Rai Rai Ken
“Most of the items on the menu contain meat (specifically, pork), but they will happily prepare anything vegetarian if you request so.”
“Super tasty noodles and broth, good pork (although nobody beats Momofuku's pork belly…”
“I'll admit, this pork bun is not on quite the same level as Ippudo's Berkshire Pork Bun, but it's still pretty damn good.”
Rai Rai Ken
Delivery: Yes
Take-out: Yes
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Accepts Apple Pay: Yes
Bike Parking: Yes
Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
Good for Kids: Yes
Waiter Service: Yes
PokéStop Nearby: Yes
Price range.
$$ Price range $11-30
8 reviews
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I've definitely had better ramen in NYC, so if someone's telling you that this is the best ramen they've ever had…something's fishy.
We came later in the evening – around 9:30PM – because we tried to stop by at Momofuku noodle bar on the way in but the wait was too long. Thankfully, we caught the tail end of Rai Rai Ken's dinner special which runs from 7-10PM and is perfect for those who eat dinner later.
For the dinner special, I ordered the curry ramen, the cha shu, hot green tea, and the green tea mochi ice cream. The curry ramen was nothing special – I ordered it only because I know my friend likes it; I actually found it too salty. I also prefer lighter broths, which the curry ramen is the complete opposite of. Shoyu for me, next time! The pork belly in the ramen also had wayyy too much fat on it..and it was bland. Fortunately, the chashu pork belly was quite delicious. The side dishes of blanched okra in a soy sauce and sesame oil dressing and the wakame-like seaweed were also simple and yummy. The green tea and the mochi ice cream were much appreciated, and helped round out the meal. I don't know if they offer refills of hot water because I didn't ask, but I'm hoping they do!
Overall, I think that they offer great value with the $17 dinner specials, but in terms of ramen, there are plenty of better places in the city.
Not the best ramen, but I would say it's a solid 3.5 star experience for the good service. I usually opt for the miso broth with extra garlic flakes for that nice toasty garlic flavor. The noodles had a chewy texture, which I appreciate so that it doesn't fall apart when you're eating. Price and portion even out and much shorter wait time than other East Village ramen joints.
Definitely a no. Sorry to say, but possibly worst ramen I've ever spent money on..
Came here on a weekday for dinner, about a 10 minute wait for 4 ppl. CASH only.
Had the Shoyu ramen which came with the toughest pork slice (with no fat or flavor), in the blandest soup, with a very soft textured wavy ramen noodle (needed to be more al dente). Basically everything was disappointing and I couldn't even finish the ramen.
The lunch and dinner sets here seem like a great deal, but overall I wouldn't consider it worth it.
Other options around the area – Raku (udon), Ippudo or Momofuku for ramen.
Dinner special for $17 with bowl of noodle, app, a drink and top off with moche? that's a deal.
Food is awesome and delicious. Don't really remember what I tired but we picked 3 noodles and they are all good. Call ahead for a seat and they will accommodate.
Came here on a Tuesday night after having a craving for some soup. In short, the portions are huge, but the food is very bland and flavorless. Thank God for the side condiments which actually make it a lot better.
The service is great and everybody was very attentive. The only thing with this vegetarian miso soup was that it was extremely bland. I was really hoping for something a lot more flavorful and spicy. But the only thing that I actually really did save the soup was that the condiments on the side included chili oil, Sriracha, soy sauce, salt-and-pepper as well some other sauces. After adding a large abundance of these condiments to the soup it started to taste better. Other than the bland and flavorless taste I liked The fact that the portions were huge for a pretty good price. The soup was also filled with a bunch of vegetables and noodles and tofu. It was really filling and satisfying once I added some taste to it.
This place is da bomb.
My heart will always belong to hinomaru (if not astoria) but this place is a top contender.
I love the prices, the service, the atmosphere and more importantly the ramen. Very delicious, not too salty (after ramen I usually feel close to experiencing my first stroke) and filled with great tasting noodles!
The lunch special is so reasonable- and they offer mochi and the end! SO DELICIOUS!
Presentation is beautiful and honestly if it wasn't for my health conscious lifestyle I'd come here more!
I came here on a Friday and had no problem being seated. We all ordered the dinner special for $17, which came with a drink, appetizer, entree, and dessert. Yes, you can get a sapporo or sake that is included in the $17. I got the pork bun, shoyu ramen, and mango mochi. The pork bun and shoyu ramen was good. Definitely good for the price you pay for this small little ramen joint. The mochi tasted like old school pink bubblegum. It was actually pretty disgusting and had no mango taste whatsoever. I definitely do not recommend that at all. Overall, I would come back for that killer dinner special.
Rai Rai Ken is our go-to ramen spot in the EV. Ippudo and Momofuku are great, but the lines can be crazy long and sometimes, you just gotta get a good bowl of ramen fast.
I almost always get the lunch or dinner specials here, which comes with a bowl of any ramen, an appetizer, a drink, and a mochi for dessert. I can't remember the prices exactly, but I think it was around $14.
The pork buns here are amazing, rivaling Ippudo's. The housemade sweet and spicy chili sauce they serve with them is out of this world, and I am glad they give me a bowl big enough to spread all over my bun.
The ramen is solid. I tend to get the shoyu ramen, but have also had the japanese curry ramen base here. Both of which are great. I like a lot of spice, to I usually dump that sweet chili oil into my broth too. There is a good ratio of noodles to broth, a well-cooked soft-boiled egg, some pork, some green onions and other garnish as well. Delicious.
I have only had to wait here one time for a table, it seems that Rai Rai Ken has found a good balance of quick service, and a crowd that likes a quick turnaround. I wouldn't expect a party to come here and sit for hours, it's in-eat-out for most.
The place is small and not as well decorated as some of their competitors, but does that really matter? I put Rai Rai Ken solidly in the top three ramen spots in the neighborhood.