India Rosa Plateau
1241 Avenue Mont Royal E
| Monday | |
|---|---|
| Tuesday | |
| Wednesday | |
| Thursday | |
| Friday | |
| Saturday | |
| Sunday |
Amenities, services & more
Yokato Yokabai Ramen was featured in the article(s) below.
Reviews for Yokato Yokabai Ramen
| Food | |
| Service |
Reviews often mention
Display Allramen(458) broth(100) pork(58) chicken(56) noodle(50) bouillon(32) tonkotsu(28) soup(27) recommend(26) japan(23) karaage(23) busy(23)
I went to Yokato Yokabai Ramen on a cold, rainy Saturday afternoon with a friend. One of those grey days where you just want warmth, something comforting, & a place that lets you linger.
The space is intimate & cozy, with warm lighting, wooden accents, & Japanese murals lining the walls. It feels lived-in in the best way. Like a spot people return to often. When we arrived, only the ramen bar was open, so we waited about 40 minutes for a seat. Normally that might feel long, but the weather made it feel right. When we were finally seated, it was directly in front of the chefs, which instantly made the wait worth it. Watching the bowls come together was its own quiet kind of entertainment.
Once seated, things moved smoothly.
We started by sharing the pork gyoza with peanut sauce. Crispy, savory, with just enough sweetness to round everything out. A solid opener.
Then came the ramen.
I ordered the torikotsu, a chicken-based broth with thin noodles & chicken teriyaki. Comforting, rich without being heavy, & really well balanced. My friend went for the tonkotsu, with its deeper pork broth, tender slices of pork, & the same delicate noodles. Both bowls were deeply satisfying. The kind of food that warms you from the inside out & makes the rain outside feel intentional.
One small thing to note. There was a water jug on the table, but the menu didn't list drinks & we weren't offered anything else, so we weren't sure if additional beverages were available unless requested. Not a dealbreaker, just something to know going in.
We ended up opting for a special that included ramen & a yuzu panna cotta for $25, which felt like great value. The panna cotta was smooth, lightly tangy, & refreshing. A gentle ending rather than something overly sweet.
The space itself is a bit tight, & it can get loud when it's full, but that closeness adds to the charm. It feels like a place where people gather for comfort, not spectacle.
Yokato Yokabai is the kind of spot you crave on a cold day. Cozy, unfussy, & focused on doing ramen really well. I'll definitely be back, ideally at a quieter time when more of the space is open, but the food alone makes it worth returning to.
We had pork & sesame broth thick noodles Ramen. Chicken & pork. Sesame broth was too heavy for me. The soup was colder than expected. Spicy chicken entree was good. Rice with pork entree was tasty. The place was packed on Sunday at 2. We waited for 20 minutes for a table. 4 stars overall.
The broth & noodles really taste unique. Great ambiance too.
A rich broth that isn't overpowering or overly fattening with tasteful cuts of pork shoulder. The noodles weren't anything amazing, but their agreeable length added to the experience. The takoyaki & karaage were great.
The largest ramen shop in Montreal spans multiple levels. Despite its size, a long queue often forms outside. The ramen broth was milky thick & aromatic. The homemade noodles were chewy & slightly firm. The chashu was tender, with a savory-sweet flavor. Adding a few slices of fermented ginger condiments could enhance the depth of the umami.
disappointing experience with an average bowl of ramen.
I was very enthusiastic about eating here, as the reviews were mostly positive & the place specializes in ramen. The staff was super friendly & attentive, & the atmosphere was cozy-it almost made you feel like you were in an authentic Japanese izakaya.
I ordered ramen with pork broth, thick noodles, pork shoulder, & egg. However, the broth was somewhat bland, the noodles were thinner than expected, & both the pork & egg were cold-like straight-out-of-the-fridge cold-which didn't help the overall taste. The portion also didn't feel filling enough, as I ended up with way more broth than noodles.
The ramen was pretty much on the same level as some decent instant noodles: nothing special & definitely not worth twenty dollars. The restaurant itself isn't terrible, but I expected more from it.
Don't think it's worth all of the hype.
I felt that the flavor was lacking. For context, I grabbed the'Vegetarian broth w vegetables since I'm a vegetarian. I've had better vegetarian ramen bowls throughout the city, this bowl just seemed weak. I was expecting so much more from a michelin star recommended ramen house, however it was mediocre at best. The best part of the actual food was the consistency & texture of the noodles.
The chicken broth ramen had a deeper umami flavour than the pork which was shocking. The noodles were exceptional. Fried chicken was not as crispy as I had hoped. Overall really tasty with some misses. Friendly staff. Wait was not long at all. 10 min for 3 of us on a Friday evening.
Pretty unique atmosphere & experience. The authenticity of the restaurant & quality of the food are something to be appreciated for anyone who enjoys a good bowl of ramen. Prices are very reasonable & the control you have over your order does not compromise on the overall integrity of the dish you get. That said, I've definitely had better ramen at the many places you'll find a few streets away-the noodles & chicken were pretty stale, & the sesame broth lacked depth & felt powdery. Couldn't finish it because the taste just wasn't it, which never happens. Better food & a little interior rearranging (it's very cramped, snug but bordering on uncomfortable) would knock this place out of the park.
This restaurant reminds me so much of being in Japan which is amazing. From the interior decor to the countertop seatings, everything felt so real. The service was also friendly & welcoming but it is definitely not as'perfect' as in Japan. The food itself was great. The thick soup has great flavours & complements the noodles so well. The pork slices were thick & soft & the eggs was bursting in flavours as well. Everything tasted delicious & each element kept adding on to the bowl. Such a simple yet amazing bowl of noodles. I do think that I would have preferred the noodles to be a bit thicker but it was still pretty good. I especially enjoyed the flavours of the karaage. The little sauce/topping on top had this slight sour flavour & it paired so well with the fried chicken. The biggest difference from eating this here & 8n Japan is probably the price. One bowl of ramen here is around 21$ but the portion is pretty good & there are a lot of customizing options which is always a plus for me.
While the regular ramen is personally too expensive for me to justify buying (considering I would want to add a couple toppings, upgrade the egg & get thick noodles), their limited time cold ramen is really delicious, & this is the second summer I've made sure to get it. The sour & slightly spicy yuzu/lemony broth contrasts perfectly with the karaage, which is rich & stayed extremely crispy even after I mixed it in the broth.
The current kakigori (matcha strawberry) was too strong for me, with too much of the matcha topping & not enough of the shaved ice to mellow it out. (The matcha topping was very fluffy & soft, but strong enough that its bitterness could not be fully masked by the shaved ice underneath.) Just a warning for those who prefer their matcha in less intense contexts. Also the strawberry was not very noticeable because the matcha overpowered it.
Lunch was a lot less crowded than when I went for dinner in the past, & I found the atmosphere to be much more pleasant because of that. (No wait, but I went on a weekday at 1pm).
I got dinner here around 6. There wasn't any wait so I was seated immediately. The atmosphere is cool, pretty dark & a nice Japanese vibe. The staff was very friendly too. I got chicken Raman with chicken broth with thin noodles & a whole egg. The portion sizes were very generous. There was a lot more meat than I expected & lots of noodles. It all tasted good. It wasn't gorme but I was more than satisfied. I paid about $21 (+$1 for another half an egg) so I think it was good value for the amount of food I got.
Love this place for its amazing sesame broth & tender noodles. The taste is always there. The ambiance is similar to Tokyo izakayas, tight but enjoyable. My favourite ramen place.
I visited Yokato Yokabai for the first time on a chilly, rainy Saturday afternoon with a friend, & it turned out to be a cozy, unforgettable experience. The restaurant's vibe immediately set a welcoming tone-its intimate setting, with warm lighting & beautiful Japanese wall murals complemented by wooden accents, made it feel like stepping into a little slice of Japan. Since it was early & 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) & Instagram (@Foxyappetite)!
In depth review:
To start, we shared the pork gyoza with a peanut sauce, which had a perfect balance of flavors-crispy & 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 & chicken teriyaki as my protein. My friend went for the tonkotsu, which featured a rich pork broth with tender slices of pork & thin noodles. Both dishes were exceptional, with each bite bursting with flavor. The broth was so comforting, rich without being overwhelming, & 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 & a yuzu panna cotta dessert for just $25, which felt like an amazing value. The panna cotta was smooth & subtly tangy, a perfect way to end the meal.
Though the space was a bit tight, it added to the charm, & it was clear this is a place where people come together to enjoy great food & a relaxed atmosphere.
In the end, Yokato Yokabai is a hidden gem in Montreal's Plateau neighborhood. Whether you're craving a bowl of ramen on a cold day or just looking for a cozy spot to unwind, this place delivers authentic, comforting Japanese food at an excellent price. I'll definitely be back, but during a less busy traffic time when all the rooms are open.
The best ramen I've ever had the pleasure of trying. I often have a hard time finishing my meal in one sitting especially when dining out, but had no such difficulty here. Every element from the broth to the noodles to the pork & toppings was absolutely delicious & amazingly flavorful. It takes a lot for me to want to write a review for a restaurant but this one was absolutely worth it. A must try in Montréal!
Good ramen, but unless you take all the topping that adds to the base price you get broth, 2 slice of pork & some noodle. So to have a'real' ramen you probably have to pay 30$+tips+taxes. Which brings you close to 100$ for two ramens. You can pay 4$ for 2 slice of pork.
Overall good ramen but not worth the price sorry
There's a lot of waiting, but my complaint doesn't relate to that. After being seated, the cold drafts from the doors opening & closing were draining. Thankfully, the soups were served hot. The server, though nice & 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, & 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, & 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, & the food itself was good. However, small hiccups like these made the experience less than perfect &, overall, a bit disappointing. Will I go again? Yes. But will I hype it up to others & say it was amazing? No. I think a few small changes could greatly improve the atmosphere & experience.
Good ramen in Montreal. I tried this place out during a 2 day stint in the city due to its' high amount of reviews & I was happy with the option. The broth was solid, along with pretty delicious noodles that tasted very fresh. The meat was good as well. I didn't really like the spoon situation as drinking the broth at our tiny 2 person booth was a little... like annoying. But it LoOkS tRaDiTiOnAl. Whatever. The chicken karaage was good too, but definitely not like a "must get." We should've gotten a small plate for me & my girlfriend because the chicken was loaded on the tiny plate & kept tipping over, with not a lot of chopstick power. Other than those tiny points, I would come back again to get my ramen fix in the city.
Definitely one of the best (if not the best) Ramen in Montreal, their Tonkotsu broth is so addictive I highly recommend taking the thick noodles, they are really incredible in taste & texture I would eat there everyday if I could 🤩