Ramen restaurants have seen a surge in popularity over the past three years since the beginning of the pandemic, partly because noodles in steaming broth are comforting, and partly because the dish is something that easily can be packaged up and served to go.
The Los Angeles-based chain Jinya Ramen Bar has been a big beneficiary of this, having added 20 locations since the start of 2020 — which brings its total to 57 (many of these are franchised), and the company has said it will open another 25 stores in 2024.
On Aug. 23, the Japanese-style ramen bar will open a restaurant inside the Ameristar Casino in the gaming town of Black Hawk. It is Jinya’s second overall location in Colorado; the first, which opened in 2020, is at 1710 Wynkoop St. in Denver. Jinya has said that it is planning to open at least five Colorado locations in the next few years.
Jinya has earned a solid reputation for its food from online review sites and dining magazines across the country.
“This will truly be a unique experience for everyone involved as it will be the first time we open a restaurant inside a casino,” Jinya founder and CEO Tomo Takahashi said in a statement.
“Jinya has had great success in Denver, and was ready to expand their footprint in a new setting for the brand,” the company added via email.
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