With a bright wooden interior and honeycomb seating, new Japanese restaurant Kyuramen brings a modern, comfortable twist to downtown Gainesville's food scene.
On Friday, the restaurant opened its third Florida location in downtown Gainesville at 212 SE First St. Based in New York, the national chain brings a distinct Japanese dining experience, combining the savory satisfaction of fresh ramen with the sweet contrast of boba and mochi ice cream.
The restaurant offers nine ramen entrees, varying in broth, noodles and spice levels, with prices ranging from $16.99 to $19.99. Customers can also choose one of three ramen combos, which include a drink, side dish and dessert, priced from $23.99 to $54.99.
The restaurant also offers a modern twist on omurice, a runny omelet placed on top of fried rice and sometimes topped with ketchup. The popular Japanese specialty requires constant stirring of the egg in a pan to create a thin, cooked outer layer surrounding a runny interior. When cut in half, the omelet falls open over a bed of fried rice.
Instead of traveling to Kyoto, customers can try the social media-viral dish at Kyuramen. An omurice combo with a drink costs $20.99, with the option of adding a piece of fried pork on top for an extra $4.
"It being famous on the internet ... that was a thing a lot of people came to try," 22-year-old hostess Gabriella Hartman said. "I haven't tried it yet, but that's the one thing I really want to try."
Aside from its dishes, Kyuramen stands out for its variety in seating options.
In addition to typical open tables, the restaurant offers a seating bar for customers to view the kitchen, while curtained wooden booths toward the back offer a private option. Two matcha whisk-inspired areas are at the center of the restaurant, surrounded by wooden pillars.
"It's one of my favorite things about this place," Hartman said. "They've definitely gone above and beyond here.”
To the right of the entrance, the restaurant’s honeycomb tables are stacked on top of each other in three hexagonal levels. BIanca Wu, the 38-year-old assistant manager, said customers are always eager to sit in those seats. She recalled a party that was willing to wait 30 minutes for a honeycomb table to open, rather than taking other available tables.
"I love it here," Wu said. "It feels so nice, alive, lively. The decor is so nice."
Next to the hostess area, the light wood planks of the Wishing Tree stretch up to the ceiling. Customers can use markers to write whatever they want on spare slabs, then hang them on the tree for good fortune.
The tree references a practice in Japan where people write prayers on Ema, which are small wooden planks hung on wooden walls outside of temples, Wu said.
"As much as people love the food, they really do love the atmosphere," said 23-year-old hostess Feliz Holliday.
One struggle the staff has faced so far is a limited menu.
Because the company imports a limited number of products from Japan, some items on the menu aren’t yet available. For example, many of the appetizers and the Ramune sodas have yet to arrive.
"I don't like to let my customers down," Holliday said. "Unfortunately, it's just what we have to do. It's best to be straightforward at the end of the day."
Next to the restaurant is TBaar, Kyuramen's sister company. TBaar offers various Japanese drinks, including milk tea, fruit tea and smoothies. Most of the drinks are priced between $5 and $6.50, with some beverages reaching up to $8.70.
Pepi Petrova, a 22-year-old barista, said TBaar provides guests with healthier options because everything is made in house and has less sugar.
"The drinks are a lot healthier than they would be at other places," she said. "Everything is made right in the morning. We don't keep anything overnight."
Despite having a limited menu with items waiting to arrive from Japan, 46-year-old customer Ryan Colbert said Kyuramen is already competing with other Asian restaurants in the area.
"For a store that's only been open for a few days at this point, they're giving Dragonfly and the other shops in the corner … a run for their money," Colbert said.
Contact Jeffrey Serber at Jserber@alligator.org. Follow him on X @JeffreySerber.
Jeffrey is the Fall 2025 enterprise and men's basketball beat reporter and a second-year journalism sports & media major. In his free time, he enjoys hanging out with friends and family, and rooting for the Miami sports teams.
