Kyuramen Brings Ramen, Robots and Social Media FOMO to Frisco

Known for its aesthetic hexagonal dining cubicles and robot servers, Kyuramen recently opened its first Texas location north of Dallas, where it’s already racked up high expectations and extra-long wait times. Lines spill through the door even during downtimes on weekdays; be prepared to wait for 30 minutes or so for a table.

Kyuramen is originally an East Coast phenomenon, with locations in New York’s Times Square and Union Park, among others. Gary Lin, founder and executive chef, dates his passion for ramen back to his days in Japan, during which he traveled the country in search of the best ramen noodles.

Having found what’s supposedly the “best recipe,” Lin now owns over 120 Kyuramen locations in the U.S. and Japan. It could be the ramen that draws lines of eager visitors out the door. Or maybe it’s the unique geometric dining theme. Or maybe it’s just a byproduct of social media virality that’ll subside in a couple of months. Regardless, curiosity brought us in for a meal.
Kyuramen’s menu is pretty extensive. The appetizers themselves take up half of the menu, with offerings reminiscent of what you might find in Japanese street food stalls. Almost everything on the starter menu is some iteration of fried food. Purple sweet potato, shrimp, corn kernels and Japanese oysters are just some of the things dunked into a deep-fryer. If you’re looking for a high-end delicacy, go for the deep-fried squid tentacles, which come garnished with lemon juice and served with a soy-based dipping sauce. Takoyaki balls are also a popular precursor to the meal, stuffed with deep-fried octopus coated in pancake batter.
The ramen menu is no less overwhelming. Diners can choose from 10 different varieties of ramen, in adventurous flavors like spicy kimchi alongside slightly sweeter ones like the tonkatsu curry. Bowls come filled with marinated egg, crispy bamboo shoots and flaky seaweed strips. Both portion sizes and flavors are slightly underwhelming; don’t expect shareable sizes here. Especially after long wait times, you may need to order a couple of bowls to satiate the table’s hunger.
But, quite counterintuitively, it’s not the ramen that’s brought Kyuramen all the way to Frisco. The chain’s most popular menu item is the Japanese delicacy Omurice, which is a fluffy Japanese omelet perched on a bed of fried rice. Perhaps what makes it popular among diners, though, is the way it’s served at the table. Servers cut the omelet right in front of diners, just deep enough for a filling of finely shredded eggs to ooze out from inside. After it’s cut, it’s generously drenched with a teapot of curry or black pepper sauce, depending on which you choose. It’s kind of like a show at the table. Have your cameras out.

The dining aesthetics continue in the beverage options. Kyuramen has a selection of over 30 different teas, lemonades and smoothies. For a healthy post-ramen cleanse, order a glass of the Ginger Fun, which comes blended with kale, cucumber and other fibrous ingredients. Of course, drinks like the matcha-brown-sugar balance out the healthier options. All beverages are made in house with fresh ingredients, courtesy of TBaar, an Asian tea chain also owned by Gary Lin.

Different colored ombres, milk foam toppings and fancy cylindrical glasses add to the camera appeal. Top your drink off with different chewy add-ons like tapioca beads, grass jellies and puddings. It’s all part of the Asian tea-drinking experience.
Take a look at the menu before your visit and order quickly when you arrive. Service is slow, and the robot servers don’t help too much. Our verdict is that if you stop by, you’re paying mostly for the unique dining aesthetics ... and perhaps the FOMO of not hopping on the latest Instagram bandwagon.

Kyuramen, 9351 Warran Parkway, No. 111, Frisco. Daily, 11 a.m. – 10 p.m.