Ichiran

They'll take your order using a QR code and call you to the restaurant when it's your turn. You place your order at the vending machine, mark the ingredients on the order slip, and receive your meal. It's a delicious and filling meal, including pork, broth, and eggs. It's quite good and worth returning for.

If you’re someone who just wants to focus on enjoying a seriously delicious bowl of ramen without the usual small talk, Ichiran is perfect. The private booth setup is brilliant—you can customize your ramen exactly how you like it (broth richness, noodle texture, spice level, etc.), submit your order, and your food arrives quickly with minimal interaction. The service is fast and pleasant, and the whole experience feels smooth and intentional. Most importantly, the ramen is rich, flavorful, and totally satisfying. A great spot if you’re craving good noodles and some solo time

Tasty ramen for when you need a very early morning breakfast on a long layover in Tokyo before the stores open on a Sunday morning. Open 24 hours! Buy a ticket at the entrance then find a seat and start slurping!

you can never go wrong with ichiran :) if you've never been here they serve a lovely bowl of tonkotsu ramen. you can freely customise your bowl (noodle thickness, broth flavour level etc) to your liking, plus add any toppings that you'd like. you pay beforehand and hand the ticket and noodle preference sheet to the staff when you get shown to your seat. it's a really delicious and hearty bowl of ramen with a lovely balance of flavour and for me, ideal portions. the basic bowl (first picture) has ramen and 2 pieces of chashu, but you can add more noodles (kaedama), extra chashu etc. my boyfriend ordered some stewed pork (second picture) which i got to try too - it was really nice and rich, and had this barbecued flavour almost :> even though they operate 24h a day there is still a wait, but it's not an issue since you can get a ticket first, continue walking and enjoying shibuya and come back when it's your turn to go into the store. we waited for about an hour from 5pm to 6pm on a saturday which is perfectly reasonable imo, since it's such a popular tourist destination. definitely do visit! 🫡

I recently stopped by Ichiran Shibuya, and it was exactly what I needed: simple, comforting, and absolutely delicious. I ordered their signature tonkotsu ramen, and it did not disappoint. The broth was rich and creamy with that perfect depth of pork flavor that only Ichiran seems to get exactly right. The noodles were cooked just to the right firmness, and the fresh toppings balanced the richness beautifully. You can customize everything to your liking – from the spice level to the richness of the broth – which really makes the experience feel personal. I paired the ramen with an Asahi Super Dry, which was crisp and refreshing alongside the savory, umami-packed broth. It’s a combination I’d recommend to anyone. The individual booths create a unique and focused dining atmosphere, letting you really savor the meal without distractions. Even though it’s a popular spot and often busy, the service was fast and efficient. If you’re in Shibuya and craving authentic tonkotsu ramen, Ichiran is absolutely worth a visit. I’ll definitely be back!

The famous Ichiran ramen joint - we finally got to try it out in Shibuya, Japan and it definitely did not disappoint. The pork was nice and tender and the noodle texture was exactly how I liked to have it - not too hard and not too soft. Broth was a tad too strong for me and I felt it was quite heavy by the end of the meal. We came here around 8pm and the line was still very long. It moved relatively quickly and we ended up waiting 30 minutes. Once you’re inside - you fill out an order sheet to build your own ramen to your liking. You then get seated in individual booths where they serve you without actually seeing you. Meals came out pretty fast too - definitely one to try if you’re in Japan!

Must try in Japan!!! This was my first meal here and I was very pleased. It’s open 24/7 and it’s great for introverts. You sit by yourself and you don’t have to talk at all to the staff. Ordering was easy as a foreigner and there’s a cold water tap at your seat. The food was amazing!

a lot of people will say it’s overrated and not worth the wait, but if you can afford the 50 minute wait it’s worth every second. Get firm noodles a soft boiled egg and rich broth

During my Japan trip, I think I visited this Ichiran ramen shop like a total of 4-5 times LOL. It's open late and super convenient. If you go later at night (after drinking/clubbing) you can avoid the long wait time! Also, I loved the seating arrangement, it allows you to be full introvert and dine by yourself, or you can (ask for help) to take down the borders so you can eat and chat with your friends/other diners. * Tonkatsu Ramen - 5/5 stars. You can customize your bowl to your preference for toppings, noodle texture, broth flavor/richness, or spiciness. I opted for spicy, firm noodles and more richness and I enjoyed it a lot.

Wow, the hype is really real. I went during July -- very humid -- but that didn't stop me from stopping in for the viral ramen. It really is so delicious and worth the wait. If you're in a party of more than 2, expect to not be seated together, but know that it doesn't take away from the experience. You're able to tailor your ramen to how you want it. If you want the broth rich, noodles medium, extra egg, extra onions? You got it! There was a little wait but, it's perfection in every sense of the word!

I've had Ichiran during my visits to New York but never in Japan so I had to check it out. There are multiple locations throughout Japan and this location open 24/7 near the Shibuya Scramble Crossing. Note that the prices are a little higher from 10pm-6am. You order and pay at the vending machine and get a ticket with your order. Then you wait in line until there are open seats for your party. While you wait you get a slip from the worker to specify your ramen bowl preferences such as spice level, noodle doneness, green onions, chashu, garlic, and broth richness. It's cool that you can actually see the tables and the statuses of each seat on the wall. They only have a tonkotsu broth option but they have a couple different add-ons. I ordered the tonkotsu ramen with egg and extra slices of chashu and the broth was so creamy and flavorful. The chashu was so tender with no dry parts. It was not too fatty but just enough. Out of all the ramen I had on our trip Ichiran was definitely our favorite. We even got some of their packaged ramen which is available at stores all over Japan. The unique thing about Ichiran is that the seats are single stalls. You can go by yourself and you don't need to talk to anyone if you don't want to. You give the slip and ticket to the worker, they bring it to you, then close the blinds so you can eat in peace. Then when you're done, you just leave with delicious ramen in your stomach.

Ichiran is such a staple in Tokyo and this store in Shibuya may be one of the busiest. The day I visited they had a qr code mobile waitlist to join and we waited about 20 min before we could join the physical line. All in all, we waited about 40 min around lunchtime before we got seated. Ordering is easy via kiosk (cash only) and then you mark what you want on a paper menu (you can choose noodle thickness, level of salt, etc.). The true star of an Ichiran bowl of ramen is the broth which is super rich with a great pork flavor and the noodle texture is perfect to complement the broth and chashu. It always hits the spot and is a go-to whenever I'm in Japan. There are individual private stalls to sit at so even if you go with a group, you'll be eating by yourself and people rarely speak. This does help the tables turn over faster as ramen is meant to be eaten quickly.

Phenomenal ramen, creamy soup base, just right spice, firmness of the noodle, egg is perfectly cooked. Love that we just order from the machine, if we want more meat, we can pay more for it at the machine. There was a worker next to the machine in case someone had any questions; however, there's pictures so it's pretty easy to navigate. After you fill in what you like on the piece of paper, the food comes fairly quick. Definitely recommend if you are looking for some delicious reman.

MY FAVORITE RAMEN EVERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRrrRrRrRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRrrRrRrRRRRrrrrrrrrr!!!! This is a death bed meal for me. In Japan 10 days and had this 3 times. Would've had it 5 more times if my friends had been agreeable. Obsessed is an understatement. I'm salivating just thinking about it right now. FUCK. If there is a wait it's worth it. WAIT FOR THE RAMEN Get an extra egg, extra rich, extra strong, medium-strong spice, and FIRM noodles. Boofable.

Ichiran is a ramen chain and it is delicious. The one in Shibuya is understandably busy, but you can put your name in and walk around Shibuya while you wait. There's plenty to see in the area! We had to wait an hour, but we arrived back at the restaurant at the time indicated and made it in. You order all your food from a touch screen and it prints out food tickets. Once you sit down you just slide your ticket in the cubby and the server will quickly prep and serve your food. Despite being a chain, the ramen and broth are spectacular, better than anything I've had in the US. You can get a noodle refill easily! I also had to try the green tea pudding for dessert, and it was delicious and photogenic. I've been to Ichiran twice and would definitely recommend it anytime visiting Japan.

I am so glad I chose to come here for my first ramen experience in Tokyo despite the long wait. I randomly Yelped this place when I was around the area and it had promising reviews so I got a taxi here on a whim. When I got there the employee outside told me it would be about 1.5 hr wait, so I decided to check-in and received a wait number. Once it got closer to my time, I came back and found out they stopped taking in check-ins so thank goodness I came when I did! My friend and I got inside and there was another small line to get seated. Prior to being seated, there was a machine to take your order where you are able to customize your ramen with how you want your broth and noodles. I also ordered matcha almond pudding for dessert. There are individual private stalls where the chef brings out your bowl and close the curtain. What an introvert's dream!! There are also these little wooden signs that you can leave behind or give to the chef written in English in case there's a language barrier. I appreciate all the details and thought put forth in this. The ramen was amazing!! Noodle texture and thickness was perfect, and I loved the creaminess of the broth. Highly recommend and trust it's worth the wait!

Ichiran is a ramen chain and it is delicious. The one in Shibuya is understandably busy, but you can put your name in and walk around Shibuya while you wait. There's plenty to see in the area! We had to wait an hour, but we arrived back at the restaurant at the time indicated and made it in. I am so glad I chose to come here for my first ramen experience in Tokyo despite the long wait. I randomly Yelped this place when I was around the area and it had promising reviews so I got a taxi here on a whim. When I got there the employee outside told me it would be about 1.5 hr wait, so I decided to check-in and received a wait number. Once it got closer to my time, I came back and found out they stopped taking in check-ins so thank goodness I came when I did! My friend and I got inside and there was another small line to get seated. Prior to being seated, there was a machine to take your order where you are able to customize your ramen with how you want your broth and noodles. I also ordered matcha almond pudding for dessert. There are individual private stalls where the chef brings out your bowl and close the curtain. What an introvert's dream!! There are also these little wooden signs that you can leave behind or give to the chef written in English in case there's a language barrier. I appreciate all the details and thought put forth in this. The ramen was amazing!! Noodle texture and thickness was perfect, and I loved the creaminess of the broth. Highly recommend and trust it's worth the wait! and i loved the ambiance.

Been to a few Ichiran in Osaka, Tokyo, and back home in Brooklyn, and while I think their ramen is superb, I always wonder if it's worth the perennial 90min wait. Ichiran has 3 rows of 11 individual stalls underground, meaning it serves 33 people at once. Try to refrain from talking or making too much noise; ramen is meant to be eaten quickly and quietly by busy salarymen who want to eat in peace. It's why you get your own booth, shade, and 4 different tablets to indicate a common statement or question (one of which is "it's too noisy") to your server without needing to talk to them. I'm saying this because we had a family with an endlessly screaming baby and a child who wouldn't stop talking in our stall row. Anyway, highly recommend the base tonkotsu bowl with matcha pudding. Prices are very fair and it's a unique experience to eat in your own stall.

I think Ichiran will be better than any ramen you can find at least in the United States, but falls short of the other local, cash only joints with the old school vending machines out front. This location in Shibuya is open 24 hours and I was surprised to find that there was no wait on a Saturday morning around 11 AM. They've got the signature booths so you can eat without talking to anyone, but as this location likely caters a bit more towards tourists so they've got plenty of English on everything as well as collapsible walls between booths if you would like to share a bowl / converse with your friends. I tried the classic Tonkotsu and while I quite enjoyed the super fatty, savory broth, I was pretty unimpressed by their char siu. We got some extra on the side that was ice cold and a bit tough. I personally love a chewy noodle with some bounce, so I opted for the firm noodles, but the texture was equivalent to the standard noodle elsewhere; aka I'd recommend leveling up whatever your preferred noodle texture.

I was pleasantly surprised to learn that Ichiran is not overhyped! This was one of the best bowls of ramen I had in Tokyo, everything is customized to your taste, and the overall interaction with staff is limited but they are very willing to assist. The Shibuya location has a significantly longer wait than other locations. I waited 70 minutes but they allow you to join a virtual waitlist and come back with your spot is open. There is a PARCO mall close by that can help you kill the time!

Ok, great place to start if you're coming to Japan for the first time. Come in, order and take your ticket and sit down. Give them your ticket and they take care of the rest. We landed super late and got to our hotel late at night. Thankfully this place is open 24/7. My jet lag was destroying me and I couldn't go to bed. So we came here to try it. No line probably cause it was late and it was raining. I definitely would get the egg and side meat. So good!

Sorry, I didn't like this ramen very much at all. It was kind of sweet which I don't like. The atmosphere was unique. And the servers were great. The door people were especially friendly. I understand this is a popular place, but it wasn't my kind of ramen. The wait was very long outside and inside, even! Despite all that, it was my first meal in Japan and it was a fun experience. But I didn't like the food.

My experience here was awesome! Ordered large bowl of ramen and a tea and couldn't have been more satisfied. Service was great! Ambiance was quiet and relaxing. An introvert's paradise. Wait time was 40 mins which was a little long but worth it. Definitely would go back.

Food: 4.2/5 - My favourite ramen in all of Japan! A cool 24 hour spot with a very unique vibe and flavours of ramen. First, keep in mind that I'm not a ramen guy. I like it but don't love it. However, while I was here this was my favourite ramen for sure, I went multiple times. I tried the medium and hard noodles.... Everything was good, nothing significantly better than the other... really just depends on the toppings you like in your ramen! Service: 5/5 - of course always efficient and friendly for Japan! English menus as well :) Ambiance: 5/5 Really cool unique self booth style; you order at a machine and fill out the options you want, then you get seated into an individual booth, kind of like the one you seen in an anime!

Worth every minute of the 30 minute wait. They do one thing here and they do it perfectly. Best tonkatsu ramen ever

This is my husband's favorite Ramen spot in Shibuya and I agree that it's got some good ramen. There's usually a line - someone says when there's a line that's a good sign - and I've found the wait times to be pretty accurate. You wait upstairs, then wait a little when you get downstairs, then order at a vending machine type thing - there's various customizations on pork Ramen - then wait a little more after you order to be seated. Then maybe a little longer after you're seated. But once you get that steaming bowl of well seasoned Ramen, you'll (probably) forget all that waiting as you begin to experience a delicious, well seasoned, piping hot bowl. Everything is custo.izable, from the texture of the noodles to how much garlic you get and the spice level. I'm a medium everything, but discovered I prefer my noodles soft. Now, I'm a broth person, that's my favorite thing about Ramen. My husband is all about the noodles. Both of us leave satisfied when we're finished eating at Ichiran.

Such a fun experience at Ichiran in Tokyo! You order from a vending machine when you walk in, and then get seated in your own little booth. The ramen is served through a small window, so it's all about the food and your own space. Definitely a cool spot to check out if you're a ramen fan! There are a couple spots around Tokyo.

JUST AMAZING! When in Japan, you must MUST try Ichiran. I mean to get to experience this in real life other than watching someone on youtube experience is another lever of happiness. There is really nothing to compare how good ramen in Japan is. I was so blown away.

Found ourselves in Shabuya recently and we were all hungry. A friend had it on his bucket list to try this ramen place. This place is in the heart of Shabuya so there's going to be a wait for sure. Anyway, not the longest wait (we waited extra because the three of us wanted to sit next to each other). You order your food while you're still in line and then give the ticket to the chef - a tiny window opens up in front of you when you sit down. They take the ticket and disappear and a while later the little window (actually some bamboo blinds) opens up and your stuff appears magically. Just a great meal. Quality ramen and accessories. We will be back.

staff is very friendly and wait time is very quick. this place is very very hyped up and for good reason. so simple yet so yummy and honestly was some of our favorite ramen in japan. love that the ramen is fully customizable and is a great price.

This was the first ramen place I went to in Japan. IT WAS SO DELICIOUS! The line was really long so if you want to eat here, I would recommend making time in case you have to wait a long time. They prepared the ramen really fast and the soup was so delicious! I ordered an egg with my ramen, which made a big difference :) The experience was really cool too because I ate by myself in a little booth that was sectioned off from everyone else. This allowed me to focus on my food and really enjoy it. Would recommend!

I'm too fond of Ramen but since I was in Japan I had to try it ! Plus my daughter loves it !

Our first meal in Tokyo and decided to get...RAMEN! I found this place on Yelp. At the time I didn't know it was a chain but regardless, the place delivered all our needs. I don't remember the name of my order but it was ramen. Not sure what broth I got but it was all delicious. The noodles were perfect! The broth was savory. The staff was great. When you enter, you order from the kiosk and give you number to the staff when you sit down. You get your own person space when eating but it also has an area where you can slide the wall down. You can place your order on the paper which is customizable. I'd come again! We had a great meal here.

I do not understand why this place has a line, if you are in Japan there are literally 1000s of different mom and pop shops. Do not wait for a chain. You can come here at late nights, that's when I would go. Unique dining style for introverts. It's alright, typical tonkotsu broth. Thin noodles. Not worth the wait.

Overrated, all hype. Waited an hour to order and eat. I had better ramen at ippudo unfortunately. I was hungover as shit and needed something to bring me back to life, this wasn't it yall, i left feeling nauseated and had to get back to my flat. Maybe i had to make changes on the ingredients. I did medium on everything and the broth wasn't slapping at all, i need my soup piping hot not no lukewarm shit. Cmon now

Good ramen, best out of two places we tried while in Tokyo. Service is simple and it is a ticket system. Order what you want via a kiosk and when your turn comes they take your ticket and provide you a simple space to sit in. No tables that I saw but may be available for a larger group? Line could be long but things do move along.

Small restaurant with individual seating. You can adjust the ramen to your liking. I liked the broth and noodles, really all of it. The service was very quick too. I would definitely come back.

Looove Ichiran! The noodles are thin and the broth is delicious. Totally a Japan specialty and it's quick too. Sometimes the line is long.. but totally worth it. Fair warning the stairs are steep but do-able. Love that you have your own individual spot and especially the personal water station dispenser at your seat.. whaaat? So good. If you forget to get something when you first get your ticket order, you can add things at your booth/seat. Such an overall cool experience. Walking distance from shibuya crossing. Totally worth it.

My husband and I stopped by Ichiran Ramen around 11am on a Tuesday, and the place already had a 50 minute queue out the door. The wait actually seemed quicker than that, and we really waited around 30 minutes to get seated. Prior to our trip to Japan, Ichiran Ramen constantly showed up as a place to try. We wanted the whole experience of ordering our ramen through a machine, communicating with our servers through a slotted screen window, and eating in an individually partitioned seat. Additionally, I was interested in customizing my ramen, which you get to do once seated. I'm not a pork eater, so this was one of the few ramen places where I could ask without chashu slices. I got a classic Ichiran ramen without chashu. Funny thing was that I did end up getting 2 slices of chashu, which I just passed along to my husband. Other than that minor slip up, I thought the ramen was great especially for a chain.

Came to the Ichiran Shibuya's shop on our first night in Japan/Tokyo because we knew it was open 24 hours. Even at ~8/9pm, there was a bit of a wait as the line was up the stairs partially, but moved quickly. Order first from a kiosk that now has "English" language option and can pay by credit card! Then you fill out the form for customizing your ramen order and wait for the server to ask how many are your party and seat you at the individual booth style stools and window seats. I actually enjoyed Ichiran more this time than my first time in Osaka Dotonbori area years ago. The broth wasn't as salty this time, it was perfect - creamy tonkotsu broth, ramen cooked perfectly. The experience here makes it so that you're in-and-out rather quickly with little interaction with servers & staff. They have individual water pumps at each seat and even little placards you can put if you think it's too noisy, etc. (which my husband and I found rather amusing). Really can't go wrong with Ichiran Ramen, especially if you love Tonkotsu (pork bone broth) Ramen!

Icihiran is the go to for ramen. It's just a solid broth and great chewy noodles. You'll see a line but it always moves relatively fast. What's great is they are very accommodating to the solo traveler. You also order from a vending machine of what you want. They have ramen cubbies very limited interaction with wait staff. They have translated cards you can share to communicate if you don't speak Japanese. But the ramen is so solid. Clean broth and very filling.

Every time I visit Japan, I make sure to stop by this place. The ramen is absolutely amazing, the service is quick, and the staff is incredibly kind.

Soooo good! The ordering process is easy as you order off a monitor and pay beforehand. The cook hands you a paper where you select all your levels. You select how spicy you want it, how much garlic, how soft the noodles should be, etc. I went with the recommendations on the sheet and the soup was perfect. It was so flavorful and the noodles were cooked just right. Service was super quick and every one sits in their own booth. It's very small and there is always a line, so come early!

One of the best ramen soups! It was our 1st day in Japan and of course we have to get ramen! It was a 70 minute wait but worth the wait. We walked around Shibuya area and it didn't felt like it was a long wait. The noodles were perfect and the taste was so yummmy! The place was well kept clean! This place is a must!

Absolutely amazing ramen. Every aspect of this was so good, from flavor to texture to the system and environment where you order. It was definitely a long wait from getting to the restaurant to eating the food, so be prepared for that, but was absolutely worth it.

What a cool hidey-hole for a private and delicious meal! FOOD [5/5] For the price and quality, Ichiran serves one of the best ramen I've ever had. The soup broth is divine-- thick, creamy, and salted to perfection. The portion size was perfect for me, but if you're feeling hungry, there's an option to add egg + unlimited noodles + extra chashu! They give a paper where you can customize spiciness, soup base, condiments, etc. I chose extra spicy + softer noodles and really enjoyed the combo! SERVICE [5/5] Ichiran provides a unique setting where everyone sits at a private booth. Groups can be seated together in a straight line. They pull the screen down for privacy while you eat, and there's a service button you can call if you need anything. It's perfect for groups that don't mind a little bit of separation or singles who would like to eat alone! :)

Open 24/7!! Come here when everything else is closed! Sometimes the line is long but it typically moves decently fast. This Ichiran is way better than the one I tried in New York, but I suppose that's to be expected. Part of the experience is that you eat in isolation; wall to the front, left, and right. If you come with a group they might be able to sit you guys next to each other but unlikely. You order at the front using as ticketing machine and it's pretty cool. I highly recommend the matcha almond pudding too.

Heard so much about this place and had to go before I left Japan. The ramen was excellent, very flavourful broth and overall tasted really good. Would recommend others give this place a try. The service is fast and staff friendly. Easy ordering process for foreigners as well. Good for solo dining (individual booths) or with a small group.

Came here when it opened on a Wednesday morning. We didn't wait too long since we were one of the first few customers. Anyways, this place is located all-around Japan, so you're not missing much if you can't go to this one. The concept of this is nice and it's great for those who wanted some quiet time or is traveling solo. You do not need to know Japanese to eat here. You order your food at the machine, and it will provide you a ticket. That ticket will be given to the staff when you're seated, and you're basically left alone for the rest of the meal. Anyways, lets jump straight to the food. I ordered the Original Tonkatsu Ramen. The broth was very rich, flavorful, and heavy. It wasn't something that I couldn't tolerate but I did need water occasionally. The good thing is that they have a water faucet in every station. I love that they provided a generous amount of green onions. As for the meat, there was a good amount of fat in it. The noodles were also very bouncy and had a nice bite to it. Generous portion of noodles in fact. Overall, I wouldn't say it was the best ramen I have ever eaten but it was good enough.

A solid ramen spot - can't go wrong with it. Commonly joked as a "tourist trap", Ichiran certainly has earned its reputation. I do not think it's solely for ill-informed tourists as, on it's own, the food is great. It does not blow any of the most well known or "local specials" out of the water though. The experience is perhaps the biggest draw for tourists. You order outside and pay all through a vending machine that prints a ticket with your order on it. Once seated in your private (or double booth if you take down the walls), you hand your ticket under the curtain to the "waiters". They'll take your ticket as well as any modification you selected. The ramen is served relatively quickly too! I'd say it's a worth while place to check out even if you've been to Ichiran locations aboard. My whole group agreed it was much better in Japan.

First ramen experience in Japan and WOW it did not disappoint. Ichiran is a popular spot, known for its unique style of dining that we got to experience firsthand. We struggled a bit to find Ichiran on the crowded streets of Shibuya, but after popping into a nearby Starbucks for Wifi, we navigated to a little red sign by a narrow stairway, where we were given a waiting number, placed into a virtual queue, and told to come back in 80 minutes. We spent that time wandering around Shibuya, and after only 40 minutes, we received a notification to head back to the restaurant (make sure you have Wifi access or data because you'll need to use their link to figure out when it's time!). We were immediately guided down a narrow stairwell towards a virtual ordering kiosk. We were unfamiliar with the ordering, but I'm glad we researched beforehand because otherwise this owuld have been difficult to navigate. The classic tonkatsu ramen comes with green onions and thin sliced pork, although it's not pictured on the screen. There are options for additional toppings, such as green onions, soft-boiled egg, seaweed, and others. The soft-boiled egg is a MUST, and the additional green onions were nice as well for the flavor. Once we ordered on the kiosk (you can pay with cash or card), we received a ticket for each order (one ticket per ramen, one ticket per egg, one ticket per extra green onion). You then receive an ordering sheet, where you can further customize the ramen (mostly the broth), adjusting things like spice level, dashi, pork (or not), noodle firmness, and more. We were then guided to stand against a wall in the narrow shop, where we watched a virtual seating chart of the ramen establishment inside and waited for our turn. If you are a large party, they may give you the option to split up to dine faster (would STRONGLY recommend this if you are more than 4 people). Once a seat opens up, you are guided inside to a small hallway lined with booths. The booths are private enough that you can sit and eat your ramen in peace by yourself, but not so isolating that you can't pop your head around to the next booth for some quiet conversation or company if you so wish. The eating experience inside these booths is part of what makes Ichiran so special and a key highlight of the meal for me. You're given a small cup for water, which you can refill at your table and certainly came in handy later on. The bamboo curtain in front of my booth was slightly rolled up and someone took my tickets and ordering sheet to begin preparing my order. I was first handed two bowls with a soft-boiled egg inside (shell still on). The egg is unmarinated, which I was unaccustomed to, and so I spent the first several minutes in my booth peeling the egg. The shell came off so easily and the outer white of the egg was firm enough that I didn't worry about breaking it. In the event that there is some problem with your egg, there is signage in the booth stating that you can press the call button at the front and they will bring you a new egg. The experience in the booth is incredible--there are signs helping you navigate the unique dining experience, a call button, and even wooden cards on the side of the booth with labels like "I would like a kids bowl and utensils please" or "it's too noisy in here" that you can hand to the nameless person outside of your booth if you don't want to talk to anyone. Once the food came, I hurriedly took photos and immediately got to work. Tip: sip the broth before you mix, especially if you ordered an egg or a higher spice level, as the broken yolk and red sauce on top will change the flavor profile of the broth. I was expecting my first sip to be overwhelmingly rich and salty. Instead, it was rich, flavorful, and shone with a bright pork flavor that I wasn't expecting. I ordered a spice level of 2, which wasn't overwhelmingly spicy, but hot enough that I couldn't slurp the broth without coughing. The noodles were the perfect firmness and paired beautifully with the broth. The pork was tender and the green onions paired well with the broth, but one of the highlights for me was the egg. The egg was beautifully cooked--the most perfect egg I've ever eaten--and the soft jammy yolk mellowed out the broth and paired well with the more savory pork. I was worried about portion sizes and finishing my bowl, but I finished almost everything easily, save for about two tablespoons of broth simply because it was too rich. While the ramen was delicious, the water was definitely needed to balance out the strong umami flavor. I'd also recommend bringing a bottle of water for after the meal, especially if you struggle with blood pressure. Once the meal was done, we got up and walked around crowded Shibuya--the perfect finish to my first Japan ramen experience.

I saw a line so I picked a number and waited. Had no idea where I was because the letters were in Japanese. Once I made it downstairs I saw it was Ichiran! An introvert's paradise. Picked my bowl and toppings, got my personal cubby and sat down for a nice quiet meal. Others say the ramen here is just ok but I disagree. It's all in the broth. Super flavorful. Everything cooked to your liking. This ramen is definitely in my top 3.

Great food, great service, cozy environment very close to Shibuya Scramble. This place is very popular. The broth is the star of this ramen and my personal favorite component at this location. After ordering you sit with walls blocking your neighbors and the chefs so the experience is focused entirely on the ramen. You can communicate non-verbally too so it is tourist-friendly. The seating can be a little bit cramped, and other customers had to brush by me to get to other seats. Overall a good experience with great ramen.

MY FAVORITE. LIFECHANGING. prepared so fast and cheap!! One of the best ramens I had in Japan even compared to the truly authentic ones!

The infamous Ichiran Ramen! This is the second time I had their ramen (their other location was just as good). We waited in line on a Saturday night maybe 40-50 minutes. While in line, there are /spot the difference/ sheets on the wall going down to pass by some time. And after ordering, a worker gave us the customization sheet so we had it already ready before we sat down. I got their delicious beautiful bowl of tonkatsu ramen and the broth was so flavourful, rich, and creamy (I got medium for all the customization choices). The noodles were nice and firm. The chashu was quite thin but still really good. I got a side of their chashu, egg, seaweed, and fungus. Their half-boiled egg was also so good and we peel that ourselves. The yolk was still slightly firm. The only thing I think would help elevate this dish would be having bean sprouts or more veggies but the bowl itself is literally so so good. I bought some instant ramen kits to bring back home and I have not yet tried them but I hope they'll be just as good.

I went on a Tuesday morning around 10:30am and there was no wait whatsoever. It was so worth it because everything was so quick and easy to order. I really love how I didn't have to speak to anyone. The overall atmosphere made me feel so safe and just enjoy my food in public without having to worry about anyone or anything tbh. Personally, as a garlic lover I wish I got the maxed amount possible but overall this is a really good ramen but I would not be willing to wait for more than 20min for this ramen.

My husband and I enjoyed Ichiran so much we ate there twice. Both occasions we waited outside for 40-60 minutes. When you make it to the front of the line you order at the kiosk (which has an English option) and pay there (we were able to pay with a credit card). You'll be asked how many are in your party and you sit down at a long counter that has privacy screens. From there you never see the staff and you can communicate using the ticket you ordered. The ramen itself was really tasty and came out quickly after we sat down. We got the combo with extra kedema (noodles), pork, and an egg.