Ken S.
Yelp
I was introduced to this place about 15 years ago, which was my real introduction to the fantastic world of ramen that I only had a small idea of before coming here. Since then, I've eaten over a hundred bowls of ramen in my time here and can say, it is still my favorite ramen restaurant and if you are in the area, and craving ramen, this would have to be the place to visit for a bowl of heavenly noodles.
It's not often that I do this (really, I'm a bit of a harsh, and stingy critic at times), but this place gets 5 stars all across the board. And apparently looking at the other reviews I'm not the only one who feels this way. Get it!!!
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Details
Value: (5/5)
Menu/selection: (5/5)
Quality: (5/5)
Service/staff: (5/5)
Ambiance: (5/5)
Value
Great value for everything. You can add toppings which for a fully loaded bow of ramen with all the toppings would run slightly over 1000 yen. I think regular bowls start at under 700 yen.
Menu/selection
The ramen broth here is pork and soy sauce based, but I have seen miso on the menu as well. There are a ton of side dishes and toppings so there is no shortage of variety here.
Quality
The taste will tell you only the best quality ingredients are being used and presentation of the bowl tells you the love that went into making the ramen here.
Service/staff
Friendly and very helpful staff, and ENGLISH MENU that describes everything perfectly. The staff here love ramen, people and the great service shows it.
Ambiance
Nothing fancy. A homey, cozy vibe with somewhat worn wooden tables and chairs. Music pumping, and the sound of people slurping, orders being called out, and bowls and plates clanging make for what every good ramen restaurant should sound like.
Final thoughts
I don't come here as often as I want to and the lines here kind of put me off, but whenever I do stop in for a bowl, I realize the lines are definitely worth it. If you are visiting Japan, this should be a destination if ramen is anywhere on your agenda. The surrounding area of stores, and Yoyogi park are a plus as well, so plan a visit here.