Chuka Ramen Bar — Restaurant in Madrid

The Good - Appetizer of DIY ebi tempura roti taco was pretty good tasting. 4/5 Shrimp wonton was fine but the sauce needed more flavor. I had better dumplings in a market for lunch. 3/5

The Bad - There were only 3 ramen choices, and 2 of them were "fusion" brothless noodles dishes. We tried to order one with Cantonese sausage and they ran out. So we went with the bluefin tuna dish. This turned out to be absolutely disgusting, with raw tuna chunks mixed with what tasted like parmesan cheese and maybe sesame sauce, and then just cuts of vegetables on the side, on top of a bed of noodles. They might have been fine as 3 separate dishes, but it's making my stomach turn just thinking about it. 🤢 0/5

Tonkotsu ramen broth was definitely creamy textured, but the flavor was massively lacking, and the noodles were clearly overcooked, with no springiness or chew left. The pork belly was decent. 2/5

The Ugly - I tried 2 bites of the tuna ramen, and refused to eat more. I immediately told two different servers I didn't like it at all, one offered to exchange it, and I ordered the traditional Tonkotsu instead. My dining companion attempted to eat a few more bites of the tuna ramen in hopes it would grow on him, but it did not. And we set aside this dish with AT LEAST HALF of it uneaten, including some pieces of the tuna, most of the vegetables and half the noodles. When the bill came, they charged us in full for the dish. We decided to ask for a discount as we couldn't finish the dish, and clearly told them we didn't like it (plus they offered to exchange previously) - note that we didn't ask to have it completely taken off, just a reasonable discount on that one particular dish (so just a few euros at most). She talked to the manager and came back saying that her coworker who cleared our table claimed that we had "eaten it all" and therefore refused to give any discount?!! That same server had even asked if we were finished before taking the plate away...because there was lots of food left on the plate!!! The combination of the raw tuna with cheese and heavy noodles had our stomachs queasy at this point. I wouldn't be surprised if we both get sick 🤮 So to outright LIE and claim we ate it all??? Absolutely unforgivable. Avoid this overpriced flavorless tourist trap that can't even get a single noodle dish right, and get your ramen fix...

A ramen spot that respects the food and isn’t skimping on quality. Sat at the bar, close enough to feel the heartbeat of the kitchen, you get a sense of the care they put into every dish.

The pork belly bao? They don’t hold back here. A thick, generous slice, tender and juicy, the kind of bite that feels like a guilty pleasure but without the guilt. They know what people come for, and they deliver.

And the ramen—let’s just say, it’s everything you want in a bowl. Rich broth, packed with ingredients, and the chashu? Falling apart the second you pick it up, soft in a way that tells you they gave it time to get just right.

Service is spot on, too.

5 stars

Sat at the bar at this ramen spot, close enough to watch the magic unfold in the kitchen. They’re not skimping here—if you’re after generous portions and real flavor, you’ll find it.

Started with the pork belly bao, and let me tell you, they don’t hold back. A thick, juicy slice of pork belly that’s the perfect balance of tender and rich. Not the usual skimpy piece; this is the real deal.

The ramen? Outstanding. Rich, full-bodied broth, packed with ingredients, and the chashu melts the second you pick it up—fall-apart tender, like it’s been simmering for hours. Every bite reminds you they know what they’re doing here.

Definitely coming back to work my way through more of the menu. This...

I rarely leave lower ratings, so I'll start by saying that the staff were friendly, efficient, and good at what they do.

The food, however, missed the mark entirely on its promise of great ramen in its attempt towards Japanese/Chinese fusion. We ordered the shoyu-based and tonkotsu ramen. The shoyu broth was too sweet and had a confused muddle of flavors, and the tonkotsu ramen inexplicably had ginger, which took away from the richness of the broth. The egg was cooked well, but was not made as an ajitama, which was disappointing considering the great technique. Chashu is seared first and then cut, which allows the fat to render further in the hot broth -- this chashu was sliced then seared as individual pieces, which created a dry piece of pork. Ramen is about creating depth in the rich, simple, and natural flavours that one can pull from the ingredients. Sadly, this was about loading the bowl with random "Asian" flavours and did not warrant the time and money spent.

If you have been to Japan, or have had a bowl of authentic ramen in your part of the world, and are looking for that experience, I would suggest you skip this restaurant. I can appreciate how difficult it is to make ramen - I have spent days sourcing ingredients and making it myself....