A nice cozy ramen shop in Ottawa's China Town. This is my favorite ramen shop in the city. The quality of the food is good and consistent. The ambiance is nice, the interior of the restaurant is made of wood. My recommended dish is the Koichi signature with pork. The pork at this ramen shop is excellent, it melts in your mouth like butter. read more

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It was my first time trying this place. It was quite a small restaurant, just a few (roughly 8) tables. The place was full, and there were people waiting the whole time I was there. The food was okay. The ramen was nicely cooked, but the pork belly was wayyy too dry. read more

Koichi Ramen - Shoyu with extra eggs - Ramen Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

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Best ramen in town. The broth is rich and the noodles have this amazing texture. Their chicken karaage is crispy and delicious!

Someone recommended Koichi to me, when I had mentioned another Ramen joint I liked. And so, off we went. There were elements about it that I liked - like the Gyoza (yum!) and the overall comfortable feel of the space. Service was A-ok. The table we were at was a bit sticky, which always kind of bothers me. Ramen was A-ok - though - I'd be interested in going again and trying a different Ramen. My husband was happier with his choice, than I was with mine so.... might be worth a re-try. read more

Always wanted to come here. Its a small ramen establishment along Somerset, a bit farther down within Chinatown. The service was a bit slow, but it was pretty busy and there were limited workers so it's very understandable :) The food was great. I ordered the Buta Bara pork belly appetizer, along with the tofu in the vegetable curry broth. It was great! Sometimes, Ramen can be very heavy and salty, but this was not. It was light and flavourful, the noodles were the perfect consistency and the broth had a subtle sweetness that I really enjoyed. The portion was actually a lot bigger than I originally thought they'd be, which was great too! In addition, the prices of the ramen were very affordable in my opinion. I would definitely come here again, it does get pretty busy (there was always a lineup) so I'd recommend coming closer to the opening time. :) read more

Koichi Ramen - Veggie Curry Broth - Ramen Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

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The service is so terrible it completely outweighs the mediocre food. The delivery took over an hour. I called to cancel and they said ok, then proceeded to send it anyway and refuse a refund. So rude and so 100% not worth the trouble. I'll contest with my credit card, obviously, but no one should pay for mediocre stale cold food delivered over an hour after ordering. Also, a business that agrees to cancel and then tries to pretend otherwise and lie should never be patronized. Take your business elsewhere. Nothing they cook is worth their deceptive practices. read more

If you like a flavourful broth, this place is for you! Their black garlic Tonkotsu is my go to when I go there. Be prepared for salty garlicky goodness but you will feel dehydrated after finishing. Other great mentions are the chicken karaage and squid. read more

The broth is out of this world good. Rich, creamy with a bit of spice! The noodles were slightly under cooked and the pork belly was kind of chewy but it was still a solid bowl of ramen. The space itself was really cool with a really beautifully done hand painted mural. Service was quick and friendly. Will definitely go back. read more

Koichi Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

We dined in this place on a busy weeknight. Despite the volume of customers, the staff were efficient and managed to accommodate our table. I am glad that they are still practicing sanitary protocols, including wearing masks and social distancing. I would describe the atmosphere as chic and cozy, definitely going for a contemporary Asian style. Our appetizers came in 20 minutes after we ordered them. We got some takoyaki and the ika karaage; this would be my first time experiencing both. The takoyaki (grilled octopus) I found very creamy and full of flavour, with the sauce dominating the palette (was it Worcestershire?) The ika karaage (fried octopus/calamari) was certainly crunchy; aside from that, there wasn't anything going for it. 40 minutes after our order, we received our bowls of ramen. I got the Koichi signature with pork belly and medium spice. As a retrospective, I should've opted for less or no heat, since I wasn't able to enjoy the broth as much as I would have liked. Nevertheless, the noodles and pork were excellent. Really great egg. I think the toppings for this specific bowl (green onions, bamboo, bean sprouts) were a really smart choice to garnish a unique texture. I'm glad to have tried this restaurant out since it has been getting a lot of buzz from my friends. I would like to come here again in the future. read more

My real rating would be 3.75, definitely give it a shot. I got the Tonkotsu Miso Ramen with extra pork belly and medium spice level. The entire meal was $21 total and I would say that it's an average price. Not something I would eat everyday but very satisfying on a cold winter day. The toppings included pork belly, corn, bean sprouts, mushrooms, and nori were mediocre. They didn't ruin the meal but they also didn't add much to the meal (the pork belly was dry). The broth was the star of the show however, if I could buy that broth by the litre and bring it home, I would. The people were very nice and the food came to us quickly. Took the time to chat to us and gave us water refills. The ambiance is incredible. It felt like actually being at a real ramen shop in Japan. Beautiful mural wall with a very unique style of architecture. I would definitely come back. read more

Koichi Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

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Great ramen - best broth I've had in a long time. A tad slow but worth the wait I promise you. Decor was cute - love the wooden cube seats and the murals. Will be back for sure. read more

Update August 2021: Bring your phone in order to scan a QR code in order to see their menu. Still the same amazing food as pre-pandemic times. Are you extremely picky about your bowl of ramen? Do you find the menu at other ramen houses to be too restricted? If so, you'll love it at Koichi Ramen, located on Somerset Street in Chinatown! It's like Han Solo's modifications to his Millennium Falcon.... You can customize exactly what kind of broth, protein and spices you want in your bowl of ramen. The Koichi Signature broth is particularly delicious! They have many assortments of Pork and Chicken  broths, plus an assortment of vegetable   broths too. For appetizers, their Chicken Karaage, Buta Bara (Pork)  and Chicken Gyoza are excellent, their edamame and sea food appetizers are also good choices. I am still taking a star off because if you wish to add extras to your bowl of ramen, it still cost a fortune! $2.50 to add an extra half egg to your bowl of ramen?! Delicious but ridiculously expensive! You are better off ordering a second bow.... in fact if you come in with an empty stomach, you'll likely want a second bowl too. It's delicious!!! read more

This is a ramen shop in Chinatown (wait, there's a Chinatown in Ottawa?) that I decided to have a dinner meal at when I was spontaneously in the area one hot late summer afternoon. It is a small, cramped and busy restaurant, with a small crowd waiting in the tiny front vestibule. Eventually I scored a seat at the counter and (unusual for me) struck a conversation with a couple beside me who was also from the Toronto area (Mississauga) when I overheard them waxing poetic about where the best Asian supermarkets in the GTA are at. That kept me occupied as I waited what seemed like a good lost half hour before my gyoza starter arrived. Perhaps it was just as long for my black garlic tonkotsu. Said ramen was decent and filling. But darnit I felt forgotten almost waiting amongst the busy yet seemingly barely staffed service that no one did much proactively checking up on my beyond the occasional water top-up. They could improve a bit on how they handle busy periods and wait queues. read more

The best restaurant for ramen. For appetizers, we ordered the Ika Karaage which is essentially calamari. It was great, there were no seasonings or salt which made it feel quite plain. We also had the takoyaki, which was a dish full of flavours that I had never tried in my life. At first, it seemed like they were balls of mashed potato with a light deep fried crisp. Although they had a strong flavour of seafood, like fish sauce. I was impressed with the dish itself but I personally did not enjoy the flavours. I order the Koichi Signature ramen which was incredible. All of the ingredients complimented each-other and blended smoothly into the perfected broth. I have never ate such a deliciously marinated egg before, I would recommend ordering extra! My wife had the Shio ramen which was great. The servings were plentiful and both of us weren't even able to finish eating it all. read more

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Takoyaki was good but too expensive for only five balls!?!!! Ramen was yum NOT ENOUGH MEAT!!!!!! read more

Koichi Ramen - two bowls of ramen and an egg - Ramen Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

Good social distancing: Servers were all wearing masks. Tables were separated by translucent dividers. Washroom was small but equipped with everything you need to clean yourself and also fight the spread. Koichi Signature Pork Broth (Not spicy) : Definitely one of the better ramens I have had. The rich broth went well with torched pork belly slices. I was also surprised to find a soft-boiled egg, which had a flavoured centre. It is usually an extra in other places. Chicken Karaage: The deep fried chicken pieces were juicy and delightful. Unlike other places, they used a different batter that made them flaky on the outside, similar to Korean style deep fried chicken. Bottom line: I enjoyed my time here. I would like to come back for a second visit. read more

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I came to try the ramen here as I wanted to compare it with Sansotei. The interiors are really cozy and authentic when you walk in, and usually there are spots available. I tried the fried squid and the tonkotsu black ramen. The fried squid was fried nicely, not too oily, and they were crispy. I only wish they had different sauces to dip with, as I didn't prefer the green wasabi sauce...some chipotle mayo or garlic aioli would have been perfect. I only like wasabi on my sushi, but that's personal preference. As for the ramen, it was solid overall, but the broth was more "mushroomy" than meaty. I missed the beefy taste from other ramen places. The noodles were quite simple in that they reminded me of packaged ramen noodles. What I liked was the variety of toppings, and the addition of bamboo. The meat was quite meaty, not too thin or thick, so I was happy with that. I was going to get a mochi, but it was literally one piece of mochi...so I didn't feel like it was worth it. There was only 1 waitress, so she was super busy running around, getting people seated, getting waters, taking orders, then helping people pay. She was able to handle the load of people, but I felt that service was a bit slow as a result. Overall, I found the ramen a bit better than average but not amazing compared to Sansotei (Datsun, J:unique, and Ginza were just average in my opinion). read more

Koichi Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

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Honestly some of the best flavors I've ever experienced. The ramen here is so good we have started coming regularly despite it being an hour and a half round trip from home. The restaurant is small and almost always busy, but well worth the wait. read more

Koichi Ramen - Black Garlic broth with pork belly. - Ramen Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

Just found another hidden jewel and it's in Ottawa! The ramen is simply by far the best I've tried in all Canada, if not, easily top 3 in the whole North America! I just wonder why people in Ottawa aren't aware of the such place. Unlike Sansotei Ramen, where you'll find light and subtle body of the soup, Ichiko Ramen showcases serious depth and kick (Although I ordered mild, it's in a bit spicy side). You can only appreciate the hard work by every sip. Noodle is still tender and lightly chewy even after 10-15 minutes. Why situated in Chinatown? I guess, so you'd keep thinking about the amazing experience while walking 20 minutes back to the Rideau Centre terminal :p. I dare to tell you this place is worth the trip, just like I did (I'm from Toronto-!) Once again, just go ahead and shoot it. You'll cry for joy! read more

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Definitely one of the best ramen joints in town. I tried the signature Ichiko ramen with pork belly - mild. The broth was rich and full of flavour, large slices of pork complimented by an egg, sprouts, and perfectly cooked noodles. I ordered the takoyaki while my friends ordered the karage. Definitely recommend the karage although the takoyaki was also good. For me mild tasted perfect. Surprisingly spicy and flavourful but if you're feeling bold you can try to spicy just knowing that it packs some heat. Friendly customer service, clean and authentic looking interior. Simplistic and to the point menu. Overall a very fine ramen house. Would definitely go again. read more

Koichi Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

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Authentic Ramen in Ottawa Having lived in Tokyo for many years, our family is usually disappointed by many of the pseudo Ramen joints popping up in metropolitan areas of North America. On a recent weekend visit to Ottawa, we had our hearts set on eating Ramen at Sansotei, which seemed like a well-visited and well-reviewed Ramen shop. Unfortunately, we didn't realize that it was closed on the Sunday we wanted to go and we decided to go to our second choice - Koichi. At first, we felt skeptical when we saw some non-Japanese staff preparing Ramen but the dishes served were quite authentic. The soup was good. I ordered Shio (chicken broth) and my husband and my son ordered Tonkotsu (pork). Both soup types were good enough to be considered authentic and tasty by the high/competitive standards in Japan. However, we would have preferred the soup to be a bit hotter. The noodles were cooked to an optimal texture. It would have been nice if we were given choices of noodle because Tonkotsu Ramen traditionally features thinner silkier noodles instead of the thicker curly noodles served here. In any event, if you like Ramen, this place is definitely worth a visit. read more

Koichi Ramen - Shio Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

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On behalf of the asian community, I dub myself as our very own ramen connoisseur. In this review, I will describe to you my experience of all things ramen. (Dramatic pause) lol okay jk. But let's get started with this review. Such a cute little place nestled in the streets of Chinatown. The setup reminds me of legit ramen shops that have communal seating. Very small and intimate inside. Ramen is meant to be one of those eat and go type of foods. It's said that traditional ramen shops have limited seating to get people in and out quickly. We came in around 530 for dinner. It was pretty quiet and calm during our visit. Like I said the inside is small. I want to say It seats like 20ish people max. But It doesn't feel crowded at all. If you've read this far, i will be talking about the food now. I love the setup of their menu, it's easy to navigate and understand. The fact that you can pick your own spice level on any of the soups is a big plus for me. I had the tonkotsu with pork belly, and "mild" spice. This is asian "mild" like when you go to a Thai restaurant and order a 3 spice but it comes back a 5. This mild has some pretty good kick to it. It wasn't too overpowering but it was definitely noticeable. I love spice, i think next time I'm going to try the spiciest just so i can see how hot we're talking lol. My broth was amazing, it had that rich, creamy, deep flavor and then the kick of spice at the end. I usually don't finish the broth in my ramen cause I get too full by then, but this broth was so good, I nearly finished It all. I loved the texture of the noodles. These were skinny noodles, perfect bite of chew. Like an al dente spaghetti noodle. Don't come in expecting big soft instant packet ramen noodles. The pork belly, was great in flavor. My only thing is i prefer a more soft and tender pork belly. The kind that like really melts in your mouth. This one still had a bit of chew to It. The soy infused egg, was a little too much for my taste. I love a soft boiled egg. But if you taste the egg alone, the soy flavor is pretty strong. I would've preferred just a normal ole egg. It also comes with your typical toppings, bean sprouts, bamboo, black fungus (mushrooms) They were more than willing to sub out any of the ones you don't like. Or add in any additional items you do like. I got corn instead of bamboo. Corn in ramen is so good. My husband ordered the tonkotsu miso in "very mild" I had a little taste of his broth. And It was really good as well! This "very mild" was indeed mild. If you don't like spice at all. There is a "no spice" level. I had a really good first time experience here. Compared to Sansotei Ramen downtown, I think I would rather come to Ichiko/koichi. We didn't order any apps this time, but we will be back to try some next time! read more

Koichi Ramen - Tonkotsu with pork belly - Ramen Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

Amazing ramen! The place is small so you may have to wait in line but the food is worth the wait.

Came across this spot in Chinatown and saw that it was worth a visit as there was a lot of people waiting outside. 15 minutes later, the server still did not come out and greet anyone even though there are empty tables inside. When it was finally time to be seated, the server did not even apologize for the wait. Even if the food is good, service is terrible enough to not be worth a recommendation on my end. Understaffing issues should not be an excuse to not fill empty tables and keep customers waiting outside the business without any communication or empathy. read more

This place is good! I had low expectations as most of the people eating here were white (lol sorry) and also spending time in Japan and in LA (where Japanese food is abundant) I knew it would be hard to find a comparable ramen place in Ottawa. It's very small on the inside. I had the tonkatsu ramen. It was good and I enjoyed it, but I still prefer other places for my ramen fix. The agedashi tofu is delicious. I was sitting at a table full of people who hate tofu, but they all really liked this dish. For me, agedashi tofu is something I always order when it's available! Chicken wings were good. The service was good. Though I enjoyed the food here, I would most likely not return. read more

This is a regular restaurant for our family now!! I have had ramen from many places around the world and Koichi is at the top with the best!! My family loves this place and we are so happy we have such an amazing place in our back yard!! I have tried almost all the variations in broth. The Pork, Chicken and the Vegetable.Tonkotsu is my favourite!! The broth is nicely salted, well balanced and picked up well by the noodles. I always have it spicy and a word of caution.. the spicy is very spicy here !! I enjoy it always but for some it could be a little too spicy. Then the pork belly is amazing.. with the soft egg. Topped with some extra green onions.. wow a beautiful symphony!! The service is always very good. Sometimes the place is packed, so we do have to wait a little, but the staff try's to move things fast. The food comes fast to the table so that helps a lot. Would be better if the place is a little bigger with more space.. time for expansion :) ?? All in all, Koichi is an amazing Ramen experience in Ottawa !! read more

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I was a little reticent to try ramen with so many pho places nearby that I know are good, but boy am I glad I gave it a shot! Best ramen I have ever had (though admittedly I have only gone to a half dozen places). The broth was clean and flavorful, delicious and not too salty. The accompanying bamboo, beansprouts, and egg were cooked to perfection. The pork belly was leaner than usual but still melt in your mouth, the best I have had on noodles for sure. The noodles themselves had the perfect bite to them and the whole thing was a reasonable price. I like that they have pickled ginger at the table to cleanse your pallete. read more

Koichi Ramen - Black tonkotsu ramen - Ramen Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

The food was outstanding, that was overshadowed by the poor service. . Based on that, I give the overall experience 3/5. . When we first got into the restaurant, we requested a few extra minute for me to go over the menu since I had never been before. The few extra minutes turn into 15-20 min of waiting for our server to come back to ask us for our order. Eventually we had to get her attention for her to come back. We place our orders and waited and waited and waited, watching as people who came in long after us receive their food. Finally our food comes and yes it really really good! Our server never checks on us again after we receive our food. Not even a refill of water. I finish my food but my friend wanted to take the remainder of her food home, so she gets the server's attention and asks for a container and we waited and waited and waited for about another 15 min and no container in sight. Once again we have to get their attention and ask for a container again....FINALLY it is received and I was happy to pay and get out of there as quickly as possible! I didn't not battle a blizzard to receive that kind of treatment. PERIOD. read more

Koichi Ramen - Tonkotsu Curry - Ramen Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

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Great ambience. They gave me chicken instead of tofu. I didn't realize till I took the first bite. Kinda killed my appetite. Wuamp. Was pretty excited though read more

The dine-in experience I had was moderate. The shop has good COVID-protocol. only one server was on duty, serving 4 tables and delivery orders and was busy. The price was approximately $23 for a bowl of ramen and an order of Karaage chicken. The Karaage Chicken was bland and served with an odd wasabi sauce. The Ramen has fine presentation and the noodle in it was not chewy and sub-par. The broth was slightly oily. The pork belly was dry and blend. POne of the better ramen shops in Ottawa since the city lack of good ramen. read more

Koichi Ramen - Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

While there aren't a lot of ramen places in Ottawa, this is a place you have to try for sure! Getting some things of my chest, the portions are way too small and it used to be called ICHIKO ramen before. The pictures I have are from both of them. I am the type of ramen eater who takes time to get to the bottom of the bowl (no matter how good it is), because usually the portions are huge. Since there wasn't a lot of ramen, I was able to finish this and the appetizer quickly. The pork belly (appetizer) was mind blowing. It was delicious here! More than the ramen, I would come back here to get the pork belly. You don't need the sauce for it to be good, but if you do get the chance, dip it in the wasabi sauce they give. There are vegan options here, so nothing to worry about at all. read more

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Absolutely love this place, the soup is rich and the atmosphere in the store is good! recommend!

Stopped in for ramen on a 30C day, just had a craving. Place was nice and cool and seems to be new. Decor is minimalist and clean with heavy wood accent. Tables are a little woobly due to their flawed design. Not the best for a bowl of soup. The food was great, I preferred it to the place on Bank street. Nice broth and a simple menu to order from. Staff was very friendly and enthusiastic. Definitely will be back! read more

Love that they have a more diverse menu than Sansotei. Especially for those who are vegan/vegetarian and who don't wat pork broth They were very accommodating. They have rice noodles instead of egg noodles, veggie broth and their gyoza is vegan. + all of them tasted good! read more

After reading the reviews I was expecting to be blown away and the ramen was good..... good but not great. The pork belly was wonderful and the noodles were cooked perfectly but the broth..... the broth lacked the intensity and depth I've had in other ramen places both in town and elsewhere. The service was wonderful, the menu was straightforward but the broth was just less than I hoped for. read more

Koichi Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

We were looking to try a new ramen place, to compare it to our usual staples. Staff were friendly and accommodating. We had the Tonkotsu with black garlic, gyoza, and chicken karage. The ramen texture was perfect, and flavour was top-notch. Gyoza was ok. Chicken karage was juicy. read more

Went for lunch on a Friday, service was great, food was delicious and loved the customization options! Still not sure how to eat the nori like this but loved the addition of corn to my soup. Serving size was perfect, I couldn't quite finish all of it but felt like it was perfect value and size. Also ordered gyoza to share and loved the crispness. Will be back! read more

Koichi Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

This was hands down the beat ramen restaurant I have ever been to. I always have a hard time finding chicken based broth as I do not consume pork, and was kind of nervous to see if the flavour would be too bland for this option, but it was absolutely to die for. I'm definitely going back every time my craving hits. read more

The food can be better if the chef would reduce the amount of salt in it. All three of our appetizers are loaded with chunks of salt. It is too bad, we could enjoy with leas. This is just a feedback. Please adjust. Our ramen was good. Thank you. read more

Had a great meal here on a Saturday afternoon. There was a 15 minute wait for a table. Seating is tight. The Curry Ramen was very tasty. Not overwhelming curry taste but it was very hearty. We were very happy with our meal and look forward to returning for another visit!!!! read more