Pots and Pans! Panhandler inc. Food Review: Nagoya House

This new Ramen shop in the Cooper-Young neighborhood in Memphis, TN offers a big bang for your buck. Panhandler Inc. had lunch there, here is what we found!

Jan 04, 2025

Panhandler inc. had lunch at the newly opened Nagoya House in Memphis, TN.

Here’s the review:

Nagoya House is a ramen and hibachi shop that has opened recently and I was interested to try the new addition to the already crowded Memphis ramen scene. Neighbored on either side by Goner Records and Imagine Vegan Cafe, Nagoya has a great location in the bustling Cooper-Young neighborhood.

Checking online reviews people are already taking a liking to the shop. “first time customer and i’m VERY IMPRESSED!!! both my friend and i got build your own ramen bowls, and they are delicious!” said one reviewer who gave a five-star review.

But at least one online comment was not as positive. Here is the review of one reviewer who left Nagoya House with only one star on Google, “If you put chinese noodles in a spaghetti bowl, does it becomes a spaghetti? This is not a ramen, taste was okay though but it was a chinese noodles bowl. Also took 1 hour to make a fake ramen? Why do you guys use another picture not the actual your dish? Left with very disappointed”

Seems a little harsh for someone who said the taste was okay and I am still trying to figure out what exactly this spaghetti riddle was supposed to be a critique of…

It is worth noting that this was an outlier opinion. With 33 reviews, Nagoya House boasts a not-too-shabby at all 4.6 stars on Google.

But I decided it was time to investigate this myself.

Stepping inside…

Nagoya House has a lovely interior with vibrant wood and decor that juxtaposes the unassuming storefront

When you walk into Nagoya House you are welcomed to step inside by the charming interior and take a seat wherever you like. Booth or table, you decide! We love options. We opted for a booth today which is nicely private and cozy with sheer wood curtains between neighboring booths.

It is well-lit and makes for a great ambiance for lunch. After I took this picture the tables quickly filled up as people sat down for lunch. Probably around 15 other patrons were in the restaurant while we were there. Even with the influx of customers, the two staffers working the front of house were attentive and welcoming during our visit.

Drinks

Nagoya House has a range of drinks, from your typical fountain drinks to beer. They also had a few teas, including bubble tea which piqued my interest. I tried ordering the strawberry milk tea, but unfortunately, they were out. If you read my review of Petals of a Peony then you know you can’t always get what you want. But as The Rolling Stones say, you get what you need. So, I got a canned jasmine green tea which was good enough for today.

Ramen

We decided we would try the make-your-own ramen bowls. Now if you have ever gone to a ramen shop, you know the feeling of panic when you see a word in a language you don’t know. You don’t want to look like some sort of ramen amateur, do you?! So there you are hunched over googling ramen terminology on your phone hoping nobody sees it.

Well, worry no more! Nagoya House has you covered. They have an entire Ramen Manual. I appreciate the forethought and detailed descriptions. Not only did I know exactly what I was getting in my ramen, but I felt like I walked away more ramen savvy with this little cheat sheet.

Not only was the ramen manual clear and helpful, but our server was also diligent in taking our orders and took the time to read back each of our orders to ensure we had exactly what we wanted.

Shoyu Ramen with Hosomen noodles + Scallions + Fried Tofu + Bean Sprouts + Broccoli + Toasted Garlic

At this point, I should address the 1-star review that complained about the wait time to get their ramen. This was not our experience. Our ramen bowls came out within 10 minutes of ordering, so I can’t really say that the complaint in the 1-star review is founded in an accurate experience at Nagoya House. I would assume one of two things, that was an outlier experience, or that person was just not having a great day. However, in my opinion, the 5-star reviews were maybe a little generous as well. But different strokes for different folks.

The Shoyu ramen had a dynamic flavorful broth. Shoyu is the classic ramen base and it felt like the stronger of the two options we had today. We enjoyed the roasted garlic clove additions to this dish. However, I felt the tofu was a bit bland and chewy. Outside of that, we enjoyed this bowl and the combination of flavors which offers a good option for vegetarian diets.

Miso Ramen + Hosomen Noodles + Cabbage + Pork Cashu + Bean Sprouts + Corn

The Miso ramen was a filling and adequate ramen bowl. With winter temperatures outside on this day, a warm bowl of ramen hit different. Speaking of temperatures, we got this bowl of ramen mild. We got the Shoyu ramen at medium heat. You can select from 5 levels of heat, well 6 really, since you can choose 0 as well. 0 being no heat and 5 being HELL (scary!). I don’t want to go to hell, not with my ramen or otherwise. Mild was indeed mild and medium was a step up but not too hot at all. So, if you are a spice lover I think you will happily enjoy the hot and fire levels.

I liked the clear distinctions in the spice levels. Both of our bowls felt very accurate in their description so you can hone in on your preferences. There is nothing worse than getting something too high or low on the heat levels when you were expecting something else and I think they nailed it here.

However, I felt that my miso broth lacked the creaminess I normally associate with a great miso broth, leaving me feeling like the taste was fine but a little flat. The pork was delicious and I felt like most of the flavor came from its addition. The noodles were cooked well and were generously portioned. Everything was generously portioned. I was only able to finish about 3/4th of my ramen. This is the strongest aspect of the experience, you get MORE than your fill. Come hungry and get full with an economical bowl of ramen!

I was intrigued by the steamed buns and I think this is something I will try next time I come back

Takeaways

Overall we enjoyed our lunch at Nagoya House. The ramen is good, the service is attentive and quick, and the portions are generous. Was it the best bowl of ramen I ever had? No. But this is more of a blue-collar bowl of ramen, economical and filling. A working man’s ramen. I left full and replenished with leftovers ready for tomorrow’s lunch. All of this for a little over $10 a bowl! This is a great value for what you get at the end of the day. Even if your mind is not blown by Nagoya House’s more utilitarian ramen, you will enjoy your food and the environment at an unbeatable price point.

The bottom line is you have options at Nagoya House. You choose where you sit, you choose what goes in your ramen, you choose your spice level - mild, HELL, or something in between - YOU DECIDE. You have options! I think this is a great addition to the Memphis ramen scene and I encourage you to stop by for this great deal on good ramen especially as cold weather moves into the area.