Ichiran Ramen's Xinyi flagship store has become almost a part of the dining experience due to its popularity. This time, the actual wait time was quite exaggerated—draw the number tag at 15:55, and only being seated at 19:05, a full three hours. Eating in Japan should be much quicker, haha.

I ordered the classic "Natural Tonkotsu Ramen."
The broth, once served, still features the familiar Ichiran style: the tonkotsu is delicately emulsified, smooth in texture, and free of any fishy taste, embodying the "stable, safe, and non-risky" classic direction. While this kind of broth is indeed enjoyable to sip on, it is also too standardized, lacking surprising peaks and valleys.

In the customization options, I chose more garlic and a bit more sweetness, but upon tasting, the garlic flavor remained relatively weak and didn’t create the expected enhancement; the overall flavor still centered primarily around the tonkotsu itself. For those who love garlicky ramen, it might feel a bit conservative.

I selected a "hard" noodle texture, which had acceptable elasticity, but the bite could have been a little firmer compared to what I experienced in Japan; it lacked a bit of crispness. The chashu performed normally, with a decent ratio of fat to lean meat, but it also fell into the category of "not making mistakes, but not particularly memorable."

Overall, Ichiran Ramen's Xinyi flagship store's "Natural Tonkotsu Ramen" maintains the quality and consistency expected from the brand. However, after such a long wait, the taste seems too "basic." If seen as a pilgrimage or experience, it still holds value; but if measured solely by efficiency and satisfaction, the cost of waiting does make one reconsider whether it is worth it.

I'm Japanese, but I had never been to Ichiran in Japan, so this is my first time visiting Ichiran in Taiwan 😂

It's very popular in Japan, and it was clear that many people were lining up in Taiwan as well. I went on a weekday during lunch, and after 12 o'clock, more and more people came in; by the time we were leaving, there was a line of about five minutes.

【Atmosphere of the restaurant】
Since each seat is private, the guidance when entering the restaurant was very smooth. I really appreciated being able to order at my own pace and start eating when I was ready.

【Taste Review】
I had high expectations for the taste, thinking it must be really delicious since there are always so many tourists in line, but surprisingly, the flavor was just average. My friends seem to judge all other tonkotsu ramen against the ones from Ichiran, so they believe they are the standard 😂 I do think it was a standard tonkotsu that one could use as a reference.

I was a bit surprised that just the simple soup, noodles, and chashu cost over 300 NT dollars. I added a soft-boiled egg, which brought the total to 350 NT dollars. The tonkotsu ramen I had before had many toppings and was in the 200 NT range, so I thought that was much better, haha. I heard the restaurant is open 24 hours on weekends, so it's perfect for a late-night ramen fix after a drink.

Ichiran has two major drawbacks. The first is that you have to wait a very, very long time. Even on non-holidays, after peak dining hours, you still have to wait at least over an hour. So, if you're not a bit patient or too hungry, you shouldn't come.

The second is that the prices are quite high, and they have recently increased their prices.

Aside from the drawbacks, as a chain ramen shop, I think Ichiran is quite strong. Basically, in Japan or other places, the taste should be indistinguishable; it's all the same.

Another point is that I really like Ichiran's special spicy powder; I always feel it’s just right.

Overall, the noodles are still quite good, but you really have to wait a super long time.

First visit to Taipei Ichiran!
The store is just one level, and I feel the flow of movement is much better than the Taichung branch; I didn't have the feeling of waiting in line for a long time, and the staff were very friendly. 👍🏻
While waiting in line, the staff hand out menus, one per person, where you can choose your own ramen options, such as broth concentration, noodle hardness, and more—there are about five or six items you can adjust freely. After writing it down, just hand it to the staff.
Then you get seated in a personal cubicle, which is perfect for solo diners. 🙋🏼‍♀️ The space may be small, but it has everything: a place to hang your bag, drinking water, and a service bell. Truly a thoughtful Japanese business.
I particularly like Ichiran's flow; after finishing your meal, you first pass through the surrounding areas before reaching the payment area, and right next to that is the exit, so there’s no chaotic back-and-forth. 💯

A bowl for 310 NT$/ white rice 60 NT$
· A friend taught me how to eat it; she said this is how the Japanese do it. After finishing the noodles, you can pour a bowl of broth into the leftover soup, which not only fills you up but also avoids wasting broth!
I noticed that the amount of noodles at Ichiran is quite small. For women, it may not be enough to feel full, so compared to adding noodles, I think adding white rice is just right. 🍚
This time, I chose the thickest broth concentration, spiciness level 7, and hard noodles.
For someone like me who usually eats medium to spicy food, this felt more like mild spiciness. The broth concentration was quite strong; it’s really salty. Without the white rice, I might not be able to drink the broth. 😂 The hard noodles were just right and gave a nice texture.

Ichiran Ramen is a taste that you will miss when you haven’t eaten it for a long time. Whether it is the dining atmosphere or the way of ordering, it is a fixed standard.

Even though the price has increased to 310 yuan per bowl of ichilan, there was still a long queue on Saturday afternoon.

[Draw number plate/wait]

It is not necessary for everyone to be present. As long as one person arrives, you can receive the number plate according to the number of people.

Just scan the QR code to know the number of the previous group

And the good thing is that you don't need to wait on site, and it doesn't matter if you pass the number. As long as you don't accidentally press "Cancel" on the online page, the number plate will be valid for 6 hours.

Number plates were drawn at 4pm on 6/22 and the estimated waiting time at that time was 90 minutes

The actual observation lasted about 70 minutes before it was our turn

Finally, I returned to the store at about 6pm. Although I had passed the number 100, I could join the queue outside directly, but it was not immediately available. I had to wait for two lines of people outside and a small queue inside. Once the crowd has exhausted, you will probably have to wait another 15-20 minutes before you can be seated.

【Quick pass】

Recently, several Youtubers have photographed that Ichiran Ramen can use the quick pass. This announcement was also posted on the scene. As long as you purchase souvenirs and spend up to 3,000 yuan, up to two people can enter the store directly without queuing.

As for the price of buying souvenirs, it is still a bit expensive at the original price in Taiwan.

【Meals】

No need to go into details when ordering. You can customize your own ramen according to your favorite noodles and flavors.

The choices of the day were: basic flavor, basic rich oil, no garlic, with green onions, with barbecued pork, basic red secret sauce, super hard noodles

No other ingredients added

This time I had to wait quite a long time after I was seated, and it took about another 10 minutes for the ramen to finally arrive.

The amount of noodles I ate this time felt much smaller than before. I’m not sure if it really has decreased. For girls, when they feel normally hungry, they can eat something small in addition to a bowl of noodles.

Moreover, the hardness of the noodles has been set to super hard. For me who pursues super hard noodles, the texture is still not as hard as before.

In the past, when I was hungry, I suggested sharing a bowl of white rice with friends. The rice has the texture of rice eaten in Japan. It is really satisfying to add it to the soup and make it a soup.

【environment】

Although there are fixed seats for each person, we also observed several groups of parents with children nearby. Yilan very considerately attached children's chairs so that the family can sit behind them. Children's tableware and small bowls were also attached. Can be eaten with family

Overall, it’s a ramen that you can eat when you like tonkotsu, miss it, and think about it when you’re nearby.
The CP value after the price increase is not that high
If you are looking for other soups or softer noodles, there are other better options.