Yokato Yokabai Ramen
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I visited Yokato Yokabai for the first time on a chilly, rainy Saturday afternoon with a friend, and it turned out to be a cozy, unforgettable experience. The restaurant’s vibe immediately set a welcoming tone—its intimate setting, with warm lighting and beautiful Japanese wall murals complemented by wooden accents, made it feel like stepping into a little slice of Japan. Since it was early and only the ramen bar was open, we had to wait about 40 minutes for a seat, but it was well worth it. We were seated right in front of the chefs, which was a treat as we watched them skillfully prepare the ramen. Stay tuned for my video review on TikTok (@Foxy.appetite) and Instagram (@Foxyappetite)! In depth review: To start, we shared the pork gyoza with a peanut sauce, which had a perfect balance of flavors—crispy and savory with a little sweetness from the sauce. But the real star of the meal was the ramen. I opted for the torikotsu, which is a chicken broth ramen with thin noodles and chicken teriyaki as my protein. My friend went for the tonkotsu, which featured a rich pork broth with tender slices of pork and thin noodles. Both dishes were exceptional, with each bite bursting with flavor. The broth was so comforting, rich without being overwhelming, and the noodles were perfectly cooked. There was a water jug on our table, but the menu didn’t mention any drinks, so we weren’t sure if we needed to ask specifically for something else. We weren’t offered any additional beverages, which left us wondering if this was the usual practice. To top it off, there was a special deal—ramen and a yuzu panna cotta dessert for just $25, which felt like an amazing value. The panna cotta was smooth and subtly tangy, a perfect way to end the meal. Though the space was a bit tight, it added to the charm, and it was clear this is a place where people come together to enjoy great food and a relaxed atmosphere. In the end, Yokato Yokabai is a hidden gem in Montreal’s Plateau neighborhood. Whether you’re craving a bowl of ramen on a cold day or just looking for a cozy spot to unwind, this place delivers authentic, comforting Japanese food at an excellent price. I’ll definitely be back, but during a less busy traffic time when all the rooms are open.
Roxanne Pelissier (Foxy Appetite)
00
Homemade noodles soaking up the flavors of the scalding tonkotsu broth; spicy red miso paste unrolling it’s umami taste all up in your mouth; pickled soft boiled egg, a little sweet, perfectly cooked, just the right temperature; the chicken thights, exquisitely juicy and pickled to their rightful tastefulness. Every detail meticulously thought of and executed. But the sum of all parts is greater than the whole, making this bowl of ramen one of the greatest I had in my life. I am amazed at how easy and fast I can slurp up that bowl. Cue : “and i’ve been to japan” cliché. That’s what I should’ve written 3 years ago when I first went there. If you thought this was a love letter, it is’nt. It’s a heartbreak story, about a guy that discovered a hidden gem, just to see it ruined by greed. Or incompetent management. Or just bad luck. Unfortunately indeed, the restaurant is a victim of it’s own popularity. The consistency went through the door (on the way out) as the critics went through the door (on the way in). As soon as it was elected as one the best ramen in Montreal and the line-ups got crazy, the broth wasn’t that hot all the time. The miso paste that is the base of umami in the bowl strangely tasted bland... and not spicy. The chicken, so tender and flavourful years ago, sometimes is dry and dull. They don’t put as much broth in your bowl depending on the time of the day you go eat there, either — ok, it’s just silly little things, and Yokato’s still a nice place to take friends to, and dates, and family, and even going alone, to crush a bowl as loudly as possible, making the most indecent sounds, but then again, the sum of all parts IS greater than the whole, and my appreciation for the place got tainted with the thought that the restaurant was poorly managed regarding it’s newfound visibility, and that it’s soul was lost amongst the praising critics and unending line-ups. I still go regularly, for lack of a better option, and because sometimes... just sometimes... you can still get that perfect tonkotsu broth, teriyaki chicken, 1/2 egg, 5 nori, 2x kara miso, extra bamboo shoots, extra green onios, extra saltiness, super hot and tasty ramen that I so desperately need and love.
Desco Show
00
I RARELY leave negative reviews but this time I don’t think I have a choice. Came here for brunch and at the beginning it’s start off good— the waitress is greet us, bring us our table, and give us the book menu. She even told us about the closet where we can hang our jacket. But right after that, things go downhill. 1. The book menu she gave us is drink menu only, not the food menu. We become confused on how to order etc since she doesn’t even say a word on how to order. Apparently there is a sort of ticket form you need to fill out to order. My husband notice the ticket form in the table so we start to fill it. This is already a bad sign for me as they not even bother to explain to us while we never been here before. Are they just assuming that we are regular? Well, news flash: NOT everybody already coming to your place before so some people don’t know your system on how to order the food. We couldn’t even ask because the waiters not really around to help. 2. After filling the form, we still don’t know how to place the order as the waiters is not even looking at us. My husband try to wave to one of the waiters and he just gives him a hand gesture to wait. So we wait. But after a while, still nobody coming to take our order. So I calling another waiter who passed by our table and he just gesturing me to go to cashier where the waitress who brings us to our table earlier standing there. So I was thinking that, oh okay so we need to place the order in the counter. But when I approaching her, she give me annoyed look and saying “I will come”. Without smile and sour face. I try to explain to her I need to walk to the counter bring the tickets to order because the male waitress gesturing me to her but she just repeating the “I will come” word. To be honest this moment is literally turned down for me. 3. The ramen broth is so-so, nothing special. Teriyaki chicken topping is too sweet in my opinion. The only good thing about the ramen is the noodles, it’s tastes fresh and probably hand pulled. The chicken karaage is also good. Our bill comes up $80.48 in total and my husband gives $10 tip which in my opinion is not deserving since the service is not even decent. It’s also overpriced since their ramen not even better than Ramen Isshin in Sainte-Catherine or Ikkousha in Toronto which much cheaper with MUCH BETTER service as well. If they want to keep their business, they better give training or re-training their waitress again on how serve customers better. Or they could hire more waiters since I only see 3 of them. Maybe that’s the reason why the service is horrible. I love ramen so much that I like to try different ramen restaurants but this place is ruining it. Won’t come back again.
Dinda Larasati
00
There’s a lot of waiting, but my complaint doesn’t relate to that. After being seated, the cold drafts from the doors opening and closing were draining. Thankfully, the soups were served hot. The server, though nice and quick, seemed to be in a hurry when answering my questions about the different add-ons I could choose for my soup. It felt like I wasn’t allowed to take my time to reflect, just to make a choice. While eating at the top counter, the credit card machine was placed right in front of me, and every time the dusty bill printer worked, particles of dust seemed to fall dangerously close to my soup. Despite these issues, the place itself looked great. When my soup arrived, it tasted really good, but they forgot two of my extras. I didn’t mind waiting for them to be added, but when the mushrooms finally came, they were so cold that it was disappointing. The broth, however, was delicious, and the noodles were amazing. While eating, I noticed a girl in the kitchen with blue or green hair (or maybe both) cleaning something with a sponge right next to the soups lined up for their add-ons. Drops of water from whatever she was cleaning were falling into the soups, which, given how crowded the kitchen was, seemed unhygienic. I can’t lie—I was happy with my meal. I liked being able to follow the preparation of my soup while sitting at the counter, and the food itself was good. However, small hiccups like these made the experience less than perfect and, overall, a bit disappointing. Will I go again? Yes. But will I hype it up to others and say it was amazing? No. I think a few small changes could greatly improve the atmosphere and experience.
Alain-Mylène Papillon
00
Yokato Yokabai is probably the closest thing to authentic Japanese ramen in Canada and I’m so sad it’s all the way in Montreal because I want to eat this everyday!! It’s not only the ramen that’s bomb, but the apps too!! - veggie tempura: perfectly cooked, not oily at all - takoyaki: perfect tako to yaki ratio, a lil crithpy on the outside 🤌 - okonomiyaki: literally the BEST, crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, tons of filling, love the pickled ginger for the crunch UGH chef’s kiss - korokke: i looooove croquettes and this place nails crispy outside, fluffy inside foods - eggplant: once again perfectly cooked, the green onion tsuyu sauce just knocked it out of the park tho!! Mains wise: - ramen: obviously!! loved that everything was customizable, the tonkotsu broth was thicc but not too oily and heavy, and they were sooo generous with all the portions, esp the toppings!! And the meat was so good too, the pork shoulder actually tasted so smoky and tender i literally cried 🥹 why isnt ramen in toronto this good UGH - carbonara: i only had a bite but it was a japanese take on carbonara (italians look away!!!) with cream and ramen noodles, yummy but not my style, a bit too heavy for me! The drinks were also BOMB, we both got shiso based drinks and they were so yummy, generous amounts of alc in them 🥴 Overall if you’re ever in Montreal this is a must try!! We’ve gone every time we go to Montreal and will continue the tradition! They dont do resos and have a break between lunch and dinner so I recommend going at open or late night for the least amount of waiting possible!
Grace Jin
00
I've been searching for the best ramen in Montreal and my search is finally over. Don't bother visiting anywhere else - this is as close as you can get to an authentic ramen joint. I was lucky to come on a rainy Monday night as there weren't too many people in line, but it was a full house nonetheless. While I had to wait about 15 min for my order to come, it was impressive to watch the way all the staff working so efficiently like a factory line. There was someone in charge of cooking the broth and the noodles, another person to put the meat and garnishing, another person to serve the bowls etc. When my ramen was placed before me, the aroma of the tonkatsu broth immediately pulled me in. My eyes were then drawn the the HUGE slices of chashu. By the time I had a mouthful of the noodles that were perfectly al dente, I knew this was a winner. The broth was not too heavy and it was the right balance of deep flavour and lightness. Unlike other ramen places that go overboard with the salt and MSG, I didn't feel parched or too full. In fact, I wanted more after I was done! The only thing I could have done without was the karaage. It was crispy and good, but not as wow-worthy of the ramen. I would have traded that for additional toppings instead. In terms of vibes, the whole place reminded me of a hole-in-the-wall ramen joint in Japan with the decor and counter style seating (there are a few tables behind). While seating is very limited, I promise you it's worth the wait!
Claire Hoon
00
Nearby Attractions Of Yokato Yokabai Ramen
La Fontaine Park
Parc La Fontaine
Jeanne-Mance Park
Square Saint-Louis
Saint-Louis Square
Monument to Sir George-Étienne Cartier
Unicone - Crème glacée à Montréal
QUESTION GAMES - MONTRÉAL PLATEAU: Escape Rooms / Jeux D'évasions - Salle de Jeux & Salle de Réception
Casa Del Popolo
Vortex Montréal - Plateau - Escape Room & VR
La Fontaine Park
4.6
(5.8K)
Click for details
Parc La Fontaine
4.6
(5.8K)
Click for details
Jeanne-Mance Park
4.6
(2.1K)
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Square Saint-Louis
4.5
(1.2K)
Click for details
Nearby Restaurants Of Yokato Yokabai Ramen
Schwartz's Deli
La Banquise
Diablos BBQ Smokehouse
Ma Poule Mouillée
St-Viateur Bagel & Café Mont-Royal
Happy Cat Cafe
Momo par Christian Ventura
Au Pied de Cochon
India Rosa
Arepera
Schwartz's Deli
4.4
(8.9K)
Click for details
La Banquise
4.4
(7.2K)
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Diablos BBQ Smokehouse
4.6
(2.3K)
$$
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Ma Poule Mouillée
4.6
(4.4K)
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Learn more insights from Wanderboat AIBasic Info
Address
4185 Drolet St, Montreal, Quebec H2W 2L5, Canada
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Phone
+1 514-282-9991
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Website
yoka.ca
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Reviews
Overview
4.6
(2.3K reviews)
Ratings & Description
Description
Traditional ramen with various broth & topping options served in a pint-sized, relaxed dining room.
attractions: La Fontaine Park, Parc La Fontaine, Jeanne-Mance Park, Square Saint-Louis, Saint-Louis Square, Monument to Sir George-Étienne Cartier, Unicone - Crème glacée à Montréal, QUESTION GAMES - MONTRÉAL PLATEAU: Escape Rooms / Jeux D'évasions - Salle de Jeux & Salle de Réception, Casa Del Popolo, Vortex Montréal - Plateau - Escape Room & VR, restaurants: Schwartz's Deli, La Banquise, Diablos BBQ Smokehouse, Ma Poule Mouillée, St-Viateur Bagel & Café Mont-Royal, Happy Cat Cafe, Momo par Christian Ventura, Au Pied de Cochon, India Rosa, Arepera
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