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.

I believe Yilan is so famous that it shouldn’t need any introduction. There are two branches in Taipei, and they are very close to each other (less than 5 minutes’ walk). What we ate today was the Taipei branch located on Songren Road.

Ichiran only sells one kind of ramen, "Natural Tonkotsu Ramen", and focuses on making this ramen the best. The clerk will give each customer an ordering paper, and they can customize the consistency, softness and hardness of the noodle they want. , spiciness, whether minced garlic and green onions are needed, etc.

Natural tonkotsu ramen $298
I chose "1/2 times" for spiciness, but I almost couldn't taste the spiciness. If you want to taste a little spicier, I suggest you choose basic or 2 times.
I chose "Basic" for the hardness of the noodles, but I personally think it's a bit soft. I'd like to choose "Hard" in the future.
Choose "Basic" for the taste. The soup is rich and delicious, but it feels a little salty at the end.
The portion of this bowl of ramen is quite exquisite. It only has noodles and two slices of barbecued pork. The amount of noodles is not much, so it will be a bit empty if you only eat it like this. However, the barbecued pork is super soft and tender. Although it tastes salty, it is delicious. I really want to try it again. Eat a few more slices (but adding three slices of barbecued pork costs $65. I thought it was too expensive so I gave it up, hahaha)

Additional noodles $60
After eating half of the noodles, you can fill out the additional order form and ring the service bell to notify the waiter. You can also choose the hardness of the noodles for additional noodles. The amount of noodles given is quite a lot, but the extra noodles cost $60 which is really not cheap. It is equal to eating. This bowl of ramen cost $358….

Overall, Ichiran is a ramen shop that you can’t go wrong with. You can definitely get a bowl of delicious tonkotsu ramen. The disadvantage is that you usually have to queue up (I came today at noon on a Monday, and I queued for half an hour; if it is a holiday) , may not be able to get away in two hours), and the price is mid-range, but it is still a ramen shop that you will want to eat after a while