Hakata Ramen Shinsengumi
Gardena, CA 90247 (310) 329-1335
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 11:30 a.m.-2:00 p.m.
Mon-Fri 6:00 p.m.-11:30 p.m.
Sat-Sun 11:30 a.m.-11:30 p.m. - Price Range: $$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Private Lot
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: Yes
- Takes Reservations: No
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: No
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: No
- Good for: Dinner, Lunch
- Alcohol: Beer & Wine Only
153 Reviews for Hakata Ramen Shinsengumi
Best ramen in town, though they have branches elsewhere also, but this ramen can't be missed if you come to LA. Totally different than any ramen in Sawtelle, where it looks like an instant noodle and the soup base is YUM... Too bad they don't offer yakitori at this Redondo location, unlike Fountain Valley. It would be perfect if they do so ;) and additional noodle is only 95cents, how can it be bad??? It fills my stomach really well!!!
Best ramen in LA.
Authentic (aside from the Mexicans in the back washing the dishes, they all speak Japanese), tastes fabulous, customizable, great service (they shout 'Irasshaimase!' in unison when you come in), they serve beer and sake, presence of a bar and varieties of tables make it great for groups or cuddling.
*****
I lived in Japan for about a year, and roughly five months into my stay I discovered ramen. Then I ate ramen at least every other day until I returned to America. In any case, I try to be a ramen snob, and this is the only place in LA that meets my standards. Daikokuya is O.K., some of the places in Santa Monica were all right, this is the real deal.
They have lunch specials that are roughly $10 with tip. Yesss
I have been to this location many times when I lived in downtown LA. This is currently my favorite ramen house. I usually sit at the counter as I like to watch the cooks make the ramen. The noodles, soup base, and add ons are made to order. My usual is firm noodles, with regular soup, an egg, and spicy miso. Adding the spicy miso makes the soup so much more flavorful and I crave ramen just thinking about it. I like their dinner sets too. I usually get set D with kara age appetizer and plum wine. Yum! I love their karaage! Their fried rice with ginger is awesome too. I think I like Japanese fried rice better than Chinese fried rice! Because of the dinner sets, I prefer this location over Rosemead. I have only seen the dinner sets at this location's menu. I am not sure about other locations outside of central LA.
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My Personal Ramen Tour - Chapter 3
After walking out of Asa, my ramen fix was not fulfilled. I needed more. Hmm two dinners in one night? Is that morally wrong? Not at all.
So we head down the road to Hakata Ramen Shinsengumi. This place was recommended to me by a couple coworkers as being the "best ramen ever." Coming from Asa, it was like night to day, literally. Asa was dark and cozy and Hakata was bright and reminded me of a cafeteria.
We sat at a silly shaped communal table that was not at all build for large people. We ordered ramen and some fried rice.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
The meal came quick and I started on the rice first. Damn good rice! I can't remember the last time I had rice so good! And it wasn't greasy! I think my last memories of fried rice were from those $1.99 Chinese fast food places. Then the ramen, good, but definitely not as good as Asa. Key factor being the yolk of the egg was cooked solid. Halfway through my bowl I began to think that even Santouka was better. Yep, I'm sure Santouka was a tad better. The noodles here were cooked a bit too much. But that rice wins Hakata a point.
I'll have to try out the rest of the Shinsengumi group soon.
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This is one of my favorite ramen houses. The noodles are perfect and made to order. There are not many places that make their own ramen noodles, let alone give you the option to refill your bowl with noodles for a small amount. The specials on the wall are great and they are plentiful. If you're hungry for ramen, this is one of my top choices!
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So I just got back from my 5th or 6th time at Shin Sen Gumi and I am stuffed. My first piece of wisdom is that you show up at this palce a half hour before the time you plan on eating, the reason for this is because everytime I have come, no matter the day of the week I have had to wait half an hour.
Pearl of wisdom number 2 is if you want discounted beer, when you get the E-set, only the draft beer (I think your choice is BUD lol or the soju is included). There isn't much difference between the E-set and the D-set. You get, ramen, five or six potstickers, an appetizer froma choice of 20, I get the cold Tofu with Fish skins on it and a drink. Soft drink for the D-set, beer for the E-set.
If you have a hearty appetite, more noodles only cost like a dollar more. I think i managed more noodles one time and I normally do not because it is a lot of food.
When you come in, pay, and leve, the workers yell a bunch of stuff in japanese, i wish I understood what they were saying. It's kind of like in Kill Bill in the japanese Bar scene, I hear the Crazy 88 are saying a bunch of funny stuff, but hey, I don't know for sure.
I like my broth strong, my noodles hard. Hmm that sounds gay haha. I am sure there are many other choices, i need to show up with someone who can read Japanese so i can try more things. Any takers?
One of my top two Japanese ramen places in LA. If you come in with a big appetite this place is good because you can add a second serving of noodles for $.99. The service people are loud and make you feel welcome although you have no idea what they're saying. It may sometimes take a few minutes to get seated, especially if you're coming during rush hours, but usually the wait isn't bad at all. Prices are okay, not that bad. It IS Japanese food, and it is good. Sake prices seem a bit high though.
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The only place for ramen that I go to. Their broth is flavorful, their noodles are done to the way you want it. And with cheap second helpings of noodles, how could you go wrong?
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I can literally step out of my house, look down the street and see Hakata Ramen. That's how I gauge whether or not it's crowded, before I even bother driving over there.
I used to refuse to go there, even though I liked the ramen. Know why? Because they have micro-gyoza. First off, I never order gyoza when I go out, because mom makes the best gyoza/dumplings at home. And no one can beat home-made. Secondly, I make it a point never to order it here. The first time my friend did, I was like, "WTF?! These are microscopic!" Like the six gyoza they give you equal one normal-sized Chinese one. It's like honey I shrunk the gyoza. Crazy.
I went back just recently and they seem to have increased about 20% in size. Which is on their way up from midget-sized, but still not yet normal.
I love their lunch specials, because for under $8 you can get a bowl of ramen and a nice side, like their fried rice (yum), chicken rice (yum), or spam musubi. But they started charging for their iced tea, which used to be free. But if you go like after 2:00 pm, you're screwed and you have to pay regular prices, which can get up to like $11-$14/person, depending on what you get. No more combos. Bummer.
Get the spicy miso to add to your ramen. It's enough for two people, maybe even three depending on how spicy you like your food, and it's worth the $2.
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I didn't realize that this location is right next to my new favorite Target until we went there last night. The ramen was as wonderful as I remembered it from the Rosemead location, it is open late and it is very close to home.
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I love mongolian bbq. I love udon. And I love ramen.
The noodles rock. The broth is the 2nd best I've had - another place in J-town has the best, sorry forgot the name of the place.
I like going here with my family so that we can get the table where you sit on the floor. The problem is that my legs fall asleep after about the 2nd bowl so I end up sitting in a weird angle. They also have a big community table which could be great if you're sharing the table with cute diners.
Speaking of which, you can get refills of noodles for a buck. I heard rumors that if you get 7 refills, your meal is free. Note, I said RUMOR - I don't want people to ping me saying "hey, you said it was free so I spent $8". Don't be that loser. My best has been 4 refills and have done three refills every time I've gone there. Probably could've done at least 2 more if I didn't get the beer. But I think they also give you a slightly bigger portion as you order more. Maybe that's their master plan - make it difficult to reach 7 so you keep coming back to try to eat more. BTW, the place is all run by Japanese guys, who look like they're in their 30's. WIsh they had waitresses and not just all guys - my only gripe.
A great place for carbo loading before a long run or race. My goal is to do 7 refills in one sitting.
I love the fact that I can order in smaller size. Not just ramen but everything in general.
Their bite size gyoza is cute and tasty. There's usually a line so try to go during awkward hours like right before it's about to close :)
Fried rice and chicken cartilage is ok. Special rice ball is good. You have to try their gyoza though. Dip it in 1/2 soy sauce 1/2 vinegar with sprinkles of red pepper flakes. MMMmmm~
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I love noodles. My mom used to call me "noodle boy."
I love Hakata Ramen. I love the poppy music they play, I love the Japanese dudes yelling things in Japanese that I don't understand, I love the hard noodles, strong soup base and oil. I love getting refills of noodles for 99 cents. When I'm here, I love my life. If my pastor was reading this, he'd be asking why I'm not this way at Church. (Sorry Pastor Ted)
I eat here once a week and it never disappoints me unlike UCLA in the last 3 final fours, Dwayne Wade getting hurt, and Episode 1,2 and 3 of Star Wars.
I scoff at people trying to tell me this place is overrated.
This place is my favorite ramen house. I will drive from Santa Monica to Gardena just for my soft noodles and light oil/salt pork soup. I've tried them all, Daikokuya, Santouka, Chabuya, Asahi, and honestly, I'd much rather cook my own Sapporo noodles at home (*gasp!) then eat at those places. But Hakata Ramen is different. Maybe it's because I can get it with low salt, where those other places are really salty. Maybe it's the obscene amount of noodles they give you. It's just really friggin good, and if you haven't been there yet then you're totally missing out.
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I was in my Asian Cuisine class watching the Japanese movie Tampopo. As I was watching the movie, all I could think about was getting a bowl of ramen as soon as I got home for spring break. I was salivating as I thought about the ramen at Hakata. Spring break can't come soon enough.
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Everything about this meal was cool until I got the food. I got there and it was crowded, and the inside just had a good feel about it. Everyone had told me that this place is the best. First I start with gyoza of course, but they were definitely not fresh. Then I had the ramen... I don't understand. Yes I ordered it hard I like my noodles firm, but the broth was lame and the noodle WERE NOT RAMEN NOODLES. I don't get it if they called it hakata somen then maybe it should deserve another star. They call it ramen. It is not ramen. I used to think mem bei was the best ramen place on carson and somethin. Santouka is number one their broth is cooked for a long time, which makes it tastey and their noodles are perfectly chewy and ... theyre actually ramen noodles. This place was a huge disappointment.
This place is a small hole and there can be a long wait, but the ramen is probably some of the best in LA. I usually order one of the set dinners and I like the gyoza. That should probably be more than enough food for most people.
You can custom order your soup and how well you want your noodles cooked.
It'll probably work out better for you if you have 4 people or less, time-wise.
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Ramen is all about the soup for me and sadly I wasn't that impressed with it. I'd give it a 3.5 today. Flavors were not bad but not great. Also it wasn't hot but just warm. I don't wear glasses since my lasik surgery but a fresh bowl of Ramen should cloud one's glasses when you dive in for a sip. I thought a place with this much reputation would pre-warm the bowls but it didn't look like it. I got to sit at the counter, center stage, and see everything the guy did.
The customizing form is hard to take serious cause they don't seem to follow it. I asked for a strong soup and the noodles normal firm. What I got wasn't very rich and the noodles were on the soft side. That's all relative I guess but I definitely wouldn't have wanted my soup any less strong and I can't imagine anyone who would want the noodles any softer.
I liked the Takana topping. The pork slices could've had more presence imo. It was sliced almost as thin as deli ham. The eggs are hard boiled here which is fine but I thought these were beyond that, overcooked rubbery.
Now these are all extras so you can end up with a $14+ bowl of noodles pretty quickly.
The Ramen was better than most I had in Southern California I admit. But I'm most disappointed at the gap of expectation Shinsengumi projects and the final product served. The choreographed chants to the custom bowls with name imprinted.. I'm being harsh cause I know they can do better. And they should since it's their specialty.
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Love it, Love it, Love it!
If you crave for ramen go here! It's worth waiting for a bowl of ramen!
YUM YUM YUM!!!!
some foodies with their fancy palate and going to the newest trendy restaurant.
well my palate loves ramen and spam masubi!
I had the joy of coming here with a friend who has never been to a ramen house. i was shocked. more people need to give ramen houses a chance.
well anyway, this place seemed pretty authentic to a japanese ramen house (or how i imagine one in japan to be like). i don't know if they do this all the time or maybe cuz it's children's day /month in japan around now but every child in the place got a prize in true japanese style fashion. they pick a number in a box and that number is the prize they get. it's cute although the toys are gendered and u don't get to pick your prize.
this place also seems like a place for ppl who know how they like their ramen. we were given a sheet a paper to write down our order. how we like our noodles and soup. i should've asked questions cuz i didn't know what to put so i just chose normal. the noodles were a little on the soft and small side from what i'm used to. but broth was delicious.
i chose the lunch combo with spam masubi. i was surprised they had spam masubi since that's more of a hawaiian/japanese american thing but they put a japanese twist on it that i have never seen before. the layer above the spam they put the ume (japanese plum) seasoning. i love this seasoning and i was so surprised to get these two great tastes-sweet and salty. now on my radar as a fav spam masubi!
Noodles...perfect.
Broth...flavorful.
Ramen guy behind the counter...hot!
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The shio ramen here is indisputably the best in the South Bay, although the miso ramen at Santouka is better by a hair (or could that be the grease talking?). I always get hard noodles/minimum oil/strong base and it comes out perfect each and every time.
Sometimes I get the wonton soup when I'm not feeling super hungry; it comes in the half sized bowl with flavorful wontons instead of ramen, and leaves you feeling pleasantly satiated. Over our past visits, we have tried the takana fried rice, gyoza, karaage chicken, deep fried chicken skins, and japanese sweet potatoes (can't remember what the exact name of it was). None of the sides were particularly memorable enough to order a second time except the japanese sweet potatoes, which were chopped into tiny rectangles, roasted until they were covered with a sweet, delectably caramelized crust, and served with an addictive butter-mayo sauce. Man, I love my carbs.
Back when I lived and worked in Gardena, I frequented this place. A lot. Something about the firm thin noodles, heavy soup oil, and strong soup base.. all mixed into a super delicious pork based broth with a few slices of chashu, green onions, and ginger... I just love it. Add to that a 1/2 order of munchkin sized gyoza (tasty, but sweet baby Jeebus they're tiny!), or a 1/2 order of chahan (fried rice). Or, if you're feeling quite Oinky at the time (like I usually am), add both. Still hungry? They have a 95 cent Kaedama, which is essentially a refill of ramen noodles. Schwing!
So why not 5 stars? I don't mind the loud bellowing of the staff, but I do hate waiting, and there's no way around it here. It's either arrive at 11:15am 15 minutes before they open and stand around, or come between noon and 1pm where you'll line up in a throng of mixed characters from high schoolers ditching class to Japanese businessmen in their suits, and even the Great Karnak wouldn't be able to guess how long you'll be sitting. I had to drop a co-worker off at LAX today and found myself heading through the South Bay on the way back to the office and since it was about 11:15, I opted for wait option 1. The Food? Good! The Service? Good! The Wait? I hate waiting. =)
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Small hole in the wall -ish place. Hard to find the first time, but once you go once, you'll never forget. I have only been for lunch so can't speak to the dinner menu. The lunch sets are great, good variety for all. Spam musubi, gyoza, chicken rice, takani, pork rice, and I think soemthing else make up the different lunch sets. You can add extra toppings for your ramen too. The ramen itself you can select noodle firmness, amount of oil, and soup base heaviness. One thing to note, all of their broth is pork based unlike some other ramen places that have shoyu or miso based broths.
I can't say its the best I've ever had (compared to Japan or Santa Ramen in SF Bay Area), but it is the best I have had in LA.
"Irasshaimase" was screamed so loud at me when I walked into this place, I thought I was in the middle of a banzai charge. It even echoed. It was packed, so I got seated at the Japanese style, take your shoes off tables. Uncomfortable is all I can say, so when someone left the regular tables I asked to be seated there.
I've never been to a ramen place where they allow you to chose the firmness of the noodles or how heavy you want your broth. Cool. They have lunch specials, so I chose ramen with a side of fried rice and an extra side of gyoza. All in all, the food was pretty good, I really like the fried rice, the ramen was good, but I had to add some red pepper to the broth to give it some extra zest. The gyoza was tasty, but a bit overcooked.
Service was good and the interior was OK. They serve beer and sake and have a selection of about 5 desserts. The only complaint is that there was no refills on the soda.
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Detox (Retox?) DAY 3:
SCREEEEEW.
THIS!
Little birdie at the office clued me in on the water cooler talk today: over/under Irene makes it to 7.
To the overs, better luck next time. A valuable experience, it'd be great to have another go at this in the near future, maybe stretch it to 5 days and also with the help of an accountability partner, but right now? Calling all brain cells. I repeat. Report for duty immediately. I think I was completely useless today. At 64:00 my stomach began eating itself. So by 67:00, you bet, I was gleefully filling up on banchan, gal bi and sundubu. Sorry to let you down, Wak...sigh.
To that I give honor to my last meal on earth: ramen. HRS might as well be in Siberia given how often I find myself in Gardena, but the skinny, squiggly noodles cooked al dente (noodle texture and pork soup consistency is all custom ordered here), the takana fried rice and spam rice balls are the things little dreams are made of...and then, you have a stroke.
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When I was in middle/high school, my uncle and his friends used to take me here as payment for doing manual labor/computer support for them. In hindsight, I probably should've asked for cash instead.
It's been four years, so I decided to visit this place again now that I'm paying for my own food.
The overall image hasn't changed at all -- a mix of counter and table service, waiters and waitresses yelling out in unison, white dudes looking around confused at the yelling. Even the menu hasn't changed much, though it's not surprising since they always served typical ramen house fare.
What has changed, though, is the guy who's in charge of cooking/prepping the soup and noodles. Or perhaps it was just the usual guy's day off. Either way, the new guy seemed a little stand-offish with the customers sitting at the counter. In the past, whenever we ordered an extra serving of ramen noodles, the guy would just boil it and plop it into our bowl if we were sitting at the counter. In my most recent visit, they had a waitress come with a plate of noodles. No idea why they did that, but it was odd.
As for the food: Good, but nothing totally mind-blowing. I like the "kaedama" system of ordering extra batches of noodles at $0.95 each. However, their servings are on the small side -- especially considering the noodles are particularly skinny -- so that first "kaedama" order is pretty much expected.
I eat enough half-decent ramen at home (and I don't mean the super-cheap dry stuff) that I rarely feel like going to a ramen house. But considering the service, the price, and the variety at Shinsengumi, it's certainly one of the best choices for ramen in the South Bay.
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I went to this restaurant based on the good yelp reviews, but I was not impressed with the quality of the food. The ramen was just ok. The service was prompt and it was nice to be able to choose the thickness of the broth and the firmness of the noodles, but overall I would not recommend this place to a real ramen enthusiast.
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Best Ramen evar! The texture is amazing and of course the flavor! Worth the money and effort to visit this place! No place compares! Makes me happy just thinking about it! ^_____________^ Ask my friend Clitty Clat it's her favorite ramen place too~
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In theory this should be the same as the store in Rosemead. The menu is identical. The store is more spacious and no wait (it was a Sat.). Like the other place you can order your ramen and control the firmness, the oil and the salt.
In theory this place should serve the same food as the Rosemead store but my tongue did not agree. The broth is not as rich and seems more salty. I ordered 'normal' for salt and was little too salty for me. The egg is hard boiled and the fried rice is not as good. It is still serviceable consider there is no wait and parking is easy.
They do serve the same type of thin and firm noodles. A plus.
They are both the same distance to my place but in addition to a Ranch 99 nearby there are several Marutakis. I can get my cream puff fix and some fresh fish.
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cleanliness: 4/5
drink quality: water is water.....(usually I order orion tho)
service: 3/5 (Fountain Valley staff are more friendly and funny)
cost: 15 bucks including tip, ramen & gyoza
other: maybe it was a bad day, but the broth wasn't as flavorful as Fountain Valley. This was my first try at this location.
What can you say about shin-sen-gumi......it is what it is. ......EXCELLENT
got the usual order of hakata ramen with choice of toppings. The noodles were soft (per my desire), altho the soup was a little bland compared to usual visits. (maybe i'm just used to the chef at fountain valley).
the gyoza also hit the spot before the noodles came. My friends were eager to get to the club, so I didn't get the full chance to enjoy my meal. Rather it was hurry up and scarf down your noodles so we can get to the club already. haha.
repeat factor......DEFINITELY YES......altho only if i'm closer to this location. I'd prefer the usual visit to the Fountain Valley location. I still haven't tried the Yakitori yet .....i'm only in socal every so often so i always want the ramen =)......maybe yakitori next time
comment to Matthew M.
try looking up what HAKATA RAMEN is on google. maybe that will address your issue with this being "hakata somen"
Find me another place I can order extra ramen for $0.99 (KAEDAMA) and I'll still tell you it doesn't compare to Hakata.
A week doesn't go by where my friends and I convene at least once over a bowl of ramen. I'm a huge fan of adding spicy miso and the occasional flavored egg to my ramen. I have yet to be disappointed in all of my experiences dining here.
If you have time before or after this meal, pick up a copy of Tampopo (1985) because it will definitely make you think of eating ramen. Put down that 10/$1.00 dehydrated ramen cr@p!...I've eaten hundreds but it doesn't do REAL ramen justice.
This is the perfect lunch place if you work or live anywhere in the Gardena area. I unfortunately don't so weekends are it. I'm sure this place is packed on weekdays cuz it's got everything you want:
- Amazing authentic food that's reasonably priced $7 for lunch.
- Great atmosphere with a bar, several tables for groups or couples, and a oblong community table in case you're feeling friendly.
The best part is their system of "Kaedama", which lets you order more ramen for just $0.95. To order a Kaedama, finish your noodles but not the soup. Then say, 'Kaedama Kudasai'. In a few minutes, the clerk will bring you another 'ball' of noodles, and put it in the soup. You must have enough soup left to accomodate the new noodles for them to honor it.
It definitely hits the spot and great for rainy days.
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Wow, this place is awesome. The ramen is so good. The loud bellowing staff welcoming and saying good-bye graciously thanking you for your patronage. The menu is not elaborate, so don't come here thinking you're getting anything else other than ramen and some other items associated with it. So you're still hungry after your first bowl? Well make sure to save your soup and order extras noodles for under a buck.
Ordered:
- Hakata Ramen -Noodles in Special Pork Flavored Soup $6.95
with sides of Cod Roe, Flavored bamboo root, and Shredded dried seaweed
- 3 orders of extra noodles!
- Order of gyoza. They're small and you get 12 in an order, but you're coming here for the ramen not gyoza.
You have choices of Hard, medium or soft noodles.
Choices of amount of soup oil.
And choices of the strength of the soup base.
My choices were medium noodles, light oil, and strong soup.
I had 4 bowls in one sitting!
This stuff was good.
Went early, 4:30pm, small place, a couple of tables and with the other tables you had to remove your shoes and sit cross-legged. This was uncomfortable for me, but other than that I'd highly recommend this place.
Service: 4
Food: 4
Decor:3
Would I go back for more? You bet your pastrami I would!
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I'm not gonna say it's the best ramen ever, but it's the best ramen I've had in the U.S. It's customizable in soup base and noodle firmness (similar to Ichiran, a ramen joint in Fukuoka). It's a big plus because I love my noodles firm! Shinsengumi's hakata ramen is my solution to rid homesickness, or maybe foodsickness (if that's even a word). Nothing is ever gonna beat the tonkotsu ramen back home, but this is the closest I can get.
Whereupon there is such a thing as a 'ramen enthusiast', which veritably, I believe does exist and to such nomenclature I, personally, do attribute myself, under which criteria does one unequivocally and without prevarication define, definitively, a nonpareil purveyor of ramen and to what degree? Justifiably, one might begin with the constitution of the dish itself. One must investigate and evaluate the piquancy and bouquet of the tsuyu or, broth. Consequently, the texture and character of the noodle and subsequently the exterior nuances, that is, service, decor, and price.
Under each criterion, there irrefutably, (in mine own opinion) exists a sole ramen-ya which to an exceptional degree, is consummate: Shin-sen-gumi Hakata Ramen.
Not elsewhere, outside of Japan, does there exist a bowl of ramen of higher quality. Service and aesthetic aside, the enthusiast him/herself may select not only the strength of the aromatic broth, but also the thickness of the noodle, resulting in a vast opportunity of the savory spectrum. Additionally, at nominal additional charge, the aficionado may select from a wide variety of delectable garnishes to enhance the ramen experience, including, but not limited to, marinated boiled egg, spicy miso, flavored bamboo root, sun-dried seaweed, bean sprouts and of course, chashu pork.
Aside from the food itself, the prodigious staff must be acknowledged. Customers are greeted enthusiastically and sincerely. Throughout the experience from the customer's tatami mat or otherwise natural log bench and wooden table, shouts sail across the dining area and through and from the kitchen, orders, greetings and farewells alike being issued emphatically, assuredly manifesting a traditional and authentic ramen-ya experience.
The reviewer earnestly awards Shin-Sen-Gumi Hakata Ramen five stars for excellence in food, service and authenticity.
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Went here for lunch right when it opened. Lucky for me and my family too because soon afterwards the place was packed like a can of sardines with a line forming outside.
The seating is very nice, as they have the tables and chairs, counter, and traditional shoes off sitting on pillow style.
The Hakata Ramen is excellent. One may choose the firmness of noodles, oil in the soup and style of soup base. There are also choices for toppings on the Ramen.
A large fish tank sits in the middle of this small restaurant, that adds to the ambiance.
Wife ordered the ramen with gyoza (Set A) and I ordered the ramen with fried rice (Set C). There are also other combinations or sets.
You can add more noodles after you are done for 95 cents. Very nice!
My son loved the ramen and the soup. He kept eating more and more and we had to order extra noodles just so he could be satisfied. After the noodles were done, he kept slurping up the soup. When I tried to take it away, he started yelling and crying. That must be some soup base, huh?
They advertise for the Shin Sen Gumi 2go at the Marukai down the street so they must manage that place as well. Haven't been there yet, but I'll give it a try next time I go shopping there.
Bonus: This place is great with kids. The traditional sit down w/out the shoes area (3 tables worth) is excellent for children. My son (18 months as of review) found it great that he was the right height at the table. The hostess/waitress gave him a small scoobydoo bowl and power rangers utensils to use. The water he had was a smaller cup with straw (no lid). It worked out very nicely.
If I said this place was the best ramen I've ever had, I'd be a big fat liar.
Honestly, I don't understand why people like it, other than the fact that they let you customize their mediocre ramen any way you like it.
You can order the noodles any way you want, but whether they're al dente or extra soft, the noodles are too thin -- almost thinner than vermicelli -- and the broth is overly salty -- some of the saltiest I've ever had in the states.
Worse than the food is the service, which was beyond slow. it took over half an hour to be seated, and nearly as long until the food arrived.
I would give it one star, if I had the heart.
I just love ramen too much.
I know. It's unhealthy.
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This ramen house was a hit with my family. I love the fact that you can customize the ramen noodles (firm, normal or soft), soup base (strong, normal or light) and add toppings you desire (spicy miso).
The soboro don ramen set is a deal at lunch. You can always get extra noodles for $.95.
The restaurant is not that big. There are three large tables, where you sit on the raised floor, a community table and counter top. Service is fast and friendly.
Its hard to me to give 4 stars for anything ramen. I feel like- well I could of made this at home. So to impress me is hard. But this place is solid and authentic. Just not wowed enough to ever go back.
