Review Sansotei Ramen

Marie “Akuiko” Roy

I have visited Sansotei in both Ottawa and Montreal over 10 times by now, and the quality is always amazing! We love a consistent ramenya 🍜 the black garlic and miso ramen are my favorites. The Bank St. (Ottawa) location is nice but it's a bit small - so please call to get a reservation before going to ensure you have a spot.

Kitiya Khamyaem

It was nice and delicious tonkotsu ramen. The broth was packed with flavours, thick cut chashu yummmm. We didn’t make any reservations but we were seated with 10-15 mins. Staffs are very friendly and the service was quick.

Corine F

Great experience at Sansotei Ramen. Service was super fast on a Saturday at lunch. And staff was really nice! The place itself has a nice interior design. Food: Gyozas were so yummy! I had the tonkotsu+. It was good but I will try something more popular next time. My boyfriend had miso black, it was good!

Lisa

One of my FAVORITE ramen places in Ottawa! My go-to soups is their Tonkotsu ramen. It is pork broth based. The broth was super creamy and savoury, and very comforting. So happy to find more good ramen options in the city.

Ilon T

We’ve been meaning to check this place out for a while and we popped up very last minute, towards closing time and the staff made us feel extremely welcome and unrushed! The ramen was so good, we ended up getting a third one to go - the “12” is really nice, simple and a fantastic value! Everything from the aesthetic to the cleanliness is top notch! PS: Peppers and oils are available for those that want to spice things up!

Luis Ortiz

Superb ramen! Like being in Japan again! There were already 4 ramen types sold out at 7pm. We tried a) the MAZEMEN ramen, a veggie version that was oily and smoky and b) the TONKOTSU plus. Arrive early and enjoy.

Julie Hoang

Waited in line outside on Tuesday night but it was worth it. It was the best ramen I've ever had outside of Japan. We ordered the gyozas, tonkotsu black and tomato ramen. Tomato ramen was our favourite, would love to come back and try the others! The customer service was exceptional, they greeted us just like in Japan and also thanked us in Japanese before we left 😊. If you want a true Japanese ramen experience go here!!

Mathew

October 28, 2021 Authentic ramen! This place is awesome. The location is central. The service was superb. There's street parking close by. However, make sure you make reservations or come early...unless you mind waiting outside. Highly recomend!

Sean Burnett

Nothing but great things to say. Great service and fantastic food!

Todd White

Quality is excellent, service is brisk, and flavors are authentic. It can be busy, so expect a wait.

Djem

Very nice place. Went here on a Friday at 6PM - and there were people lined up. Do not let this discourage you as we only waited 15 minutes. Very fast service by polite and considerate staff. The ramen was delicious!

Amelia Riana

After roaming around downtown, I could recommend to the travelers out there to try this Ramen. Sansotei Ramen probably serves the best ramen in Canada, although it is quite lacking at the service section. The place is quite popular, and just like Japanese ramen shop, it is packed inside and a little chaotic with busy kitchen and people rushing here and there. We don't mind at all, but this might not be the best place to eat out with your children. The Spicy Tan Tan Ramen is phenomenal. Very spicy. The Katsu and Soyu, well the taste has been modified to fit with the local taste, and different ingredients from different area will alter the flavour. To summarize: eat here if you have time to spare since there is always a line, don't bring kids, and if you like spicy, order the spicy tan tan.

Sophie B

Went to the location on Merivale tonight. The guy cooking the noodles was taste testing the soup using the same spoon, putting it in his mouth, tasting another bowl of soup, spoon into mouth again, and again. Spoon was not cleaned after each tasting. Was doing this repeatedly. I hope he was germ free! We left immediately. Others waiting in line also so the unhygienic practice and left also.

Lunny

2019/04/04 I had time for dinner at Sansotei Ramen before heading to the airport. I had walked passed it last week and noticed a small lineup outside, and today was no different. I ended up waiting about 20 minutes and ended up sharing a table with a couple. It’s a relatively small place with seating for about 35 people, mostly at 2-tops. While I was waiting for a table I had time to look at the menu, so I was ready to order when I was seated. Tonkatsublack $(12.75) and Seaweed Salad ($5). When I asked, the server recommended the thin noodles with the dish. The salad came first, and was dressed with something that was sweet with a bit of citrus. Pleasant start to the meal. The ramen bowl was piping hot, except for the egg. I suspect the egg was previously cooked and chilled before adding to the bowl. The pork belly was a pleasant salty, and the black mushrooms were sliced thin and tasty. The noodles were cooked just right, and the soup was hearty. Service was fairly fast. So it was a good bowl of ramen, but I’m still not sure why there are lineups.

Josh Korn

Very, very good. I got just a Tonkatsu Ramen and some tea. Superb, balanced flavour. Very friendly service, even during a busy lunch hour.👍

Cease Wyss

Very delicious traditional Ramen!! It was well presented and a very well crafted soup broth. I waited in the doorway for 10 minutes, then I was seated and served quite quickly after sitting and ordering. Nice, clean atmosphere, comfortable seating and friendly staff. I also ordered gyoza and it was delicious! I would totally go there again and again.

Shivank Dinesh Kumar

Hi Zomato users! Positive: Great ambience. BEST Ramen place in Ottawa! Brilliant and appealing presentation of ramen. Fantastic & prompt service. Small & Focused menu. Place: Good location. It's a nice, small, cosy eatery. There's always crowd, so'll have to wait. Negative: Wait time. (approx. 30mins) My Credibility: I have eaten food from a wide spectrum ranging from Michelin starred restaurants to street food eateries. Cheers guys!

Nomnomnom

Quality of food: 5/5 Service: 3.5/5 Atmosphere: 3/5 Price: $$ This is the best ramen soup I have ever had so far!!!! The place is always so busy for a reason. You can pick either thin or thick noodles. I would recommend for the thick noodle. The thickness of the pork was just right for the ramen. I finished all the soup as well. My ramen costed $11.50. I'm going back there again before leaving Ottawa.

Hungry87

So, where do I begin. This place has been out the door popular since the day it opened its doors. In no universe would I ever wait in a long line (especially in the winter) for a bowl of soup. Yes, trendy it may be, tasty, good quality and authentic Japanese, but in the end, come on people, it’s a fancy bowl of soup. That being said, when I went, there was a 5 minute wait when they cleared a table and we were in. I ordered the gyoza and miso black, both were very good and well priced. Overall I enjoyed the food and would recommend it, however, don’t wait in a line for it. If you can get in under 15 Mins, fine, but don’t be a sucker and wait 30 Mins + For a bowl of soup.

Bowsing Nom Noms

Sansotei is part of a ramen chain which already has multiple locations in the Greater Toronto Area. I’ve tried a few different types of broth here and I enjoyed them all equally. You get a choice between thick or thin noodles. I prefer the thick noodles to trap in all the flavours of the soup. As well, they have some pretty tasty gyudon (generously-flavoured, thinly-sliced beef over rice, which I have yet to find anywhere else in Ottawa). I’ll have to admit I have over-done it with ordering a gyudon, gyoza, and ramen, all in the same meal. Sometimes, I just can’t choose between all the tasty options!

GirlWhoLovesFood

This was my second ramen experience and I am so happy I chose to go to Sansotei. We got Spicy Tan Tan x2, Tonkotsu and an order of gyoza. We added an extra of noodles to each bowl. It was quick and delicious. My husband loved the pork! My favourite part is the delicious eggs.

Carolyn Wang

The decor is great, nice relaxed atmosphere, pleasant service, and amazing food. The ramen is soooo good and the broth in all of them is so flavorful. I had what I think is called gyudon which was also incredibly good I really don't know what else to say. This place is awesome.

Chelsea Konyk

I have been to Japan, and the ramen here is comparable. From the moment you walk in, you are greeted by the staff in the traditional Japanese way (everybody yelling at you and welcoming you). The ramen noodles are handmade daily, and the broth has very good depth and complexity. The Gyoza are tasty and crisp (although they could be a little larger in size), and if you get a chance to order the crepe cake, DO IT. One thing I love about Japanese dessert is that it's not overly sweet. This restaurant is very busy so if you're planning on popping in for a quick lunch, don't count on it. Be prepared to wait for up to 30 minutes in line, it's well worth it. Trust me.

Adam Winters

This ramen place is good as fuck. I don't understand why all these uppity people are being so pretentious saying 'it's the best in Ottawa, but not as good as famous places in seattle'. Like fuck off, I didn't know Zomato was about comparing cuisine to other locations across the globe. Here's what you need to know. I hate soup. I hate pho. I gave this place a try against my will and fell in love. The dimensions of flavor this place brings to something as simple as broth is amazing. Don't let the moderate score fool you. This place is fantastic.

Golf Chick

The best soup I ever had! I had the Tonkatsu Black. The broth was very flavorful and the pork belly was very tender. Pork dumplings were excellent! Everything was hot. The service was excellent. I can't wait to go back :)

Jessica Parent

Came here for dinner last night since there wasn't a lineup for a change. Almost every time I have walked by, be it 3:30pm or 8:30pm, on a Tuesday or a Saturday, it's had a line outside. So this rare occasion I decided to give it a try. Service was incredibly fast and efficient. The price point is pretty reasonable for what you get as well. The decor definitely suits the menu, and while the menu is small, it feels like care was put into everything on it. It's definitely a matter of "do a few things and do them well" rather than trying to do everything in a mediocre way. I tried the Tonkatsu Black. It came out much faster than I was expecting, and the broth was so rich and satisfying, and the extra flavour of the garlic oil was fantastic. The egg was perfect, and the pork belly was great as well. Overall, I'd say it's definitely in my top 2 for ramen in Ottawa, and for the price, it is great value. I'd highly recommend this place for the quality and price. However, I am not sure I'd say it warrants waiting in the normal line they attract. If you pass by and there is space though, I'd absolutely say to give it a try!

Flavoury

The service was fast and friendly. Meat was tasty and tender, broth was very flavourful. Have tried many ramen places in Toronto, and this definitely measures up.

Stephanie White

Nearly a year now after opening, Sansotei Ramen has become my favorite ramen shop in Ottawa and it continues to attract locals who have been looking for some flavorful broth and noodles. Sansotei Ramen has a concise menu, focusing on several types of ramen and side dishes. The ramen options include their tonkotsu which is a creamy pork broth, tonkotsu black which is the pork broth topped with roasted garlic oil, miso black which is made with miso paste and topped with garlic oil, shoyu which is the soy sauce flavor ramen, spicy tan tan which has a spicy sesame broth, and tomato which has a sweeter broth. All the ramen bowls are served with either thick or thin noodles, and noodle refills are available if you are particularly hungry. For sides, there are slow cooked wings, gyoza (pan-fried Japanese style dumplings), zangi also known as karaage (fried chicken), gyudon (beef and onions on a bed a rice), and seaweed salad.

LydiaEatsOttawa

I love coming here. Small and cosy restaurant with very pleasant service. Their gyoza is delicious and I always get the tonkotsu. A friend got the tomato broth and it had more of a red curry taste. And another friend had the tonkotsu black and that was deliciously filled flavorful.

Catherine Schönfeldt

Personally, I think it's sub-par to ramen I've had in Vancouver & Seattle. Had the tonkutsu but lacking the wow factor and just doesn't have enough umami in the broth to make it that much more satisfying. I think these guys hold back on flavour but it's my personal opinion. Also the noodles were ok but not fantastic. I definitely won't be returning.

Sebra

The ramen here is the best in Ottawa and great to have on a cold winters night. Warms you right up with the amazing flavours of Japan! Haha, honestly it's actually really good, but prepared for the lines (get there at least 15-30 min early.

Eating Canada

I've had ramen in many places, and I can honestly say the Shoyu ramen I had here was 1000% better than the one I had in Japan Town in San Francisco. So filling, so good. Perfect for the cold weather right now. Get thick noodles, they're delicious with a little bite. Melt in your mouth pork belly and creamy half boiled eggs. Would eat this every day if I could!

Mariane LaFrance

First you wait in the door because it's amazingly popular (with reason) and the staff is really nice and quick about the wait. Brownie points right there. Then they get you seated and served almost right away. The service is super friendly and quick at every step. The food comes out just a few minutes later and it is AMAZING. Every item on the menu is simple but perfect. You can't go wrong. Everything about that place was perfect, including a very reasonable price. Seriously, I'm impressed and I'll be going back very soon.

Culinary Slut

Two days in Ottawa and two visits to this tucked away little gem. Had their Zangi (their version of Karage) and gyoza from the "sides" menu, and both the Shoyu and Tonkatsu ramen with thin noodles. The food here is very good (the thin noodles are appropriately al dente and the broth is rich and flavourful) and the an order of extra charsu for $2.00 is very generous and well worth doing. Service is fast and friendly, just like one should expect from a good ramen house. This place is well worth the visit. It is here that a comment on the overall rating on this site is warranted. The facing page rating is 3.1, yet the average rating from those of us who have taken the time to review is 3.875 - so let's round that up to 3.9! So, why the discrepancy (especially in light of the Yelp rating of 4.5)? This discrepancy between overall ratings on Zomato and the ratings from those who take the time to review has become prevalent, and is troubling. Not sure why it's happening, but the trend is nudging us to rely less on this site than others. Perhaps the good folks at Zomato need to look into this. Thanks for listening.

Vitaeats

8 of us came here for a mid week lunch and thought it was very good. Came out about 15 mins after ordering during lunch rush. We had just about everything on the menu. Getting extra noodles is worth it for the $1.50 they charge. Otherwise, a regular portion was enough for me. I prefer the tonkotsu ramen with thick noodles. The thin noodles looked like spaghetti noodles. They tasted fresh and chewy. The pork was also tender and fatty. Prices were fairly decent. Can't wait to eat here again!

Geskalney

I have formed a serious habit with this place. I want to try everything in the menu but I can't seem to bring myself to pass up the TONKOTSU BLACK. It's so ridiculously good that I crave it, all the time.

Zheng Wang

I think this is the best Ramen place in Ottawa so far. You cannot compare it to the famous ones in Toronto or Vancouver but decent for Ottawa. Portion is fare for the price, at for girls like myself and my friend. I would love for them to have combos like the other Ramen restaurants in Toronto which includes Ramen, a small bowl of rice with salmon or beef as topping, and a pickled vegetables as side dish

Hoxjennifer

Came on a Monday night around 7 ish, and there was no line. The place was packed though, and it was really hot. Eating here in the summer, be prepared for a sweat! Hot ramen + no AC = sweat. But it's quite good, considering Ottawa's ramen, however since this is a chain from Toronto, it really doesn't compare to other Toronto establishments like Kinton. They are skimpy on the meat, and the portions aren't very large for $10.50 (you can get pho for this price and it's usually larger portions just as a comparison). It's very hyped up, and it's good, don't get me wrong, but it's not the best out there.

Robyn

The ramen was delicious. The broth was rich and had a wonderful depth of flavour, the egg was cooked perfectly and the pork belly was just right. You have the choice of thick or thin noodles and Byron and I both opted for the thin noodles. Because of the small kitchen the noodles are not made on site, however they are excellent ramen noodles with just the right bite to them.

Generically Honest

Went for dinner on a Tuesday night at 7 and had to wait 20 minutes. The place is pretty small but it was worth. Considering this is Ottawa, the Ramen is hands down the best in the city. I got the second Ramen item on the list and it was super flavourful! The pork belly was really juicy and melted in your mouth. The soup base was packed with flavour, a tad salty, but you could tell it wasn't some cheap powder soup base. This is definetly a place you want to visit if you crave Ramen. The only downside was the wait and the serving sizes aren't huge (only one size and comparable to a medium bowl at pho). The pricing was about 10.50 plus tax for a bowl which is superb downtown. If they offer take out I'd highly recommend to avoid the line up, just call ahead before doing this.

Review Sansotei Ramen - Ottawa