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    Little Ramen Bar

    3.9 (76 reviews)
    InexpensiveJapanese
    Open 11:30 am - 2:30 pm, 5:30 PM - 9:00 PM

    Little Ramen Bar Photos

    LITTLE RAMEN BAR ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Outdoor seating

    Recommended Reviews - Little Ramen Bar

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    Andrea W.

    I came here for lunch after a walking tour, and it was quite full (the place was a bit small though). The ramen was quite tasty; the soup was flavorful and the ramen noodles were chewy. The prices are fair for the portions at around 14 AUD.

    chashu tamago ramen w/miso soup base
    Vivian Q.

    This is your standard ramen fare, nothing extraordinary - the chashu tamago was warm and filling, with perfectly seasoned egg, meat, bamboo shoots, and a slightly too salty broth. A little disappointed that they were out of the pork gyoza (due to the upcoming holidays), but the vegetarian gyoza (with minced tofu) was surprisingly good.

    Lim W.

    I had spicy miso ramen. I am from New York, a little different style. It has vegetables kind a weird, but it goods. Unfortunately it doesn't come with egg, you have to add one.

    Love the little details they put in making this place feels like old Japanese ramen bar.
    V C.

    Little Ramen Bar ain't so little in popularity, Melbournians would queue the street of Little Bourke for a taste of this Japanese favorite comfort food. At first sight, the interior is simple with nostalgic touch of an old Japanese bar with olden Japanese posters, exposed brick walls and bottles of Sapporo/ Asahi beers stacked underneath our seat. The space is ridiculously cramped, but somehow, it complete the nostalgic ambiance of eating in Japan itself, well... as long as you don't mind sharing tables and bumping elbows with strangers. Their menu was pretty straightforward, listing few choices of ramen as well as starters/ side dishes. For my noodle, I ordered the Chasu Tamago ($13.90), listed as the crowd's most popular! Our bowls came with a generous mound of noodles and toppings; soft boiled egg, seaweed, bamboo shoot, green onions and two thick slices of grilled chasu pork. The noodles were springy and firm; quite excellent, the grilled chasu topping, however, was extremely salty and the miso base soup was nothing to scream about. The best part of it all was the soya soft boiled egg, cooked to perfection, it was abso-friggin-loutely beautiful! For the side, I got the Pork Gyoza. I wasn't exactly impressed with this. The gyoza skin had a good consistency and the golden crispy color on the surface, but I must say it was salty to the max! *Sad* The service was nice and helpful, the waitresses would enthusiastically greet you (in Japanese) when you walk-in and walk-out, thought it was rather amusing. Based on my last visit to Little Ramen, I will not be rushing back, seeing as the restaurant is located in the notoriously busiest area in CBD. Not really worth the hassle or the hype.

    Little space between the doorway and first seat
    Maria T.

    My quest for good ramen has finally been fulfilled, after a spout of bad luck over the last couple of months having tried overpriced cardboard posing as ramen. Little Ramen Bar is authentic first and foremost. I had the classic ramen and the broth was superb! Their menu states that it takes over 10 hours to extract the pork flavour and juices that make the tonkotsu soup base. You only need one taste to believe this is true. I arrived at 6pm on the dot on a weekday and managed to grab the last table, otherwise expect a queue. Is it worth the wait? Yes! They also accept visa/mastercard with no minimum purchase. Yay for cashless spending!

    Tresna L.

    How much do you love Ramen? Enough to order a Godzilla sized bowl that appears to have over a litre of broth and enough noodles to feed an entire kindergarten class? Little Ramen Bar opened last week and the name has nothing to do with the size of the portions. The "standard" sizes are generous but if you're feeling ambitious or are male, under the age of 25 and want to show off your manly skillz then it's a prerequisite that you order the Godzilla size and then spend the next 30 minutes attempting to defeat the monster before you. It's really quite amusing. It's early days, but I think we might be on to a winner with these guys. The gyoza are very good - be sure to give them a good dunking in the vinegar on the table to let them truly shine. But what about the Ramen? The broth in both styles I tried were solid. The Tonkatsu miso based broth richer and more flavoursome than the Tonkatsu shoyu base. The noodles were good, but I'm yet to be convinced they're the best in Melbourne. I'll happily keep returning though to see if they get there. I really like the small space and friendly service and think it's a terrific quick and reasonably priced dinner option in the city.

    Tan Tan Men ramen
    Amy T.

    On Tuesday night, I went to the Little Ramen Bar for dinner because I felt like eating ramen. This the second time I've been to this place. The first time was in December 2013. The popularity at this restaurant is still the same. If you're walking pass, there's a good chance there's a line. Don't worry the line moves quickly, otherwise I wouldn't be waiting around. This is a place where customers eat and leave. I suggest you avoid going to this place on a Friday or Saturday night, which is when the line is longer and there's more pressure to move customers in and out. It's not the place to meet up for long conversations. The first time I was here, I had the Spicy Miso Ramen. The broth was average and tasted like 2 minute packet broth with an added load of spice. It was very spicy because I recall drinking a lot of water. I didn't mind the spicy part of the ramen. The gooey egg was included as part of this dish and it was delicious. They were quite stingy with the thin slice of pork. Since then, Little Ramen Bar have altered their menu which I noticed on Thursday night. The gooey egg is no longer included in any of the dishes on the menu. It's now an additional charge to add an egg. I ordered the Tan Tan Men which is a "Chinese-inspired dish featuring spicy minced pork in rich soup infused with chilli." It's available in mild, medium and hot. I ordered this dish in hot. There was a substantial amount of minced pork and you really can't go wrong with cooking minced pork infused with spices. The noodles itself was ok, and some parts of the noodles were stuck together. This is a big NO NO, just like this rule applies to pasta. My partner ordered the classic ramen. The broth was average and there was 1 thin slice of pork. In my experience, usually two slices of pork is included in the classic type of ramen in other places. They serve a substantial amount of noodles if that's your thing. Their broth is mediocre in terms of authentic Japanese broth. There's not many places in Melbourne that specialises in Japanese ramen, and even less great Japanese ramen places. I disagree with those who think Little Ramen Bar is the Japanese ramen in Melbourne because I've had better and closer to the authentic ramen in Japan. As for the Chinese spicy inspired noodles, I've also had better and closer to the ones in Hong Kong. The food isn't horrible, it just doesn't live up to the authentic and standard of Japanese ramen I've had in Japan and I've had better in Melbourne. That being said, it's a place worth checking out if you're craving for more than just a bowl of 2 minute noodles. Perhaps you want a taste of quick and good Japanese and Chinese inspired ramen soup noodles. Just don't walk in expecting you're in Little Tokyo. Oh...don't get the classic ramen because there's nothing classic about this.

    Limited seating inside and out, so the place is appropriately named. But don't let that put you off, Little Ramen Bar is amazing!
    Eepeng C.

    Quite possibly, the best ramen I've had to date. This was the first meal I had after landing in Melbourne and boy was it a good choice! Wandered down the street on a Saturday evening, I walked into Little Ramen Bar right before closing. This place may be cosy, and appropriately named, but it's no secret to the locals. At 9:25pm, this place was packed! I ordered takeout and my food was ready in under 10 minutes, which I promptly whisked back to my hotel room. The Gyoza Dumplings, although tasty were a little on the burnt side.. maybe a tad too long in the pan. The Garlic Shio Ramen- packed full of flavour, and the eggs.. oh the eggs.. perfect! I'll definitely be coming back here! If you're in the area, or even if you're not, I'd drop in and get your ramen fix!

    Miso Ramen with chili
    Mel P.

    Cute little Ramen bar with lovely service and big steamy bowls of Ramen. There's a few different options to try and I would be keen to go back and try more. In this instance I went for the Miso Ramen with chilli. Tasty, although the noodles could have been better and there was room for more heat in the 'hot' version. Note - this place is cash only, so be sure to stop by an ATM before joining the queue. While you won't find the street line quite as long as the dumpling bar two doors down, this place still gets super busy during meal times.

    Cindy B.

    I have been here a couple of times and I always ordered the same thing from the menu. Though, I have to comment on their service. The last time i was here i was not really impressed by their service. The food came and the waitress accidently spilled the ramen on me. I was wet all over from my bag and my pants. At first, i was just lucky to feel that i didn't experienced a hot burn on my skin. As i have experienced it before at home and it was terrible. Then the waiter apologized they brought tissues but then that it. I could have been mad and leave the place without paying but i was hoping they could give the ramen for free or a complimentary drinks or starters. But they did not, I just thought that was really very low of them. I guess they do not care about customer service but more on the money. The Food I always ordered the Chashu Ramen with shoyu base, the ramen itself is very good compared to other ramen places that i have tried such as Ajisen and Kokoro. Hands down this is the best. The broth is a bit thick and oily though but other than that is perfect. I have also tried their gyoza and it tasted good, it doesnt tasted like those frozen gyoza that you could buy from the grocery. Atmosphere The place is very small, they have outdoor seating and again as it is very famous, you will be expecting a line. Not a good idea if you are coming with a big group. Overall I will come back but i will be extra careful this time not get myself poured with the ramen by the waiter.

    Tan tan men pork ramen, hot, with an asahi to polish it off.
    Patrick N.

    This is by far my favorite ramen bar in Melbourne. The place is almost always packed so expect a wait if you're coming at peak hours with a group of more than two. I always dined here solo on my way to work. The tan tan men is delicious, I always ordered it hot. Everything about the place is authentic. The staff is very kind and helpful, despite the language barrier. The gyoza complement the broths served perfectly. I only wish we had this place in the states!

    Sapporo draft here
    Johnny L.

    The Japanese owners and staff don't mess around with quasi ramen This is the good stuff and it's done with care and pride just like the noodle hole in the walls in Shinjuku Now they open at 530pm on a Saturday and at 531pm it was packed so the local ramen fans understand that the early samurai gets the noodles The usual apps are on the menu but I was blown away by the noodles having the right chew and flavourful broth I opted for Chasu with extra egg and pork and it was exactly as I hoped.....excellento arigato It seats about 20 Samurai so plan accordingly if travelling in groups Special mention that they include real seaweed.....the Nori is for decorative purposes It's very double hot.....as asked for. ..whew!

    Lol
    Sheenal S.

    This "Little Ramen Bar" is not little at all with both indoor and outdoor seating. The restaurant opens at 11.30 am on weekdays and you can expect a queue if you are late. Clean, nice place, with well-dressed and friendly staff. This ramen bar is not competitive in terms of price and is quite expensive with price ranging from 10.90 to 15.90. Options for ramen mainly include pork with one option for chicken broth and only one vegetarian option. There are no tofu options. They have a beer menu and you can also order gyozas on the side. I got the extra hot spicy ramen which is originally pork, but I asked for the vegetarian option (I think this still means you get the pork broth but without the pork pieces - so not entirely vegetarian). The extra hot option was spicy but not 'EXTRA HOT'. In terms of vegetables, I got a few pieces of white cabbage and an egg. Quite disappointing. flavour was nice but nothing I will rave about. For 13.90, the portion size is decent but again overpriced. They should at least have a lunchtime deal like most places in the CBD. Quite disappointing.

    Godzilla size Chashu Tamago Ramen and Medium spicy Tan Tan Men

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    Page 1 of 2

    Review Highlights - Little Ramen Bar

    I definitely recommend: their gyoza (large pieces and fresh!), miso garlic special (only for garlic lovers!!!

    Mentioned in 17 reviews

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    People searched for Japanese 186 times last month within 15 miles of this business.

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    Gochi - Chicken teriyaki

    Gochi

    4.4(9 reviews)
    1.3 kmSouthbank
    $$

    Came here for dinner…read more The sushi was absolutely delish! After one bite it was a party in my mouth. Tastebuds were happy! I ordered salmon avocado and ebi panko. The ebi panko had prawn, cucumber and spicy mayo. Both were delicious and fresh. I also had traditional ramen which was equally delicious! It had original pork broth, thin noodles, bean shoot, spring onion, egg. and seaweed. Absolutely delish dinner!

    If you had to eat the same meal for the rest of your life what would it be? Mine is SUSHI!…read more It's filling, delicious, affordable, easy and healthy! Ticks all them great boxes. As my family and I walked in to Gochi service was delivered straight away with it also being a busy environment. We were seated and served water and the menus which got me excited. I ordered the cprisy chicken, tempura prawn and cprisy salmon (with you had to ask for as it's not being on the menu). There was an order of 15 fresh sushi rolls and the wait, well I wouldn't even call it a wait. Service was defiantly spot on here with great time management. The sushi was presented lovely all cut up with ginger and wasabi on the side, yum! Everything about Gochi is amazing! -Great quality of food -Great customer service -Presentation wise of the overall place was beautiful with cute Japanese quotes all over the place. Was a great experience not only for myself but for my family with haven't tried sushi before. So it was an interesting lunch for them to finally listen to what all my bragging is about haha. See you again soon Gochi!

    Photos
    Gochi - Salmon avocado and Ebi Panko roll

    Salmon avocado and Ebi Panko roll

    Gochi
    Gochi - Traditional pork ramen

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    Traditional pork ramen

    Izakaya Den - Comp salad

    Izakaya Den

    4.2(61 reviews)
    0.6 kmMelbourne
    $$$

    Disappointed with this choice. hard to find with just a simple easel sign in an office type…read morebuilding entrance. Absolutely empty on this Tuesday night. Red flag. No one at the sushi bar or anywhere else. Moldy smell throughout which is a problem since this place is below ground. But to save a star, a great selection of sake. Menus are dirty and disorganized. Not easy food selections. Food was just ok. Too many other better options in the areas.

    We were hoping for a meal of Japanese while in Melbourne, took the suggestion of Yelp and…read moreUrbanspoon, and ended up at Izakaya Den. I wouldn't say I regretted my choice, but I probably should have taken the advice of one of my friends for a place with sashimi and substantial food. Hidden down a narrow flight of stairs, Izakaya Den is a bit like a den with its cold, yet cozy interior. We didn't end up drinking anything throughout our meal, which I slightly regretted, since that is precisely what you do at an izakaya place. Either way, it was the middle of the day, so we weren't too keen. What we did get were baked scallops with a ginger garnish of some sort. The scallops were a delicious texture, just how scallops how should be, but the highlight was really the garnish on the side! We also went for the tuna tartare, which was alright in texture. Again, the highlight was the sauce. I should have gone for the tuna tataki, which seems to be the more popular dish. We also had the fish of the day (which I can't remember what), and that was really tender and baked perfectly. It wasn't salmon, though that's what it looks kinda like in the picture. The pickled daikon on the side was my favorite part of the dish - but the fish was also really delicious. It wasn't one bit fishy, and the meat just fell apart perfectly! The lamb skewers were also good, though I don't think I would order this again if I returned. They were slightly dry, and didn't taste much like lamb. At the end of our meal, they gave us complimentary house-made marshmallows! They were fluffy, not overly sweet, and quite yummy! Our next visit was Le Petit Gateau, so we didn't go for dessert... Though the food was just average to above-average, the service was really friendly and attentive, and they even hung our coats on a coat rack for us! Truly Japanese. =)

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    Izakaya Den - Private dining room

    Private dining room

    Izakaya Den - Sliced scallops with a citrus sauce (pretty good)

    Sliced scallops with a citrus sauce (pretty good)

    Izakaya Den - Sushi assortment

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    Sushi assortment

    Akachochin - Flash torched salmon

    Akachochin

    4.0(37 reviews)
    1.6 kmSouth Wharf
    $$

    This place gets 3/5 from me because I had a special -50% discount on TheFork. At full price, it is…read moreprobably a 2/5 for me. Japanese restaurant by the harbour. Most of the dishes were good, except for the sushi. The fish was fresh, but the rice was falling apart, indicating that the kitchen didn't have a good sushi chef. Service was also incredibly slow - took ages for food to arrive. What should have been a fairly quick lunch meal stretched for more than 2 hours. Worth going if there's a good discount available on TheFork, otherwise I think it is slightly pricey for the quality and the service levels.

    Sometimes there's those restaurants that win you over in a quiet, subtle, way. The ones you find…read moreyourself daydreaming about when you're at your desk at the end of the day and thinking ahead to dinner... the ones that have menu items that keep you awake at night wondering how they get the flavour and the texture just so perfectly right. For me, one of those places is Akachochin. I've been here a number of times in the last few of months. Dinners, lunches, a quick snack and glass of sake before heading to other places. Every time I've left feeling happier than when I walked in. Satisfied, but not stuffed. Content. It's open and bright, clean and slick without being too minimalist. The food is presented on beautiful crockery, your chopsticks rest on what looks like a pebble but is actually a beautifully moulded piece of clay. Sake is drunk from pretty glasses that look like something from deep inside the ocean. Before I even eat anything, I already feel better about the world. For the most part the service is unobtrusive, gentle even. I always feel taken care of at Akachochin, which of course is what service is all about but most places don't have the inexplicable magical touch of giving me everything I want and need without making me feel like I've been "worked". Some of the waiters here get it right better than others and I almost feel like I should make my booking especially when I know my favourite, Mason, will be working. (Would that be creepy?) The food? Oh yes, let's get to that shall we? The Hiramasa Namerou (a chopped kingfish tartar) is the stuff that keeps me awake at night. Even after attending a lunch where Chef Kengo Hiromatsu taught me how to make this dish, I still can't quite put my finger on why it tastes so amazing. There's spring onion, wasabi, miso, seasame seeds and other goodness in there... it's such a perfectly balanced dish and texturally rocks my world with the crunch of the accompanying home made rice crackers. This is one of those dishes I could eat multiple times in a week and never tire of, though I suspect the magic ingredient is all about having Kengo prepare it for you. Also on the menu is a very fine selection of sushi and sashimi, and if your'e lucky you can score a seat at the chef's bar and watch the masters at work as they slice your fish, form your nigiri and plate everything in an artful way. It seems a shame to eat the resulting masterpieces. There's grilled items, Udon, slow braised meat dishes and all manner of vegetable items. It's easy to order a few items and then order more as your stomach demands. Come at lunch time and enjoy a $20 bento that is generous and delicious. With multiple choices available, you could be eating Chicken Udon or Grilled Pork or perhaps fried tofu with mountain vegetables. Each bento also comes with some sashimi, rice and pickles. Yes, I have a bit of a soft spot for Akachochin and hope you will too. .

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    Akachochin
    Akachochin
    Akachochin

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    Tsuru Japanese  - Almost everything we got

    Tsuru Japanese

    4.8(5 reviews)
    0.9 kmMelbourne

    Ate here with 2 of my homegirls when I was in town, I guess she picked it cus it's rated really…read morehigh lol... it's actually really good and of course I ate most of it. It was really good Japanese food. The sushi rolls, to some of the raw fish, and even the karage was just really textured well. It was exceptionally good for being a in a low key quiet area on a

    Mid-high end Japanese restaurant, located in the same building as a hotel (Hyatt I think?)…read more I went there for a weekday lunch, as they do lunch specials. I went for the sashimi and sushi set ($48) which was good value for the amount of food you get, but the quality of the sashimi and sushi was average. For the set, you get quite a bit: chawanmushi, miso soup, a yakitori skewer, pickles, and the food you order. Extremely good value for the cheaper sets (I think like a bento for 20-30?) The sashimi and sushi set was a bit disappointing. The fishes given for the sushi and sashimi were on the cheaper end. I don't think there was even a tuna. They did give two pieces of scallop, which was tasty. Overall, I would have either expected one or two pieces of pricey fish, or a few extra pieces of sushi or sashimi. The rice was also cold, rather than slightly warm. Overall, it felt like an average sushi lunch, not fitting the mid-high end positioning they are going for. Tip: don't forget they have 20% off on EatClub; which if you use with the lunch offer, is great value for money.

    Photos
    Tsuru Japanese  - I don't know lol

    I don't know lol

    Tsuru Japanese  - Placemat and backside of menu

    Placemat and backside of menu

    Tsuru Japanese  - Sweet potato fries

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    Sweet potato fries

    Little Ramen Bar - japanese - Updated May 2026

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