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    Kokoro Ramen

    3.4 (152 reviews)
    ModerateRamen
    Closed 11:00 am - 8:00 pm

    Kokoro Ramen Photos

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    KOKORO RAMEN ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Trendy
    Good for kids

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    Recommended Reviews - Kokoro Ramen

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    william ky auyeung

    Japanese Ramen has been a popular choice for many families and children for many years. At Kokoro Ramen, a simple stylish little restaurant at the West End carries a traditional Japanese ramen flavor. Their menu has a few different qualities Ramen to choose from. Lots of credit to the owner for their service on a busy statutory holiday. Food was great and quick.

    Tâm T.

    The ramen was good, not mind blowing. We got the combo set: the original tonkotsu and umami miso, fries and coke.

    Vegan options
    Alisha W.

    Friends recommended this place for their chill ambiance, convenient location and happy hour pricing. I ordered a curry dish on this first visit and will likely try their ramen specials when I am in the area in the future. Their curry was too mild for me so I am curious to try their vegan ramen options on future visits. Their drinks were enjoyable and I find their servers quite friendly. It is located right on the intersection of Victoria Drive and 41st Ave, with options for street parking or London Drugs is close by with a parking lot.

    Edward T.

    Great tasting Ramen . Free refill of noodles if you ask the server . The decor and service is great and inviting fair prices . Highly recommend it !

    Selina C.

    Come check out this gem on Victoria drive with us! I can't believe it's my first time here and that I didn't come sooner! * Deluxe tonkatsu mix set $29.9 - bomb this was my favourite dish here. The prawn was huge and so flavourful, and the cheese pull in the tonkatsu was phenomenal. 9/10. * Spicy tan tan ramen ($19.99) - the noodles were chewy and the soup base had a slight kick to it! I really enjoyed the broth as it was very flavourful. 7.5/10. * Garlic grilled shrimp ($19) - this paired so well with the rice and other dishes we had. The prawns were huge and not to mention the super flavourful and rich in garlic. It was a bit salty but despite it I loved how rich in flavour it was. 8/10. * Japanese curry Hamburg set ($24) - the curry was flavourful and paired well with the hamburger patty. It was nice with rice and rich in flavour. 8/10. * Peach light up soda $6 - it was refreshing and light the drink wasn't sweet and was cute with the 2 lite up ice cubes. 5/10. * Taro milk tea $6 - also not too sweet but pretty good when paired with the meals we got. 5/10. * Black sesame cheesecake ($7.5) - the cheesecake was smooth and nice with a black sesame flavour. I really liked it paired with the whipped cream. 9/10. * Overall I'd come back their tonkatsu set was delicious and I enjoyed the dessert!

    a little girl sitting at the bar
    Dianna H.

    Decent ramen spot but pricier than expected for the area. I came on a Monday evening for dinner around 7 and surprisingly the restaurant was mostly full. Ordering was super easy; I went with their tonkotsu ramen, called the Kokuton ramen here, for $18.80 which includes an egg. The ramen came out not too long after. The tonkotsu broth was good and had a little bit of a smoky flavor. The ramen noodles were very thin, which isn't my preference, but I still enjoyed them. The ramen came with two large thick slices of chashu and various other toppings such as bamboo and kikurage which were all good. The egg was honestly the most disappointing part, as it was just soft boiled and not runny inside. I inhaled my ramen as I was starving and also ordered a panna cotta ($6) to go. They have a couple flavors, and I went with the milk tea panna cotta with berry sauce. It was SO good, especially the sauce made from fresh strawberries. Surprisingly I liked the panna cotta more than the ramen!

    Interior
    Peter H.

    Your average Ramen shop in Vancouver. Ramen is not bad but not doesn't taste like from Japan. As usual the taste is too light. The service is average, waitress is friendly and is Japanese. I was there for an early lunch after my ultrasound appointment around 11:30. I am the first customer so feels great without too many people in the restaurant. Cozy interior and Christmas tree is up now.

    a bowl of ramen, a bowl of soup, and a drink on a wooden table
    Antonio M.

    Recently tired their seasonal menu and it was simply delish! Normally not a cold ramen fan, but the cold tantan ramen was on point with a rich creamy broth. And the unique fish tacos made with gyoza shells is a refreshing appetizer! Looking forward to their seasonal changes.

    Shio Tonkotsu Ramen
    Jeremy W.

    Like many other reviews, we often drive right past this shop because 1) parking is a definite issue, and 2) the name is often confused with the other well known mazesoba shop. This time we found time to finally visit and try and we were pleasantly surprised by the quality of the food here. The room is rather warm with wood tones and a large communal table in the middle and surrounding booths. The ramen menu is quite varied with many options: pork based, chicken based, pork/chicken base, and vegetarian soups. Yes, there is even a mazesoba option. Together with the drinks, appetizer and dessert options, it is a rather complete menu. On our visit, we opted for the TanTan mazesoba and the Shio Tonkotsu Ramen w. egg combo'd with their house special panna cotta and chicken karaage. The tantan hit all the right spice notes and the noodles were chewy and mixing the soft boiled egg made the dish unctuous and quite delectable. The Shio ramen was very complete, served with the necessary toppings. The soup broth was rich and full of flavour. In our opinion, the right amount of salt. The chashu was thick sliced and very tender with melting fat which was very complimentary. On our visit, the egg was slightly overcooked, but remained custardy, which was fine for us. The karaage could have been more crispy, but the flavour of the chicken was spot on. The surprise was the panna cotta - perfectly set and we were glad we chose the brown sugar flavour as it offered the perfect sweetness to complete the meal. We were definitely surprised by the quality of the food here and the room filled up consistently during our stay. The staff were accommodating and helpful. They also offer frozen versions of their ramen to take home. Next time you pass by Kokoro, try and find a parking spot and drop in.

    Candy W.

    After driving by this restaurant for a long time. I finally convinced my family to try it out with me. When we got there I was quite shocked by the prices of the ramen, and the fact that we had to pay extra for eggs! Don't they usually come with the ramen? I ended up ordering Akamaru Spicy Ramen because I just love spicy food. The spice level was on point, it was definitely spicy, and I loved it. However the noodles were only okay. It was just missing something. And there were not a lot of toppings in the noodles, which made me a little upset as I expected a bit more for the price. I've tried it once, and once is enough. I don't think I would come back again. 3 stars for the soup, but Nada for the rest

    Kokuton Ramen
    Eric C.

    My friend suggested we check out this place, thinking that it was Kokoro Tokyo Mazesoba. To his disappointment, this was not the same place at all, but he was a good sport and we still ate here. One of more memorable aspects of this place was the poor service. We had to ask for water and tea, and even then it took a very long time. It was also hard to flag a server down to take our order, a long time to get our food, and a long time to get our bill. It was also peculiar that the staff used many, many paper towels to clean up a water spill on the floors instead of using a mop. Now onto the food. I got the Kokuton ramen - pork broth, black garlic oil, bamboo shoots, chashu, and bacon bits. This was not a satisfying bowl of ramen. The soup base was too salty, the egg was overcooked, and the chashu was large portion but wasn't grilled enough. I ordered extra noodles and the staff completely forgot and I had to follow up to get them. Overall, I don't think I'll be visiting again. I sure hope that they spend some money on a mop and figure out their staffing so that guests don't have to wait so long for food and service.

    Chicken Karaage
    Michael I.

    (3.5 rounded up) I was craving ramen and decided to finally go to Kokoro Ramen since I live near the area. I've tried several dishes from kokorolab through food delivery that i enjoyed but have never tried their ramen. We ordered the chicken karaage to start with your choice of one dipping sauce. The pieces were large and crispy. It would have been nice to try the other sauces. Got to try two different ramens. Portion was sizeable and flavour was okay. The presentation could have been better (not nearly as appetizing as the ones on display lol). Overall, ramens were okay and chicken was yum. I did think that pricing was a little on the high end.

    Spicy veggie tantan (vegan)
    Matt B.

    Having discovered that they cater to vegans, with 3 vegan ramens available, we decided to try it out for lunch. I ordered the vegetarian miso ramen and my wife got the spicy veggie tantan ramen. The miso ramen broth had a nice mushroom depth, leaning on the sweeter side, which is a bit unusual for ramen. Lots of different vegetables, including broccoli, tofu, cherry tomato, carrots, asparagus, bamboo shoots, kikurage, and bean sprouts -- very ample portion. Not the most complex flavours, but very nicely done. 3.5/5 The spicy tantan broth was very rich and quite spicy (if you're sensitive spiciness, this might be too much for you), which I really appreciated. This one came with bok choy, cabbage, and minced soy meat that really rounded things off nicely. Great depth of flavours, with everything balanced nicely. This was excellent. 4/5 All the vegan ramens come with a solid portion of kale noodles, which are decent. Acceptably priced at $14-14.50 for the vegan ramens. Friendly service. Another solid vegan-friendly ramen spot in Vancouver.

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    3 years ago

    So yummy. Great service and cozy environment. The chicken ramen was nice and creamy. Lunch time combos are a good price.

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    Kokoro Ramen Reviews in Other Languages

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    Ramen DANBO - Robson

    Ramen DANBO - Robson

    4.4
    (762 reviews)
    7.6 km
    $$

    I recommend going early! Since I was having a solo party, I was able to be seated early at the…read morecounter if there were any available seats! The guy in front of me, Deng, looked at me with such envy as he cut in line. This place is incredibly popular! Every time I pass by, there's a long queue. Even on rainy days, people are willing to get soaked in the rain just to have a bowl of hot tonkotsu ramen. While you're queuing, the staff will hand out menus. The ordering system is similar to Ichiran Ramen; you can choose the noodle firmness, broth consistency, spiciness, green onions, oil level, and MSG amount . The basic ramen is only $13. I added a soft-boiled egg and pickled cabbage for $2 each. Although the pickled cabbage is really expensive , I can't help it, I'm a pickled cabbage addict! The pickled cabbage paired with the rich tonkotsu broth was refreshing. The broth was flavorful but not greasy, the noodles were chewy and springy, and the portion size was just right. Overall, it's incredibly good value for money; no wonder there's always a queue. After eating, you really get that "Ah~ this is the taste of happiness" feeling

    Coming from Hawaii, I had high expectations. This is my 2nd time visiting Vancouver, and the 1st…read moretime had a long line that I walked away from. This time, still a line, but it went faster. This is definitely not a sit down and enjoy your meal w anyone. Order your food from a slip of paper you're given so that by the time you sit, they collect it and place the order. Seats are hard and it is devised where you and then leave. I had the goma vegetarian and my brother the tonkatsu. We both had thicker noodles. However, one could not tell. The vegetarian was loaded with sesame seeds. Now i love those seeds but it was way too much for my liking. Too much seeds to chew on. They also do not put any vegetables on like Hawaii does. Everything is ala carte and that adds up. I simply chose the ramen version without all the add ons. The broth was yummy but again with the loaded seeds, it made it challenging to just drink the soup. I will say, Hawaii has by far better ramen, but this place was ok too. Pricey for for what you get though.

    Photos
    Ramen DANBO - Robson
    Ramen - most delicious!!!
    Ramen - most delicious!!!
    Classic ramen with chashu nori soft-boiled egg

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    Classic ramen with chashu nori soft-boiled egg
    ZUBU - Downtown

    ZUBU - Downtown

    4.0
    (61 reviews)
    6.9 km
    $$
    Happy hour specials
    Sports on TV

    I've been to Zubu a few times now, and the food has been consistently solid. The blue crab hand…read moreroll is a standout, and their Tonkotsu ramen is reliably comforting and rich. If you're curious about the rest of their ramen lineup, the ramen flight is a fun way to try them out without committing to just one. Service has been attentive on my visits, and food comes out quickly, which is always appreciated. Last night, I tried their Dine Out Vancouver menu and thought it was excellent value. For $35, it included a Sapporo beer, five pieces of takoyaki, a bowl of Tonkotsu ramen, and mochi ice cream. It also happened to be Sake Friday, so we picked up a bottle at 50% off - hard to complain about that math. The ambience was generally fine, but the staff were doing a photoshoot for their new menu right beside our table. The lighting was extremely bright and the space felt cramped, and since the shoot lasted the entire duration of our meal, it became a bit distracting. Overall, strong food and good value, with a small but avoidable atmosphere miss on this particular visit.

    No better food than ramen for the rainy season. I've always viewed Zubu as more of a Western take…read moreon Japanese ramen, and that's the impression I was left with. To me, there are better choices in town, though their downtown location is quite convenient. Ramen Flight ($22.95): Tonkotsu Ramen, Creamy Chicken Ramen, and Spicy Vegan. Taste-wise, they were decent but not my favorite. The noodles were clumped together, which, combined with the smaller bowls, made eating quite challenging. The broth was overall quite salty but lacked richness. If I had to choose, I would say the Tonkotsu Ramen was the best. The Vegan Ramen was oddly sweet, possibly from the inari. Service was a bit slow despite visiting on a weekday. We asked for extra spicy sauce, but it did not arrive until we were almost done with the meal. I also disliked that they kept trying to upsell us on drinks and add-ons.

    Photos
    Sake
    Sake
    ZUBU - Downtown
    ZUBU - Downtown

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    Kingyo

    Kingyo

    4.4
    (1.3k reviews)
    8.3 km
    $$$

    This was my first time at this Japanese restaurant, and the atmosphere and food were fantastic! The…read moreprices were reasonable, and the service was incredibly warm and friendly. I highly recommend it! I'll definitely come back next time and bring my friends to try other dishes on the menu.

    I was in Vancouver for the day and had heard so many great things about this place, so I came in…read morewith pretty high expectations. We arrived around 2 PM for our reservation and were greeted warmly right away, which made for a great first impression. The restaurant itself is beautiful. The bamboo divider running through the middle of the space gave it a cozy, modern Japanese-inspired feel, and the overall atmosphere was probably my favorite part of the experience. As for the food, unfortunately it didn't quite live up to the hype for me. I ordered the seafood sizzler bowl, and while it wasn't bad by any means, it felt underwhelming for the price. The bowl was mostly rice, with a few small prawns, tiny scallops, a little roe, and some crab mixed in. I was expecting something more seafood-forward, so it ended up feeling more like a deconstructed fried rice than the premium dish I had envisioned. Same with the unagi bowl, couple small pieces of unagi cut up... The appetizers were actually the highlight of the meal and ended up being more memorable than my main course. I kept waiting for a dish to really wow me, but nothing stood out enough to make me crave a return visit. Maybe I just ordered the wrong items, because I know this place has plenty of fans. Overall, I'm glad I tried it, but based on this visit, I don't see myself making a special trip back.

    Photos
    Bamboo divider along community table
    Bamboo divider along community table
    Beef tongue
    Beef tongue
    Anniversary menu course #2 - omakase 3 kinds appetizers

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    Anniversary menu course #2 - omakase 3 kinds appetizers
    Saku

    Saku

    4.5
    (525 reviews)
    7.9 km
    $$

    First time at this Japanese restaurant, and it was really great!…read more Signature Japanese Fried Pork Cutlet Rosu Katsu $27 This time I was smarter and ordered the cut with a good balance of fat and lean meat. The moment I bit into it, it was bursting with juice! The meat was incredibly thick but not dry at all, and the outer skin was crispy like snowflakes. The first bite was amazing; I've never had such a delicious pork cutlet in Shanghai. Curry Pork Cutlet Rosu Curry $29.5 My friend ordered the curry pork cutlet today, and it was surprisingly excellent! The curry flavor was incredibly rich and full-bodied. Wrapped in the crispy pork cutlet and eaten with rice, it was pure carb bliss! Freshly Ground Sesame Powder I have to praise their freshly ground sesame powder; the aroma of the sesame seeds you grinded yourself was a real highlight. * With lemon salt: Refreshing and original, a perfect way to cut through the richness! * With barbecue sauce: Mixed with sesame powder, the flavors develop layer by layer. With two flavors to choose from, it's really hard to stop! I'll definitely come back to try it again next time.

    A must visit if you are a katsu fan! I ordered the Ebi and Hotate Katsu Curry. The katsu was…read moredeliciously crispy on the outside, but juicy on the inside. The portion was massive - it came with 3 huge prawns and 2 juicy scallops. I barely made a dent in my food and went home with a very full box of leftovers. Saku generously provides unlimited refills on their miso soup and cabbage salad. The cabbage salad with homemade sesame dressing was especially addicting! I could eat it for days. Service was attentive and the restaurant decor was sleek and modern. I will absolutely be back next time I'm in Vancouver!

    Photos
    Inside
    Inside
    Zenbu set with refillable soup, rice and salad
    Zenbu set with refillable soup, rice and salad
    Zenbu katsu

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    Zenbu katsu
    JINYA Ramen Bar - Vancouver Downtown

    JINYA Ramen Bar - Vancouver Downtown

    3.9
    (512 reviews)
    6.5 km
    $$

    Jinya was our last meal in Vancouver and I can't tell you just how much it but the spot. We waited…read morea bit on line (they don't accept reservations), but then the service was quick, which we appreciated because we had our toddler with us. Atmosphere is so busy and lively, with white a modern decor. It's certainly a hot spot among tourists. We got the Shoyu Tonkotsu ramen, the Jinya Tonkotsu Black, the gyoza, the brussel sprouts, and some beer that my husband wanted. The food was so comforting! So filling! Appreciate that you can choose your spice level and that they had small bite appetizers that children can eat. We really enjoyed it overall and I'd recommend if you're in the mood for ramen.

    Jinya is a solid ramen spot and the perfect place to have a pre show dinner downtown. We did just…read morethat last night ahead of our show at the Orpheum. I've had Jinya twice now and enjoyed it both times! The classic ramen is my favourite so far. Last night I had the chicken wonton ramen + egg and it was abit too heavy - they give you quite a few wontons! We also had the crunchy cucumber salad which Wes tasty but wanted abit of a kick of spice to it. And we got the spicy creamy shrimp tempura which is exactly like an ebi mayo which was so delicious! Great sauce great crunch factor! Service is always fast! You may find a line when you go but they try their best to seat you as quickly as they can. The atmosphere is usually always buzzing and the have great alcoholic and non alcoholic drink options! Will be back for sure.

    Photos
    JINYA Ramen Bar - Vancouver Downtown
    Broccolini
    Broccolini
    JINYA Ramen Bar - Vancouver Downtown

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    Kokoro Ramen - ramen - Updated July 2026

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