Ichiran Ramen Dotonbori wait times can be surprisingly different depending on which branch you choose, so after eating here twice on a short trip to Osaka, Japan, I wanted to compare the main building and the annex. There are three Ichiran locations around Dotonbori: two regular Ichiran Ramen shops, plus one No Pork branch.
Out of these, the C pin, the Namba Midosuji branch, is the No Pork location.
At No Pork Ichiran, they only serve ramen made with chicken broth instead of tonkotsu. It might be delicious, honestly, but since what we really love is rich pork-bone broth, we never seriously considered going.
That said, it is nice that people who do not eat tonkotsu ramen for religious reasons, including Muslim travelers, or for personal dietary reasons, can still try Ichiran.
Ichiran Ramen Dotonbori Wait Times: Main Building Hours 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM
The first branch we visited was the Dotonbori main building. It is right next to Don Quijote Dotonbori, and the sign is huge, so it is easy to spot.
The line does not actually form right in front of the restaurant. Instead, it stretches along the riverside, so at first I thought there was no line at all.
In the map photo above, that long purple line at the bottom is the Osaka Ichiran waiting line. From there, staff call a few people forward at a time to stand briefly near the entrance before letting them in.
There is also a famous takoyaki spot right next door called Acchichi Honpo Dotonbori Main Store, so while we were waiting, I saw people sending one person from their group to grab takoyaki and eat it in line.
We went at lunchtime on a weekend, and when we first joined the line, a staff member told us it would be about an hour. In the end, we waited just under an hour.
Maybe it is because we always have to wait for it, but somehow it always tastes so good. I do not think there is much difference from branch to branch.
If I notice any variation at all, it is maybe the noodle portion size. Even then, that was more something I noticed outside Japan, like in Hong Kong or Taiwan. Still waiting for Ichiran to finally open in Korea.
This time I set the spice level to 6 and added extra chashu. The chashu was so tender and ridiculously good.
The only sad part was not being able to have an Asahi beer because of pregnancy.
Ichiran Ramen Dotonbori Wait Times: Annex Open 24 Hours
The annex is about a 3-minute walk from the main building, and it is inside the Sennichimae Shopping Street.
Sennichimae Shopping Street feels half outdoor, half indoor. The line here is long too, but there is a catch.
Do not be fooled. There is absolutely no line in front of the main entrance, and even after you walk inside, the waiting area does not look that crowded. But the actual wait is much longer than it appears.
First, you wait quite a while on the first floor. Then you wait again on the staircase going up to the second floor where the seats are.
We chose the annex because the line looked shorter than the main branch, but in the end we waited more than an hour.
Once we got to the second floor, it made sense. There are barely any seats.
Seriously, that is it for the seating?
If I am going to wait either way, I would rather just go to the main building.
This time I went with spice level 7, and of course the standard chashu. My husband added rice too.
He usually does not eat much, but for some reason he always overeats at Ichiran.
It was still delicious, but at this point I am honestly tired of the wait. On my next trip, I will probably eat it just once.
I should really try some other ramen shops in Osaka too.