Ichiran Ramen Hakata Review: A Must-Eat Stop in Fukuoka, Japan

Ichiran Ramen Hakata Review: A Must-Eat Stop in Fukuoka, Japan

If you’re planning a trip to Fukuoka, Japan, Ichiran Ramen Hakata is one of those places that feels almost mandatory.

Ichiran is probably the most famous ramen chain in Japan,

and even though I skipped it when I was in Tokyo,

I finally tried it on our Fukuoka trip.

The second I tasted it, I got why it has stayed this popular for so long.

For a Fukuoka itinerary, it really does deserve a spot.

Ichiran Ramen’s main branch is also in Fukuoka,

but instead of going to the flagship location, we just went to the branch near Hakata Station,

down in the basement of the Fukuoka Center Building.

From what I read beforehand, including reviews of the main branch,

the taste is basically the same no matter which location you visit.

That is the beauty of a well-run franchise:

the flavor and service stay consistent wherever you go.

We got there around 11:30 a.m. on a weekday,

and thankfully the line still was not too bad at that point.

The hours are 10 to 10.

I had heard the lunch rush gets intense,

so we made a point of getting there a little early.

We waited about 15 to 20 minutes, which honestly felt pretty quick.

Right after we got in line, the crowd behind us suddenly got much bigger.

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There is a separate exit door too.

At the entrance, you place your order at the kiosk first,

and then they guide you to your seat in order.

The screen had Korean available too, so ordering was easy.

You also pay right there in advance.

We ordered two bowls of the classic tonkotsu ramen,

plus extra chashu, a small rice, one soft-boiled egg,

and two Asahi draft beers.

The total came to 3,720 yen, or about $24, which felt pretty reasonable.

The standard Ichiran ramen already comes with a decent amount of noodles,

so even though the No. 1 add-on on the menu is extra noodles,

I honestly would not recommend it.

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Anyway, after ordering, you wait a little longer

and then a staff member brings you to your seat.

There is even a machine showing which seats are open.

It feels digital, but somehow still a little old-school.

From lining up to eating to leaving,

the whole customer flow is incredibly systemized.

It is efficient, logical, and honestly kind of satisfying.

Since there are so many tourists,

they even have a place to store your luggage.

This is what the Ichiran near Hakata Station looks like inside.

From what I could tell, the other branches are pretty similar too.

It is set up with the famous solo dining booths,

which makes it great if you are eating alone.

The partitions can fold away, though,

so if you go with other people,

it can still feel like one connected table 🙂

Behind each seat, there is a hanger and napkins,

and under the table there is even a hook for your bag.

It is such a perfect example of smart Japanese space design.

There is a list of things you should not do posted on the wall,

but it is not some weird house rule situation.

It is all just basic common-sense manners, so it did not feel annoying at all.

I am guessing they have had plenty of people

filming loud YouTube or TikTok videos while eating.

There is a lot going on at the table too.

Each seat has its own water tap,

so you never have to ask for water.

There are also little wooden request tags

you can use to communicate with the staff.

The whole system works without you needing to say much at all.

Once seated, you also fill out your ramen preference sheet.

You choose the broth strength, richness, garlic, green onion, chashu,

the red spicy sauce, and noodle firmness.

If you are not sure what to pick,

the dotted circles mark the recommended options,

and those are a safe bet.

For the spicy red sauce, 1x or 2x felt way too mild to me.

If you are Korean, I think 5x would be totally manageable.

I went a little spicier and chose 6x,

because I figured going all the way up to 10x

might overpower the actual tonkotsu broth.

At the front of the booth there is a bamboo curtain,

and the staff move around behind it

to serve your food.

The curtain opens, your beer appears, and then your ramen arrives.

If you need anything, you just press the button and they come over.

My husband does not like boiled or roasted eggs,

so I was the only one who added a soft-boiled egg.

It does not come already in the ramen bowl.

They serve it on the side.

And here comes the Hakata ramen!

That amount of red secret sauce powder is what 6x looks like.

Before mixing in the red sauce,

definitely take a sip of the plain tonkotsu broth first.

Mix, mix.

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Then I added the egg too.

It was cooked to that perfect jammy soft-boiled stage.

My husband skipped the egg and added rice and extra chashu instead.

There are regular and small bowls of rice,

and we ordered the small one.

It is made with Koshihikari rice, so even the rice itself tastes great.

And the chashu… seriously so tender and ridiculously good.

We should have added one extra portion for each of us.

It was our first time at Ichiran, so I played it way too safe.

If you go, definitely add extra chashu.

I am really sensitive to pork smell,

but this had zero off-flavor and practically melted in my mouth.

I stole a spoonful of the rice too,

and wow, this ramen really was so good.

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We ate until we were full, and this was still how much I had left.

I have seen so many reviews from women saying they finished the whole bowl,

and honestly… how?

I can eat a pretty decent amount these days,

but I was nowhere close to finishing everything.

Apparently there is a message written at the bottom of the bowl

thanking you for enjoying the meal if you finish it all,

but I never even got close enough to see it.

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Now that I am writing this,

maybe the draft beer filled me up more than I realized…?

Still, even if I go back next time,

I will probably order nama beer again because in Japan it just feels essential.

By the time we came out, the line had gotten way longer.

At that point, the people behind us probably had close to an hour to wait.

It is delicious, and I do think Ichiran Ramen Hakata is a must-do in Fukuoka,

but if the wait were a full hour, I personally would skip it.

I would rather snack around the city for a while,

then come back after the peak lunch rush is over.

(Silent video)

Here is a more vivid ramen clip before you go.

Since we loved it so much at the restaurant, we also picked up a big Ichiran ramen kit at Don Quijote

and tried making it at home later.

The kit only came with noodles and broth,

so I had to prepare the chashu, egg, and green onion separately.

I even tried making the chashu at home myself,

but I am not exactly a skilled cook, so it was harder than expected.

The color did not come out nearly as pretty as the restaurant version either.

It turned out kind of dark, so visually… not amazing.

Anyway, eating it at home just did not recreate that same Hakata ramen shop flavor,

so I probably would not bother buying it again next time.

I was also a little disappointed that the red spice powder packet was so small.

Still, whenever we travel to Japan,

I am pretty sure my husband and I will keep going back for Ichiran ramen.