Naruto Japanese Restaurant

The good: Most authentic Alkaline noodles (ramen noodles), I have had in Anchorage in a long time. Flavor of broth was good. We had the Pork Tonkotsu and Miso tonkotsu ramen. Plus 1 for having Japanese TV programming on the TV.
The not so good: No Shio (Salt) or Shoyu (soy sauce) base ramen. These are very normal in Japan. Gyoza was deep fried. That’s a no-​no from a Japanese ramen perspective I am sure. The broth though flavorful, was too thin. Fine when drinking it, not strong enough with the noodles even though being Japanese, we have no issue «slurping» the noodles to make sure you get some of the soup.
It probably should be a 4 but since I make Ramen noodles from scratch, I guess I am a little more picky about it. No shio or shoe ramen plus deep fried gyoza sealed their rating fate to a 3 at best.
Pretty good though. We likely will be back.

Great broth. Ramen timed perfectly. Only bad thing is that the chashu and egg is not like typical soft centered and thing slice egg and meat. Wish I had known about this place when I got into Anchorage. This is good to be the last meal leaving Anchorage since this restaurant is right on the way to he airport.

So on the suggestion of a friend, I decided to give this place a whirl. Haha, get it? Whirl? Naruto? Ah whatever.
So if you’ve been in anchorage, you know it’s not LA since it goes below 70 degrees and therefore doesn’t have a little Tokyo, and it’s not New York since its a small city and has hills. also it’s not even slightly pretentious so that rules out either city entirely to include seattle, unless you’re a regular at the performing arts center and even then the civilized crowd isn’t terribly snooty. So with that in mind, it was a very nice surprise to find out about this place.
Now, while Yamaya is an authentic restaurant of my parents’ era, somewhere on that vague bridge between my dad and my granddad, Naruto is much closer to the 90s and onward generation. Now there’s no sliding door, and there’s no enka playing in the background, but instead modern pop like Mr. Children, orange range and yuki isoya. There are a couple tv’s playing animé like the chibi maruko reboot or the yamato reboot, and a little corner with bookshelves of manga like doraemon and naruto and I thought I saw one piece somewhere. see what I mean about being more modern? hell, even the staff is a mix of japanese and korean. we’re living in a world where japanese and korean folks can put their differences aside to open up a noodle place in the great white north. if the soup doesn’t warm your heart, that idea definitely should. but enough of the atmosphere and social commentary.
the tempura udon… now, my mother is the tempura critic of my family/​clan/​whatever you want to call it, so i can’t give a thorough critique of it like she can. i still thought it was decent enough. it was complemented by the broth, but it still seemed presented like a separate dish or an appetizer, and even then it was missing the sauce. rather than give the panko or the meat any flavor, it just seemed to drown it. i dunno. i still enjoyed it. can’t speak for my mommy though.
they offer a number of appetizer-​ish dishes, like gyoza and tatsuta-​age for several dollars extra. i don’t remember off-​hand but the math seems to work out. the tatsuta-​age is pretty good. it’s probably my strange upbringing from my third-​generation mother but i’m used to having tonkatsu-​sauce as a dip for that. blame the upbringing i guess as it felt strange, but it was still pretty good. the flavor was spot on and wasn’t dry like chicken usually tends to be, and the serving portion is pretty good for an appetizer. and they cut each piece in half to make sure they’re cooked, probably a nod from a health inspector. i’m not terribly fond of the gyoza though. a lot of places these days have, what i guess is, the «modern» style of gyoza, which is some kind of weird, deep-​fried version, the same places that have weird mayo chipotle sriracha burrito-​sushi. blaming the upbringing again but i’m used to having fried/​steamed/​sometimes boiled gyoza as opposed to deep-​fried and crunchy gyoza shells. the flavor was a bit off as well, lacking a bit of that distinct garlic and pork flavor as well as the option for vinegar and soy.
the tonkatsu was pretty decent. and decent as it was, i wish they’d give the option for more sauce like in one of those little ketchup dishes or a bulldog bottle or even just a little pile/​puddle somewhere on the plate. oh well. but of course, it comes with shredded cabbage! it seems that no matter second/​third/​fourth generation, that combination will never die.
Vanilla pudding… custard? I don’t know. good though.
i know i’m kinda all over the place, the mix of contemporary and traditional, old and new, but at the heart of it all, the noodles are good. it’s not too expensive for quick lunch, though it can be a hassle to drive out depending on where you’re coming from.
if you’re looking to feel «cultured,» give it a whirl. if you’re looking to feel connected to your roots, give it a whirl. if you want a decent bowl of noodles, some chicken and tonkatsu, give it a whirl.
also, my japanese is on the fence between passably accented and illiterately hodor-​ish. i don’t feel at all ashamed or ostracized here. it’s a japanese restaurant for a newer generation.

Ah, this is the kind of review I’d almost prefer not to do. Had lunch here today, was seated, drink order taken, miso soup appeared, then I sat for a few minutes before I realized it aparently buffet only at lunch. No menu ever arrived and the person that sat me never mentioned it.
There was a line at the hot food so I headed for the pre-​made sushi, grabbed 2 of everything, some tempura veggies, an egg roll and headed for my table. I’ll say, this was no store bought sushi, while not fantastic, it was likely as good as you’d get ordering the rolls at dinner. Tempura and egg roll were both fine.
Seeing that the link for hot food was all but gone, I headed over, some noodles, veggies the cook had just put up, chicken (no thanks), shrimp and something I thought was possibly hallibut.
Wasn’t crazy about the noodles, there was nothing wrong, just a different flavor than anticipated, veggies were good and as expected, shrimp fine if a little overcooked and on the soft side… then there was the… well it wasn’t hallibut or cod… or any sort of fish in could actually identify. «Miscellaneous white seafood product» is the only way to describe it. Very slightly… not quite fishy flavor but with a texture something like calamari, but not quite. I immediately thought of stories of pink slime turned into hamburger patties and imagined this was the seafood equivalent. Maybe someone else could identify it, but I couldn’t make heads or tails of. Might have even been super firm tofu in a sauce.
They get points for actually having edible sushi, miso soup was fine, most items but the mystery item were fine and in truth, whatever it was was also okay if a mystery. Points off for less than stellar service. An average buffet overall.

Nice. Very nice. House Ramen and Curry Ramen. Only reason for just four stars is I’ve only been there once. Let’s see where this goes.

Not very many ramen house in Anchorage so I cant compare but this place is legit in comparison to what i have tried in California. Service is good and fast. Facility is clean. Easy to find. Opens late during weekends (12:30). We ordered tonkotsu ramen with extra broth and it was on point boiling hot and enough noodles to fill you up. The pork is very flavorful and just simply delicious. The karaage chicken is crispy and juice just the way i like it. The spicy tuna roll could be better. But since its part of a combo its as good as it gets. The seaweed salad is pretty good as well. Complimentary tofu with granola and honey dessert is a plus. The price is also on point if not cheap. We enjoyed this place so much we ate there 2x in our 4 day trip in Anchorage.

Delicious Ramen! And the only Ramen place, that I know of, in town; and very affordable. My favorite dish is their Vegetable Ramen. I order extra fish cake; the white object with the pink spiral in the middle every time I eat here. They serve actual authentic Ramen. Their sushi is pretty tasty and affordable. I highly recommend this restaurant! At the end of every meal, they give you a tiny, free custard dessert with granola and sweet sauce. It tastes a little bit like flan. The atmosphere is good for families, groups of friends, and very chill.

The ramen was very flavorless. Tonkatsu broth is supposed to be bold and flavored. Mixing halibut into a pork broth just of dulls the flavor. There wasn’t much added meat or seasoning. Not very impressed.

Absolutely LOVED this place. Ramen was on point and so was the chicken. Clean establishment and friendly staff. I can’t wait to go back. :)

We were on our way to Yak and Yeti Café for a quick bite and my wife had one of those «Eureka» moments and suggested we go to Naruto. Looking back, I should have made an executive decision and overruled her suggestion.
We got there around 1400 and were quickly seated. There was only 1 waitress… but she was very efficient and quickly took our order.
I had the kimchi ramen and my wife had the «T» somethin ramen. We also ordered a side of Pork somethin. The kimchi ramen for abt 12.50 seemed on the pricier side because all it had was 2 small slices of pork and a boiled egg. The broth had no flavor and although there was a little bit of kimchi in my ramen… it did not have any flavor. The noodles were undercooked. The t somethin pork was kinda dry and did not have any flavor. We were kinda disappointed and maybe we went there on an «off» day.
I was debating between 2 and 3 stars and the only reason I have it 3 stars was because the service was really good and the waitress was very attentive.
Not really sure if I’m willing to try this place again!

Great stuff authentic as you can get it here in Alaska I recommend for locals and travelers on a hot or cold day!

Naruto is the ONLY ramen restaurant in Anchorage, AK, and they sure are tasty. I love that there is an Alaskan influence here and they have halibut broth! I’ve never had halibut broth as it’s generally pork or chicken. When the halibut broth ramen first arrived, you could smell it. However, as soon as you start tasting the ramen, it makes total sense, and it’s almost like a Shio type ramen. The service here is friendly, and they also have very interesting Japanese tv shows in the background. There’s ample seating here too. It’s also generous that they serve complimentary tofu pudding type dessert (with rum and maple syrup flavors). Prices are also very fair considering they are the only Japanese ramen restaurant in town. During my week and a half trip in Anchorage, I went back to Naruto twice! Quality food here! Anchorage is lucky!

It was a cold afternoon in Anchorage I was hoping for a nice hot bowl of Ramen. I ordered the pork I was a bit underwhelmed. If you are used to eating real Ramen in Japan this will disappoint. I figured the noodles would be a miss but was pleasantly surprised at their texture. The broth however, lacked the fatty creamy goodness you expect from a bowl of pork ramen. The other ingredients were an egg, green onion, a ton of sprouts, a piece of nori and a few slices of just ok pork. The restaurant as a whole appeared clean and the staff welcoming. But I go to Ramen shops for Ramen and this wasn’t up to par.

You should know that I know nothing about Ramen, other than it is term used in prayer by Pastafarians.
OK, so I may have eaten some noodle bricks in college.
What I mean is, I’ve never been to a Ramen restaurant before.
If they are anything like this place, shame on ME.
You can kind of think of Ramen as… Japanese Phở. I know I probably made a chorus of a thousand foodies collectively groan by saying that but, I don’t care. That’s how it makes sense to me.
So, you get a piping bowl of noodles with various things in it.
I got one with Kimchi. It used a halibut broth. Nice Alaska touch, way to make it your own, Naruto! It had pork in it as well. I was a fan, nice combo of flavors.
Oh, and it came with a FREE custard dessert. And it wasn’t some throw-​away dessert. This wasn’t like a peppermint and a toothpick kind of thing… it was very good! I imagine they could charge for it. I hope they are not reading.

This Ramen shop is now MY restaurant.
I’ve come here so much I’m getting free items courtesy of the owners. So speaking to the service, they remember those that frequent the restaurant, and they reward us accordingly.
Speaking to the Ramen, the owner explained to me one time that his broths take almost overnight to make. The noodles are thicker than your traditional cup ramen noodles, and I think this throws people sometimes. Personally the noodles and broth are just what I expect to taste if I went to Japan, and I like it that way. If I wanted Americanized ramen, I’ll go to Walmart and get instant.
The best part of the meal is FREE homemade rum soaked tofu custard that comes complimentary with the purchase of their ramen. The custard is light, sweet-​perfect after downing the sizable portion of ramen I’ve just eaten.
I feel the décor could be better. I still feel they’re trying to sort out the restaurant’s aesthetics, but hey the Ramen is authentic and of the highest quality. That’s what it comes down to.

Wow! Best Ramen in Anchorage!
Great flavors! Had the Naruto Ramen: Chashu pork in pork & halibut broth. The pork was sweet and tender and the broth was perfect. Order extra pork! My Huz had the Sansai with soba. The broth was light, slightly sweet and clean tasting. Different but both equally delicious. Afterwards, we were served a tofu dessert that hit the spot! Definitely recommend and will return! OISHI!!!

Naruto was a delicious spot, very unassuming and quiet. It is off the normal path of tourist tracks, often frequented by local Alaskans. They offer a variety of Japanese food, including a great selection of ramen plus sushi.
The service is spot on and the food is authentic. The ramen soup could be more pungent, but it is pretty close to the ramen I’ve had in Tokyo. The soy-​based pudding that is offered (for free) at the end of the meal definitely captured my heart (and tastebud).
I would definitely return there if I have the chance!

I’ve had Ramen from these guys on numerous occasions over the past two years. I couldn’t wait to move here to Alaska so I’d get to become a regular of this place lol. It so happens we wound up in a place that is extremely close to Naruto which is awesome! Everything I’ve had here is very, very good.
Naruto is the only Ramen place I’ve ever seen that uses a Halibut-​based broth. Even better is that you can get Halibut-​Pork mix, Pork alone, or Halibut alone. Every broth they make you can add miso if you wish. All of their broths are wonderfully tasty and satisfying!
For a ramen with an unusual broth, you could go with the Halibut Miso broth or their CHEESE miso pork broth. You can get lots of veggies for your ramen at your discretion, and everything always tastes very fresh. I also love their spicy tuna bowl, which reminds me a bit of Poke with a Japanese twist. Very good! The staff are always friendly and they’ve never messed an order of mine up. That alone is saying something because I can get rather complicated :)

Food: ordered a pork katsu curry bowl, naruto udon, and a tonkotsu ramen bowl. The waitress responded… Ooooo 3? Hahahaha. There were 2 of us. The curry was very tasty and simply a delicious dish. Can’t speak for the udon, but my gf liked it. As for the ramen, I thought it was average. Which is good because how many ramen shops are there in Anchorage and that the broth didn’t suck? Broth was simple, clean, and not oily. The eggs looked refrigerated and chasu was ok. We got a free homemade custard for desert. The custard has rum in it. Very nice of them.
Environment: The place looks cool. Bunch of Mangas by the bar. The service was friendly, but very slow. So don’t expect to be in and out.
Overall: if I did live here, I’d comeback for ramen since most likely it’s the only shop. Probably would actually go for the curry tonkotsu since it was simple and delicious.

The best ramen soup I have ever had!
Full Disclosure: I have only ate Top Ramen Before… So my expectation & exp. is very limited.
Regardless of the above– the service was what set this place apart! The waitress was so attentive, atmosphere was quiet yet fine to decompress and dish out complaints about work.
Also, use the shaker chili powder for seasonings, it is pure flavor.
I had the crunch roll (yum) Naruto miso soup both of which were delish. Their rolls are not those fancy rolls with mayonnaise and other toppings– they’re pretty basic but the prices make them soooo worth it. I will be returning.