KC Craft Ramen

KC Craft Ramen is a from-scratch Japanese ramen shop near 119th & Metcalf in Overland Park, Kansas, opened in June 2023 by Kenichi and Akiko Ota with longtime friend Hiroyuki Kawashima. The trio makes its noodles and bone broth in house, and the small storefront has drawn near-constant lines since opening.¹²

Description

KC Craft Ramen serves traditional Japanese ramen alongside handmade dumplings and Japanese-style fried chicken (karaage). Everything is made from scratch, including the noodles and the broth, the latter achieving its rich umami depth through hours of simmering pork and chicken bones.¹² Menu staples reviewers single out include tonkotsu, spicy miso, and black garlic ramen.³ The shop does not take reservations and almost always has a line, which moves quickly; a small retail nook at the front sells Japanese candy and merchandise.¹ The room leans into a cozy, anime-friendly atmosphere with live plants and string lights.³

Ownership and history

KC Craft Ramen was opened in June 2023 by married couple Kenichi and Akiko Ota together with their longtime friend Hiroyuki Kawashima.¹² The three had previously helped launch and operate ramen restaurants across the country before relocating to Kansas City to open a place of their own.² Owner Kenichi Ota has described his motivation as showing local diners the breadth of the dish: “Ramen is very unique food, unlimited style with the ramen flavor, more than 100, more than 1,000 styles of ramen.”² The restaurant occupies a storefront near 119th Street and Metcalf Avenue in Overland Park and has become a gathering hub for the local Asian community, hosting popup events with ramen chefs flown in from Japan.²

Links

• Official site: https://kccraftramen.com/
• Visit Overland Park listing: https://www.visitoverlandpark.com/listing/kc-craft-ramen/1893/

Sources

Disputes

None.

Footnotes

1. Visit Overland Park — KC Craft Ramen listing. https://www.visitoverlandpark.com/listing/kc-craft-ramen/1893/ — asserts: name, address (6830 W 119th St, Overland Park, KS 66209), scratch noodles/broth, gyoza/karaage menu, no reservations, retail merchandise, operating hours, currently open. ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴

2. KCUR / Up To Date — “KC Craft Ramen in Overland Park, Kansas, already has lines out the door” (March 10, 2024). https://www.kcur.org/podcast/up-to-date/2024-03-10/kc-craft-ramen-brings-a-taste-of-japan-to-overland-park-kansas-and-kansas-city-metro — asserts: owners Kenichi & Akiko Ota with Hiroyuki Kawashima, opened June 2023, prior ramen experience nationally, relocated to KC, scratch pork-and-chicken-bone broth, 119th & Metcalf location, owner quote, Japan-chef popups. ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶

3. Yelp — KC Craft Ramen, Overland Park (updated May 2026, 340+ reviews). https://www.yelp.com/biz/kc-craft-ramen-overland-park — asserts: currently open with 2026 reviews, signature ramen styles (tonkotsu/spicy miso/black garlic), atmosphere details, active dine-in service. ↩ ↩²