Hakata Ramen Sho Ryu Ken

Came here on a Saturday night, had to wait a bit for a table but wasn’t too bad. The restaurant had a witty name and wittier paintings on the wall. Any street fighter fan would be tempted to steal the paintings. I ordered the black garlic oil noodle, and can’t say I liked it. The oil tasted like burnt garlic and ruined the whole bowl of soup… Should’ve gotten the original… The egg wasn’t included and had to be ordered separately. It was a little too cooked for my taste. Looked like it has a pretty good deal for weekday lunch special, though can’t say I would be coming back anytime soon.

The karage don is really good. The soup base of hakata tonkotsu is pretty good (not as salty as other Japanese ramen places). However, their pork (in the soup) and the marinated egg are cold. I asked the server, he said they put them in the fridge. So it’s not freshly made.

I visited with my friends for a hearty meal of Japanese ramen.
I ordered the normal tonkotsu ramen with no additional toppings. The overall quality of the food was alright, but I felt the soup could have had more seasoning because it had subtle flavours compared to other ramen places. Two slices of chashu were alright but nothing out of the ordinary. Considering that the other places charges much more with more toppings, the price range is about the same. Just like all other places, the portion of food was underwhelming and I could finish two bowls if I was hungry.
The restaurant, including the bathroom, was clean and tidy. The service was rather slow but definitely friendly. It is really a 3.5-star, but I will rate 4-​star for now. I would like to visit again and try their more expensive options with more toppings.

This restaurant was recommended to me by one of my Japanese friends. She told me that this restaurant is owed by Japanese and the food is authentic. So I gave it a shot.
I ordered the tatamen and I loved it! It tastes really good with thick ramen and a lot of minced meat.
The only cons is that their portions are not that big so you definitely want to add either toppings or appetizers. At the end it costs approx $ 20 pp.

Finally got around to trying to place after it’s initial soft opening. Hakata is probably my best bet for ramen in North York.
Pros:
Very good ramen
Good service
Cons:
Parking can be tough to find
I came to Hakata during it’s soft opening weekend. My thoughts at the time was that the ramen was just so so and the portions were rather small because of the bowls they were using. They have since rectified both and I’m very happy for it.
Let’s get right into the ramen shall we. Hakata only does tonkotsu ramen. They have a couple of varieties of it but they won’t have your usual miso, shio, shoyu types you may see at other places. That being said, they do a very good job at it. The broth was very rich and not to salty at the end. You have your choice between traditional thin noodles are thicker wavy noodles. If you ask me, go with the thicker noodles. You get two slices of chasiu pork with every order unless you get the chasiu lovers ramen which come with 7! The chasiu is thinly sliced so if you like your chasiu, you might want to order more of it. We also ordered a karaage side dish which was very wonderfully done. It was crispy on the outside and very tender on the inside.
The service here was very good. There was only one waitress when we came in on a saturday afternoon which was quite strange if you ask me. However, the kitchen staff also were helping out and service was quite quick. The staff were all pretty nice and friendly. Going to ramen places with out little one can be quite tough but it was a very good experience and I will have no qualms about coming back with her in the future.
Being on Yonge Street, the parking can be quite tricky. If all the spots are taken on Yonge Street, it can be quite difficult to find parking. I have been told before there’s parking in the back but there are only a couple of spots at most and some of them say reserved for the H mart next door. We drove around a couple times before a spot opened on the street.
All in all, Hakata is my go to place for Ramen in North York. The downtown ramen shops are still my fav, but having one near where I am helps as well.

Fantastic!!! Wish we have this in Phoenix AZ. What a treat! The broth was deliciously complementary to both the wavy and straight noodle options. Not as a big fan for fatty pork belly but every time I managed to finish everything in the bowl. Don’t forget the extra noodle that you can order to finish off the broth ;-)

Was back here again this winter and the broth was not as great as I remembered. Last time I had the black garlic version and this time i had the regular tonkotsu version with the he Karage donburi. It was good, but not amazing.
My friend says this place is vouched for by all his japanese coworkers (he has a lot of them), but maybe my taste-​buds are too westernized.
Still great Japanese service though.

I visited Hakata Ramen with a friend on a Sunday night. We arrived at around 6:30 p.m., and half of the tables were already occupied. This place is great for small groups of four people or less. In fact, they have a lot of tables for groups of four. When we arrived, all the tables for two were already taken, so we sat at the bar table. I thought the bar table would be pretty inconvenient, but there is a ledge in front of you where you could put your jacket and other belongings.
My friend and I didn’t feel too adventurous, so we just decided to try the Hakata Tonkotsu ramen (which was the cheapest ramen). I had the straight noodles option (thin noodles), and I thought that they were delicious. However, I actually prefer noodles with a chewier texture, so the wavy option (thicker noodles) would’ve probably been better. The reason I chose the straight noodles is because I prefer eating thinner noodles. However, I felt that the texture of the straight noodles was not really on par with the thin noodles that other restaurants in downtown Toronto offer. I was a bit disappointed that an egg was considered an extra $ 1.50. Even though the Hakata Tonkotsu ramen is cheaper than ramen from other restaurants, I would have preferred it if the egg was included.
Overall, I liked the ramen regardless because the broth was very light. This is very uncommon for ramen restaurants since the broth is usually heavy, even given a light option (such as Kinton Ramen). Also, I felt like the meat melts in your mouth; the texture was amazing. If you’re a big eater, you should order extra noodles though. I was not completely full after my meal.
The service was very good especially since the server came around often with a water jug. I almost never ran out of water before the server came back. In addition, the food came pretty quickly (around 10 – 15 minutes).
I would certainly come back to Hakata if I’m around this area of North York. However, I still prefer the ramen from the downtown Toronto locations more.

Walked by Hakata a couple of times and always noticed there was a huge crowd there but no line ups like Kinton would have. Was curious about how it tasted, so we decided to go with Hakata instead of Kinton this time. The restaurant is small but it does have many tables with four seats and even some bar tables along the wall for people who want to eat alone. The décor looks very traditional with wooden boards nailed onto the walls. The service is really good at this restaurant and even though the waiter forgot to bring us water, when he noticed it, he immediately brought us water and gave us an apology.
Our party of three ordered:
Beef Tataki (~$ 5.00 forgot the exact price) — The beef was sliced super thin but it was still really good.
Pan-​fried Dumplings (~$ 3.80 forgot the exact price) — Really good, I recommend this dish.
Hakata Tonkotsu ($ 9.80 according to their website) — Ordered the straight noodle option. Really enjoyed the broth, it was super light and it wasn’t heavy at all. Also ordered the extra noodles for $ 2. What was different about this place compared to Sansotei, Hokkaido, and Kinton is that they give you the extra noodles separately AFTER they give you the first bowl of ramen. I don’t really like this because I don’t want to have to add noodles while I’m eating the ramen to begin with. I would’ve appreciated if they added more noodles in my order before serving it to me.
2 Black Tonkotsu ($ 10.80 each according to their website) — My friends claimed that the broth was light but the black garlic oil really complemented the ramen.
Overall, I had a good experience at Hakata, I would come again if I am ever in the area. The broth wasn’t salty and I wasn’t thirsty by the end of it, which I really enjoyed.

I am back AGAIN! Finally got a chance to try their lunch menu!
We had the Hakata Tonkotsu Ramen with wavy noodles and Combo A which was the Karage Don. And let me tell you… O.M.G, the chicken was out of this world!!! One bite into this thing and a burst of wine flavour is released onto your tastebuds. This chicken was absolutely amazing. Sounds like an exaggeration but trust me, it’s THAT damn good. The rice and its condiments was a perfect combo! Mayo, teriyaki sauce (I believe) green onions and seseme seed… you can taste each of these ingredient’s aroma unravel the more you eat it. Best Don I’ve had yet, I must say.
The lunch combo is $ 13.99 and it is only offered on Tuesday-​Friday from 12pm-​3pm. It comes with a Hakata Tonkutsu Ramen with 3 Combo options: A) Karage Don, B) ChaShu Don and C) Rice with Gyoza. Great lunch deal between a friend or S/​O or just yourself if you’re a big eater… and there’s nothing wrong with that!

I had dinner here tonight, came at around 5:30 before it got busy. I decided to try something new and ordered the black tonkotsu ramen with wavy noodles. So glad I got ordered it because the black garlic oil made it extra flavourful! Our orders came out fairly quickly too!

+.5 for service
Hakata Ramen is probably one of your best choices for ramen in North York, although I do know many who still go to Kinton just down the street. I’ve been to both places this past week, and I do think Kinton has a busier crowd compared to Hakata. Either way, they’re both ramen places serving somewhat different styles of ramen.
Hakata has a nice Japanese feel with its exterior and interior, as shown by its bamboo decorations. The restaurant isn’t that big, but that’s normal with many of the ramen joints in the city. We were seated immediately and had menus on the table already when arrived.
I’ve visited Hakata once before, but held off on writing a review as I felt my lukewarm broth that time was a one-​off experience. This time I decided to order a Hakata Tonkotsu with a beef tataki on the side. I noticed they added a thin ramen and wavy ramen option recently, and since I like my ramen chewy I decided to go with wavy ramen.
This place was a little slow in preparing your order, but eventually the beef tataki came first, followed by my bowl of ramen. The beef tataki was sliced very thin, so I definitely give the chef credit for perfecting that technique. The beef itself was very good as well as the ponzu sauce, and in some cases I wrapped the beef with the green onions inside.
As for the ramen, the attraction for this place was the chashu, and believe it or not the green onions. This place does not skimp out on its green onions, and the chashu, although thin cut, was still juicy and delicious. The broth, however, was not rich enough for my liking, and the wavy ramen was decent but not overwhelming (I like my ramen thicker and rounder… see Sansotei’s thick ramen for the style I like). For $ 9.80, it is in the lower end of ramen prices, so I think 3 stars is a fair rating overall.
Service was overall very good, and it was easy to wave down a server when I needed service. For North York standards, Hakata does its job and I would return if I’m nearby, but there are better places out there in the city.

Can’t miss this place. It’s located on Yonge and Churchill/​Church in North York. The store front is outfitted with wooden panels. I went for lunch on a weekday, it wasn’t packed. Filled with students from the area? They have 6 seating along the window and regular tables that can seat 4.
The ramen was alright. Didn’t like how an egg is an add-​on item. They are also skimpy on the chasu but it did melt in your mouth! Broth was pretty hearty as well! I had the regular tonkotsu and the base of the broth reminded me of the ramen I ate at ramen stadium in Fukuoka. However this place adds like soya sauce? The broth was way too dark. I guess every chef has their interpretation on ramen. Give this place a try, its definitely one of the better places in North York. But I don’t think I’ll return anytime soon because I prefer Kinton down the street more.

I had been meaning to trying Hakata Ramen for the past month after walking by numerous times and seeing it was filled with people. I went this past Friday around 4:30 and waited 30 minutes not realizing it closes at 3 pm after the lunch crowd and reopens at 5 pm for the dinner crowd.
We ordered the Black Tonkotsu ($ 10.80 plus tax), the Chasu Lover ($ 14.50 plus tax), the Tantan Men ($ 15.00 plus tax) and dumplings ($ 3.80 plus tax) as well as the Agedashi Tofu ($ 4.80 plus tax) as appetizers. I’m only going to review the items I had which was the Black Tonkotsu and the two appetizers.
The Black Tonkotsu ($ 10.80 plus tax) came with the option of straight thin noodles or wavy thick noodles which I had the latter. Overall it was good but definitely not great. The pork was tender and flavourful with the right amount of fat. The noodles were slightly undercooked and the broth was good but it was a bit too salty for my liking.
The dumplings (5 for $ 3.80 plus tax) were okay nothing special and tasted more steamed than pan fried.
The Agedashi Tofu ($ 4.80 plus tax) were cooked perfectly but a little too much ginger for my liking.
The service was good but the food came out a little slow since there was only one cook working at that particular time.
Overall, it’s a decent place for ramen nothing special. Also it’s a little higher priced than it’s competitors.

No upgrade, another 3-​star review.
If I am to rate the ramen only, Hakata certainly deserves a 4-​star. Definitely the best in North York.
The black tonkatsu ramen tasted great and I love the smell of the garlic. The soft boiled egg was done right.
The servers now asked if you want regular hakata style noodle, which is thin and straight, or the wavy thick noodle (used in tan tan ramen and similar to hokaido ramen).
BUT… why was my bowl chipped again? The review is getting a ding. I had a stare down with the chip as I was slurping my ramen. I had the urge to raid their kitchen and toss away all the chipped dish. This bowl was even more damaged than the last time when I visited. I ended up mentioning it when I paid my bill. Let’s hope next time I don’t have to eat out from a chipped bowl again.

Small and cozy on the inside.
Chashu Lover $ 13 — comes with 7 thin slices of pork meat. The meat was soft and tender and very tasty. Added boiled egg for $ 1.50. Noodles were the thin type. I rather the noodles be a bit more thick. The broth was okay. Overall a pretty good ramen place.
Service was quick and friendly.

Hakata Tonkotsu ($ 9.80) + Soft Boiled Egg ($ 1.50) was good if one enjoys the rich and aromatic pork broth.
The noodle is one of the thinnest I had but still well cooked with a nice chewiness.
Service was painfully slow from taking my order to being served! I thought Ramen suppose to be «fast» food. So make sure you give yourself a lot of time even when the restaurant is not busy.
If you do have a bigger appetite, I strongly recommend the Chashu Lover ($ 13) and add $ 2 for extra noodle.
A little pricey for the portion but good for an occasional snack!

Hakata Ramen Sho Ryu Ken (升龍軒) is a cute ramen shop on Yonge, right beside H-​Mart. There is free parking just behind the restaurant and also free street parking after 9pm. The wooden interior and exterior of the restaurant gives me a very warm and welcome feeling :) Service is fantastic. You also get 10% off for your bowl of ramen (not your entire bill) when you post a picture on Facebook or Instagram with #hakatashoryuken.
I ordered the Black Tonkatsu (regular broth with black sesame garlic oil) with a creamy soft boiled egg for an additional of $ 1.50. The broth was very aromatic with the added oil, the noodles were made al dente and the pork belly was flavourful… but dang, only 2 thinnnnnn slices. The extra toppings on the menu were a bit overpriced IMO. The portion was perfect for a light eater like me, but my friend was still hungry afterwards. But the good news is that you can refill your bowl with extra noodles for $ 2.
The hot sake compliments well with the ramen. The sui gyoza you can skip. Oh mannn, the mochi ice cream was quite the disappointment. $ 2.50 for a small mochi that clearly came out of a frozen box. I could literally just walk over to H-​Mart and buy a box myself. I’m a big dessert person… this actually ruin my experience at the end of my meal.
Overall, ramen was good but definitely skip the mochi. I think Hakata Ramen still has room for improvement. You have a great product here. Really need to stay competitive (with price, portion, unique broth) and shoryuken your competitors on Yonge Street to survive. Keep up the good work!

Delicious ramen in North York! I’ve tried all the downtown ones this one might not be there yet but definitely an uptown gem!
I’ve tried the Hakata Tonkotsu and the Black Tonkotsu, I think I still like the original one. Broth is rich sometimes too rich! Noodle is good. Chashu is very tender and not too fatty. Soup is very flavourful. The black Tonkotsu seems more garlicky sesame flavour and less pork flavour, broth not as rich. Nice warm homey atmosphere with friendly staff. Like this more than Kinton. Chicken wings really small. Will definitely come back for ramen!

If I were to rank ramen places that I have tried in Toronto, I would put this as #2 (#1 being Santouka). The main reason why I like this place is because it’s the main true ramen restaurant in the north end of the city. Everything else is located downtown. In the north this place is competing against Kenzo Ramen, Kinton Ramen and Ajisen Ramen.
This place is not easy to find with the bare eye. It’s right on Yonge and McKee, next to the korean H-​Mart and across from Owl of Minerva. It’s a small mom and pop restaurant covered in all wood.
I happen to go when it was not busy and in a middle of a snow storm. It seats around 30 people with a wide open view of the kitchen. The menu selection is limited but enough to accompany the common customer. There are 4 ramen choices: Hakata Tonkatsu (simple miso ramen), Black Tonkatsu (miso with black garlic flavour), Red Hot Tonkatsu (a tad spicier with korean spicy paste), Chashu Tonkatsu (same as Hakata Tonkatsu but with extra pork belly). The appetizer selection are also scarce with the simple edamame, chicken wings, fried chicken and soy based tofu.
The ramen was thinner and (in my opinion) fit better with the soup base they are serving. The other locations have the typical thick ramen which just becomes too heavy for the meal. The soup base was fair and not too salty, which is why I think Kinton was not listed on top of this place. They give you 4 pieces of pork belly for all the ramen bowls except for Chashu Tonkatsu where they give you another 4 pieces. The soft boiled egg is good but not included with the meal and the yoke is soft. I hate it when I go to places and the egg is hard and overcooked and even worst if the yoke is cooked. That pisses me off the most.
There was a special where if you order an appetizer you can receive a Sapporo draft for $ 3.80.
Overall this place is quick, clean and simple. Portions are fair and so is the pricing.
Highly recommend this place… just do it.