Genki Bar & Restaurant in Essen

Delicious, authentic food and an exciting mix of Asian cuisines! We'll be back...

The food is sensational; the garlic chili noodles are among the best I've ever had in a dough-based dish. Add to that very friendly service, authentic cuisine, and perfectly balanced flavors. And of course, Japanese beer on tap. I'd gladly return and wholeheartedly recommend it.

As everyone knows, food is a matter of taste, and although I greatly appreciate Asian cuisine in almost all its variations, the dim sum at Genki Bar and Restaurant unfortunately didn't win me over. They seemed somewhat monotonous and rather bland, lacking in flavor. The only dipping sauce offered was a mixture of soy and oyster sauce, which added hardly any extra flavor to the dishes. I would have preferred something spicy to complement the dim sum. The menu appears somewhat confusing at first glance, which doesn't make choosing any easier. We had two contrasting experiences with the service: While one waitress was very attentive and friendly, offering advice on the menu and order combinations, another employee (perhaps due to a language barrier) seemed unmotivated. Overall, the service was adequate, but frankly, nothing more. After the dim sum, we ordered several main courses. Unfortunately, the same impression continued with two out of three of the main courses. The vegetarian chili noodles were highly recommended; they were very tasty. The beef we ordered separately (we were craving a meat dish) was unnecessary, however. The room temperature was also a drawback. It was uncomfortably warm. My conclusion: Genki offers high-quality ingredients, but the dishes are rather bland and monotonous. This is not what I'm used to from Asian cuisine (and I'm not talking about your average Chinese restaurant). Combined with mediocre service (which varied depending on the person) and an uncomfortably warm atmosphere, our group of four had a disappointing experience overall. We all agreed: we probably won't be returning. A shame.

A full 5 stars ⭐️ Both the food and the service were excellent. The service was very attentive and quick. The food was freshly prepared, and the pasta was handmade. The atmosphere is very cozy and relaxed; it's not too loud. Pleasant lighting completes the experience. We'll definitely be back.

A complete disaster. I should have read the reviews beforehand.

We stopped here spontaneously today. The restaurant is lovely, with a pleasant and cozy atmosphere. The service is just as good as the food, and we highly recommend it! We enjoyed our meal very much and will definitely be back.

The food was excellent. The vegan curry udon is highly recommended. The price/performance ratio is very good.

Lovely asian restaurant with good food and prices. The service was excellent. We took the menu for two and it turned out to be a great way to experience different flavors. Sorry to the staff, mixed up my number in German, ended up tipping way less than intended.

First, let me say the food is delicious. We live nearby, so we go to this restaurant often, probably almost ten times. The two most recent experiences were truly terrible. I'm at a loss for words; they left me feeling irritated and unbearable. The first time, I had just gotten off the train and was there with my friend. The outside was packed, so we went inside. There was only one small table and one for four. I worried my suitcase would get in the way of the food being served, so I asked if we could sit at the four-person table, as there was also a couple sitting at a four-person table. The waiter refused, saying we would be in the way of their customers. I can understand that this situation might cause problems with large groups, but can't they treat everyone equally? If so, then they should treat everyone equally, seating two people in two-person seats. I couldn't imagine they were really trying to make things difficult for me. I had a large bag and a large suitcase, and after waiting for a long time, no one was serving me. I became increasingly angry, and I just left. Today was my second visit. I went to the restaurant at 2:15 PM. I had just finished pouring water for my dog ​​when the same waitress, the one with glasses, came over to take my order. I said I needed to wait a bit longer, and she rudely told me we closed at 3:00 PM, her tone very impatient. I was already furious and speechless with this restaurant the previous time, and now they're at it again. "If you close at 3:00 PM, then I can't eat?" Why not just put up a sign saying you're closing early and not accepting customers? Why are you kicking people out even though they've already come in? I've always believed that regular and returning customers should be retained, not just because I've been there so many times that I'm easy to bully. You're just a waitress. Be fair and just in business. This is a Chinese restaurant, promoting good culture. Not all Chinese people are so rude and pro-Western. Put away that face and learn to treat people fairly and with principle.

We came here spontaneously because we like Asian food and were new to the place. We got a table without a reservation, but it was still quite early in the evening. The service was very friendly, and we were given recommendations on what to try, which we then ordered. We had homemade lemonade/iced tea, the dumpling variations, chicken, and mochi for dessert, as well as a dorayaki and a delicious sake. Everything (including the vegetarian options) tasted great, and the sake was one of the better ones (and the best) we've had so far. The quiet atmosphere and the beautiful, cozy decor make it a pleasant place to sit and enjoy your drink and food.

Superbly authentic Japanese cuisine. Wonderfully attentive and consistently friendly service. Despite limited capacity, we managed to get a great spot, and the food and drinks were delicious. Highly recommended. 10 out of 10!

Very tasty, highly recommended!

Quick preparation and incredibly delicious food! I highly recommend it!

I loved everything! Food, service, location.

Authentic and absolutely delicious! The noodles were perfect, and the dumplings were some of the best I’ve ever had. You can tell it’s the real deal, especially seeing so many people from the local Asian community eating here too. That’s always a great sign of quality and authenticity. Totally worth coming — I’ll definitely be back!

The food was delicious! I had the dim sum menu with the wonton soup as a starter, and I couldn't have made a better choice. The jasmine tea and yuzu lemonade were delicious with it.

Hidden Gem in Essen!!! I've lived in essen for 2 years now! And i can say this is one of the best restaurants for Asian food! We love it here!!! Food is amazing, good price, cocktails on point! And the staff is SUPER NICE, something not common here in Germany!

Delicious japanese and chinese dishes. we decided to skip mains and share dim sums, which were juicy and tasty, the skewers were tiny but delicious as well, espacially the marinated chicken thighs (sadly, they were gone before I could take a picture). Highly recommend you try this place!

Amazing food they have gluten free options and amazing staff

Very tasty and very friendly service!

Very tasty, especially the chili oil garlic noodles. Unfortunately, the noodles didn't arrive at the same time as the Maultaschen. But that's not a big deal.

Simply unbelievably good The food is fantastic and the service excellent

I was so craving dumplings. It wasn't easy to find a place that offered a variety and also had fried ones. I found them, and they tasted delicious. The set meal for two is not only affordable and filling, but also has a really nice range of options.

I've never tasted such good homemade tagliatelle pasta. Maybe I'll stop by again tomorrow...

Overall: excellent! The food was truly outstanding. The dim sum were filled with soup and were juicy. The dandan noodles had a well-rounded flavor. The meat skewers were well-seasoned and highly recommended. The enoki mushrooms were a bit oily, but that's how the dish should be. 😶‍🌫️ The service wasn't so impeccable, but it was very friendly. Thank you, and see you next time!

Super delicious! I ordered chicken skewers, mushroom skewers, and filled dumplings. Really good, and especially great for the price! I would order from here again anytime I'm in Essen. Unfortunately, I can't comment on the service or ambiance since I had it delivered to my home. But I'll definitely stop by in person ☺️

Excellent, delicious, attractive

My favorite restaurant!!! The food is always absolutely perfect and the service is always very friendly. The dumplings, especially the xiao long bao, are my highlight every time I visit. Unfortunately, some skewers are no longer available, like the bacon roll with enoki. The skewers are always incredibly delicious, and the other dishes are also very tasty. But the other new dishes are also very good. We drive over an hour especially because the food always really impresses us and it's simply something special there.

We had a selection of dumplings and probably the best dan dan noodles I've ever had. I'm used to thick sauce, but this dish tasted sooo much better! The young waitress was incredibly attentive and very nice! We'll be back!

A lovely little cozy restaurant, relatively off the beaten track, but in a good way. You can enjoy a comfortable meal there, and the service was very nice and friendly. The food arrived quickly and was incredibly delicious. I would definitely come back next time I'm in Essen ;)

I always enjoy coming here, whether with family, friends, or clients. Everyone has been absolutely thrilled. A tip for your first visit: Don't order the large dishes. Instead, order the many small dishes and share them with everyone.

Two of us were here, and the food was excellent. We'll be back.

Super nice service, great food, we'll be happy to come back

The food was delicious, and we didn't have to wait long for it. The service was friendly and quick, although we were almost the only ones there that day. I especially liked the meat skewers (yakitori), and my wife liked the dim sun dumplings. I highly recommend this restaurant to everyone.

My girlfriend and I had a very good experience here. We ordered the dumpling special for two. The dumplings were served on a platter and in a wooden steamer. In total, we received twenty different dumplings, ten per person. The fillings were innovative and interesting, although we clearly preferred the classic meat fillings. The purple rice served with it was also very tasty. We were both very full from the portion. We also enjoyed the oolong tea and the iced tea. I think the price we ultimately paid was quite fair. We also liked the ambiance. The restaurant is stylishly decorated and clean. The seating was comfortable, and we felt at ease. The restrooms were also clean. The service was friendly and quite prompt. We really enjoyed our visit to Genki Bar and look forward to returning soon.

A total insider tip! All authentic Chinese and Asian fusion dishes and fantastic service, who explained everything perfectly and had great recommendations for our group! The prices are actually quite reasonable for this quality – we'll be back! 🤩😋🤤

Very unassuming from the outside, but very nice inside. Very good food and ambiance.

Food is highly recommended, especially the homemade noodles in chili oil! Priced a little higher, but not overpriced. Service is super friendly and always good. Reservations required as it always fills up very quickly!

We left another place because we didn't like the service and decided to come here. Absolute hidden gem. All the food was great. Good, soft music, and nice decor. Xiao Long Bao - Steamed pork buns with a nice dipping sauce. Great flavor. Scallop & Glass Noodle dish - I don't remember the exact name! But it was great. My fiance actually picked this one, and the sauce was amazing. Tofu Soup - Good broth, comes with shrimp and sausage, black fungus, and bok choy. Dan Dan Noodles - highlight of the night! Ground beef, absolutely delicious handmade noodles, tasty peanut sauce broth, and bok choy. Good choice of alcohol too, with Suntory brand alcohol. I had a Chita on the rocks and Haku vodka, and the plum wine was great too. Good service and a nice convenient location. 5 stars.

We were there for the second time because we really liked the food. Very authentic hand-pulled noodles, delicious dimsum, friendly staff and a very pleasant atmosphere. We would love to come back and can only recommend 👍

What an absolute gem. We were looking for somewhere to eat in Essen and stumbled on this restaurant by accident. It's a Japanese restaurant but instead of serving sushi you can eat Japanese dishes in tapas style, you can also have a main course if you want. We had the tapas. Every dish was lovely but definitely try the homemade noodles with chilli and garlic, a tip of the waiter, who was really nice and very helpful. Really enjoyed it.

What an absolute gem. We were looking for somewhere to eat in Essen and stumbled on this restaurant by accident. It's a Japanese restaurant but instead of serving sushi you can eat Japanese dishes in tapas style, you can also have a main course if you want. We had the tapas. Every dish was lovely but definitely try the homemade noodles with chilli and garlic, a tip of the waiter, who was really nice and very helpful. Really enjoyed it.

I just had a late lunch here and it was excellent I had the Xiao Long Bao (pork dumpling) and then I think it was the Gedünstete Tofustreifen in Brühe which is pork and chicken with nuts in a sauce cooked in a wok with a sticky rice for a side. Not a fan of the sticky rice but its mild taste (very lightly and carefully seasoned) matched well with the very tasty sauce. The meat was cooked perfectly and it was delicious. The pork Bao was perfect, as was the sauce that goes with it. My total cost was 20.30EU which I considered to be excellent value for the type of restaurant, the quality of the food and the attentive service. My waitress spoke enough English to help me understand the menu and to feel properly looked after.

Very tasty homemade dim sum! The siu mai, jiaozi and xiaolongbao were outstanding – fresh, juicy and full of flavour. However, the glutinous rice balls with meat filling couldn't keep up as the meat filling was softer than expected - not my taste. The handmade noodles with chili oil were unfortunately very oily and had a rather one-sided taste, so it was just okay. But the highlight was definitely the dim sum! The restaurant has a stylish Asian interior and was hardly busy on Sunday evening at 5 p.m. - a reservation would not have been necessary. It filled up a bit later, but there were still plenty of seats available. The service was friendly and helpful, even if one of the employees didn't speak German very well and had to ask a colleague to answer questions about allergens. You can eat well here as a couple or in larger groups, as many dishes are perfect for sharing. Overall, a clear recommendation for dim sum lovers. 🥟

Small restaurant on a side street that differs from the ramen restaurant in Rüttenscheider by having a different menu. The service is friendly and the food tasted very good. The portions were also great and the prices were very fair. Even though we didn't have a reservation, we got a spot. The ambience is simple but sufficiently atmospheric. There are different types of sake that I unfortunately can't say anything about, but I absolutely recommend the homemade yuzu lemonade. I can definitely recommend a visit.

Very great and diverse food. Thank you very much for the incredibly great advice regarding the choice of food. The service at the table was great - compliments!!! We would definitely like to come back.

Exellent food! We enjoyed every dish we ordered. Secret gem in the heart of Essen

Very tasty food, great service, very nice. Unfortunately the store was a bit noisy and the smell was a bit unpleasant.

As nice as the waitress was, she was overwhelmed trying to serve everything in the restaurant alone. To be honest, I can't understand how it gets such a "good" rating of 4.1 stars. You had to wait a very long time for the beer (around 10 minutes) and when it came it tasted pretty stale, as if it had actually been ready for 10 minutes... The Rothaus from the bottle was the best. I had the gourmet platter, which included a small salad and a small pan with 3 slices of dumplings, spaetzle and a sliced ​​meat for €21, which simply didn't taste good. The meat was not seared and the sauce was gelatinous. You should perhaps concentrate on fewer dishes and then at least prepare them properly.

Ate here with some colleagues. They have a very handy menu, which made a difference because our international colleagues had a lot to translate. Nice operation. Helpful about whether the portions are enough. Everything was delicious. We'll come again!

Cute restaurant, the food was very tasty, the portions could just be a little larger for the price, especially for the tapas dishes. Service is friendly, although the organization needs to be improved in terms of serving the dishes so that everyone can eat at the same time.

Great love and friendly staff, great selection and good authentic food. All tapas and the main course were great. If you like delicious and fresh food, you've come to the right place!!

Excellent food, friendly service and ok decor. Highly recommendable

A cozy restaurant with great food! The dumplings - fried, steamed - are super delicious, the dough and fillings are homemade, fresh and creatively combined. We had the menu for 2, a good opportunity to try out several dishes and it was all delicious! The mulled wine was also interesting and very good, also creatively prepared. Thank you very much and we will be back!

The first impression was not good. It smelled very bad in the store. Apparently they currently have a burst pipe in the basement/drainage issues. It smelled like old flower water. The food was ok, but not a highlight. Among other things, miso cucumbers included cucumber sticks with miso paste (for around €4). I imagined more of a cucumber salad. The scallop only tasted like garlic. The octopus were tough. Too bad. However, the staff was very friendly and quick.

The food and service were great. The big but: it stank. After sewerage.

Very tasty vegan small dishes. Especially tofu roll with enoki mushrooms, herb mushrooms, fried dumplins with vegetables and edamame.

Great authentic Asian dishes. If you are looking for a good Asian restaurant you should make a reservation here!!

The so-called Dorayaki consists of opening the packaging and cutting it open. Can such a dessert be called a dessert?

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ A wonderful evening! The restaurant is simply but stylishly furnished and creates a great atmosphere. The food is served in tapas-like portions, which is perfect for trying lots of things. The scallops on glass noodles were particularly exquisite! The selection of Asian beers, gins, whiskeys and various sakes is also impressive - you can discover a lot of new things here. The owners were very helpful with the food selection and made us feel very welcome. We would definitely like to come back!

Today we ate in the Genki Bar for the first time. I found it absolutely delicious, as I have never eaten Asian food before. The selection was varied and very plentiful. I decided on a menu that contained different things. Everything was fresh and tasty and beautifully presented. Everything was right 👍, and I would eat here again at any time.

Very friendly staff and delicious food. Unfortunately, the sweet bun with vanilla cream wasn't creamy like last time. Instead we got mochi ice cream. Thank you dear Genki Bar team.

Very tasty food, very friendly service, gladly again :)

I have rarely seen a restaurant that strives to provide such authentic and honest Japanese/Chinese cuisine. There's a lot more on offer here than you usually get on the table in Germany. The Dim Sims are some of the best I've ever had. All of this at - in my opinion - reasonable prices.

Excellent Asian tapas style place with some really fantastic dishes

Rice bowl good. Dan-Dan noodles bad because they were overcooked and too greasy.

Friendly, quick service. 1a food. Great wooden floors and open beam ceilings. Few bells and whistles. Reservation recommended. Some people had to be turned away.

Wir haben uns die Essener Innenstadt am Abend angeschaut und dieses kleine feine Restaurant entdeckt. Hier konnten wir nicht einfach vorbeigehen, denn die Gerichte auf den Tischen sehen sehr authentisch aus. Es sind vor allem kleine Speisen, die man von Dim Sum Lokalen kennt in vielen Variationen. Mit Fleisch, vegetarisch oder vegan. Dazu hervorragenden kalten Sake.

After walking around for a while we ended up at the Genki bar and restaurant. The restaurant is simply furnished. A friendly waitress brings you the menu and drinks. The selection on the menu is large. We chose the menu for 2 people and a few dishes from the menu. but what a surprise, I didn't expect it to be so good and tasty. The pork belly in particular is one of my favorites tonight!!! For us, a restaurant that we will remember when we come back to Essen

Most authentic Chinese in Bochum! The appetizers and pasta were really delicious! The Genki Burgers, on the other hand, were unfortunately disappointing. Trying it out is still an absolute must!

Super delicious food and super good service. I'm already looking forward to the next time.

Friendly service. You can sit outside quite nicely. In particular, the handmade noodles here are beautifully thin.

Super nice staff, great service and the food is top notch! Ambiance, it is very cozy but not too small. The waiter explained the menu to us very well and so it was easier for us to decide what we wanted to eat. Price performance is great! We are only disappointed about one thing, and that is that the store is not represented anywhere in Northern Germany. Otherwise it would become local to our tribe. Keep it up and maybe you'll get to the north after all.

Food wasn't tasty like it used to be. Had been there many times. Travel bowl had been like an appetizer. I had to order a noodle soup even though I ordered an appetizer. Then the waitress said that the portion was so small (main course), she said yes, that's just the way it is, inflation etc.

2 stars for the food because the frozen karage tasted best. I remembered this restaurant well. I've been here a lot and the staff has changed completely, as has the chef. The main courses are more like side dishes and the taste has diminished significantly. If the owner wants to drive his shop into the wall then congratulations, you're on the right track. The good reviews show that you can serve customers anything, but unfortunately not the truth. Very very disappointing.

As soon as you enter, you feel transported elsewhere. The young waitress who welcomed us was really very kind and gave very good advice in perfect English. Everything we ordered from starter to dessert was excellent with very fine flavors. We also ordered a sake cocktail which was very good and surprising. We highly recommend without restrictions.

Excellent cuisine, sustainable concept, somewhat unpleasant waiter, nice waitress, cozy atmosphere, recommended

Very tasty dishes and highly recommended. The furnishings are minimalistic, I would like a little more order in the counter area.

We have eaten here several times and have never been disappointed, the food and service are great. The atmosphere is casual but cozy. In our experience, it is advisable to reserve in advance during peak times. We would love to come back and look forward to our next visit.

Could not recommend this restaurant more. Outstanding service and food.

Lowkey spot with really really good Tapas! Definitely recommend trying it all

The food and drinks are very, very tasty! Service is friendly and the atmosphere is cozy both inside and outside. The price-performance ratio is also great. We would love to come back!😊

Incredibly friendly, great food

The restaurant is a bit spartan and cramped so that you sit close to the next table and have hardly any room to move. The service staff is very friendly and happy to advise on quantity (around 3-4 tapas are a main meal) and selection from the menu. Despite the many guests, the food came quickly and all the tapas at the same time. The tapas taste great, my favorites are the xiao long bao and the herb mushrooms.

Inconspicuous exterior but excellent food & friendly service. The price-performance ratio is also unbeatable. A must for all Asian food lovers.

Absolutely recommended! This is the fifth time I've been there and every time I find something new on the menu! It's fun to wash your way through and it's absolutely authentic, I've actually only eaten better in Japan 🇯🇵. Always nice service! And yes I will hang again!

Very tasty, very friendly, it couldn't be better.

Very tasty, several people tried the dumplings. Nice and fast service.

Just wanted to grab dinner while on a business trip and this place totally surprised me. Great food, fair prices and a great range of items on the menu. And the City Pop was the cherry on top. Best Izakaya-style place I’ve been to in Germany.

Very, very tasty Asian “tapas” await you here! The menu is explained to you right at the beginning, and you immediately notice: the service is great. This continues throughout the entire evening, attentive and quick, friendly and helpful - those are the right words. The food: we have absolutely delicious little things on the table. My absolute favorite: tofu skin with enoki mushrooms. As I said, it's more like tapas than whole dishes so you can try out lots of little things. And there are quite a few of them! The selection of drinks was also interesting, my highlight was a warm black sesame latte. I look forward to our next visit! Btw.: Dogs are welcome guests!

Well, according to the recessions, we expected a lot more - sorry...

The Genki Bar invites you to linger with an elegant, minimalist ambience. A variety of Chinese and Japanese tapas, such as delicious grilled skewers, homemade dumplings and fried snacks can be sampled here. But you can also find lovingly prepared noodle and rice bowls with various toppings, including vegetarian and vegan ones, for those who are really hungry. The service will also be happy to advise you on your choice of food. The prices are appropriate according to the quality. In the meantime, however, the Genki is busy, which is why a reservation is recommended. I'd love to come here more often :)

The soup with beef and homemade noodles was very good. There are also many small appetizers here, you have to try them out. The waitress was very nice and explained the menu. Absolutely fair value for money, you'll be happy to come back. The ambience is modern and absolutely fits.

Very good food, nice atmosphere and interior design, fair prices

Heerlijk Japans gegeten. Vriendelijke bediening

Wirklich eine traumhafte Erfahrung in der Genki Bar in Essen!! 🍱 Wir kommen tatsächlich das dritte Jahr in Folge her und sind nur aus Zufall auf dieses wunderbare Restaurant gestoßen. Der Service hat uns ab der ersten Minute voll und Ganz überzeugt. Das Ambiente, die Mitarbeiterinnen und Mitarbeiter, die Qualität das Essen…. 6 von 5 Sternen. Hier fühlt man sich einfach sehr gut aufgehoben! Ich freue mich schon jetzt in 12 Monaten wieder hier zu sein (wir wohnen ca. 400km entfernt) und diese geniale Erfahrung wieder zu erleben. Hier hat man das Gefühl einfach mal aus dem Alltag entfliehen zu können.

Leckeres Essen und Getränke in angenehmer Atmosphäre. Eine etwas größere Auswahl an Ramen wäre schön.

Super Sache. Ähnelt dem Mama San...nur kleiner. Schlicht und edel. Edamame und Spieße waren toll. Bei den Nachbartischen haben wir schon mal die nächsten Gerichte gesichtet...wir kommen wieder. Eine schöne Bereicherung in der Innenstadt...im alten Seitenblick.

Essen und Service sind super. Die Qualität der Speisen ist den Preisen nach angemessenen und schmecken lecker. Der Service ist aufmerksam und kann Fragen zu Speisen und Getränken sehr gut beantworten. Es stehen verschiedene Sake zur Auswahl- was mich persönlich besonders freut. Das Ambiente ist ein wenig schnöde, die Einrichtung gibt nicht viel her. Ich war mehrfach dort und werde auch bald wieder hingehen!

Interessante Gerichte und sehr lecker