Monohon Ramen

It’s a small place so make sure you book. It gets crowded as soon as it opens. The staff is friendly. The food was good, but pricey. I love spicy food and have a high tolerance for it, but the spiciest ramen has a strong kick. They also provide a spicy sauce separately if you ask for it.

I came by myself and loved that I was seated at the bar. It reminded me of the ramen shops in Japan. Also the way they cooked the noodles was authentic and I enjoyed happy memories as I sat and enjoyed my food. I ordered the vegan tantan ramen and mugicha (barley tea). Such nostalgic tastes for me! The noodles were perfectly firm and the soup was spicy and bold. I’d highly recommend coming here for a quick bite. I arrived just before 2 pm, was seated immediately and I’m done eating before 2:10 pm. I’ll have to come back and see if they have other vegan options for me to choose from!

Solid spot for ramen - loved the abura soba (vegetarian), the vegan tan tan men, the mentaiko cream manaken and the hiyashi chuka. Portions are sizable. Service was quite fast and staff was friendly.

Excellent ramen. The noodles were perfectly cooked, and so was the egg. You can also order a veggie version. Very good service too. Great experience.

Super tasty ramen at Old Street! We ordered the Abura Soba (highly recommend!) and Spicy Tonkotsu Ramen. I felt that the Abura Soba was my personal favorite - the soba was cooked just right, the dressing was savory yet had the right amount of vinegar to it. Only downsides were: We had to wait ~20min to be seated in a Friday evening and we were seated in the corner of the bar which was admittedly cramped. Guess it kind of had a feel of a Japanese ramen bar 🍜

It was surprisingly legit. The name Monohon means “the real thing” in Japanese, and as someone from Fukuoka, the home of tonkotsu ramen, I can say it lives up to the name. I could hear Japanese being spoken in the kitchen, and the menu was written in proper Japanese, not one of those fake ramen shops often run by people with no connection to Japan. This place is the real deal. They use proper thin noodles, just like the ones you’d find in Japan, and the toppings were all classic and familiar. I ordered the tonkotsu shoyu ramen and the Taiwan mazesoba—both were solid. The chashu was a bit thick for my personal taste. I prefer it thinner, but that’s just me. I ordered an Asahi beer and it came in a frozen mug—exactly how it’s served in Japan. That little detail honestly made my day.

# Monohon Ramen Research Monohon Ramen is an authentic Japanese ramen specialist located on Old Street in London, living up to its name which means "real" or "genuine" in Japanese by providing an authentic Japanese ramen experience. ## **Location & Basic Information** Monohon Ramen is located at 102 Old Street, London EC1V 9AY, conveniently situated between Old Street and Barbican stations. It operates as a small neighborhood Japanese ramen bar with a walk-in only policy - no reservations accepted. **Opening Hours:** - Lunch: Mon-Fri 12:00-14:15 - Dinner: Mon-Sat 17:00-21:30, Sunday 17:00-21:00 ## **Menu & Specialties** The restaurant's biggest claim to fame is being the **first in London to serve Abura Soba** - a brothless ramen that's popular in Japan but relatively unknown in London. **Key Menu Items:** - **Shoyu Tonkotsu Ramen** (£13): Features 20-hour slow-cooked bone broth with house-made noodles using flour imported from Japan - **Abura Soba**: Brothless ramen with sesame oil base, various toppings, and soft-boiled egg - **Vegan Ramen**: Considered one of London's best vegan ramen options - **Mentaiko Cream Mazemen**: Special cream-based mixed ramen ## **Atmosphere & Interior** Designed in typical Japanese ramen-ya style, the restaurant features a long wooden counter facing the kitchen where diners can watch the chefs prepare their ramen. The minimal decor includes cute light bulbs creating a cozy atmosphere, with red lanterns hanging in the back room adding to the authentic Japanese feel. ## **Customer Reviews** Ranked 3,443rd out of 21,706 restaurants in London on TripAdvisor based on 104 reviews, and has received the Travellers' Choice Award. Many customers praise it as "London's best ramen," with particular acclaim for the Abura Soba and vegan options. **Key Customer Feedback:** - "Best ramen I've had in London" - "Best ramen outside of Japan" - "Outstanding authenticity and freshness" - "True Japanese ramen-ya experience" ## **Popularity & Queues** Monohon Ramen is famous for consistently having queues due to its popularity. Both lunch and dinner times see crowds, particularly from nearby offices and tech startups in the area. However, waiting times are generally reported as reasonable. The restaurant attracts Japanese customers regularly and employs Japanese staff, adding to its authenticity. The menu is written in both English and Japanese, showing respect for Japanese culture.

Superb food! Some of the best ramen I've had in London - the pork belly and spicy cod roe were delicious. The Mugicha was very tasty too, a refreshing change from the usual sugary drinks on offer in restaurants! Very attentive staff too, always ready to help and checking in frequently. Small busy location so a little crowded and loud but well worth it for the good food and great service!

Top 5 Raman shops I have visited. Including Kyoto, Osaka, and Tokyo. DM me if you have questions.

Oishii neeee! Definitely one of the best ramen places I ever had. I'm typically an udon person over ramen, but this place may have converted me. We ordered the abura soba and the spicy tonkotsu in mild spicy with extra egg and menma (bamboo shoots). The aroma from the broth just fills this place with warmth and calls you in for a fantastic meal - broth or broth less. We'll be frequenting this place a lot more after this discovery. Also, they serve their beers in ice cold cups, so order a pint of asahi with your meal!

Shhhhhh. What's that? It's the ramen calling. Follow that voice inside. THIS PLACE IS OFF THE CHIZZLE GOOD. Home made noodles lie underneath an orderly map of color and flavor. And perched in the center is a soft egg. You get the pleasurable job of mixing it all together. That's right. Break open that yummy egg and stir it all up. Wasn't that satisfying? I'm an American and I couldn't finish it all. Yup. That means LEFTOVERS. The pleasure continues. Why are you still reading this review???? It's time to go inside . . .

Tl;dr great and authentic Japanese ramen restaurant with a focus on abura (soup-less) ramens for those who love thick and chewy noodles at their preferable toughness. Seasonal ramens! Classic tonkotsu! Soupless ramens! This ramen place excels at thick noodles paired with strong broth/sauce! You won't be disappointed if you like ramens with strong flavors!!

Have always seen queues outside this place and finally got to try on a Friday afternoon. Got the last two tabler and was served almost immediately. Even though the menu isn't over the top, I still struggled w choice so defaulted to the shouyu tonkotsu (if it ain't broke...!). My partner went w the big boy spicy special, and we were both super pleased. I especially found the regular size portion to be perfect (elsewhere I find that I can't finish and either feel guilty or uncomfortably full). Tonkotsu was delicious and the thin cut noodles just divine. I barely saw the special as my companion downed it so quickly. Well priced, good value, v quick service - no complaints! As we walked out, there was a queue. Clearly a winner all around.

Legit solid ramen. Just a little pricey. We were looking for top of the line ramen spot. A place that specialized in ramen and made their own noodles. We saw some sushi/ramen spots but I knew that wasn't going to be right. I'm picky about ending up with lame ramen. So when we walked in to Monohon, I had a feeling we made a good choice. We got a little table for two near the front. I went over the menu and appreciated that it was clear and succinct. Not 5 pages of things, just one. We ordered pretty quick, and poured a couple glasses of water from their pitcher sitting on the table. My spicy tonkotsu came out, and I was glad I had the water ready. It was fantastically good, and fantastically spicy. Just how I like it. My gal got the non-soup style ramen with large noodles. I ate a lot of Hers as well. You could literally taste the quality of the noodles in hers. I had requested the hard noodles and I can say they were excellent as well. A great spot.

Monohon is reminiscent of a real Japanese style ramen bar. No frills, bar seating and even more tables hiding in the room next door. Service is quick and friendly. Unfortunately they got my custom order wrong but it still turned out well. I enjoyed the spicy shoyu tonkatsu with a marinated egg. You can choose your own spice level and noodle hardness, definitely a plus! My companion got the Big Boy with medium spice and it was super hot! He could not finish it as it had double the toppings from the regular order. The broth is flavourful but not as thick as some other establishments. They have monthly specials which is nice. Otherwise the menu has about 4 different styles to choose from, soba and tsukemen included.

The ramen here is excellent! I showed up when it opened and I'm glad I did because shortly after there was a line. The inside is small but the service is quick. I got the Shoyu Tonkotsu and the broth was delicious. Probably one of the best ramen spots I've been to!

Very cool small Ramen place with probably the best Ramen I have ever eaten. I had the Big Boy Spicy Special which was amazing and a large portion but so good that it wasn't difficult to finish it. The broth is really tasty and delicate and toppings are also very good. It is not cheap but it is well worth the price. Service is good and quick.

Best ramen I've ever had . Service was great and fast . People were nice and quick to attend you with any need. The music/ambiance only added to the amazing vibe that it already gave off. Thank you to the owner and the employees for an amazing experience will for sure be back !!

We ate at Monohon last night before catching a movie at the Barbican. I have to say, I really enjoyed my meal here! The menu at Monohon Ramen is a bit more unique than I have seen at other ramen shops, with some fusion influences (a Taiwan Maze Soba and a Curry Ramen). I ordered the Abura Soba, which is a dry mixed ramen, and it was delicious. All the flavours came together really well and I thought the bamboo shoots and ginger really added a nice depth of flavour. The noodles were also made quite well, with the perfect firmness. Service was pretty good, even with a full restaurant. The restaurant itself is quite small, so it is a shame that they don't take reservations because I'd like to return without having to queue. However, I'll still probably return anyway, because the Abura Soba was honestly so tasty. Give Monohon Ramen a try if you are looking for a fresh take on ramen in London!

Very good ramen in Barbican area. Quite a lot of space to sit so no need to wait long. Good proposition of vege ramen.

Not bad. But I was unimpressed by their handmade noodle. Didn't taste handmade to me. Too thin and lack of texture. Broth flavor... I only tasted salt. Also I was charged service fee without notice in advance. I am not sure that's ok thing to do. I don't mind paying tips at all and my waitor did a great job but just tell me you are charging me beforehand? The thing that resembles Japanese ramen place the most is the tight space. They def nailed that down. I genuinely don't think overweight people can come here. I am 171cm 55kg and I had a hard time move around, especially during the winter with heavy jacket etc. When I put my bag on the seat next to me for 1 sec to fold my coat to put in the basket under my seat, someone immediately showed up telling me to move my bag. When I explained the basket is too small I had to move my stuff in two batches he didn't seem to understand and just left without saying anything. I find it a bit rude but whatever. Once again London ramen scene is a bit disappointing.

This place is amazing! Worth spotting by The broth was my favorite part. Super yummy!

I was recently in London for a couple days following a trip to Italy where I became sick of eating pasta and cheese. Upon my arrival in London, I started searching for a good ramen place located close by and settled on Monohon. The reviews I read online were spot on -- this is one of the better ramen joints at which I've eaten. The spicy tonkotsu ramen uses a wonderful pork mince to add enough heat and flavor that you'll be tipping your bowl back at the end to get more. The chashu was tender without being fatty or gelatinous, which means you can eat your whole bowl without being put off by any textures. The prices to add extra toppings/fillers are reasonable for the quality of ingredients. I'll be coming back during my stay in London. Bonus: the service was very friendly and accommodating.

There is something very attractive about freshly made noodles or pasta and lovely London offers us many wonderful freshly made noodle and pasta dishes. Monohon is one of the city's new rather hidden gems that offer such delights. I usually don't like my ramen thick, simply because I have this weird idea that it has to be on the thinner side of things but after my first bite of the delicious aburo soba, I changed my mind. There's quite a few of these ramen/noodles in some type of sauce mixture around, so in this aspect it is not unique but it's the taste that makes it outstanding - an umami feast. It's one of those dishes that you eat and you think "yep, definitely one of those places I need to take my boyfriend to because he'd love it." For 10 pounds you get a regular size which is filling but because it's so good, if you are hungry and have a big appetite, go for the large at 13 pounds because trust me, it's very morish and you won't have a problem gobbling down those noodles.... One more thing - the bamboo. Nobody really seems to focus on the bamboo in ramen as it's more of a garnish than a main item but the bamboo here is deeeelicious. I'm a meatlover but the bamboo here steals the scene. If you're in the Old Street area and fancy some good ramen, this place is a must.

Ok went there after getting recommendation from Japanese people. From what I heard from my Japanese companion, it is as good as you can get in Japan. Incredibly authentic. It apparently gets super busy but as I came just after it opened in the evening I could take my pick. Even at 7 there were several empty spaces. When we came in, we were greeted by apparently all Japanese team and they immediately got us some water. Very appreciated as I myself am always thirsty. The water had some eee I think it was a slight mint flavour. There was also this big glass bottle with more water. I appreciated it very very much. The place itself is Idk, little stylish but nothing special and nothing bad. Probably good place to get out casually to have authentic meal. Not super romantic and it's cramped. Best I know very faithful. Our meals. We both took soupless ramen as that's what my companion recommended. Plus I'm not the world's greatest chopsticks user. My ramen special was good, surprisingly saucey but still I enjoyed it a lot. Wasn't overwhelmed with richness and the taste though (and I've been to Japanese place that did that exact thing to me). My companion liked it a lot and thought that she never expected to taste anything like this so far away from Japan. I guess that's a good endorsement.

Pretty amazing, authentic (I imagine!) ramen. Some of the best I've ever tasted. A bit pricey but totally feel it's worth it.

I'm from los angeles and I've had a lot of amazing ramen. I got the tonkotsu spicy here and it was one of the best bowls of ramen I've had! I highly recommend this place. It also has great service and really nice waiters!

I first encountered Monohon in a pop up at a shop in Dalston. Since then, I have taken every opportunity to follow them around when they've done their events and I am absolutely THRILLED that they now have a permanent spot that I can visit on the reg. If you've never been to Monohon, there's a good chance you've never had abura soba, and thus your life is seriously lacking. As far as I know, this is the only place in London selling them. They're a bit like traditional ramen, but there's no broth - instead the noodles sit in a glorious puddle of oily sauce that is the sesame version of heaven. And when I say noodles, I mean chunky, satisfying udon. On top sits an onsen tamago, which is a very soft boiled egg, which you stir into the dish and adds a silky richness. Slow-cooked pork pieces give some extra heft and pair well with the ginger. OK, so those are the particulars, but what I really need to convey is that this is food that sings to your soul. It is deeply satisfying and made with love and dedication. At £10 for a regular bowl, I will be here as often as I can. Add to this an asahi beer in a super frosty glass and that, my friends, is perfection. This is exactly the sort of place that makes London such a wonderful city. It deserves to do well.

This place is the real deal. Delicious broth and wonderful noodles. The service is top notch as well. It's as good as I've ever had in Japan...highly recommend this place!

Authentic Japanese ramen. I took the large bowl (14£) and it was really great. The beer came in a icy glass, very great. The place is very small and not classy...it is good to come and eat with a friend. The waiter was very gentle and it helped us to get the bill split as we asked (due to our office rules). Hightly recommended!

This place is a gem. Don't let the slightly out-of-the-way location (Old Street, near the Barbican) deter you. The creativity on display in terms of the food is quite amazing. The traditional ramen is superb, with generous portions of slow-cooked pork, noodles, seaweed, and spring onion. If so desired, you can order extra seaweed, bamboo shoot, etc. The portions come in regular and, for those with bigger appetites, large sizes. If you want to try something new, the Abura Soba, a soup-less ramen with thick yellow noodles and shredded pork tossed with fresh ginger, seaweed, fried shallots, and egg, is to die for. The place is on the smaller side (here's hoping the restaurant gets more successful and can move to a larger space), so be sure to go early if you want the best ramen in London. Five stars all around.