Eating at Ichiran. The Most Unique Ramen Experience in NYC!

[@rubycheese-yelli]

I went there twice, loved every minute of it. The experience is very peaceful.

[@Jamesnu]

Awesome! I'm glad that you enjoyed it!

[@papagen00]

For me the experience was weird sitting so uncomfortably close to other people in the tiny stalls. Also the char siu was too lean and dry. Ramen and broth were no better or worse than other ramen shops.

[@SwanseaBoi]

Nice change of pace. Love New York and its food scene however a ramen review reminds everyone there are other options to pizza, steak and hotdogs when planning a visit to the Big Apple. Looked delicious - another great review.

[@Jamesnu]

Thank you! Yeah, when it comes to food in NYC the city has a ton to offer besides the usual options.

[@missmadelinerenee]

I completely agree! Great food is awesome of course, but a memorable and pleasant experience is what will bring me back.

[@Jamesnu]

Definitely!

[@s_przybylowicz]

The ramen looks great! I'm sure your soft-boiled egg addition tasted even better after the diligent work you put into peeling it.

[@Jamesnu]

It was great ramen for sure! Yeah, I did feel a bit proud of myself after peeling that egg!

[@skatingcanuck9837]

I've never seen this before as the ramen eggs are usually braised in soy sauce. I wonder if it was to preserve the heat?

[@brandonwaagan2096]

Wow. Amazing experience. With the Study Hall type of interior setting, this dining experience is truly "Japanese". I feel like I am back in school, but instead of hitting the books, I will get to enjoy a nice scolding bowl of delicious ramen and thin slices of pork. I am glad that this video was sponsored. I am happy that you are finally getting the recognition that you deserve, and look forward to future adventures and life experiences. Thank you my Friend. Please continue to produce the wonderful and excellent content each week. It is greatly appreciated.

[@Jamesnu]

Thank you! I really appreciate it! And I'm always happy to share my experiences. I'm just glad that some watch along. Yeah, I'm pleased the opportunity emerged. I definitely see the school desk vibes. But a nice bowl of ramen sure beats homework!

[@Brandonson80]

The introverts dream! ❤. That bowl of Ramen looked amazing!

[@Jamesnu]

Absolutely! It was such a neat eating experience and a great bowl of ramen!

[@calpoker21]

every aspect of this place looks fantastic great video thanks for sharing!

[@Jamesnu]

Thanks for watching!

[@michaeldavis-riley6290]

Thanks for sharing what looked like a great experience. Next time I'm in the city I'll be dining here!

[@Jamesnu]

Thanks for watching! It's a great place and I hope you enjoy it!

[@Ratatosk19374]

I went there once back in January, and it was absolutely amazing.

[@Jamesnu]

Nice!

[@tomahern8967]

A sold review! I like how you have your own booth to enjoy the ramen. If it tastes as good as Japan’s I’m definitely there!

[@Jamesnu]

Thank you! Yeah, it was such a cool experience and I loved the ramen!

[@PatriciaRoggero]

Looked amazing love your reviews thank you.

[@Jamesnu]

It was delicious! Thank you so much!

[@skatingcanuck9837]

Toronto got its first solo dining ramen shop a couple years ago. Japan has many of them. The single person household is the fastest growing demographic. In Sweden new buildings are being designed with units for single person households. Btw James regarding the topic of heat I recommend you try Naengmyun. It's a Korean cold noodle dish that originates from North Korea. It is super refreshing in the summertime. Also you might like bingsoo (Korean shaved ice). I know Koreatown NYC is tiny, but I think Flushing probably has a number of Korean restaurants (and at lower prices). Make sure you cut the noodles. I recommend the noodles with broth.

[@Jamesnu]

Thanks for the recommendations! Yeah, I've had some of those dishes before and they're very delicious! Indeed! The Korean food options have really expanded and improved during the last few years or so, all over NYC.

[@brydakainma]

Definitely gonna hit this place up when I go to NYC next week!

[@Jamesnu]

I hope that you enjoy it!

[@philipnorton8171]

The japense food looked sooo authentic wow! Really good food blog review 🎉❤ #food #foodie

[@Jamesnu]

Thank you! It was delicious!

[@2Wheels_NYC]

Very awesome review as always! I have the first week of August off, so I'll just have to pop in! I love those solo booths as I eat out alone often. The pork broth sounds great, however I'd be hesitant for a spice level 10 😳😳 Danny Meyer and his Union Square Hospitality Group are mostly no tipping, and it's working for him. The Modern is one of my favorite local spots, and you can't even tip at the bar (Note: I haven't been post covid) but all the employees have always seemed happy! Now, off to my leftover takeout spring rolls😂!

[@Jamesnu]

Thank you! Haha, I enjoy a good spring roll too! Yeah, it's such a unique dining experience, but that ramen hit the spot too! The number 10 spice level just sounds crazy to me, especially since I was pretty satisfied with a 2. Indeed, I've always had great service at Danny Meyer's restaurants. I know that no tipping policies at restaurants can be controversial, but it seems like at some places that policy can work better than others.

[@2Wheels_NYC]

@@Jamesnu So if I go that week, I'll ask for a level 10 broth and do an IG live so you can watch me die🤣

[@Jamesnu]

@@2Wheels_NYC Haha!

[@hazalyuksel1875]

Congratulations on your offer! It's cool to watch your progress :)

[@Jamesnu]

Thank you so much! I appreciate it!

[@LordLOC]

Oh man, I was finally, finally able to have Ichiran the last time I was in Japan back in the late 90s. Needless to say, it's been a hot minute since then. I loved it back then for sure, though I don't remember how many spice levels they had back then (I don't think they had all the spice levels they have now but I could be wrong) but as a chili head I got the highest level and char su and it was delicious. I'd give anything to get to NYC to be able to eat that ramen again.

[@Jamesnu]

Nice! Yeah that pork was amazing and I really appreciate the fact that one can pretty much make the ramen as spicy as you want.

[@yanelyjimenez6578]

I tried this place when I went to NYC and loved it!

[@Jamesnu]

Nice! I'm glad that you enjoyed it!

[@HumbleHarvardGrad781]

The experience was cool! I feel so special going

[@Jamesnu]

Absolutely!

[@couloir1]

Love Ichiran...Great food and experience. Highly recommend.

[@Jamesnu]

Absolutely!

[@kevin1873]

There's something about 2 O'Clock I've noticed too. In California if you try and go anywhere at 2 p.m. restaurants start getting busy again.

[@Jamesnu]

That's crazy. It's not the time I would think a lot of people would be visiting restaurants.

[@t0rnt0pieces]

I've been to the original Ichiran in Tokyo (in the Shibuya neighborhood, I think) and yes it is almost identical to this. From what I recall you pre-pay at a machine and then they give you that form to customize your spice level, etc. I don't remember thinking it was expensive. The quality was very good, not life-changing though. The better ramen places in NYC can hang with them for sure.

[@Jamesnu]

Yeah, the pre-pay machine seems like it's the biggest difference. Indeed, Ichiran serves good ramen, but it's the dining experience that makes them stand out.

[@Arya_pointy_end_stark]

Hmm I’ve always contemplated going to ichiran but ichiran instant ramen is so cheap in Japan. I got a pack of five or six for like $13 and I’ve made it last the whole year. In the states, the instant is like $35 smdh. Ippudo is great, I’ve been there like three times in nyc, all different ones and once in Japan and they were all good. But when I went to Japan the second time last year, I skipped the chain ramen spots altogether and went to two ramen spots you can only go to in Japan. So delish!

[@brodypilcher3643]

Oh man does that look good…would love to eat there in my own lil cubicle and get bout 2 massive bowls😂😂…good job man really like this one

[@Jamesnu]

Thank you! It was delicious and such a cool experience!

[@philsipad]

Some Americans spent decades eating Japanese instant ramen without knowing what real fresh ramen is like. Go visit Ichiran.

[@Jamesnu]

Indeed.

[@nikip9161]

A rich and hearty ramen bowl is such a delicious treat... 😋👍🌻🍜❤

[@Jamesnu]

Exactly! Ramen will always be one of my favorite things!

[@lifewithakunna]

A dream dining experience for introverts 😄

[@Jamesnu]

Indeed!

[@TwoTicketsToAdventure]

Thank you so much for the wonderful review. We just came back from a two week trip to Japan and never got a chance to try Ichiran over there due to our schedules of being up to early for our destinations! We even had a chance to try it at its home base of Fukuoka but never did. Heading into the city later on this month for a concert and there's one right outside of Madison Square. While we didn't get to try ichiran in Japan, we did pick up instant ichiran at the Don Quixote and it was really good so I'm excited to try the real thing. Speaking of instant, did you see that they sold merch there or the instant to go ramen kits? Great video, very helpful! I love your honesty of being lazy 😂😅

[@kaligupta2749]

Do they like give you extra broth if you need it? Cuz that amount of broth definitely doesn't look enough

[@Jamesnu]

Unfortunately, I don't think so, but I'm not positive on that. I know you can get more noodles. For me the broth they gave was enough, but I personally like a larger proportion of noodles and toppings.

[@NoahEats]

Glad you got to go!

[@Jamesnu]

Yeah, I've been wanting to go to this restaurant for awhile now.

[@sann5146]

Wow, I happened to eat there just a couple of weeks back. I agree that it's a unique dining experience given the setup. But overall, I found myself not being a fan of the broth :/, actually found it too porky! Also, the bowl I got had the tare sunk to the bottom so it wasnt visually appealing like yours. At first too I thought they forgot the tare but later read that it's possible for it to have sunk. I also felt the menu was a little confusing - I thought the bowl itself had no toppings and so proceeded to order the topping set for the +$7.5. And then was surprised to see the bowl come with 2 (3?) pieces of chashu plus the other items. That would've been perfectly enough for me, so left feeling that I was tricked into an upsell. I know it doesn't make much sense since typically bowls include *some* toppings by default. But the way the menu was laid out I was left thinking the bowl by itself came with no toppings! Anyway, agree though perfect for a single dining experience. But I'll stick to E.A.K. Ramen, my fave in NYC now 😊

[@Jamesnu]

Yeah, the menu can be a little confusing and I would've been satisfied without the extra toppings as well. I've still got to try E.A.K. Ramen, it looks amazing!

[@les5309]

Just curious, but have you tried Ivan's place yet?

[@Jamesnu]

I have! That's definitely a great spot for ramen! I might make a video about it sometime.

[@Worldgonemad]

Idk if it’s out of your budget, but you should try Atomix. 2 Michelin and they were just awarded #8 best restaurant in the world

[@Jamesnu]

Absolutely! It's one of the restaurants in NYC that I want to check out the most, but it is something that I would have to budget for since it is pretty expensive. Plus, getting a reservation would probably be a challenge as well. Still, I hope to one day dine there.

[@japanblue5816]

一蘭！！！　🤩🍜　Hakata’s　very very delicious ramen!!! Thank you! ARIGATO- !! 🍜 🍜🗾

[@Jamesnu]

Thanks for watching!

[@dominiopublicomx6138]

Honestly i think birria ramen 🍜 is the best ramen in the world 😋 Mmmmmmmm birria

[@Jamesnu]

I really enjoy birria ramen too!

[@unicornpower8975]

How much is that?

[@Jamesnu]

The ramen by itself was $22, the toppings set was $7 and the matcha pudding dessert was $9.50. It definitely wasn't cheap, but at least it was very good.

[@unicornpower8975]

@@Jamesnu thank you very much for the response!.

[@unicornpower8975]

@@Jamesnu almost 40$ 😮😮😮🤦🏾‍♀️😂 at least it was good 😊

[@Jamesnu]

@@unicornpower8975 Yeah, it was very good. Plus the whole experience was pretty fun and unique too!

[@Salan1]

Nice video! Please try more Ramen shops in New York as Ichiran kinda is the McDonalds of Ramen. I bet you can find better places if you loved this one :)

[@Jamesnu]

Haha! I know what you mean. Yes, I will definitely be going to more ramen shops that are a bit more unique to NYC.

[@jesseyuan]

I love Ichiran and personally I do believe they are the best Ramen chain in the world however, they’re really overpriced. Now don’t get me wrong. The experience is like none other but if you jazz up your bowl with all the fixings, it could easily be over $30 and to me, no matter how good a bowl of noodles is, it’s not worth that much. You must visit the original Ichiran in Japan. Bigger, better tasting imo and cheaper. Kudos for them reaching out to you. Anytime you can get a free meal at Ichiran is a win win 👍🏼

[@Jamesnu]

It's incredible ramen for sure! Yeah, the price of it is probably the only real negative. Although, I still didn't like peeling the egg. I definitely want to try Ichiran in Japan someday, especially since they have those sort of ramen vending machines at the restaurants.

[@msbrownbeast]

Absolute rip off prices for a very ordinary ramen. Price for Ichiran ramen is already expensive in Japan compared to their competition, but in NYC, it is almost double that price! Only in a place like New York City can they get away with those prices.

[@Jamesnu]

Yeah, it's definitely expensive.

[@oqeufh]

Ichiran in Japan is literally like 1000 yen which is the standard price for ramen. It’s not expensive, can you find better ramen in Japan for the same price or slightly cheaper tho? Definitely.

[@msbrownbeast]

At Ichiran in Japan, if you pay around 1000 yen, you will get a very plain and basic ramen, which is inadequate. To get anything more substantial (e.g. to add an egg or dried seaweed, extra meat ) that price can easily balloon to over 1500 yen. Most other places charge anywhere between 900 - 1100 yen for a full size all dressed ramen.

[@solosamuraiz1526]

If only they paid their workers living wages. I was gonna apply but found that they Overwork workers and pay under 20hr which is crazy given their prices & no tip

[@liamlee8422]

this place is so expensive. that bowl of Ramen in NYC is $22... while in Japan, its $10 lol

[@Jamesnu]

Yeah, I'm happy that the restaurant has a lot of the aspects that made the Japan locations so special. Unfortunately, the price difference is not a welcome change.

[@shaun7126]

Bro, the soup wasn’t that good no man just one bowl of noodles

[@jletterpbpp8259]

Ramen was honestly ok, the pork was poor quality, it melts immediately on broth. There are better places if you downtown. For $30 not worth it.

[@Jamesnu]

The high price is definitely the most negative aspect of the restaurant.

[@niki420yuh]

Are you from Ohio? That accent is tough not to hear

[@Jamesnu]

Chicago, but it's close.

[@niki420yuh]

@@Jamesnu ahh, makes sense. I thought Chicago had a stronger accent but yours is strong so I’m dumb haha. I’m from the east coast, Jersey

[@dsuttajit]

@@Jamesnuyou’re from my hometown Chicago. Hope you enjoy the ramen. Next time try (and make the video at) Ichiran in Japan where it’s originally from in the city Fukuoka.

[@TheZacman2]

You are basically Reviewbrah except for two key differences: 1.) You actually seem like a normal guy in your videos and not some alien trying to act like a human in a costume. 2.) You review high-quality food, not fast food (mostly).

[@Jamesnu]

Thank you! I appreciate it! I just like sharing what I enjoy and I hope that others get value out of it as well.

[@lwwwwl]

高くね？

[@Jamesnu]

It's definitely more expensive than most ramen places in NYC.

[@SacredPDK]

great review james.

[@Jamesnu]

Thank you!