Shiki Menya

Tried this ramen place recently and it was a major disappointment. The ramen lacked flavor, the broth was bland, and there wasn’t even a boiled egg in the bowl, which is a staple. They charge extra to make it spicy, but all they give is a tiny container of chili oil on the side. Seating was uncomfortable, the music was way too loud, and after waiting in a long line to get in, we were told they don’t allow takeout boxes, so we had to rush and finish our food there, even if we were full. Overall, not a great experience. There are so many better ramen spots in Calgary that are more flavorful, reasonably priced, and actually care about customer comfort.

Overall, decent food for Calgary but not the best in comparison with other major cities. However, I would not recommend as you got to have plenty of time to wait in line to enter for a mediocre meal. Food was good, and came hot. Broths were a bit bland and could use a bit more flavour if you want a more traditional Japanese ramen taste. Not bad, but could have a deeper, richer taste. Service was somewhat slow, but reliable. Restaurant is always busy it seems, with a line at most times (weather was -20°C, and still had a 30 minute wait). This cue and constant traffic stretches the staff a bit thin at times. Location is conveniently downtown core of Calgary, but a bit small. Limited seating vs the popularity results in potentially long wait times. Interior is a bit crowded and noisy, but offers a warm and inviting feel. Overall, if you want to try arguably one of the cities best ramen locations, I say go for it. But, I caution you over potential wait times. My palette for ramen is somewhat refined as I’ve had a lot of ramen from many cities across North America and Japan. Therefore, from experience I would not wait again to eat here. But, not bad if you want to try it to compare or for the experience.

Disappointing ramen. The "traditional" didn't taste traditional. The broth is bland and the cha siu tasted like bbq/grilled. Chicken karaage also just taste like a normal fried chicken. Takoyaki was good tho, not too much flour and nice portion of tako. There's definitely better options for ramen in Calgary. I like their place tho, its clean. Staff was also friendly. Just had an expectation on the food which was lacking with flavour.

The broth in the “authentic shoyu” was very salty and oily, I couldn’t really taste the flavour. Inside the restaurant the music was so loud you couldn’t hear and had to shout to the waiter and unfortunately there is a lot of constructions outside so the outdoor seating is almost as loud. It is quite expensive per bowl for what it’s worth. The waiters are also dressed casually so you can’t really tell a customer apart from a waiter which makes it difficult sometimes.

It was raining and they have a sign saying to wait outside to get a table. Im not sure what they do for winter but hopefully people aren't freezing outside. Luckily i had no wait time to get a table which was nice but after awhile it was a full house, I felt bad for those waiting in the rain. Service wasn't bad but it isn't top tier either. However, the tables are like a bar type where it's very long and you can see the people on the other side. It can get a bit awkward if you want to talk on a first time date with privacy because you won't be getting any. You cannot split the bill so make sure you know who's paying. The food is good and came with an egg and broth is good too but similar to Toyko Street Market in my opinion. I still would recommend people to check it out at least once to taste how it is maybe it can taste better for you but Id rather have a similar tasting dish from TSM for half the price.

One of the best Ramen spots in the city. If you are looking for a flavourful bowl this is the place. Service was good and they have a good selection of different items. I had the kara miso garlic ramen, the broth was very rich and spicy, the noodles had a great texture. The chashu was tender and well seasoned. Great bowl all around. The only downside is that inside seating has music playing which is fairly loud so be aware of that. I recommend the patio if available.

Great space for ramen. I liked the indoor/outdoor space. The ramen was tasty, I wish they had a regular miso ramen flavor and the option of half sizes for those with small appetites.

Very salty, not much depth in broth but I think it's worth the wait for the experience. Will be back to try another soup base. I got the truffle shoyu ramen but did not taste much truffle. Will go for the tonkotsu next time. Thought it was quite pricey for ramen but probably priced to match the business concept.

This is a casual ramen place in the Bridgeland area - focused mainly on ramen and a couple apps. Food (4.25/5) - 11 different ramen on the menu - priced on the upper end. - White Pepper Gyu Shoyu - was quite good - good chicken Shoyu flavour and the Char Siu was tasty. Noodles were good consistency. - Takoyaki - not bad... good balance of texture and flavour Service (3.5/5) - was a bit on the slower side and can see how there could be a wait when busy. Atmosphere (3.5/5) - very bright Izakaya feel to it. Wooden hi-tops and tables. Overall (4/5) - I would repeat and try out some of the other ramen options.

Very delicious. Best ramen in Calgary so far. White pepper was very rich with the meat fat. You could distinctly taste meat, dashi, shouyu, and white pepper. Very strong flavours. A bit too salty though, especially towards the end. Noodles had great texture. Meat and egg tasty. Black garlic tonkotsu lacked flavour. Made more salt? Tasted Very plain sadly. The 1 piece of menya in it was super tasty though. Also wish there was an option to make your ramen spicy. We love spicy but there are limited spicy options (only 2 I think) with no add on to make the other dishes spicy. Also they don't have takeout containers for leftovers or takeout/delivery orders. Their menu says you can bring your own containers.

Best ramen in Calgary and probably the best ramen I've ever had. The broth was rich in flavor, and the environment was great.

I visited Shiki Menya awhile back based on a friend's recommendation. The ramen was pretty good. The atmosphere was what stood out the most, so I'd give it 8/10

Love love love Shiki Menya. Was never a ramen girl until we started coming here, but everything is so delicious. I always just get the classic tonkotsu (I order it the old way, not the way it's on the menu now) and my husband always tries something different. We love everything. And the tacos!! Seems like a weird place to be ordering tacos, but they're seriously some of the best tacos I've had in Calgary. The music is loud and rap/hip hoppy, but it sets the vibe. The patio with the garage open is nice in the summer. My one qualm, and reason for 4 stars instead of 5, is that there's no waitlist for a table and even in the winter you have to stand outside and wait in a lineup in the freezing cold.

I have been going to this place for a few years now. They have the best Ramen in the city without a doubt! The ambiance works and is upbeat and casual. But, personally I could do without the really high volume and what seemd like in appropriate rap lyrics. I would give this place 5 stars if it was not for the pompus attitude of the front end staff that greeteded us and the server's in ability understand the concept of customer service or customer satisfaction. When our party addressed the server, she the greeter, and another individual sickered which I am sure when discussing our tables iasue. I suggest stop trying to be so COOL and UNIQUE and focus on the cuatomer! It's the restaurants privledge to have patronage, NOT the other way around.

Karo Miso Garlic Ramen easily the best ramen in Calgary! Always busy so prepare to wait a little but it is beyond worth it.

The food is good but not the best and the price of the food is not to dab but perfectly good the service is great but not bad enough that I would not want to go back to eat at it

Best ramen period. Be better if we could converse during lunch - music is too loud - turn it down a bit!

So much tasty food! From the apps to the entrees, it was overwhelming how much food we ordered and how delicious it actually all turned out to be. The staff was very friendly and accommodating. Great find and highly recommend!

Their ramen is really really good!!!! It's been 4 years since I have been back to this restaurant. It was good 4 years ago, I moved to Toronto and had some great ramen there and coming back it's still good. They haven't changed their standards which is nice to see (just the prices :) I had the Chili Goma and the gyozas. It's absolutely delicious. I love their broth which is their specialty. The line up is long even on the weekdays. My suggestion is come a few minutes before opening or you will have to wait awhile. Also, they will only seat you if your whole party arrives.The only downside is the music is LOUD! You literally have to yell at your friends in order for them to hear. I'm surprised at this. Being from Ontario there is a bylaw that doesn't allow restaurants to have music so loud because of the pandemic. I guess Alberta is alot more relaxed. They can easily tone down the music and still have a great atmosphere. Overall, the best ramen in Calgary!!!

Our group of 10 unanimously agreed that Shiki Menya was significantly better, and more affordable, than Momofuku in Las Vegas. The atmosphere was great for us, as a group of guys in their mid-late 20's, but I could see older crowds not appreciating it as much. The broths were loaded with various different layers of flavor, which were honestly just as aesthetically appealing as they tasted. My only criticism would be the grilled pork as opposed to other cooking methods, but I'd order it again without hesitation.

We chose Shiki Menya from word-of-mouth recommendations and seeing considerable queues. Let's begin with the positives. The serving staff were personable and helpful. The open kitchen is entertaining. Yes, we waited 15 minutes for seating at Thursday lunch, totally reasonable for a popular place. I had the Kara Miso Black ramen. The two pork slices were extraordinary: grilled and tender, tasty in a way I'd never experienced. The noodles were good; tender yet firm, almost al dente but not. The broth was the achilles heel of the dish; extremely salty. Salt is the friend of cooks everywhere however Shiki Menya takes it to a level beyond. My friend stated the same for her Chili Goma Ramen. She left much of her bowl unfinished. Perhaps other menu choices are less salty but I'll likely not explore further.

Made a pit stop in Calgary status post our Banff trip and fell in love with this little city! It reminds me of a Canadian Portland - tons of shops, culture and FOOD. Shiki Menya is one of those stops that you have to try. For warning the line starts early , i would come 45mins to an hour before opening! It's a small shop with a limited menu and everything was pretty darn good. My bf got the black garlic tonkotsu and i stuck with the original with fried garlic spicy oil on the side. Yes, you read that right - fried garlic drenched in spicy chicken chili oil to pour over your delicious ramen. Garlic lovers unite. The ramen was cooked to perfection. We sat at the bar and were amazed at the efficiency of their assembly line. Great quick service and superb ramen!! The broth was on point and one of the better ramen places I've had! It supersedes some places in the states!

Amazing tonkotsu black ramen! We lined up about 10 minutes before opening and were able to be seated in the first wave. The menu is not too extensive, but I didn't even really bother reading it as I know if black garlic is on the menu, I'm going to get it. The food did not disappoint! The broth was extremely flavorful! The noodles were decent, a little more cooked and not as "chewy" as I would have preferred, but good. I liked that the egg was truly soft boiled. It was also nice that it was plated in a giant bowl to avoid accidental spillage. Bring cash as it's cash or debit only!

Okay ramen place. Fun music and nice interiors. The food - They used different ramen noodles that I didn't love tbh. I like soy marinated ramen eggs but they didn't have that and personally thought their char siu could've been better. Their gyoza was nice though

Very nice ambience and excellent service. Food came very quickly. Good ramen! Would've liked more meat, the pork slices are so thin and only one egg. Still good tho

If it's below 25 degrees I'm cold, so I want ramen. This is a steadfast Evelyn fact. Living in Toronto I'm spoiled silly with many delicious ramen options, so I wasn't as excited as I should have been to try this joint. But now I know, without a doubt, some of the most delicious ramen bowls in the country are in Calgary at Shiki Menya. Whoooa mama. I got their Tonkotsu and my kiddos shared gyoza and one of their kid ramen bowls and we were all satisfied. But holy hell were we out-ordered by my friend who got some spicy sesame-y dream concoction. I forget what it's called, but if you're still reading this review, you're probably about to eat here, so seek it out. Worth noting: +Their sake cups are adorable, get one or two if you're not driving +They have a patio and are handling Covid with great care both inside and out, including doing these cute To Go kits: https://shiki-menya.myshopify.com/collections/delivery-boyz

This! This is the restaurant that all other Calgary restaurants ramen should aspire to! Their new digs sit right across from there old restaurant, this one just as hip and just as LOUD! I'm getting older now, and I have to say, every time I have been here, the music could be a couple of notches lower. Other than that, I have no complaints. Takes a tad bit longer for Ramen to arrive, so order an appetizer and share! Save room for those humongous bowls of ramen that's arriving. First time? Make sure you bring a container, because shiki MENYA does not do containers for leftovers. These guys also show the love to local craft beers on tap and in cans. Last time I was there Inner City Bridgelandia was being offered. I found, even after the COVID reopening, single diners can squeeze in quickly! Be patient, it is worth the wait!

All guests need to wait outside which is not really friendly during the winter. And the foods are too salty which I don't really like.

Very good ramen, probably the best I've had in Calgary. The restaurant is also very nice and in a great location in Bridgeland. Would like to come here again.

Great food, fun vibe, and that server, I think her name is Alex, is super hot. Call me?

On another level. By far the best ramen I have had. The flavours are bold and balanced. I've heard that the wait can be long at times but luckily my party was seated in less than 20 minutes. Service was great and the restaurant was very modern. Until then yelpers! -M

To start things off we had an order of char siu kimchi tacos which were a nice light start to the meal. A little bit of heat from the kimchi and tender pork wrapped in a very soft shell. We followed this up with an order of the gyoza which had a chili/soy dipping sauce which actually had a little more heat in the sauce than the char sir kimchi tacos in my opinion. A good crust on the gyozas on the edges, but I would've preferred just a little more crispness to the base. Easily the best ramen I've had so far. The tonkotsu classic ramen was the perfect dish on a less than stellar summer day. Presentation wise it was very eye catching and a little less traditional/typical than the usual ramen dishes I've had. With an assortment of mixed veggies and pickled shoots it added some nice contrast to the star of the show, the perfectly balanced broth. Wonderful pork bone flavour and really nicely seasoned broth. The pork slices were incredibly tender and so flavourful. The egg was nicely soft in the middle. The noodles were perfectly al dente with a good springiness to them. This is easily my go to spot for ramen in Alberta.

Came here for a late lunch right before it closed! We had a big group but turn over was pretty fast, we waited about 5 minutes before we got seated. We got the Tonkotsu Black, Chili Goma and Classic Tonkotsu ramen. The bowls are HUGE, but that's for presentation purposes because portions are standard size. The noodles were a great texture, but the broth was super salty (esp the Tonkotsu Black). There was a nice garlic flavor to the Tonkotsu (the egg and pork was perfectly cooked and delicious), but after a while it just became a salt bomb. The Chili Goma wasn't spicy at all, but the pork had a nice smoky flavor and the broth wasn't as salty. Overall a solid, hipster ramen place, but they need to dial back on the sodium.

We haven't gone to @shikimenya since high school but damn, it was as good as we remembered it to be ⁣ --------------------------------------------------------- Goma Mazemen - LOVE this ramen. It was like a wet noodle - not fully submerged in broth but was perfectly proportioned with the noodles and toppings so that it wasn't too dry ⁣ Kara Miso Garlic - loved the broth, had a slight kick to it from the chili oil! Perfect for a snowy day to warm up your insides ⁣ What's awesome about Shiki Menya is that their noodles are handmade daily and their pork is boiled for at least 16 hours for it to be so tender. ⁣Only selling ~150 bowls a day!

Shiki Menya still has lineups out the door. I continue to be mind blown. Hipsters like their ramen eh? There's a list out front so make sure you sign up pronto. We just missed the first seating so we had to wait inside and peer at all the people getting their food first. - Chili goma ($14.00) - you'd think it would be bursting with flavour with all that chill oil and dried chili. Nope. I think I prefer the chili goma at Shikiji. That being said, their homemade noodles have a good bite and firmness to them that holds up in the soup. - Veggie classic ($14.00) with two soft tamago ($1.00 each) - S's normal order involves 2-5 tamago. Glad to see he's toned it down and only needs two now. Haha. - Tonkotsu classic ($13.00) - Ok's bowl. She always orders extra char sit ($3.00). I've had this one before and think this might be my favourite from the ones I've tried so far. Broth is rich, creamy and the char siu is grilled for extra flavour. Shiki Menya doesn't blow me away but it's good in it's own way. If you're willing to wait. Either go early when it first opens or much later. Don't forget cash and debit only.

It's the highest recommend this restaurant. The new place is much better than the old place. Unfortunately, they don't provide benches to sit down to wait in the long line. Kinda sucks, but it's worth it after you had a bowl of ramen. It paid off my patience of waiting. Double thumbs up.

Shiki Menya is snugly tucked on the trendy hipster vibed 1st Ave, focused on quality and consistently whipping out house made noodles and a hyped up broth. This was our first stop once we hit up Calgary, and I was beyond excited. With the an intensive process of needing 16+ hours to cook their magical broth, only a limited number of bowls are served throughout the day. The shop opens at 11am and they keep twitter updated as soon as they sell out. We arrived around 1:30pm on a saturday and there was still quite a bit of a line up. The restaurant is quite tiny, seating maybe 30 seats at most. The entry is also a shared entrance so you're encouraged to wait outside. There is a piece of paper outside where you're suppose to write down your name and how many of you there are. The hype for the ramen bowls are real, so you're guaranteed to have to suffer for a while before earning a spot for yourself. The wait is worth it though. Tonkotsu Classic - ($13) - 5/5 - I always go for the classic every time I try out a new ramen place, you really get to taste the broth and the depth of the flavor. With that said, the broth was bomb. Crazy rich and creamy with an instant umami flavor as soon as you take your first slurp. Each bowl has all the typical toppings but the char siu is what stood out the most. First place where the pork goes through an extra step of adding char, to it to give it so much more of a savory aspect. Miso Classic - ($13) - 5/5 - My dining partner finished his bowl almost immediately as it was placed in front of us with barely a word or a breath in between each slurp. Assuming this was just as good! Char Siu Kimchi Tacos - ($7) - 5/5 - Came with two tacos, served on 2 tortillas. This was heavy considering how we ate this after finishing the massive bowls of ramen but the spice of the kimchi mixed with the heavenly slices of char siu was impeccable. The atmosphere itself is very trendy and modern, with a crowd to match. Service was a bit 'touch and go' but that's understandable considering how busy it was. Might not be the most authentic type of ramen bowls you'd get from a traditional Japanese eatery, but Shiki adds a great fusion twist to it and the results are flawless and delicious. 100% recommend, will visit again!

Okay I didn't expect this place to be so good! Haven't visited Calgary in some years and discovered this place and it was totally worth the wait in the cold! (Yes, be sure to get there early there will be a line!) so much flavour in the broth, yummy noodles and menu items. Well deserved 4-5 stars !

Easily the best noodles in Calgary. Easily The Pork broth is to die for, the ingredients fresh and they put together your bowl with care. I've had ramen all over Japan and this is what it should be like. I tried momofuku recently in YYZ and was immediately wishing I was back in calgary. The only down side can be the wait, and their music is not my thing and rather loud to be able to have a conversation with your dining partner, but the ramen is worth it

Another place I recommend in Calgary. According to my Calgary friends, this is one of the best ramen spots in the city. It is indeed delicious! 5/5 for the flavourful ramen, amazing and quick service, cleanliness, vibes and sweet decors. It's one of the coolest ramen joints I've been to. I wish there's one in Vancouver! Hopefully, they'll bring it over here soon. Shiki Menya make their noodles in house and serve limited quantities of ramen a day. So, come early to avoid a long wait. Would I come back? YES!

Amidst the waiting in line. The food is extraordinary. Served fresh and hot with friendly servers! Def recommend and will keep coming back.

This was our first visit to Shiki Menya and we were quite excited from all the raving reviews people gave the restaurant. We(my brother, hubby, and myself)arrived around 11am and did not get seated until 1:10pm. Around 12:45 I asked my hubby to check the list and he found out that our name was crossed off, but we weren't called at all(and we knew when names were called as we were seated by the restaurant door). There were also 2 other groups that had their names crossed off without being called. We spoke with the staff that was keeping track of the line/list and he denied that he didn't call us, but multiple people confirmed that we didn't hear our names. He wasn't apologetic at all and made this annoyed face every time he came back out to call customers in. I would really give the restaurant 5 stars as the food and service in the restaurant was superb. But the first staff we met really put us in a bad mood. We were prepared for a long wait as we read the reviews, but we would have waited without being seated at all if it was up to that staff member. Anyway, we ordered 2 tonkotsu classics, and the spicy miso(totally forgot the name). Both broths were flavorful, but not oily. The noodles were perfectly chewy and tasted really fresh. The egg, meat, and veggie toppings were the icing on the cake. Everything came together to make the perfect ramen bowl. We will definitely come back again, but will be there around 10:30am and will keep a close watch on the list. Definitely recommending Shiki Menya to friends and family. And will be bringing a bigger group next time as well.

In 560 A.D. towards the end of his reign, Emperor Kinmei, wishing to drown out the complaints of the Empress mother about his latest concubine, sought out music at dinner to gain a moment of peace. He soon found that on some days the recitals would sadden the noodles and dampen the tones of his favorite mountain mushrooms. Yet on other occasions, sweet music added to his pleasure, lifting the broth to the light of the gods. Struggling to place meal and music in the right measure he commissioned local monks to answer what he felt was the question of his time - How loud is too loud to eat Ramen?  The monks retreated to the Lotus Temple to contemplate the question of their patron. Some offered that music and other distractions should be avoided while consuming Ramen altogether. Others posited that one should be able to hear oneself slurp, arguing this essential Ramenic intonement balanced the sense of hearing with the sense of taste. A breakaway school of thought held that one need not hear one's slurp but should be able to contemplate the act of slurping, and that no minstrels playing in the background should break the required concentration for this meditation. A subsect known for bravely risking the sword of the imperial guard for their insolence rejected the question altogether - they held that the truest consumption of ramen is the isolation and privileging of taste above and apart from the other senses, rendering meaningless any questions of sight and sound. And so these factions argued, while Emperor Kinmei grew older and more impatient in his longing for an answer. Some texts refer to a consensus that was reached, but alas dear reader, these conclusions were lost to the ages in no small part due to a tragic and bloody raid led by a drunken shogun who felt the monks had wronged him on another matter altogether. While the wisdom of the Lotus monks is lost to us, Emperor Kinmei's question remains. How loud is too loud? I tried to answer this question for myself at Shiki Menya. But a particularly joyless strain of hip hop thudded through Shiki Menya's overloaded speaker flooding into the overwhelmed temple of my noggin where the question was raised but promptly flooded out by unwanted "beats". Shiki Menya gets so much right - the layout, the fresh vegetables, the hearty broth and succulent morsels of chicken and pork. While much is given, too much is taken by occasional coach-massager and fulltime Raptor parasite Drake, and his peers, thunk-thunking away at volume 11. Today the ratio of broth to bass is not a question for the monks of old but one for Shiki Menya management. They should hurry their ruminations, or better still hurry over to the volume dial to find the sorely needed balance sought by the Lotus temple.

I don't know what to say about the ramen here! The noodles at this place are made fresh daily if you aren't here by 2:34 get stopping in because they will be out. Line up early to secure yourself a table, however the broth soup selection and service is well worth the stop. I'm not going to lie it's quite loud here, it's like a dance club however if you're just going for lunch with friends maybe you don't need to talk to each other or, maybe like to yell at each other! That's at the food is unbelievably good, and despite the loud Atmosphere by myself coming back again and again.

Excellent food. Horrible, arrogant and ignorant service. It's too bad, because it's the best ramen shop in the city. The manager is a monster, the servers are rude and oblivious to customers. It's like they think they're better than everyone else and you're lucky to even be eating there. Thanks but no thanks.

Hip vibrant millennial place that is rockin when they open the doors for lunch. At the advice of my hipster nephew and wanting an urge for comfort food, I arrived around 11:20 am for lunch knowing from yelpsters that this place fills up fast and one should be prepared for a wait. Fortunately, I arrived and was able to take the last seat at the eight seat exhibition counter and ordered with their classic Tonkatsu ramen. Since it was my first time, I asked about the quantity and portion size of the pork and was told it was two pieces of average size. Wanting to be on the cautious side since my belly was aching for food, I ordered two additional pieces of pork which was a smart move! Upon arrival, the creamy pork broth was not oily and ingredients blended well together. My wish is that this particular dish would have ingredients that would add more color to the presentation. In terms of food handling (food safety), this place is above par from other ramen parlors that I have visited so kudos for that. Overall, not the best that I have but definitely solid ramen for Calgary.

Arrived here about 15 minutes before their opening and a line was already forming. We (3 people) were able to get in with their first wave of seating. I ordered the chili goma ramen ($16) which includes negi, chopped pork, chili oil, sesame broth, peanuts and dried chilis. The broth was rich and full of flavor. The spices of the chili was slightly there, but not as much as the description would make you think. The noodles were a little more cooked than I would like but the texture was still there. I had some of my friend's tonkotsu black ramen ($16), which is what Yelp seems to really love, and it was delicious - the richness in the broth was there, and the flavors were more bold than my chili goma. If I had the opportunity to come back, I'd get the tonkotsu black hands down. Cash or debit only - for any Americans visiting, they don't really take Visa or American debit cards! (Well, they can, but it's a hassle... just bring cash.)

Soup SZN continues with Shiki Menya! It's been around Calgary for about 5 years now and has become the go to ramen spot for many, not me though this is my first time. Started with the house made gyozas and they were tasty and had good texture, a little crisp on the bottoms. The sauce that came with it had some kick to it which was well received. For the main course I ordered the chili goma which had tokyo negi, spicy chopped pork with veggies, chili oil, sesame, peanuts and dried chilis. Despite its many ingredients the broth was subtle and had good flavor and heat. I was expecting the broth to be grainy but it was clean. Portion felt small but after devouring the noodles it was the right amount of food despite having an enormous bowl. Really wish there were a bit of spicy chopped pork though, seemed a bit lacking. Located in Bridgeland, i'm surprised I haven't dined here sooner. It was a fast bowl or ramen with some great views. Gonna need to try more of the menu but won't be surprised if it's all good. Sal says: Just Try It (3.9/5)

Have been wanting to try this place for a while and finally got an opportunity to swing by before lunch rush to avoid the lineups. I ordered the Karo Miso Garlic ramen. The noodles were great, perfect bite and perfectly slurpable. The soup was a tad salty, with a strong garlic taste which I enjoyed, however it was much spicier than I anticipated and I couldn't drink all of the broth. The pork was perfectly tender and the sweet nuggets of corn offered a good contrast. Definitely one of the better ramen shops in Calgary, get here before the lineups though.

I paid a visit to Calgary and a friend of mine really wanted to try this place out. In all honesty, I was hesitant to give this place a try. Coming from the Bay Area where Asian food is at the top of its cuisine game, I couldn't but be skeptical. Monday morning came along and we were the second party in line. I suggest arriving 15 minute before opening to increase your chances of being seated in the first round. Service was top notch. We were seated, given our menus, and ordered within 5 minutes. (I guess that's how you keep the turn around going.) When the food came, I was shocked to see a huge bowl. It was literally bigger than my face! Definitely unusual to see because in most ramen places that I've been, Bay Area and Japan, the soup is served in bowls with broth to the brim. However, I must say the big white porcelain bowl was pleasing to the eye! Moving on the flavor of the dish. The noodz were alright. I'm used to al dente typa noodles, but it didn't bother me much. The broth was tasty and packed a nice punch. The half hard boiled egg soaked in soy sauce was delish, but I would have preferred it to be warm. It seemed like they made the egg a night before and left it in the refrigerator for the morning after. Slices of grilled pork was the star of the show. I was impressed with the immense flavor and just the right amount of char. One ingredient that was a bit different that most ramen bowls was the addition of fresh greens. That was a first. However, I didn't mind the balance of freshness alongside the saltiness of the dish. Overall, a solid meal and I would recommend giving it a try.

Nothing cures the cold winter weather blues like a steaming bowl of soup. That was what won us over as we battled back and forth on whether we should hit up Shiki for lunch. We'd read a few reviews about the ridiculously long lines and the possibility that they'd be out of ramen by the time we'd arrived (Friday around noon, were we crazy?!) but we stayed hopeful. My friend dropped me off so I could snag a spot in line while he parked the car, I jotted my name on the waitlist and stood in the crowded doorway with the other potential diners. I'm not gonna lie, when they called my name in less than 15 mins of being there I was really surprised. It's quite cosy seating (aka you're THISCLOSE to the table next to you) and the menu is short and sweet (probably helps to ensure a quick turnaround). I went with the chili goma, my friend the kara miso garlic. I loved the chewy texture of the noodles, perfectly seasoned bits of pork and crunch of the peanuts. I wish I had more room to finish off the broth, it had a nice spiciness to it and flavoured just right. We settled our bill (FYI they only take cash or debit) and we were outta there in less than an hour, including our wait time. I'm glad we stayed optimistic about getting in, we finally got to try some pretty decent ramen in Calgary!

First time here and I will most definitely be back! I have almost recovered from my goma coma (so dubbed by the gentleman behind the bar) and will try and fight through the haze to leave a detailed review. We arrived at about 11:10am. The first seating had already taken place at opening (11am) and about 13 new groups has already signed up. We walked to get a coffee and made it in after about an hour wait. We sat at the bar... not always the most comfortable spot, very cozy, but definitely the most interesting seats for foodies! The decor is simple and the place isn't overly cramped. The atmosphere at the bar was nice and the kitchen staff are super friendly :D I'm not sure what music was playing as I was far too distracted by the food I was watching being made... "oooh that looks good, let's get that..... oooh that looks good too!.... aaawwww I want everything!" In the end, I ordered the chili goma ramen, my other half ordered the kari... black garlic? Can't remember the exact name but it was garlicky and delicious. We also ordered the char siu musubi. My chili goma ramen was ridiculous.... and by ridiculous I mean awesome! The homemade noodles were well cooked with some chew and had great flavour and texture. The pork was very well spiced and the goma flavour blended beautifully with the deep, creamy broth. I also added menma (bamboo shoots) which I liked in the dish. Nice presentation and a big portion! I only tried the broth of Jay's ramen and it was fabulous... again the ingredients had melded very well together into a deep complex broth that had layers of flavour. The musubi was also delicious! I admit I was a bit skeptical at first... I thought it looked like too much rice and mayo, but when I wrapped it up and took a bite, the proportion of ingredients worked really well! Very tasty starter. As we chatted with the gentleman working in front of us, we had a great conversation about ramen and Japanese cuisine. I immediately started drooling again thinking about all the delicious food I ate in Japan! He was kind enough to make a number of other ramen recommendations which I very much appreciate! He also gave us some gyoza on the house and they were delicious! Lots of filling... the only warning I would give is to not douse the gyoza in the sauce they provide. It's good but very salty. Overall, great service, great food, and good people! I'm excited to come back and try their other bowls... although I think I'll get there before 11am next time! Hats off to Aihara-san, the chef from Japan! Arigatou gozaimasu! Totemo oishikatta!

Best ramen ever!! They have a relatively small menu, focusing on a few dishes. But these few dishes are perfect. The broth is made from scratch, all ingredients seem to be of high quality and mainly local. The chili ramen is my favorite so far. If you prefer the miso ramen but want to spice it up a bit, ask for some chili oil, it makes a big difference. Portions are big, you will be pretty full after. The noodles are also made fresh daily and in house, so tasty! Different from the usual rise noodles, in a good way. Apparently I am not the only one who thinks this is a great place to grab a bite. They open at 11am. When I first visited this place I showed up at 11am, as this was the only time that my friend could make it, thinking this place will be pretty much empty at this time. Who has lunch at 11am? BUT, when I arrived shortly before 11am (on a weekday) there was a long lineup! We got some of the last seats. They also have a waiting list outside, every day!!! Mind you, the place is only open from 11 am until they run out of ramen, which is usually in the (early) afternoon, serving about 150 bowls each day. They will post it on twitter when they run out of ramen: @shikimenya Closed for dinner and on Sundays, but open on holidays. The restaurant is not too big, I'd say about 35 seats. You can't make any reservations, hence it's hard to accommodate larger groups. Some free street parking is available right in front, but usually taken. Go into the residential area on the north side of the main road and you will find more free parking, on the south side it seems to be paid parking. They don't offer take out, as ramen should be eaten right away, otherwise the noodles get too soggy. Highly recommand going there, although I don't want this place to get even busier, but I also don't want you to miss out on having a mouthgasm.

Going to say this upfront - you guys need to get better hours. I get it that its "trendy" or whatever to get people to fight to the death for tables or something but if people need to pay for parking just to stand in line for 40 minutes that's annoying. Especially in minus 30 degree weather. So when YELP asks me if this place is good for groups I would give that a resounding NO. ALSO one of the servers dropped a tray of water glasses and splashed me and when I got home I found a piece of glass in my boot. So please be more careful and please clean up accidents better. Other than that my experience here was phenomenal, so 4/5 it is. We waited about 30 minutes overall for a table so I am glad the experience was worth the extra effort to eat here. You go in and sign up at the door and they seat you based on first come first serve. The interior is trendy. I had to do a double take on the Wu-tang symbol on the bathroom doors and I thought that was kind of cool. I personally don't mind sitting next to strangers, because I like to creep on people's food. I got the garlic miso ramen and it was amazing. I ate every bite like the little piglet I am (and some of my girlfriends). I got tofu added and I'm glad I did because it was good and I like tofu. Noodles were cooked well and the pork was literally so tender. It was so delicious. We also had gyoza which was standard but not as phenomenal as the ramen. Our gyoza was also accidentally brought to another table before us so we didn't get it as an appetizer but it was OK we are not too concerned about it. We ended up getting it about 10 minutes after we got the ramen. Service is good and staff are friendly. Lots of hipster dudes everywhere. Good music. I will definitely be back to this place when I come back to Cowtown.

This is a great ramen place. Ramen here is very savory and scrumptious. This is definitely one of my favorite ramen places I've tried. I hope they continue to have high standards in cooking ramen to perfection. I have had way too many half-hearted ramens. Try it out, you might love it!

Shiki Menya has always been my favourite spot in Calgary for Ramen. However, on my recent visit they were blasting the music to a point of discomfort. When we politely asked the server to turn down the volume as we had to yell to speak to each other and this level of noise is actually damaging to your ears, he said "that's just how we do it here" and walked away. If the issue was something like a mistake on an order or even poor service I usually don't mind those things, but this is genuinely a health concern and also shows the disregard the restaurant has for its guests. For the actual ramen, I was surprisingly disappointed with my usual order- the standard tonkotsu ramen. The broth lacked creaminess, almost as if it was diluted, and the previously melt-in-your-mouth pork was tough and flavourless. I did not expect this from Shiki Menya, and I'm worried they've become one of those restaurants that gradually decline in quality over time. Looks like I have to look for a new go-to ramen restaurant in YYC

Ramen is delicious! I don't have a lot of experience with the different ramen restaurants but I must say this is unreal, different kind of atmosphere- trendy for sure, but had a rap/hip hop vibe (sounds weird) but that's what I felt. I loved it!! Great vibes and amazing staff!