Ramen Isshin

Pros:
Very well done ramen
Excellent service
Cons:
Portions could be better
Ramen Isshin is a solid ramen joint on the west end of downtown Toronto. I was off on a Friday and decided to take my GF to lunch here. If you’ve been to any downtown ramen locations on a work day, you know about the long wait times in the line. Because of Ramen Isshin’s location, this is less or a problem. We came at 12:30pm and there were plenty of seat available. It got busier as we were there, but there were always seats available and it never got crazy busy.
Ramen Isshin offers a good variety of ramen to choose from. They have your usual Miso, Shoyu and 4 veggie ramens. That’s easily one of the most veggie ramens I’ve seen. They also have some «original» ramens that they make. What I really love on the menu is they have a page specifically for allergy concerns. If you have an allergy, this page is for you as it tells you what types of ramen to avoid. I really liked that. I ordered the white sesame and my GF had the black sesame.
The ramens were pretty well done. The broth was really consistent and weren’t very salty near the end as some ramen places can be. The noodles were OK in my opinion. My GF liked them a lot more than I did. The portions could of been better though I am a big eater. They give you the actual sesame seeds to grind and put in your ramen. I don’t know if this really adds to the taste, but it was different. We got the combos which include a side and a pop/​tea. The sides are only a portion of what a regular order would of been which is understandable, but they were less than half the order honestly. Samll gripe, but something to note. Overall, still a great bowl of ramen.
Service here is what you come to expect from a Japanese run eatery. I have never had a bad service experience at one of these places and Ramen Isshin keeps the trend going. It was a pleasant overall experience here for me.
Ramen Isshin is a solid ramen joint. It’s not the best, but it holds its own. It’s a little farther away from the downtown core, but if you’re in the area, it’s a must try for any ramen owners.

Small place, great Ramen! Try their originals. They don’t have options in bowl size. Each one has its own size, most are quite big to finish by one person. Cost is very reasonable.
Ramen was yummy! And try their matcha ice cream to finish it off.

One of the better ramen places, and one of my faves. The broths here are a step above, very rich and savory, and I love their noodles — the texture is excellent, never over or under cooked, just right. Try the spicy miso ramen, and be advised — this place gets packed, there is almost always a lineup at prime times. It’s a great spot for a late dinner, after the rush.

I’m not really a ramen fan but I’ve tried quite a few in the area and this is probably one of the better places. The restaurant is pretty big imo unlike other ramen places lol pretty spacious. They have solo tables that face the wall, much like a lot of ramen places in Japan.
I ordered the dipping ramen dish, where all the ingredients are separated from the soup. The soup is super condensed, Brothy and flavourful, so using a little bit can already be a bit overwhelming. Just dip your noodles for a bit for a huge splash of flavour! You can really taste the flavour of the broth, it’s super rich. The egg was great, still runny and has a sweet flavour.
The best part is the noodle though. Omg so chewy and thick! Not a bad chewy but it has got a really really good bouncy texture, it tastes good even when it’s cold and not in the soup lol. They give two pieces of meat like every other place, and unfortunately it’s a really thin (like less than 1cm).
We also ordered the edamame, they put some sort of miso soya sauce in place of salt which makes it have a really good aroma and taste. But it’s extremely salty. After the fifth one I can feel my tongue getting irritated from the high amount of sodium.
The karaage was good but wasn’t mjnd blowing, the batter is a little light but the seasoning was on point with mayo and lemon on the side. They give you four medium sized pieces for $ 4.9
For dessert we ordered the Mochi ice cream in green tea and black sesame. I never had Mochi ice cream and so when I had this I wasn’t really blown awAy. It’s literally Mochi texture wrapped around ice cream lol I don’t know what I was expecting, it sounded amazing. It’s fun to try and a pain to take split pieces apart.

Ok… I ordered the Spicy Miso Ramen.
It was good. No complains.
Now this is a tip for all you ramen lovers.
Leave half of everything that comes, the soup and all the toppings that you ordered.
Now, go ahead and ask for KAEDMA. You’ll get extra noodles!
Now You have a second bowl of ramen!!!
ENJOY!!!

I came to Ramen Isshin for the first time a few weeks ago after getting word that they offer trustworthy vegan/​vegetarian ramen options sans pork or bone broth (such a rarity). I came on a Saturday night around 8pm and it was bustling so we had to wait about 10 – 15 minutes for a table.
I ordered the vegetarian red miso ramen and it was delicious. I’m not a vegan but appreciated that my server asked me whether or not I wanted vegan noodles (since the standard noodles contain egg). This really instilled confidence that they take these dietary requirements seriously, in addition to clear menu labelling. My other two friends ordered the black sesame tan tan noodles and loved them. I also had the chance to try the spicy red miso with cucumber.
This place is obviously a neighborhood favorite. It is clean, good value for money and has a nice vibe with the right noise level when busy. The service was friendly and quick and they dealt with the line situation well. They even waved us off very sincerely when we left, which left me smiling at the adorableness of it all. Thank you Ramen Isshin… I’ll definitely be back!

Yes: as good as it gets.
I’ve had all options available to me here and am quite thankful for so many vegan options and even more thankful that the kitchen care so much to make sure the veg options have flavours just as robust and developed as the meater options. Thanks, yo.
Only complain — the noodle refill option allows me to overeat every. single. time. It hurts.

Here is a short list of why Isshin is perfect;
1) Amazing variety on their menu and 4 vegetarian ramen options
2) Perfect service! The waitress is fast and very helpful. We were even thanked with big smiles by the entire kitchen as we walked out!
3) The noodles are heaven. Slightly chewy and absolutely delicious
4) The red miso broth is savoury with a hot kick too it
5) The seating is clean and cosy
You’ve gotta check this place out!

Been here once and already my fave ramen place in the 6ix. I was never too fond of the other ramen place here until I came to ramen Isshin. This is a cozy little place with super friendly staff. Ramen Isshin feels and looks authentic and by far the best soup broth in the city hands down. I will def be back for more.

Have to update this review as I came back recently to try Ramen Isshin again seeing all the good reviews. I simply don’t know why I had such a poor experience on my first time! The ramen I had today was amazing, salty rich soup with perfect noodles and super tender pork. I got the White Sesame Ramen which also comes with some white sesame seeds and a little grinder so you can grind them yourself. Neat idea. The gyoza dumplings were nicely fried and the chicken karage was pretty good as well. Definitely one of my favourite ramen places in Toronto.

Dropped by here for a second time as I was in the neighbourhood. Once again surprised that there was no lineups as there are usually lineups for downtown ramen place especially for lunch. Greeted by all the staff and was seated quickly.
Ordered the red dragon with the katsu don side. Food arrived in a reasonable time and smelt extremely rich. Red dragon was advertised as spicy but upon further tasting found it to be quite mild. Noodles were delicious and the katsu don was decent. Staff was good as the cup of water was constantly refilled.

I am a huge ramen fan and ramen isshin is now definitely one of my favourite ramen spots. Soupy noodles cravings creep up on the weekly.
Came here on a Thursday night and only had to wait 10 mins.
The miso ramen was delicious. Noodle consistency was perfectly chewy, pork was tender and I liked that it came with lots of bean sprouts (makes my meal feel healthy with more veggies haha) The portions are larger than other ramen places but the broth was flavourful but too salty to drink and that’s why isshin lost a star for me.
Also, you’re not cramped like sardines here. Personal space for the win isshin!

I heard this was the only ramen place in Toronto that serves Tsukemen so obviously I’d had to come by and see what the fuss was about — well he had to see. We heard many things about this place and came in with high hopes.
We ordered the seafood okonomiyaki and he ordered the Tsukemen which he really enjoyed and I got the Spicy Red Miso Ramen. I did not enjoy the Spicy Red Miso Ramen. I mean yes, it’s ramen it’s decent but I can get ramen any where. I didn’t taste the TLC that went into the soup base or lack of. We did enjoy the seafood okonomiyaki though! Maybe I ordered the wrong ramen but I’m willing to give this place another go in the future.

Came here on a Sunday evening at around 7pm and there was already a line. This place is popular! Didn’t have to wait long though — we were seated within 10 minutes.
Had the takoyaki for appetizer. This was the best takoyaki I’ve ever had. Granted, I’ve only eaten takoyaki two other times in my life. But still! This one was delicious. Could taste the octopus inside, and the outside was nicely fried.
For ramen, I ordered the black sesame tan tan noodles. I know some other ramen places allow you to pick how salty the broth is. I kind of wish this option existed here, because I found the broth to be too salty. But I still enjoyed my ramen. The consistency of the noodles was chewy as expected, and the flavour of the broth was good.
And for dessert, the mango pudding! Yummsville! I had read other Unilocal reviews about the mango pudding, so I wanted to give it a try. Super yums, definitely better than those ones you get at chinese dim sum places. This one had pieces of mango, and was more grainy. It came with a mint leaf, which I ripped into tiny pieces so that I could get some mint with each bite.
Overall, solid food, nice ambiance, and friendly staff.

My partner couldn’t stop commenting about how he’d never seen ramen toppings being wok-​fried before placed atop the noodles. «Wok-​fried?! Who does that?! So un-​Japanese! Y u do dis?!»
His judgey-​ness aside, I must concede that I’m not sure how I feel about it either.
We had the Spicy Miso and the Garlic Shoyu, both of which seemed heavier on the salt than most other ramen places. The noodles were alright, but I think I prefer them with a bit more al-​dente bite. I’d say it’s just all-​around mediocre.
We came by around ~3pm for a post-​brunch meal (cause we’re winners like that) and almost all the tables were full. It’s a popular spot, but just not quite for me.
Tip: If you hate stuffy air like I do, avoid this place on warm days, I was sitting pretty close to the door and it still lacked air circulation. Coupled with the warm ramen, it made it feel even stuffier!

Came here for dinner on a weekend and it was super busy! Had to wait about 10 minutes for a table, and even so we beat the dinner crowd because the lineup was out the door by the time we left. The restaurant isn’t very big so if you’re coming as a large group, you might have to wait for awhile.
We ordered:
— Chicken karaage: perfectly crispy on the outside, so juicy on the inside!
— Spicy red miso: even though the soup wasn’t spicy at all, the flavour was all there. Also really liked that it wasn’t just a bowl of ramen with some toppings sprinkled on top — the bowl was immersed with food!
— Black sesame tan tan noodle: the flavour in this bowl was great as well, and it came with a small bowl of black sesame seeds for you to crush and add to the ramen. It adds texture and another depth of flavour!
Overall this is one of the best ramen I’ve had. Service was friendly and food was delivered in good time. Will definitely come back!

*Opened by the same owners as Kingyo Izakaya.
*The restaurant was decently sized with Asian inspired decorations, open kitchen by the front and a dragon mural along one side of the wall
–Deep fried pork gyoza — $ 5.2
These had a nice crispy skin while having a great filling packed with flavors.
–Takoyaki — $ 4.8
These takoyaki from ramen Isshin were undoubtedly the best takoyaki that I have had in Toronto so far. They were crispy on the outside, yet still soft and moist and not-​fully-​cooked on the inside. There were a big chunks of perfectly cooked and tender octopus tentacles inside each takoyaki as well! I also loved how prominent the flavor of the bonito flakes and mayonnaise were, while the takoyaki sauce was just sweet enough to balance out the flavors.
–Chicken Karaage — $ 4.9
Thought the chicken karaage were perfectly seasoned and tasty, they weren’t the best I’ve had. I found the karaage to be too a bit too oily and the batter wasn’t as crispy as the one I had at Gushi.
–White sesame shio ramen: $ 9.6
Friend ordered this which came with a pestle and mortar to grind your own seeds and put into the ramen yourself. To be honest, I thought the sesame seeds didn’t have the rich aroma and flavor I expected, thus it really didn’t add much to the ramen. It was also quite difficult to grind the seeds, but kudos on giving this experience to their customers.
–Red Dragon Ramen — $ 14.9
The noodle came with a thick noodles that were bouncy and cooked in right texture. The broth had just the right amount of spiciness and it was more fatty compared to the shio or shoyu ramen. Actually, I found that the broth here had a more delicate flavor and they weren’t as oily as other places — which is my personal preference when it comes to ramen broth. Their chasu is about 90% meat and 10% fat, and they tasted amazing! It was tender yet chewy at the same time. I also noticed how the bamboo shoots were pretty much the basic topping for all the ramen here.
The only complain I would have about my ramen was how salty it was, but not MSG salty! I actually had to ask the server for a bowl of plain soup to add into bowl, which should reduce the saltiness but even then, it was still too much for me to handle.

Could this be the best ramen I’ve ever had? That’s what I said when I was dining here a few nights ago. I’m not the biggest ramen fan, but my coworker is. We went here one night and I was about to order the spicy miso ramen like I usually do at ramen joints. But the pric made me switch to a different type of ramen. I don’t even know what it was called. But like I said, it was the best ramen of my life. The waitress said they all like this type as well.
Super cute place and super friendly staff. I’d go back in a heartbeat. Just talking about it is making me want some ramen, and I just finished a french toast for brunch!

Better soup base than Sansotei’s.
The dons themselves are cheap, around $ 5 but if you add one onto a ramen, its only $ 3-​something. Ordered the garlic oil ramen and changed the noodles to thick without any fuss. Delicious rich broth.
Chicken karaage don is in an average sized bowl, but the chicken is flavourful and crispy fresh! The rice is good too and even better when drenched with soup broth. Boyfriend got the tantan noodles where you can grind up your own sesame seeds which is a neat idea.
Definitely a good spot for a cold winter’s day. We got there at 2:30PM and there was still a long wait! Worth it though!
Sadly they didn’t offer their lunch special on Family Day, which is a pretty sweet deal. Choice of 4 ramen bowls, one side (gyoza, chocken karaage or takoyakk) and pop.

After reading the reviews, my friend and I decided to try this place for dinner. We arrived early around 6:30pm and it wasn’t very busy.
Servers were friendly but was not fluent in English so it was a bit difficult to communicate with her.
Ordered the following:
Garlic Shoyu Ramen — The soup base tasted average, nothing special to be fair. The «garlic» was almost nonexistent in the broth and it tasted a bit strange. It was not appealing. Noodles had similar texture to instant noodles — for the price and flavour, I might as well have had instant noodles which have tasted a lot better.
Spicy Red Miso Ramen — The taste of the soup base is difficult to describe, initially thinking it would be spicy and full of flavour but it was the opposite. It lacked depth, flavour and appeal.
In short, the food was disappointing. I rather go to Sansotei and eat authentic ramen! This restaurant lacked in quality and variety in the ramen. Not sure what everyone else seemed to be enjoying because I left unsatisfied.

Affamé et fatigué après une longue journée à flâner dans la ville, le ramen d’été (froid) avec une pinte d’Asahi (ou deux– 5 $ pendant l’été) a fait mon bonheur. Un endroit sympa et reposant.