Review Hokkaido Ramen Santouka - Robson St - Vancouver

Wow this is one of the best spicy garlic ramen soups i’ve had! Hokkaido Ramen Santouka never fails to impress. It’s that good! The pork is so juicy and sweet. Cooked perfectly! I absolutely love it. The pork belly on the side that my friend was good too!

The ramen is good specially the Robson special ramen but it's not the best one in town. The porc pieces were delicious as well I give a 5 star to the food but the service can be improved, it's a bit slow and other ramen places have variety stuff for free like sesame oil, sesame seeds, fried garlic chops, soy sauce, hot sauce, etc but in this place you have to pay extra for all those things Also the washrooms weren't clear

We loved this place. Flew in from Ontario and were craving a delicious bowl of Ramen. Hokkaido did not disappoint. It was crazy busy but we only had to wait about 15 minutes for a seat inside. The service was super fast and the food was mouth watering. Lots of choices and everything was 10/10. I highly recommend this place to anyone looking for some yummy eats!

Of all the ramen places we went to in Vancouver, this is by far our favourite. They have the always delicious tsukemen which many places do not have and their small rice bowls are great as I cannot get enough of the ikura bowl. The food is great here and the service fast. The price is what you would expect at most ramen places in town, but it's worth the price and wait.

Very intricate flavor from this ramen house! Quite different from other ramen houses in Vancouver, definitely not the best imo, but 100% worth trying. Love the Chashu! I will be back to try other flavors! Very friendly service, thank you!

I got the tsukemen (regular flavour), and the noodles were very chewy. The broth wasn't as thick as I hoped, and it was on the saltier side. It came with small meat cubes. The hard boiled egg it came with was also not runny, which wasn't my preference. If I've never had tsukemen before I would've thought it was great. But since there are so many ramen shops downtown, the competition is tough and it just wasn't my cup of tea. Overall, it was still okay and would recommend giving this place a try still.

Great ramen shop! Rich broth. Chewy (in a good way) noodles. Plump gyoza. What's not to love? The staff is polite and attentive too. I've been coming here for over 3yrs now. Consistently good. Photo shows the miso ramen with ajitama (egg) and pork gyoza.

Just love Santouka. Definitely my favorite ramen place in Vancouver. Very rich and unique flavour. Always a must eat when we come here.

My son always bring me here whenever im in Vancouver. The best ramen ever. The place is tiny, long cue as always, but it’s worth waiting. Satisfied customer here from Norway ��

Luckily we got seated pretty quickly upon arrival, service was great. Vegetarian Ramen, didn’t look all that appetizing in the menu photo, but it was beyond tasty. Seasoned soft boiled egg was on point. My only qualm was that they seemed to play the same two songs in a loop ad nauseam. Maybe this is a ploy to get people to leave quicker. All in all, great experience.

The best Ramen I have ever tried. Great food and service at a very reasonable price. I would definitely recommend this reataurant.

It was my first time trying Ramen ever.... we showed up at 22.55 at your doors and you guys let us in even if you were closing already. Great food, exceptional customer service! will definitely be back.Thank you!

I ordered a miso ramen but the soup is lit bit salty.....

I constantly seek comfort in a good bowl of warm noodle soup. I like Pho for its lightness and consistency, something simple and making me feel better afterward eating. Although Ramen is less predictable as every Ramen restaurant is unique, its versatility definitely seems more exciting. I don’t think Ramen has won my heart over Pho yet, but Hokkaido Ramen Santouka has definitely got me with that fantastic bowl of Kara Miso Ramen – the details on the colours, the flavours, the texture, and ultimately the warm comfort that I will remember for a very long time. There is something special about this place and I definitely would like to come back here.

I went today solo and got a seat right away. Lucky. There was a big line 5 minutes later. So the Ramen was very good!! I've had my fair share of Ramen at excellent spots before and this was def on par with the best I've had. Yes it's busy and I've waited for Ramen before in the cold streets of Toronto. It does suck waiting but... it's always better when your forced wait to get in. Makes it even more delicious. As they say.....good things come to those who wait!! I'll be here next time back in Van and I would definitely try it in other locations around the world. Was the perfect lunch on a rainy Vancouver weekend!

First time there very quick service and very tasty food.

Compared to the other store at San Jose, this one is more like Ramen shop！l like it！

Excellent as usual! Long line up, but certainly worth the wait!

This is our go to place when we are in Vancouver. Best ramen hands down.

11/10 would always eat here. Better than my steam library The soup's light reflection is the brighter than my future Sacrifice your time in line for best meal

The #1 ramen house in Vancouver!!� From seafoods to beef to pork.. Amazingly taste great!!

Amazing Tasty 😋 Soup 🍜!!! Congratulations 🎈🎊🎉🍾

That tender meat was so impressive.I love to go again!

Just reviewed on zomato! Your toroniku ramen was soooo damn oishi!

Delicious is worth waiting

Great food!

Highly recommended! The wait time isnt thata bad and the ramen is delicious.

I strongly advise trying their Tokusen toroniku ramen (Shio Ramen)

The broth is abso-fucking-lutely amazing. And everything else in too!

好吃，乾淨。會再來的地方。

El mejor Ramen � excelente servicio y muy buena calidad en los alimentos

Not spicy enough today.....hope you haven't changed the taste.

Seriously good ramen. Get the Kara Miso Ramen with extra corn.

It was everything I was hoping for! great service wonderful food!

This IS the best ramen place i have ever been to!!!

Besides a little bit salty, the food is great!

Best ramen in downtown Vancouver!

Beat ramen in Vancouver

BEST RAMEN IN VANCOUVER!!!! FANTABULOUS! MUST TRY! WE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LITTLE KYOTO!

We made the long walk towards West End and was hoping to finally have a spot to try Kintaro. Of course there was a line and we didn't feel like waiting another hour. We decided to give Santouka a try. It did get full after we sat down so I'm glad we made up our mind quickly and got a seat at the back. Lots of ramen to pick from including sizes, which I'm not used to seeing. The medium size bowl is the size most places serve. I thought the noodles were just-ok. I've had my fair share of ramen and unfortunately this didn't really stand out to me. I felt the server gave me some attitude when I asked her about the size portions. It's a legit question being a first-time diner there as most places don't have different ramen portions to pick from.

Average ramen restaurant, there's an ample amount of seating, you have to wait for long. Service is also very slow but food is OK but just ok not superb.

There was a bit of a wait at this restaurant- I wouldn't say that there's an ample amount of seating. It's quite squishy near the entrance; when I was paying, there was staff trying to get past me, which wasn't great. The service is average. I really enjoyed the hard noodles in the ramen. I ordered the Shio ramen, which was pretty spot on for me; good size and taste. However, the pork in the ramen was a little too hard- I would have like it more if it was softer. I didn't enjoy the gyoza though, which I thought could be crispier than it was. Definitely one of the better ramen places!

This is probably the best ramen restaurant i have been in outside Japan.<br/>The venue is unremarkable but it is very busy and for good reason. The food is delicious. Intense well flavoured and properly presented. Service is reasonable and staff helpful.<br/>A must if you are in the city.

Best ramen in town 4.5 for taste 1 for service. The Shibuya restaurant used to be in my top 5 in Tokyo. Soup the same here, noodles hmm the texture is off. <br/><br/>Service, ok if you’re solo or a group of 2, but frustrating for 4 or more as they keep seating smaller groups before you. After the 8th person got seated from behind us and told it’ll be another 15 min, left frustrated.

Great chashu and noodles but the soup is horrendous. I'm a huge fan of tonkotsu and it's great while you're eating it, but then you get a massive MSG headache and I was the thirstiest I've ever been after eating a bowl of ramen. I do not recommend drinking the soup. It's not worth the hype and the long line ups.

I would definitely take dining out of casual dining phrase. Casual? Yes! Dining? Definitely not!<br/><br/>This place is great on a meserable cold and wet Vacouver rainy winter day. You will get a really nice ball of hot and hearty Japanese ramen that will warm you up and make your day a little better. What you will definitely not get is a dining experience.<br/><br/>There is good chance you may end up eating at the same table with strangers shoulder to shoulder. There is no ambience of any kind. The place is designed and organized with only one goal in mind, to "process" as many guests as possible.<br/><br/>More info in this listing is misleading. They do serve beer but there is no wine!<br/><br/>Will i come back? Absolutely! For a nice ball of very tasty Japanese ramen but not for dining experience.

My favourite ramen place from what I've tried in Vancouver so far. Often a line-up out the door and all the way down and past the store front during peak hours. Interior is pretty small but smart use of space, warm and homey. All soups have a rich broth that brings across umami flavour super well. Meat cuts are substantial and the combos are great for when you're really hungry. No such thing as a bad side order here. Recommend the gyoza- nice, light, crispy. Just all around fantastic ramen. Also enjoyed Hokkaido Ramen Santouka in the Philippines. Flavour is consistent! Felt like I was eating back home in Vancouver.

Tasty ramen, but I've had better. The broth in the shio ramen was definitely the best part - unctuous and comforting. However, I don't think the noodles were fresh. The standard ramen bowl also doesn't come with many toppings, so be prepared for a slightly expensive ramen meal if you want to add anything. I got steamed vegetables and a soft-boiled egg - I wouldn't recommend either. I also tried the miso ramen. I would recommend the shio over the miso.

Probably one of the best ramen places in town!<br/><br/>Large selection of ramen dishes, cooked to perfection - the broth is creamy and flavourful.<br/><br/>The gyozas is delicious as well.

Best Ramen in Vancouver. It's a busy place with fast service and usually a line, but quick turnover. Worth the wait. They always play jazz which Gives it a classy and classic ambiance. My fave dish is the Toronikku Shoyu Ramen, and gyozas. No other broths compare to theirs. Now they have two locations too. Highly recommended.

Best Ramen you can get your hands on and yes! Even the soups are out of this world!! A must try if in downtown for a good fill of nutritious and delicious foood :)

There's a reason this is one of the most popular Ramen places in this neighborhood. Their menu is large, but their best item is by far their Ramen. The broth is rich and everything is so flavorful.

Delicious!! Cost-friendly! Authentic Japanese ramen! A must visit in Vancouver every time! 5 stars!! May have short lineups during lunch & dinner hours.

I've had a lot of ramen all over the world... Including Tokyo. The ramen here was great by any standards. I tried the house special ramen with miso base & peanut sauce. It was amazing. I'll definitely go again.

One of the most authentic and delicious ramen in Vancouver. Their broth is perfectly rich and seasoned well. The only downside is that their eggs are hard boiled, as they should be soft or medium boiled. Nonetheless, prepare for a great meal (and for a long lineup).

Came here for lunch with my boyfriend and it was super busy. Luckily the wait was only around 10-15 minutes for a table. The restaurant itself is extremely hot inside, but the ramen was delicious. Servers were also very friendly. Definitely would like to come back again!

We decided to try this spot out because our usual ramen place happened to be closed. We weren't disappointed but we also weren't blown away.<br/>It was key to find a place that offered a spicy ramen as that's what we go to our place for, and looking at different menus this place had just that. We waited about 15 minutes which wasn't bad, we had quite a few questions which were all answered by the woman who took our order. The broth was delicious and had a little kick to it, but eating the broth with the noodles there was barely any heat. Noodles didn't live up to what we were used to, but they weren't the worst ones we have had either. All in all we probably wouldn't return unless our spot happened to be closed again.

One of the Best Ramen in Town<br/><br/>A hot summer early evening - a table for 2<br/><br/>Very lucky to get a table without long line-ups (because we're early), then it started to be really over-crowded.<br/><br/>We ordered their Santouka Super Combo (came with Ramen, Grilled Salmon w. Ikura Don & a Japanese Cream Soda; I chose Shoyu Ramen.  We had another order of Miso Ramen, & a bottle of Beer.<br/><br/>Ramen was good, Don was ok.  As for the drinks, I really love the Japanese Cream Soda (with a scope of Vanilla Ice Cream).  However, the bottle of beer was not cold enough.<br/><br/>This restaurant is very small and w. the heat, I believe that the people working there should be a bit uncomfortable.  However, I observed that they were very energetic & always wearing smiling faces.  Services were very attentive.  <br/><br/>Definitely this is a very good Ramen place to try.  But because it is small & very busy all the time, if you want to have a comfortable place for dining & chatting w. friends, this is not the right place to go.<br/><br/>Highly recommended for Ramen lovers!!!

My absolute favorite ramen place in all of Canada. The broth is so rich, flavorful and creamy. ALL of the ramen bases are amazing. You really can't go wrong! <br/><br/>I always get the Ikura combo and a full sized ramen. I dip a spoonful of the Ikura and rice into the soup and enjoy the flavors together. The briney taste of the Ikura mixes so well with the rich broth... Brilliant! I could be happy with just a bowl of Ikura, rice and soup!<br/><br/>The ramen noodles are perfectly chewy and thin. They are the perfect canvas for any of the soup bases, because let's face it, the soup is the main star. Personally, my favorite is the spicy miso, but honestly all of them are pretty amazing. <br/><br/>The only small complaints I have are that the charsew isn't very flavorful and that the accompanying hard boiled egg isn't a soft boiled egg instead.<br/><br/>

Service is very good, and food is incredible. Probably the best Ramen and Gyoza in town, by far, it was delicious and tasty!! We will return here, that's for sure.

First time i knew Santouka Ramen when i watched the waku waku japan show several years ago. Now i try myself this famous ramen from Hokkaido, which opened their branches here in Vancouver. I had high expectation, and proved the ramen was nice, i order ikura combo (salmom roe) with miso ramen, sake combo (salmon flesh) with shio ramen, and miso ramen. On the side, i order gyoza. The shio ramen really good, the broth was just right, the saltiness and sweetness was perfect. The noodle also nice with classic topping such as shredded ear mushroom, bamboo shoot, and 2 piece of soft pork slices. The gohan dish which is the rice also nice. The gyoza also very juice and crispy on the outside. The server also friendly, guest could see the open kitchen, the location also easily be found. The good ramen also recognized by the local and given an award. Totally worthed to try.

As an avid ramen lover, I’m always searching for a new place to try out. Sometimes I just can’t help myself but revisit old favourites over and over again. Ramen Santouka is a Japanese-based chain located on the West End of Robson Street. To date, they have about 45 locations across the world mainly Asia and the U.S. with the first location- originating from Asahikawa, Hokkaido, Japan. 🙂 Just like any other ramen shop in downtown, having long line-ups is no surprise. And just like any other ramen shop, they distinguish themselves differently from the broth, noodles, and toppings. For Santouka, it’s all about the broth!

Been here many times. They are still one of the best Ramen in town. Now not so much of a line up. Their rice bowl also very good. Kyozas were supreme, with high quality ingredients.

Food is delicious, ambiance is authentic Japanese and the servers are very friendly. 10/10 would recommend to eat here often. I've ordered almost everything on the menu and I highly recommend my personal favorite, the "Toroniku Shio Ramen" because the chashu slices are pork cheek, meaning the meat is so tender and delicious that it melts in your mouth. Shio soup base is great as it contains a savory flavor that is rich but not too overpowering. The noodles are delicious too.

This place is tiny and the turnover is alarming. But the service is hella fast and the quality is fabulous. <br/><br/>We ordered the miso ramen of course, with some sides. It was great. The broth was someone and flavourful. The noodles were just the right amount of chewy. The serving size (we got the smaller one) was perfect and the prices were very reasonable for the quality. <br/><br/>Highly recommended.

Heard about this place being the best for ramen in Vancouver. It's definitely worthy of the 30 min queue we had to wait for to try it! I had the shio ramen- the broth was the perfect amount of creamy and didn't give off the taste of being too dense. The pork slices were a good mix of lean meat and fat too. Service was great, I would love to go back and try the other ramen!

While in Vancouver for a conference on a particularly cold day, I found myself craving some hot tea and a steaming bowl of ramen. When I arrived, I was seated quickly at the bar and chose an order of Kara Miso Ramen. The pork was unbelievably tender, the saffron added a wonderful depth of flavor, and the broth was so rich and perfectly spiced that I had to just close my eyes as savor the layers of flavor. After eating at my favorite sushi restaurant (Miku) the night before, this served as a reminder that the best food need not always be the most expensive.

best ramen I have tried in Vancouver so far.<br/>all true color and they r so delicious. However, taste a little bit greasy when I am abt finish it.

While treking Robson Street late in the evening, 3 of us were trying to decide where to get our ramen fix.  One of my friends suggested checking out Hokkaido!  He had been there a long time ago and had good memories of it.  We made a long walk towards it, and when we got there we were greeted with a line going out the door.  I initially wanted to go elsewhere, but my friend assured me that it's worth the wait.  <br/><br/>The line went really fast.  I can tell this place is built on efficiency and is a very in and out place rather than focusing on customer service.  Not a problem for me!  We were seated in quick fashion, and while waiting to be seated we placed our order.  Within 10 minutes or so of sitting down, we got our food.  I ordered their shoyu ramen, which I loved.  The ramen was perfect, pork really tender, and the broth was flavourful that I drank so much of it.  Portion size was reasonable given the price.<br/><br/>The restaurant itself is a bit cramped and customer service is kept to a minimum.  However, the ramen at this place is well worth the wait and I can't wait to come back and try more again.  All in all, recommended.

|Shio Ramen with salmon ricebowl|<br/>The restuarant was filled with people when we walked in but the wait wasn't very long. The shio ramen was pretty good and we tried the spicy ramen too but it suprisingly wasn't spicy at all.... Also, the ricebowl wasn't as flavourable as I imagined it to be. However, I think the roasted pork cheek appetizer was the best. When you take a bite of it, the meat and the fat melt together creating a heavenly texture. Definitely should try it! --------------------------------------------------------------------<br/>Tasty level: 6.5 <br/>Price: $15<br/>Will I go again: probably not anytime soon

Good ramen, but I wouldn't call it the best in Vancouver. I had the miso ramen with a side of boiled egg and I had no major complaints - maybe a bit more flavour would be nice. Portions are on the smaller side compared to other place I've been to. This restaurant is always busy no matter what time of the day you go, but the turnover is really fast. We were seated and finished eating within 45 minutes! The space is pretty crammed so you'll be elbow to elbow with other people sitting at the big common table.

I like their tonkotsu broth - very rich and creamy regardless of which flavour you choose. My favourite is Shoyu. However I feel like the chashu is hit-or-miss. Last time I went the chashu rather stiff and chewy. I prefer their toroniku. The portion is also a bit lacking. Definitely better than the Santouka I tried in Taiwan before, which was quite greasy. However, they have this really good sticky-rice-stuffed squid that the Vancouver location doesn't have.

The best ramen in town. Hokkaido Ramen delivers and exceeds expectations. The place itself was a cozy, little and warm restaurant that offered little room for movement and space, though it was not uncomfortable. The place itself was busy, so the tight space was understandable. Even though the place was busy, the service and wait time was fast. Customer service was great, and the staff were interactive. The food itself was absolutely amazing. I had the highly recommended Shio Ramen combo with the pork and rice. The Ramen itself was perfection: the broth had a rich flavour and the noodles were cooked to perfection. The mix of garnishees and toppings all blended together to create a harmonic blend of flavours and taste. The side dish of pork rice was also perfect, and could've been a stand-out dish by itself. Overall a great experience, worth the time and every penny.

Closest thing to Japan we've experienced since being there. From the awesome ramen to the delicious side dishes to the gyoza to die for, this place is the real deal. Lines up almost always out the door. Know your order, slurp your noodles and get out. True Japan style! Love.

Best food I've had in s long time!! Amazing!! You must go here. And the dessert was great!! Seemed busy so almost didn't got in but fast turn over.

Oishi! Delicious Ramen. Cool atmosphere. We sat at the big table by the front window which lead to some fun conversations with other patrons. Ramen was so yummy, and so was the salmon on rice. Be sure to drink lots of water after, because even though it is a balanced tasting soup, you will be thirsty 30 minutes later! I would eat here all the time if I lived nearby! Please open a location in Saskatoon! It's cold here and soup makes people warm and happy!

Excellent broth, I had the shoyu ramen and it was rich and deep. Pork was lovely, I didn't really care for the noodles, they were cooked properly but were average.<br/><br/>Gyzoa were really tasty, salmon bowl was dry and rather underwhelming. I was there when it was slow around 3pm on a weekday, I found the staff to be welcoming and friendly.<br/><br/>Overall, an excellent broth and worth checking out.

Curiosity got the best of me and my friend when we saw the line up outside one day. If you want to eat ramen that tastes like battery-acid, this would be the place to go. This place didn't give me the runs, but it still sucks. It was overcrowded, table was dirty, and waitresses kept knocking into me and my friend while they trying to serve people across from us wtf. Apparently this place has already burned down twice, maybe third time's a charm idk

Solid ramen here, definitely quite rich in taste, and quite savoury. Got the salmon bowl which was quite dry and bland in flavour. The chashu was wayyy better.

We always stop here when we visit Vancouver. It's tried, tested and true - warm, tasty broth that's especially delicious after waiting outside in the rain. Be prepared to wait depending on what time you come but the turnover is quick.<br/><br/>We ordered the shio ramen with an egg on the side and tsukemen (cold ramen dipping noodles).

I liked the ramen. I just didn't like the feeling of being rushed because there's a line up at the door and also that my friend and I were sat at this big table for twelve right at front with total strangers brushing shoulders almost. We were hungry so, whatever. I just wanted a better experience I guess...but will I go back for the food, yes!

This Ramen joint has by far the best tasting pork broth in my opinion. The portion is slightly smaller than other Ramen places. The line ups are pretty long but waiting a while actually builds up your appetite.<br/>I recommend the pork jowl as a side dish and the Salmon on rice bowl. Try this restaurant after going to Kintaro(traditional pork ramen) and Marutama(Chicken broth Ramen)

There have been many hyped restaurants in Vancouver and in our opinion only a few have lived up to expectations; Hokkaido most definitely meets and exceeded our expectations! We ordered gyoza to start (a must for us at any new ramen joint we try), the shio and kara miso ramen. The gyoza was not bad, a little on the greasy side, most likely wouldn't order them again. The ramen though, simply amazing! The broth was very light and did not have the MSG taste in it, yet still super flavourful. The meat was so tender, the noodles had the right consistency, we have nothing bad to say about the ramen here. Between the two, we did enjoy the shio more, and the kara miso is not that spicy for those who were wondering.<br/><br/>We did have to wait about fifteen minutes; there usually is a line so be prepared to wait but it's worth it. We will be back and definitely recommend!

It was aight. The noodles came in a package in a box (compared to Kintaro who made their noodles in-house). The broth was overly salty and lacked that distinct Unami flavour. They had a variety of sides in their menu. I got the boiled egg, seaweed salad and boiled vegetables lol. Tasted exactly how they should (how can you ruin this?). Honestly, Kintaro tasted better! The reviews were hyped. Dined here for the experience but is definitely not my go-to... I'll give them 5 stars for their efficient, timely and friendly service/waitresses! :)

So delicious, and highly recommend! I am not a patient person so the line put me off the first time I walked past, but I can't resist ramen so I went back another day and waited in line. There was roughly 10 ppl/groups in front of us but they were so efficient, we sat down after only about 20mins waiting (plus in that time waiting in line they gave us menu's and took our orders which was really smart)!<br/>I got the toroniku ramen (toppings are served separately). It was beyond delicious. I lived in Japan when I was young and still visit a lot and this is the best ramen outside of Japan to date. The broth was rich and porky, the noodles were perfect (not to hard, not too soft, had some bounce), and the pork jowl served on the side was melt-in-the-mouth scrumptious.<br/>I highly recommend waiting in line and ordering the toroniku ramen. (My boyfriend got a spicy ramen which was also delicious but mine was better!!)

Having been to Kintaro, motomachi, and a few ramen joints around burnaby and richmond, I can safely say that this is the best ramen restaurant I've been to in BC! I usually get the shio ramen and the pork broth is just out of this world... words can't describe how flavorful and RICH it is. The place is small and there are always line ups but trust me it's totally worth it!

This is so far the best Japanese food I have had ! The ramen is crazy good . It's filling and the taste remains in your mouth all day long .. Though there is always a que .. It is a good service and the ramen is worth waiting .. I can't wait to go back !

I love this place so much I come here weekly. Sometimes twice a week. <br/>My favourite is their Shio Ramen.<br/>Their broth is just heavenly and always steaming hot when served. The Toroniku is always a must when we visit as it just melts in your mouth each bite. The chashu (pork) in the ramen itself is also amazing and deliciousI And lastly, my favourite part: the ramen noodles are so chewy!! <br/>I usually order the combo that comes with a rice bowl with simmered pork with my Shio ramen - it's superb ;)<br/>I can't go 2 weeks without Hokkaido Ramen Santouka. #ramenloverforlife 👍👌:)

Santouka is one of my favourite ramens joints in Vancouver. I've been multiple times and their ramen is consistently good. I've had their spicy ramen, shoyu ramen... but I love their shio ramen the most! Usually a lineup but worth the wait.

a part of my Japanese Ramen tour of Vancouver with a lovely nomnom-er<br/><br/>probably the busiest Ramen place in Vancouver<br/>and it was my very first Ramen experience<br/>(love at first sight?)<br/><br/>well, it is my 2nd favourite place for Japanese Ramen now<br/><br/>all authentic <br/>super rich broth<br/>even though not hand made, but still great noodle

I often seek comfort in a good bowl of warm noodle soup. I like Pho for its lightness and consistency, something simple and making me feel better afterward eating. Although Ramen is less predictable as every Ramen restaurant is unique, its versatility definitely seems more exciting. I don't think Ramen has won my heart over Pho yet, but Hokkaido Ramen Santouka has definitely had me at that fantastic bowl of Kara Miso Ramen - the details on the colours, the flavours, the texture, and ultimately the warm comfort that I will remember for a very long time. There is something special about this place and I definitely would like to come back here.

Came here on a recommendation from a friend. The food and service were phenomenal. Within minutes of ordering our ramen and gyoza, our food came out. The gyoza was one of the best I've had in a while. The pork perfectly seasoned and moist. Had the toroniku miso ramen. The broth was perfectly seasoned with a good amount of fat in it for flavor. The noodles had a chewy texture, which was cooked to my liking. Come early as a line forms quickly at lunch.

Top 3 ramen restaurant in Vancouver - In my opinion anyways. I love the texture of their noodles. It's just right! It goes without saying that their broth is spectacular. Very friendly staff as well.

All time favorite ramen place in Vancouver, great location, plenty of desert places near by. I come here twice a week. Brought my friends here last week. They loved it !!

Came here after checking out the 420 festivities at Sunset beach. Pretty busy early evening but didn't have to wait long. The place is fairly small but it feels cozy and layouts are nice and when I sit by the kitchen I always enjoy watching the cooks do their thing. It can feel a bit intimate sitting and eating beside others in such a small space but that's Japanese style for ya. Took a minute for the waitress to come take my order but my large bowl of Miso ramen came briskly after ordering and the process was fast considering how busy it was. I am typically impressed by the efficiency and quality of services I receive from Japanese servers and this was no different.<br/>It was filling enough with a good amount of different ingredients but the flavors and the soup left me wanting. The pieces of pork were nice and fatty. The noodles were nice and chewy with a good bounce to them. But the soup at the end was too salty to drink and enjoy and that is a big disappointment for me as I like to enjoy at least a little bit of soup after the noodles are done. This third time eating here was not as good as my previous visits, maybe I was overly hungry, but more likely their Miso ramen is too salty for me. <br/>Everything was quick and pleasant, easy in easy out, no hassle.<br/>I like how they have all the utensils and other small things that you might request for sitting neatly stacked and presented. For me, part of the fun of dining out is the feel of everything and I liked the dining ware used by this ramen house. <br/>Taste: 4 of 5<br/>Value: 3.5 of 5<br/>Service: 4.5 of 5<br/>Rich flavourful ramen<br/>$1 to upsize ramen is a good option<br/>I've had a miss here but will be back

I came here for lunch trying their tsukemen. Since I came here by myself, I didn't have to wait in line. I got a seat at the bar right away. That was awesome! <br/><br/>The server gave me a menu and a glass of cold water quickly. I had already planned to try their tsukemen, so I didn't look at their menu at all. I tried their ramen in the past. It was good. <br/><br/>I ordered the tsukemen. Waiting for the dish was not too long, so it was good. I tried the soup base first. It was above average. There were small cubes of pork and an egg in the soup. Everything tasted great. The texture of the pork was soft without too much fat. I liked it. I dipped the ramen into the soup base and ate it. The texture ramen was okay. The best one I had was at Ramen Butcher. <br/><br/>If I ever visited this ramen place again, I would have ordered other ramen but not tsukemen. Their pricing is average. Not too expensive and not too cheap. The service is good. The restaurant is always busy, so be expected that you have to wait for a long time. The restaurant has a decent size but there are too many people, chairs and tables around. There is not too much room to walk; plus the servers walk back and forth to serve the customers. Sometimes the servers or the food trays that they are carrying would hit the customers.

I had the Shio Ramen and it was way too salty to me. My friend felt the same too. I poured two cups of hot water and it didn't help much. It would've been a perfect ramen if it was not so salty.

I got spicy miso ramen, and was disappointed with it that I didn't even finish it. Gyoza was also very mediocre. After waiting for over half an hour, and being really hungry, I was surprised that I didn't enjoy the ramen. Since it has such good reviews, I'm willing to try one more time, but this time around I'll get Tokusen toroniku ramen, which is their original dish.

If you've been to the super-popular Hokkaido Ramen Santouka, you may have noticed that for $1 you can get an "appetizer" of two pats of butter. According to my Japanese friend, this is to mix into your ramen for extra "richness". I'd never heard something so preposterous, and maybe it's an April Fool's joke on his part, but I was determined to try it. He recommended the Shoyu Ramen ($10.95) to go with it.

Ah Santouka, the iconic line ups and bowls of steaming ramen make me think of what Japan must look like. This used to have my #1 spot before Marutama stole my heart. I still love this place however. The milky colored pork broth and soft chashu are what make this bowl so addicting. But the noodles could be better, the egg here is extremely disappointing and the bowls are a bit small compared to other ramen shops nowadays. I love getting the Santouka super combo with the Salmon and ikura rice, getting that and mixing some of their heavenly broth in is soooo good. Overall I guess it is worth the hype Vancouverites are giving it.

Long line up but efficient servicing. They would rush you out after you finish your ramen for the next table flip. Tried Shio Ramen. Love their ramen noodles. Broth was flavorful and not too salty. But I didn't like how the broth was oily and meat was really fatty. Not my favorite.

Why is the pork overcooked? Likely because it's old and being reheated.<br/><br/>Why are the noodles just ok? Because they come freeze dried in a package. <br/><br/>There was a time that I somewhat enjoyed Santouka, having been to a number of their outlets. Now it's just sub-par.<br/><br/>Beware most of the positive reviews are for those happy to wait inline for instant noodles, overcooked meat and salty but lacking depth broth.

I love this Ramen place!! I've been some other Ramen restaurants before, they are not bad, but this one is my favorite and best! Their soup and rice are great!!

My go-to ramen joint. Always jump back and forth between the shio and the karamiso ramen, but what never changes is that I order the gyoza. I definitely love other ramen restaurants in the city, but always find myself coming back here. Love the little rice bowls you can order - especially the ikura. What's not to love?

If you're ever on vacation in Vancouver make sure Hokkaido Ramen Santouka is on your list of restaurants to try. I spent the long weekend in Vancouver and for me, this restaurant made my favourite meal. Each component of the meal was extremely flavourful. The broth was delicious and the noodles were never ending. I had the shio ramen which was rich and creamy. A regular sized ramen is already jam packed with noodles and broth so it's the perfect size, but if you're really hungry it does come in a large. Their Japanese cream soda makes for a great and refreshing accompaniment with the ramen. The restaurant itself is small and fills up as soon as their doors open. If you're heading there on the weekend, aim to be there a little bit before it opens, as line tends to stretch out down the sidewalk! I can't wait for the next time I'm in Vancouver to dine here again.

This place is sooo yummy! Definitely one of the best ramen I've tasted so far. I ordered the Shio ramen combo that included a grilled salmon and roe rice bowl as well as a Japanese cream soda with ice cream. The broth is amazing... I basically drank the entire bowl of broth after I was finished eating 🙊 My boyfriend ordered the Kara miso ramen and he really liked it too! The Japanese cream soda is a must try 😍

Wow! Excellent dinner last night. Had the spicy ramen and roasted salmon with rice. Flavored were crazy good. I'm only in Vancouver for another 2 days, but I can see us going back before we leave!

Every time I get that ramen crave this is the first place I think of! Lines are usually out the door but it never takes too long. Service is very quick and consistent, considering the amount of people that are filled in this little restaurant. I would recommend the ramen combo that has the BBQ pork on rice with shio ramen. Broth is full of flavour and the noodles are cooked perfectly. Definitely would recommend!!

From Edmonton, but I stop by at least once anytime I'm in Vancouver.<br/>I've been here at least 6-7 times. Will be back in town in a couple weeks for more pork cheeks!

The ramen options are limitless in Vancouver these days. I remember back when there was like maybe 1-2 good places for ramen, but even then it wasn't really that good so I never cared for it. Until.. Santouka came into my life. Santouka started in 1980s, they occupied a small tiny shop on Hokkaido, a Japan's island. Fast forward to 2016, it is now a 55-location chain. And although I don't normally like "chain" restaurants, I have to admit Santouka is still the best in my books. In Vancouver, no doubt. But even take a city like Toronto where you'd see celebrity chefs David Chang Momofuku; when I asked around, Santouka is the best there also.

I live in Calgary, and would fly to Vancouver to have a bowl of Santouka Ramen. I could eat it everyday for every meal for the rest of my life...

This place is always pretty busy whenever we drop by and doesn't take reservations, so it's probably best to come by in smaller groups to shorten the wait. Service is very fast once seated. We tried the Shio and Shoyu ramen in combos with the ikura and salmon roe rice bowls. Portion-wise the combination was filling, but the soup was a bit on the greasy side. Overall though everything was delicious!

Long wait, but for good reason!<br/>I was shocked to see a line as long as it was outside the restaurant . Once we were seated the food arrived shortly after... And I must say DAYUMM!<br/>Succulent broth, great portions, playful menu and lovely staff.<br/>5 stars ⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆

Love their Kara miso ramen. My all time favourite ramen place in Vancouver even though there are plenty of choices in downtown Vancouver. But the line ups can be killer at times

Fast service, delicious ramen, friendly staff. They are normally busy with a long line up, so when we were in the neighbourhood in late hours in a week night, we seized the opportunity! The desert menu looked tempting too, but we didn't sample.

Went to this restaurant on a Monday night, had a short line up, waited about 10 min for a seat, ordered a miso ramen and gyoza, both were very delicious as expected from this restaurant, 5 out of 5 stars for this place, highly recommended, will come again.

Super popular ramen joint in Downtown West End, you'll usually see a long line-up of people outside. The miso ramen has a very rich broth which I totally love, the chashu is a bit too fatty and the texture isn't as good as some other ramen places. This place also offers ramen combo which also comes with a small don ( rice bowl) on the side. A good place for a bowl of hot ramen!

On a rainy day, we decided to come back to Santouka for a quick meal in the afternoon. Surprisingly, there was a small lineup at that time of the day. After 10 min wait, we got seated and served promptly. We shared the seaweed salad, miso ramen with extra noodle, ikura rice bowl, and chasu meat on its own. The seaweed salad was refreshing and had the perfect seasoning. The broth in the ramen was rich and flavourful, however, the noodle didn't seem to be cooked properly as I felt it was uncooked in the centre. The highlights of the meal were the ikura rice bowl and chasu meat. I never liked ikura until my recent experience with Unagi ikura uni rice bowl at Hitoe. The fish roes had no fishing taste at all, a great item to go with rice. The chasu meat is different from the one in the ramen. This is much more tender and had better seasoning. It pairs perfectly with the ikura rice bowl. I know what to order next time when I visit Santouka again!

This is by far the best ramen I've had in a long time. The broth is probably the highlight of this place. So well prepared and flavourful;it left me wanting more and more. The noodles goes hand in hand with the broth; light and thick but not too chewy. Also, their cha schuu was fatty and delicious. I ordered the shoyu ramen with extra cha schuu with a side of kimchi and I must say...it was money well spent. The pricing of their ramen is a little steep but given the quality of this place, I'd say it is well worth it. I'm definitely coming back to try more and I'd definitely recommend this place.

We finally got to try this place, but it did not live up to the hype. The ramen was good - no doubt, but I would not line up to eat there. The broth was delicious, but the ramen noodles were okay but the char siu was chewy and hard. In my opinion, Ramen Jinya and Kintaro are much better.

It's hard to say much about this place that hasn't already been said.  I've been coming here since it opened and I'm sad to say that the quality has begun to decline as of late.  The Pork jowls are now often "chewy" and the attention to detail simply doesn't seem to be there.  It's still good, just sadly not as good as it used to be.

Possibly the best ramen that I've had in my life outside of Japan.<br/><br/>They specialise in a pork broth soup base. That was some delicious broth. It was tasty without being too salty. The cha shuu meat had a nice barbecued taste to it and was a generous serving - two pieces of thick cut meat. The noodles were fresh and had great texture too.<br/><br/>I also recommend the hard boiled soy sauce egg as a side - it had great flavour to it. Mixing the yolk with the ramen broth was a match made in heaven.<br/><br/>For $10.95 this was a great cheap eat in Vancouver.

My all-time favorite ramen place. Has always been recommending it to my friends who hasn't tried ramen yet. Problem is their space is so small, which is one of the reasons why there's always a long line up. I sometimes feel there's no privacy when me and my friends are chatting while eating, cause other people can definitely here it. Anyways, the service is really good (they are all friendly and nice) and the ramen is good (tasty broth). Must try!

This is good ramen and it used to be my favorite when it first opened about 3 years ago. The meat was good, the broth was rich but now it's slowly going downhill. The ramen is extremely oily, more oily than kintaro I think. This is still good ramen but I'm definitely back in the search for better ones around town! Prices also went up as well which is a bit disappointing.

This is one of my favorite ramen restaurants and I always try to have a meal here when i'm in Vancouver. There is always a line up so I try to go the restaurant right when it opens. It's nice that they give you menus to look at while in line so you can decide what to order while waiting. My go to meal is the pork jowl ramen. The broth was rich, thick and flavorful. The ramen was perfectly cooked and after warming the pork jowl in the soup it just melted in my mouth. I heard that the gyoza was really good here but when I had it, it wasn't really juicy or crispy...maybe it just wasn't cooked properly this time.My partner in crime ordered the combo and it came with a mini donburi and Japanese cream soda float.

Always a favourite stop whenever I am in Vancouver. Although the line waits can be long, the staff are incredibly friendly and efficient, and the broth base is well worth the wait. Consistently a priority for me every time I am in town!

Santouka is by far our favourite authentic ramen joint in Vancouver. You know they’re good when there’s always a long line up outside their shop. Service is swift and their noodles are always perfectly cooked to al dente, and quality is consistent. Seriously, you can’t go wrong with Santouka.<br/><br/>KitKat and I ordered their goro-niku gyoza ($5.95) to share. These pan fried pork dumplings were delectable. The skin was thin and perfectly crispy on the bottom. The pork inside was juicy and full of flavour.<br/><br/>KitKat ordered the kara miso ($11.45). Initially, I was going to get the kara miso too since I was feeling a little chilly from being in and out of the water, but after our long walk down Robson, my body warmed up and I no longer wanted something steamy and hot. I opted for the tsuke-men ($12.45) instead, where the ramen is served cold on the side with a bowl of their hot simmered pork bone soup seasoned with shoyu for dipping. The tonkotsu broth was rich and creamy and had deep, concentrated flavours, without being overly fatty or salty. There were pieces of menma (fermented/braised bamboo shoots) tender cubes of pork, aji-tama (soft boiled egg) and green onions in the soup. While I expected the egg to have a semi runny centre, it was overcooked and not short of being hardboiled. The ramen noodles in the tsuke-men are different from the usual noodles they use in all their other ramen selections. These dipping noodles are slightly thicker, denser, and chewier. The portion of noodles are also bigger. I ended up packing about a third of my ramen home. I’ve had Santouka’s tsuke-men before, but I had forgotten what it tasted like and thought I’d try it again. While it was good, it wasn’t as amazing as the kara miso. I prefer the smaller portion size, complexity of the spicy miso broth and thinner noodles

In a city that rains for most of the year, a ramen shop offering bowls of steaming soup and a warm space is bound to succeed, which is evidenced in Santouka, a tiny 20- seater shop on the west end of Robson. <br/><br/>A go-to spot for visitors to Vancouver, and a personal chill date spot during the colder months, Santouka is, to say the least, a staple. <br/><br/>Food/Drink: My favorite order here is the Spicy Miso Ramen. There's something about the creaminess and the thickness of the broth that hits the spot during wet season. The kick from the spice cuts through that otherwise monotonous creamy taste quite well. The pork on top of the soup is well cooked and is super flavourful. I usually get less lard and salt, and it's still really good. Extra charge for a soft boiled egg. #worthit. <br/><br/>Ambience: Place is cozy and warm for a reason: It's pretty small. It's not a sit and chat for hours place, it's a eat and go for Nero kind of place. There is always a lineup, whether it's 8pm at night or 2pm in the afternoon. But wait it out. It's the best one amongst the other ramen places in the area. <br/><br/>Service: Really quick, polite and approachable. <br/><br/>Transport: Take 5 Robson bus down and stop at Cardero. You can also walk it down from Pacific Centre, if you want to pre-lose calories from the ramen. The place is almost miss-able, tiny as it is. Keep your eyes peeled and noses ready!

This is one of a few ramen places that has consistent quality. Miso and shiyo ramen are always rich and tasty. Both are not too salty but flavorful enough! Shiyo is creamy with a hint of sweetness while miso is a little more saltier than shiyo. The kara miso is not spicy actually but still good. Been there 4 times.. will go back again.

Such a great place for ramen. There was a bit of a line as per usual. However, that did not stop our waitress from taking our order so our ramen would be ready for us as soon as we were seated. <br/><br/>The ramen itself was delicious. A nice broth accompanied by perfectly made noodles. I would definitely recommend this place.

Overhyped as usual.  I ran down the block to eat the ramen before closing here.  I loved everything about the ramen except for the piece of pork that is thick and overcooked.  There was little to no fat to it.  I guess some can call it texture and maybe I just don't know what a standard piece of meat to a good bowl of ramen is, but I can't help but compare to Ramen Jinya way in the south end of Robson Street.  I enjoyed the slice of pork that melted in my mouth more.  A bit of a personal preference.  If I ever get to go to a ramen cooking class in Japan I'll come back and polish up this review with better expertise.  Otherwise, come here for the broth and noodles but not for the slice of pork...<br/><br/>First hand experience of Shio Ramen I ordered (made notes as I ate it):<br/>-most popular<br/><br/>-thick, salty broth but not excessive, fatty<br/><br/>-super thick cut of pork but tough, not melt in your mouth experience<br/><br/>-noodles too al dente (marginally cooked / raw)<br/><br/>-regular size is $10.95 but looks small to me

Overrated, although better than the one in Toronto. I enjoy Santouka, it'll always be "good" ramen but never great or amazing in my books. <br/><br/>The broth doesn't have the flavour or punch that I look for and the pork is hit or miss. Some days it melts in your mouth while others it doesn't.<br/><br/>I just can't recommend this place in good conscience with Kintaro a block away.

I've been here a few times and it's is always absolutely packed, and for good reason. Of all the amazing restaurants on Robson this one definitely is one of the best if not the best in my opinion. My personal favourite is the Kara Miso Ramen since I love spicy food. The broth is just delicious and has such great flavour. The slices of pork are just great and are always leaving me wanting more. If you've never been here, I definitely recommend you check it out as soon as possible!

I ordered the combo with the shio ramen and some side dishes like rice with dried fish. I liked the ramen but the pork had too much fat and the side dishes weren't anything special. <br/>I think this is a nice ramen but there's better places. Overal overrated

Favorite ramen place in vancouver! Flavorful broth and delicious charshu! Love ordering their pork jowl ramen. Their gyoza is also amazing! Crispy and juicy :) really like their combo with the mini donburi and the cream soda float too!

Santouka i'll say is one of the top ramen joints in vancouver as of since they opened till now as of 2015. <br/><br/>In terms of taste the broth is really delicious, thick and heavy enough to have it's own signature, the ramen in general are tangy and firm, awesome firmness i'll say.<br/><br/>Then, this time i tried the tsukemen after trying all, shoyu, shio, miso base ramen.<br/>The tsuke men I'll say, is the broth is just heavier than the pork broth, but still managable to be dipped with the noodle, however I find it a little bit too thick to gulp down like a normal ramen soup. in general I'm always happy with the taste, and the portion in general in this ramen joint.<br/><br/>The dumplings are just okay, not my favorite. the typical ramen bowl I love the pork jawl as well :DD<br/><br/>The place is very packed, i suggest going off peak hours, and have the whole group ready. since you won't be seated until the whole group arrives. <br/><br/>Willd definitely recommend this place to other people and also come back if time and situation allows :)

Loved the food here, but seating is limited (it fills up pretty fast), and the temperature inside always tends to be on the warmer side (maybe because of the proximity to the kitchen?). I imagine this would be a great cozy place to eat in the winter!

Absolutely loved the ramen here. Only waited 15 minutes when the line was past the store. The shio ramen was packed of flavour and the combination of noodles and meat was perfect. I ordered the combo with the ikura so it was a really filling meal. Also had the japanese soda which was a perfect balance with the ramen. Can't wait to be back and try their other ramen!