KAJIKEN

We stopped here for a late dinner. We ordered the tonkotsu ramen, the shoyu ramen, the fried squid, and the yuzu cheesecake. The ramen broth was flavorful but I feel like it didn’t hold onto the noodles well. But that’s only a minor complaint. The chashu in the ramen was very good. The fried squid was fine as was the cheesecake. Neither really stood out. We also tried the salted plum sprite. I never would have thought to add an umeboshi to sprite but it actually wasn’t bad. The service here was good as well even though they were closing up.

Wow, Kajiken is definitely the best ramen in Baltimore by far. I was not a fan of Peko Peko which was a previous occupant of this store, and I'm so happy that such a delicious ramen restaurant has replaced it! I would 100% come back for the tonkotsu shoyu ramen and the karaage.

The karaage was perfect -- juicy, crispy, with great flavor (slight ginger flavor). I though it was interesting that they provided two "sauces" -- I enjoyed the grated daikon sauce. My only qualm is that there's only 5 pieces! I want more!

The tonkotsu shoyu ramen was pretty perfect. The mix of tonkotsu and shoyu broth creates the perfect balance of richness and savoriness. The chashu is not overly fatty and the torching gives it some nice smokiness. The noodles are the thinner noodles and pair perfectly with the broth. The egg is perfectly jammy (though only half of an egg, again I want more).

The original aburasoba was great. It has thick noodles which have a good texture, and the flavor is good. I would definitely choose the tonkotsu shoyu ramen over this, but this is also a very solid option. I like that it's not too rich unlike some similar dishes I've had before.

The edamame was nothing to write home about. I'm not sure if it was the quality of the edamame or the cooking, but it was not tasty.

Overall the prices are very reasonable coming from a Boston resident, and it's certainly the best ramen I've tried in Baltimore. Looking forward to my next visit!

Food was good, amount was perfect, staff were friendly. Had my first bowl ramen in like five months. Had the aburasoba. Photos of the bowl before and after.

Special shoutout to Daniel and Aissata for being super friendly and being very helpful : )

I normally don't give 5/5 ratings, but considering the friendly service and absolutely delicious ramen how could I not?!
My first time trying Aburasoba (has a little bit of savory sauce in the bottom to mix in instead of broth) so I got The Original, but definitely not the last 😋

You can add toppings a la carte (only got the soft boiled egg this first go) or use the vinegar and chili oils and seasonings at the table to alter the flavors (I really liked the chili oil but the vinegar oil surprised me in a positive way as well!).

My wife also very much enjoyed her traditional ramen. 🙂
We'll be back to try the menu variations and hopefully some desserts, soon!

So Kajiken is a popular Japanese ramen chain and I am just SO EXCITED they opened their first US location right here in Baltimore. I love this city and it’s great to see restaurateurs recognizing that we are indeed a food city. All of that would be a moot point if Kajiken wasn’t delicious, but thankfully it is!

Kajiken specializes in brothless ramen which I had never experienced and was honestly skeptical of coming in. However, after trying it I am a true convert and am excited for my next round. With brothless ramen you have vinegar and chili oil at the table that you can add to taste along with any additional toppings you got. The overall experience is both unique and tasty. For those wanting classic ramen, they have that too. My wife ordered the classic broth ramen and it was just as good as my brothless.

Greatly enjoyed every bite - make sure you get a poached egg on the side and don’t miss out on the Karaage (fried chicken appetizer). On top of the excellent food the space, service, and price point will not disappoint you. Can’t wait for my next meal!