Ichiran Ramen at Shinsaibashi, Osaka
- Ava Lyn
- Nov 24
- 3 min read
Ichiran Ramen, Multiple Locations
Shinsaibashisuji, 1 Chome−3−29 ミヤプラザ心斎橋 1F
〒542-0085 Osaka, Chuo Ward, Japan
Ichiran Ramen is a highly renowned ramen chain that originated from Fukuoka, Japan. It almost has a cult following and is synonymous with ultra rich and creamy tonkotsu ramen served with Hakata style straight thin noodles. Now Ichiran operated in multiple locations globally, including New York, Hong Kong and Taiwan, all with a simple menu of tonkotsu ramen with various add ons.
What's so special? Consistency. The tonkotsu broth is the star of the show, slow-simmered for hours to achieve its signature flavour that is rich, yet balanced. I asked my friends about the various Ichiran around the world and the messages have been consistent, the flavour and the quality is the same, and a place to have something familiar anywhere you are in the world. I think this is high praise. It is never easy to expand whilst keeping quality and consistency and Ichiran seems to have done so.
We visited the Shinsaibashi branch of Ichiran in Osaka following a long day at the Osaka World Expo. When we got there at 2030 hrs, there was a very short line outside the restaurant and we thought it was our lucky day. Little did we know there is a waiting area inside the restaurant and we waited another hour or so to get to our little booths.
How does it work here? You line up patiently, when you get close to the booths, a form is passed around and you fill in your custom ramen, extra firm to extra soft noodle preference, adjustable broth richness, garlic, spice level and toppings, making it your own personalized bowl of ramen. After that you wait for your turn, looking at the map and seat allocations light up and for the one wait staff to let you know which seat you are allocated to. Once there, just wait for the servers behind the curtains to come by to grab your order. I would imagine that in an orderly country like Japan, the original intention of Ichiran is that there wouldn't even be a wait staff allocating seats. You would quite literally come in, see if there are seats available and head right in. But now that there are so many tourists coming in and out, this order would definitely be chaotic and therefore the wait staff to maintain order.
Ichiran's solo dining concept is a fascinating, yet one that makes sense. There is no direct interactions with servers except when food is served through a small window and curtains are temporarily lifted. They let you know your order, bow and close the curtains. That is it, your own sanctuary and booth to actually savour and enjoy your bowl of ramen. Super efficient and super effective. The inner introvert in me loved this very much.
Ok, now on to the ramen itself. The broth is warm, creamy, rich and comforting. On a cool autumn day, it was absolutely delicious and surprisingly clean. It never got overwhelming and it was so easy to finish the whole bowl, including the broth. It is served with Ichiran's "Original Spicy Red Sauce" which is a chilli based blend of 30 different spices and ingredients that have been aged and it provides a nice balanced kick to the bowl. The noodles are straight Hakata styled noodles that is firm yet chewy and goes so nicely with the broth. Since everything is customisable, you get a bowl that you know you will enjoy, which I truly did.
Interestingly, it was my first time at an Ichiran shop and I thought that the in restaurant ramen to be extremely similar to the instant Ichiran ramen kits, that are now very easily available. The instant version replicates the tonkotsu broth, noodles and also has the signature red sauce. So for me, the experience was around the solo booth concept and having a bowl of very comforting and familiar ramen, rather that the ramen being mind blowingly delicious.
Booking
Ichiran doesn't take bookings. I would highly recommend avoiding peak periods as the lines can be outrageously long. There are branches of Ichiran that are open 24 hours, though note that prices are slightly higher after 10 pm, and certainly the ones that are not located in the major tourist routes have slightly shorter lines, so pick your time and pick your location wisely!
Accessibility
The Shinsaibashi branch is a 2 min walk from Shinsaibashi train station, making it extremely convenient.
The Damage
My standard bowl of ramen was ~ 9 SGD, making it extremely affordable.
Would We Recommend?
For a quick hearty meal, yes we would recommend Ichiran. The solo dining booths are such a charm and the ramen is delicious.