Review Sansotei Ramen - Toronto

Really good food, mainly Ramen of course. But the side dishes (Corn croquettes and Fried Chicken) were excellent as well. The service was excellent. The place was clean, not crowded, and the prices were reasonable. Highly recommended!

Sansotei anchors the heart of Little Tokyo. It’d been years since my last visit to Sansotei Ramen in downtown Toronto. Back then, the small restaurant was packed and I was impressed by the rich ramen broth along with the edible flower placed on Miso Black Ramen. This time, it was less busy though this shop has exploded to many locations. I tried their limited time Tonkotsu+ offering. Staff swiftly brought forth a bowl, consisting of chashu, pastrami, small shiitake, meatballs, daikon & truffle oil on a smooth rich pork broth. A bit of everything. Thin ramen noodles did well to pickup the salty broth flavours accentuated by the toppings. Interesting though not on-par with more traditional ramen options on the menu. When it opened a decade ago, Sansotei was among those that led the ramen craze. It’s little changed in its crammed quarters, with limited seating for perhaps 6-7 tables. The smell from downstairs wasn’t pleasant. A nautical rope hung overhead for perhaps a Hokkaido theme.

I had Tonkatsu black with thin noodle, and it was amazing! The broth and garlic oil was very tasty, and the noodle was cooked to the perfection. The chashu was very good, a lot more flavorful than other ramen restaurants I tried before. I wonder if they glazed or grilled it. Haven’t had good ramen like this since I moved to the Midwest (St. Louis, MO and Kansas). Glad to be in the city again and really appreciate the good food and great service!

Great little ramen spot. Fast service, nice servers. Seems to be small on capacity so beware of waits and lines but the ramen was reasonably priced and very flavourful! Tried the Tonkatsu+ which had truffle oil that was unique. The Tonkatsu black tasted too good as well! For desert - get the cheesecakes; they taste nice and not too sweet.

The sides are not really that good. The dumplings are just cheap supermarket dumplings. The soft boiled chicken wings are bland and taste like soy sauce chicken that you can make at home. The ramen itself was not bad. Just don't get the sides.

Came here a couple days ago with my friend and the waitress was super nice and friendly! Food was also very delicious and one of the best ramen I’ve had in a restaurant!! :)

Great taste! Same/ very similar taste you can experience in Japan. I think the meals are prepared by Japanese cooks. The customer service is great too. Fair price. Definitely worth trying!

Had lunch here and tried the Tonkotsu+ which came with smoked pastrami, mushrooms, daikon, chashu, mini meatballs, scallions and truffle oil. I'm a big fan of truffle oil but found this dish to be a bit too heavy handed with the truffle oil on top. It left an oily film in my mouth which covered the taste of the other ingredients. Service is good.

One of the best places for Ramen<br/><br/>It is one of the best ramen places in Toronto. The food is delicious, the staff are very polite and they provide very good service. There is usually line up there but they try their best to seat everyone and they ensure to update you on the wait time. We often go here for ramen and our favorites are Tonkutsublack and spicy tantan (be careful if you don't like garlic taste though)

I went here for lunch on a chilly day. This restaurant does not disappoint. The broth was nicely seasoned and rich. The pork was tender and flavourful. The noodle was exquisite. Great ramen shop.

It’s a tradition ramen place. I tried their pork gyosa, it was really delicious. They were fresh steamed and succulent. My colleagues ordered ramen and I just loved their presentation, will definitely give it a try next time!

Best ramen in Toronto I love this place from my first time 3 years ago! The only thing that you need to be aware some times is too busy and you need to wait between 30 min and 60 min...

Best ramen joint in the city! Their tonkotsu broth is truly rich in flavor and they don't cut corners. Your bowl of ramen comes with super tender chashu (quantity of meat is maybe less than other places) and a hard boiled egg included. I specifically like their "black" ramen which have the addition of garlic oil. There is almost always a lineup for this place but the service is fast and it's worth the wait. Only drawback is that they don't pack your leftovers to go so you better be ready to slurp every last drop of that ramen!

Affordable price ramen with flavourful garlic or tomato broth. Tonkotsu and Tonkotsu black garlic is a must order. Thin noodles have nice texture but not as chewy.

Great tasty broth. Still dreaming of it today. Definitely one of the better Broth's I've tried, although the meat at Santouka is typically more tender (especially the jowl).

This tiny unpretentious place seems to have a huge following - even in the snow or freezing rain a line forms on dundas st, the patrons cheering each other on. I love ramen and this is one of the better options in Toronto. The soup is thick-ish and flavoursome. Can't go past the black garlic!

This is my favorite ramen place within 3 provinces which includes BC Manitoba and Ontario! It is hands down the best! Great noodle to soup ratio, great noodle consistency and texture! The soup is amazing and my favorite is the tonkatsu with black garlic oil! It has so much favor and punch it is honestly one of must try's in the GTA for sure!

Had to wait in line outside for 15 minutes when we got there around 9pm. Soup was a little too thick and strong in flavoring. The fried chicken was good. Overall, not that great but still better than Kinton, Kenzo and Ajisen.

Sansotei has great Ramen but features less dishes/broths and customizations than it's leading competitors. <br/><br/>Still it's something to really appreciate and does have an amazing traditional Tonkotsu broth with a garlic twist that really leaves the mouth wanting more!

This is among my top 5 favourite ramen places in the city. They're fairly consistent, but their broth is a little too salty with too much MSG for my taste. I don't go anymore, now that better options have opened up throughout the city. However, Sansotei has a location in Unionville now that I go to with my parents, sometimes. See photos and my review compared to most other ramen places in the city here:  cookingwithalison.com/2013/09/10/ramen-tour/

Outstanding experience. Superb ramen - we had the Spicy Tantan and the Tonkotsu Black. Both were rich and delicious. We enjoyed the Zangi (Hokkaido style karage) and seaweed salad for sides. Both were very good. We highly recommend Sansotei Ramen and will be back.

Rather underwhelming ramen---especially since we had queued for 20 minutes prior to being seated. Both the shoyu and spicy tantan broths lacked a deep flavour profile but ramen was slightly redeemed by the perfectly cooked noodles. I do not plan to return.

Best ramen place my bf and i have tried. We were just walking down the street and walked in. Next thing you know it was the best ramen ever. The broth was so creamy i loved it!

Sansotei is my favourite ramen restaurant. I find it quite flavourful but never too salty. The noodles are also chewy and delicious. The fried chicken is also a delicious side dish to have. Yum!

I had the Spicy Tantan. The broth was amazing! I could have used a bit more spice or chilli flakes to put on top but still good. The pork was okay-not amazing. I really enjoyed the consistency of the broth, and how it coated the noodles perfectly! I'll definitely be back to try the other ramen varieties this restaurant offers.

Really yummy ramen place! A tad heavy on the salt but I think that's ramen in general. The price is on point as it's very affordable and for the portion size it's a good value. One of the better ramen places I've been to in the city.

Great Raman! Small menu with only around 7-8 ramen choices, I've now tried 3 and all have been great. The spicy one is my personal favourite.

Lots and lots of flavours!!<br/>I've been to 2 of the locations and both places were super busy for lunch and dinner! But the rotation is super quick so no need to worry about waiting a long time. We had the shoyu ramen, black garlic donkotsu ramen, and gyoza. Both of the ramens were full of flavour but the gyoza was quite disappointing...it's not bad but it's not fantastic! I'd recommend this place for the ramen!

We ordered the regular Tonkatsu Ramen and the Tonkatsu Black Ramen.  Personally, I prefer the regular over the black version.  The noodle is decent and the broth is flavourful.  Overall quite decent - I like it better than Kinton or Kenzo in North York.

I came here for the tonkotsu black ramen which was delicious. We also had the gyoza which was good too. It was pretty busy, we had to wait about 30 minutes on a weekday evening, but once we were at a table, service was quick and helpful with our questions.

spicy ramen is good. fried chicken is awesome. But when you almost finish the ramen. the noodle soup is a little bit salty. Btw, you must wait a long line in cold wind!

Sansotei Ramen currently has two locations around the GTA- from what I gather on the internet, it seems like they'll be opening up a third location in Markham soon! On our visit, we went to their Dundas location- the small shop was steps away from the Yonge-Dundas Square and at a very convenient location. While we've definitely heard the name before, we had not found the right time to visit. To be completely honest, I went to the restaurant ready to be disappointed as I don't seem to be a fan of the traditional ramen bowl. But I am happy to report that I was very pleasantly surprised!  <br/><br/>Their storefront is certainly very small and cozy, with just a few tables squished closely together. A quick scan of the place showed five or six large tables that seat between 4-6. Luckily, we went on a Thursday night around 7PM and there was only a short 10-15 minute wait outside for a table for 6.<br/><br/>I'm always game for trying fried chicken and this time was no exception. The chicken was cut into small bite-sized pieces and deep fried 'til crispy. We generally prefer our fried chicken in larger pieces as it keeps more of the moisture in and there's more to enjoy. These pieces of chicken were slightly smaller than what we like and reminded Stanley of chicken nuggets.... While these chicken bites were delicious, we do prefer the fried chicken at Cafe Michi or Isshin Ramen.

Absolutely OUTSTANDING! Everything a bowl of ramen should be, and none of the things it should not. The fried chicken appetizer is a must, even if it means maybe not being able to finish your ramen. I'd eat here twice a week if I lived or worked close by.

Being a little under the weather, I was craving something warm and brothy: Ramen! We choose Sansotei this time. I liked the small menu. I feel it means the chefs are more focused! <br/>Yummy, well cooked noodles (so important to good ramen) first and foremost. My spicy Tantan's broth was rich and deep, it was made better with ground pork. I loved the the flavour of my broth; nice and spicy and my egg also added to the depth of flavours. I could feel my sinuses clear up, and my cold recede! <br/>The Wife had the Black Mushroom broth with pork belly. It was good, nice and rich, but she felt the mushroom flavour was a little one dementional after a while. A chilli element might have helped. Still, she enjoyed it! <br/>We also had fried chicken bits to start. Nice and crispy! <br/>Go for yummy noodles (thick or thin) and rich broth!

The best ramen in DT Toronto. Place is clean and japanese modern, food is inexpensive and the Karaage in itself is worth the trip. Only down side is the small space and its always crowded.

This is my favorite place for Japanese Ramen in Toronto the lineups are always long so I always come here at odd times to get a seat and yummy bowl of noodles. I normally order the tone Kutsu Ramen and it satisfies my Ramen cravings.

A friend of mine suggested this place after a coffee break.  It was packed and the overflow was directed to wait outside on the sidewalk.  Not kidding!  Luckily, the turnover was fast and we had a table in 10 minutes.  The menu is a one pager with about 5 ramens at the top.  Pretty standard: Sea Salt, Soy, Black Bean, Hot, and Regular with Pork Belly and Egg with some bamboo shoots.  I had the spicy "Dan Dan" soup.  The bowl was average size.  The soup was good but was noticeably salty.  This was a huge turn off.  The pork belly was panned fried before being infused with the soup.  It was good but not enough of it.  The thick noodle was on the tough side.  With all the ramen places popping up these days, this was a disappointment to say the least.

Sansotei ramen. The restaurant is small but they serve good food. Service is okay. I love the soup here and the spicy tantan. A must try.

Turn around is fast though so the wait is quick. The menu is short, concise and the servers efficient. My go to order is the Tonkotsu Ramen with thick noodles and an extra marinated soft boiled egg on top. The broth is milky, creamy, on the salty side, and the noodles perfectly al dente. The thin slices of bbq pork belly is rolled, thin and melts in your mouth. Another good option is the Spicy Tan Tan Ramen for those who enjoy some heat. In addition to ramen, Sansotei’s Chashu Don (bbq pork belly over rice) is a good bet. Sansotei is a perfect sto

My New Favourite Ramen in Toronto. There's a number ramen restaurants that have opened up in Toronto in the last few years, and Sansotei is currently my favourite. The location is a bit small, often causing a line to form outside - but the ramen is worth the wait. <br/><br/>My usual order is the Tonkotsu ramen with thin noodles, and an extra egg + pork belly, depending how hungry I am. The broth is delicious, and the pork speaks for itself when you see it - though if you're trying to eat healthy I'd avoid ordering extra. Take a look at the pictures and you'll know what I mean.<br/><br/>If I had to dock them for anything, it would be that the cost starts to add up if you add extras - they'll also charge you $2 for tea. That being said, this is still by far my favourite place for ramen.

Chinese owner, Chinese manager.... As usual, just like some other ramen places in toronto, Chinese owner with Chinese manager with Japanese staff...<br/>Good way of making customers think that this place is legit Japanese....<br/>But fact that owner is Chinese, how restaurant runs is Chinese way....<br/>Example will be: very little portion of toppings compared to other ramen places in toronto, very small portion of side dishes (4 gyoza, 7 small pieces of chicken karaage)<br/><br/>If they stop being cheap, this place will be great compared to other ramen places in toronto, but the fact that they are cheap, makes me not want to visit here that often

Nearly perfect. I ate here for the first time the day before writing this. I don't live in toronto and don't visit often. My cousin, who spends a lot of time in Japan, raved about this place so we went. What an incredible cultural experience it was for me. From the outside line-up to the 100% Japanese staff, I felt like I was in Japan. The food was excellent. When I first looked at the photos on their website I honestly didn't think I would like it, but I was wrong. I had the Spicy TanTan and some gyozi as well as some zangi. It was all delicious. The one and only complaint I would have is that I believe they use msg in their food. If it wasn't for that it would be perfect.

Good ramen. Tasty not too much fat good value at less than $10 but now that I am graduating I won't be coming downtown anymore so bring one to Aurora!

Best ramen in town. I've tried kinton, santouka and ajisen do far and me and my friends mutually agree that this is the best one.<br/>with different type of noodle to choose from, and rich soup broth with large melt-in-your-mouth pork slices are absolute favorite. not a big fan of tonkoutsu black but the miso, tonkoutsu, and shio are great. The waiters are also very friendly and happy

Good But Not The Best - Canada's Future Tim Hortons (Noodles And Broths Are The New Donuts And Muffins)?. E: Sansotei offers its stock Tonkotsu Ramen (thicker pork bone broth with pork belly, black fungus, egg and green onion) as well as Tonkotsu Black (Tonkotsu with garlic oil), Miso (includes corn and excludes black fungus), Shio or salt (includes bamboo shoot and excludes black fungus), Shoyu or soya sauce (like Shio) and Spicy Tantan (with bean sprout and ground pork). The last item is prepared in limited quantities. There is pop, hot and cold tea and even Ramune on the drinks’ menu. What caught my attention is the $2 charge for tea. Just for yuks they also have a muffin on the menu.<br/>Waitress one suggested Tonkotsu. This ramen is best when it is smooth yet creamy. It was $9.60. When they first opened it was $9.25.<br/>I suggested Zangi, which is deep fried chicken and also known as karaage. It costs $4.50.<br/>Waitress asked about noodle types. While Sansotei does not offer different broths or choices of cut of meat, it has recently begun customizing the noodles for customers.<br/>Thin and Thick noodles are listed on the menu. Original is also available, but for some reason not listed. Normally, I choose thick noodles because I like ramen as such and chewy. However, since I wanted straight and bouncy noodles she recommended thin noodles. Thin noodles are straight and chewy. Original noodles are straight, but not chewy. The Thick noodles are curly and not straight. Thankfully, the thin noodles were not scrawny.<br/>Waitress Two brings the ramen.<br/>It is salty and tastes of MSG. It is moderately oily, yet delicious. It could be richer, but is not a subtle ramen. The two pieces of included chashu or pork belly are tender and larger than average. The egg was a tad runny and just perfect. They offer you a full egg and do not skimp with only a half. The mushrooms and green onions were just right. The saltiness was indeed excessive and they would do well to tone it down however.<br/>The averagely deep bowl held the right quantity of ramen.<br/>The broth was quite good and the noodles were firm. The ramen at Sansotei avoids the unwelcome eccentricity one experiences at certain competitors.<br/>The ramen was warm until the end, which is also a gripe of mine at the competition. No such problem exists at Sansotei.<br/>Waitress Three, in the meantime, brings a small basket of Zangi.<br/>‘Zangi’ is the Hokkaido term for chicken karaage or Japanese style deep fried chicken. It is a small basket and smells of fresh deep fried blister. Why do they call it Zangi and not the more prevalent karaage? The wife of the owner is Japanese and hails from Sapporo on the island of Hokkaido. Ironically, over at ‘Hokkaido’ Ramen Santouka they call the dish, ‘karaage.’ My first bite was without a squirt of the lemon on the side. The zangi was quite good. It was tender inside and a little crispier outside. The cute basket was small and was absorbing the oil from the six pieces. It was not as good with the lemon added. Do not squeeze lemon as it overdoes a batter, which already has flavour infused.<br/>The menu is handwritten, minimalist and simple. The food is good. <br/>-<br/>A: Located in Chinatown the ramenya caters to OCAD students, passers-by, Chinese-Canadian diners, who are the bread and butter of any Japanese restaurant in Toronto, and is best accessed from Dundas or Osgoode subways. A newer location is on Yonge near Bloor and owner Zhang is spending time there leaving his wife at the Dundas location. Parking is expensive and inconvenient. It is a narrow and dim ramenya accommodating only one row of tables and two stools at a counter by the window. The staff might soon suffer from claustrophobia. Even their room in the basement is a closet. To alleviate the narrowness the designer has adorned the wall with mirrors. It partly explains the perpetual line-ups outside. <br/>Something I personally like and did not find at Sansotei is watching the chefs prepare the noodle and broth. Not sure how anyone else feels about it, but for this writer ramenya is ramenya when one can sit across from the chefs as the food is being prepared. In Toronto one finds the set-up at Santouka, Kinton and Raijin's counter seating. This is also the normal way of things in Japan.<br/>This side of an arashi or snowstorm it was a good day to slurp ramen at the wooden counter looking out given the shower infusing life onto the concrete. It was three o’clock - to line up to pay someone makes no sense - and yet Sansotei was half full. Thankfully, they remain open all day. Unfortunately, they close at 10 even on weekends.<br/>There is Japanese idol music on the PA system, but the restaurant is relatively quiet if one is accustomed to the boisterous pronouncements at Kinton, welcome and farewells at Santouka Hokkaido or door-holding of Isshin, etc. When walking in the waitress pointed at a table and nodded regarding sitting at the counter. It was almost understated. There is a sporadic “irashaimasse” or welcome at Sansotei.<br/>The washroom in the basement is relatively clean and tolerable. The door does not close properly and constantly remains ajar meaning the waitstaff have to run and shut it. Do not sit right across from it – or actually do in the summer!<br/>For some reason there is a nautical rope hanging from the ceiling. Is it anchoring a ship docked on the second floor? Do they serve fish upstairs? Do the Sansotei owners dream of operating a seafood restaurant? Will fish broth replace pork bone under cover of dark one nefarious night and the owners feign no surprise? In reality, the Chinese-Canadian co-owner, or his Japanese wife, imagine the rope represents Japan.<br/>-<br/>T: Waitress One, Two and Three were quick and on the ball. Then again it was mid-afternoon. The water was refilled twice and waitress Three was happy to chat about the sign outside and share a scribble.<br/>The ramen, zangi and water arrived promptly. <br/>Waitress Four Midori was quick to deliver the bill, return with the machine and say ‘thanks for coming.’<br/>There is a constant line-up outside Sansotei. Every time one passes by it seems they are mocking the neighbouring businesses with their sell-out power. Incidentally, they are known to run out of ramen on certain evenings. Kenzo across the street probably won’t do, but becomes the beneficiary anyway. <br/>-<br/>S: The staff is Japanese and converse with each other often. The waitresses were all friendly. Ask a question and they are happy to explain or go over the simple menu. Sansotei is not as insistent on loud service as the more managed and corporate competitors in the city, which is probably a break for the staff, but that just means they have to rely that much more on the noodle of the matter.<br/>One doubts a ramenya owned by a man called Michael Zhang would be any good. It is. To his credit he does claim both an on-site Japanese wife and to have studied making ramen in Kagawa prefecture, Japan. A<br/>Chinese man opening up a Japanese restaurant with a Japanese name (hello Ajisen) is dubious and sadly par for the course in Toronto, but I will give them a pass due to the two above reasons and the superior ramen.<br/>Why the place is called Sansotei or ‘three grass place? ’ The Japanese co-owner’s name is Chigusa or “thousand grass” so that might have something to do with it.<br/>Torontonians are lucky to have Sansotei, Santouka, Ryus, Isshin, Raijin and Kinton. I would add Niwatei to the list as an option in Markham. Ryoji, Konnichiwa and Ematei are also good ramen options. There was a Cali place here serving California sandwiches before. The future has arrived.

Awful. A friend mentioned Sansotei and after reading a few reviews, I decided to give it a try. This place is overhyped! I had the tonkotsu black. The noodles were overcooked (which I absolutely hated), and the broth was comparable to Luke warm saltwater. I eat quite a bit of salty foods on a regular basis, however, after one sip of the tonkotsu broth I was shocked at the amount of salt and was chugging from my cup of water during the entire ordeal. They only give you 3 slices of pork belly so if you love meat, prepare to be disappointed. I left my bowl unattended while I went to the washroom and the waitress cleared my table with my bowl still half full. I was not even a little filled from my meal here and I left to eat elsewhere. Complete waste of money.

So simple yet soooo tasty. Being in the area, we've heard good things about it and decided to stop by for lunch. Even with the horrible snow storm outside the place was still pretty packed with people which has to be a testament of how good this place really is. The smells coming from the kitchen were simply awesome and had me salivating. The menu is small - like under 15 items small which is perfect. I ordered the spicey noodle option which was mild and quite happy it was since I can't handle extreme spice and heat. The food came promptly after we had ordered and inhaled the aroma coming from the bowl and it smelled as great as it tasted. I typically don't drink the broth after I finish but I wanted more noodles just so I could finish it all off. Overall I felt very content when I finished!

Amazing Ramen Downtown. We've tried Santouka, Ajisen, and Kenzo. While we still need to try Kinton, Sansotei is our favourite thus far. The place is very authentically Japanese and busy, so try to go during off hours so you don't have to wait too long. <br/><br/>The place is very small, but the staff are kind and the food is definitely worth the wait. Tonkotsu ramen is the best broth in our opinion, and I usually add extra Chashu and noodles. <br/><br/>The broth is creamy and delicious, and the amount of oil in the noodles is perfect for our tastes. The chashu is tender and seasoned perfectly. It is the best ever! We will always go back to get some delicious Tonkotsu ramen whenever we are in the area. Just go at like 3:30pm. <br/><br/>Spent: $25-30 for 2 people.

After reading thr raving reviews, i decided to give this place a try. Tonkotsu was extremely oily. A friend had another ramen and could not finish it because of the grease. Disappointed.

Worth the Wait. It's a small place and often has a line outside it's front doors. I went with a party 4 on a Wednesday evening and we were able to get in within 15 minutes which is not a bad at all.<br/><br/>Food came out really quickly. I had the Spicy Tan Tan and it was delicious! Good broth, definitely had a great kick to it. Loved the noodles although I wish there were more of them! <br/><br/>Overall a great dining experience!

Why do these places have no imagination. They are all in the same area near each other. If you drive from New market is it is an hour to get there. Let's see some options elsewhere outside downtown TO where a world also does exist

I went here because I live a block away and pass this place everyday and there is always a line up during dinner (the first time I saw the line I thought they were giving out free food or something). This place is super cozy (aka.small and narrow) but the food was well worth the cozy atmosphere and would recommend it for anyone who wants to try real ramen. This is the first time I ate ramen (outside of Mr.Noodles) and I got to say it was pretty delicious. I ordered the Tonkasu ramen and my mom ordered the miso one. I tried hers and found the soup to be a little too salty and much preferred what I ordered. The ramen was cooked perfectly had that aldante bite to it, the black fungus gave the soup an earthy base, the green onions gave the soup a fresh taste, and I always love eggs when they are in soup. The one that came in the bowl was perfectly soft boiled. The only let down was the pork belly which was not that good as it tasted like boiled meat and really was not tasty. I know this is probably how it is traditionally made but I love pork belly crispy not boiled as its too fatty to be enjoyable that way. Just my opinion. Love the place and would probably come back when it gets cold.

Yummy broth. Sansotei is definitely one of the better ramen spots around town.<br/>Their broth is very tasty without being too oily (still on salty side, but that's expected for ramen places)<br/>The only improvement I can comment on is their noodles which I found too soft on my visit, but this is more of a personal preference. (Maybe they can also offer option for noodles to be soft/medium/hard)<br/>Recommendations: Tonkotsu and Spicy Tantan

Waited in line with a friend... Got seated... Then got kicked out... Not sure why...

Delicious Tonkotsu. My wife and I were craving ramen and haven't had any since coming back from Sapporo's in NYC in February; so we pulled up google to search for a ramen spot nearby. Unfortunately, living away from Toronto it would require a bit of a drive. Regardless, we decided to make a day of it, and tried Sansotei's out. I had the Tonkotsu, and it was divine. The pork was incredibly tender and the broth very rich but not too salty. Couldn't have asked for more. My wife had the Miso and loved it. We also had the gyoza and edamame for sides, I'm not too big a fan of the edamame, but my wife was hehe. The gyoza was great as well.<br/><br/>All in all, the hour trip each way was worth every minute just to be able to enjoy a great meal like this. Will be returning :)

Kinton was better. Don't get me wrong the noodles were good, but I had just gone to Kinton a few weeks ago and that was better all around - price, noodles, soup and portion. It's just too bad I had something to compare it to. It's still pretty good!

Amazing. A little salty at times but hands down best Ramen in the city.

Not worth the wait.... It was okay but definitely nothing extraordinary to rave about. The broth was too salty for my taste and the flavour choices are limited. Went there twice with friends but would not go again as there are better ramen options. The staff were friendly though!

Amazing broth! Tried Tonkotsu and miso ramen. Miso ramen is to-die-for. Choose thick noodle for the better texture.

Great ramen, although maybe on the more expensive side, the taste of product was fantastic. Really excellent service.

I m very satisfied with my tonkatsu ramen. Everything is just so good. Soup and noodle are good, not salt/greasy. The pork is tender and the fat part is so good. My personal opinion, this is the best ramen I have tried so far....

I like it overall but it was not as good as last time. The noodles are soggy and the pork belly cut is too thick just like Kinton. I would like to see consistency in quality and the uniqueness to distinguish from Kinton or Santouka!

Pasta and noodles in broth. I was early because I had not intended to eat here but it was very windy and I was hungry so I walked in. Because I was early the owner was there and so it is that he is Chinese and serve pasta in broth. I am happy I was early because it was soon full up but gee $12 for a soup named after Italian noodle and the roman inventors is a bit too much. Anyway the owner is from China and he should emphasize value and less expensive items too. Nice man but come on it is expensive. And they wanted $ for tea so no man thanks

Subtle. Went for dinner and ordered the tonkotsu with thin noodles. The whole thing was nicely done -- melt-in-your-mouth pork, perfectly cooked egg, loads of black fungus. The soup is not salty at all. I should have ordered extra ramen as I was still hungry afterwards. <br/><br/>Is it worth lining up for? I would say no. While I fell head-over-heels over the tokusen toroniku ramen at Santouka, the ramen at Santotei just doesn't make my heart beat faster.

Had the Tonkatsu broth with thick noodles.<br/>It was amazing.. and the green tea mochi was really good as well.<br/>Better than Santouka in my opinion!<br/>Santouka was way too oily and salty..

I like Sansotei better than Kinton. Had Miso Ramen at both places. Taste-wise Sansotei was better. Pork melts in your mouth and the egg was delicious! It's soooooo soft and the yolk is still runny! Incredible texture! Yum! Only thing I would complain about is the portion ;) too small haha

Sansotei Ramen review. The place is cozy just like other ramen places, their menu was very simple. We ordered Tonkontsu Ramen, Tonkotsu Shoyu Ramen, gyoza (dumplings) and zangi (deep fried chicken). Their bowl looked small, but the amount was just perfect considering that everyone was satisfied (full) in the end. It’s located near Dundas St. and Bay St. (downtown Toronto) we saw on the way while we were walking west from Yonge St. I recommend it, it helps you decide quick because there’s only four kinds of ramen. Also, it gave you a whole egg instead of half like other ramen places so that’s a plus.

Tonkatsu Ramen. I had a major ramen craving this whole week and decided to satisfy that craving by eating here twice within 3 days. I've heard the line-ups can be ridiculous, but I came on a Monday and Wednesday evening after 8pm, so the wait was only 10min and 25min respectively, which was well worth it, if you ask me. Had the tonkatsu ramen the first time and it was absolutely amazing! Perfectly cooked soft boiled egg, soft tender pork belly, and flavourful cloudy soup with yummy al dente ramen noodles. The second day I had the miso ramen. Still pretty good, but not as flavourful and delicious as the tonkatsu. I will definitely be coming back, and very soon i might add!

Hits the mark on a blustery day. Picked the right day for a hot bowl of ramen soup - winter is coming to Toronto! The tonkatsu ramen looked just like all the pictures on this site.<br/>- Eggs poached perfectly (yolk is still moist)<br/>- Pork belly - tasty, proper seasoning (not too salty)<br/>- Noodles - thin style ramen (al dente)<br/>- Broth - best for last: flavorful without MSG (I am allergic to that stuff); minimal oils; cloudy soup.<br/>I slurped the noodles like one of the Extras in the classic Tampopo movie.<br/>Yes. This place is genuine. <br/>Lunch time soup is great. I will have to try dinner to see if quality is affected (based upon the inconsistent reviews).

Good soup but the noodles are disappointing.... I went with a tonkatsu ramen and the gyoza dumplings. The ramen came with a soft-boiled egg, wood fungus, green onion, and pork belly (chashu). The soup was very rich, flavorful, creamy, and smooth. The ramen noodles were a bit disappointing, as it came off undercooked and not quite the quality of ramen you'd expect. The gyoza were good but nothing really to write home about. There certainly has been much hype over this place but overall a good meal. Service was quick and attentive but do note we had to line-up for quite sometime.

Went here on wednesday night at around 6 and had to wait for around 30 minutes, which we were prepared for. the food was mediocre, which we were not prepared for! we'd read in some reviews that the fried chicken was amazing, and being big fans that was the first thing we ordered. dry, way too much breading, no flavour, tasted like it had been sitting out for a while, not crispy at all. ramen was pretty good, meat was decent, noodles were quite good but the rest was just ok. my friend got the tonkotsu, I tried the shoyu. I was very excited about the mochi and that was another disappointment. the outer chewy part was thin and NOT chewy.<br/>not a terrible meal, it was still pretty good and satisfied that ramen craving, but definitely not worth the wait.

Came here with 2 friends to see what all the hype was about. I had the tonkustyu noodles and they were delicious! Salty though, not for people on low-salt diets. Side portion of fried chicken was tiny though. Gyoza were good. <br/><br/>Staff were nice but the place is cramped. Sharing a 6 person table between 2 groups of 3 is a bit close for comfort.<br/><br/>Would come back but when the hype dies down! The line up was too long

I didn't get a free invite so my review is honest. This food is pasta soup and lots of salt and they still will do good because it was so busy. $15 for a soup?

Their line up system is a mess! No one comes out to take names, just let customer line up outside. It will be easier if they just take down our names and just call out.

Why is there always a line?. I live around the corner and thought that a restaurant that can have a line around the block all the time must have some good food. I have no idea why people would wait. Its small and totally crowded. The service was mediocre and I had to wave my server a few times before coming over. The food came out in a relatively quick time but it was not that great. The next day, my mom ended up getting sick over the food. Never going back. I even walk past the line and tell people not to waste their time.

Ever since coming back from New York and trying Totto Ramen, I was in desperate need to find a restaurant in Toronto that had a similar taste and quality as Totto. After researching online, I had found great reviews for Sansotei Ramen with some reviewers suggesting that the taste was similar to the ramen in Japan. Sansotei Ramen has two locations in downtown Toronto, with one on Yonge St. and the other on Dundas St W...

A large entwined rope was hung down the store ceiling to mimic the nature of the noodles.  The reflecting black surface on the west wall made the restaurant appear wider.  A modern minimalist decor, made the space look down to earth and comfortable to sit it. Zan Gi , Deep Fried Chicken ($4.50) is served on a straw basket lined with paper towels to absorb the oil on the chicken bites.  The chicken pieces were juicy and full of natural chicken flavour.  I was expecting a dried crispy surface though, hence I was a bit disappointed to find it oily, with a moist surface.  A slice of lemon was served with the chicken bits, and the squeezed juices add a hint of tartness to the chicken bites.  Tonkotsu Black  ($9.85) was served with pork belly, black fungus, egg, green onion and black garlic oil.  Soup base was very creamy, with a lot of pork flavour.  The  black garlic oil did not do anything particular to enhance the soup.

With so many ramen noodle shops scattered all over the place, you’d think I would have been content with a bowl of ramen north of the city, where the parking is plentiful and free! But no…For my very first authentic ramen noodle experience, I wanted to try the shop that so many had assured me was the best ramen noodle joint in the city!

This one will be worth your time people. Nothing bad about this place and your food gets prepared within 10 minutes.  Bam, bam, bam lols.

There’s almost always a line-up outside of this place when I pass by. It was still pretty busy even at around 8:45pm! While small and a tad cramped, I like the setup of this place. It’s very bright and lively. The service here was SUPER friendly and attentive.

Oh, I absolutely lovedddd the broth. One spoonful and I couldn’t get enough of more. It was a bit creamy and veryyy flavourful. I didn’t feel thirsty after the meal which was awesome!

Sansotei Ramen requires no introduction, given the fact that there is a line up outside every single time I walk past this ramen shop around lunch/dinner time.  I have been to Sansotei numerous times. Their menu is compact, serving up 6 types of ramen (Tonkotsu, Tonkotsu Black, Miso, Shio, Shoyu, Spicy Tantan), and a choice of thick or thin noodle. My go-to dish is their miso ramen with thick noodle, sometimes with extra chashu (pork belly) and bamboo shoots when I'm feeling particularly gluttonous.

This was the simplest yet most delicious ramen I have had in Toronto! The veggies were quite standard you could add more and more at the cost of 50 cents per veggie, and the cha-shu was cooked to perfection! Extremely crispy, so much flavour, so delicious. The soup was tonkotsu based and was fantastic. Probably on the saltier side but I love the salty ramens. You can even see the egg cooked very well too! still a little runny on the inside! I got extra noodles at the cost of 2$ extra but that doubled the size of my meal! so good!

...if you're looking for a quick ramen fix, I would definitely recommend Sansotei as one of the places to try! I was however, disappointed in the fact that this restuarant charged $2.00 for green tea, whereas at many other places, it is usually free of charge and that my broth was underwhelming. But if going to Sansotei Ramen with a large group (5+), be prepared to wait; this restaurant is not well equipped to handle a massive quantity of people. I will say this though: if you are looking for a bowl of ramen, perfect

I ordered the Tonkotsu Ramen with thin noodles and a Chashu Don (bbq pork belly on rice) was split for the table. The ramen broth was thick and creamy, not over salted and I liked the texture of the noodles. The soft boiled egg was also cooked well and I liked the added black fungus. There was no added garlic paste and the pork itself was a bit bland but the tasty broth made up for that, which my empty bowl attested to. For the Chashu Don, the sauce was good and the pork belly was crispy, it’s a good order for anyone who wouldn’t be satisfied with just the ramen, but not a must have

The service was decent and the Japanese pop music was playing at the perfect volume in the background. However, I was quite disappointed that there was no counter seating and the kitchen was hidden behind a wall.<br/>

For my first experience, I opted for the tonkotsu ramen ($9.60), which had a creamy soup base packed with pork flavour – whether you like it is dependent on your palate as I can see some may find it a tad "porky". Personally, I found it enjoyable, especially since it wasn’t too salty so could be enjoyed with the noodles. <br/><br/>Thinly sliced black fungus and green onions added a nice crunch and freshness to the overall dish. With a choice of thick or thin noodles, I went with the thick ones as they generally are more al dante. Sansotei certainly disappoint as they retained their springy bite. <br/><br/>The chashu (roasted pork) was perfectly marbled with alternating layers of meat and fat that made it very tender; likely only second to Sant

We would definitely come back to Santosei for another bowl of ramen. It's location is perfect for a quick lunch or dinner and then make your way to Eaton Centre for some shopping :)

Creamy broth with gooey half eggs and fatty pork. This ramen place is among the best in Toronto, and one of the cheapest ($10 vs. $15 at Momofuku).

I am giving Sansotei Ramen 4 out of 5 stars. (★★★★☆) because I don't believe that it isn't completely overhyped, given that Sansotei does not bring much originality to already crowded Toronto dining scene. Replicating success from elsewhere will not have long lasting appeal, no matter the high praises I have given. Trends come and go, Sansotei might be one of them.

It's a new ramen place in downtown. I have to say I like kinton more.  The price is similar, but the food in kinton is much more delicate. The taste of food here is not bad, but the portion is small. My friend was still hungry after his meal. He had one ramen and fried chicken but apparently still not enough for an adult man. The best sell is their Tonkotsu ramen. The soup is good, but the noodles could be better.  Hmmm....the location is pretty good, so we probably will be back. However, it's definitely not our best choice.

The two slices of pork belly had the perfect ratio of fat and meat. It was tender and well seasoned.

Sansotei is a small, simple eatery with an equally simple menu. It doesn’t have the bells and whistles of other ramens, but despite being a bit greasy, the rich broth is flavorful enough and is not oversalted. None of the broths are vegetarian. The gyoza were terrific although a quick wipe with a napkin wouldn’t hurt. I really need to do a ramen power ranking but as it stands Sansotei comes in Stallone style again (an underdog who proves to be a serious contender). In the end, it may not the be the Rocky of all ramen, but it sure isn’t the Rhinestone either.

I waited in line for about 15 minutes, and thought the meal definitely justified it. The purpose for your visit is straightforward, the menu is good value, and if you’re informed enough to arrive early, I’m certain you’ll have a pleasurable experience. Enjoy! Read full review...

...finally this is good pork! Perfect size and thickness, good balance of fat and tender meat, flavorful with slightly charred edges. Egg - softboiled, almost-runny sweet yolk, soft egg white with slight soy sauce flavor - so delicate! Green onion added fresh taste and the black fungus was nicely cooked Thick noodles Shio Shio broth is more clear and salty. I think the pork was a bit different (less burnt?) After reading mixed reviews on their thin noodles, I was skeptical about Sansotei, but my experience was better than expected. The Tonkotsu Ramen was good. I will be back :)

The egg noodles are spongy and just the right texture. The soup base is fantastic, rich in flavour yet not too salty and full of MSG after taste. I hate it when you get that thirsty feeling after sipping spoonful of soup with the noodles.

With all the new ramen places opening up in Toronto, the ramen-hype continues. This time we tried the newly open Sansotei. I remember just about 2 weeks ago, I pass by this place around dinner time and there wasn't a line up yet, just a couple of people outside asking for seats. And now, it has been the talk in town and finally, I myself went to try it. We waited about 35 minutes outside.

Personally I really like Sensotei, I would my #1 pick for japanese ramen in Toronto. However with the increasing number of ramen stores popping up in Toronto, I'm not sure if it will keep its first place very long. Compare to Asia standards its still a bit long way to go. The menu is very simple and small. I recommend getting their Tonkotsu Ramen. Tonkotsu Ramen ($9.25) Extra meat Liked & Recommend! I liked how their egg is still dripping in the middle. The broth was perfect, packed with pork bone flavor and not too oily. You can see despite the milky colored broth there wasn't much oil. The meat was tender but it wasn't really the best I've had or that I would crave for it. Overall the ramen came together well. Only thing I would have preferred was if their noodles were bit more chewy. Miso Ramen ($9.60) Extra egg Liked! It was good but I preferred the original broth.

...underwhelmed by the pork belly in my bowl as it featured a sliver of meat surrounded by a slab of fat. Seems like the ramen game is a bit hit or miss.

The newest contender in the ramen craze taking over Toronto. The tonkotsu soup served here is absolutely phenomenal!

I'll definitely be back! It's really perfect for a quick 1/2 hour lunch - quick service, decent price and delicious food: Sansotei's ramen is the perfect way to warm you up on a chilly day - hearty and yummy.

YAY! I finally made it to the 3 most talked about ramen places in Toronto! (That being Kinton , Santouka and finally Sansotei!) And with all the ramen joins opening up so quickly all of a sudden, its definitely been hard to keep up! Sansotei Ramen  (@ sansoteiramen ) located near Yonge and University, is a small & narrow restaurant that joined the Toronto scene late of last year.  Sansotei Ramen strives to focus on the few popular Japanese flavours while keeping things simple. I’ve read & have heard lots of people complain about the waiting times…My friend and I arrived later on a Wednesday evening and were seated 10 minutes or so after waiting! Not too bad… Table seating: Gyoza ($4.50) The Gyoza was perfectly cooked, the skin was thin and crisp – quite yummy  Closer Shot Taken from their website. Sansotei uses fresh pork bone delivered daily to make their signature broth – Tonkotsu. It takes hours to cook and they measure the concentration level hourly to ensure that the broth has rea

Sansotei is a rather narrow restaurant with wooden tables and a big rope hanging from the door to the kitchen. The place can probably sit around 30 people and no more. The hostess and waitresses were very friendly. They were smiley despite frustrated customers who doesn’t want to wait.<br/>

It seems like ramen places started popping up everywhere recently, starting with Kenzo & Guu's Kinton. Sansotei and Momofuku Noodle Bar are one of the more recent additions to the the reman scene.

 It's a pretty small diner and we went in for some Sunday brunch.  We ordered the Ace Benedict and the Huevos Rancheros.  They were delicious. I Deal Coffee Since we were in the Roncesvalles area, we took a walk around the neighbourhood and came across this cute cafe called I Deal Coffee that was on a residential street.  Another very cozy place to have coffee on a sunny day. Bar Ape I saw Bar Ape on Instagram and thought they had the cutest food truck ever, so we tracked it down one day and tried out their gelato bars.  I didn't actually like the flavours that we had that day very much.  I think it was more of a fad.

This is probably my favorite type of ramen with rich smooth soup that you can actually drink on it's own. With this soup, you won't feel like you are drowning in sodium afterwards. It has very deep milky taste that's almost like cream based but with a meat based soup. I liked how it came with eggs and all the other toppings without me having to add it on.