Ichiran Ramen in NYC: Better Taste than Japan
I had memories of eating it during a trip to Japan, and I’d always been curious how it would taste in New York—but there’s always a long line outside, so we’d never made it in until now!
The exterior of the restaurant was actually pretty simple—so much so that you might walk right past it without noticing. But once you’re inside, you’re immediately greeted with that signature Ichiran layout.
They have those individual booths lined up for solo diners, with little curtains in front so you can really just focus on your ramen. Even though we went together, we sat side by side in our own booths.
Before sitting down, you have to order and pay at the kiosk. We both went for the most basic set menu, but one of the cool things is that you can customize every little detail—noodle texture, broth richness, spice level, green onions, extra chashu, all of it.
We kept everything at the default setting, while I cranked up the spice to level 5. We also ordered a draft beer to go with our ramen—heads up, they check your ID at the counter!
Water is self-service, so make sure to serve our own water before ask employees! Once food is ready, they open the front side of the booth and serve the dish.
How was it
We were expecting the box shaped ramen bowl which were known for Ichiran ramen bowl, but we had it with the rounded shape ramen bowl. The noodles were nice and thin with a good bite, and the chashu was soft and flavorful. The broth was rich, but actually a little too creamy for our taste—so my level 5 spicy ramen definitely hit better for both of us.
Final Thoughts : Should you go?
It was definitely a bit pricey, but there’s no tipping—and honestly, I think it tasted even better than the Ichiran I had in Japan. If you’re ever craving ramen in New York, it’s definitely a spot worth trying at least once!
