Ippudo Villiers St

I came here for a ramen and I liked it so much that I came back the following day. I had the chicken ramen the first time, and the pork ramen the second time. I preferred the former. Ippudo is a very good choice if you want something quick and you’re fan of Japanese food. Ideal for solo dining.

We have tried so many ramen restaurants in London but the one that consistently hits home for us is Ippudo, simply because they absolutely nail the broth. Pretty much every other place disappoints us because that broth isn't right. For the first time also we tried their chashu don, which was great too. All in all, great service and tremendous value for money.

I love Ippudo and been to different branches, while it was fine with everything I felt like the hygiene standard at this branch was a bit underwhelming. The whole of the restaurant was a bit stinky ( like kind of mould smell of an old house), and the floor / tables were sticky. We asked for tap water and we got the bottle - but there was red mould stuck in the hole for the flip top. I’m not sure if it is a normal procedure but someone in the kitchen was grabbing food with bare hands. The ramen was just fine - but the environment was dissatisfactory and felt not the best space to eat food. Regardless, the staff was kind and the food came quickly. I hope the management team will see it to invest money for the branch to refurbish, and maintain hygiene standards.

The food here is tasty but definitely on the pricey side. I’ve tried many ramen places in London and abroad, and while this was decent, it wasn’t impressive enough for me to want to come back. A note for families with young children: there are no kids’ options. I ended up ordering a full adult portion for my child, which was far too much food and felt unnecessarily wasteful.

The Ippudo Akamaru special is one of my go to meals wherever there is an Ippudo. In Japan, Ippudo cost around ¥1800 or so. However, I spent almost £27 here and the quality is just quite far off. Hardly a comfort Asian meal in London that I will pay for again.

About the place? Ippudo is a small ramen chain in london, its been on my list of places to try, but didn’t realise that there was one near the Embankment, so had to try it on a cold winters day. What I ordered? Akamaru Tamago, Karaka Tamago, Crispy Gyoza, Pork Belly Chashu Buns and Ippudo Kara-Age. How was it? Food was delicious, service was quick and staff friendly and very professional. What I liked? Karaka Tamago, warm and spicy, was my favourite. What didn’t I like? There was nothing not to like, everything was expected. Would I go back? Yes, I love ramen and will possibly try one of the other branches next, this is local to my work place, I’m more than likely going to come here when I am craving a piping hot bowl of ramen. On to the rating? Okay, my rule of thumb is to give a maximum of 4 stars on my first visit, as a five-star rating is mainly for consistency. DISCLAMER: Please note all reviews are based on real visits to the listed establishment, items ordered, my personal experience on the day, and a true reflection of my visit.

Easily the best chicken I've ever had. I'm still thinking about how tender it was! The service was fantastic and fast, and it was great to be able to watch the chef at work. Highly recommend this place, from starters to mains it was perfect. Hats off to the staff, I will definitely be returning here!

One of the best Ramen restaurants in London that I have ever been to. The ramen and the Age Tako Yaki was so delicious, we ordered the “firm” ramen and we think that was just right and we were glad we didn’t order “soft” ramen. Waitress was very polite and attentive, it’s a very nice place to have a quick lunch.