Ippudo Nishiki Koji

Vous trouverez chez Ippudo de tres tres bons ramen, autant classique à l’émincé de porc, que la variante du moment vous permettant de tester autre chose dans le style.
L’endroit est très agréable, tout en bois, une large table à partager à une dizaine de personnes se trouve dans la première partie du restaurant. Juste apres un comptoir avec de petits «box» typiques au Resto ramen faisant face aux cuisines.
Au niveau de l’assiette c’est ultra généreux et goutu, tout ce qu’on attend d’un ramen :-) le thé glacé est bien entendu à volonté et offert et est vraiment très bon.
Un top rapport qualité-​prix !

It was really good but I’m not sure if it’s mind blowing. The reviews make this place almost legendary and while I agree that the quality is good, I’m not sure if it is THAT phenomenal. A 5 star in my books is something that is original and top of its league. It just didn’t it for me.

Long lines (sometimes), great ramen, English menu, (and a sign that the place is very welcoming to English speakers). My hosts from Kyoto brought me here and I have to say that this was one of my most enjoyable dinners in Japan. Nothing fancy, just good ramen, delivered fast.

I came here while out on a conference a few months back and this was by far the nicest ramen I had in my whole time in Kyoto.
It is located just a few minutes away from the Shijo area, in one of the quieter side streets. You can’t really miss it as there’s often queues out the door, so you might have to wait a bit. Inside there’s not a great deal of space, with some tables and classic long bar style seats.
The staff are really attentive and friendly, and there’s an English menu too which was useful.
I had the special ramen which came with a chilli-​style broth and was amazing. So much flavour in the ramen, with amazing noodles. I’d highly reccomend a side of gyoza with it too, best I’ve had!
Altogether for a ramen, gyoza and a beer, it was just over £10, and the beer actually increased the bill by quite a bit! For the quality, portion size and value, Ippudo was possibly the best meal I had in Kyoto.

This ramen restaurant was advised by Japanese colleagues as the best one in Kyoto.
We shared the 2 different menu composed of 10 gyoza, 1 salad, 1 big bowl of rice and 2 ramen soups (one classic and one modern). I really enjoyed the classic version of the ramen soup. It was really tasty! Service is also good. We were kindly asked to wait before being seated. Of course, this place is busy since it is really good. After 10min, we had a table. Menu was quickly served, food was really good for a really good price.

My husband loved the gyoza, and he’s a huge fan of the draft beer here in Japan. Ramen was good, we had ate at the Ramen Sen No Kaze the other night, and I’d actually perfer that over this place. Very good none the less. Wait wasn’t too bad.

It was great to try on of the original Ippudo locations in Japan. The one in NY is fancier and takes away from the authenticity of a true Japanese Ramen shop. Their menu is simpler and more straight forward with only 3 main ramen offerings and a handful of side dishes. The gyoza is small but packs a powerful/​flavorful punch! Completely worth it, and totally satisfying!

I have been a ramen fan for years and Ippudo Nishiki Koji was on my culinary To Do List for Kyoto. This is a nice, neighborhood place that is a stone’s throw from the very fancy Shijo Dori shopping area in downtown Kyoto. BTW, if you are in the area, stop in at Tokyu Hands. It’s like Brookstone on steroids.
Ippudo is a small place and the lines get long if you don’t get there early.
We got there just early enough to beat the lines. However, one of our party had trouble finding the place. The staff was very cool and seated others ahead of us, but when our lost lamb arrived, they moved us to the front of the queue and seated us almost immediately.
The people are very friendly and they have an English menu.
We were seated at the bar and ordered the gyoza and, of course, ramen! Ah-​mazing. A great bowl of ramen for about $ 8.00. If you order fresh garlic, they bring you peeled cloves and a garlic press. Rockin’!
I love getting ramen in Japan! Totally unpretentious. So many new ramen places in the U.S. try to be some fusion of ramen and haute cuisine. These are great noodles and a Tonkotsu broth that stand on their own. No need for snootiness. I’ll upload a pic of the T-​Shirt the staff wears that says it all.
I thoroughly enjoyed the ramen. the vibe, and the people. I highly recommend stopping in if you are in Kyoto.

Five Slurp Stars!
Best ramen I have ever had down to the very last slurp! I will always remember that bright red bowl of rich brothy goodness packed full of beautifully textured noodles, notes of garlic and melt in your mouth pork belly. Definitely a real treat for my mouth. Even in 98 degree heat, with sweat rolling down my brow, this satisfying dish sure enough rocked my world. When in Kyoto Iuppudo is a must!
The location is very close in proximity to the Nishiki Market (quick walking distance) and if you get there early mid-​week you can avoid the long lines. After reading about the lengthy wait times I made sure I planned this visit out in advance. I was sure happy I did.
Notes:
*they offer an assortment of sesame seeds, picked bean sprouts, crushed garlic (which you press yourself), pickled radish and seasonings to add to your broth but first try it without as the broth’s flavors are very well balanced
*Bonus: English menu
*Fairly inexpensive with dishes ranges from $ 8-​$ 12US
*Great service!
Slurp, Slurp, Slur-​pity, Slurp Slurp!

Got the classic and modern. Broth in both were 5s and the noodles/​pork/​toppings were 4. I’m pretty spoiled after living on ramen row in LA… hopefully I don’t piss off the purists. Get here early

We passed by this place when we were biking to another ramen place but it was closed so we came back to Ipuddo. There was a long line but it moved really fast. Their ramen was delicious. I ordered a small size and it was quite large. Our server was very fast and attentive. The broth was tasty. I would give this chain 5 stars and of course will be back again soon !

Took off a star because I actually liked the hakata ramen place in Kyoto Station’s ramen road a lot more! I ordered the spicy ramen but regretted it. I didn’t like the taste of the chili with the broth, and I think it tasted much better without it. The gyoza were great, and I highly recommend asking for the fresh garlic to crush into your soup! Walking distance from the market, which is a plus!

YUM YUM YUM!
Ramen wasn’t on my «to-​eat» list when visiting Kyoto, but once I learned that this popular chain has a location near our hotel, I was excited to try it. The exterior of the restaurant has some seats for waiting patrons, I heard at rush hour there can be a wait of up to 30 minutes! On our visit, we waited less than 10 minutes for 6 seats at the counter closest to the ramen chefs.
Once inside, they feature two islands of seats and a counter. No real tables for separated eating. The menu was very simple and easy to understand. Choose between a set or ala carte, I chose a ramen set with gyoza and a draft beer. I loved that Ippudo features tons of sides in their ramen! Mine came with an egg, charsiu, 3 pieces of nori, green onions and kikurage. The broth was also delish!
On our table, there was a big container of spicy bean sprouts for adding as well!
The gyoza was sooo juicy and perfectly portioned for one-​bite enjoying. It came with a bit of spicy sauce on the side, but I did well with no additional sauces. Though this can be said about many Japanese establishments, service here is quick, but impersonal. Dont expect servers to check in with you or ask if you want anything else.
Overall, an incredible ramen experience. recommended to all, unless you cant wait the 30 minutes during rush hour.

Out of all the ramen shops we visited in Japan during our stay — the one where there was always a line out of door during lunch time AND dinner time was the most underwhelming. I’ve heard only good things about Ippudo but my experience was A-​OK. I ordered the bowl with the minced pork and spicy miso — I mean, don’t you think that would just be an amazing flavor explosion in your mouth? Well… my bowl lacked a ton of flavor. My husband got the classic tonkotsu and it was bland, as well. This wasn’t what I was expecting since this place has so many rave reviews all around the world. This was a meal where I wished I just skipped and just snacked on everything at the Nishiki Market close by.

Not that I am a ramen afficianado, but of all the ramens I have had in my life, including one in Shibuya, Tokyo, this place far outshined them all with respect to flavor and texture.
My wife and I both opted for the spicy ramen with a hard boiled egg add on, and we ordered it spice level 4. It was spicy and **delicious** ! We also enjoyed a side order of gyoza and the rice with roe.
If you’ve never tried Ippudo, I highly recommend trying this place.

We came here while visiting Kyoto based on Unilocal!and other recommendations. One thing I liked was that you can order gyoza along with the ramen. It was pretty good and the perfect amount of spicy! My favorite ramen in Japan was still at Menyu Musashi in Tokyo, but I would still recommend this place if you are in Kyoto.

For a place with so many good reviews, I found this ramen place thoroughly underwhelming and probably the worst we’ve had out 12 other ramen places we’d visited across Japan in Tokyo/​Kyoto. The soup was bland, portion sizes small and a pretty high cost. What annoyed me the most was the touristy feel.
It also didn’t help that a rude demanding Chinese woman running a group of 7 tourists arrived shortly after finished eating, using very rude Japanese.
One thing I liked was the free tea had rooibos in it which was a refreshing difference.
Would recommend you visit 第一旭本店 (Daiichiaasahi Honten) out of Kyoto station instead if you want great ramen. Cheaper, much better taste (the broth tastes like real gravy), larger servings and much more authentic.

In a city known for it’s cultural heritage and traditions, Kyoto is surprisingly progressive in the food scene. A prime example of this is Ippudo Nishiki. Touted by many as the best Ramen in Kyoto, Ippudo offers deliciously deep pork-​broth Ramen prepared and served by an all women staff.
This may not sound to be much of a big deal to pro-women’s advancement advocates; but I challenge you to find another Ramen-​Ya in the city (maybe even in all of Japan) that doesn’t have a single man in the kitchen. Food preparation in Japan is a vocation held in high regard and, as such, Ippudo is doing a great service to the equality movement… and my stomach.
Ippudo Nishiki is located on Nishiki-​dori just South of the famed Nishiki Market in downtown Kyoto. It is quite large for a Ramen-​Ya, featuring a large family style table in the entry, a few small tables and a long counter bordering the transparent kitchen.
I ordered the classic ramen and a dozen mini gyoza. Delicious! l
The ramen included thin fresh noodles, melt-​in-​the-​mouth pork, pickled veg, green onion and an amazing broth. I asked for some garlic which was brought out in a pickling jar including a press for fresh mincing.
And THE PRICE! Since it was Yoiyama, the day before the Gion Matsuri festival, Ippudo was running special prices and we made out with full stomachs for around $ 15 total! The cheapest and one of the best Ramens of the trip… not bad at all!

I’ve been to the Ippudo in New York City, but I definitely wanted to try the ramen here at one of the original places. I had to first find it which was a bit difficult, but it was behind a pretty big shopping mall that I was unable to get through.
Regardless, I get there, and there is a line, but it’s a bit difficult to figure out what’s going on since they don’t really have a sign in sheet which is what I’m used to. Regardless, we were able to get in. I met some guys in line trying to figure out how it worked and they wanted me to sit with them — meeting people while on vacation!
I ordered the special that included the ramen and gyoza. Both were delicious, though it was a pretty big meal to be honest. Some of the guys were drunk and decided to also get more beers, I didn’t since their selection was pretty limited.
Great food and some awesome service for some drunk dudes that I somehow got roped into hanging out with for dinner. Regardless, it was fun.
Protip: ramen!

I had the new style of the Akamaru ramen, and I thought the broth was pretty darn spiffy as I’m a fan of the black garlic oil and all of that other unnecessary stuff in contemporary ramen. I’d dare say that this is my favorite broth that I’ve had in Japan.
On the other hand, my boyfriend thought it was just alright. I can see why because the noodles were kind of forgettable, and god, the gyoza SUCKED. Ippudo is supposedly known for their special gyoza so we were utterly disappointed with the bland and sadly-​prepared gyoza we received. Maybe we had a bad batch, who knows, because we didn’t even bother finishing most of the gyoza.
So, in the end, really nice broth. I’d be fine just sipping the broth without noodles and eating the little pickles on the side.

We stumbled upon this place at around 8:30PM as we had a long day of traveling from Tokyo. It was across the street from a Starbucks coffee. It was full when we arrived so we put down our name and sat outside waiting — I believe we were second in line?
The wait was not very long (5 – 10 minutes?) — we got the bar seats. They suggested that we put our bags under the seats and it was a novel idea.
We order two bowls of 白丸元味 one of them extra large for my teenage son. I had the 一風堂からか麺 in medium spiciness. You can choose from 5 levels and I had level 3 in the middle. It had just the right spice and blends well with the soup.
Would definitely go back and try their other branches worldwide if I get a chance.
End note: You pay at the cashier in front. I went up and pay but someone — most likely a tourist from a big nearby country — outside waiting were very eager to interrupt the waiter at the cashier to figure out how long they have to wait by barging into my payment process. I could not help but stood there and just shake my head … and waited. No sense of politeness nor a sense of awareness that the waiter is busy — the waiter was a little unhappy too.

Great soup and chashu! After a long day and overnight flight, nothing beats a hot soup. I ordered the regular tokontsu style ramen from the old menu. The soup was salty and had a medium level of seafood flavor. The soup had a milky color and was not transparent to the eye. The only issue was the noodle which was a straight noodle, but was cooked slightly over al dente to allow the broth to absorb into the noodle. Everything blended well and the overall impression was very good.
In addition, they offer tea, pickled bean sprouts, pickled radish, and crushed sesame seeds on the side. I recommend having the ramen and giving the new menu a try, but the gyoza is a bit small and the flavors are nothing out of the ordinary.

Très bonne cantine de ramen à kyoto ! Et abordable (autour de 8e le gros bol).
J’ai pris le akaramaru avec supplément œuf et champignons + 5 gyozas. Tout était très bon. Gras mais on avait mérité un bon repas après 5h de marche d’Higashiyama sud au centre de Kyoto !

When we were planning our trip to Japan, we decided we wanted to eat at Ippudo. We’ve eaten at the Ippudo in NYC many times, but we just wanted to see how it compared to the «authentic» product in Japan. The first Ippudo was opened in Fukuoka; however, we weren’t planning on going there. But, that wasn’t really a concern because Ippudo can be found all over Japan! I did some research of where they were located in Kyoto and Tokyo before we left for our trip and was intending to go to one while we were in Tokyo.
After about our second day in Kyoto, we realized that there was a location of Ippudo very close to our hotel; thus, we decided to pop in one night for a «light snack» before heading out to dinner. Ippudo Nishikikouji is only about a block from Nishiki Market and on the North side of Daimaru Department store.
Since we arrived at an off hour, there was only one group ahead of us and we were seated within 5 minutes. We were seated at the long noodle bar that looked into the kitchen. They first brought us Japanese menus; unfortunately, our Japanese reading skills are non-​existent. However, the menu had 1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd crown stickers next to their most popular ramen.
We were just going to get the most popular one when a server brought over some English menus. We decided to go with the Akamaru New to compare with what we usually get in NYC. We ordered a couple of beers, because ramen + beer = heaven.
As we were waiting for our bowl, we noticed that there were some self-​serve condiments on the table. There was namuru (spicy bean sprouts), karashi takana (pickled mustard leaf), beni shoga (pickled red ginger) and whole garlic. There was a garlic press as well! There were small little saucers, so we helped ourselves. We loved the pickles and happily enjoyed them before our ramen came.
The Akamaru New hit the table and upon first sip, it was very similar to what we get in NYC. The noodles were thin and perfectly springy. The broth was rich and full of umami. I will say that the egg and the pork were different than in NYC. The egg was not soaked in soy sauce but still had a soft yolk that was fantastic. The pork belly was thicker and more tender than what I remember in NYC. What I really loved was the garlic! You were able to add fresh pressed garlic into your ramen and after eating half the bowl, we decided to add some! We love garlic and loved the punch it gave to the ramen. Additionally, the various other pickles added a great crunch and helped to cut the fattiness of the soup. Why don’t they give free condiments in NYC?!?
Another great thing in Japan is they have bibs for when you eat ramen. I wasn’t offered one, but we noticed that the lady next to us asked for one. It makes sense with the slurping of the noodles, you don’t want to get that pork fat on your clothes!
We both agreed it was a fantastic bowl of ramen. The funny thing about Ippudo in Japan is you will get vastly different opinions from locals. One night, a chef shared that Ippudo was like going to «McDonald’s for hamburgers» and there were much better ramen places in the city. Other locals shared our love of Ippudo and raved about the ramen. I guess that is with most things in life, but it was just so funny how polarizing the reactions to Ippudo were. Either way, if you are in Japan, we would definitely recommend checking out one of the Ippudo locations.

The branch in NYC is always packed and the ramen is top notch so I was pretty excited to try the one in Kyoto. Amazingly, it was right near our hotel! The quaint smallish shop with warm wood interior has seating a long bar seating and a shared table in the front. The menu is more specialized in ramen and some starters.
We went with the spicy ramen and the two special with gyoza to start. The service was polite and quick. The food also came out pretty quick. With the cold Kyoto weather, a warm bowl of Ramen was perfect. The flavors of the broth were subtle, maybe even better than the one in NYC. The broth was lighter and comforting. The side condiments of assorted pickles on the table were also very good.
I was delighted to try Ippudo in Kyoto. It was hard to resist not going back but with my limited time and all the other choices of food I had to resist.

I’ve been a huge fan of Ippudo ramen since I first tried it in New York, and I was very excited to come across the Kyoto location by chance. I was surprised to see that in Japan, Ippudo is much more casual… really a place where people stop in quickly on their lunch break to grab an easy meal. The restaurant was very small with the main seating being one big communal table.
The ramen, as expected, was even better than the version I love so much in the US. Broth, heavenly. Noodles, perfectly firm. And sooo many condiments to choose from! I like that Ippudo has little lunch combo specials — I made sure to get some tasty gyoza to go with my soup.
If you find yourself in the area, don’t hesitate to pay a visit… it’s easy, friendly, and most of all — tasty!