TB
Tonkotsu Bristol
Authentic Japanese Ramen Experience in the Heart of Bristol
4.8
Restaurant
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Authentic Japanese Ramen Experience in the Heart of Bristol
Tonkotsu Bristol offers an authentic and vibrant dining experience focused on delicious Japanese ramen and fresh handmade noodles. Located conveniently near the dockside, this bustling restaurant prides itself on its attentive service and a welcoming atmosphere. With rave reviews highlighting the outstanding food, friendly staff, and a diverse drinks menu featuring low and no-alcohol options, Tonkotsu Bristol is a must-visit for ramen enthusiasts and those seeking a delightful culinary journey.
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Freshly made noodles in rich broths like tonkotsu, shoyu, and spicy options, with toppings like Tokyo pork or crispy chicken.
Delicious starters including gyoza, katsu prawns, and crispy chicken karage, perfect for sharing or as a pre-meal treat.
Affordable set menus with starters and small ramen bowls, offering great value during midday hours.
Inclusive menu with vegan ramen and desserts, plus low-alcohol and non-alcoholic drink choices for all preferences.
Welcoming atmosphere for busy nights, ideal for groups, with quick service and a lively setting near Bristol's docks.
Overall rating
Fay
Fantastic food, amazing service (Josh was so helpful from tips for visiting Bristol to just making us feel so welcome) and the lunch deal was so good and filling. My friend was also able to make subs for ingredients without an issue.
Molly Hannam-Jefferies
Delicious ramen, with a lovely atmosphere. Thank you to Connor for being a very attentive host!
Daisy Bignell
Josh was absolutely incredible, so friendly and knowledgeable. Genuinely felt like such personal service, an absolute gem! Food was gorgeous as always, do you have a loyalty scheme at all? We absolutely love it and come back every other week or so! The vegetarian/ vegan ops are so vast and tasty. The best ramen bar in Bristol. Thank you again Josh!
Li Xie
Very disappointing experience due to poor and inconsiderate seating management. When we arrived, there were bench seats available, but we were told they were reserved for customers with children, so we accepted that and sat at a two-person table. Shortly after we ordered, another couple was seated directly next to us at an adjoining table — with effectively no space between the tables at all. We were not asked whether we were comfortable sharing such a tight space, which would be fine if nothing afterwards happened. To create a bit of basic personal room, we slightly separated the tables. We are a couple, they are a young couple, this is comfortable for all four us. The photo shows this clearly — the space on the left-hand side is the gap we created after moving the tables, while the space on the right-hand side shows the remaining distance to the next table. However, the waitress then came over multiple times during our meal asking us to move the table — even though there appeared to be sufficient space and other tables available in the restaurant. To be clear, if this had been mentioned once, it wouldn’t have been an issue. What made the experience frustrating was the repeated interruptions: - First, 5 mins after we separated the tables, we were told the other customers wouldn’t be able to get out, and if they need to come out we need to move our table, which we agreed if that's the case we would do so. - Then again after the customers on the right hand side had finished eating, before they even pay, she came to ask us to move it because "now customer can't get out". - Then again when new customers arrived, they came to ask us "to move again because they can't get in". And in fact, in all situations, we didn't even need to move anything. This made us feel unnecessarily managed throughout the meal. When we raised this politely before paying, the response we received was that “people don’t normally move tables” "this is not my resturant " and “we normally don’t have this problem.” This came across as poor communication and felt dismissive, as if we were being made to seem unreasonable and abnormal, rather than the situation being handled constructively. The issue is not about moving a table — it is about how the situation was handled. A simple check before seating another party so closely, or clearer and more considerate communication, would have completely avoided this.
Marc Thürmer
Absolutely one of the best ramen we ever had. Tonkotsu in Bristol was a real highlight for us. A special thank you to Josh for the extraordinary service; he was so friendly, attentive, and made us feel very welcome. Also, apologies for lowering the service charge — we’re from Germany and did not know this concept. Thank you again for such a great experience!
Alexandra Demetriades
Great service and food as usual 🩶
