Restaurant Review: Jinya Ramen Bar "Ramen is All the Craze"

photo by Jordan Jones

Restaurant Review: Viridian Staffers Jordan Jones, Jasmine Morales, and Sydoni Shaw try Jinya Ramen Bar in Buford, GA on February 10th.
by Jasmine Morales, Sydoni Shaw, and Jordan Jones 

Existing to provide authentic ramen, Jinya Ramen Bar renders an exceptional guest experience. Small in size, it is without a doubt a modern, sleek, instagram-worthy restaurant, since opening its doors in December of 2021. 
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Upon entering, we were greeted with inviting and welcoming smiles. The restaurant was boisterous and full of customers for midday meals. The small dining area had dim lighting and high ceilings with black light fixtures. High tables and wooden stools lined the main area. The addition of an outside patio with a fire pit as well as a trendy bar was present.

computer generated photo from Jinya.com

Following settling in our seats, the waitress directed us to their virtual menu: accessible by a bar code placed in the center of each table. The menu is quite inclusive, offering a variety of food choices for all. Outside the signature dishes, the menu features vegan options, gluten-free dishes, greens, and a kids meal.
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After ordering savory homemade strawberry lemonade, we dived in first with their appetizers; otherwise referred to as Japanese small plates. Mostly priced under eight dollars, the order consisted of the Spicy Tuna Tacos, Jinya Bun, Crispy Chicken, and Spicy Shrimp Tempura.

Let's Start with Appetizers

No Ramen, No Life

-JinyaRamenBar

Now... onto the Main Course!

photo courtesy of Jinya

Shrimp Wonton Ramen
For this dish, thick handmade-noodles are served in a pork and ramen oil-based broth. Served with green onions, and on the side is a crunchy seaweed-like topping that compliments the soft chewy noodles. 

Sydoni Shaw’s Take
The shrimp is well-seasoned in contrast to the broth, which can be improved with the addition of sauces to enhance the flavor. The overall meal was not piping hot, but hot enough to my liking. The portion was enough to be fulfilling in one sitting and to possibly have food to bring home.

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photo courtesy of Jinya

Spicy Chicken Ramen
The Spicy Chicken Ramen consisted of a spicy chicken broth: chicken chashu, spinach, spicy bean sprouts and green onion » served with delicious thin noodles. With this dish Jinya gives customers the option to choose their spice level. 

Jordan Jones’ Take
Choosing the “Hot” option, and specializing my order further by also adding broccolini, corn, and a seasoned egg for a fair price of $2.50 each, I was completely satisfied with this dish. The ramen did not disappoint. The broth was well seasoned, and the toppings complimented the dish quite well. The corn, bean sprouts, and broccolini were my favorite parts of the dish. For those who do not like oil based broths- this would not be the right choice for them. This dish is priced at $16.50.

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photo courtesy of Jinya

JINYA Tonkotsu Original
The Tonkotsu ramen came with thick noodles, chashu (pork belly), green onion, spinach, seasoned egg*, and nori dried seaweed on the side. 

Jasmine Morales’s Take
The chashu was very soft and tender, making the ramen enjoyable. I added medium spice to the ramen and got a hotter sauce on the side since medium wasn’t spicy enough for my liking. The downside was that the broth was a bit greasy, and it ruined the taste of the noodles. This dish was big and very filling. This ramen is priced at $16.80.

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All in all...

In its entirety, the service was prompt, efficient, and attentive. Doing a great job providing a warm environment for guests, in addition to food, the bar renders excellent service, cleanliness, and an aesthetic ambiance. Being one of a few ramen restaurants in Metro Atlanta, Jinya Ramen Bar is a food option we recommended for the experience.

Future customers should note that Jinya is moderately priced, with mostly miniature sized options. Guests will need to purchase more to get that full feeling because ramen is a liquid-based dish.