Chika Ramen Izakaya focuses on the precise art of Japanese noodle craftsmanship and traditional small plate culture. The kitchen prepares authentic tonkotsu and shoyu ramen broths, utilizing long-simmered ingredients to achieve a deep, complex flavor profile. Diners encounter a wide selection of izakaya-style appetizers, including crispy gyoza, savory yakitori skewers, and fresh market-inspired seasonal offerings. The interior design emphasizes a casual, high-energy atmosphere that prioritizes communal seating and focused interaction with the culinary workspace. Noodle textures remain consistent with traditional standards, offering firm, springy bites that pair effectively with aromatic oils and house-made toppings. The beverage program complements the salty, umami-rich profile of the ramen bowls with a variety of cold Japanese beers and distilled spirits. This establishment serves as a dedicated destination for those seeking traditional Japanese comfort food.
Chika Ramen Izakaya offers generous portions of ramen and Japanese tapas in a cozy, stylish setting, with standouts like tonkotsu ramen and popular fried items such as takoyaki and karaage. The vibe and value are frequently praised, Sundays are noted as a plus, though service can be slow and occasionally distracted, and some bowls miss freshness or depth of flavor, with mixed reports on authenticity and vegan labeling.
The Awesome: Seated immediately, close to Le Concord hotel, tasty, filling & very fair priced. I would definitely go back. The not so awesome: If it matters to you, there did not seem to be any Japanese workers in the front or back of house. Karage was good & plentiful, but lacked skin. The butabara was huge (great value, but not really bite sized pieces). Rice is a complement to all the other dishes served in an Izakaya. It should, therefore, be brought out with the first round of dishes. On two occassions, I had to get up to request service from our server, who was busy playing with her phone. That should never happen! &, that was the only reason I felt a star should be deducted.
Fantastic Japanese restaurant with an energizing ambiance. I say Japanese restaurant because between the ramen, tapas, & the sushi, it is a lot more than just a ramen place. The ramen is excellent with a mix of traditional flavours & more French inspired ones on offer. Tapas are well priced. I've never seen such big bore sushi rolls in my life. If you like your Japanese food & are in Québec, this place is a must try.
Ordered Ramen Miso Spicy with Pork. However, it is not really Japanese Ramen. It is more likely Chinese style spicy noodle soup, both the spicy oil & pork.
Visited Isakiya in Quebec City & were absolutely delighted! The ambiance was fantastic, the food was delicious, & the service was attentive. Yes, there was quite a long line, & we had to wait about 20 minutes, but it was worth it. Highly recommend it to all Japanese cuisine lovers!
This place has delicious Japanese food. I really enjoyed my dumplings & my ramen. I was a little bit frustrated with some aspects of the service though. I was sat on the far side of the restaurant & was completely ignored once I received my food. I tried for more than 15 minutes to ask for more water & not one server even looked at me. I had to eventually walk over to the counter & wait for someone to acknowledge me to get my water myself. Not the end of the world, but I would have liked someone to check on me at least once during the meal.
Jul 25, 2024
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Me & a group were on a business trip to Quebec & we were craving soup. Our initial idea was pho but all the Vietnamese restaurants were either closed or not open late enough for us. So we opted for ramen! The restaurant's vibes & interior was a fusion of modern club-like aesthetic & Japanese decor. The automated lucky cat & ramen display was cool at the store front. Interior is spacious & we got to choose anywhere to sit. The food came out quick & most of what we ordered was tasty. For the appetizers, the kimchi was a bit too sweet for my liking; perhaps it was not fermented long enough. Warning with the kimchi, it was too spicy for my colleagues but I thought it was fine as I'm normally used to eating spicy food. We ordered the edamame & the seasoning they put in that numbs your mouth after eatting it for awhile. I think they use peppercorn or something. I have never had edamame numb my mouth before. With the main dishes, all the ramen tasted pretty generic. One of my colleagues had dietary restrictions & they were able to accommodate her & take certain ingredients out. If you order the duck ramen, the meat is sweet almost as if they used marinated duck meat. I felt it didn't go well with the rest of the soup taste. I also ordered a ramen combo that came with a chicken cutlet. The chicken cutlet was left a little too long in the deep fryer but regardless it still tasted good, just extra crunchy! We shared a L'arc en ciel roll aka rainbow roll. This one was alright, not the most outstanding taste. The okonomiyaki & salmon nigiri were really tasty. I'd recommend those as you can't go wrong. The service was a bit slow. The restaurant at night looked like it was run by young teens & I stared for a good 5 min watching the young waitress scrolling through her phone. Our table also ran out of water & I again had to wave her down & get her attention. I think if I were to come here again, I would stick with the sushi & nigiri next time. Some of the appetizers are a hit or miss but would be interesting to try the other stuff on their menu. Still, it's a great restaurant for late night eats & decent price if you don't mind the slow service.
Food was solid; for how big the selection was everything ordered was pretty consistent in quality & flavor. The special sushi roll we ordered was way too big, & the ramen was average. I'd recommend to anyone in the area craving some classic Japanese fare.
