After watching Chef's Table, I was intrigued to try chef Ivan's take on ramen. The interior of the restaurant is narrow and almost cramped but very lively. There is also ramen art of cartoon characters enjoying ramen above the back wall of the bar creating a laid back atmosphere. For the ramen, I was intrigued to try both the Tokyo Shio and the Chicken Paitan but only had room for one bowl. On this visit, I opted for the Tokyo Shio and was satisfied. The Ramen bowl was crafted well and the use of his signature ingredient of the roasted tomato added excellent flavor. Simply put, the ramen was good but not exceptional. If you're looking for a casual spot to enjoy a unique flare on ramen, make sure to check out Ivan Ramen. read more

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Ivan Ramen is still incredible! So much flavor, care, and excellent customer service. read more

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Three stars? Really? Yes, really. The service is what gives it the extra oomph. I found all of the servers genuine, attractive, and intelligent, especially the one who helped me out at the bar. I expected less out of her and instead got more, which is why I gave her more when my meal was over (I sadly could not get her name, oh dear). As for the rest of the meal, it is pretty par for the course. Like really par. Not mediocre, but not outstanding. The prices are eye popping for such a small bowl and plate of food. Two pastrami bao for $13 is killer. Thankfully they are tasty, and it feels like I am getting a vintage Lower East Side twist with a modern take on the neighborhood. Only reason I will not judge these too harshly. The ramen is tasty too, albeit the portion is on the smaller side. Not a lot of noodle, one piece of chashu pork, but a lot of soft boiled eggs. Never turn down extra eggs. Everybody could use more protein. You will need kadima, or a noodle refill. Otherwise you will still be hungry. For some reason I almost always need it at every ramen restaurant I have been to. Thankfully I got the lighter ramen compared to my usual Tonkotsu one. The latter ramen you should only order when it is 30 degrees outside and blustery. The pretty staff will have you seeing double and ordering more, but the high prices and small portions will have you seeing stars and ordering less. Think about all of that before you make your move. read more

Wait time was a little long after having scheduled reservation Ambiance is nice Service spectacular Eggplant appetizer really good Chicken paitan ramen had very tasty broth, but noodles had a strange texture and overall more to be desired read more

Perfect meal at this very busy NY institution. We started with the Caesar salad, and this is my favorite version. Piquant, bright, crunchy, creamy, delicious. Next up was the cold sesame noodles with chicken. Hot damn, that was creamy, spicy and satisfying. It was a taste explosion, start to finish. read more

Maybe it was because we were wearing our aloha shirts, but we had fun and enjoyed our meal at this highly rated ramen spot. Both the pork and wagyu bao buns were excellent. I love wagyu anything but this was pastrami!!! The ramen was picture perfect and delicious to the last drop. The drink menu was eclectic for me. The manager was very helpful with this part. I would head to the back patio if you don't need A/C. read more

Ivan Ramen - Tonkatsu - Ramen Near Me - New York, New York

Where else can you get a comfy filling lunch at this price? Also this is excellent ramen. At the spur of the moment we decided to head over and fortunately caught an open table. Service is excellent and VERY fast. We had the chicken paitan and Tokyo Shio ramens - both winners. Our other diner got the lemon-miso Brussel sprouts with a side of rice and was quite happy. Add a few beverages and tip and damages for 3 was $85. Recommended! read more

I came here on Monday for my birthday brunch this past week. We came with a group of 7 and were seated in the backyard patio. We made a reservation ahead of time and I'm glad we did because the place filled up even on a Monday afternoon. We came here on a suggestion of my friend who saw this place from Chef's Table and from strong recommendations from other friends. Here is what we ordered: For the table - Crispy Eggplant - Coney Island Tofu - Pork Buns - Spicy Kyuri Pickles - XO Daikon Myself - Tokyo Shio All the appetizers were really savory and delicious. I must admit I did not have high expectations but they well exceeded what I'd expected. The Crispy Eggplant had such a good crisp and the spices to it meshed so well. The Coney Island Tofu was soft but packed a good punch. I was surprised at how good the XO Daikon was. XO sauce usually gives a strong savory front, and it worked well with the daikon neutral flavoring. Pork Buns and the Spicy Pickles were both very tasty. I must say this was quite a lineup of good tasting appetizers. I got the Tokyo Shio which is their signature dish. The broth and noodle were on point and not too salty. The roasted tomato they add in gives it that well placed umami taste in every bite. My friends who got their Chicken paitan really enjoyed it as well. Our service was attentive and on point. Our server Zack was knowledgable and courteous. He gave us a thorough rundown of the differences between the different types of ramen, which I am sure is a common query. Definite big props to him for making our experience that much better! In summary: great food and service; I would be returning here! read more

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Pros Outside seating Inexpensive Excellent service Vegetarian option Soft serve yogurt Decent food Good music Cons Closes early Icy soft serve Only beer for alcohol read more

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Terrible service, food is borderline inedible, literally go anywhere else. We came with a group of 8 with reservations. They told us they may have to split us into two groups of 4. We get there mind you the restaurant is emmmmptyyyy. There was plenty of seating for us to be able to sit together and they separated us on purpose for some odd reason. There were 20 employees doing literally nothing. Couldn't get anyone's attention to order or ask for sauce. Major attitude problems. Food was the worst ramen I've ever eaten. Suspicious pork. My friends chicken broth tasted like fish we sent it back. The rest of us barely ate ours. I can't say enough bad things about this place. read more

Very rich, depth broth flavor, definitely exceeded my expectations. I loved the chicken paitan the most as it was the least salty, the other broth were good but it is salty after a couple sips. I also enjoyed the crispy eggplant. read more

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The service was fantastic, food was even better and the music really set the mood. The food came so quick!

Good but not Impressed. I would not wait in line. Got early reservation. Ramen was decent and bao was ok. Nothing really stands out from other ramen joints. Had better. read more

Ivan Ramen - Ramen Near Me - New York, New York

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I ordered the SHOYU SHRIMP WONTONMEN and the wontons were surprisingly small and there were 3 thinly sliced pork. The overall portion was not worth the price. I spent $28 including tip. But the service was good. read more

Stopped by this spot after a comedy show next door and my experience was... alright! Nothing crazy, neither good or bad. If you're an avid ramen eater, I don't think you would like this place. First off when a ramen place is owned by a non-asian person it's already heavily discredited in my opinion. I can appreciate it and their love for ramen but I guess I'm biased. The restaurant itself looks like any other ramen restaurant. Super long. (Anyone else notice this? Why are so many ramen restaurants long?) There's a bar section and also dining tables. We sat at the high top section. The decor is cute, not too obnoxious but definitely Asian-centered which again, a little weird since it's owned by a non-Asian person... lol. We ordered off the online menu that everyone seems to be so entertained by but when you're in the city with slow service due to high traffic/crowds, it's just annoying lol. We got the Tokyo Shoyu, Tokyo Shio, pork buns, curry flower, tofu Coney Island. The ramens were good but not great. Nothing special or out of the ordinary. Broth was subpar and not deep and rich. Also the portion was pretty small... The pork buns were great. Super soft and delicious buns and the pork was cooked and seasoned well. The curry flower was delicious! Such an interesting flavor and texture combo and it just worked. The tofu was also pretty good but a little salty. Overall, I would say the apps stole the show. It was good to finally try this spot but prob won't be craving this spot by any means. read more

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THE BEST RAMEN AND FRIED CHICKEN. I've heard about Ivan for years but finally made reservations. I got the Japanese fried chicken for an appetizer and it was perfectly juicy with a light and crunchy batter. I couldn't stop eating them and almost ordered another portion to take to go lol! It came with a garlic aoili mixed with herbs and the balance between the two made it one of the best things I've eaten. For ramen, I got the pork ramen and the broth had a depth of flavor that was unmatched. The umami and creaminess of the broth mixed with all of the toppings made me eat every last drop. DO NOT SKIP THIS PLACE! read more

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FOOD - Pastrami Buns are 5 Stars, I would return for these alone - Ramen wasn't very memorable, but sitting outside on a chilly evening it hit the spot SERVICE - Good! MISC - This place is CROWDED every time I've gone or tried to go, try and sit outside - The small backyard area has a small section with heaters and one section without heaters (at least when I was there) - Beers are overpriced but around what you pay in the neighborhood at a restaurant read more

About a 1-1.5: I made reservations in advance to try Ivan Ramen out, and the super friendly host made sure we had great center seats at the counter, in front of the kitchen. That was so nice! The menu included various starters, ramen, mazemn, tsukemen, rich dishes, desserts, and beverages. We came here for an early lunch, and ordered: +a Chicken Paitan - chicken broth with minced chicken, egg yolk, and chicken skin +a Seafood Tsukemen - this came with a bowl of lobster & shrimp dipping broth, roasted cabbage, and slices of shrimp toast +a glass of Housemade Yuzu Lemonade At first, we wanted to try the Shio, but we got suckered in in ordering the Paitan, as that was stated to be the most favorite out of the ramen choices. Unfortunately, both bowls were just not good. The ramen noodles were slightly overcooked for our taste, and there were several noodles that were clumped together. Both of the broths in the Paitan and the Tsukemen had an unpleasant taste to them. I thought I liked the shrimp toast, but after the 2nd bite, it just tasted super greasy. The tuskemen broth was on the thicker end, which I appreciated, but it had a fishy taste to it. The housemade yuzu lemonade was fizzy, but could have been more chilled or served with more ice. Service was welcoming and friendly, but our server enjoyed rambling on and on about the menu, and without sporting a mask, I noticed that the counter was continuously sprayed. Eeks. The place definitely became packed with both those who had reservations and those who were walk-ins. I'm glad I was able to try this place out, but wouldn't return. +fishy tsukemen +clumpy noodles +reservations accepted read more

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New York City has no shortage of amazing ramen restaurants, and Ivan Ramen is no exception. Every dish is absolutely gorgeous, and the flavors definitely live up to the Instagram-worthy presentation. For my plant-based friends, they have an absolutely amazing vegan shoyu ramen, or you can always go for one of their vegetarian starters. I'm, personally, a huge fan of crispy eggplant, which has a delightful breadcrumb layer that is fried to golden perfection and offers the best contrast against the soft, succulent eggplant. This goes beautifully with the rich, nutty sesame paste and the smoky, fragrant charred garlic. If you're a fan of eggplant, I definitely recommend giving this dish a shot...and, honestly, I'd still give it a try if you aren't a huge fan of eggplant -- this dish might be the one to convert you! They also have a lovely yuzu cheesecake with a burnt top; while the cake was rich and lovely, I didn't find it particularly special. The yuzu flavor wasn't particularly strong, and it honestly just tasted like a slightly lemon-y, vanilla-y New York slice. The burnt topping was a nice contrast, but I think that there was a bit too much of it for my taste. All in all, though, I loved my experience at Ivan Ramen. The service was phenomenal, the prices were reasonable, and the outdoor patio was wonderful. I can't wait to visit again! read more

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My friend and I decided to try Ivan Ramen after seeing that it was featured on Chef's Table and is also super close to her apartment. We didn't have any issues getting a reservation for dinner on a Thursday, but we thought the food was overhyped. Our favorite thing we ordered was the yuzu lemonade; very refreshing and not too sweet. I would definitely skip the Japanese fried chicken next time. I was expecting it to be more of a traditional karaage style fried chicken, but it didn't have much crisp to it as it was essentially drenched in a very strong soy glaze. The ramen was ok, maybe slightly above average, but nothing to write home about. Service was very quick which was nice, but it didn't really make up for the mediocre food. The restaurant itself was kind of loud and dim but there was a cool wall with a bunch of pop art. Overall, definitely overhyped read more

Ivan Ramen - Tonkotsu Ramen - Ramen Near Me - New York, New York

My friends and I enjoyed our ramen dinner after a looong day. After the reviews, I was a bit worried, but without reservations we were immediately seated (at the bar). I enjoyed the bar because we were given excellent service! The bartender/server was really friendly. My boyfriend and I tried the shochu cocktails (grape or plum flavored). The grape one was tasty but the plum didn't have a strong taste. Both of them were pretty mild in terms of tasting the alcohol! For ramen, I ordered the Tokyo Shio which hit the spot. I enjoyed the signature roasted tomato. The dinner wasn't anything mind blowing, but it was an enjoyable experience with great service. read more

One star, zero star, negative star. Starting off, found it incredibly weird not being able to sit with out full party. They split us up even though the restaurant was practically empty. Noting the attitude of the staff members and lack of attention to the tables. A full staff that was doing nothing but standing around and talking to each other behind the bar making it incredibly difficult to gather their attention to place our order. Personally ordered the shoyu shrimp wontonmen which had chicken broth and the broth tasted fishy and left a horrible aftertaste. Tried off setting it with some spicy sauce and their gyoza sauce (since they didn't have soy sauce) and it did nothing. Ramen happens to be my most favorite food items and this experience was by far terrible. read more

Years ago I read about Ivan Orkin, a New Yorker who took Japan over by storm with his interpretation of ramen. When Ivan Ramen opened in the Gotham West Market, my son and I rushed to be one of the first to try his famed ramen. Fast Forward 2022, I see a show on Orkin. How he started in Japan, his personal loss and how he came back to the US. I have to say it was touching. I told my son let's hit up this place on the weekend. We walk in before noon and I'm asked if we have reservations. I replied we do not but we eat very quickly! The hostess laughed and sat us at an open table. We're easy: two beers and two Tokyo Shio Ramen bowls. No sides, we're on a mission to slurp. The ramen comes out pretty quickly. I'd like to say I taste rye in the noodles, I will say it's a very different spin on what I've been enjoying at other ramen spots in the city. Ivan Ramen, I thank you for the elegant and well crafted ramen bowl my son enjoyed at both of your locations. I wish you great success in all your endeavors. You're a testimony to why you should never give up and keep trying. read more

Ivan Ramen - Beers - Ramen Near Me - New York, New York

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Awesome laid back vibe. Great waiter helped us order as it was our first time there. The ramen was amazing and so was the chicken app. 10/10!! read more

Ivan Ramen - Ivan Ramen - Ramen Near Me - New York, New York

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I got the tokyo shio. This is a super dashi forward ramen and the first thing I smelled when they put it down was the familiar dashi smell. However, the broth is more concentrated and opaque than I expected. It is very salty and features a layer of chicken fat on top which coats the palette. The pork here is very tender and has great fall apart texture. The egg is less seasoned than most ramen eggs, but with the intense saltiness of the broth, it's probably just as seasoned as it needs to be. The roasted tomato is a unique topping and definitely a good pairing with the broth. The sweet, juicy bite of tomato mingled with the salty fish soup in a really interesting way. The noodles here are unique as well; they have a strong rye flavor. They were maybe a bit over cooked for my taste. A unique, less traditional bowl of ramen with some interesting additions. The flavors all make sense together and pair really cohesively. It probably shouldn't be the first bowl of ramen you ever try, but this place is definitely worth a visit for ramen fans. The service is great and I like the chopsticks they have with textured tips to help grip the noodles. read more

Ivan Ramen - Tokyo Shio Ramen - Ramen Near Me - New York, New York

This place has been on our radar for a while and we finally got a chance to visit while in NY. The ramen was incredible. I had the chicken and my partner had the spicy miso, both were super robust in flavor. We also had the chicken gyoza and fried eggplant to start, both excellent! Our server, Brittan, was incredibly helpful and kind. We will definitely go back when in NYC. read more

Ivan Ramen - Chicken Gyoza - Ramen Near Me - New York, New York

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If you find yourself in the LES craving ramen, head on over Ivan Ramen for a special treat. Although, don't be too spontaneous because you'll need an online reservation! I very much enjoyed the chicken paitan ramen. I added a soft boiled egg and bok choy to add to the fun! The crispy togarashi chicken skins added an extra something-something to the dish. I also enjoyed the Ivan Palmer - half-tea and half-yuzu lemonade. We also liked the yuzu cheesecake. Last, but not least; our server was attentive and lovely. read more

A little ramen shop that I have now fallen in love with. Although it's a little on the pricier end of the spectrum, it really didn't stop me from going back and introducing it to friends and family. I like to order their tonkatsu ramen while I would order their shoyu ramen for my husband. At first glance, I'd hope the portion to be bigger because I've got a big appetite. But because the broth is sooooooo overwhelmingly rich, it feels perfect. read more

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Came here around 6PM on a Friday and it got pretty busy but never was completely full. It was rainy, humid, and hot so having cold noodles on the menu really made me happy since I was slightly dreading hot ramen. There were larger tables in the back and small parties at the front which was unfortunate since the air conditioning was running more in the back so I was slightly uncomfortably warm. I got the hiyashi chuka and it wasn't bad but the two shrimp was over cooked and the ham was way too salty. I also added bok choy ($3 extra) and it was literally 4 small pieces which was not worth it at all. I also tried the lemon-miso Brussel sprouts which were the highlight of my meal. They were crispy and refreshing. Overall I don't think off of my one dish this place was worth the price but maybe their warm ramen would've wine me over. read more

Ivan Ramen - Hiyashi chuka and Cold Sesame Noodles - Ramen Near Me - New York, New York

Never been here since the initial hype. It was easy to make a reservation and there was no wait. The indoor dining area is fairly small (very narrow and tables were pretty close together). Appetizers were great! We ordered the crispy eggplant and XO daikon. Both were super flavorful and had interesting spices. Ramen (I ordered the tonkotsu) was decent but nothing out of the ordinary. The onsen egg was perfect. I found the broth to be too salty. My friend had the vegan ramen and also thought it was too salty. read more

Ivan Ramen - Ramen Near Me - New York, New York

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I was super hyped for this restaurant since I got the Ivan Ramen cookbook for Christmas and wanted to taste the real deal while I was in town. We made a reservation weeks in advance but when we got there still had to wait outside in the cold for 15 minutes. Doesn't a reservation mean your table is physically reserved until you arrive?! Anyways, we eventually got seated but the tables are crammed super close together, like maybe 1 ft apart) so you have to push the table to the side to let someone sit down. This also means you can hear and participate in everyone's conversation if you wanted. Our server at least was friendly and responsive to our needs, he checked on our meal regularly and never rushed us. Food-wise we started with some fried chicken and pork buns which were both a little weird. The pork bun i had still had some connective tissue and stuff in it, not the melty smooth pork belly I'm used to at other restaurants. It was also served with some cold vegetable slaw that was discordant with the otherwise warm and steamy bun. The fried chicken was mushy like some orange chicken dishes although the flavor was unique with a citrusy/yuzu sauce that was refreshing. For the main course I got the Shio ramen which is the dish that made him a success in Japan while my wife got the spicy ramen. In both, the noodles were definitely the star of the dish as they were texturally perfect with a toothy bite expected of fresh ramen and the toasted rye he adds definitely adds more dimension. The broths were only OK though and nothing mind blowing. Overall I was glad I got to try Ivan ramen but probably won't come back because there are just much better options in New York such as Ippudo. read more

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Always a great experience! Friendly staff, excellent customer service, and the food is consistently fresh and delicious. Highly recommend!

This place is SO overpriced. $24 for a bowl of tsukamen? There wasn't much dipping sauce and the noodle portion was really small (I did not see an option for extra noodle). There were a lot of empty tables but they sat me at the bar next to someone, that was weird. It took me 10 minutes to eat my ramen and get out. What was also weird is it came with katsu and not the normal cha su, that's fine just know Ivan ramen is some kind of fusion ramen place. Just take a walk to okiboru and you'll be much happier. Pay slightly less but you'll end up getting twice as much AND it tastes better. read more

Argh, almost 5 stars for the savory umami broth and quick service. Fun vibes with the waitstaff both taking their jobs seriously and not taking themselves too seriously while selecting different Christmas songs and dancing along. The wall art was unique resembling graffiti/comic book art. We sat at the bar and had a direct view of where the magic happens. Would recommend getting a beer to go with your ramen. We got the tonkatsu (garlic, umami, rich) and chicken paitan (Ivan's favorite, clean, homey) ramen. Definitely hit the spot given the paucity of thoughtfully created ramen dishes in our area (please feel free to prove me wrong). read more

Ivan Ramen - Tonkotsu Ramen - Ramen Near Me - New York, New York

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First time at Ivan Ramen and I have to say everything was pretty much on point. Mainly to the staff, who were super accommodating and on top of their game. Something you can't even say of 3 Michelin starred restaurants post pandemic. From the gentleman that changed our tables to avoid to the rain and climbed on the table to turn off our heating lamps to William who suggested everything amazing. The spicy daikon dish was a sleeper hit so definitely order that. I went with the spicy ramen, and although not every spicy, was every bit delicious. If there was one negative about the entire night, it was the hostess that seemed slightly overwhelmed and lost at times. But between the food and the rest of the service, this place is popular for a reason. read more

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It has been on my list for a very long time. I finally made there this week. The ramen here is exceptional. Deep, deep broth that you hope never ends. For starters we had the pickles and roasted carrots. Both are very good. The pickles have just the right amount of balance between sour and sweet. Service is casual, friendly, and prompt. As for ambiance, it's a ramen shop. read more

We had to sample Ivan's famous ramen after seeing him on Netflix's Chef's Table, and we're definitely glad we got to try it! Ivan incorporates rye into his noodles, and they are noticeably chewier than others I've had before. It gives a bit more of a "glutinous" feel to your bowl. We got the tonkotsu ramen, and the broth was rich, flavorful, and the other ingredients were super fresh. We shared the kyuri pickles - which seemed like northern chinese pickles with a spicy kick, the fried chicken, and the crispy eggplant. All 3 were a hit. The fried chicken was cooked well - wouldn't be surprised if it was twice fried, and had some spice to it. The crispy eggplant was in a bed of miso based sauce, and while very crispy, I was slightly disappointed that there still didn't seem to be much flavor unless you loaded them with sauce. This was a surprise because other reviewers loved the dish. The pickles were more of a bar food item - not something to fill you up, whereas the chicken was a fairly large portion. While the ramen was great, we're on a mission to find new places to try and the food wasn't memorable enough to try twice. Overall, Food 4.5/5 Ambiance 4/5 Service 4/5 read more

Ivan Ramen - Ramen Near Me - New York, New York

My boyfriend and I came here on a Wednesday during lunch time and surprisingly it was not too busy and we were seated right away. We both had the classic tonkotsu and added roasted tomato. I was skeptical about the tomato at first but it's honestly a game changer! It brings out so much flavor and ties the entire dish together. There were also a good number of apps but since the ramen was heavy we decided to pass this tike round. read more

Ivan Ramen - Classic Tonkotsu Ramen with roasted tomato - Ramen Near Me - New York, New York

Ordered: - Karaage with shiso ranch - Tsukemen with shrimp toast on the side - Shoyu ramen - Yuzu lemonade The karaage is delicious. I love the shiso ranch. The star of the meal is shrimp toast. When it's warm and crispy, we dip it into the sauce omg it's beyond words. I prefer tsukemen over shoyu ramen. The ramen in other bowls is thin noodle and somehow it's thinner than normal. Shoyu ramen is good but not outstanding good. The yuzu lemonade is so refreshing. It helps wash down the richness from the ramen. I will definitely go back for the tsukemen. read more

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Amazing, amazing, amazing experience. We took a guest here that was visiting us from out of town, and needless to say it lived up to the hype. Our server went above and beyond to explain items on their interactive virtual menu to us, gave us great suggestions, and even modified the ramen to fit our exact needs. Since I was between two, she somehow found a way to combine the both of them into one, and I was extremely satisfied. The place is always busy, on any given night there is a line out the door -- BUT this is the perfect excuse to put your name in and head around the corner to have a drink at Donnybrook (which we did) or the cute wine bar two doors down. We were seated in less than 20 minutes. Overall, I'd recommend this restaurant to anyone who loves great ramen.... This will not disappoint. I live in the area and will be returning ASAP. read more

Ivan Ramen - Chicken Paitan (soft boiled egg instead of the raw egg yolk) - Ramen Near Me - New York, New York