Ichiran Ramen Chain Opens a Times Square Restaurant Next Week | Eater NY

"Opening next week, Ichiran will unveil its biggest NYC location yet near Times Square at 152 West 49th St., between Sixth and Seventh avenues; I learned the two-level restaurant has room for more than 100 diners, with the first floor (65 seats) opening Thursday, March 28 and the lower level (38 seats) slated to open in April. Tonkotsu ramen remains the primary dish, customizable by richness and other factors, and the ramen has already ranked among the better tonkotsu options in pork-broth–obsessed New York — The Times gave Ichiran one star for its “rounded and substantial” broth. Like other outposts, this location features the chain’s eclectic solo dining booths with wooden dividers that can be folded so multiple people can eat together; consistent with founder Manabu Yoshitomi’s original pitch, servers are summoned by a button to minimize conversation, and beeps, dings, and lights make the experience feel almost like eating inside a ramen video game. Ichiran, which has 75 locations in Asia, made its U.S. debut in Bushwick in 2016 (where a 200-person line greeted it) and operates a noodle factory there to expand locally without shipping noodles; there’s also a Midtown location on 31st Street. I updated this post with different seating information provided by a restaurant spokesperson." - Serena Dai