When you think of ramen noodles, you’re probably picturing a 25-cent block of hard noodles encapsulated within a crinkly plastic bag, complete with powdered flavoring and microwave instructions.

You may be surprised to hear that ramen is actually a traditional dish originating from Japan. Traditional-style ramen restaurants have been popping up all over the country, though the Midwest has only seen this trend developing in the last few years.

Jinya Ramen Bar is a new ramen spot located at 70th and Dodge St. It serves a huge variety of different ramen dishes, with an easily customizable menu to get exactly the right meal.

Prices at Jinya are a bit higher than the typical fast-casual restaurant, but the food comes in very generous portions. Ramen is typically a more expensive dish, and Jinya delivers overall great value for its price. A bowl of ramen ranges from about $12 to $16 plus tip.

The atmosphere of Jinya Ramen Bar is definitely not lacking. Right when you walk in the door, the entire staff calls out a friendly Japanese greeting, which immediately creates a warm and welcoming environment. The restaurant’s manager even came out with our food to explain each dish and how to properly enjoy each bowl of ramen.

The interior contains lots of modern decorations and fixtures, with dim lighting and many longer community-style tables, as well as an open kitchen where one can watch the chefs at work.

All of this contributes to a definitively more upscale setting- eating at Jinya will never feel like a fast food dining experience.

Although ramen is in the restaurant’s name, Jinya’s menu is surprisingly diverse; They serve everything from poke bowls to mini tacos.

Jinya’s signature appetizer is called the Jinya Bun: a BBQ pork bun complete with original Jinya sauce and mixed greens. The pork was perfectly cooked, and the bun contained great flavor, but at $4.50 for just a couple bites of food, it seemed to be a little overpriced.

As for the main event, the ramen, Jinya gets an all-around positive review. I went with some friends, and each one of our dishes had intense flavors, large portions, and a vast variety of different veggies and toppings mixed into the noodles.

The Sprouting Up ramen was a standout dish, as it had the best combination of mix-ins such as sprouts, green onions, egg, and brussel sprouts, along with an amazing pork broth.

The Spicy Umami Miso Ramen and Wonton Chicken Ramen were also both chock-full of tastiness. The Spicy Umami has spicy ground pork throughout the dish, while the Wonton Chicken has classic wontons floating within a bowl of chicken broth that was surprisingly even better than more typical pork or beef broth.

Jinya offers a multitude of spicier ramen options, but none are too hot to handle, even for the least adventurous foodies out there. It may even pay off for Jinya to create a new spicier dish that really packs the heat, for those looking for a more taste-bud searing meal. .

Overall, Jinya Ramen Bar delivers on delicious food, a sophisticated atmosphere, and amazing personalized service. While prices are sometimes a bit high, and they could add a spicier dish, Jinya is definitely worth it to try next time you’re looking for a new go-to Omaha restaurant.