Hakata Issou is a representative japanese ramen restaurant in Fukuoka famous for Tonkotsu ramen. Tonkotsu ramen, a type of ramen in Japan, is said to have originated in Fukuoka. That’s why it’s called Hakata Ramen too.
Therefore, there are many famous Tonkotsu ramen restaurants in Fukuoka, and one of them is Hakata Issou. There are a total of three stores in Fukuoka. I went to Hakata Issou Nakas branch near The Millennials Fukuoka, which I tied up on the first day.
I arrived in Fukuoka on a late Saturday flight. It’s late, but I didn’t want to end the day do nothing. So I looked for a good restaurant to go to. Hakata Issou, which I was marked on Google Maps, is open until late. So I decided to go there and eat.
Location / Opening hours
Hakata Issou has a total of three stores in Fukuoka. The main store and Gion branch are close to Hakata Station, and the Nakas branch I went to was on the side of the Nakas River. Other places were open until midnight, but only Nakasu opened late and opened late at night.
The Main Branch
- Address : 3 Chome-1-6 Hakataekihigashi, Hakata Ward, Fukuoka, 812-0013, Japan
- Business Hours: 11 AM–12 AM
Nakasu Branch
- Address : 2 Chome-6-6 Nakasu, Hakata Ward, Fukuoka, 810-0801, Japan
- Business Hours: 7 PM–4:30 AM
Gion Branch
- Address : 3-2 Gionmachi, Hakata Ward, Fukuoka, 812-0038, Japan
- Business Hours: 11 AM–12 AM
Waiting
I visited Hakata Issou Nakas branch at almost 12 p.m. It was Saturday, but it was late, so I expected that there would be little waiting. However, as expectations were overshadowed, there were many people waiting. They were standing on the other side of the road. As I look all the people waiting were Japanese, and I was the only foreigner. The store was small enough to accommodate 15 to 20 people, but the line quickly decreased. Because it was an atmosphere where they came out right after eating ramen. I think I waited for about 30 minutes.
When the order to enter is not long, the clerk comes and asks you to choose a menu. Then you can go inside the store and order through the vending machine. It was difficult to order because it was all written in Japanese. I was stuttering, so the clerk came and showed me the menu with pictures. The clerk did not speak English at all, and it was disappointing that there was no separate English or Korean menu. Instead, the clerk helped me choose the vending machine when I picked up the menu. The vending machine adds the money you need first and then presses the menu button to get a meal ticket.
I chose a menu with soft-boiled eggs that most other people order. There is only one ramen menu, and the price has changed depending on the topping you add.
I take a picture of the enlish menu what I translate and attach it. Special ramen is a version with all toppings added. And Macana Dongdong in the menu below is a menu that is served with char siu or egg on top of rice like in the picture. It means a meal eaten by employees, and it seemed to be sold separately on the menu.
Hakata Issou Ramen
Ramen is served with char siu and seaweed on top of a thick pork soup full of white foam as shown in the picture.
As there is foam, the ramen soup here is also called cappuccino ramen. When I eat the soup, I can feel the rich and soft pork bone soup. I was worried that it would be burdensome because there was a strong pork scent from outside the store, but I didn’t feel a lot of pork scent from the actual soup. The taste of ramen is suitable for boiling noodles, and the taste of the thick soup was felt in the noodles, so I enjoyed it very much. But I think it might be hard for people who are sensitive to the smell of pork to eat.
There are raw garlic, pickled mustard leaves, sesame seeds, and pepper in front of the table. At first, I ate it without putting anything in it. After then I added the ingredients in front of me one by one. It was good to taste variety of flavors. In particular, pickled mustard has a crunchy and spicy taste, so when I put it in ramen, the soup became spicy, allowing me to get rid of the greasiness that I can feel when I eat it.
So far, I have introduced Hakata Issou, a famous ramen restaurant in Fukuoka, Japan. If I visit Fukuoka again I want to go next time. It’s a shame that needs long waiting, but I don’t think you have to wait much because the line shrinks quickly. If you are traveling to Fukuoka, I recommend you to visit.
