During our stay in Calgary, we've been trying to find a different type of food each day, and of course I couldn't skip ramen. Wakado Ramen was within walking distance from us, so we decided to give it a try. The restaurant is located on the first floor of a commercial complex with very little foot traffic, and to be honest, I was a little skeptical at first. Surprisingly, the ramen here was actually pretty good! We ordered the recommended two-person set and chose the Chili Goma Ramen, Tonkotsu Shio Ramen, and a plate of gyoza. I had the Chili Goma Ramen, and I was very satisfied with it. The strong, rich aroma of Sichuan peppercorn immediately reminded me of Sichuan Tan Tan Men, but it was blended with goma-style sesame sauce, which softened and balanced the flavor nicely. I thought that was a clever and enjoyable way to present the ramen. The broth was thick and rich, with a slightly bubbly texture on top and plenty of chopped scallions -- visually, always a good sign for the style of ramen I personally enjoy. The flavor was very good as well. The bamboo shoots were nicely marinated: soft, but still with a bit of crunch, turning into little bites of flavorful vegetables after a few chews. The soft-boiled egg was also well executed; I devoured it in one bite and was rewarded with a rich, flavorful mouthful. My only food-related complaint would probably be the noodle texture. The noodles were on the softer, looser side, closer to the texture of instant noodles that require boiling, rather than the firmer, chewier texture I usually prefer at ramen shops. I know some people may actually enjoy that softer noodle style, so I wouldn't say it was objectively bad, but for me, it was the one imperfection in an otherwise enjoyable bowl. The gyoza looked similar to frozen Ajinomoto-style gyoza, so I honestly didn't feel too excited to try it. Since gyoza isn't too difficult to make fresh, that left a bit of a question mark for me. My main complaint was the service. The restaurant only had two occupied tables at the time, but after we were given the menu, we still waited around 18 minutes without anyone checking back or explaining the meal sets. I eventually walked toward the server and finally caught their attention while the server was chatting with coworkers. The service also felt minimal throughout the meal, with items placed on the table without much communication. I understand most items were obvious, but even a simple "Here is your ****" would have felt much more welcoming than placing items on the table without saying anything. A little more attentiveness would have made the overall experience much better. Overall, the ramen itself was better than I expected, especially the Chili Goma Ramen, which I genuinely enjoyed. But the service experience and the gyoza made the visit feel less polished than it could have been. read more

Wakado Ramen - Chili Goma Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Calgary, Alberta

Tasty ramen spot in downtown Calgary. It just happened that the place had run out of the usual greens that go on top of the dish, so we subbed in seaweed. The broth was rich and flavorful, the pork was fatty and tender, the egg was cooked well albeit a little bit small in size, and the noodles were quite nice too. Service was fast and friendly, and the place itself was quite cozy with various types of tables and booths. Overall, recommend giving this place a try! read more

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It was a chilly day, so ramen felt like the perfect choice and it definitely hit the spot. The restaurant was surprisingly spacious inside, more than it appeared from the outside. When we sat down, we were handed paper menus along with a pen to mark our selections, which made ordering easy and straightforward. I went with the chili goma ramen, and it had just the right amount of spice which was enough to warm me up without being overwhelming. We also ordered edamame and karaage as appetizers. Both were solid choices, especially the karaage, which was crispy and flavorful. The portion size for the ramen was very generous, I was completely stuffed by the end. Great value and comforting food. I'd definitely come back, especially on another cold day. read more

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Ramen here is okay. We got the two different kinds of shoyu ramen and both were decent. Noodles are very good and well done, meat tastes fantastic, but otherwise the bowl isn't great. The corn was very dry and stale. The egg didn't have much flavour but was thankfully done correctly and wasn't dry. Soup was alright but not very flavourful. Service is ok. All in all everything was just alright. read more

Wakado Ramen - shoyu ramen - Ramen Near Me - Calgary, Alberta

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My sister said she wanted ramen. So I gave her the ok to pick a restaurant and she told me about Wakado Ramen. Wakado happened to be near where I lived so it was definitely a go. We ordered the chicken karaange to share $6.50. I got the Miso Ramen $15.95 My sister got the Tonkotsu Shio Ramen $14.95 Sister said the prices are comparable to Vancouver. The prices are definitely at the higher end. She also claims that the bowls are bigger than ramen in Vancouver. I was like ok. So I really liked the miso soup. It was very flavorful. read more

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During our weekend trip to Calgary I stoped in to this ramen place after spin. I had already noticed that Calgary seemed to have a disproportionate number of ramen joints, I knew I had to see what they were serving up. One reviewer noted that this place was as good as ramen he has had in Japan.. that may be true since I've never been, but I can certainly say it is not as good as ramen in San Francisco. 1) expensive for what it is ($15.95 Canadian) 2) lack of toppings (two small pieces of meat, spring mix... like lettuce in my ramen... weird). 3) noodles did not appear to be hand made. Not the worst but definitely not the best I have ever had (ie chewy ramen noodles) Not the worst meal I had while in town, but also wouldn't rush back unless in the area. read more

Wakado Ramen - Spicy miso - Ramen Near Me - Calgary, Alberta

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Came here on a Sunday for lunch with the family. It's not a large place but it's very open and inviting. A bit busy on this day. They offer premium teas for a little bit extra then their regular so we thought we'd try it. Good flavour. For Ramen, all the broths were very flavourful. My wife got the Tonkostu Black, I got the Tonkotsu Shio, and my kids shared the Tonkotsu Shoyu. All very good. We enjoy the pork broth instead of chicken broth. The ramen noodles are straight which wasn't a big deal except that we prefer curly. The egg was cooked superbly with the yoke a mix of cooked and runny. Good portion of corn and other vegetables. They are great with kids and provided a plastic bowl and spoon for my 3 year old. Great service. A little off the beaten path as we don't usually go down 10th avenue. Will definitely come back and try again. read more

Wakado has been on my list for a while, and I finally dropped by for dinner with some friends on Friday night. I am very, very picky about my ramen, but I was pleasantly surprised! I am normally a huge fan of thick, creamy broths but when I heard Wakado had a broth infused with truffle oil, I was immediately intrigued. I tried the Wakado Shoyu Ramen (14.95) which was described as a light chicken broth with a soy base and truffle oil with chicken chasu, 1/2 egg, seaweed and spring mix. The broth was light but also flavourful due to the truffle oil. The chicken chasu was alright, but I personally prefer pork. I found out after from someone else that I could have subbed the chicken with pork! Maybe next time. Overall, some solid ramen in a cozy little store, with great service! read more

Heard lots of good things about this place since they opened. But I haven't had the chance to try it until this weekend and I was not disappointed. The shop was quite busy since it was a cold day, but we managed to squeeze ourselves on a larger table. I ordered the Wakado ramen, which came with chicken instead of pork chasu. My friends who ordered the ramen with chasu got much less meat than I did (so if you're looking for protein, go for chicken). I was feeling particularly famished, so I ordered extra noodle ($3) as well. The broth was deep, rich and flavorful. However, I found that it wasn't piping hot as it should be which detracted from my experience. Noodles were perfectly cooked (not mushy at all). The flavor of the broth is still with me today and making me salivate as I recall that memory to pen this review. Unlike most places, the broth was not overly salty and I drank every last drop of the soup. I also tried a spoonful of the spicy miso broth that my friend got and it was very good as well. The miso was not overly salty, with a deep fragrance of fermented soybeans and a touch of spice. Overall, I was blown away by the broth and I liked the noodles. The toppings weren't particularly memorable and I also felt that the broth was not hot enough. Despite those shortcomings, I still want (need?) to go back and sample their other ramen flavors. This time I'll try to ask for my broth to be extra hot. read more

Wakado Ramen - Wakado ramen with extra noodles ($3) - Ramen Near Me - Calgary, Alberta

Their veggie ramen broth is amazing! I'm not vegetarian, but I still order this broth every time I eat there.

came here for a quick lunch and their ramen was a little too soggy for my liking. the broth was pretty good but they were very stingy with their meat... overall, an ok place for ramen if you're in the mood for something soupy. read more

Wakado Ramen - a bowl of ramen with a soft boiled egg - Ramen Near Me - Calgary, Alberta

Wakado Ramen has very nice interior, very modern. On one corner of the resturant it looks as thou they make their own noodles. I could be wrong. I ordered a charsiu bun and their tonkotsu Shoyu Ramen. The charsiu bun was not bad, the charsiu was juicy and not dry, the bun was broken in half (that made me sad), but it was sweet and a bit too thin. The ramen came almost at the same time and it was hot! it had veggies, egg, seaweeds and Charsiu. I tried their soup and it was salty and the flavour fell flat. The noodle was good thou! i am pretty sure they made their own noodles. The egg was perfectly cooked, pork had a good ratio of fat and meat, and the veggie was mix green (nothing special). If their broth was a bit more flavourful it would have made this bowl of ramen a success! but for $13.50 for good noodles, not so much. Ill try it again in the future for sure. read more

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Top level ramen. Ive had ramen in several different place, this was top two for sure. Service was good. Atmosphere was a bit fast foodish but still a nice place to eat. Would be my new go to spot if I lived close. read more

I come here as often as I can. Today I want to try Tonkotsu Ramen Black with my wife. I came in at a good time where there was hardly anyone. Our waitress was very quick in setting up our order which is always convenient. To the point, the broth is definitely much flavorful than most Ramen places. I'm surprised to find it much better suited for me because, at times I add extra toppings or spices in other tonkotsu black ramen. I just prefer this broth by itself and I like it much more saltier. I do not like however the extra oil they add to the broth as it makes it much greasier. It does not change my perspective on the overall taste to the broth. Love the soft boiled egg and how the pork chashu melts when I chew. Overall a place people should try and I recommend it. read more

Wakado Ramen - Tonkotsu Ramen Black - Ramen Near Me - Calgary, Alberta

Easy to find street parking on a busy road, first meal after landing in Calgary. The tonkatsu black ramen was full of flavor and perfect for garlic lovers. My wife enjoyed the more traditional shoyu. Both come close to Japan level flavor and this is a must stop for local eats. Definitely get the extra noodles, huge portion. read more

Wakado Ramen - Tonkatsu Black Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Calgary, Alberta

Honestly, I have had tons of Ramen all over Japan and this place ranks right up there. And amazingly it's in Calgary. Noodles and pork broth are awesome. The only thing stopping me from giving five stars is it is a bit expensive. Ramen is supposed to be affordable street food, not $15 per bowl! Gyoza are also excellent. read more

Good bowl of ramen. Got the tonkatsu black. Location is a bit removed from the dt core but would recommend. read more

Wakado Ramen - a bowl of ramen with a side of corn and an egg - Ramen Near Me - Calgary, Alberta

Great atmosphere that serves fairly traditional styled ramen. 1. Tonkatsu shoyu ramen: rich broth, fresh tasting noodle, pork a little fatty but well cooked 2. Brothless ramen: surprisingly good, sweet thick soy sauce with marinated bamboo 3. Spicy miso ramen: very flavourful Friendly and prompt service. Overall a simple restaurant that executes traditional dishes very well. read more

Today was my first visit and it was superb. I had the Mazemen Ramen, which comes with no broth but which has a savoury sauce at the bottom of the bowl. In the bowl in addition to the excellent, toothsome ramen noodles are corn, perfect soft half of an egg, mushrooms of some description and absolutely stunning pork belly cut into chunks. This pork was the best part of the meal and I could have eaten an entire plate of it- completely delicious. I also got a small order (that's 4 pieces) of the gyoza, which was a bit thicker pasta than I am used to but very tasty. I almost never drain every morsel from a bowl of ramen. I did so today. I agree with comments about odd choice of plastic tumblers for scorching hot tea, but I got ice water so no problem. read more

Had the Miso Ramen this past weekend. The broth was flavorful, and the noodles were not overcooked. I believe they make their own noodles,as they do have a noodle making machine you can see through the glass in the back corner. I also ordered a pork bun and gyoza. The pork that was in the ramen tasted like Chinese 5 spice seasoning. I'm pretty sure they have the wrong flavor in the pork. I did notice alot of Chinese in the restaurant so maybe they are catering to their taste. It"s not bad Ramen, but I prefer Jinya on 4th street for the selections they have. read more

Wakado Ramen - Noodle making machine - Ramen Near Me - Calgary, Alberta

This place has just opened only a couple of weeks. Service and food was good. Their menu is quite small with only gyoza, edamame and 4 different kinds of ramen . The gyoza was ok. I got the Tonkatsu black ramen and it was very flavourful and the chasiu was very good. The only feedback I would have for the restaurant is not to put hot tea in a tall plastic tumbler cup as it's too hot to hold. Definitely should invest in tea cups. read more

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Came into Wakado Ramen during Stampede and to my surprise the place was empty. Thought there would be way more people in here on a warm summer night. The place is very modern and very open. The kitchen area is glassed in and so it's easy to see what is going on in the kitchen. Needless to say I was able to sit down and order right away. No waiting ! I decided to go for the Tonkatsu Black. As you'd expect with no one in the place, my Ramen came out in no time ! First impressions was that it was definitely good. I have had better ramen before, but this is definitely good. The broth was good, but it seemed like there was something missing. The noodles are really good and I think I saw a cook in the back that was making fresh noodles. All of the other ingredients in the ramen were fresh and tasty as well. The only oddity about the ramen was the inclusion of some spring mix greens. A bit of a departure from what is normally in ramen, but still good My server was super friendly and it was obvious that english was not her first language, but she was trying very hard ! Overall, I like Wakado Ramen. The Ramen was delish and the service was awesome ! The interior was clean and modern. I'll be going back to try some of the other rameny-goodness. I only have one nit about Wakado Ramen is that they don't have a website. So finding out hours and seeing a menu is not easy. read more

I had such high hopes for Wakado and I was eagerly awaiting it's opening as I live right next door. When I saw that it finally opened, i was excited to give it a try. I love the way the restaurant is set up - tables with a ramen bar. The decor is on point and the setting and ambiance has the makings of an awesome, local ramen joint with reliable, delicious ramen. Unfortunately for Wakado, this is where my love story ends. I started with their Gyoza as an appetizer - well, I say started but realistically the appetizer arrived much after my ramen did.... which is not a big deal but....they were really not great dumplings either. They were pretty much clearly factory made frozen dumplings, but I suppose I shouldn't ever expect handmade goodness from a shop like this. Let's get to the ramen. A ramen shop is about the ramen, and as we all know, ramen is about the broth. The ramen at Wakado needs a lot of work. The broth, quite frankly, is boring. I had the Black Garlic Ramen, and with the ramen of the same namesake at Jinya as reference, the broth lacked so much. The broth lacked the depth of flavour, it lacked the body and richness, and it lacked the layers that one should expect from a strong ramen broth. The accoutrements left something to be desired as well. The Pork was again boring, and the toppings could have easily had more variety. The Egg - which again is a key component of a good bowl of ramen, lacked the flavour richness required from the soy marinade. I was really rooting for amazing ramen from Wakado, but unfortunately this is still a miss. With the price point on the higher end of average, it's a double whammy against me returning to Wakado again. There are several better Ramen places in Calgary that are worth a visit. Well, I suppose that's not true. I know one day I'll be lazy and i'll pay this place a visit again - the ramen is passable. read more

Overall really great service!! The lady was very attentive and refilled our water as needed. The noodle itself was fresh and chewy. The chicken broth actually taste like chicken! Same as the pork broth. After dinner, I did not feel msg after taste. It was slightly on the saltier side for me but it's really just a personal preference. My friends noodle soups were also fantastic. We really enjoyed our night out. Will definitely be back to try more. read more

Wakado Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Calgary, Alberta

Pretty average ramen. We got the gyoza, classic shoyu ramen, and tonkotsu black ramen. The two we wanted to try (miso ramen and mazemen) were not available yet sadly. They do make their own ramen noodles though, which is a plus in my book always. Their location is DT so the price is slightly above average, but you can get much better ramen for cheaper elsewhere. Also hot liquid in plastic glasses do not work, need to invest in some real tea cups. read more

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Met a friend here for a quick easy dinner out. The shop is relatively small but it wasn't very busy when we stopped in, there are tables and a bar area where you can sit. Our server was very friendly when interacting with us and taking our order. We both ordered the tonkatsu ramen. Overall the ramen was pretty good, the noodles had a good amount of chew to them, the pork was flavourful and tender and as with all ramen it was a good sized portion for the standard ramen price for Calgary. There are other places in Calgary I prefer but if I was in the area I would stop in again. read more

Hand pulled noodles were definitely appreciated, the egg was nice and they had amazing service.

This has become my favourite ramen place. The people working there are so sweet and the food is delicious. There are a lot of different broth options which is great because I'm not a fan of miso! Great portion size im always stuffed leaving. read more

The food here is superb. That said, you should come a bit early as the wait time can be 30 minutes or more. Very polite and gracious staff.

Decided to stop by for some lunch since the restaurant is just down my block. I ordered the black tonkotsu ramen and for $15 it was quite overpriced, I found the portion small and was still left hungry afterwards. The service was okay and the restaurant was quite empty. However, the food was good, the broth was delicious but lacked meat. I had only two very thin and measly pieces of pork in my soup bowl. There are many better restaurants for ramen within Calgary that I would stop by to, I don't think I would come back to Wakado ramen. read more

These people are awesome. I wasn't even their customer and they let me use her bathroom. So polite and nice. I appreciate it very much. :);)

One of the better ones in Calgary, fast friendly service. During stampede ... empty so that is a win

The food was amazing. And same with the service. Highly recommend coming to this place. The one and only complaint that I have was that the light above us would flash on super bright for a little bit, and then dim down super low for another 10 minutes or so. Not a huge deal, was just odd and unexpected. read more

BEST ramen we've ever had...and the owner and staff are just as AMAZING! We began our trip with Wakado and will be ending it at Wakado as well! read more

I used to like their Wakado shoyu ramen but last 2 visits, soy sauce dominated whole soup and it lost most important flavor of chicken stock. So soup was bland but only salty. Their menma is also too strong and ruined harmony of the ramen. Chicken chashu was pretty good. Also they serve their ramen in cheap plastic bowl. Other ramen places are more particular about their tableware. If charging that price, about $15, they should pursue better quality. Or we should go for takeout ramen. read more

Excellent ramen. They specialize in making great traditional ramen as well as other appetizers. Always busy at lunchtime but the wait usually isn't too long. Definitely a favorite. read more

Some of the best Ramen in town. Tankotsu and Spicy Miso are top notch. Service is always excellent.

delicious ramen - seasoned well enough that it was full of flavour, but not so much that it was overwhelming salty. the noodles had a very nice chew to them. the pork fell apart easily, tender and decadent with just the right amount of fat. the staff was nice and courteous, and we felt well taken care of. definitely the type of restaurant you hope to see succeed. i'm glad i now have a new option whenever i'm craving a comforting bowl of soup noodles. read more

Had the spicy miso ramen. Nice restaurant! First time there! Good visual appeal; noodles were perfect. I'll come back!

It's disappointed. The name of shop sounds like Japanese owned shop, but the taste was way too far to Japanese proper Ramen