Ichiban — Restaurant in Amarillo

I give the food 5 stars, the setting and craziness 2 stars. The good: the food is wonderful! We had Thai-beef soup, Ichiban Raman, and Chili Ramen between the 3 of us. All 3 were quite amazing. The egg-roll appetizer was very tasty as well, although it didn't shine like the soups did. The heat on the soups was JUST right, not too crazy, but definitely there. And you get a lot of food for the price!

The bad: There just flat-out are not enough seats in the restaurant. So, we had to wait awkwardly in the front for about 10 minutes just loitering for someone to finish so we could quickly scamper and grab a table. They also only had one server/cashier/busboy who did all these jobs and more by herself. She did a really good job, but they desperately needed one more person working there. Finally, the wait was quite long for as small as the restaurant is. It was around an hour and a half from the time we stepped in til we left.

TL;DR- Great food, akward seating, slow service, but worth it if you have the...

If eating in a crowded, noisy hole in the wall appeals to you, then Ichiban is for you. Because the food is good and many customers eat there on a regular basis, it is usually filled to capacity. Not easily seen from the street nor is it in what you would call a popular location for a restaurant so word of mouth is how I found out and I have shared my secret favorite place to eat with many friends. Be sure and check hours of operation and dont wait to get there right before closing as you may be disappointed at the sign on the front door stating the out of food status. I usually order spring rolls and Udon pad kee mao. The prices are reasonable and for food prepared when ordered, food wait time is usually 20 - 25 minutes and comes out smoking hot. Wait staff is courteous and quick on their feet. I say that once you have located their front door and make it to a table, getting your food selected will be the most difficult part of your visit. Chop sticks or forks. ENJOY!! I KNOW YOU...

This is the best raemen in town and my go to place for soup. The menu is versatile, with many rice and fried noodle dishes, but the raemen bowls are the Stars of the menu. I love them so much I have a raemen everytime I visit, even if it's ninety degrees outside. The atmosphere is intimate with several tables for groups, but my favorite seat is at the bar, as I enjoy watching The Noodle Wizards make magic with with the wok.

This place is usually crowded for lunch, so it's best to arrive between 11:15 and 11:30. They have no problem toning down the heat when I request a dish be 'less spicy.' (This helps transforms the 3 pepper Spicy Tom Yum Shrimp Noodle into a more-appropriate-for-summer 2 pepper dish.)order an appetizer and be prepared for a bit of a wait if they're busy. I've sometimes had to wait close to 30 minutes to get my raemen, but it's always worth it! Absence makes the heart grow stronger,...