After eating at a Tonkotsu in London recently, I was very excited to eat at this Tonkotsu in Birmingham on Saturday the 17th. Nothing to complain about with regards to the food, at least initially, as it was delicious. In this Tonkotsu, you sit on stools overlooking the restaurant kitchen. Our food was served quickly, and everything was going well until one of the waitresses started to clean the work surfaces in front of where we were eating. She sprayed several discharges of a pink surface cleaner without any consideration for us, or for our food and drink that was situated immediately adjacent to the work surface. It was clear that the surface cleaner dispersed beyond just the work surface and into our vicinity based on the droplets we could see, and I would imagine the smaller droplets travelled further still. My partner and I looked at each other in disbelief, trying to process what had happened. The waitress sprayed again, before I could get the chance to ask her to stop. Without apology she just stopped and moved on. I suffer from chemical sensitivity, reacting to harsh substances in a variety of different ways depending on the exposure, from coughs to fatigue and fever. I hoped that the spray wouldn’t affect me, and I continued eating. I returned home after the meal with fatigue, went straight to bed, and I’m only just leaving this review now as I have been ill with a fever since then. It is incredibly frustrating that this has happened. Not only am I certain that the use of chemicals caused me to fall ill, but when has it ever been okay to spray chemicals near people? - especially when they are eating. This is true irrespective of my chemical sensitivity. I understand that, due to the seating arrangement, customers will be close to the kitchen (which must be cleaned), but chemicals should only be sprayed when customers aren’t in close proximity. I loved the food, but I won’t be coming back after this experience – I wouldn’t feel safe after falling ill as a result.

📍Tonkotsu Selfridges Birmingham Went @tonkotsu.ramenbar for dinner. Lovely place and great ramen. Staff so friendly 💕💕 Here what’s we ordered 👇🏻👇🏻 - Chilli Prawn Ramen 🦐 we put more chili oil 😂 - Geki Kara 🔥 warning !! This menu Extra hot 🥵 I’m a spicy food lover. For me, Geki Kara is not spicy enough like in Japan. 😂 - Gyoza ( pork, ginger and garlic) 🥟🥟 All the dish were tasty and delicious 👍🏻 Would highly recommend for everyone ❤️❤️

Ramen was just okay. I order the Tonkotsu ramen. The broth was not thick enough, favour was not rich either. The marinated egg was quite bad to be honest (surprised by it even though it looked quite good actually). The noodle definitely put me off because of the strong lye favour. The chasiu was okay. Overall, I won't go back again. The reason I give it 2 stars only was due to the poor service. The waitress kept rushing us to pay the bill but no one was waiting outside.

The food is great, I particularly enjoy the original Tonkotsu ramen as the broth is nice and rich. The female staff members could be a little friendlier but the older asian gentleman is a delight. Very nice and friendly, recommending me to try new things when I go.

Japanese here. Lived in many prefectures in japan due to work. Northern, eastern and central japan. I also travel a lot to Kansai region. So i would say i am very familiar to different regions of japan in terms of tonkotsu ramen style. I love ramen and this is far from being authentic tonkotsu broth. The only thing they got right is the chashu. The karaage is hard and burnt and the marinate they used is wrong. It was underwhelming and disappointing. Although, the service is very good. I would suggest to add oolong tea in the menu so at least the food would closely resemble a typical Japanese set you’ll see in japan.

Lovely place and great ramen! The staff were very friendly and the owner was also very nice and recommended some things for us to try too. The service was very quick and the space very clean. Although it’s not the stores fault, it can be a little difficult to eat here if there are more than 2 of you at busy times, and more than 4 of you at quieter times. Regardless, it was a very enjoyable experience and i would definitely recommend!

As always a great experience when it’s cold out and your hungry, lovely staff, good food, clean and hygienic, always come here when in Birmingham

Incredibly tasty and delicious ramen soups! The best bamboo shots I ever had in my life! Definitely worth visit! Have a ginger lemonade too! Fortunately picture after food cause food was too good!

Very friendly staff and excellent ramen, quite reminiscent of noodle bars in Japanese train stations. Reasonably priced and good service. Seating is at the counter on the main throughway of Selfridges ground floor, but it was still relaxed and comfortable. All menu options have several variations including vegetarian options, but the menu is quite limited (as to be expected from a small noodle bar). I would have liked to have tried the short rib ramen, but there are only 10 available per day, so get there early if this is what you want to try.

Read through some of the reviews, seems I am not the only customer to be treated extremely rude by a waitress called Cihan who is the assistant manager. She had complainedt to her staff that I was rude because I ask the bill twice, I felt offended then ask her name to make a complaint. She refuse to give me her name and refuse to call Selfridges manager. I had to go to another department ask for help. Cihan told the manager that I was loud. I am so shocked of their lies, I told the manager I was by myself and sit on my phone with my headphone on, how can I be loud? Because I was in a rush, didn't want to waste any more time when I agreed to pay my bill, they forced me to pay the service charge. How ridiculous!! So good luck for the people who choose to eat there.

definitely will come back again update on 31.08.2022. pork was over cooked, hard. the egg just a simple boil egg?? what happen to the shop?? probably wont go back again, just not worth it.

The tonkatsu soup very nice

Pretty authentic Japanese ramen. The tonkotsu broth is very thick and delicious, noodles, meat, eggs everything is great.

Highly recommend tonkotsu, fast service, friendly staff, fantastic food at good prices, recommend the chicken and corgette curry for first timers, well done to them for a great meal.

The ramen tasted superb and the staff were extremely helpful and kind, I can't wait to go back and try something new!

I'm Japanese. I couldn't find a good Ramen in the UK. But ramen in Tonkotsu is amazing. The taste is almost close to Japanese ramen! I'll definitely go there again. However, the restraint is small because it is in bullring. I would like them to open a bigger restaurant!!

Recommended

Flavourful ramen soup bowls, if you come here you definitely need to try the “Tonkotsu” bowl. One of the best ramen I’ve had in Birmingham! Although the noodles are quite chewy sometimes, I don’t mind it since the other toppings in the soup is amazing. The pork belly is extremely soft and I love how it’s never greasy. The 1/2 egg, it’s small but the flavour and texture is unmatched to anything I’ve tried before. I always order extra egg because of this. Last visit I ordered the King Prawn Katsu as well, definitely worth the money for a side dish! Just the right amount of meat to crispy batter ratio. Only reason for 4 stars is that I tried the miso mushroom ramen bowl, but the soup broth was very bland and didn’t match to my expectations like the original tonkostu bowl.

eaten twice there, good food, at a fast service ended with a warm sake. Easy life

These people dont know what tonkotsu is or how it suppose to taste like. You get water with lard. Disgusting.

Bad waitress. Was there at 11:45am yesterday as Google showed the operating time is 11:30am. Ask the waitress whether start operating polity and she was frowned and said ‘no, even the bar is not done yet’. Is quite bad attitude. Me and my friends be scared and decided to eat at other restaurant. However, the ramen is nice. I always order the spicy one😋 Will come back again when she is not working

Tastes soo good! Location is great, pricing is good and taste/quality/service is amazing! I would recommend trying their ramen or curry! It was really tasty and I wish I went there more before I left! Hopefully I will be back :)

Quite simply the best place to dine in the Bullring and surrounding areas. The variety of food is packed with flavour! To top it of, the customer care is exceptional. Sophie is welcoming and her a team a credit to her. My go to place always

We ordered the lunch set menu, which is £9.95 per set. And you can upgrade the noodle to normal size by £2.95. I think it’s perfect for different choices. The ramen is very chewy, the soup base is very delicious and rich in layers. The hot sauce can be added according to your own preference, it is made by themselves, and it is said that it is also sold in bottles separately. Generally speaking, it is worthwhile whether you are passing by for lunch or coming here to eat.

We visited during Easter half term and looking forward to eating at Tonkotsu Bham Selfridges. We were first to be seated at 12noon. We ordered the lunch sets and a Bentobox. My Kakugiri noodle set is not very nice, it is very soft and soggy and when I ordered an extra noodle it was on the hard/chewy side. The chicken broth is bland and full of chicken-fat oily taste. The pieces of pork is disgusting and overall small portion. The pork gyoza lacks flavour and filling. The chef cooked our gyoza on a dirty pan that probably hasn't been cleaned since yesterday as it had lots of burnt scraps stuck to my gyoza, a real hazard. We paid and left, won't be back anytime soon. Best regards,

This is always my favourite place for lunch when shopping in Birmingham, but this time the food just didn't feel of its usual quality flavour-wise. The chilli margaritas were a win though! Wish they'd bring back the seafood ramen 😍

Stopped by for a quick lunch. I ordered the classic one and my husband had the spicy geki kara. The portions were rather small for £30 (for two bowls with no extra toppings). The service was quick and the taste was ok but nothing special.

Really nice lunch set. Fast and friendly service and great food. For a ramen bar in a shopping centre this is really a 10/10. Monday 1.30pm

The people behind the counter today were some of the nicest and kindest people I have ever met. I was a little Ill and just wanted some ramen and tea to feel better. And the food was so good! I had something blue in my ramen and the issue was solved immediately and I didn't have to pay a penny. I tried tipping but they refused and apologized once again for the issue. Maybe it was because I was sick but I wanted to cry with how nice they were. <3

First time trying ramen was at Tonkotsu. The staff were very friendly and even gave me chop stick lessons . Ryan explained the menu and honestly made me feel so welcome , as I was eating alone . Would definitely recommend to family and friends. I will definitely be returning again for the exceptional food and amazing service !! The restaurant has a lovely atmosphere to top it all off .

We don't go here often but can't resist the occasional treat! As ever the staff are fantastic! The young lady that tool our order was very courteous (she had glasses, so sorry did not catch her name) and special note to Kevin who had a full blown conversation with my daughter in Mandarin (My daughter is half Taiwanese) The food was so nice, I had the lunch offer with Kakugiri ramen with pork gyoza and my small lady had the cheeky chicken kids bento. The food was full of flavour and I loved the noodles, lovely chew on them! The pork belly was tender and generous especially considering I had the smaller lunch portion! Looking forward to our next time there already!

what an unpleasant experience over all! 🙃 the chinese staff here was rushing us the whole time to choose menu and even patronising when I asked a question about it. I went with a chinese friend, and he would talk about me to my friend in chinese for some reason which makes me wonder why especially when he knew I'm not from china. he was never friendly to us, and almost telling us off when we said we want to split the bill. ALSO HE NEEDS TO CUT HIS NAILS. TOO DISGUSTING food was terrible as well just like his attitude, so absolutely nothing to miss. I would not go back here! 😂 everything tasted old, burnt and salty. the place was yuck

I always love eating here. Staff are welcoming and friendly, and are always helpful. Food is always so tasty, and I always have a jar of their chilli oil in my cupboard! This is my go-to spot for food while I'm in/around Birmingham.

Very tasty, the most delicious ramen I've ever tried. The prices are reasonable, there are small and large portions.

It is good

last night was the first time we came to that restaurant. But It is no doubt not the last time. We passed a splendid evening with the good service, with the exceptional meal and wine and with the comfortable pay. We will surely return there soon.

I visit this spot a lot since I work right next to it. I like how their customer service is always good and they keep the place well kept at all times. Rates are affordable and they serve large portions.

This is absolutely one of the best place in the neighborhood. Anytime I go there I am awfully pleased. They maintain their very high level service and the topmost level of food they serve. You are always happy with this place. Warmly recommended.

I eat in this spot a lot since I work nearby. I love how the customer service is always excellent and they keep the spot clean all the time. Pricing is convenient and they serve big portions.

I like to pop in here after work before heading home and I am always so pleasantly surprised with the service. The staff are always so polite and professional and the food is always absolutely delicious. Can't fault it. 🍜

Quick, appetising, lovely looking dishes, served with assurance.

We arrived at this restaurant for dinner. we heard about this place from quite a few people. Well, we were not disappointed. we were warmly welcomed by the staff and we had a fantastic feeling. The meal was yummy. We loved this restaurant a lot and we shall definitely come back again. We recommend this place to all.

Usually enjoyed eating here. Came today to eat made order but when it came the amount of prawns were less than usual and a lot of corgettes! This was a catsi curry. Ridiculous price for only two king prawns and corgettes that we don't really eat! Will not be coming back, would have gotten more prawns in a Chinese takeaway which would have been much cheaper! Friendly staff though and the wait wasn't long!

(Translated by Google) Wonderful, very tasty dishes (Original) Maravilhoso, pratos muito saborosos

Decent presentation, unfortunately lacking flavour, chicken in katsu curry tasted suspiciously off

Friendly staff, great value and quality. Good choice of vegan alternatives

Great ramen with the BEST eat the bits chilli oil in town. Good use of screens for social distancing. Good for gyoza, Katsu curry and chicken and pork bone ramen. Good options for veggo’s too.

They serve large portions and for affordable pricing. welcoming staff. They never disappoint.

One of my favourite restaurants. Kevin is always so welcoming and happy! Since living in scotland, when ever I visit Birmingham, dining here is a must! The chili oil is amazing, thankfully you can order from amazon!

Fantastic place to have some food when in a hurry. The service is swift, prices are fair, fantastic character. I highly recommend this place

Good food, quick service. Will return

(Translated by Google) It was delicious with the taste of Japanese ramen ~ (Original) 日本のラーメンのお味で美味しかったです〜

Amazing

Great ramen place!

Excellent food, excellent staff, excellent service

Really good ramen and gyozas. Location is busy and noisy but worth it.

Lovely food and staff

Delicious tonkotsu even compared with London

Absolutely delicious and lightning fast service.

A simple restaurant offering reasonbly priced dishes. I normally order the tokyo ramen which is generally fine but the last time I visited, the pork scratchings were sooo hard that I just couldn't bite into them so I had to leave them... As with what some other reviewers have said, the two female members of staff who do not generally wear the "Tonkotsu" uniform, it would be nice if you offered a smile and stopped chit-chatting with each other in full view of your customers (my reason for dropping from a 5-star to 4-star)! In contrast, the older asian gentleman is a delight to be around - it is evident that he is trying to build rapport with his customers! Finally, the speed at which the food is ready is super quick so that's a plus!

We ordered Gyozas, Geki kara ramen, seafood ramen and chicken kara-age. All the dishes were tasty and delicious, but above all, the service is amazing. Kevin teaches beginners how to use the chopsticks with warm smile and the manager (sorry I forgot her name - but the german girl) is extremely friendly and open minded. We are thankful to the team for this tasty experience, we definitely will come back!!

It is genuine ramen - that's for sure. But unfortunately the standard tonkotsu is way too fatty. The spicy version is extremely spicy, which isn't a good thing either, because it kills the ramen flavour. I love spicy food, but this was way too hot. Overall it wasn't a bad experience, but we were expecting it to be much better.

The Tokyo ramen I had was not up to my ramen standards. In fact, first of all it wasn’t hot enough, the meat marinate was all that you could taste and the broth was flavourless. Noodles were ok, not bad but not amazing either. This is definitely not the way ramen should be, and I’m sorry to say but I would not come back. Another thing is that it’s inside selfridges and the music is so damn loud that it’s really hard to enjoy any kind of food. The owner and staff were all very nice though, very kind and supportive should you need anything.

This place is my preferred one. I eat in plenty of restaurants but here I keep coming back again and again. The crew is very helpful and the cooking they place on your table is so flavorful. I never decline to have a decent dinner in this restaurant. I highly recommend this place.

Amazing ramen!!