzui cooks and serves their Miso Ramen at very high temperature, I had to stir the soup with a set of chopsticks or spoon so it's much more manageable to eat. When I'm close to finishing the bowl, temperature goes lukewarm where I chose to not consume everything anymore. A few hours or a day after having it, I can really feel my tongue and throat burning a bit. Seems like it's best to go to Genzui for ramen when you have more than an hour to spend. Otherwise, a very huge bowl of ramen cooked at very high temperature during lunch break may be not for me.
Neila
I love coming here. The price is good compared to other Japanese places. It's a nice area and good service. The location is great and there is a hotel beside it. The design of the place is great too. There is self service water. Large selection of ramen and rice.
S Moon
Great food and atmosphere. I really like this place with open kitchen so you can see how your food is getting ready. They have huge variety of unique ramen menu that other ramen places usually don't have. The ramen noodle they use seems to be quite special compared to ordinary ones you find in other places. Very authentic and great price. When I feel like ramen, Genzui is the first place that comes to my mind. High recommended.
NomNomPanda
This place is my fallback option for workday lunches. Nice, balanced dishes at good prices, with something for everyone. Can be crowded between 12-1pm, but you don't normally need to wait long for a table. Oh, and it's not just a ramen bar---you can also get donburi and other items.
Roz8
Yum! I had the teriaki chicken and noodles and couldnt finish as it was a generous helping. Great value too! Service wasnt too slow depsite being very busy. Only wish they had extra soy sauce to pour on like other japanese restuarants... Will defs go again though.
Fendall Hill
This restaurant was initially a surprise, and I kept returning time and time again, working through the menu to find that each dish is delicious and none have been in any way disappointing. I would recommend highly except I don't really want them to get any busier, or I won't get a seat!
Chantelle Bailey
This is very cheap for the fantastic food. Ate here alot,also recently moved into the cbd this was great for takeaways. One of our favourites for dinner. Good portion sizes.
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