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Sanpachi Japanese Noodle & Bar
Category: Restaurants Japanese Japanese [Edit]
770 Bute StVancouver, BC V6E 1A6
Neighbourhood: West End
(604) 609-9938
- Price Range:
-
$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Has TV:
- Yes
34 reviews for Sanpachi Japanese Noodle & Bar
Review Highlights
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"A great place for ramen in Downtown." In 21 reviews -
"...a good amount of pork, and the delicious soft boiled egg." In 2 reviews -
"The yatai broth was very tasty, it's light yet very..." In 6 reviews
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34 reviews in English
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Review from Larry L.
This place has definately had it's ups and downs. If you happen to be reading reviews about this place for the first time. Read with an open mind. I read a review which seemed the writer was trying to be more witty at the expense of the restaurant, and yes, you are going to have some good ones and some bad ones.
Especially when communication seems to be the challenge, even if you can speak Japanese, (you may not really understand it.)
The service is still quite good. It was a busy night and I had brought with me a Ramen lover and a visiting culinary expert who's professional and historical references come directly from Japan.
To be honest, at that time. They've had problems with their delivery of ingredients from Japan, made specifically for this restaurant. So when they're out of the ingredient that they need most, they can't just go out to buy a replacement.
I was glad that they explained to us about the flavour change and if we wanted to still order that dish, that it wouldn't taste the same as before. It would be different.
At around that time I was feeling a bit worried that my rament wouldn't be as good and I opted to try something else instead. I know it's sad that I had to do that, but regardless, my bowl of ramen was decent.
Overall, the quality is consistent and I had asked for the opinion from Ms Mochizuki who talked at length with the server. I understood, so did she and we introduced our friend to the Yatai ramen. (which I had written about in a previous review).
Still believe this place has good potential and as long as they continue to strive for this and keep working in the right direction, they'll do good.
One thing I noticed is that they do check up on Yelp and do consider the reviews as good advice. Like when they first offered vegetarian, realizing it wasn't really vegetarian when the broth has a meat base in it.
Out of all the reviews I trust when it comes to Japanese food, it is Sachi sans reviews.
She's honest, but not brutal about it. She knows what she likes and what the required taste is for Japanese cuisine. Humbleness with the accuity of an eagles eye for quality, taste and service. Her last trip here, she was probably there at a time when Sanpachi was having trouble getting the ingredients they needed.
Another thing is I`m not sure if they`re restricted to the franchise limitations if there are any. We`ll have to ask next time.
TyPo`s FOC.Listed in: Japanese Food. What it Means…, Ramen shops worth trying out
2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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12/6/2010
They have Vegetarian options
They have Spicy ramen
but they have what brought the best memories of… Read more »
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Review from Taylor K.
Updated - 3/24/2012 1 Check-in Here
I've been to Sanpachi couple times before and I thought the food was pretty decent. And like some reviewers commented, they have a pretty lot more space than some of the other ramen joints in the city.
I had the worst service I ever had at a restaurant in my life yesterday.
Usually when I go to restaurants with my baby in the stroller, I try to go after the busy lunch hour. I know my stroller is big and hard to accommodate during busy times. I went by Sanpachi yesterday after the busy lunch time with a friend who also had a stroller. I am not a very demanding person and I usually go in and take a look around to see if there is enough space for the strollers if not I usually don't go in.
I took a look and there was an end table and those are usually more ideal than some of the other tables because you can park a stroller at the end of the table.
First, they seated us at the bar so we could park the two strollers. But they only could manage two chairs for us to sit. But we needed at least three because my toddler is old enough to sit on a chair by himself. So I asked the server, if we could sit at the end table and put my stroller elsewhere and I knew that the table wouldn't be able to accommodate two strollers.
This server asked one of the other server and she was so rude. She flat out said that we couldn't sit at the table because it was so tight. I asked her if we could park the other stroller elsewhere and her answer was "no." She made us feel so unwelcome and didn't even entertain the idea of parking the stroller elsewhere.
I have to say I have been to other restaurants that were more accommodating with smaller spaces.
I got so frustrated that I just had to leave. I am not going to go to a restaurant where they don't appreciate my business and insult the customers with their unwelcoming tone and service when there are so many other ramen joints in the vicinity.
I've been to Ramen Jinya and they were way more accommodating with the stroller.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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12/31/2011
Sanpachi has a pretty good ramen. I had spicy ramen and it was pretty good. (But it wasn't spicy at… Read more »
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Review from Pamela L.
3/9/2012
Tsu Ki Men!!!!! I love this stuff. It's amazing delicious. Are you on a diet? Avoid this place. Are you a vegetarian? Avoid this place. Are you lactose intolerant and forgot to bring your lactaid? Move along or go to London Drugs and get some cuz they put butter in their noodles. Yeah, that's right, butter. And lots of pork.
Tsu Ki Men (I know I've spelled it wrong) reminds me of Tan Tan noodles. Rich, comes with an undercooked boiled egg, bits of pork, rich sauce - it is ultimate comfort food. it's usually pretty busy here and the service is so-so - but then again, if I wanted service I would go to Kingyo. I know when I come here, I want a good bowl of fatty, hearty goodness and that's what I get - every single time.
I'm sure I've ordered other dishes as I've been here half a dozen times but I'm hooked on this one dish and I'll likely order it again. and again. and again.Listed in: Best Comfort Food Joints -…
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Review from Vincci L.
Sanpachi is one of the more spacious ramen places that I've been to. There's lots of bar type seating right by the window (great for people watching), and tables for larger groups.
I got their Yatai ramen, which on the menu only describes it as "the traditional style" ramen. I thought I'd give it a try, and I was quite impressed.
The soup stock was flavourful and simple, not too oily, not to salty. Noodles were perfectly chewy, just the way I like them. It came with some bamboo shoots, seaweed, chopped green onion, and a couple pieces of pork, which weren't fatty as well. I wished it also came with an egg though.
A thoroughly enjoyable quick meal, will be back to try out other choices!Listed in: Ra Ra Ramen...
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Review from Jonas J.
Vancouver, BC
3/7/2012
"You want extra pork?" the watiress snarled at me, her upper lip twisting in disgust. "You have to pay extra!" she sneered as she stabbed the menu with a twisted finger.
I've been here a few times before but the service this time was shocking and not worth the mediocre food.
This is just another crappy Chinese Ramen shop pretending to be Japanese. What? You don't think I can't tell when the waitress is screaming Mandarin to the cook? I will not eat here again. -
Review from Edward L.
Stepped off the beaten path for some ramen goodness. This one is a bit out of the way from the competition (Robson and Denman).
Parking here can be had after 1800 on some side streets, but your best bet is to walk here.
The restaurant is L-shaped, with a main dining area and a narrow strip that doubles as the foyer and kitchen pick-up zone. The staff were Japanese, with authentic accents. There was a TV in the back playing a lot of commercials. There is a narrow "patio" out front, but I'm not sure if it's actually used for seating. Look way too narrow.
I had the Yatai ramen, while my friend had the Tsuke-men ramen. We also shared a Nori-mayo.
Yatai - oh wow the soup was fatty. A skin formed on the surface before I could take a photo of my food. I scooped it away, and another skin formed. The bamboo made the noodles nice and stinky. The noodles were nice and somewhat springy, but my heart longed for Benkei. The pork slices were something special. They were so tender that they broke into pieces when picked up with chopsticks. The soup wasn't too heavy on the MSG, which is always a plus.
Tsuke-men - served as a bowl of ramen and toppings, with the soup in a separate bowl. My friend poured the soup into the noodles only to discover there was a ton of ground beef in the bottom of the soup. There was a lot of awkward scooping afterwards. The dish came with 2 halves of a "tasty egg" (soft-boiled and probably buried in the ground somewhere).
Nori-mayo - 3 seaweed (nori) wraps filled with rice and shredded pork in a creamy sauce. Reminds me of food you can buy at a deli in Yaohan Centre. Yum.
One side note: this place does cost more than the competition. The ramen bowls were $9-11. But the value is decent. -
Review from BB H.
Burnaby, BC
3/5/2012
Very very average at best. Get this also: Ordered Shoyu Ramen. They go we don't have that today (this is at noon on a Monday) because we don't have any shoyu (soy sauce) (well, yeah, except for the jars of shoyu on every table and would it kill you to run down the street to go buy some from maybe Safeway?). Then tried to order Yatai Ramen and doublechecked the menu saying it was a "shio" (salt-based soup) ramen but even though the menu confirmed that (and that's what Yatai Ramen is) they seemed to think it did not have salt in it and tasted more like Shiyo Ramen.
Do I need to go on? We ended up ordering something else but at $8.95 per bowl, it's overpriced and just OK. -
Review from Elisa A.
North Vancouver, BC
2/5/2012
Love the fact they always put the wok fresh stir fried vegi on top of the noodles ,it makes the all bowl of ramen looks better and taste better!!
their chashu was good ,gyoza is yummy and the rice rolls..my friend loves that!!! she will just go there for the miso ramen and the chashu rice roll!!! -
Review from Lex B.
11/21/2011
I will preface this by telling all of you I don't eat pork, (for the same reason I don't eat cats or dogs) so that took most of the menu away from me right there.
I started out by pointing to various ramen on the menu and asking "can you make this without pork?" until I was finally informed it is ALL pork except for the one vegetarian option. It looked suspiciously like that one after-thought veggie option on every menu that is unapologetically bland and really just there so they can say it is... And yes, it is just that.
With a polite, smiling sigh I agreed to order the veggie ramen, but asked if they could at least make it spicy. And they put in a bit of effort, but in the end it just tasted like watery kimchi. I had to douse it in soy sauce and ordered a dish of spicy sauce to give it flavour. It had a really great selection of veggies, the noodles were cooked perfectly, but the broth was like water. So sad, especially since one of the ramen dishes included a spicy peanut sauce, but I was told they couldn't just put some of that in my soup either. So vegetarians, or just non-pork eaters, are stuck.
My boyfriend had the spicy peanut pork ramen and said it was just OK. I tried it (my meat rules have some flexibility, it was just a taste of broth) and yes, it was just OK.
Please don't take your vegetarian friends here. -
Review from Brian H.
Richmond, BC
1/5/2012 2 Check-ins Here
Had a bowl of Spicy Ramen, and loved it! I was treated with smiles and everyone was very polite! This is a great place to have a quick lunch on the go or a cool place to spend some time eating with friends. Thanks Sanpachi!
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Review from Nancy W.
Vancouver, BC
9/25/2011 1 Check-in Here
While noodle texture (cooked well), soup heat and service are good, they fail on the stock. The Shio ramen was bland and needed more flavor/texture (I knew it wasn't a true Japanese ramen place when they have salt shakers at each table). They also do the pre-stirfry onions and cabbage, which I don't like (I spend more time picking out onions than fishing out noodles, which I've only done once before at Ezogiku Ramen; never had to on any past trips to Hokkaido or Tokyo). The miso stock was only tasty when first served but quickly lacked complexity & depth once it cooled down. After finishing most of my noodles (but not the stock), I had a weird taste coating my tongue (MSG?). On a plus side, the chashu is thinly cut and quite lean, flavorful than typical fatty pork cuts.
Hokkaido Ramen Santouka down the hill on Robson St. still has my vote for best ramen in Vancouver. (Btw, best ramen experience in N.A. is Ippudo NY. Best all-time ramen experience to date was in Hakodate, Hokkaido JAPAN.) Every time I been to Santouka (at least 6+ that I can remember over the last few years), their food quality and flavors have always been authentic, consistent and delicious. There is always a lineup to get in and the majority of the patrons (75%+) are Japanese or Japanese-born. Sanpachi had a fair amount of Chinese patrons and both servers were Asian but not Japanese.
I would have given Sanpachi higher marks but I've definitely had better elsewhere, even if not up to Santouka's high standards. Other local places, like Menya, Kintaro, Benkei (which isn't consistent), Q Go, and Motomachi Shokudo (best gyozas!) I'd be happy to visit again (Benkei, depends on location). Sanpachi, I'd have to pass. -
Review from Kristina C.
Vancouver, BC
8/15/2011
Pretty good ramen. Nice flavourful broth, and the noodles are great: soft yet chewy, plus they're nice and fresh.
I tried the miso ramen, and sampled the broth for the tonkotsu and the yatai. The tonkotsu had a bit too much sesame oil, which overpowers the flavours of the broth, but it's not bad. The yatai broth was very tasty, it's light yet very flavourful.
The gyozas are average, but the sauce makes them better (especially when you mix the vinegar and oil togther).
I've tried both this location and the Kitsilano location. I believe there are some variations between the menus in terms of the cooked food/sushi, but the ramen menu is the same for both locations.
Another nice addition to the long list of ramen shops in Vancouver. -
Review from Cody B.
Vancouver, BC
6/28/2011
Awesome ramen bar "style" restaurant, and has vegetarian ramen on the menu. I been a couple of times in the past, and they listed several items as vegetarian, then "removed" the vegetarian stickers from the menu later... (I do not think they were 100% vegetarian at the time). I asked when the stickers were removed and they said they had no vegetarian items.
I just returned after a while and they now have "another" vegetarian item on the menu, this one specifically says make with veggy stock. I ordered that with an egg. The display of the ramen was exceptional, loaded with tones of veggies. The stock was the clear base veggy stock, and didn't have too much flavour with it.
Overall the ramen was good and the vegetables included were delicious. One of the best looking (and tasted good) ramens I had in Vancouver.Listed in: Best Veggy Ramen or (other)…
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Review from Christine R.
New Westminster, BC
3/6/2011
I felt flutterings of love at first sight for this ramen shop - the soothing green wall, the big paper lanterns, and the orchids along the windowside counter. Kawaii!
Then Sanpachi drew me closer with a cup of genmai-cha tea, and a menu offering a sweet variety of tempting ramens + combos + even some interesting desserts. I ordered a shio (after being all torn as to whether to order the yatai ramen, which I will next time because Larry said so), and was pleased to received a big bowl with lotsa hearty noodles and generous toppings, including melt-in-your-mouth slices of pork.
The ramen may have been a tad salty, but Sanpachi's convenient location just off Robson, good prices, cheerful service, and long hours are much appreciated by this ramen fan. -
Review from Lisa T.
12/25/2011
great soup bases. they are strong and flavourful, just what a ramen soup base should be.
you will have to drop by early though (just before noon), because the small tables get filled quickly. i tried the spicy ramen and the miso ramen, on two separate occasions. love-ly!! -
Review from Hilda L.
2/2/2011
This is really a 3.5* review.
Food: 3.5*
Came here when it first opened and it only had about 4 things on the menu. On my recent visit, all the "coming soon" signs on the menu are gone and they now have combo sets (ramen + mini rice bowl/norimayo/gyoza for $10-13 for full size or about $2 off for half size) and a few bento boxes. I usually order Shoyu from ramen restaurants but decided to try the Yatai ramen that day because I don't recall seeing that anywhere else. All it said on the menu was "taste like the traditional ramen stand in Japan." Still not sure what that means but it was not too salty but still very flavorful. But the noodles are the best part. I'm not good with words so I'll just say they're perfectly 'chewy'.
Ambiance: 3*
They renovated after the previous Thai restaurant that occupied the space left. The décor is modern compared to many ramen restaurants that try to replicate the traditional look. The restaurant is not very big and although the tables are close to each other I didn't feel claustrophobic.
Service: 4*
Japanese servers are so courteous!
Value: 3*
$14 including tax & tips for my full size Yatai ramen + nori mayo combo
Recommended/Will I Return: Hai -
Review from Marc D.
Vancouver, BC
1/12/2011 2 photos
* Ramen district showdown *
The ramen district? Wait, that doesn't turn up on any real estate maps. But it should.
I count roughly 6 different ramen shops within a 10 minute walk of each other in and around Robson (Motomachi, Kintaro, Benkei, Santouka, the 2nd Benkei, and now Sanpachi). I probably missed one or two that have just slipped my mind. Too many slurps on the old ramen noodle can do that to the brain.
I grabbed lunch at this newbie to the scene, and ordered their "mini donburi set" which includes a ramen of your choice (I had the tonkotsu) and a mini chashu donburi.
I didn't notice any non-set offerings, but I imagine if you ask they may let you just have ramen by itself without a side.
The ramen (http://www.yelp.ca/biz...) was a good rendition. The broth was not overly salty, and had a nice flavour profile. It was enhanced with some maayu floating on the top of the broth - a nice touch. The chashu was very tender, and sliced at a nice thickness. The noodles had a good chew. Overall a nice rendition.
The mini chashu donburi (http://www.yelp.ca/biz...) was overly mayoed for my taste. The amount of mayo really killed the flavour of the chashu. It should have been called a mini mayo donburi. I would not order this one again.
For now, I think Motomachi (http://www.yelp.ca/biz...) is still the winner of the ramen district showdown for me.Listed in: Vanoodle, Vancouver Japanese Food
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Review from Cara P.
I've been to Sanpachi before and this is my second review now that the restaurant is offering it's full menu.
I ordered gyoza and was brought spring rolls (I think they were the spring rolls) so they were returned. By this time I'd already gotten my ramen so I can only assume that the reason my gyoza were half cold, half hot was because they rushed to get them too me. They weren't very good anyway and I definitely wouldn't recommend them.
And Celine Dion as the only music! AAAAAAHHH!!! Terrible choice!
I may avoid the place for a bit but I'm sure I'll be back another day.Listed in: Vancouver Ramen Tour
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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11/29/2010 First to Review
Sanpachi is Vancouver's newest Japanese noodle house, and since I'm on a ramen tear around the city… Read more »
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Review from Sachi M.
I went several times in their first month, and liked their Shio, Yatai, and Tonkotsu.
But this was the first time in a while. Maybe thing went quickly downhill after my first good experiences, or maybe today was a bad day... a really bad day...
I had gyoza for the first time today. The stuffing was pasty. No texture. Gross. That's normal commercial grade - the reason I don't buy frozen gyoza. I was hoping not to encounter that at a restaurant.
The side Shio ramen tasted OK, I think, but I couldn't really tell, because I was overwhelmed by a burnt smell. I couldn't figure out if they managed to burn clear soup, if it was the roasted sesame (which I would have declined, had I been asked), or if something plastic was melting...
Notes:
- There are no signs of the teishoku kind of things (teriyaki chicken, etc.) that had been shown as "coming soon".
- They have desserts: Anmitsu and something like Banana/Ice Cream Tempura.
- They have an Izakaya-type Sanpachi on West Broadway toward UBC (just saw a sign here, so I don't know the details).Listed in: FTR (or Second or Third), farewell, Downtown, Ramen
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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11/30/2010
I got a Shio Ramen. A clear soup with enough body to intrigue me til the end!! I think this is the… Read more »
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Review from WaYnE c.
Maple, ON
3/5/2011 1 photo
I'm a Tonkotsu Fan and was less than amused when I went over most of the Menus near the West-end/Robson Ramen-ya to find most offering Shio, Shoyu, Miso or a variation of the above. I was quite excited to find Tonkotsu on the Menu at Sanpachi....
Excitement quietly vanished as I heard a few Staff speak Mandarin Chinese. I removed that fact from my memory once the nice older Gentleman brought my Tonkotsu Ramen($8.00+). Btw, they had more elders working here than other Ramen-ya and all where quite Friendly.
Maybe I ordered one of their least special items as I took a SIP of the Broth and it just wasn't what I expected from the usual Tonkotsu Broth. The flavour for some reason had this umami taste almost like Shitake Mushrooms were used but no matter, it just wasn't what I wanted.
Secondly, the Broth got Salty quite quickly which was quick unfortunate as the Ramen Noodles were one of the best FUN slurpable varieties I've had to date. They where slightly thicker than the ones from Kintaro or Santouka so I brought out some Flour taste from some bites.
I guess I'll stick with Tonkotsu Ramen from Toronto for now.Listed in: Vancouver'ing for the Week
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Review from Jeff K.
Vancouver, BC
11/15/2011
hate to be blunt ... actually I like being blunt, but the chef needs to learn the definition of flavor. The red flag is that they also serve chicken wings. Service was nice though.
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Review from Sarah O.
9/9/2011
I'd choose pho over ramen anyday so be forewarned that may loosely translate into, "I'm no expert ramen critic." I came here on a weekday during lunch hour and we got seated right away. I had the veggie ramen and I enjoyed it- I liked it much better than Benkei and Kintaro for sure. The noodles were more chewy and in my opinion, that's a critical factor in ramen. Otherwise why wouldn't I go get soba instead? Nothing bad to say about the place, service was nice but I thought $10 for a bowl of ramen was a bit steep.
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Review from Ellie I.
Vancouver, BC
3/9/2012
My instinct is to give this place a three-star rating but I think ratings should directly relate to what the business advertises and I think Sanpachi lives up to what I expected from taking quick look at their website. Ramen houses like this one are basically Asian fast food. It's fast, flavourful, and filling with a bit more nutrients than burgers. The price points are higher for what it is, but I've paid $7.50 for a Japadog so it's all relative. I like this place because what I order always provides instant gratification, and when I get take out, the food is ready within 5-10 mins. I prefer to eat more nutritious food but when I'm stressed and off the health wagon, I order here. This isn't the place that cultivates loyalty but it's great for a quick, convenient fix.
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Review from Janice F.
12/7/2010
It's definitely the most comfortable ramen place so far.. ample seating, windows, comfortable chairs!
Good value in comparison to Santouka - $10.95 for a combo ramen (I chose Yatai) and mayo nori - sushi rice with mayo & bits of pork wrapped in seaweed.
I was not expecting the smell of the Yatai broth - I'm not even sure what the broth is made of, but it smells like a-s-s. Fortunately, it tastes much better than it smells :P
Well-portioned, noodles are good, the pork is better than Benkei's but not as good as Santouka's.
I'll be back to try my usual shoyu broth the next time around. -
Review from Allen W.
4/23/2011 1 Check-in Here
I visited for the first time last night and took the last open table. It doesn't have a lot of seating and was at full capacity.
Staff were friendly and efficient in bringing out our ramen. I had the Shoyu with an added egg. The broth was rich and flavourful. The bowl was filled with perfectly cooked ramen, veggies, a good amount of pork, and the delicious soft boiled egg.
I like that the menu offers vegetarian options as well as combo specials. -
Review from Marc Daniel E.
Surrey, BC
1/14/2011 2 Check-ins Here
A great place for ramen in Downtown! I love the service and the hospitality at this restaurant. The servers always have a warm attitude about them, which comforts me whenever I come here.
I like the fact that the menu is nice and simple, nothing too complicated. they also have some combos at the back, which are definitely a great value!
This quaint little restaurant is of a decent size, not ideal for big groups of 15+ but perfect for a couple of a pair of couples. The little booth on the right side as you enter is a nice place to lounger around the have some good ol' ramen.
I highly recommend that you try your ramen with a stick of butter, no joke its quite tasty. But this works best with the Miso broth the most! -
Review from M M.
Vancouver, BC
12/9/2010
I've been passing by this establishment almost every day for the past two weeks, and decided to get take-out today. The server greeted me as soon as I walked in, she was very sweet.
They don't have a wide variety of dishes, as they just opened a couple of weeks ago.
I decided to go with the Tonkotsu ramen. I totally misread it as TonKATSU and expected deep fried pork, but not a big deal at all.
What WAS a big deal was the SMELL that filled my apartment when I opened the bags (which had BOTH been quadruple knotted...) ...
..... I wanted to hurl. It smelled like wet, old socks.
I opened the container of noodles, and the waft of air that hit me... OOF!
There was a little slice of that pink swirl fish cake that I always found cute but NEVER tasty.. into the garbage it went, along with the culprit... some thinly sliced mystery fish. Didn't expect that, seeing as this was a pork dish, and there was no warning on the menu!
Went back to try the broth, burned my tongue, but it was still good. Not as heavy as I thought it would be, seeing all the oil floating at the top. Sanpachi uses pork or chicken bones to flavour their broth, this was quite lovely.
When I added the noodles, that was a completely different story. You know when you catch a whiff of something and you try to breath through your mouth? That bad smell was in my mouth AND in my nose. I tried the mind-over-matter bit, but the only thing on my mind was that I had just lost my appetite and ten bucks.
Now I'm always up for trying new dishes... but this just turned me off.
Sorry, Sanpachi! Maybe I'll try your bento boxes when you have them. It's hard to mess those up.. -
Review from Howard K.
Vancouver, BC
2/12/2012
My GF and I had a "groupon now" for the restaurant. We enjoyed some tasty ramen soup and a couple of drinks. It was very reasonable with or without the groupon. If your at Robson & Bute, then check it out.
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Review from Will K.
Vancouver, BC
1/18/2011
Yes! Another ramen joint in the rainy Vancouver downtown! There is a lot of ramen warfare and another one joined the strife.
If I could summarize my experience in one word, it would be "comfortable". The space is ample and it does not feel crowded. Staff is not rushing loudly shouting orders (I myself also like that atmosphere).
I found Sanpachi is in the middle of the Santouka/Motomachi and Kintaro ramen spectrum in almost everything. Serving size is larger than Santouka, but a bit smaller than Kintaro. This also applies to the price.
Got a Yatai ramen, which I have not seen in other nearby ramen joints. It is somehow in the middle between a Shoyu and Shio and rather comfy and tasty. Noodles were well cooked and chashu were tender and well done.
I would recommend this place if you don't want to wait in line and just want to chill.
They just opened, so some ramen plates have about a dollar or so discount ! -
Review from Chris C.
7/31/2011
Been here a few times for lunch. My usual fare is the Tonkotsu, which is flavourful. I don't usually order the combo as a single bowl will usually do. The service is friendly and efficient.
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Review from Scott P.
4/24/2011 1 Check-in Here
Cheap, clean and good! You will walk away happy!
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Review from Wendy Y.
7/2/2011
Not bad, but not the best either... Shoyu ramen was ok. Charsiu was not tasty... Cool atmosphere though.
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Review from Dan L.
3/10/2011
I was on the way back to the states and found this place on Broadway. The outside deco caught my eye and I just had to stop in. This was a lovely noodle house with a delightful staff. All of the waitresses are very nice!
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Review from Sam L.
12/2/2010
Having an unhealthy obsession with ramen, I was very excited when I saw that the recently closed Thai restaurant that used to be in this location was going to be a ramen joint. Also, it's just a couple blocks from where I work - score! The menu is fairly typical of most ramen shops, not a huge selection, but maybe more than the other go-to places such as Benkei and Santouka. This suits me just fine. I ordered the spicy miso ramen, which was depicted on the menu as having a drool-inducing reddish orange spicy-looking broth and several pieces of chashu pork, and an egg as an add on. What arrived wasn't quite what was shown on the menu, with the broth looking more like a standard miso ramen with a few chili flakes floating around. It tasted pretty good, but "spicy" is a bit of a stretch. Also, the ramen came with a mountain of cabbage, sprouts and onion which I wasn't crazy about, but this is common in lots of ramen shops, and it didn't really affect the flavour. The chashu was good, except you could tell it had been refrigerated, which is sort of a pet peeve of mine - I don't mind if it's been in the refrigerator, in fact this seems somewhat unavoidable, but at least heat it up a bit first - cold congealed pork fat isn't the most appealing thing in the world. The hanjuku egg had great flavour and was perfectly soft boiled, BUT, they gave me a whole, unsliced egg which seemed a bit strange to me. All in all, a decent bowl of ramen, and when it's really crappy out and I don't want to make the trek to Benkei or Santouka, I will most likely come back to this place. Plus, the servers, while seemingly a bit inexperienced, were super friendly and attentive.
