Ramen Ishida — Restaurant in New York

This place was absolutely amazing! I came here with a friend for a quick bite and they didn't disappoint.

To begin, let me just say that this place is pretty small, so you may have to wait for a seat. It's most DEFINITELY worth the wait.

Once we were seated we were greeted by our lovely waitress very quickly. She was extremely personable and her service was excellent. We started with the Dassai/Junmai Daiginjo and some Pork Buns to share. The Dassai was absolutely refreshing and the pork buns were just so fluffy and savory. Nice and hot. For our main dishes, she got the New Tokyo Style Shōyu Ramen and I got thr Spicy Umami Miso with added tofu. All I can say is that before we got our food, we were in deep conversation and we absolutely shut up because we were too busy stuffing out faces. It was SO delicious! Super flavorful and balanced, although I do wish that mine was a little spicier. It was still wonderful overall.

The ambiance of the place, coupled with the service and the size, makes for the experience to be really cozy and chill. It feels like a hole in the wall, and in a way it is. It's something that I really do like about it, but objective speaking I think it's the only thing holding them back. I feel that for how great everything was, they definitely deserve a bigger space. This is the only reason I gave them 4/5. Do take into consideration however that there's only two people working: the chef and the waitress. Even with this service was excellent by all accords, and so long as you're willing to wait for a seat, this comes VERY highly...

I came here with a friend for what was supposed to be my birthday dinner🙃 And it turned into one of the most disappointing dining experiences I’ve ever had in Manhattan.

When we walked in, we greeted the server with a smile: Hi, how are you? Could we please have a party of two?

Her response: Hi. You need to wait. Just flat, no warmth at all🙃

I understand the restaurant is small, so waiting outside is fine. But the attitude from the very start was unnecessarily harsh and dismissive. She told us to put our name on the waitlist, she said she will call my name, handed me a menu, then immediately told us we couldn’t wait inside and made us leave.😑

When my friend asked about a restroom, she said no and told us to go to Essex Market. Later I found out the restaurant does have a restroom. That felt very dishonest.

While waiting, two seats opened up. Instead of seating us (we were next), she gave them to two white men who had just arrived. Then when another two seats opened, I asked if I could at least sit down while waiting for my friend. She muttered something low that sounded like yes, but as soon as I started to sit, she snapped: No... you can’t sit if your friend isn’t here. Like completely unnecessary and humiliating. I felt discriminatory and racist.

At that point, I left. Maybe their food is good, but there’s no way I’d accept that kind of customer service, especially on my birthday. I walked across the street to a Malaysian spot, and the service was the total opposite: warm, welcoming, and respectful.

See you...

Ramen Ishida serves ramen fit for any code abiding samurai. Each bowl absolutely captures the tenets of the Bushido: courage, honesty, honor, loyalty, respect, benevolence and rectitude. Taciturn Chef Yohei Ishida operates with well-honed efficiency, a spirit that is reflected in the clientele whose patronage is (from my observations as a regular) often concise and single-minded. That is, to pause in the moment, enjoy a soulful bowl of ramen, then carry on with life. Much like one of those ramen stops you find in Japan's train stations. That said, Ramen Ishida is neither cold nor clinical, in fact quite the contrary for a small restaurant designed to sit maybe 8-10 comfortably, it feels open, cosy and inviting. My go-to is the Shōyu ramen. Both chicken and vegan options are equally good. Minimal but satisfying, the clear broth is extremely "umami" thanks to the punch from the truffles base, a profile that is unique to Ishida. I particularly love the texture of the noodles here, perfect for slurping up the soup (noise preferred). The Shiso leaf is always a visual treat as well as a palate cleanser. That early scene in the seminal 1985 film "TAMPOPO" by Juzo Itami comes to mind. Remember when the noodle master instructed on the right way to enjoy a bowl of ramen? I completely concur: it is most enjoyable when alternating slurps of soup and noodles with the other ingredients. Don't be surprised to find yourself lapping up the last bits, bowl in hand to mouth. Light enough for Summer, heary enough for Winter. Highly...