Ichiran Shibuya

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

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!

Not a fan of ramen, but my bf is so we went and I loved it, very good, I also loved the concept of not talking to the waiter or anything, 0 contact with them, everything is efficiently done using another communication method, paper, my introvert self really appreciated it.

Food: Best ramen I've had during my entire trip in Tokyo. The broth was made to my preference (you fill out a sheet that tells them how rich you want your broth, how much green onions you want, how much garlic, how spicy, etc). The noodles were also perfectly cooked as well - the thickness and texture were just right! Service: they are so kid-friendly. The staff guidesd us to a section of the cozy room where they were 4 stalls/stools next to each other so we could sit with our kids. I had to ask them to make my broth more spicy and they were super willing to adjust the broth. There is a call button on the countertop itself should you need their assistance. Atmosphere: a cool experience in Japan! I highly recommend. It's open 24 hours!!

The only issue I had with this place is that there is a queuing system but they called us to line up almost an hour before we were able to get seats. It would have been better if they have a shorter waiting time like 15 minutes since we already have our numbers in the system. When we finally got seated, the process was smooth with the ordering and serving of food.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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!

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!

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!

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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! :)

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.

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.

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

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.

This is now the standard by which all other ramen places will be measured! I kicked up the garlic and the richness by a factor of one. I kept the heat at their recommendation. The egg and the pork are perfectly cooked and seasoned. I absolutely loved it!

Some Of the best Ramen I've had! There's a line to get in but they are fast and worth every minute wait for sure!!

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.

The ramen here was excellent. The broth was rich and noodles nice and firm. I also had the matcha almond pudding which was the perfect light dessert to follow ramen. Some say it's a touristy spot and while there are tourists who dine there (like myself) it doesn't mean it's not good or that it's overrated. Keep in mind though that since it's small and only offers counter searing the wait can be a bit long. We waited about 35 minutes or so on a weekday around 1:00 pm. Be prepared to order at kiosk as well before you're seated.

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.

The tonkotsu ramen was super tasty and like no other ramen spots! No wonder why this place is so popular. I had to wait quit a bit in line just to be seated. Everything was great about the experience. I want another bowl now :(

Absolutely delicious, some of the best tonkotsu ramen I've ever had... When we arrived, there was a decent wait up the stairs and even across the street from the restaurant, but overall it moved pretty quickly and was well worth the wait. Once we ordered on the kiosk inside, we were able to sit down right away (although the seating is in stalls, my husband and I were able to get a two person stall with each other) and then it was maybe another 5 minutes until we got our food. Once sitting down, we filled out a small paper for our flavor profile preferences--for instance, added garlic at low, medium, high. I kept everything at medium because I wanted to get the baseline/recommended ramen bowl for the first time. Loved the dashi flavor, but if I were to go again, I would get extra garlic, a little extra spice and a second egg (the egg was cooked perfectly!). I had heard about this place before and it did not disappoint! A score for less than $10 USD!

Just getting back from a trip to Japan and yes, I'll say it, Ichiran Ramen was a highlight. While this may be a chain restaurant, it is so because it is good and reliable. This location is cool. Wait in line on the steps going down. When finally you enter (potentially 30-60+ minutes later), place your order on a vending machine that does have an option to translate to English. Then wait in another short line for a spot to sit to become available. You'll be seated at a private booth. There are no group tables at this location. To your left and right are wooden dividers, and between you and the staff in back is a roll-down bamboo mat. Enjoy slurping your ramen and staining your t-shirt in private! The ramen is tonkotsu style - thick broth made from pork. I found it to be delicious. I ordered a hard boiled egg, extra green onions, and a bit of additional spice. Best part is the large bowl and toppings were all less than $10. (The basic bowl is around $7.) Definitely recommend Ichiran when visiting Japan, and this location specifically for the booth experience!