Yingran Xu
The chicken broth had rich flavor but the noodle did not fully absorb the flavor. The noodle was also too thin and too firm.
On the other hand, the noodle in Aka Ramen had a little bit more flavor, but the broth was too sour and did not taste good.
Joe Schmeltzer
Wonderfully rich flavors and a great staff that happily accommodated my 7-year old. The food was so good we immediately tried to decide when we should come back!
Tabatha Kahn
Amazing Ramen! The broth is unique and little creamy. The pork belly is the probably the best I’ve had and service, outstanding! Looking forward to trying their other places.
Lucy Chai
Sweet little ramen spot with excellent broth and mix of toppings. Thin noodles here go really well with the hearty rich broth and makes for such a great meal. The service was also quick and friendly and offered us a basket for us to put our bags in.
Eilla Mae
Went here because I heard good things but I found that it was just okay. Tasted like the usual chicken broth with milk. The chashu slices were super thin. The employees were super nice and polite!
Carl Truong
Everything about this place screams authentic Japanese, from the decor, to the seats at the tables (you'll understand when you go), to the service and politeness of the staff. Loved my experience here. We got the Tamago Ramen which is a Chicken based broth. Also added some fried garlic which gives the dish a nice crunchy texture that really adds to each bite. I think the thing I loved the most was how much flavor was in the soft boiled egg, which is chicken and pork based, so good. I was impressed, loved the ramen. Definitely worth a try if you haven't been already!
Chris
Solid choice for ramen in Vancouver, rich and balance broth (cream chicken broth) which is refreshing different than other pork bone variants. Decent sized portions, tamagoyaki was a favorite with the kid(s).
Philip Raymond Lim
Having lived and ate in many restaurants in Vancouver, I should say this place is not the best but one of the nice ones. There are so many great Japanese ramen places around and theirs is just unique. It is not salty and the seaweed is good. Noodle is good and the broth is uniquely special. Serve is 5*.
Utsav Moitra
First time at this restaurant and I got to say food was delicious and staff were very friendly. Definitely recommend for first date<br/>
Sarah Katherine
Excellent ramen here. I had the Tan men with a soft boiled egg and the flavour was delicate but on point. Being ravenous from a hike, I devoured the whole bowl plus rice, but honestly the portion sizes are about right. I like that you can add your own chilli and crunch. The wait staff are super friendly, too.
Coco Okamoto
Taste and ambience was good.Only reason I rated 2 stars is there was frizzy(kinky) hair in ramen.I guess that was a underarm hair. Then we asked re-make new one. After 15-20mins later,we still haven’t get new one, the server asked kitchen (we actually saw through the guy in the kitchen) . They forgot! My husband is done to eat already....
Tars Cena
Best resturent in vancouver for ramen ..its like a great expirence to have a meal at this resturent ....wants to be here every day ...love for food<br/>
CuriouslyCarmen.com
We usually go to Santouka or Kintaro, but this time, we decided to try out Marutama Ramen since we’ve been hearing and seeing it a lot on social media. We are also huge fans of chicken broth and Marutama Ramen makes all their ramen with chicken broth!
Marv Wang
came here during a weekday off hour lunch, ordered a tamago ramen with an extra egg, love the chicken broth here and the noodle was great as well, the broth is definitely have depth in it and best part of it, it's chicken broth. love it.
MapleMaple
We got there around 9:30pm on Friday and were seated immediately. The ramen tasted amazing as usual. The reason I gave only 3 stars is because they used to put triple the amount of aosa (seaweed). It’s sad to see restaurants trying to cut down costs once they start doing well in the business...
Maggi Mei
My partner wanted to take me out for ramen. His goal, to find a ramen place that I have yet to visit, within downtown. He drove around aimlessly and each of his call outs was received with me telling him that I have already visited and written about it. Fast forward, and our ramen hunt ended at our fifth choice: “Marutama” on Bidwell. I have visited the international chain with locations in Japan and Malaysia before, but this location was new to me. So close enough.
B & E
Chicken-based ramen broth is rare in this city, and Marutama sits easily at the top! The taste hits the spot, the portion is good, the noodle is perfect - and they served the best soft boiled egg in town.<br/><br/>We are definitely big fans of Marutama Ramen!
Absolute Foodie
Several months ago, we were in the area when they were opening up for the day. Had to take advantage of checking this ramen place out without waiting in line.<br/>Really liked that they made their own noodles. Their broth is definitely lighter but tasty as it is chicken based. It was good and I would return if I was feeling a lighter based ramen. Service was quick and attentive.
Happy Eater 12
A Saturday afternoon - a table for 2<br/><br/>Ordered : their signature Tamago Ramen & 1 Original Ramen.<br/><br/>Not many choices from the menu to choose from.<br/><br/>Soup base was a bit salty, the texture of noodles was good. Little meat but lots of green chives.<br/><br/>Service was attentive.<br/><br/>Not bad but not highly recommended.
Donnel P
I would say, this is the best ramen in Vancouver. The soup base was delicious and little bit creamy. Noodles are great. Service was great. Price is okay. Strongly recommended
Noah Mar
Very friendly staff and very quick service. Typically busy, so I'd recommend putting your name down and going for a walk. Food often comes out within mins (in not too busy) or within a reasonable time. It is definitely a lighter ramen (chicken based vs pork) and the egg is perfection, a soft/medium boil. The chashu is decent, but lacks fat. Kaidama (extra noodle) is cheap ($1.50) and perfect for someone who is still a tad hungry. They also offer unlimited fried garlic and sesame seeds on the side to season with. Overall, would recommend.
LiveToEat
A really good ramen place to go to. My favorite ramen restaurant because they have the best eggs out of all the ramen restaurants I've been to in Vancouver. Theres a decent sized menu and the broths are good. It takes a more of a Western blend approach compared to the traditional Hokkaido Santouka Ramen which isnt necessarily a good or bad thing. Marutama has a cool feature called Kaedama (forgive my possible mispelling), allowing you an extra serving of noodles for about $1.50, which is great for all us noodle lovers who end up finishing the first batch of noodles like nothing. This is my 2nd favorite ramen place to go to.
Kimmysomefood
I love their ramen. The noodles, meat and toppings all worth well with the well seasoned soup. It is not a watery broth, definitely a thicker broth. The long line is worth it I promise!!
Sato
Exellent.<br/>I enjoyed marutama especially soft egg added on it which i cann't eat at the other shops.<br/>tastes good as same as the one i've eaten in Japan.<br/>0.5minus is for the location.<br/>
Food Adventuress
I had an unfortunate visit today. Literally left a salty taste in my mouth. Not sure what happened but my broth was so salty that I needed to put water in it. First time in all my ramen adventures. Noodles and Egg were good and that Grilled Chashu was really excellent. Won't be returning anytime soon.
Birry Ram
Atmosphere: I felt like I was in Japan, the smell of the restaurant reminded me of Japan. The seats were massive and the first thought I had was the 3 bears story with porridge. . Service: Besides the wait outside which is expected, the service was quick and the food came even quicker.
Holly Zhou
Never would I have thought chicken ramen would be so creamy, thick, and soulful! Trying Marutama in the summer years ago definitely didn't do the experience justice.<br/>The soul base was perfect for me, as someone who doesn't like soups as rich as Santouka's, for example.<br/>The noodles were the thing type, and they were good but personally I would've gotten the al dente as I like chewy noodles. <br/>The shredded seaweed was refreshing with all the nori that awkwardly gets soggy with the soup, and the chashu was pretty standard, nothing special.<br/>I asked for extra veggies as the regular bowl doesn't come with any, and it was to my surprise a whole $4 for a decent bowl of cabbage, snap peas, and shredded carrot. Definitely overpriced and the only thing I didn't like.
Legend21
It's all about the egg! Not the most authentic ramen place but the broth is really umami with the seaweed and chicken. Chashu is not served warm but still goes well with the hot soup. Portion is a little small but not as small as Ramen Danbo.
Natalie
This is one of my favourite ramen places and one of the first ones I went to. It's a pretty busy place. They have a sheet of paper outside for people to write their names on when it gets busy. Today, we didn't need to wait too long for a table for 2. Probably 10-15minutes or so, but we were eating an earlyish dinner at around 5:30.<br/><br/>They took our orders pretty quickly and brought us water. Service was good here. We both ordered their tamago ramen mild. To be honest, mild doesn't even taste like there is any spice at all. I've never tried spicy before, so I might need to next time. The ramen arrived pretty quickly. On the table, there are sesame seeds, chili flakes, and garlic chips that you can add to your ramen. Usually I just stick to it plain, but today I added in sesame seeds. Their ramen broth is quite thick and very filling. It definitely feels soothing on cold days. Their noodles always have the right amount of chew and the egg is really good. Today though my egg wasn't as runny as I like it. But the flavour was still really good. This is also one of the main reasons why I like marutama. Honestly, I would probably fine just eating their ramen without meat and having just the egg. Also this time, I didn't feel like their broth was as salty as usual which is actually good. Sometimes I feel like it can be a bit too salty, but today it was just right. Definitely this a good place to have a nice bowl of ramen.
Carlo Macatuggal
If you love ramen, Marutama is a must. The ramen here is absolutely divine. The chicken based broth brings about a rich flavoured soup, that is full of flavour but is not too overpowering. The noodles are cooked to perfection and the combination of garnishes are well picked and compliment each other. Overall a very enjoyable meal worthy of a near perfect score.
Nuinui The Cat
One of the few Ramen restaurants which uses chicken soup base. The soup was tasty, same as the Onsen tamago (egg). We also ordered the Yaki Cha-Shu which I found a bit dry. The Daikon radish was boiled with Katsuo-dashi (Bonito soup base), the flavor was very unique. Love it and will come again.
TC
I had some free time in the West End and saw that Marutama wasn't super busy (it was early in the dinner hour). The staff were welcoming and they give you a basket to put all your stuff in. I chose the cha shu tamago ramen - spicy. Had a definite kick to it. Broth was quite rich and filling, noodles were ok I've had better at Hokkaido and other places. Overall very filling, average for Ramen in Vancouver.
Custard Pudding
Pretty tasty, good service. Better than most of the other ramen places I have been too. Would be a 4.5 but the portions are a bit small for 11 bucks a bowl.
SoulFood
Very flavourful chicken broth and honestly delicious bowl of ramen all around every single time I've visited. I love the sesame and garlic chips on the table, they are a great addition to the ramen bowls. I find the spicy option for the broth is much more flavourful, it is not very hot. They serve thinner noodles made in house. The wait may be long, but the turn over is quick I find, and well worth it.
Stupidweeaboo
best ramen i've had so far. anyone who doesn't like it can suck it. doesn't feel greasy and it didn't give me the runs. 5/5 would eat again.
Christina Chan
Love this place!!! Bestest ramen ever in Vancouver. I come here over and over again despite the long trek from where I live. Their broth and egg is the best I have ever tried. So flavourful but lighter than the pork-based ramen.
Amanda Pang
Although the place is quite small and cramped, the food here is quite good. Their ramen is nice and hot, and the noodles are tender. Definitely one of the better ramen places that I've visited.
Pork_ninjas
Most places in Vancouver offer only the pork tonkatsu flavour broth in ramen so Marutama Ra-men is always a personal favourite of mine because it’s one of the few places that offer a chicken broth. Always a line-up here during dinner time, it’s definitely earned itself the wait.
Eat Sleep Eat Repeat
I'm fairly new to the ramen scene but I know good broth, toppings and noodles when I eat them. Marutama was just what I needed, a super flavourful, rich, chicken based broth with perfectly cooked thin noodles to absorb tons of flavour with each bite. But the best part was hands down the ajitsuke tamago egg, it was seriously next level delicious, I'm ordering 2 of those bad boys next time!
Kimberly Thom
Great ramen; the chicken broth is something different but I absolutely love it. Their soft boiled egg is perfect. Easy to get kae-dama, the extra order of noodles if your stomach wants more!
Soulchiffon
Their chicken broth is great as I don't like ramen broth to be too heavy. The balance is just right here. Very long line-up and waiting time, so be prepared for it. Overall I like the place but I'm not impressed enough to want to go back anytime soon, perhaps I will be craving for it when it gets colder.
It's Me Chuck
This is Chicken Broth Ramen! When people compare this to pork broth ramen I'm a little confused to how someone could compare this place to that. It's like comparing a Macaron to a Macaroon.<br/>This place is by far the only place that serves the best Ramen with chicken broth. The price is expensive but a good treat ever once in a while. The spice that is added to the soap is what makes this stand out. I enjoy coming here but I hate the long lines as usual.
Westie
We were too late for our dinner reservations at another restaurant on our first night in Vancouver so I solicited a recommendation at check-in at our hotel. We were fortunate to find only short line so we were soon seated at this small restaurant. My wife chose the house signature tamago ramen with a soft boiled egg while I settled on the spicy AKA ramen with ground nuts and chillis. I believe her ramen was likely tonkotsu while mine may have been a spin on tsukemen. In any case, these were the best bowls of ramen we have experienced. Pricing is reasonable and the staff was helpful.
The Noodle Sensei
Being a huge fan of Santouka, I finally decided to try Marutama and their famous chicken based broth. I enjoyed it! The noodles could be more firm and al dente but I just found out you have the option to choose how you like them cooked. I guess the server didn't inform me about it - I will know this for next time.. If I return!
Vangirl
Went there in cold rainy day.<br/>Ramen taste weak and I was little bit disappointed because they had good rating.<br/>There was line up after us, so be ready to wait to get in.
Lostnomnom
a part of my Japanese Ramen tour of Vancouver with a lovely nomnom-er<br/><br/>this is my absoulte favourite place in Vancouver<br/>LOVE the chicken broth<br/>LOVE the hand made noodle<br/><br/>Dashimaki is super soft and yummy!<br/><br/>I did make a return visit with a Japanese lady (who works at another Ramen place!)<br/>she also indicated that everything taste super good and authentic
Cam
I consider this ramen shop to be one of the top three in Vancouver. The ramen noodles here is thinner than most other shops. The chicken broth is thick and flavourful. Usually, the broth is made of pork so this one is a good alternative for those who don't eat pork (I myself have no meat prejudices). And of course how can I forget the ajitsuke tamago that they are famous for, always perfectly marinated and cooked to soft boiled perfection.<br/><br/>There is a noodle making station at the restaurant. I've never seen it in use and often wondered if it was just for show. But today, I witnessed the noodle making in action...tray after tray of fresh noodles made in front of my eyes. Very interesting to see for a foody like me :)
Constant Cravings
Marutama has been highly praised for their perfectly soft boiled egg and flavourful chicken broth so it was about time that I tried it. Located on Bidwell Street, it’s just around the corner from the ever-popular Santouka and it’s never ending line ups. I arrived right at 12pm and there was no line up! Score for me!
SoftRockin' Revue
I’ve found my experiences with ramen to be either great hits or total misses. Very rarely have I found a place that’s just sort of okay and passable. That said, Marutama thankfully falls under the great hit end of the spectrum! Although it’s located a bit off the path from Robson, it definitely lives up to the reputation that the other great ramen joints have in the area.
KOOkiecream
• Place is busy most of the time, write your name on the clipboard to wait for queue, be patient<br/>• Nice/ good server, attentive to your needs<br/>• Ramen is piping hot, yum! I loved it! <br/>Noodles have the perfect consistency, soup base was seasoned well, good amount of meat, veggie<br/>• Add ons available, which I had then had the rest of my soup for to go. <br/>• I took the to go container out the next day and found out how much faaaat was in the soup, I was disappointed and felt like taking Aspirin as I feel my arteries are gonna clog (gulps!) see photos <br/>• Anyways, I would probably still go back and will ask for more soup base instead of the top part of the soup from their pot
@VANEATS604
I had put off trying Marutama for the longest time because I thought I didn't like chicken based broth. But being the ramen whore that I am, I tried it and boy, I was so wrong. I love the unami flavor of the broth, the noodles, the slippery texture of the sea weed, the soft cha shu and THAT EGGGGGG. The Marutama egg is probably why this has taken over my #1 spot for ramen. I love the side accompaniments to the ramen (Dried garlic chips, chili powder and sesame seeds) and overall I LOVE THIS PLACE. I always get the Spicy Tamago ramen (with an extra egg sometimes) it's a subtle spicy so I add more spice to it. It's super flavorful and I adore this ramen shop. Best in Vancouver imo
M.Choi
You'll like it if you enjoy chicken broth. Soup is well balanced, Ramen is average in terms of texture and taste, but is well made up for with the special broth.<br/><br/>Service is quick, atmosphere is great except for the rather... Western-style cafe-like background music.
Jentaro
Got the Tamago Ramen. I love the soft-boiled egg, it was cooked perfectly. The broth is chicken based so it's less oily and fatty tasting than pork. Great ramen noodle texture. I love it here. Will be back!
Benzypooh
I love this ramen place and will be back! The chicken broth was so flavorful and healthy. I love that it is lighter than the pork broth - also, I really love the chicken Cha siu - best ever!
Karan Suri
Simple and fresh, two words I would use to describe this place. Located on Robson and Bidwell, Marutama is close to Santouka and is in a tough neighborhood as customers have so many choices nearby. They are still busy and usually have a line up. The broth is chicken base, rich, clean and full of umami. The noodles are freshly made and very good. We ordered the tamago and aka ramen and cha shu gohan. Everything was served quickly and very hot. There are 3 condiments on the table, sesame, chili and garlic chips. Be careful before adding them, garlic chips are very addictive. Try to crush them and add to the ramen. The egg is excellent and adds a nice richness to the ramen. The cha shu gohan was very ordinary, can easily be passed. Both the ramen were very good and one could easily see why this place is popular. The chicken broth is clean, rich without being fatty. Highly recommended, portion size is good for the price, but you can order extra noodles or soup. Service was the only let down for me, felt rushed and sever was rude. But the food makes up for it. Try it !!
Karen
Chicken ramen!🐓 One of the only few in Vancouver but it's definitely worth trying. I've eaten here a handful of times and most of the time it's good. The soup is strong in umami chicken flavour and you'll be slurping to the last drop. My favourite part is the seaweed (aosa) topping on top that comes with most of their ramen. Next time I'll try the bowl that's covered in it just so I can have more of it 😁 <br/><br/>If you're looking for super oily pork bone tonkotsu soup with chewy noodles like Kintarou or similar than this place is not for you. The soup base is where the magic is at and if you're not a fan of chicken then you probably won't be a fan of this place. Their noodles are also the skinny light coloured kind that pairs better with the soup and noodle refill is available.
Camera Gourmet
Marutama Ra-men is located on the West End (Robson and Bidwell). It has a typical Japanese-themed colour with a heavy wood door. <br/><br/>Food: 5/5<br/>Services: 5/5<br/>Special Features: Tamago Cha-Shu Ra-Men, Dashimaki<br/><br/>Perfectly soft-boiled egg with ultimate amazing chicken broth and thin noodles. <br/><br/>We tried "Tamago Ra-Men" in mild soup and "Tamago Cha-Shu Ra-Men" in spicy soup. The price difference is $3.50, but "Tamago Cha-Shu Ra-Men" has the better cut of Cha-Shu. It is definitely worth to pay $3.50 more. <br/><br/>We like the spicy soup which has more flavour, and it is more tasty than the mild soup. We also like their extra table top condiments that you can add on your own. The roasted garlic chips is perfectly with the noodles. Must try!<br/><br/>"Dashimaki" is Japanese omelette for $7. It is very fluffy and tasty for such a simple dish. Amazing! Order it when they have it because they usually sold out pretty quick.
Bernice
Perfect bowl of ramen for a chilly day. There was no wait when I went but shortly after being seated there was a long queue. The seating is cramped but the bowl of ramen definitely makes up for it. I got the original ramen and made it spicy (the spicy kick was definitely there!) The broth was flavorful and so delicious. Noodles were al dente and portioning was perfect. Pricing is very reasonable. Service was quick and the servers were friendly. Would highly recommend to anybody looking for exceptional ramen in the city.
Cathy Lin
After being disappointed by every single ramen shops in Calgary, Kev and I reached the conclusion that Vancouver is the ultimate place for ramen enjoyment in western Canada. On our trip to Vancouver this summer, we stopped by Marutama Ra-men to satiate our ramen craving and keep up with the noodle trend.
Jenny L
Rich and flavourful broth but slightly too oily. It comes with thin noodle so the texture isn't bouncy and chewy like the thick ones that I like more.
DavidTheFoodie
Their soup base is using chicken broth. They have a ramen called 'Aosa'. Aosa is the Japanese Seaweed. The taste is very unique. Also try their Dashimaki - Japanese Omelette. They are always sold out!
MethodSTYLES
Every time I want ramen but craving a different flavor, I hit this place up. The broth is excellent and that damn egg - on fleek yo. The line can get crazy on weekends so hit this place during the week.
GoMunch
Rated one of the top ramen shops in Vancouver and rightfully so, Marutama serves homemade ramen with rich chicken broth. The noodles are thin and firm in texture which is the change from the thick ones. The soft boiled egg is perfectly made with running yolk. They also provide garlic flakes that goes perfectly with you noodle! Must Try!
Cathy Lin
After being disappointed by every single ramen shops in Calgary, Kev and I reached the conclusion that Vancouver is the ultimate place for ramen enjoyment in western Canada. On our trip to Vancouver this summer, we stopped by Marutama Ra-men to satiate our ramen craving and keep up with the noodle trend.
Selina Lo
Something crazy happened. I'M NO LONGER ALLERGIC TO EGGS!!! I can't believe it - but it's TRUE!!!I feel like I'm living in a dream. *Is this real life?*vMy allergist was shocked too. She didn't have an explanation. I went back for a visit 2 weeks ago, she did some new tests and she redid some of the old ones to see if my allergies had worsened.<br/><br/> The results for my egg allergy came back: negative. Like any sane person - I was skeptical at first. How was it possible that my egg allergy suddenly *disappeared?* "My body is so weird."<br/><br/> It took me a week to muster up the courage to eat a piece of egg. But I did it - and I made it out ALIVE!! WITH NO SWELLING WHATSOEVER!! No allergic reaction of any kind - whatsoever!!<br/><br/> HALLULUJAH!!!! Thank the Lord, my prayers have been answered
Shari11
Probably the best ramen place in town in my opinion. There's always a line up, and I honestly don't mind lining up for it! Marutama uses chicken broth as their base and the flavor is just so rich and amazing! Thin noodles and Charsiu is decent, but if you get the pork belly (kakuni), it's a totally different mouthfeel compared to the regular charsiu. I love the sea lettuce toppings, it absorbs the broth fairly well. But everyone knows the star is their soft boiled flavored egg! Once you cut into it, it's like liquid gold. Egg yolk flowing out, and the flavor of the egg is delicious! I also love the garlic chips that you can add, it definitely gives the bowl of ramen some texture. If you haven't been here already, then get in line and buy yourself a bowl! You won't regret it.
Cathy Lin
Decent chicken-based ramen. The broth was rich and flavorful. The noodles and chashu were not up to my standard, but I would go back for the soft-boiled eggs! It's worth a visit for those who are looking for a change from greasy pork-based ramen.
Drunken Noms
Beavis and The Pretzel Monster have been hassling me for weeks now wanting to go out for ramen, but for one reason or another every time we agreed on a day something came up. Finally after our 6th attempt, we managed to stick to the plan. Beavis hasn’t stopped talking about ramen for the duration, basically naming every place around the Robson and Denman area and saying that we should just wander around one evening. It was a chilly Tuesday evening and our original plan was to check out Kintaro around 8PM. Unfortunately we didn’t realize there would be a massive line out the door of at least 10 other parties, so because The Pretzel Monster and Little Bunny were with us and too cold to wait we decided to keep walking. Beavis suggested another place over on the corner of Robson and Bidwell, and while there was a line, there were only a couple other groups in front of us. We decided to commit and signed up on the waiting list sheet hung up outside the door of Marutama Ra-Men. It only took around 10 minutes, then the hostess came and grabbed us and took us to a long community table where a dozen or so other people were sitting and eating.
SunnySideUp
This ramen place is the bomb. I've tried multiple ramen places in Vancouver and this is by far the better than Santouka and Kintaro. <br/><br/>The interior is a very traditional ramen restaurant layout with the option of a communal table or your own table. This is a small place but not uncomfortably small and hot like some of it's close competitor. Being in the heat is not an issue here! <br/><br/>The onsen egg (soft boiled egg). Yes, it needed it's own sentence with a period. This is the best onsen egg I've had! It was well flavoured, the yolk was just right not flowing nor solid. Marutamen got the recipe down for this onsen egg. I'm sometimes the cheap ones who skip out on the egg but I would add the egg in a heartbeat! <br/><br/>Love this restaurant, even thinking about it makes me want to go back! Which I shall ;).<br/><br/>See you all there and let me know what you think!
Eat With Sida
Ramen craving time! Marutama Ra-men is a Ramen place located on Bidwell Street near Robson. It is a chained Ramen Bar not only in Japan but also some places in Asia. We were there around 8pm so there was no line up and actually some tables were empty and available. However, we still got to wait quite a while to be seated because the servers looked very busy and kept walking in front of us. Literally, we were waiting the server not table.
Karin Kam
Using chicken broth as their base, the ramen is much lighter than pork soup base. Flavour was not missing though, but you do feel less groggy and 'heavy' than common ramen base. I got the Aosa ramen (sea lettuce) and loaded it with unlimited garlic flakes. <br/>Sadly my noodles were too soft even after requesting the al dente option.
Vivian Chung
Hi friends! I just had a really eventful day today, so I'm writing up a post before I get too tired and forget everything. Today, my sister, her friend, my boyfriend, and I decided to go on a day trip to Whistler Blackcomb. We drove all the way to the Bungee Jumping area, and trudged our way up to the bridge. Man, I gotta say that my legs were trembling at the thought of jumping off the bridge and when we walked all the way to the other side my heart was pounding quite heavily. So we got all our stuff set up and went onto the bridge to wait and see if they could accommodate us as we were early.
J.Chews
Fantastic chicken broth, which is a great options for those that are not fans of traditional pork broth ramen. The texture and flavour of the noodles were amazing, and the broth is phenomenal (try it spicy, trust me)! Definitely coming back for more!
Borntoeat
I absolutely love ramen and this place made me fall in love once again. First off, the service here was amazing. The servers were very friendly and attentive without being overly bothersome. The interior was welcoming and since it was an open kitchen concept, you could watch the chefs doing their magic while you wait. The food was absolutely mind blowing. The noodles were on par as with everything else. I would definitely come back for another.
Vivian Chung
Long time no see everyone! We're well into the Vancouver Summer and I'm dying from all the sun. I can't deal with the heat. But I've been coping with all the good food. I finally visited Marutama Ramen with A after hearing good things about it over and over again. . In case you didn't know, Marutama is a cute little Ramen Store that kind of looks like a house on the outside, located near Robson Street. It's super close to Santouka. A and I went here for dinner around 6 p.m. and there wasn't much of a line up. We got seated pretty much right away.
ColoursOnWhite
Food: 4/5 Service: 2/5 Atmosphere: 3.5/5 Price: Avg. $15/person<br/>Return: Maybe<br/><br/>I love Ramen, since I was a high school student. I liked the Marutama Ramen. The soup base was rich and not too salty. The Half-Boiled Egg was the highlight of the bowl of ramen.
Vivian Chung
Long time no see everyone! We're well into the Vancouver Summer and I'm dying from all the sun. I can't deal with the heat. But I've been coping with all the good food. I finally visited Marutama Ramen with A after hearing good things about it over and over again. A and I went here for dinner around 6 p.m. and there wasn't much of a line up. We got seated pretty much right away. We both ordered the Original Ramen with Chicken Broth that comes with a soft-boiled egg. I quite enjoyed the broth. It was rich and smooth but wasn't too salty or overwhelming. The noodles were nice and firm, no complaints here. I also enjoyed the soft-boiled egg as well as the yolk was cooked perfectly. I quite enjoyed the 'sea lettuce' although I wish I got more veggies. In addition, Marutama offers this roasted garlic in little jars for you to add as a condiment. They are so delicious. The service was quite amiable and friendly and I quite enjoyed the ramen although I have this weird loyalty to Santouka and am not sure if I would choose one over the other. I just consider them different. I know a lot of people are kinda one versus the other. The inside of the store is rather cute and has little baskets under the tables for you to place your bags in. It as also much more spacious and cool compared to Santouka. I would rate the ramen I had 6.5/10 but I would definitely visit Marutama again to try some of their other ramens.
The Foodiographer
Not your typical style of ramen. All of Marutama's broths are chicken-based. The noodles are amazinggg and the pork is very tender. I had the Tamago Cha-Shu ramen :)
Justamorsel
Marutama Tamago Ramen – Soft boiled flavoured egg. The tamago is really the star of this ramen – it’s soft and made to perfection. Definitely worth visiting if you enjoy really soft eggs.....
Kt
Not a fan. The creamy chicken broth isn't my thing and neither was the under cooked noodles. I thought I'd give this place a try but I would not come back. I'm sticking to santouka and kintaro.
Leigh T
Marutama recently opened near my apartment, and I had to try the newest ramen spot on the block. Marutama stands out amongst the ramen places in the West End because instead of the regular pork broth, they use a rich, almost creamy chicken broth. I was worried it wouldn’t have as much flavour as the pork, but it was delicious, especially once i added the dried garlic, chill powder and sesame seeds to it, which were available on the table. The egg was perfectly cooked and full of flavour, as were the slices of pork. I will definitely be returning!
Andrew James
Now, i can't and i won't profess to being a Ramen expert. In fact, this was only the second Ramen in my sad, pathetic Ramen starved life. But, by gosh i like this stuff! <br/><br/>I went for the Marutama Tamago Ra-men, which is their signature chicken soup and an absolute delight on the taste buds. The broth is rich, cloudy and creamy, the egg was still slightly runny inside and a delight. Everything in the broth from the meat to the tender noddles complimented each other really well. I threw in some extra dried garlic, sesame seeds and chili flakes as well. Maybe a little too much chili as i nearly blew my head off. <br/><br/>The service was efficient and fast. The craft beer selection was none existent. The company was average ;-) In and out in about 30 minutes. Done.
Diemonsanto
Rich chicken ramen. Best I have ever had...the egg was amazing
Snows
Waiting Time Too Long. Waited for an hour and a half to get in, even when there are many seats avaliable they still make you wait outside and leave those spaces empty, this is pathetic.
Oblique | Debordage
A bit gross after awhile. My partner and I eagerly tried this cute ramen place, only to be disappointingly repulsed by its ultra-rich soup base. Unlike other ramen place, Marutama doesn't offer the usual of shio, shoyu, and miso ramen. Instead, they offer ramen of (slightly) different ingredients, all seeped in their chicken broth. Upon first sip, the soup was delicious, and suspiciously rich. After awhile, it just became unbearably gross. The soup tasted like it was a bowl of melted butter, egg batter, and half/half coffee cream. It was simply too much. We would not be going back. The cha-shu, however, was excellent (which doesn't make up for it though).
FOODGRESSING.COM
Standing in line for ramen seems to be the norm in the West End. Marutama Ramen is no exception to having ramen enthusiasts waiting outside. Tucked away on Bidwell and just off Robson, this restaurant is easy to miss. It is just across another popular ramen restaurant, Santouka, which is also famous for line-ups. What is unique about Marutama is that their creamy, rich ramen broth is chicken-based. In fact, chicken feet and the meaty abdominal portions of the chicken contribute to the soup base having the maximal “umami” or “pleasant savoury taste.” The result is a lighter broth compared the typical pork-based ramen broth.
Mama Beur
Chashu gods. This is my favourite ramen place. Their chashu is soo tender and delicious. And the egg... is it even possible to make it like that?
Dailo
Entrance door closed and a sign ask us to write down our name but the staff not even coming out to check the list. We and another two groups wait outside for more than 5 mins while they got tables available. The ramen is not ramen. Spend $20 on two noodle and need to fill up again from the restaurant across the street. Not my recommend ramen place.
Because1215
Good quality. Noodles were made in house and super yummy with diff choice od texture~ soup was authenic and flavourful~ did not taste msg and was not too salty~ good balanCE of everything~ highly recommend!
No Dessert Im Full
Pork Based > Chicken Based. It's still not bad though! Cute space, fast service, will probably come back when I have a cold.
Mister Y
Chicken broth ramen. Very different from the other ramen joints in town.<br/>They use a chicken broth rather than a pork broth used in most ramen places<br/>around town (i.e. Kintaro). The soup is rich yet not heavy. <br/>Add some fried galic chips for some extra kick. A must visit if you're a ramen lover.
Esther
I've had better. I don't eat pork so I was very excited about trying a chicken broth based ramen. The broth was good, perhaps a bit too heavy/oily for my taste but it was good. Marutama Ramen offers customers the option of deciding on whether they want soft, regular or al dente noodles. I chose al dente but either they overcooked it or we have very different definitions of what al dente is. The noodles were not the least bit al dente, they were soft. Not only were they soft that they tasted that great either. For this reason unless if I'm desperately craving ramen I will not be coming back again.
Tiffany H
Good try!!. I had a vegetable noodle and add 1 extra noodle to share with my friend. I also ordered a white radish oden and egg omelet. everything was good, the soup is rich and delicious, not as salty as other ramen i had. i will return to this shop.
Yunomi
A different kind of Ramen on Ramen Rd.. I had noticed Marutama's door during their renovation before they opened, and instantly really wanted to try the new kid on the block.<br/><br/>After a somewhat disappointing first dinner choice that didn't fill us up, my friend and I swung by to try it out.<br/><br/>When we went in, we were greeted by their chicken broth wafting through the store, as well as 2 female employees. We were seated pretty quickly and it came pretty quickly too.<br/><br/>Before adding any extra condiments, I took my first bite. Definitely wasn't like the other Ramen places on Robson. To be honest, "Ramen" wasn't my original reaction to it. "Wonton Noodle Soup" was. As a person who doesn't enjoy that very often, I really enjoyed Marutama's. <br/><br/>I left feeling really full and satisfied. Though looking back now, I regret not ordering another serving of noodles that day.
StarGazer
Quality broth and noodles. The egg is amazing. Soft boiled egg with a runny yolk. Only issue is the meat. It arrived cold on top of the soup. Would be better if they warmed up the meat especially if they are charging $18 for "The Works."
Labbit
Amazing. Consistent quality every time. I like Marutama more than Santouka. I love the egg and the light broth. The traditional pork broths, although flavorful, can be a little too heavy for me. Marutama's broth is amazing. The seaweed is also quite unique. Noodles can be from soft to al dente depending on your preference. Very yummy.
S.K
My girlfriend got mild cha shu while I got spicy. Spicy ruins the taste! Mild is delicious.
Vaneats
Good Eggs but salty ramen. On a cold November day I decided to tryout this place, as recommended by some of my friends. I must say, their boiled eggs are just perfect with good flavour! I added an extra egg to my order because my friends were raving about the eggs at this place and they were right. As for the noodles and base, that was the mediocre part in my eyes. The soup base is rather on the salty end. I've read reviews here saying that the soup is salty and has no flavour. Sadly they were right. I could not taste the chicken in the soup base but only the overwhelming saltiness. I don't know if I will visit this place again because coming in here just for the boiled eggs seemed a little bit odd considering its a ramen place.
Cake N Pie
I ordered the marutama raven, the one with egg and pork in it. The photo showed 2 slices of pork, but when noodles came, only received one slice. Asked server, and she just made excuse that the one slice is bigger. Price is quite high for mediocre food. Although they do have one of the best cooked eggs I've tasted, but would not come back.
Kaka921
Love it!. Me and my friends visited this restaurant today and all 3 of us loved it! (My friends are usually quite picky about the taste) The staffs were really nice and service was really good. We had a 1 year old with us and we were happy that small bowl (it was a cute bowl!) and cutleries were also provided to the little one. I personally loved the interior of the restaurant with a simple japanese design. The ramen for sure was quite pricey comparing to its neighboring competitors but I think it was good. I will definitely come back to this restaurant again!
Mama Bear
Love it here! I think this place is new so there isn't a full menu. The chicken soup was super tasty, the daikon was good, everything was great but what gets me so excited is that they do not use any msg in any of their food (the server double checked with the kitchen twice)!! With 2 allergic kids, that's something to sing about! Yay! <br/>The nice wood interior is a bonus, this will definitely replace other ramen joints as my go to
FoodinYVR
Deceiving menu. Tamago ramen $10.25<br/>tamago - I would like to be a little bit undercook. The egg white has some flavouring too and that was very good.<br/>cha siu - 1 piece instead of 2 in the menu. It could be a little bit more tender.<br/>nori - I think they were the dried ones which were saltier. I wish they were fresh.<br/>noodles - too thin for me so they were too soft for me. They really need to have THICK noodles. Our server did not ask how well we want our noodles to be. On the menu, it says soft/regular/al dente. I ended up finishing my bowl but I found myself being too full. We were thinking about going for dessert but we couldn't.<br/>broth - very rich chicken broth. I wanted to finish it but I didn't.<br/>the add-on page got folded into the menu. So they are not offering them anymore? It has less choices than most ramen places already and they do not offer any rice or combo.<br/>Our server gave us iced green tea instead of hot/warm. It is a smart thing to do in the summer. I've been to the Marutama Udon in Hawaii and I liked it way better. The tempura was very crispy with a thin batter. Very efficient even though most of it was self serve. I'm hoping to see that in Vancouver. Marutama is better in making udon than ramen.
Starcookie
Will I come back?!. We went to Marutama Ramen for the first time last night. I was told by my friends that the chicken soup and the soft boiled favor egg was super tasty. So I ordered “TAMAGO RA-MEN”, the chicken soup and soft boiled egg was tasty just like my friends said but I didn't expected I would only get one piece of Cha Shu instead of two. Didn't they show two pieces of Cha Shu on the menu for Tamago Ramen?! <br/>I like their idea that you can order the noodles if you want them to be soft or regular texture. I ordered soft noodles and my partner ordered regular... It turned out that they are almost the same texture... My overall experience with this ramen place is ok. Not bad if you want to try ramen with chicken soup as it really is tasty. It is a little pricy compared to other ramen place in the Greater Vancouver.
Lodgecookie
Delicious!. Been there twice this week! Love this ramen. Perfectly cooked egg, yummy noodles, interesting seaweed and an unctuous and flavourful broth that is not too salty or oily. Will be going at least a couple of times a month... Love!
Andy Wong
Speedy service Ramen. Since I was solo, it was quick to get a seat then they took my order and not a few minutes later it came so quite impressed with that.<br/><br/>Had the Tamago Ramen and an interesting note is the noodles itself were thinner in size when compared to similar ramen shops but still good nonetheless. Ordered spicy and it made me sweat plus the boiled egg was really good!
Jade
Good Ramen!!. I had a bowl of their Marutama Ra-men with an egg and 2 slices of pork, requested it with a mild spicy chicken flavored soup base. The soup base was delicious, I did not find it over salty like how some of the other reviews were rating it. The egg was cooked perfectly, the yolk was just running out as you ate it, and it was very well executed. The pork meat was tender and not fat at all. I love the texture of the noodles it was fine and al dente! Overall I really enjoyed the quality that you get, this was an impressive bowl of ramen! I really wanted to try the gyozas however they were so popular it was already sold out by the time we went.
Traci Chung
High prices and weak service accompanied with sub-par food. I will not return in the near future. The noodle has great texture and chewiness, but unfortunately, it doesn't make up for the overcooked soft boiled egg nor overly salted soup. I like my ramen soup savory with layers of deep taste, but I can't stand it when it taste like there's only SALT. Disappointed!!!!
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