Karashibi Miso Ramen Kikanbo

I am by no means a ramen expert, but the food here was incredible. Made to order with the option of non-​traditional intense spice levels.
The buck stops here for me; best ramen I’ve had; and I can’t imagine improving on it. I did order the devil spice level; which was intense. There are mild options as well for the less adventurous.
I can’t wait for another trip to Tokyo to experience this again.
Expect a wait if you don’t get there early.

Best ramen I’ve had in my life. The spiciness is adjustable, the environment with the Oni is cool, the pork is melt in your mouth soft, and the noodles are perfectly «al dente”-like. I actually came back here a second tinge during my trip to try the Tsukemen restaurant by the same owner.

We went last week while in Tokyo. Wow. You first go to the vending machine and pick/​pay for your order while you join the queue and wait for a seat. Luckily this place has a quick turnover and people usually devour their food and leave. You get seated and then turn in your ticket while you pick spicy levels. I picked medium on both and it was AMAZING. Well there aren’t even words to describe how good it was. The meat was fresh and so tender, it melts in your mouth. The broth is hardy so I prioritized my noodles, meat, and sprouts. We wish we would have stopped here before our flight for seconds!

My husband is the ramen connoisseur of the house, so he hunted this place down. Located a short walking distance away from Kanda Station, we came here on a Sunday, shortly after opening, and there was already a line. We were probably in line for no more than 30 minutes. Service is pretty efficient. The establishment is small and cozy, probably seats about 15 or so. You’ll have to place your order from the ticket vending machine, which is located just inside the door of the restaurant before standing in line. Not to worry if you can’t read the language, there is English on there as well.
I ordered the spicy miso deluxe ramen, which comes with an egg, and two pieces of pork. I’m not a fan of spicy foods, but was glad that I was able to customize the spice level (I went with less spicy for both spices and was able to tolerate it just fine. My husband ordered the medium spicy levels, and also okayed it. We weren’t brave enough to go Devil level, which is an additional 100 yen). I cannot stress how delicious their pork was. It is so tender that it falls apart in your mouth.

Sure, you might like spicy miso ramen, but this shop takes your favorite noodle dish in a new direction. Here, you get your choice of spiciness as well as how numb you want your mouth to feel while eating. It sounds weird, right? It’s actually a lot of fun!
Whether you know it as sansho, Chinese prickly-​ash, Sichuan peppercorn, or any number of other aliases, the spice used in this ramen will take you back to your days of licking 9V batteries. Except this time, it’s delicious. A small mix of other toppings accompany the spice, like baby corn, bean sprouts, and juicy pork that melts in your mouth. The noodles are tasty as well, with a thickness around that of regular spaghetti.
The shop itself is smaller than you’d expect, seating maybe 20 – 25 at a time, all along a counter. When we walked up, there was a line about 10 people deep, but it moved along quickly enough, and we were seated with bibs in no time.
If it’s your first time, the signs about buying a meal ticket prior to going in can be a little misleading because of their placement. The ticket machine is on the inside, to the right of the entrance, so you don’t really have an easy way to get a ticket until your place in line has advanced farther along.

Awesome spicy ramen! Everything about this ramen was absolutely top-​rate. The noodles were fresh and amazing, the broth was a masterpiece and the egg, veggies and other additions were superb. I got the #4 on the scale of 1 – 5 in spiciness and yes, it was HOT. If I get the chance to go back, I’ll order level #5.
I thoroughly enjoyed this meal and would love to be able to get back to Tokyo often enough to eat here each week.

Loved the spicy ramen there, it was such an institution for the Japanese working class by the time we arrived the restaurant (11:15AM) it was filled with black suited men and a line formed outside. We ordered the best we could with the Japanese ticket machine luckily the server came to us to verify how hot we wanted our noodles. The spiciness came from the mala spices I thought that was interested. I didnt go all the way but settled for the second hottest level. The broth was very tasty and the egg cooked to perfection, the spice I could still handle. Everything was just so good. If you are in Tokyo you will have to try it!

Love the fiery, numbing spiciness of this miso based ramen
Recently featured on the PBS Series «I’ll have what Phil’s Having», I have been going to this restaurant for a few years now. If you are looking for something spicy, this place is for you. A full bodied miso broth with the addition of not only chili peppers for heat, but also Chinese flower peppers for that tongue-​tingling numbing goodness.
You can choose any level of spicy was from mild to «devil» level (plus 100 yen each for hot and numbing)
Another great topping is additional chopped coriander — adds a wonderful herbal dimension to the noodles!
Give this place a try!

Seriously the spiciest bowl of ramen I’ve ever had. So delicious and addicting.
Located relatively close to Akihabara, this is a great GREAT spot for your numbingly spicy ramen fix. There’s a tsukemen-​only restaurant and a ramen restaurant right next door to each other, probably owned by the same people. This review is for the ramen restaurant.
I got here at 5pm on a Saturday night and there was no wait. But by 5:30pm, people started rolling in and there was a line of around 5 – 8 waiting outside already.
Order your ramen from the machine and then customize your spicyness level. There’s two types: red chili pepper (spicy spicy) and szechuan pepper (numbing spicy). I chose very spicy for both of them and WOW they weren’t kidding! There’s an English menu right next to the machine. One of the guys there (probably the owner) speaks pretty good English, so you can ask him any questions.
My bowl of ramen was so flavor packed and generously spiced. I’m drooling just thinking about it. Everything was on point and I actually loved the roasted bean sprouts more than I thought I would. I normally eat ramen pretty quickly, but since this was so spicy, it took me almost twice as long as usual. The whole restaurant itself is filled with the same spicy aroma that’s in your broth. It’s EVERYWHERE. I LOVE IT.
You’re going to need a lot of water and tissues for your runny nose.

Awesome ramen!!! The best place I’ve ever been:) Coriander (パクチー) lovers definitely need to visit here!

We totally stumbled upon this ramen shop. And we totally got distracted by all the japanese kabuki masks. It just screamed «I’m scary, come in… if you dare muahahaha.» Well, challenge accepted!
If you are looking for mouth numbing Sichuan spicy, look no further. The broth has layer of complexities and the noodles… oh the noodles were perfection. They have the perfect bite and chewiness.
A bowl of this ramen will leave you sweating from pores you didn’t even know you had. And it’s totally worth it.

Best ramen I had in Tokyo, which is saying a lot.

Best spicy ramen in Tokyo. Hands down.
You should try to avoid rush hours (12−1pm or 5−7pm) as it is a small place and there is always a line out the door.

I give this ramen place 4.5 stars. It’s a miso based ramen that incorporates some Sichuan spices such as peppercorns to give it a complex flavor that is kind of amazing. The pork is braised and slow cooked in such a way that it gives it a luscious texture and flavor that is unbelievable. I love that the entire place (which is small) is covered in scary masks of ancient gods, and they play Japanese drum music that adds to the feel of it. The ramen ticketing machine is impossible to understand if you don’t know Japanese, like the ones found at most any other good ramen joint in Tokyo, but the staff will help out. The place is very small, and my one criticism is there is the feeling that one must wolf down food so that the person waiting directly behind can take your place. I wanted to enjoy the meal more and linger a bit over beer.