(disclaimer - i do know the owners...) BUT, i would give less than 5 stars if necessary. let me start off by saying, "HALLELUJAH!" a decent Korean/Japanese/Chinese restaurant in Rhode Island. There is another Korean/Japanese restaurant in Johnston that is really good, too. but this restaurant just hit the spot on this particular day. after a long flight back "home", i was welcomed by a friendly face (the owner and sushi man - Jim) who greeted me with a BIG smile and then an even bigger smile when he realized who i was (i hadn't seen him in over 10 years). the restaurant is really spacious and beautifully decorated. the wood along the ceiling of the sushi bar is intricately hand carved by the owner and his father (see pictures)... it's worth it to just go and see that! the food..... DELICIOUS. the ganpungki was perfectly fried to the exact crispiness it should've been. all the rolls were made with very fresh fish and the rice to filling ratio was perfect (not too much rice). the jja-jjian myun was SO good. i don't normally like it, but it was REALLY good and made me wish i had ordered a bowl for myself... the tempura ice cream was the only thing i wasn't thrilled about. my friend did warn me that it was a little "doughy" she was right. it was good, but it wasn't crispy, the crust just fell off the ice cream and the ice cream was melting so quickly.... perfect this dessert and you're all set. clean restrooms, good food, friendly and fast service... what more could you ask for???? nada. read more

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I really enjoyed going to this place. My gf and I went here for our first date since getting back together and it was perfect. We went late on a Sunday night so the service was fast. Our waitress was hilariously straight-forward. We enjoyed her presence. We ordered their homemade Korean beef stew which was perfect. My gf is a chef and loved it. She also ordered BiBimBap, which was equally as awesome. It comes with a spicy sauce that you mix it with. The beef that goes with this dish is seasoned beautifully. I couldn't have been happier with both of these dishes. If you don't like your rice crispy/crunchy then you probably shouldn't get the BiBimBap. It comes in a hot bowl with the rice on the bottom and you're supposed to stir all of the ingredients together. If you leave it, it will continue to cook. But It's awesome. We also ordered a butt-load of sushi. I am an avid fan of sushi having grown up eating seaweed and rice, so I've tried a lot of different places. This place probably has the least variety, but the rolls were huge and filling. Also, for the first time I decided to get a hand roll. This was probably one of my greatest decisions. I got the eel and avocado hand roll and it was to die for. Eel is probably my favorite amongst the sushi's. My gf's favorite is White Tuna, so we also ordered the Red Dragon. We got the Rock N Roll, Spicy Yellow Tail and geez...the last roll was shrimp tempera, topped with white tuna and cilantro. I cannot for the life of me remember the name. It might be the California one? Anyway, that one was one of our favorites. The hand roll was number 1, then this roll that cannot be named came second, the Rock N Roll is our next favorite, followed by the Spicy Yellow tail. And then for some reason we didn't really like the Red Dragon. It just didn't do anything for us. There is also a picture of our plate for anyone who wants to see. Overall, pretty good. We decided that when we go back we're getting the Korean food and Hand rolls. The sushi was great, but variety was lacking. Also, just be sure to watch your wallets, although sushi is expensive in general, we easily spent $100. Other than that, I highly recommend that you at least try this place. read more

Ichiban - Hand roll was Eel and Avocado and was truly phenomenal! - Japanese Near Me - Cranston, Rhode Island

Good sushi, solid price on the outskirts of providence. It's definitely owned by Koreans and they also sell legit Korean dishes and kimchi too. The fish was fresh. The chili pepper roll is a mouthful! It's huge and spicy. read more

Ichiban - Three orders of cucumber roll, Samurai, and seared tuna roll. - Japanese Near Me - Cranston, Rhode Island

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I keep coming back amazed! ok, i've been in providence for over a year now... i've been challenging every asian restaurant that come across my path and this joint is STILL THE BEST in new england. i heart ichiban read more

Ichiban - Japanese Near Me - Cranston, Rhode Island

Hands down the best Korean we've had in the state, and we've been up and down. Who knew it was in Cranston all along! We just moved from HI and have been so dissatisfied until now! We couldn't decide between sushi and Korean, so we came in here and each had a roll (I had spicy scallop and my gf had eel), then we each had a dish of Korean (she had pork bulgogi and I had spicy squid). It is definitely spicy in a good way. The portions are huge. The two servers we had were full of energy which I always love. My water was never left empty. There is a parking lot and street parking. And it was very reasonably priced. Will come hungrier next time! read more

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We had dinner here with our toddler the other night and enjoyed the service and the food which was rich, flavorful and beautifully presented. The sushi is fresh and the curry Katsu don gravy was delicious, protein was crispy but a little dry. My husband enjoyed his home made noodle dish, I forget the name but the spicy seafood broth was very hearty. My toddler loved everything she tasted especially the shrimp shumai. read more

Video Review : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ft7gL14ZbMs A family run Korean Japanese Restaurant, which maintains the ethnic feel. As soon as you enter you can feel that you are in a kind of ethinic place, with the Sushi Bar right infront of you. Seating was comfortable and the staff was good and helpful. The condiments placed on the table on our arrival were tasty. We ordered Bibimap. We were initially a bit surprised that the rice was given seperately for bibimap. Later the waitress was kind enough to tell us that the rice will be in the bibimap for hot stone bibimap but the one we ordered was different. Neverthless the food was very yummy. read more

Ichiban - Japanese Near Me - Cranston, Rhode Island

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I don't know why it took me so long to write this review. We have been frequenting Ichiban at least monthly for the past 5 yrs (if not more). It is truly our favorite restaurant in RI. And just to put it in perspective... we have to take the Rt 6/10 connector at rush hour to get there from Providence! Everytime we try something new on the menu, it is a delightful surprise. We frequently get their seafood pancake as an app, but recently tried the seaweed salad and spicy chicken wings, and they were also scrumptious. Their warm Korean dishes are wonderful too. Our 5 yr kid has been slurping down Ja-Jang-Myun noodles since she before she had teeth. When we take my less adventurous Dad there, he is always happy with the Ganpungki (similar to General Tso) or a Teriyaki dish. Each time we go there, we tell ourselves that we will try a bowl dish or a soup, but unfortunately we have been unable to follow through... "Why not" you ask... one word... SUSHI. So, I guess you can just ignore all that stuff I just said because the real reason we schlep all the way to Crahnston from PVD... is that Ichiban has the best sushi in RI. Hands down. They are able to magically combine the freshest fish, at exactly the right temperature with the most uniquely amazing ingredients. The "Carol Roll": asian pear and salmon... simple but devine. The "Volcano": spicy tuna with avocado topped with tuna tartar... explodes in your mouth. There is not a roll that disappoints. And I guess that is the meat and potatoes of it (or should I say nigiri and rice of it)... it is CONSISTENTLY great. Family friendly, not fancy, but solid food that keeps drawing us back. read more

Ichiban - Sushi! - Japanese Near Me - Cranston, Rhode Island

I was worried by the name that this was a chain, but thankfully it's a family run restaurant and the owner trained in Japan. High grade sashimi and brilliantly prepared saba... the most tender and flavorful I've had. Great local uni on weekends. Sitting at the sushi bar, you get complimentary Korean appetizers. The Kimchi is flavorful and not silly hot. Try the fruit parfait for dessert. Not what you're expecting! read more

Loved this place! The sushi was fresh and delicious. We tried the Ichiban special roll and the Crazy Dragon. Both were outstanding. The rolls were generous portions and perfectly proportioned. The service was outstanding as well. The owner/ sushi chef came over to ask how the meal was. We couldn't stop raving about it. read more

There are a few places I've hit for sushi in RI. They include Haruki East, Haruki Cranston and Tokyo Restaurant. I'm very partial to Haruki and, until now, they were my "go to" spot for good sushi. Then along came -drum roll- Ichiban!! We started off with the seaweed salad and a house salad, then got: shrimp tempura maki, kappa maki, spicy yellowtail and shared the Ganpung Shrimp entree. It was all great. The shrimp dish was a shrimp version of general gao with a lighter (more tempura) battering. Presentation of the food was very appealing - and when you're about to put raw fish in your mouth, that's important. The place had a pretty decent crowd for a Tuesday night. From the outside I seriously was expecting this to be a dump. I thought I'd get some hot tea and call it a night, but after entering I had high hopes that were soon met. They have a rack for regulars to hang their own chopsticks. Makes me want to afford sushi more often!!!! The sign for the restrooms crack me up too!!! It was a FB upload moment. For the folks who don't like the raw endeavor, they have a good selection of cooked and veggie rolls too. I had stuffed myself to much to try dessert, so I can't comment, but I'd like to put a plug in for the staff. We were a table of 8 or 9. We got great service with a smile, separate checks with no hassle or fear of spit in our food and didn't feel rushed once. THANK YOU ICHIBAN! Nice work! I have but one teenie weenie "dislike", and it pertains to the acoustics. The restaurant was about half full, perhaps less, but it was loud. If you're looking for a intimate romantic dinner over Saki, this might not be the best choice. If you consider that a "con" then so be it. It still gets two thumbs up from this guy right here. Cheers! read more

I love Yelp. I adore Yelp. I mean the really, truly, deep down warm cozy feeling of knowing that Yelp will always be there to give me great guidance and direction, always looking after me with the best advice and steering me away from the dark and nasty things in life... yes, that's Yelp to me. And I have been using Yelp continuously for nearly two years now since I moved from Hawaii to D.C. yet I've never been motivated enough to repay the favor of other Yelpers do a review. Until now. Last week I was in Providence, RI for work and a friend that came along to do some sightseeing wanted some Korean food. Her Mom is Korean so she grew up with delicious authentic Korean food, which of course makes it thoroughly difficult to find "good Korean food" during travels. That is, until Yelp led me to Ichiban. I had some serious hesitation about going for Korean food at a place with a Japanese name but that seems to be sort of standard for the restaurants I've seen in the D.C. area - a mix of Asian foods all in one place - so armed with Yelp's recommendations and directions we found Ichiban on a nondescript side street in Cranston. My friend wanted Kimchi Pancake and Chong-Gol without the seafood, extra tofu. I ordered the Kimchi friend rice and the house Avocado salad. The server didn't blink an eye with the special requests and went to get our drinks. Hot green tea seeping at your table so you can have it as strong as you want? Nice! And the food came out surprisingly quick. As soon as my friend took a bite of her Kimchi pancake she exclaimed that it was the best she's ever eaten in a restaurant. Ever! She also loved the Chong-Gol and was the quietest company as she was too busy eating to talk. The fried rice was savory with a hint of barbecue aroma and tangy kimchi to boot. The avocado salad came with the standard Japanese dressing and was very tasty as well. We ate until we were stuffed and took a ton of food with us back to the hotel, which we finished off as a second dinner later that evening. Since Hurricane Irene was aiming directly for Providence and we had to make it back to D.C. before the airports closed we left RI the very next day, but not without running for take-out at Ichiban before heading out to catch our plane. Two orders of Kimchi pancake and one order of Kimchi fried rice accompanied us back to D.C. where we devoured them with joy and sadness. We miss Ichiban dearly and in the future will head there for Korean food if we're fortunate to be anywhere near. read more

Sushi is amazing as always! Consistent throughout the years! Highly recommend the red dragon!

You walk in the door and you're immediately greeted by a smiling employee who promptly seats you at your table. Service - 5 stars. From the friendly and always present waitress to the owner making sure everything is up to standard. Food - authentic, fresh and fun. They served us 5 little appetizers consisting of kimchi, spicy cucumbers and other varieties of local Korean food : all this to wet our appetites (and at no cost). We opted for sushi as our starters and Korean dishes for our mains. The sushi is one of the freshest I've had in this state... and the salmon cuts were to die for. If I hadn't ordered my spicy seafood soup, I would have definitely gone all sushi that meal! The dishes came back spicy (we asked for it and we got it -- a rarity in many Asian restaurants around here), tasty and fresh. The restaurant itself gives you the feeling you're on another planet : dark oak booths, traditional decor, and a menu that boasts numerous options in Korean-Japanese cuisine if you're in the mood for something specific. read more

Ichiban - Japanese Near Me - Cranston, Rhode Island

I love the Korean food I've ate here. I've last ordered pork Bulgogi and it was delicious! The meat was nice and tender and the flavors were perfect. The sushi here is also good, the Spider roll, the Atlantic and some other ones I don't remember the name. I like that they give complimentary samples of kimchi, tofu and beans also. Although, my friend once order some kimchi dish I didn't really like because I don't like kimchi, I thought it was still tasty. I tried the seafood pancake with my friend and wow I thought it would be something like an omelet and boy was I wrong, it was so tasty! I would definitely go back and order that. They also have fried ice cream and many flavors, although the size isn't as big as other restaurants I've been to it was just as good. I would recommend this place to anyone looking for tasty Korean food! read more

Ichiban - Pork Bulgogi - Japanese Near Me - Cranston, Rhode Island

Location is key for everything and this one has a great location. Right on the Providence/Cranston line. Parking could be an issue during the winter with the snow banks and during really busy dinner hours. We started off with Banchan, my first experience with it. I now love kimchi (?)!!!! I don't eat seaweed and they happily obliged with no extra cost associated with it. thank you! My sushi was very good and I had Korean BBQ... Amazing. The decor was kinda confusing and I was turned off by the hand-written signs posted up with tape, but other than that, a great find right in my back yard! read more

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Came in after work for a few rolls and a Sapporo. Haven't been since the pandemic hit. Place has not lost its touch. Amazing sushi. Jim is a master of his craft. Highly recommend the creamy scallop roll (raw). The mayo is house made and adds a lot of umami. Hands down some of the best sushi in RI. Will be returning soon. read more

Ichiban - Volcano Roll, Spicy Tuna, Sake Nigiri, Creamy Scallop Roll. Delicious! - Japanese Near Me - Cranston, Rhode Island

My husband & I love sushi. We usually drive 30 min into east prov & goto Haruki's but on YELP I keep hearing about how great Ichiban sushi is. So on our Anniversary, we tried it & we loved it! Sushi was exceptional! Very tasty, fresh. Offering many unique rolls that are truly masterpieces for the eyes as well as the taste buds. We had 4 rolls (crazy dragon, ichiban special, lobster something & one more). DELICIOUS!!! Service was friendly & accomodating. I will definitely eat here again. Thank you yelpers for leading me here!!! Worth the extra 15 min drive. read more

Ichiban - 4 delicious Rolls - Japanese Near Me - Cranston, Rhode Island

This place is fantastic. If you want Japanese food they've got that, if you want Korean food they have that too. I absolutely love their kimchi, and their sushi is solid. I wish the interior was a little more comfortable, the booths are a little harsh on the bottom and the inside of the restaurant is nothing spectacular to look at. It's a little dated I suppose. Overall the waitress is very pleasant and the food always comes out very fresh and hot. read more

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I have been here several times in the last month or so. The only truly Korean place I know that isn't in Newport or Providence. They also have sushi which is extremely fresh, and many creative options for rolls. I suggest the carols roll and the tuna seaweed salad. The bibimbap comes with two kinds of exotic mushrooms and is heaven. The noodles are all homemade and the best I've ever had. The kimchi is not the best I've had but far from the worst, I still order tubs of it. No problems with the service whatever, they even have a rack by the door where you can leave your own chopsticks. I will be coming back many times. read more

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Excellent sushi!!! The fish was so incredibly fresh, tender, and delicious. The sushi rolls are fantastic. We had the crab rangoons as our app and there was so much real crab meat in there it was unbelievable and well as wonderful species, I think thyme, maybe? I had a spicy tuna roll, spicy yellowtail roll, and sake roll. The sake has delicates salmon and scallions, which made for an excellent pairing! The ginger was delicious and the wasabi very hot! Everything just tastes fresher somehow, more bright and delicate. The wait staff were friendly and efficient, attentive without being overbearing. The decor was simple and elegant without being cold or off putting. I did not try any cocktails tonight but I definitely will be back and will have to sample! PS - very nice, clean, and spacious bathrooms. read more

Ichiban - Sushi baby! - Japanese Near Me - Cranston, Rhode Island

My go to sushi place in RI! Before finding this gem, I tried a lot of places and none compare to here. The sushi is ALWAYS fresh, the food comes out fast every time and the staff is super friendly and welcoming. You can't go wrong! read more

Ichiban - Volcano Sushi - Japanese Near Me - Cranston, Rhode Island

The salmon nigiri is so good here. The pieces aren't obnoxiously big or teeny-tiny small, and the quality of the salmon is really tender and fatty and good, like butter. We have taken multiple friends here, and they all agree that the salmon is some of the best. I am a creature of habit, so I can't say much else -- I always get seaweed salad, miso soup, salmon nigiri, and spicy scallop. All are great. For spicy scallop folks: they give you the option of raw or cooked (I know some only like it one way or the other), and they also don't bury the scallop in tons of tempura flake, which I appreciate! read more

Came in on a Wednesday night for dinner and the place was pretty empty. The service was fast and the food came out quickly. We got: Shrimp tempura: perfectly crispy, large shrimp with a big bed of veggies. The dinner portion came with 6 Kimchi pancake: this was large with 6 slices and it came out thinner and crispier than most pancakes I've had. But it was delicious nonetheless Uni sashimi: fresh, salty and delicious Kimchi chigae: the soup was a little disappointing. It didn't come out still bubbling but the tofu was plentiful and the flavor was alright My colleagues got smoked salmon sashimi and a few rolls which they all enjoyed. Overall I would come back. The prices were reasonable and the food had big portions read more

Went here a few days ago for lunch. The owners are usually here and are always so friendly and welcoming. My girlfriend and I both got lunch specials, what an amazing deal! The food is always so fresh and you can feel the care they put into it. I enjoy listening to the owner talking to other guest and giving off a vibe that he really knows them. This is a place were people come time and time again for there delicious food and incredible service. They have a wall of chopsticks for the regulars! Get the dumplings soup, it was 95 degrees and i still needed to have it! -warm, casual, family vibe -freshest sushi -they make their own hot sauce and its amazing! -great lunch spot -full bar -small parking lot and street parking read more

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The place is such a nice restaurant to eat at, and it isn't noisy the people are beautiful. I love the sushi and the noodles are handmade in the kitchen it is wonderful. It is not too pricy and the price is affordable. The sashimi is clean it's starved fresh and the food comes so quickly. I recommend this place for anybody who likes sushi. read more

My name is Allie and this is my favorite spot for sushi and it is down the street from my house. I want to put a good review for these people because they went above and beyond tonight. I called when I noticed one of my rolls was missing. And they had it done in literally 2 minutes between the time I left from my house and got there. Thank you guys for always being awesome!!! The food is always fresh and beyond delicious! Thank you to all the staff for being courteous, Thank you for staying open during this crazy time! I appreciate all you guys do!!! read more

So my girl decided she wanted some Korean and picked this place. I have never been here before but I will certainly be a repeat customer. The service was some of the most pleasant and inviting I've ever had. Every precaution is taken given the COVID-19 situation. But they didn't compromise on the food!!! We ordered some tempura oysters and the soft shell crab. The breading was very crisp and light done perfectly. I also had a calamari salad which was nice and thin sliced with a delicious marinade. A perfect light start to a summers dinner. I ordered the beef bulgogi and just wish I ordered 2 of them!!! Seriously delicious!! Order this and your tastebuds will be grateful!! We also got the oceans 11 roll which is a deep fried one, the presentation was beautiful and the order was huge. We thought they brought us 2 orders my mistake, it was honestly that large!!! Overall this place delivers a 5 star experience from food service to just overall good people that work there. I highly recommend it!! read more

Ichiban - Menu - Japanese Near Me - Cranston, Rhode Island

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Incredible food, and FANTASTIC service! Literally everyone was so kind and attentive. My daughter fell outside earlier and showed the manger her "boo boo." He brought her a band aid and wet wipe so she would feel better about it. Again, food was incredible too. Fair prices. No topping the service. Definitely the new family favorite. read more

One of my favorite restaurants. The staff is so amazing and kind. They always welcome my family and I when we come in. My order is usually vegetable fried rice and spring rolls, and they're so delicious. The portions are great sized too, so I bring some home for later, too. They also serve portions of kimchi, beans and two other snacks before you eat. Such a great place! read more

I was really surprised by Ichiban. I'd passed it many times, but never realized a great restaurant was tucked away within. They offer a strange combination of Korean and Japanese cuisine. My impression is that the Korean influence is the main component as even the Japanese dishes had a Korean spin. The sushi is solid and tasty. Maybe not the best sushi ever, but very much gets the job done to satisfy a craving. The Korean flares in the sushi keep it interesting. The soups are fantastic as well as the noodle dishes. I tried one of their seafood spicy noodle soups and was completely blown away that the bay scallops weren't overcooked at all! The broth was deliciously spicy and the noodles properly chewy. The black bean noodle and pork dish we tried was also very delicious. The portions were huge too! I'd recommend Ichiban for anyone with a Korean or Japanese food craving in the Cranston area. read more

It was our first time having lunch here. We were very dissatisfied with the service. The food was not great. The sushi was not great. The sushi rolls were not tasteful at all. The soy sauce was very bland. We had asked for spicy mayo. It was not what I expected. I am not recommending this place for Sushi. But maybe I might go back and try another plate. read more

Love the sushi here! Great selection and the staff is always great. I am a fan of their fresh rolls but one roll is better than the other . Definitely a hidden gem. read more

The servers were friendly. Food was enjoyable, nothing special here, rolls seemed smaller than other places. Noodles good, a-little salty, skimpy on the chicken. Cooked rolls were a solid choice. Full bar, fair prices. Atmosphere was dated, plastic flowers, old wood, ripped leather, sponge paint. They had a parking lot, decent ratings and was close to the college. read more

I had a spicy salmon roll and the Kami Kazi roll with scallops and both were very yummy. I cannot forget the very tasty Asian Pear Saketini--they could be dangerous. Hubby loved his beef negimaki and beef bulgogi. If we lived closer, this could be regulars. The service was really very good, very friendly and attentive staff. read more

Ichiban - Asian Pear Saketini - Japanese Near Me - Cranston, Rhode Island

This place is a gem. The owners are super sweet, the servers quick and helpful, the food is AMAZING. Best Korean restaurant around. Sushi is super fresh, and delicious - I would make recommendations, but really all of them are good. Little pricy but good. Other dishes that make me drool are Bibimbap, Gan Pund Ki and my all time favorite Tuna Tartar, Soft Tofu Chigae (Spicy Tofu Soup), Kimchi, and their spicy seafood soup. I could go for Soft Tofu Chigae right now....and later, and pretty much all the time. Plenty of parking. If you call ahead of time they will accommodate you as much as they can. Thank you Ichiban for your kindness and consistently amazing dining experience. read more

We found this restaurant on Yelp and had a great meal today. The food was excellent - sushi, Katsu and Bibembap. Very fresh ingredients and attentive service. Plenty of tables and booths. The only reason I do not give Ichiban 5 stars is that the inside of the restaurant lacks ambiance and needs a facelift. But GO for the food!!! read more

My wife and I love Sushi and Japanese food in general. Since moving to RI we have been looking for the new "Sushi Date" spot. Found it! We had two maki rolls which were excellent, dumpling soup for the wife and Kalbi Tang for me (secret found through a photo n yelp...yummy) and gyoza. Basically,!as you can see from our choices we left in a food coma but very very satisfied. We will be back....we just need a couple of weeks to get over the previous feast! read more

Ichiban - Lobster Maki, Crazy Dragon Maki - Japanese Near Me - Cranston, Rhode Island

I called up to place an order and got denied service. Literally told me to "come back tomorrow". I have never had any restaurant say something like that. read more

This place is fantastic!! Great food, the kimchi is the best I've ever had. Service is friendly and prompt. The sauce on the chicken (it was the w1 on the menu) was awesome, perfectly cooked. The waitress was very helpful suggesting thing to go with out meals. Will definitely be returning. read more

Ichiban - Japanese Near Me - Cranston, Rhode Island

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