In a stretch of town in which food options generally consist of the very expensive or the very cheap (but alas not very cheerful), it's refreshing to have an option which is both reasonably priced and ever reliable. Ichiban is easy to miss on Queen Street; just a doorway with a long narrow staircase, but upstairs is spacious and decked out with the communal benches and tables the Japanese eaterie is known for. Like its Dumbarton Road incaranation, the art of laid-back dining is mastered here meaning it is equally adept for a romantic meal for two or an impromptu bite to eat en route to a night out. While there are big screens beaming out 24 hour news channels, this is no tacky themed restaurant. The staff are efficient, the choice of drinks excellent and, most importantly, the quality of the food consistently top notch. Ichiban has established itself as something of an institution in the city now and it's not hard to see why. read more

Ichiban Noodle Cafe is a blink-and-you'll-miss-it cafe situated right slap bang in the centre of Glasgow. Cheap, cheerful and serving up some seriously delicious food, it's easy to see why so many Glaswegians love this place. I went at 10pm on a Friday night - the time when most sensible people are out getting leathered - and it was bustling. Despite this, the service was attentive, quick and polite. The two bento boxes that myself and my partner ordered were excellent. The sushi in particular was amazing - incredibly fresh and wonderfully delicious. The steak bento I had was also absolutely wonderful. The meat melted in your mouth, and the mushrooms it was wrapped around had been cooked to perfection, providing the dish with just the right amount of umami flavour. Ichiban also does a rather interesting looking range of floral teas which look to be both delicious and unique - I only wish I'd had more time to try them when I was there. Add to that an excellent selection of sake, noodles and pretty much every Japanese delicacy you can think of, and you've got all the ingredients for a cracking (and inexpensive) little eatery. read more

One of these stars has been awarded for succeeding at a very difficult task - giving someone food-poisoning from a vegetarian meal. Truly amazing feat, and is actually quite impressive. For everyone else who didn't get sick, the food was good but not great and the decor was minimalistic but not stylishly so. Ichiban is in direct competition with Wagamamas (which I only gave a 3 star rating) but it quite disappointingly failed to better it. read more

Food is good, and always want to go back fro more! The staff are friendly and helpful, quick service. The only complaint I have is that their menu is very limited and never changes (been going there for 4 years now!). read more

Loving it, as close to real Japanese food as it can get outside "Nipon". They seemed to have increased prices slightly with the new menu, but still very reasonable. read more

Superb soup noodles and sushi selection make this my favourite noodle venue in Glasgow by some way. Service is always prompt. A great selection of fancy teas are worth a try if the Japanese beer or green tea doesn't take your fancy. If you're unsure the Ichiban ramen soup noodles has a little bit of everything and chilli can be added to spice it up if you're not quite up for the spicy noodles. The advert in the gents still gets a laugh when visiting with friends who've not been before. The only minor niggles are the draft from the door on a cold day, and lack of steamed gyoza. But the snug feeling sitting next to the kitchen, and extensive side dish options more than compensate. read more

This is the most authentic Japanese restaurant in Glasgow to date and was a revelation to me. I'd known of its existence for years, but from street level all you see is a staircase and I assumed (wrongly) it would just serve up the greasy noodle dishes more frequently assocaiated with Sauchiehall St. Nope. Up the stairs is a small room with a few rows of wooden benchs and tables. The kitchen is open plan and clearly visble so you can see what the chefs are up to. The layout is authentically Japanese and friendly. Staff also appear to be mainly Japanese and are eager to please. And the food is delicious. There are rice dishes, noodle dishes, soups and sushi on offer, and everything we tasted was full of flavour. It's reasonably priced and they also do take away. Comes highly recommended! read more

I love Ichiban. It is very central and there has never been an occasion when I haven't been able to get a seat, even when it looks fill to bursting. Although, the benches could be more comfortable They do a great offer during the day, any main meal and a side dish for £6.50 - and the servings are always a good size. They also sell floral tea, which may seem a bit decadent but it's nice for a special occasion and watching the flowers uncurl gives you a bit longer for your food to settle post-meal than a coffee ever would! The soups are always good, go for that the first time. The sheer size of the bowls is entertainment enough. read more

Generally, I'm a big fan of Ichiban. The food is fantastic, not ridiculously expensive, it has a nice atmosphere and it's tucked away so I've never found it too busy. The communal style of bench seating is great for having a chat with friends and there's plenty of things to look at, from the open kitchen to the flat-screen televisions, if you're so inclined. I only have one criticism, which I am putting down to a bad day because Ichiban is a favourite of mine and I'd hate to think quality is slipping. I popped in with a friend one evening for a quick bite and the meal she was presented with was not what she had ordered. She alerted the waitress and was met with sour stare and it was whipped away without an apology. Like I said, we just put it down to a bad mood because a fresh meal was brought out fairly quickly, but it was a blip in what was overall, a great meal. read more

Love this place and the atmosphere. The drinks can be a bit dear but I suppose they are imported expensive brands. Nice staff too.

Try the bento box, really tasty! I went out here for a work night out and really enjoyed it, it's quite small, moderately expensive, but all in all a really good atmosphere and really tasty food. Try the sapporo beer, its my favourite. read more

Not impressed, first time trying Ichiban and will probably be the last. It wasn't disgusting or in edible but nothing to shout about and have had much better elsewhere. We opted to try here due to the great reviews but wish we went for the other restaurant now. The chicken wings are so small I couldn't tell what was eaten wings or what wasn't. Not much meat at all which was a waste of money. My Katsu chicken curry tasted like a packet of curry sauce and I doubt I got a full chicken breast or it was small like the wings. I must say the side portion of fried rice was delicious. The others in my party got tempura and some noodle soups which they said was ok. The fried dumplin's are ok, sorry can't remember the name of them. All in all the staff are nice and friendly enough, seats uncomfortable and not enough arm room for two but the food was disappointing. You win some you lose some. read more

As you wander the streets of the City Centre, it's quite easy to miss Ichiban on Queen Street. However, if you're in the know, just take the stairs to the first floor, and you're greeted with sleek Japanese minimalism. The room is lined with wooden benches and tables, where you can have your pick from the menu of soup-based, wok-fried, sauce-based, curry-based, rice dishes, sushi and even the super awesome bento boxes. They also serve up a nice selection of Japanese beers, along with wine and sake. The servers are always friendly and helpful. I see Ichiban as the non-mass producing Wagamama... actually I think it's a bit better than Wagamama. It's better quality, and there is more meat in their dishes. You definitely get your hard-earned pennies' worth. Almost everything on the menu is a go; however, I'm not impressed with the sushi, so I normally give it a miss. I've been known to really enjoy the beef yakiudon and kaisen bento. It's never too crowded in here, so you're almost guaranteed a table upon arrival. Bottom line: Want good value and quality for money? Ditch Wagamama, and head to Ichiban for some fresh and tasty Japanese bites. And that's how Lex sees it ;-) Bonus points if you get that last reference! read more

Good food, friendly service, been going for years, if you are in the mood for some good food then this is definitely worth considering. Might not be to every ones taste, but if you like Japanese then definitely go for it read more

In the spirit of positivity I'll mention the good points first: Ichiban is really central and inexpensive, and there are a lot of options on their menu. You can get a main and a side for £8.20. Sadly I did not enjoy my experience there. I had tofu ramen and some gyoza and it was badly overlooked, almost flavourless. I don't think the vegetables were fresh. I also had a glass of white wine that tasted sickly and syrupy. I saw that our meals were sitting on the service counter for a good five minutes before a waiter brought them to us. My friend who I was dining with didn't enjoy her meal either - I think she had udon noodles - though she did say that she'd been before and enjoyed it far more then. The bathroom smelled funky so I don't think it's particularly clean. I wouldn't go back - there are nicer Japanese places on that street, never mind in the rest of Glasgow. read more

It is near the Glasgow gallery. Exit queen street station out burger kind entrance. Walk directly in front of you for about 4 city blocks. You will pass George square on your left. Do not go "across George square" -simply walk along side. Once past the gallery with the roman pillars cross over the rd. voila! Dear staff take heed and please please give these clear and easy directions. Food and sake and service brilliant. Thankyou read more

One of my favourite restaurants in Glasgow. The food is consistently delicious, the staff are nice and you can't beat it for value. Way better than Wagamama. read more

Nice place but the avocado in the sushi was hard as rock and portions are small... but we only tested the sushi, maybe the noodles and rice are better. Miso soup was very good!! read more

The worst Japanese meal I've ever had. The Gyoza looked and tasted like it had been deep-fried and microwaved several times, it was dry and rubbery. The main was even worse, it was brown tasteless slush on top of mushy rice. Just awful. (24/06/2014 @ 19:50) read more

Ichiban is the closest you will get to a bowl of noodles in Japan, the staff are always friendly and the food is always excellent

I only give it three as I gave wagamama four, and I prefer there for some reason - but this place is also very good. I once went to see the 5,6,7,8s, the Japanese band in kill bill; they came on stage and announced they had just been to ichiban. they then said, do you all know what ichiban means? "number one!" they shook their heads and said "that was definitely not 'number one.'" well, they might be more versed in Japanese food than I am, so take from that what you want. I like it. read more

This is a fab noodle bar that rivals my favourite Nanakusa, and is conveniently right in the centre of Queen Street, ideal for a wee stop off on the way to the train home. Up a flight of stairs, you are greeted with rows of benches and a minimalist restaurant, with a kind of semi open kitchen and huge metallic counter. I love how it looks inside, and the staff are absolutely lovely and helpful. The sushi is yummy, much simpler in presentation than Nanakusa, but just as tasty. I love the Chilli Chicken Ramen broth, which is absolutely delicious and such a huge portion. I could eat it every single night! The bento boxes are not as good as Nanakusa, but good all the same. I think the bill usually comes in at a little under the Nanakusa price range. Fantastic food, great prices and perfect location. I only wish I lived closer so I could have a take-away from here every night! read more

Good when you get the right dishes. I was really disappointed by their chicken chilli men whereas the beef yakisoba was one of the best meals out I've had for some time. The sushi has tasted a bit bland at times. The place isn't snooty and has a relaxed atmosphere. The west end location is a lot more open and ideal for a longer lunch. read more

Awesome chicken ramen, good choice of Japanese beers and a very nice decor. I've been eating here for years and it has yet to disappoint.

A good blend of noodle, soup, rice and sushi dishes at reasonable prices. Even if Ichiban is in the centre of the town it is still hidden away up a staircase. A bright room with pleasant staff and open seating. The lunch menu is short, with a main - mostly noodle and rice based - and side - sushi, soup, fried dumplings - for £6.60, which is good value for the quality of food and allows a decent selection. The longer evening menu is more varied, with a particular favourite the bento boxes, which give a selection of sushi, gyoza (dumplings), fish/meat/veg, miso soup and the accompanying pickles. Include a drink and you easily have change from £20. Take-away allows for 20% off, service is fast and the staff have always been very friendly. read more

A good selection of standard Japanese fare - noodles, sushi, soups but this place feels a bit more dated and staid than its sister restaurant on Dumbarton Road in Partick. Good value for money, and tasty food and great as you can see the chefs in action in front of you. The bento boxes are yummy. But I would much rather go to the Partick branch for a better all round atmosphere and experience. read more

One of the two proper Japanese restaurant in Glasgow- very good selection of simple but tastey dishes. Sometimes it is a little bit salty for my palet. read more

Great price, great selection, friendly staff, more authentic than many Japanese places in town.

If you like receiving the wrong order, stodgy rice, and completely tasteless over cooked udon, this is the place for you!

Excellent food, very well priced (especially the lunch deal) and pretty authentic. Highly recommended, although incredibly easy to miss.

Being some what of a japanese food snob, especially sushi , I am quite critical on the japanese restaurants I eat at and prefer to dine in at a normal restaurant instead of a noodle place or anything along the likes. Well let me say this place was excellent and I will be going back to this place as soon as I get the chance. I came here because my sister was visiting and she wanted to find a ramen house for her birthday. I don't normally eat from ramen restaurants but I obliged her and hunted for one near the shopping-mile in Glasgow. We found this place after a short hunt being as you can walk right by it and never know it was there. It was like a little cafeteria inside but in a good way if that makes any sense. ( It did and still does to me, maybe I was a cafeteria lunch lady in my past life ) . The room had long tables with wooden benches if I remember right and just seemed free and open. I had the bento box and my sister had a massive bowl of ramen. The food here was quite tasty. My sushi was not bad and the ramen was really really good. They had a variety of Japanese beers that I had never even heard of which was awesome. Seriously go here to try the Japanese beers they are Oishii! They also have some sort of magical tea or something. I didn't get it but apparently you get a cold tea or something and then they put some tea leaves and then it grows right before your eyes into a flower or dragon or something. Seriously its some drink that has art in it its pretty cool and they have them here. Wish I could explain it more but you really would have to go there and see for yourself. Otherwise reasonable prices, decent food, good beers, what else could you ask for. I recommend this place next time you want ramen and your in Glasgow! read more

I do love this place! Quick service and awesome food. Plus an accident with my bill meant I paid extra which I never noticed...but my waiter did and fixed straight away! Nicccee :) read more

love this place! and it seems more people are! which is grand ! always helpful,polite.

At first I was a bit hesitant at first I am not a fan of raw fish. But when I sat down and looked at the menu it wasn't all sushi. There are different types of noodle dishes and when I ordered and received mine it was amazing. I have never tasted food like it. The meals were reasonably priced and it is an original Japanese restaurant. It was so good I went back a few days later. I will be returning next time I am in Glasgow. read more

Healthy japanese food, reasonably priced and absolutely delicious. The informal bench seating won't suit all, nor every dining occasion, but Ichiban serves great tasting food at a very reasonable price. Great when you're looking for something different. The restuarant also provides a takeaway service - pretty much the only healthy takeaway option there is! read more

Fabulous curry don for a very wet and damp summer day. Friendly staff, up off the street.

Really enjoyed my meal in here but then I am a big sushi fan. Don't think it has much of a rival in glasgow as being the best sushi restaurant. read more