The iron man ramen is delicious and fun to eat, not sure if the rosemary oil leveled it up though.

Apart from the fantastic ramen, I love that they greet you upon arrival and departure

Incredible vegan ramen There's only one vegan ramen on the menu but my non-vegan friend said it was the best thing on it and had serious order envy. Don't be afraid of the three chilis, the spice level was very manageable

good place food is good also the takeout is absolute shit dont order it otherwise this place it awsome

The best version of the cozy ramen place we’ve found in Brooklyn. Outstanding food and service. Super authentic and cozy atmosphere to curl up with a friend or party of 4. I got the pork chicken anchovy ramen and it was fabulous. The botan wings are out of this world delicious, super unique spice profile that’s hard to describe but a must-try. We’ve decided to become regulars!

Amazing little ramen spot on smith st. The place is super cozy and the staff is friendly and very attentive. Besides ramen, they do serve delicious dumplings. Each order consists of 5 dumplings with chef’s special sauce. There are 5 different sauces available and each one will hit your pallet in a different way. Restaurant has a limited selection of alcoholic including a handful of craft beers. Give this place a try next time you are in the area.

An absolutely divine ramen experience. The team are always so lovely and accommodating too! Be back soon!

We randomly wandered into this spot and were pleasantly surprised. The food was excellent and the staff was so warm and welcoming. The prices were reasonable too. I tried the Iron Men III ramen. Even though it is a mixture of 3 types of broth, the chicken comes through most strongly. They also have several frozen cocktails that my wife liked (frozen Lyche Martini in particular). I would highly recommend this spot.

Amazing service, Ramen and Umi spritz. A must!

Cozy and humble little restaurant with a cute backyard seating. The menu is fun and quirky with some really unique ideas as well as fusion. Staff is welcoming and the experience feels authentic. Extra points cuz I like their kitchen ware**chefs kiss*

I come to Karazishi Botan at least once a month to dine-in. I used to work in the neighborhood, and I like to come back on a weeknight to treat myself to dinner, or to visit with friends. I'm not the type who is a stickler around authenticity; I simply enjoy a flavorful bowl of ramen noodle soup, and I've never had a bite that I didn't like at Botan. Here are some recommendations based on what I've ordered from the menu: - Iron Men 3: I tried it with menma, nori, scallion, and ginger paste as add-ons. The soup comes with a pipette of rosemary-infused oil. A bowl of indulgence. - Point Blank: Don't let the mention of horseradish turn you away from trying this soup. I find that it blends quite well in the broth, and the taste is milder than the aroma. This soup comes with a small glass of yuzu that you can add to the broth after you've eaten your noodles. Order if you want a refreshing boost in immunity. - Pan-Head: You can't go wrong with a classic bowl of tonkotsu. The broth is rich and the miso provides umami goodness. Pure comfort food. - Showa Classic: I tried it with nori, menma, and scallion as add-ons. This ramen is incredibly savory and the chicken broth is a unique flavor amongst Botan's pork-based offerings. Some may find the shoyu (soy sauce) broth too salty, but this bowl is one of my favorites. The karaage, dumplings, and matcha tiramisu are fun to share with friends. Try the hot sake on a cold day, and ramune in the summer. Dining as a single person, I'm often seated immediately at the bar, and service is prompt and welcoming. I often see couples and small groups dining as well. Don't miss out on the heated, enclosed outdoor seating in the backyard if it's cold outside or crowded indoors. I'll be back to try and finish my quest to taste every ramen on the menu.

Some of the best Ramen I've ever had. Simple ingredients and focus on bringing out the flavor with the high quality broth, as good Ramen should (vs. creating the illusion of good Ramen by masking bad broth and noodles with a bunch of toppings). This is my new favorite for Ramen!! Try the brown dumplings; and Iron Man IiiI and Pan Head Ramen dishes.

One of my favorite ramen places. So glad they’re in Brooklyn so I don’t have to go into Manhattan for ramen. The texture of the noodles is better than any other ramen shop I’ve been to. I’ve tried the iron men III and the tsuku-men, both of which were delicious. The frozen lemonade is my favorite non-alcoholic drink there.

the best ramen in brooklyn! deep flavors, reasonably priced, fun specials. it's a small space so you get the feeling they're focused on the food over the profits. we love it so much!

Black dumplings were the best dumplings I have ever had in my entire life. I am over 50 years old and I have never tasted dumplings that I loved before these. I also had the iron man ramen. The broth was incredible…I drank it all before I left. Services was great and speed was great. It was not crowded when we ate at around 12pm I would definitely suggest eating here.

Had the red spicy dumplings to share and a couple ramens for dine-in. Dumplings were perfectly cooked and every piece of the ramen - broth, noodles, meat- were also great!

Edit 3/1/25: Adding a photo! Original Review: The most incredible ramen I've had in a long time. I would love to add a photo to this review, but my food disappeared too quickly.

This is the best ramen I’ve had in NYC. Absolutely insane. Great vibe and staff too.

Love this cozy neighborhood ramen spot. Always like to try the specials, but the pan-head is a cozy comfort. I’ll be back again and again and again

I visited this Ramen restaurant because I wanted to try their matcha fries. I was disappointed. I'm not sure what I was expecting, but I would skip them if I were to return. However, their ramen is delicious, and the flavors are quirky yet traditional. A little on the pricey side but the ramen is worth trying.

I love everything about this place. The ramen is ridiculously good (go for the pan head). Drinks are on point, staff friendly. Also go for the booster (side of hot sauce) and red dumplings for appetizer. Love it here.

Food was excellent, such interesting variety and the flavors work so well! Place was lovely, staff friendly, and a good happy hour!

Best ramen in the city as far as I'm concerned. Great place, great staff, great menu. A gem!

Tried the Iron Men III broth and it was so flavorful! Can tell this is one of the best ramens I’ve had in the city. The noodles and the broth are just unbelievable. Can’t wait to try other food in the menu.

Very great tasting broth and service

The best ramen I've had in NYC. Stellar vegan options, great selection of unique starters. Energy of the staff is great, and the interior design is really well thought out. Portions were fair and each ingredient felt very well selected and contributive to taste. Drinks were also cool, and were more than just a slight "twist" on classic cocktails Excited to eat here again

Fu has brought his first rate ramen to Smith St in fine and delicious fashion. The wife spent many years in Japan and this is as good as the best ramen in Japan. Out of a tiny kitchen a Fu led staff turns out ramen quickly, deliciously and authentically excellente’!! Don’t forget the red and white dumplings!!

Everything was amazing! We had the spare ribs, red dumplings and iron man ramen. So good!

The staff here was so welcoming and kind. I liked the menus, some incorporated some history to the selections and I thought that was special. I got the crispy two piece chicken and the pan head ramen (miso). I will say the add-ons we're expensive (+$3 for an egg!). Ramen isn't complete without an egg so it surprised me that it wasn't already included, that would be my one complaint. The fried chicken was crispy yet tender and moist on the inside. The miso broth was so rich and delicious.

Ramen had a nice texture to them. Food came out with a little show which was really cute. Service was quick and attentive. Would definitely recommend checking out.

Great presentation of ramen in it's purest form. The iron-men broth tastes like it's been reduced over 2 days. Recommend getting the okonomi wa-foo as a starter.

+1

A little on the pricey side but large variety of food. Ramen is delicious and they have a unique way of experiencing the building of flavors.

Authentic tonkotsu ramen - Fukuoka style. Amazing ramen broth with options for kaidama (extra noodles). The karage (fried chicken) was the best I’ve had in Brooklyn with enormous portions (Sapporo style) made with dark meat (the only way to make it). Excellent service and quaint ambience. Get there early or there might not be any seats.

If you are oz and looking for fish and chips Australian style. This is the place in Brooklyn actually. The chef used to lived in Sydney and he makes like the pub style. The ramen is good and dumplings highly recommended.

This is one of the few great ramen restaurants out of those famous names out there. We came here not too hungry so we just ordered an appetizer, a ramen, and a dessert. The waiter was very understanding and served with great passion and light humor. For ramen we had Iron man - must REMEMBER to add the rosemary oil, it changes the whole taste and completes the experience. For dessert we had matcha tiramisu … it was so tasty I wanted to order another one. Will be back for sure!

+4

Terrific Japanese place in Brooklyn!! Really unique flavors. We got the knuckle head one-off spicy tonkotsu ramen, the spare ribs, and the fish and chips but with the fish in a sandwich with bomboloni “patty”. We also got the shaken peach jelly drink (it’s got a bit of alcohol but it’s like liquid sweet peach jelly... one of my favs!). Everything was soooo good! The spare ribs had a unique party mix kind of flavor... the meat was falling off the bones and so tender. The ramen had a tangy flavor but rich at the same time. The fish and chips sandwich is like an upscale version of Fillet o fish that I loved and the fries that come with it have a good crunch! Highly recommend.

My goodness — our entire experience at Karazishi Botan was just incredible. Hands down the most flavorful ramen I’ve ever had in my life. I left feeling satiated and didn’t crave anything sweet afterwards - the umami from the broth created a taste in my mouth I didn’t know existed. Best part, the waiter told us they don’t use ANY MSG in their food…Unreal Spicy kobu salad - delicious Brown dumplings in steak sauce - really amazing flavors, don’t skip Pan-head + marinated egg - real winner for me

Pretty good vegan and vegetarian options here. The highlight though are the dumplings imo. This is not your traditional ramen that you get with tonkotsu broth and etc. they make their version of broth combined with their noodles. More of a new school kind of ramen. Definitely worth coming and try. They also have a large selection of other appetizers!!

Went here with a few pals on my NYC vacation and they absolutely nailed the noodles and broth here. We all agreed that it was one of the better ramen places we had been to. Really tasty options. I didn’t find the ramen with wasabi to be too spicy either. Well balanced, full soups. The servers were kind and helpful too. Popular place and it makes sense why!

This place is good for my nervous system and all the senses. Thoughtful menu, Super chill, warm staff, the best ramen I’ve ever had. Thank you so much for this experience.

Very delicious Japanese food, cool options on the menu (lots of things I’ve never heard of) , small space for indoor table/bar seating but waitress was very nice! Highly recommend the pork ribs , fried chicken, and black sauce dumplings

The staff and service was incredible, everyone was so welcoming, sweet and helpful. They were so accommodating and gave great recommendations. The broths were delicious!

Campbell Cross

Excellent food! I think it may have the best Tsukemen style ramen in Brooklyn. I recommend the cold noodle tsukemen. They have a fun and quirky menu (matcha french fries for example) but also more traditional ramen options. I think you need to try this place at least once. Authentic as well (the owner and chef are Japanese). Three different seating areas, outside shed, indoor bar and tables , and then they also have an outdoor garden eating area. Very friendly!

Akrie R

So so so so soooooo good! I am so glad that now we have one of the best ramen noodle place near our home! Their backyard is super cute and luckily we've got the best spot! Staffs are super kind and caring to kids as well. We ordered variety of stuff but every single menu was tasty. I had basic shoyu ramen, and the flavor you get from this clear soup is just amazing. I wish I can describe. I am Japanese and I am super picky with ramen noodle. This was the first time I felt that I was proud to be Japanese! My son had meatball burger. Wow he loved it! Their crab cream croquets are out of this word... I highly recommend this place. I want to go there everyday to eat this ramen... only if we were rich though!

Vera Quill

Had a wonderful family dinner here. They were so accommodating with the kids, splitting one ramen order for the two kids with mini bowls. They had plastic bowl and utensils for our toddler. We enjoyed their ramen so much even the kids wanted kaedama! We’ll be back to try other ramen flavor along with their special tiramisu ramen!

+1

Kysung Hwang

Bold flavored ramen. Unique flavors which I enjoyed. Ramen came out with perfect noodle texture with perfect temperature soup which some ramen places can’t get it right. Two outdoor spaces. Not spacious which it might be challenging if you are bringing a stroller, but well decorated and had a good mix of the table sizes. Very friendly staffs were a plus. Slightly expensive but worth the price.

+1

Dominique Shipmon

Insanely good ramen spot. Lovely staff, lovely atmosphere, every menu item I have tried here has been delicious. This has become our regular ramen spot! And yes, the magic dumplings are magical.

Caean Couto

Went here last night, we had the brown & magic dumpligs, the Tsuke-Men and Iron Men V. Absolutely incredible, we loved it so much. The staff were so kind and knowledgeable. The food was incredible. If you're thinking about it, definitely come here!

LIEM

COZY RAMEN 🍜 Walked in on a cold night while most restaurants were semi-empty, Karazishi Botan was packed. Be warned this place is… cozy. Might be tough waiting for 2 or more but I was flying solo. I waited for 5-10 minutes and ironically got the most spacious and comfiest seat in the restaurant at the couch by myself. The atmosphere is lively and energetic. The menu Is extensive as they have much more than ramen. I ordered the wedge salad with mango dressing which was light and a nice counter balance to the savory. Also the takoyaki octopus balls are amazing; I mean you should always order this wherever you are. The tonkatsu ramen 🍜 was very delicious and hits the spot. The broth could’ve been a touch saltier and there could’ve been 1-2 more pieces of chashu but overall very good. Highly Recommended ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

+4

Caius

Unique and strong tasting broth sets this ramen restaurant apart from others. The texture of the noodles with their firmness feeling very substantial with every bite. You'd be hard pressed to not eat every bite. The dumplings shine in their own each color with their own unique flavors. The corn bits inside the dumplings threw us off at first, but added a nice texture to each bite. But the flavors added were great. In our case we got the red and black dumplings. The meatballs made for an excellent small dish as well. Chaulk full of flavor part BBQ part... Well I don't know what else, but it was a great blend. There's so many dishes to try we're definitely coming back. Glad they're in Brooklyn and the chef stepping out from Ippudo!

+5

Steph Moss

Delicious ramen and wings. Flavors were very nostalgic and I felt comforted.

love this spot. got a spicey ramen plus egg and a carafe a sake and was delicious…sat at the bar. chef and team was super kind and funny. 10/10 would recommend

Heidi Liou

Incredddddible ramen spot. I will definitely be coming back. I’m not vegan or vegetarian but ordered Captain Brooklyn III for the spice factor and loved it. It’s a sichuan style ramen with vegan meat. Highly recommend it. Point Blank ramen was delicious as well, the broth is lighter than the Captain Brooklyn III and was a medium-spice. Staff was friendly and service was quick. There are also cocktails / drinks. Ambience at night was nice and makes for a great place to bring friends or a date. Recommend making reservations if possible but there’s also most likely room at the bar for walk-ins.

+6

Matthew Boutros

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ My fiancé and I finally decided to try this place after walking by it on Smith Street for a few weeks and noticing it was always packed. There are no reservations, so we walked in, left our name, and killed the 30-minute wait with a drink at Zombie Hut on the next block (an awesome bar if you haven't been!). When we came back, we were seated very promptly. For appetizers, we started with the brown dumplings and the eel sushi. The dumplings are probably the best bang for your buck here—$9.50 for five is a great deal these days. My fiancé really liked them; I wasn't the biggest fan, but they were still pretty good. The eel sushi hand rolls were the complete opposite price-wise ($20 for two), but we both agreed they were delicious. They were large, generously filled with eel and rice, and had great accoutrements. It was honestly sad to see them go down in two bites (I take big bites!), but I will 100% order them again. The main event, of course, was the ramen. We both ordered the Showa Classic, which has a chicken, pork, and anchovy broth. If you aren't a fan of umami, you might want to skip this, but I loved it. The anchovies gave the broth such a deep, complex flavor. I’m rarely impressed by ramen joints in the city—they often feel hard to distinguish from one another—but I haven't had a broth this flavorful before. The pork was melt-in-your-mouth amazing, and the noodles were delicious. Overall, a great experience. I’d definitely recommend it and will be going back (though I'll probably add a few extras to the bowl next time!).

Julian Flores

I haven’t had a vegan ramen better than this in NYC, or been to a Japanese restaurant that offers the amount of vegan options they do! Be sure to ask your server, a few dishes on the menu say vegetarian but they are in fact vegan! Notable favorites: Captain Brooklyn, Fish and Chips, Yakionigiri

So I used to work in a ramen shop a while back and have tried several of the popular and some now closed ramen shops in NYC (like Ippudo, Ivan, Totto, Andante, Minca, Ichiran). However, Karazishi Botan is top-tier, if not the best ramen in NYC. This local gem always hits, be it unique takes on Tonkotsu, Tsukemen, or Tokyo-style Shoyu. Broth, noodles, and toppings all executed excellently and with great attention to detail. Their giant karaage and yuzu asahi draft also worth mentioning! They even gave my wife and I a rose when we stopped in on Valentine’s Day. Usually like to gate keep places like these but highly recommend visiting !

Yelena Conaway

The inside seating area is rather small but they also have a heated patio. The service was excellent. The wings were crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside. The ramen was great, rich and super flavorful broth, nicely cooked noodles (and a larger amount of noodles than typical in a ramen), tender pork. They have a lot of unique ramen on the menu and I look forward to try more of them.

+1

Marie-Catherine

The best ramen in nyc. We have tried so many, we usually never go back to the same restaurant twice but we can’t stop coming here. The flavors are always so delicate and original.

Brad

An unbelievable ramen experience. Service was top notch and staff were so kind. The faint rumbling of the subway underneath and smooth jazz were comforting on a rainy night. Asahi Super Dry and Botan Wings were a match made in heaven. The Iron Man III is both a gastronomic and spiritual achievement. Everything is special. The broth is so layered, the noodles perfectly bouncy, the floral oil delicious, chasu so smoky, and the soft boil egg so silky smooth. I can't wait to come back. Arigato! (My blurry photos don't do it justice, go see it in person yourself)

Amazing ramen and chicken wings that are out of this world. Not exactly sure what the seasonings are but I've never had anything like them and they are DELICIOUS. The ramen is also amazing and they have 5-6 different styles that they rotate seasonally. The only reason for the 4 stars instead of 5 is the prices. The ramen is fairly expensive and ranges between $18 and $22 and they charge extra for things like hard boiled eggs to be added to the soup. At the end of the day the soup is great but no soup should cost more than $15. Ever.

This ramen bar has a great vibe and attentive service. The ramen—namely the broths and flavor balance—could be improved. Some people may like the creative twists on classic ramen, but that is not me 😅 After dining here twice, I was left with the same "it's fine, but didn't hit the spot" impression.

new Japanese ramen spot started by Ex Ippudo. Had the spicy Captain Brooklyn ramen and the broth was delicious. Nice addition to the area for some good slurping!

Found the ramen here to be somewhat underwhelming. I had chicken and my wife had miso. The broth and noodles were good, but both needed more toppings to add some flavor and variety - the dishes were just kind of boring. Prices were okay for New York, I guess. Atmosphere is nice - dim, quiet, a bit romantic - and service was good.

Ramen was delicious, we tried two different types and they were both good. Atmosphere: small, cozy place and great staff. My only complaint is that the ramen (priced $19-$22) doesn't come with the extras that would normally be expected. So I had to pay an extra +$3.50 for an egg, +2 for seaweed; and no narutomaki 🍥. 😭

Let me begin by saying that the staff really enriched my experience here. They are so polite and helpful! They really make you feel welcome there. The food is also tasty, I especially loved the seaweed fries. The broth in the ramen 🍜 was rich and smooth… yummm. They have three seating options- outdoor, indoor and there’s a garden in the back. The whole staff bids the customer farewell in a very jolly way which I found was very adorable. Definitely would come here again!!

Came here tonight on opening night, busy even at 9p. I expected nothing less in waiting. After I was kindly seated at the counter/bar the food and drinks I ordered arrived quite quickly. The service and hospitality is overall very very good. I tried the oxtail which was very delicious but the high price tag for 1 piece makes me question the worth of it. I then tried the Capt Brooklyn which might've been gimmicky in which they give you a small Capt America shield to protect yourself from the splashing oil that they pour over the bowl of ramen. I did feel a little bit if splash so gimmicky as it may be it does help shield you a bit. As for the point of it, it highly reminded me of the fire ramen I tried in Kyoto where they set your ramen on fire. It brings out a very fragrant smell and I'm sure it adds some flare to it. As for the noodles they were well cooked and the soft egg was perfect. As for the broth, it isn't for the faint of heart, it started off quite tame then as you eat and drink more of it the spiciness level catches up to you very quickly! Overall food and service makes me highly recommend this place although it is quite expensive but for the area and being in NYC you really can't expect affordability when the restaurants need to pay the high rent. Also I would like to see how this location plays out as I think they may run into the troubles of lines out the door and people taking their time eating which might affect their service. I hope this won't be the case.

The food was good and service was excellent but the prices were high because they get you with micro transactions. The base ramen costs like $20 but has very little in it. So, you end up adding basic things that ramen at other restaurants already has like egg, meat, bamboo, you know the basics you’d already expect to be included. All in all, it was good but can’t say I’ll be returning.

Ramen was pretty good and fun and creative! However the menu items are very customizable, from what I recall there were no modifications allowed but also not so many item options. Service was wonderful!

Overall a pretty okay spot! Worth the trek from Manhattan? 🤷🏻‍♂️ Tons of appetizers to choose from. Ton of sake to choose from (no hot sake though, bummer). 3 choices of ramen. Wine and whiskey are coming soon. The bao buns were a little chewy. The edamame was pretty good. Covered in garlic which I was okay with but if you’re not a garlic lover you may want to keep looking. The captain Brooklyn ramen is a veggie broth (mushroom and seaweed) and supposedly quite spicy though no one seemed to have any issues with the amount of spice. Also comes with the fun shield (you don’t keep the shield) that you use to protect yourself from the splatters of hot oil. Lots of fun marvel Easter eggs around the restaurant. The chef special, pork broth ramen, was pretty good. The broth itself was a little salty (fine by me but not for all) and very tasty! The broth was the best part of the night!! Comes with a garnish in top and bamboo shoots. You have to order everything else. I do wish I could have added corn. Also, nothing currently for adding spice. Luckily the waitress snagged a bit of spice for us which was great! Luckily we were in the first group seated. Opens at 5pm...by 5:20 the wait was over an hour. By 5:40 the wait topped 2 hours. It wasn’t the best I’ve had but certainly better than many (if not most) I’ve tried in NY! I would change the menu to explain what comes in each bowl of ramen, add corn, spice, and hot sake. Otherwise this was a good spot. I probably won’t be making the trek back to Brooklyn for this ramen alone but if you’re in the neighborhood and looking for some good food, you’ll enjoy this new ramen shop!

B. Kim

Not bad but not worth $20 for a bowl of ramen. Wish they’d be more generous with the broth and serve it a bit hotter. By the time I was done half way of the bowl, the broth was a bit colder than lukewarm for my liking. That being said, the staff were welcoming and very friendly. Vibe was chill but felt a bit rushed. They cleared away my hubby’s plate while I was still eating and we were only dined in for about 30min. I don’t think I’d go back tbh.

Lloyd Feng

We had a great time. The food was tasty, but I’d recommend against ordering the Iron Men IV if you prefer things less salty. When we ordered, the waitress did mention that the broth would be “very rich,” but I was not deterred and curious to try it. It was tasty, but I’d probs have preferred what my gf got, which was the Showa Classic. We shared and enjoyed the INEZO Peach, a jelly-based sake drink. The servers were extremely courteous and responsive even though it took some time to get our orders in. If you’re dining here, expect a cozy experience since some tables are positioned quite close to one another or the bar seating to maximize utilization of the small space. I’d def come back the next time I’m on smith street.

+3

Andrew Dabydeen

This place hits the spot on a cold evening, the vibe inside is cozy and intimate. We loved some of their happy hour specials, both their food and drinks. The iron man was very filling but a bit too rich and salty for my taste, still very delicious however. The coffee dessert was okay, I’d definitely skip that next time. Our service was great and I’m very interested in coming back to try some other ramen options. Come hungry because the portions are generous!

+1

I had a very high expectations for this place, since I read about it before the opening. The restaurant atmosphere is good, however the food was not up to the expectation at all. We ordered steam bun and Ramen. The bun didn't look like fresh, and the pork piece inside was very small. The Ramen had Chicken Broth with aged Pork and I'm not a big fan of chicken broth so that might be why the Ramen was meh to me. Probably the best part of the ramen was noodle. I would give it 3 stars.

I wasn’t really impressed with the ramen, but the chicken wing tasted better.

The seasonal ramen was insanely salty especially after the miso paste was mixed in.

Unfortunately, I wasn't impressed by the Iron Men, takoyaki, or matcha fries - they were quite mid. The noodles were good quality but the broth had much to be desired and there were no toppings included which is not what I expect from a ramen shop. The Point Blank ramen was good though and the outdoor setting was very nice.

Very interesting dishes. More on the contemporary and experimental side of flavors. Less traditional. Good to try once or twice. Nice cozy backyard patio. Great service. Table for 2. We ordered the ribs and the unagi (eel) sushi as appetizers, both were enough to share. The ribs were falling off the bone. It was savory bbq-like sauce and was coated in nuts. The eel sushi was disappointing. It tasted like packaged eel and the sushi rice was just falling apart. For ramen, we ordered the point blank and shoyu ramen. You can add a $3 egg (!!!). The point blank was a disappointment. The horseradish was so overwhelming you really can't taste anything else. If you enjoy eating mouthfuls of wasabi, then coughing, then this is for you. The shoyu ramen was much more traditional and was the better choice. You can really taste the umami from the fish base broth and bonito. The broth was light but flavorful and hearty. It really hit the spot on the winter afternoon. Both came with charsui, however, of the pork loin variety, not the pork belly kind. So it was dry and didn't have much flavorful. Overall great service. Interesting and "fun" flavors. My only complaint is that I wish they had a choice between hot tea or ice cold water. We're out in the patio in the cold and there was no choice of hot tea? Hmm.

Sandy Tseng

The food was fine nothing to write home about but the service was subpar. For example, my friend is vegan and there are few things on the menu for her to eat. She didn’t want anything fried so asked if they can swap up the fake crab meat for avocado and the waitress made this whole speech about how “she needs to speak to chef to see if that aligns with his vision for the food he’s making”……. Are you for real? It’s nori with rice and a slice of avocado. Your vision should really be ensuring the best experience for your customers and trying to accommodate their dietary restrictions to best of your ability. Then they didn’t know how to split the bill 5 ways. Won’t be coming back

Really shocked at the positive reviews here! I ordered the tonkatsu ramen with chashu and a soft boiled egg, for delivery, and the broth was middle of the road (leaning on the bland side), the pork was tough, overcooked, and flavorless, and there was no egg. They also didn’t include any of the tasty toppings you often see like green onions or garlic or spice. It was very underwhelming compared to numerous other ramen places I’ve ordered from in Brooklyn. The wings were good though!

Ramen was 5/10. No clue why this place has a good rating. Americanized ramen can be great (eg Momofuku with bacon etc), but not soft noodles (mortal ramen sin), average broth, and pretentious presentations which add nothing to the flavor (iron man ramen). No clue how this place survived in nyc The shoyu ramen almost has no toppings. No scallions? Just weird.

Honestly, pretty disappointing experience the day my friends and I went. Perhaps we caught them on an "off" day but none of us were impressed with their ramen or the appetizer we got. The appetizer was fries with vegan chili on top. Literally, they just opened a can of vegan chili that you can buy at any supermarket and poured it on top of some very mediocre fries (this was $11 btw). The chili was practically cold to add insult to injury. The ramen lacked flavor, the noodles were not cooked enough, and some of the ingredients were cold in our dishes. I eat quite a lot of ramen so this was just a bit jarring to experience, especially for the prices they charge.

Food is good, the dishes served are uncommon for the United States. The service is isn't very good, felt like the waitress couldn't spare us an extra 5 seconds and was running off. I noticed an Asian man and child come in after us, he was seated and served food before we received anything at our table. Also the waitress would give him more time and speak with him, felt like there was some discrimination. It is only bad for the business, I wanted to order more food but didn't want to wait another 50 minutes for a plate of oxtail.

2.5/5 - This used to be a favourite spot of ours over the years, but tonight I was genuinely disappointed by the food! Don't get me wrong, the food itself was still tasty, but I sadly felt that we overpaid for what we actually got. For one, I would've rather had normal takoyaki from nearby Ten Ichi Mart over the $11 "magic balls" takoyaki they were serving. Then, when I got the Chef's Special Iron Men III, I was shocked by how underwhelming it was for a $22(!) ramen bowl. I love ramen as a comfort food, but the way the chef's special is served felt almost "pretentious" and lacking in colour (since it's just broth, noodles, and two toppings!). That, and the addition of the rosemary oil didn't really benefit the dish in my opinion Perhaps the "gastronomy" aspect of the dish just wasn't for me :((( (As an aside, our server was phenomenal! But sadly, great service doesn't outweigh the overpriced food :( )

2/5 ⭐️ Karazishi Botan Knuckle Head No. 421 - $16. Broth - 2/5. Creamy but not heavy. Well seasoned with salt and such. However, there’s no “depth” in flavor. Cha Shu - 0/5. Not pork, but a slice of chicken instead. Dried and super lean chicken. Seasoned with salt and such as well. Noodles - 4/5. Thick wavy noodles, which is my preference. However, with a somewhat bland broth, it’s not as enjoyable. Also, through these ramen experiences, I’m beginning to appreciate the thin noodles and know a bit of history behind why they used thin noodles for ramen. More on that trivia later. SIDE NOTES: Oeuf Mayonnaise - $6. Delicious. It was made with this creamy mix of blended beet juice and Mayo. It was only one egg. Wish there were more. Botan Pork Spare Ribs - $18. Super tender and falls right off the bone. IT’S A MUST TRY. Matcha French Fries - $8. Nothing special. Botan Wings - $12.95. Good but salty from the dry rub. Matcha Inari Mochi - $8. Nothing special. Total: $75.07

+6

Spencer Snipes

Summary: 2 person meal with delivery fees/tax/driver tip = $85 and we didn't finish a single thing. Ordered Tonkatsu and Showa ramen. One ramen bowl had 2 standard diameter and 1/8" thick slices that we'd expect from any other ramen spot. The other looked like it was sliced from the very end of the tied roast and were about half the diameter and only about 1/16" thick...a noticeable difference. Not the end of the world. Then we noticed that both were missing the scallions listed on the menu and no additional packet or side container was included. The Showa wasn't supposed to have bamboo shoots but there were enough for the person who doesn't like them to point out that they were in there. We ate about 1/3 of each because from the first bite they were both insane sodium bombs. Barely edible. Oh yeah, the ribs. Not memorable for any positive reasons. May be ok at the restaurant but I doubt a 10 minute delivery ride will dry out ribs this fast. All the flavor was in the glaze, meat was nothing notable flavor-wise. We won't be back.

the hype about meh ramen places is getting tired. the broth is ok. the space is ok. i've been to so many ramen places in this city, but this is the first one i've found myself staring into the bowl, thinking, this is it, a gaggle of Sun instant noodles and a sad egg, for 21 bucks, and the cold draft of the door opening every time another sucker walks in. the ramen phase in this city is getting very stale, and this place is a great example.

Highway robbery! Ordered the Tonkotsu Ramen and Shishito Peppers. Both were disappointing, especially because of what I paid. The ramen broth was good, but the noodles tasted like undercooked boxed spaghetti from the grocery store and the two slices of chasu pork were laughingly thin. Adding corn (which was clearly frozen or canned, definitely not fresh) and a mediocre marinated egg brought the cost to $24. To top it off, I literally only received 8 shishito peppers for the appetizer, which cost $8.50. That’s more than a dollar per pepper!! Insane. Please avoid ordering delivery from this place - it’s a huge ripoff for what you get.

Portion sizes were underwhelming. Flavor and substance of dishes were not up to par. If you're looking for good Japanese food go to Soboku instead. Cheaper prices, better portions, better flavor.

It was my first time at the restaurant. We ordered their signature Ironman ramen and the shishito peppers. Overall, I was very disappointed with the food. The ramen broth was interesting due to the addition of rosemary oil, but it was overly oily, with nothing to balance out the flavor. The biggest disappointment was the overcooked noodles, and the chashu was cold, with a lingering pork smell that was unpleasant. Perhaps my expectations were too high, but I wouldn’t recommend this place to anyone seeking a quality bowl of ramen, nor will I return for another try. It’s unfortunate to have had such a poor experience, especially when most of the other reviews are positive.

The pork cutlet curry was so overpriced and very average: $19 for a little bit of rice and curry plus $9 for the pork cutlet which was almost entirely covered in thick oily breading. The ramen special was alright but unnecessary salty, spicy, and rich. Service was okay, but the waiter was quite difficult to talk to about substitutions to food items… she kept just referring me to the vegan menu and making assumptions without listening.