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Astor Place (6)
8th St-Broadway (R, W)
3rd Ave-14th St (L)
Mon-Thu. 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 a.m.
Fri-Sat. 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 a.m.
Sun. 11:00 a.m. - 11:00 p.m.
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Put our name on the list for a party of 6 around 8pm. There were SO many people waiting and finally got a table an hour later. The hostesses were super nice and always had a smile when we asked how much longer our wait was.
The pork bun was delicious - though it does look like the chinese pork bun they serve in restaurants, I felt that the meat was more tender, and it had a more americanized spinoff. Pretty delicious but not out of this world. The bun seemed freshly made.
Got the Akamaru Modern as suggested by other yelpers and the broth was delicious. The traditional #1 meal had broth that was more pork flavored and tasted like Daikokuya back in LA. I wasn't too impressed with the noodles as they were a bit harder than what I was accustomed to, however, when you eat it you can tell it was fresh. You can order extra noodles for $2, which is a small bowl's worth. They recommend you order it after you've finished your noodles so that it's still fresh, versus damp and hard after it's sat in the bowl.
Our waitress was very short with us and gave us attitude, but I'm assuming it was just her personality and that it's not the same for other patrons.
Ramen is something I can get in LA, so I wouldn't recommend coming here if you want to experience NY. Perhaps a lunch here as I heard that the lunch wait is much shorter than dinner.
Screw the noodles. Just give me the shinomaru broth. And a syringe.
I was lucky enough to be invited to the soft opening...everything on the menu (minus drinks) was on the house. To be quite honest, the only thing worth getting is the ramen, which, despite the price, is good enough to muster up four stars. The other side dishes (marinated beef, pickled veggies) are okay but vastly overpriced. I haven't been there in quite some time only because the wait-times have gotten longer and longer.
Well here's the story. I'm new to NY and wanted to meet my cousins up for a meal at the infamous ramen house Ippudo. I knew what I was getting into ahead of time based on the yelp reviews and showed up 20 minutes early so we wouldn't have to wait SO long. But maybe they have that overdeliver kind of attitude...you know the...I'm going to tell them its 1 hour 45 minutes but really its just 45 minute wait and so they'll be happy.
Anyway, luckily it was even shorter than 45 minutes for a table of 5, we waited about 30 and got seated. They were nice enough to call us as we were contemplating outside to grab some other cuisine down St. Marks street (I mean 1hr 45 min? riiiidiculous!) Once seated, in this amazingly large booth, we were immediately brought waters and looked at the menu salivating.
Everything was tasty, we ordered the pork buns, ribs, edamame and entrees were the ramen. Most of us ordered the Modern and my husband ordered the Classic. He ordered "extra noodles" but was very full at the end (and hes not a tiny guy!) The pork buns were good (but Momofuku is better). I didn't have any of the ribs but it looked good drenched in sauce and spiced on top. The broth was very rich and the noodles were yum.
At the end of our meal we were served hot tea and we all walked out the door with smiles on our faces.
As an answer to the question of: Ippudo v. Momofuku?
This is pretty much a wash, and it will usually come down to the common denominator on two factors: Ramen and Pork Buns.
When it comes to Ramen, there is no question that Ippudo rocks the house. Great flavoring, Great sides to accompany it. The accouterments really add a nice texture to the experience. Unparalleled in my opinion. Momofuku is a tad bit on the salty side, and is only saved by a hefty portion of their pork. Their broth is nothing to write home about, and if I did, my mother would ask me why I'm writing about such crappy Ramen.
BUT, it can never be mentioned enough how incredible the Pork Buns are at Momofuku, which places them leaps and bounds in front on this end. (I realize that I've capitalized "Pork Buns" here, and when you make something this good, you give it the due respect.) It has a great layered taste, lingering after you've bitten trough the thick piece of pork belly seasoned to perfection. Ippudo's pork buns are puny in comparison and smothered with sauce. In my not-so-humble opinion, sauce smothering is the lazy man's seasoning. (I remember an old Schoolhouse Rock bit on not drowning your food, and I believe that it has profoundly affected me to this day.)
Sadly, or in my opinion, not so sadly, I recommend you check both these places out, and love that you live in a city with such incredible dining. If you're still up in the air about which is better, well then, I guess you'll have to just flip back and forth and eat at both locations over and over and over and over and over and over . . .
Incredible Ramen, Fun atmosphere, and a full array of options to accompany your meal make this place… Read more »
Last night I died and went to pork belly heaven. This is my obituary:
A girl with a penchant for pork belly finally convinced her boyfriend to endure the long wait at Ippudo. They thought they were being smart by arriving at the restaurant at 11:45PM in order to avoid the notoriously long wait. They still waited 30 minutes to be seated for a midnight dinner.
They shared a bottle of Orion brew at the ramen-decorated bar before being escorted to a round communal table amidst the hustle and bustle of the dimly lit dining room. The ramen chefs all cheered boisterously as they entered. Dhale and bf thoroughly enjoyed the chic vibe of the dining room which elevated the ramen experience to a whole new level.
The Fatty McFatFats ordered the Pork Hirata Buns, Samurai Pork Ribs and the Kakuni Pork Belly for starters. Oh, and a side of the cucumber salad to ease the guilt of consuming so much pork belly. As they bit into each morsel, their bodies were transcended into a euphoric state. So tender, juicy and moist with just the perfect balance of fat. Even the cucumbers did not disappoint. Cool and crisp with a lovely hint of sesame chili oil.
After 4 courses of appetizers, they decided to split a bowl of the Akamaru Modern with, of course, pork belly. The broth's explosion of flavors induced an eye-closing-moment-of-silence from the couple. Rich and savory but never overpowering the natural essence of the soup. Generous portions of perfectly crispy pork belly floating atop the magical broth like little edible life preservers. And endless threads of al dente ramen to bring this symphony together. It was mind blowing.
They came home and laid their bodies down for the most satisfying food coma in history.
As a ramen-lover, I was so excited when this place first opened up.
The first few visits were just to die for - soooo delicious!
Then as what happens with most restaurants, they lost their touch. Either the master chef who came over to train all the others has left the country, or they just started slacking.
My favorite - the Akamaru - is still delicious, but I rather go sit at the bar and have some of those AMAZING pork buns, sip some sake, and call it a night. :)
If you read any of my reviews, you'll know I'm a recovering vegetarian. I also grew up thinking pork was unkosher and therefore, just not something I should ever eat.
Fast foward to a few weeks ago when one of my friends and suddenly had a soup craving while walking around the city. Luckily we were 3 blocks away from Ippudo, where she'd tried to go before, but couldn't stand waiting hours to be seated. At 5pm on a Sunday, the wait should have been 45, and we were seated within 20. She insisted we get the pork buns... which were AMAZING.
Then, the ramen. DAMN. Just plain incredible. So filling and totally umami.
OMG!! We came here yesterday. We were told that the wait was 1 hour and 45 minutes!! We were crazy enough to do it. Waited at the bar and they had happy hour from 5pm to 8pm from Monday- Thursday. I ordered the Lychee Martini and it was strong but very yummy!! Definitely got me chillin and buzzed for the night.
I guess a lot of people didn't want to wait so we ended up getting a table within 45 minutes, which isn't bad at all. The wait staff was very friendly and attentive. Ordered the infamous Pork Hirata Buns and I really didn't think it would be that good... but boy was it YUMMY!!
I ordered the Akamaru Modern Ramen and the noodles came out al dente. Oh and the Berkshire pork was very good. I think the "special sauce" in the broth makes the ramen so different than the other ones I have had, it had a deep savory flavor. I wanted to try the matcha crème brulee but we ordered the almond tofu instead which was light and tasty. I guess it means that I would have to return. ;)
The overall ambiance was very intimate and cozy. Lighting was dark but it pulled everything together. This is a great place to have dinner with a group of friends or your significant other. The chefs and wait staff would yell when customers arrive and when they leave, which makes the place inviting and fun!!
I have learned something about myself: authentic Japanese ramen from a ramen restaurant is way, way too salty for my tastebuds. I have had ramen from Ippudo, Santoka (in Mitsuwa), and Batten Ramen (in Fort Lee). And each time I finished a bowl of ramen from these respective joints, my initial-gut reaction was that it was incredibly salty. But everyone else seems to like the ramen that they had just consumed. So I either go along with their sentiments or don't say anything at all because I don't want to be the party pooper. Group think- oy vey.
But upon further reflection and having the benefit of hindsight, I have concluded that I will not consume soup noodles in a restaurant. Ever. It is always too salty. Just give me a bowl of Jahjangmyun instead.
The pork buns are good here. As good as BoSsam's pork buns.
This place was decent. Actually, above average really. I think it's just because I've heard soooo many great things about it, that my standards were flying sky high.
The soup base was great, I wasn't used to the noodles. Wouldn't say it's the BEST ramen outside of Japan b/c everything I've had back in Vancouver was much better. Like, leaps and bounds. For the set lunch, it came to about $20. Which IMO, is hefty for ramen?
Salty, fatty goodness! Got there at about 6:30p last Thursday. We were quoted an hour and a half wait so we went to a nearby bar for 2 happy hour drinks. We decided to check back after 45 mins, and viola..were were next to be seated. I honestly think they inflate the wait time to build some hype and suspence.
Anywho..got the pork buns, the ribs, and the Akamaru Modern. All are MUST HAVES. The pork buns were the best i've tased. BF said they tased like a BLT though lol. The Ribs were so tender and flavorful. The Modern was a little salty though, but overall great flavor. didnt add anyting to it.
Overall i'd say go to Ippudo at least once. Its a cute place to take out of towners, and though $14 bucks for ramen seems rediculous...overall, its pretty reasonably priced.
BRING YOUR OWN TUPPERWARE.
Not worth the hour wait, the overpriced menu, the attitude, loud atmospher and the fact that they won't allow you to take any of your remaining ramen soup home.
I was raised in Hawaii and ate a whole helluva lot of ramen growing up and i always take home part of my ramen to eat for breakfast the next day. Setagaya, Rai Rai Ken, Kambi - all in East village, all appeal to my little Polynesian quirk nicely, thank you very much. But NOOOOOOOOOO uppity, noisy, attitude ridden Ippudo tells me that they don't have any such vessel for me to transport the remainder of my soup home in because reheating will jepordize the quality of it. I think she who is paying for the food should be the one making that judgement call. Well does that mean i only need pay for what i ate if you won't let me take home what i'm paying for?
I WILL NOT EVER GO BACK THERE!
What can I say... Best Ramen outside Japan? I don't know for sure... but it was good, very good. The broth flavor transcends your mouth to another place.. far far away from the mad trendy crowds and load burst of Japanese welcoming each new customer. These guys know there stuff, and everyone seems to know it. I can hold the 100 min wait against them... they are popular, that's fine. We put our name in and went to get a drink, came back and had a beer at their bar, watched the bartender squeeze grapefruits... she is good.
We tried both the classic and the Akamaru Modern... Both were outstanding... I think I preferred the classic though. Nice pieces of pork belly floating upon a greasy white broth. I can honestly say, these soups made me some how drunk. I felt in a warm cozy place for another hour after leaving the restaurant. 14$ each... Worth the wait if you plan accordingly.
The best ramen place ever!!!
IPPUDO! IPPUDO! IPPUDO!
Long lines, dark lighting, noisy crowd, and overpriced ramens (i swear for my $13 dollar ramen, they probably make $12.50 profit....Ippudo, come on)
YOU know as well as I do that the BROTH costs nothing when you make it for thousands of people and YOU know the noodles cost like 10 cents a person...
But all this does not change my love for Ippudo because no experience ever beats a nice soothing broth going down your stomach as you chew your noodles, vegetables and pork belly at the same time.
Their pork belly is the best i've had in the field of japanese ramens. No joke, it MELTS in your mouth. It's like pork belly chocolate or something...it's unreal.
Next time u visit NYC, circle Ippudo as a MUST-Go-AND-Stuff-My-Face restaurant.
Highly Recommended the Akamaru Modern 'the original tonkotsu' soup noodles with Ippudo's special sauce, miso paste and fragrant garlic oil, slices of simmered berkshire pork, cabbage, onions, kikurage & scallions and the pork bun appetizers.
BOYCOTTING Ippudo until they bring back Kogashi Miso Ramen. Please support me on this one.
Its such a sad day - I cant get this Ramen anywhere in NY. I need to fly to Tokyo to get GoGyo - the best Kogashi Miso out there.
Very garlicky, but quite good. I really appreciate the sesame seed grinders on the table.
The Akamaru…
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1 hour wait maybe 2, what's the big deal not like I have anything better to do. <Sarcasm there :P >
Was it worth the wait to have ramen? It was well worth it. Let me explain I had the best pork bun even in my life.
Bar/waiting area is absolutely small. If you can squeeze yourself in, treat yourself to a couple of drinks and a pork bun. It will wet your taste buds and make you crave for more.
Cucumber appetizer sooooo yummy and refreshing. If your lucky you get to sit at the prep bar and watch them make the food.
Eat a bowl a ramen, you would have a taste of what heaven is like.
This place was so hyped up for me before I got to try it, that I thought for sure I was going to be disappointed... but NOPE! No disappointments here. The only annoying thing is that there is always a damn long wait. This still remains the top place that I want to take my boyfriend to, we tried last time but the wait was something ridiculous. But if it were up to me, I say the wait is worthwhile.
The ramen and the damn pork buns are so DAMN GOOD that it makes you want to cry. How can noodles be so good??? It makes you wonder...
The soup is delicious, rich, and sooo so so satisfying. The pork is nice and tender.
The pork buns are a MUST get for your appetizer. The buns are soft and fluffy, and the pork is just right amount lean vs fat. Flavoring is amazing.
I LOVE this place with all my heart (and mouth), but I really really wished they would expand it into a bigger restaurant.
I would drape myself in their pork belly side if it was socially acceptable. Tender and soft like butter, oh so delicious and only an extra $3.
Only 3 stars though cause the wait was really long (even while getting a little tipsy at the bar) and the ramen was just a-okay. Had a much more memorable bowl at Mitsuwa across the river. Probably would've been more satisfied ordering a bowl of rice and 3 of those pork belly sides. Atmosphere is nice, I guess, but dark and service was friendly but unremarkable. Would go back if I didn't have to wait so damn long.
I have eaten at Ippudo twice so far, and I can honestly say that the ramen is pretty good. Is it the BEST ramen in town? I can't really answer that. However, the ambiance is nice and they really did try their best to give visitors the best "ramen" experience when they designed this restaurant.
Two of the negatives that I can think of are:
1) The long wait. I know that this is probably one of the trendier and more popular ramen places in town, but waiting an hour for ramen might be considered unreasonable to some.
2) The prices. Yes, the ramen was good, but paying $12-$13 for a bowl of ramen can be quite steep. The last time I went there, the bill came out to about $100 for a party of 2. This included drinks, appetizers and ramen.
Overall, definitely a place to check out!
I was expecting a lot from their pork buns and was left feeling disappointed. Maybe it's because Momofuku's version is my idea of pork-laden sublime. Maybe I'm an extra picky pork bun enthusiast. Who knows; but what I do know is Ippudo's version drenched in spicy mayo and iceberg lettuce just didn't ring true for me.
Pork buns aside, I loved the décor of the bar area. The use of ramen on the bar itself is fabulous. I would love to try and build something similar as a coffee table with the ramen under glass. The noodle bowls as display pieces on the walls were a nice touch too and it was an easy place to just hang out at the bar.
It was extremely busy on a Sunday evening which leads me to believe that the ramen is probably amazing, however, those pork buns are no comparison to what Momofuku is creating just a few avenues over.
This is the ramen you will judge all others by!
That is all.
Have the ramen. There is a set lunch with some caviar over rice.
good eats.
My issue is Ramen not suppost to be a meal its suppost to be a place grab a quick snack and go home.
ALWAYS A LONG LINE!!!
Say what you want, it's already been said before...
Yes, the waits are too long; yes, Ippudo NYC is super trendy; no, this is not the most traditional Hakata tonkotsu ramen, neither is Ippudo the best bang for the buck.
There is, however, a reason that Ippudo singlehandedly popularized Kyushu-style tonkotsu ramen across Japan, and is still going strong (just opened their 39th location on the West Exit side of Yokohama station). For better or worse, Ippudo was solely responsible for elevating ramen from a working man's fast food to something more special; I rarely visited Ippudo while living in Japan for 5+ years, because I, too, love those cheap, hole-in-the-wall Mom and Pop ramen shops. I lived in Kyushu during high school, very close to Hakata, where Ippudo originates from, and 3+ years in Tokyo, and Ippudo's ramen, though not the most traditional, certainly competes with the best ramen anywhere in the world, period.
And Ippudo NY is something different entirely- the largest, most upscale and busiest Ippudo (and the only one outside of Japan), Ippudo is the King of Ramen, not only in New York, but anywhere in the Western Hemisphere, and probably outside of Japan for that matter.
The noodles are skillfully hand-crafted fresh every morning in the basement, the true-to-taste tonkotsu broth is superb (and somehow they've managed to all but entirely do away with the acrid pork fat smell so ubiquitous to Kyushu ramen, which may leave some dismayed, but is certainly an accomplishment and welcomed by North American diners), and Ippudo NY features a full appetizer/entree list, as well as a full service bar, sake list, etc.
Even in Japan lines often stretch out the door and down the street; and none of the Japanese locations have a fun bar area with a cute bartender and great drink specials to help pass the time while waiting.
Give up and just go- great service, delicious food, fun atmosphere- this isn't your Mom and Pop ramen shop, this is 21st Century, gentrified ramen with a trendy twist, and there's a reason everyone loves it.
Honestly, I hate this type of atmosphere. Long lines (though not when I went), posh, loud music, dark lights, and overpriced. Maybe the NY scene is too much for me but I felt like I had to eat my ramen really fast.
I got the Akamaru Modern which has their Ippudo broth plus some miso broth (I think). My friend described the broth as "creamy without the cream" and that's precisely what it is. It even had some red paste in the middle that mixed in well and really enhanced the depth of the broth. I liked the noodles, I liked the meat. Very satisfying.
My ideal ramen joint is the mom 'n pop shop that I would love to just chill and relax in. But for good ramen, I'll stop by Ippudo sometime.
I almost felt transported to shinjuku in the wee hours of the morning after a night of drinking copious amounts of sapparo and sake. Great memories indeed. Definitely order the extra pork belly with whichever ramen you order because IT IS WORTH IT!!! Man...my mouth is watering as I write this review. Get there before 7 to avoid the huge dinner rush.
I liked ramen, never thought I could love it -- blame it on the packaged ramen we get our our American grocery stores!
On the other hand my husband loves ramen, its his comfort food (yes even the packaged ones). So I thought we have to try this place with all the rave reviews.
It lives up to the reviews and the notorious waits were true too. 1.5 hour wait for two people on a Sunday night is a bit ridiculous but luckily we didn't come in hungry but by the time we sat down we were ready!
We ordered:
Pork Hirata Buns -- OMG These are soo good, another reviewer said they could eat dozens of these and I concur!! Only if they weren't so pricey! ($8 for 2)
Akamaru Modern Ramen -- it's where ramen meets Miso. Loved it!!! The broth was rich and the noodles were al dente! It could have use a bit of kick so next time will ask for something spicy to add to it. ($13 without any additional toppings, additional toppings $2 each)
Iced Green Tea x 2 ($4 each)
Matcha Brulee (Green Tea Creme Brulee) -- this was pretty good - not the best creme brulee but the green tea ice ceam on top rocked ($7)
Ambiance: Ultra trendy, loud, not a place to take a date you really want to talk to
Service: Prompt, helpful -- all the servers greet you when you come in and bid you farwell well when you leave, also they announce the dish when they pick it up at the kitchen -- so this adds to the loudness.
I will definitely be back -- on a off night at a off hour though, I am not fan of waiting for food It is pricey for ramen so I am open to other Yelpers suggestions for really good inexpensive ramen in the city.
Let's face it - ramen is one of those foods that everyone has complained about, at least once or twice before. Either it's overpriced, too bland, or my favorite peeve - it's "just" noodles in broth so why should it cost so much? If you want to make a pot of Maruchan at home, be my guest but I'm no Iron Chef and I can't make ramen like this at home.
I came with a friend in the late afternoon so there was no line. Yay. The atmosphere is a tad chi-chi frou frou - intentionally dark and a little too sexy for me and a bowl of ramen - but no judgement, I can appreciate it.
My friend and I both had the ramen with pork and shared the cucumber with pepper flakes and chili oil appetizer. So good. Bouncy noodles, comforting soup, mMmmm...
P.S. Our server - a cutie pie white guy who looks like Adam Levine's sweet doppelganger - spoke fluent Japanese. Gotta love the unexpected.
My buddy Takeaki, who's a native from Southern California & New York City recommended Ippudo to me. Gotta give him his props you know? Because I'm from Orange County, the best ramen I can get nearby is Santouka at the Mitsuwa market. Ippudo took them out with ease. Most people I figure would probably head out to David Chang's Momofuku for his ramen. Which is not bad don't get me wrong but I think was particularly designed for the masses.
It was Halloween and the streets were full of Amy Winehouse's and Lady Gaga's. It was pouring rain and to get to Ippudo was a disaster. The streets were closed due to the Halloween festival and I walked maybe 3 miles to get to Ippudo. I knew getting there that I would have to wait a good hour or two to get seated. I didn't care. I wanted ramen and I wanted it NOW. (Waitress got me a seat within 30 minutes btw. I think they tell you 2 hours but you never know when a seat pops up) While I waited, I decided to order the Pork Buns. I'm a fan of David Chang and the Momofukus' but Ippudo got you beat on these man. It was straight butter. I liked the taste of the pork in these a lot more.
For Ramen, I went with the Akamaru Modern. A true bowl of ramen. Broth was red, Pork was on point, ramen was clean and simple. Pricing was fair for NYC and the service and decor was on point. Dark and 110% Japanese.
A fan. And everytime I come to NYC, I'm visiting Ippudo every single time.
I came here while on vacation knowing this was one of the few four star ramen places around. Turns out, my friends and family in NYC all love this place. We waited a really long time to get a table - long enough that I was able to walk around the entire neighborhood for an hour, go to Crumbs for a drink and still had to wait outside for our table. This place is really trendy and you can tell by the cool little ramen countertop they have. Really though, does a ramen place have to look like a nightclub and be the loudest place on earth? I did the untrendy thing and brought my little baby. Luckily, she likes loud noises and fell asleep easily.
The food was decent. We had the pork buns which was good and I ate the charred miso ramen. I have to admit the ramen was pretty decent and had lots of other surprises in it which made it just a tad more filling.
The one thing that irritated me was that people seated after us got their food before us. I really get annoyed by that and saw the SAME tourists I saw at Serendipity who got their food before us there getting their food before us again at Ippudo! I'd probably come back here next time if I didn't have to wait so long for some noodles!
:'(
I once heard from a friend, A, Ippudo is their favorite restaurant in NYC. I once heard from a friend, B, Ippudo is their favorite Japanese indulgence. I once heard from a friend, C, I have to take you there, asap! I once heard from a friend, D, Best Ramen shop, period.
You heard from me: "OVER-HYPED.."
If you've ever been to Japan (or even Frisco), you'll know that Ippudo is not the tastiest Ramen shop around. Especially, since they have consistent hour-plus queues, the noodles should be To-Die-For.
However, the soup nor the noodles ticked my fancy, even after the hour long wait. I had no urge to gulp down the soup; nor were the noodles "springy" enough for ramen standards. But, maybe it's the uber-distinct architecture. Maybe it's the appetizers and the additional dishes (pork buns).
But as for the Ramen: 5 points, out of 10. -- Because 90% of random ramen bars in Tokyo rock this Ippudo.
For the lunch-set price, maybe that brings the rating to a 7.
For NYC/East-coast standards, I guess it deserves a 9.. (since my Japanese hairstylist has Ippudo as his top ramen shop.) However, I have yet to explore the ramen scene..
Once I do some more digging, as Arnold said in Terminator -- "I'll be Back..." ..with updates~
I never had ramen noodles before, so when I moved to NYC less than two months ago, I put on my to-do list to try ramen. I've heard and read great things about Ippudo so it was without question that it will be the place for me to have my first ramen.
I went here on a Saturday night around 8 pm, and no need to say the restaurant was packed, I had to wait almost an hour for a seat. I am actually glad to say that the food was worth the wait. The broth was good as well as the ramen. The addition of egg to the soup was a nice touch and gave an unusual taste to the broth, I liked it.
The ambiance was nice as well. I liked how they all shouted in Japanese when they are seating new customers or picking up food from the kitchen. The restaurant itself is elegant and the tables and chairs very trendy in my opinion. The service was fast and the staff friendly.
I had a wonderful time here, and will definitely come back.
It's a little weird to see people sucking down noodles and following that action by taking a sip of wine. It's also a little odd to think you'd have to wait 90 minutes for a bowl of ramen.
But, that's Ippudo for ya...puts a high end spin on something that is normally quite simple. I had a salt based broth, husband had the special Akamaru. Both were delicious. Add an additional serving of noodles, pork buns and fried peppers to that mix...two sapporos on the happy hour special (5 - 8 pm) and you have dinner for two for $65 with tax and tip. Pricey as far as ramen goes, but frankly, I'd do it again...if I didn't have to wait a #$^!# hour and a half.
I never intended to fall in love with you, but I did. I had butterflies when I bit into the pork buns. A sip of the broth in my Akamaru Modern Ramen sealed the deal. I never finish my broth at any other ramen establishment but here. You've wow'd me and thrilled me by taking simple foods to the next level. Your hour long waits are tormenting, but I'll wait as long as you keep me satisfied with your insanely scrumptious creations.
My friend and I had dinner at Ippudo yesterday. We ordered the classic and modern ramen and pork buns. Here is my review:
Service: good
Food: I had the classic ramen, it was so greasy, salty and with undercooked noodles, little hard. My friend's Modern ramen was the same as classic, greasy, salty. For $14 each bowl, we could have brought a whole box of ramen noodles and properly taste better too. For the pork buns, we enjoyed. The bun was regular white chinese bun (likes the one you eat with peking duck), it filled with fatty bacon and a piece of lettuce, taste like roast pork bun, sweet. We will go back again for the buns, not the ramen. But $8 for two small buns, I rather have roast pork bun at Chinatown, much cheaper.
Environment: too noisy
Price: overpriced
there's not much to add to this review that hasn't been stated in others. i have been enjoying Ippudo in the west and when it was discovered that they would open up the chain in NYC... of course i was ecstatic.
it was more than a year ago when i gathered up a group of my closest friends and waited outside of Ippudo for almost TWO hours in the freezing cold. we complained and moaned about the wait, but indeed- we had over 10 people in our party. what did we expect?
after what seemed like an eternity... we were called. once inside Ippudo- we ordered and served promptly. the server was very swift and everything we requested wasn't missed. i didn't think NYC would ever have a great ramen chain to cater to snooty eaters like myself. but, it happened. i was pleased.
if you've been wondering about this place... it's well worth the wait and praise it gets from blogs and critics. just make sure you're not starving while deciding to come here. grab a snack and bring your iPod. haha
Don't believe the HYPE - note most of the reviews of this place are from tourists from Cali - puts it into perspective.
Got my tail caught in the door again. Tried to be smart and avoid the crazy 2 hour wait by going during lunch around 1pm - still 15min before i got seated.
This place is trying to make Ramen paletable on a mass scale - upscale dining experience. Ramen is a street food for salarymen on the go. It's taken the Starbucks service model and combined it with the Wagamama's mainstream marketing strategy.
Ok granted the key to great Ramen is the soup broth and el dente noodles. Of which Ippudo does well in both criteria - soup doesn't give you msg drymouth so it's authentic.
Pros: quality of noodles and broth
Cons: wait time, prices $18 for a bowl with tip, fancy decor with cheap materials to legitimize and leverage the price to margin ratio and gentrify the Ramen experience, Starbucks styled service. - loud and intrusive
Go to Sapporo (either one) same quality with that Shinjuku street feel for 8 bucks less.
Here's the tip all things considered;
1. Sapporo 49St.
6. Sapporo East
8. Ippudo
10. Waggamamas
100. Rai Rai Ken
There are so many things I like about Ippudo, the hip decor, walls lined with contemporary art, the sake infused cocktails, the savory appetizers with more pop than a bubblegum smacking teenager.
But it's all about the ramen.
The perfect balance of rich broth, hand-made noodles with just the right amount of bite, and flavorful, yet not overpowering, garnishes. There's definitely an art to achieving this balance, something that's taken me a while to acquire a taste to, and having sampled a number of different ramen houses, this is about as close as it gets.
So why four stars?
The wait is ridiculous. Like all fads in NYC, the hyper-dense population of Manhattan, once there's something pretty good in the hood, you can bet you're gonna have to line up for it. How about two and a half hours on a Saturday night? Forgetaboutit. Even then it's not exactly worth it. Plus the prices are a little steep. I could overlook either of these faults on their own, but together, I just can't give this place 5 stars.
I'd recommend coming on either a weeknight, or even better, for lunch. And yes, you also have to try the pork buns, white steamed buns with sweet cuts of pork slathered in japanese mayo and topped with green onion. Damn, freaking delicious. Even at four bucks a bite. But I digress. Avoid the crowd and count your five stars...
It frustrates me that there are generally much less good Japanese food available in SF bay area compared to NYC. One good example is Ippudo.
Why do we not have a place like this one in SF??? People in SF are just as Japanese-food crazed as LA or NY and I would think a place like this would surely be super popular here as well...
But enough of the wishful thinking, on to my review.
First of, this place is super crowded. When I first opened the door and walked into their bar/waiting area, it was so crowded it got me worried if we can get a table. The hostess was telling other groups of 2s and 4s that there were an 1.5 hour wait. But luckily, my friend had industry connections and as soon as she arrived, we, the party of 6, were seated almost immediately.
The decor of the dining area was sleek, modern and fun. We were seated at one of their booth tables which looked more like a VIP lounge table... it was kind of neat : )
And I must tell you, there is a reason why this place is so popular. The food here is ridiculously good.
We had Pork belly "Kakuni", Cucumber appetizers, ribs, and buns with pork in it... and they were all phenomenal. My husband, a kakuni-sucker, melted when he had a bite of their kakuni, and when we all had the ribs which my friend really recommended, we all just rolled our eyes in dis-belief of how good it was. Seriously, who would have thought you can get ribs that good in a Japanese restaurant?! The meat was unbelievably soft and it just barely hung off the bone when you picked them up. And the buns... they were basically Chinese buns like Hao jiao (sp?) and had, yet again, really juicy pork inside it along with some greens and some spicy sauce. This was another one of my favorites. The cucumber, which was one of the few cold appetizers available here and one of the few veggie ones too, was really refreshing. It was just chopped up Japanese cucumber with dressing drizzled over it, but unless you are a major carnivore, I don't think you would've survived our meat-fest unless we had this cucumber.
We also got to try their sizzling rice, which was kind of like fried rice/bibimbop (sp?) but on a flat sizzling iron skillet which the owner and a waitress came and mixed up the rice on top of, right at our table. This was crunchy, crispy goodness too.
Then, off to the ramen. The guys got akamaru ramen with cha-shu pork in it by default but added yet more kakuni on top. This ramen had rich soup made from pork bone/marrow stock. My friend and I shared a soy sauce based ramen with duck, and my other friend got the shiromaru ramen. And I must say, our soy based ramen was great, but I think the rich, thick akamaru ramen is the way to go here. The bold flavor definitely was worth remembering.
Oh and through the night, sake kept pouring.
My husband talked (and drooled) about the food here for several days after this. We are already planning what we would want to order the next time we are back here. Ribs, cucumber, buns, akamaru ramen with Kakuni : )
Great venues like this makes me miss living in NYC all the more.
GREAT ....this place ruined it for me! i don't think i can ever have ramen at any other place... .... just like the croissants in paris. oh so perfect el dente noodles in a deeelicious broth..... they make the noodles right in the restaurant!
be prepared to wait 1-2 hours to get seated, but I think it's so worth it.. even with all the hype from my friend...
YUMMMM
Happy Hour!
Neighborhood: Lower East Side
now serving on sundays!
Neighborhood: East Village
Neighborhood: East Village
Category: Japanese
Neighborhood: East Village
Category: Japanese
Neighborhood: East Village
Category: Japanese
Neighborhood: Midtown East
Category: Japanese
Neighborhood: East Village
Category: Japanese
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