Zen 6

I love Japanese food and this place did not disappoint. Make sure to check in to get a complimentary mini calpico drink.
Small establishment but full of great food. Just one look at the menu and I was sold. They do have a ramen burger and I was a bit hesitant at first since I did not enjoy it during the big craze last year. Granted this was made by a different chef so I did give it a try — loved it!
Tan tan ramen — like the Chinese dan dan mian in ramen soup. Ground pork on top of ramen with bamboo shoots and a runny egg. Good!
Ramen burger — very good! Would definitely recommend. Lettuce, meat, sauce with a hint of sweetness and the perfectly made ramen bun.
Takoyaki — this was ok. Not much octopus, tasted a lot more flour than anything else, wasn’t too fond of the sauce.
Pork steamed bun — oh yeah! The traditional pork belly bun. Soft nicely baked bun with some delicious pork belly inside and a piece of lettuce. Recommend!
Curry chicken kara-​age — very good as well, crunchiness and you can definitely taste the curry in the batter. The chicken was nice and tender as well. 2^nd time we got this seemed like the oil they used to deep fry the chicken needed to be replaced.
Sukiyaki ramen — surprisingly worked out pretty well with the thin noodles. Would recommend!

Seeking some good food and company for the night… well, at least the company was good.
We were seated quickly and given time to browse over the menu which was nice except what I ordered was wrong… more than once.
First I ordered the Peach Sparkling Hana-​fuga sake that was advertised on a plaque on the table. What was brang to me was was something different: Hana-​Akawa/​Sparkling Flower. Even though I was annoyed, I decided to let it go. Maybe the mini crab rice I ordered would replace the growing disappointment.
I was wrong. The menu description said it was fried rice with egg, crab meat and vegetables. By «vegetables» I thought they meant peas, carrots, taro, winter melon or squash. Although the dish did have carrots in it, it was the only vegetable. I DID NOT expect garlic and scallions in it. In fact, I ordered the crab rice BECAUSE the description had no mention of garlic or scallions anywhere. When I pointed it out to the waiter, he was nice enough to give it back to the lady cashier but she seemed quite annoyed at me for doing so.
So I took the bowl back and picked out the scallions myself.
Later on, the check came. The sake was $ 15. WHAT?! I suppose it was my fault for not saying that what he brang me was different from what I ordered in the beginning. I guess it was even my fault that I couldn’t understand his thick accent first saying «8», «then 11».
I guess the lesson here learned is: go to the other Zen 6 located in St. Mark’s, not this location. Maybe the service will be better? My friend said the ramen is good so just stick to that instead of anything else. If you’re like me who doesn’t like garlic or scallions though, be advised to ask if they have any included in the dish you order.

Just walked in because Raku was closed and we wanted lunch. Gekikara Shoyu Ramen was delicious. Perfect spice level. I’ve never devoured a bowl of ramen so quickly.
Girlfriend got the kimchi ramen, which was also so delicious. The pork melts in your mouth. Broth in both was fantastic.
We will be back soon.

I’ve been here twice and the food was great both times. Most recently my fiancé got the tan tan 6, i got the shoyu ramen (both with wavy thick noodles), and we shared the ramen burger and the mini crab fried rice. Loved the ramen — the noodles were cooked perfectly, the broth had great flavor, and the meat fell apart. Wish the yolk was a little more soft-​boiled though. The burger was good — really greasy, but the mayo really made it work. The crab fried rice was ok, not amazing. They used fake crab (kani) but we were starving so it was a decent appetizer. Our friends had the pork buns and said while they were good, Ippudo’s are better.
Was a little annoyed that we were told we could check in for the free Calpico, but then told that they were out of Calpico after we had checked in. One of our friends had even signed up for a Unilocal account to check in.

Good, solid ramen with nice, fast service!
The lunch special is good as you get a little app and a ramen for about 10 – 15 bucks

Yummy ramen with excellent service in a small japanese restaurant. The place is casual and good for intimate meet ups, not advisable with a large group. I’m not a huge fan of Japanese ramen because I find it to be too salty, but their miso ramen is actually pretty good. Their broth was flavorful but not too overwhelmingly so. The meat and the eggs were cooked perfectly, and the noodles were chewy. I also tried their crab fried rice which was pretty standard.
Check in for a free calpico, which they gave me a small one that looked like a yogurt drink with a straw. I looked like a five year old kid drinking it but hey its all good :)

We came here during the lunch special hours. It’s quite the deal. You get a bowl of ramen with a side of advocado salad, and choice of a side dish.
My girlfriend got the Hakata Tonkotsu Ramen with side of Sweet Kara-​age. I got the Tan Tan 6 with a side of Meat Gyoza.
The advocado salad came out first and it was very refreshing with a nice vinaigrette dressing.
The Sweet Kara-​age was sweet and a nice taste.
The Meat Gyoza was crispy on the outside and had a nice bite to it.
My girlfriends Hakata Tonkotsu was delicious. I like the smooth silky broth that goes with it. Nice flavors in this bowl of ramen. I think I will order this to myself next time.
My Tan Tan 6 was flavorful. There was a lot of ingredients in here, which is always a plus. The broth had a good spice kick to it. On a cold day, it is good ramen soup to have.
We also got one Ramen Burger each to ourselves. I think Zen 6 makes the best Ramen Burgers. The burger is cooked pink. I like the crispness from the lettuce and the tomatoes. The sauce is amazing on this burger.
Great place to come for lunch. Lunch specials makes the bill very affordable and cheap.
Check in to get your free Calpico drink.

As someone born and raised in Asia who’s sworn a blood oath to ramen, I have to get really nerdy about this place and tell everyone I will ever meet to go get a ramen burger before the end of your journey on planet earth. The invention of the ramen burger should be given a chapter in the historical records of ramen, as it marks yet another milestone in the advancement of the art of noodle making.
But Zen 6 rocks not only creative ramen fondling. Its regular noodles-​in-​the-​bowl-​of-​soup also come with high marks. I personally recommend the Dancing Spicy and the Spicy Dragon Chasiu (Where’s the Dancing Spicy Dragon Warrior Panda Quadrant?). But any item on the menu is not likely to disappoint — you really don’t need to be a nerd to enjoy eating here.

Came in late on a Saturday evening with friends and there were many available seats. Friendly staff, clean restaurant and food came out quickly.
We ordered the Tan Tan Ramen and the Ramen burger which were both very delicious! Definitely recommend both. The ramen had a delicious broth with a kick, ground meat and fried garlic in it and the tastes blended well together. If you don’t prefer garlic I’d probably stay away from this. The ramen burger was surprisingly delicious! It was my first one but it was so enjoyable. The noodle buns had a slight crisp to it and the noodles were softly cooked. A good number of negative reviews but I guess we got lucky because it was great. The patty was juicy and the sauce was flavorful. The burger comes with some chips and dip as well.
I’d come back to see what else they have to offer.

Really disappointed. Lunch specials are a great deal at $ 9.50 for a bowl of ramen + appetizer + salad. The salad and appetizer I got (chicken karaage) were just okay. Nothing special. For my ramen, I got the Tan Tan ramen, which is a play on the Szechuan Dan Dan noodle. It was supposed to be spicy and flavorful, but instead it just tasted like… salt. This is probably the saltiest ramen I’ve ever had, and I’ve had many. I also tried my companions’ broths and they were all also overwhelmingly salty (believe one got the Shoyu and one got Tonkotsu). There was a severe lack in depth of flavor.
If you’re in the area, and you want a good lunch special I would consider Zen.

4.25 stars.
An unassuming spot buried in East Village’s Curry Row. Tiny but cute. I’ve been willing to go for a long time. Glad I did. :-)
Ramen burger: without a doubt the best I’ve ever had; tender and crunchy at the same time; mouthwatering.
Pork buns: outstanding; 2 gigantic pockets of love, deliciously dressed and seasoned… also among the very best (if not THE best) I’ve ever had.
Hakata Tonkotsu ramen: tasty pork bone based ramen loaded with succulent pork belly; they could put more stuff inside, though; a rather strong ginger back taste, so keep that in mind.
Service is a tad spacey and disorganized, yet sweet and welcoming. They try hard. I know I will be back. :-)
CASH ONLY.

I love ramen and I love spicy food, so how can I miss the spicy Tan tan 6 ramen, the signature dish here at Zen 6? Also ramen burger was something that I am raving for a long long time… guess today is the time to nail down both!
The tan tan 6 was actually not as good as I expected and I didn’t find any roasted garlic in my ramen bowl; the noodle was also a bit hard to chew… surprisingly I loved my ramen burger and it turned out to be less dry as I have heated. The crispy ramen on the outside was the best part!
Don’t forget to check in on Unilocal in order to receive the free drink towards the end of dinner. Speed was on the lower end — one star deducted.

3.5
They have a great deal for lunch special! For $ 10, you get a fresh salad, a hearty ramen bowl, and a side. That’s generous.
I’ve had plenty of those melt-​in-​your-​mouth kind of pork buns so I wasn’t wowwed at all by theirs. Pork was too hard from what I’m used to. Shumai wasn’t bad and the kara age was okay.
Tan tan 6 — aesthetically, it looks cool and awesome but I actually thought the shoyu ramen just tasted better overall. Noodles were a bit hard for my taste. Also, the spiciness just didn’t cut it for me. It was flavorful but it just wasn’t compatible with my taste buds. I wouldn’t go as far as advise you not to get it because you might end up liking it. It’s all about personal taste and preference so you’ll just have to try for yourself.

I have noticed more and more places starting to offer up a ramen burger in the more cosmopolitan corners of the country, so I decided to find one while in NYC. This place worked out perfectly because it was only a few blocks from where I am staying. When I first saw the burger, I thought it looked a little puny, but this thing is filling as the bun is essentially a meal portion of ramen. The burger itself was tasty and it was dressed with lettuce, tomato, and a spicy sauce. I also tried their pork bao and it was good. Not the best I’ve ever tried or anything, but I would say a little above average. The prices are OK. I can’t comment on the service because I had it as takeout. All in all, a satisfying meal and I can now check the ramen burger off my «to try» list.

Was craving sushi, and was in the neighborhood around 3−4pm, when most of the other Japanese restaurants were closed. I walked by this place, looked at its Unilocal reviews, and decided to come in. I saw that their sushi is 50% off. Sweet! At least I thought so at the time.
I ordered a Miso Ramen (Which was okay. It’s no Ippudo, Totto, or Mu.) and the tuna, salmon, and spicy tuna rolls. Oh my goodness. This was the fishiest sushi I have ever tasted. Tasted like the smell of Chinatown outdoor fish markets. I tried a piece of the spicy tuna, and was like whoa. Gross. I tried a piece of the tuna thinking it might have been a fluke, and ugh. It was the same thing. I couldn’t bring myself to try the salmon.
I know what you’re thinking, it’s fish! It should taste like fish! But NO. Good, fresh fish is NOT supposed to taste fishy. It’s not supposed to be rubbery. I’m a huge sushi eater, and this is the worst sushi I have ever experienced. The rice and seaweed were a bit soggy, but the worst part was definitely the fish. I just couldn’t eat it. It literally made me gag. I told my server I couldn’t eat it, and she said they couldn’t cancel it. Asked me if I wanted to take it home, as if it would somehow taste better later… The manager came by, and said the same thing. I mean, whatever, it’s fine. I paid for it. Even though it wasn’t a customer not particularly liking a dish they ordered, but the product actually being of inedible quality.
I guess you get what you pay for.
I just wonder, how are the reviews so good?

Great service, very good quality and no wait!!! We ordered the hakata ramen. The soup is rich, smooth but not oily. The noodle is a little over cooked; I would ask for al dente next time. We also got the fried chicken but I will not recommend it (minus 1 star for this reason)
Will definitely go back and try other ramen.

As much as I’d hate to admit it, I think Zen 6 has something great going on.
The husband and I came here on a random Saturday night shortly after 6pm and there was no wait. Score! We ordered the ramen burger to share as an appetizer, I ordered tan tan 6 with thin noodles, and the husband ordered the hakata tonkotsu ramen in spicy. You can choose the thickness of your ramen noodles… but in case you are indecisive or have no clue, the menu does give you recommendations.
The ramen burger came wrapped up alongside a small side of tortilla chips and hummus. While I thought the tortilla chips and hummus were a rather strange combo with the ramen burger, the hummus was phenomenal. The ramen burger here taste very different from the one you get from Smorgasburg. In fact, I enjoyed the one at Zen 6 much more. The one from Smorgaburg is a little overwhelming with the hoisin-​like sauce. Here, you can really taste the beef in the burger and the sweet, savory subtlety of the sauce. The ramen «bun» was a little oily though. The cost is a little steep at $ 7.95. It is called «the ramen burger 6» so one would think it costs $ 6 if they do not notice the small fine print of the price on the upper right hand corner. Nonetheless I felt like I was being conned!
The tan tan 6 is really quite special. I thought it was absolutely delicious. The broth bears some resemblance to my favorite ramen in the world from Ichiran in Japan. Just lighter and not as rich. My husband does not see it and thinks I’m crazy. I prefer it with the thin noodles that way you can slurp up more of the broth with every bite versus the thick wavy noodles they recommend.
I had a taste of the husband’s hakata tonkotsu ramen and I was not a fan at all. All I tasted was the ginger. Pass. He liked it more than the tan tan 6 though — that crazy man.
I checked-​in on Unilocal and got a free mini Calpico. I have to say, I was pretty disappointed because I did not know it was for a mini size until I saw it. Plus, I was given a strawberry flavored one which was gross. Honestly, I would rather not have had it as I felt like it was a cruel jape. Bring back the free popsicles I keep reading about!
When we received the check in the end, we were very surprised to see it say «cash only» on the little black folder thingy. No where does it say cash only anywhere until you get the check in the end. What if people don’t walk around with cash? That is not cool. They should make a sign at the restaurant’s entrance.
Overall, the prices of the ramen are fair especially for New York City. The ramen burger, not so much. But most importantly, the food here is pretty darn good and so I do see myself coming back.

Came here at the suggestion of a friend. It was either this place or an AYCE sushi. Seeing that some of us were not that hungry in our group of 4. This place seems to be the better choice that we won’t have to stuff ourselves to get our money’s worth. It was the good decision too.
I opt for the miso ramen with wavy noodle (there are 3 type of noodles to choose from but they have recommendations on which to ate for each ramen) and a ramen burger. Ramen was good but the ramen burger got most of my attention. Although the ramen buns can be more crispy the juiciness of the burger and the sauce they used made it forgiving. Oh my friends that ordered sushi here say it’s mediocre but the 50% off sushi makes it attractive to try if you some craving for sushi.

Came back and got the tonkotsu again. The chashu was more juicy and tender this time!
Also tried my friend’s tonkotsu ordered spicy– packs a punch!
20 minute wait around 9pm on a Saturday night, not too bad.

Quite an interesting shop in the East Village. We came here at about 7 on a Friday night and there were only two customers, I hesitated a little before stepping in because it’s Friday night and only two customers around 7? Nonetheless I ignored it and went right in. Please note after we sat down for about half hour, the restaurant started to fill up.
I had the vegetarian gyoza and it was quite flavorful. They give you 5 for about $ 5. I had the soft shell crab ramen noodles, the most expensive one on the menu. This soft shell crab was quite small, not sure if they are in season, but it was not that flavorful. The ramen was cooked perfectly and the broth was not salty at all so I drank the entire thing. They were a little heavy on the MSG because i was thirsty later in the night.
Vegetarian and pescatarian friendly
Unilocalers check in for free ice cream bar
CASH only