Review Ramen Danbo South Brisbane - Brisbane

Amazing foods. I realised why this restaurant was top-rated!! Very good price for foods. You can also choose noodle type, spicy level, salty level, adding toppings, etc. They don't take reservation so, you will need to walk in to see how long you need to wait to get a table. I don't mind to wait to eat their ramen!! Yummy Yummy!!

Amazing food. The gyoza is really good. Thin smooth wrap, juicy pork and well seasoned. Customizable ramen. Broth is good, char siew is good and egg is good. Noodles on the other hand, the alkaline taste is on the strong side. Still a good ramen overall.

I was really there to get the ramen and what I did like about it is you get to choose how well you want your noodles cooked. In terms of flavour it was good but for some reason asking for it to be spicy was costing more, most places you don't pay for. The gyozas were good, they were frozen and cooked on the spot and not freshly made. While I didn't mind it, eating at Ramen Danbo felt like eating at a franchise ramen restaurant rather than being unique, it was good but not mind blowing.

Gets very busy on the weekend, get there early. Free parking in the SW1 car park just underneath (remember to validate your parking when paying). We like how you order while waiting and as soon as you sit down, they bring out your order. I liked my miso-tonkotsu ramen, firm noodles, less salt, thick soup, mild spcy soup with egg and bamboo shoots. This is one of the best in Australia, and as good as any in Japan (have been 8 times in the last decade). Definately share a kaedama between two, I like the garlic (it's strong) and the place is very clean. We are trying to work out when we can go back as we don't live in brisbane

For lunch! Perfect! Yummy ramen. Vegetables look like fresh and broth has really rich flavour. But inside of restaurant was so hot. I don’t think they turn air conditioners on. If you are looking for a quick and easy meal, I recommend here. I will try dumplings next time!

Delicious!! Noodle texture is just right. The broth is nice and tasty. There is an option for those who like non-spicy broth. I personally preferred the spicy version and asked for extra bean spourts. Love the smooth texture of the egg york. You can help yourself to condiments, such as minced garlic, ginger, and cilantro.

This ramen shop was recommended by local Japanese. The soup base was clear and delicious. Noodle was in good quality as well. However, the meat was dry and tasteless. Even more disappointing is that the eggs was over cooked that you can see it clearly in the picture. And the takana pickles were super dry that maybe left open forever. (Thanks for the dry takana knowledge, but I will say the dry takana is so tasteless in my opinion) The worst part is the karaage chicken strips. They forgot the order and it came out after we finished our ramen once we reminded the staff. The taste was under average compared to normal karaage chicken pieces in other places.

I got the vegetarian ramen and they only had that option , I found it very simple and not much topping. it was quite cheap tho , $25 for everything.

A great ramen shop where you can define your perfect bowl based on your flavour and spice settings. This was my most enjoyable bowl of ramen because the broth wasn’t overpowering and I liked the slight spice I chose. They also had a delicious side entree for my gyoza.<br/><br/>The staff were extremely friendly and efficient and the layout was spacious enough for a large amount of people.

I ordered the shoyu ramen. The staff were friendly, but the food was somewhat disappointing. The serving size was very small, especially considering the price. The soup lacked depth or complexity of flavour. It made me wonder if it was from a packet mix? The noodles lacked texture or flavour. On a scale of 1 to Tokyo, I'd give it a 3. There are worse ramen places around, but this one isn't particularly great. The quest for a decent ramen outside of Japan continues.

great service and amazing food<br/>

TL;DR: This might well be the most perfectly situated and set-up ramen place I have had the pleasure of seeking out. It might adjacent to one of the busiest parts of town, yet it belongs to one of the most serene and well planned areas as well. A small corner of the SW1 complex has been fitted out nicely with a warm, inviting ramen bar that has got it all planned out well - from the way the soup is ordered, to the process that comes afterwards, in between times they promise and deliver nothing short of top quality. It will fill you up, and ultimately be satisfying. <br/><br/>When you do something well, focus well on it to ensure the best mileage is made out of it. That philosophy is everywhere with Ramen Danbo, which traces its origins all the way back to (relatively) small town Japan. Before spreading its wings across the globe, it ensured that it perfected the art of cooking and balancing the ingredients, bringing about customer satisfaction. All that has boded well, because the international expansion has done them wonders. On the Australian front, they have brought themselves to Queensland's south-east with one of their locations being in South Brisbane's SW1 residencies. <br/><br/>No beating about the bush with this, ramen is something that I will often default to when the time is all right. Usually it is a way of blowing off some steam, or when I can take it more easy - something that hasn't been done when out for a few years since. That was because of a work schedule, and with that job winding down, having less on my plate to do I had a small window of time to bide. It struck me right then and there that this was the perfect opportunity, so off it was a few suburbs across to get some ramen - in all honesty, I was awaiting the right vantage point for getting to Ramen Dambo in which there was no better time. <br/><br/>I haven't even thought about it until writing this review, but the location is far from random and more well chosen. I have trudged through the SW1 complex between various errands, and it is well designed. The whole complex is smaller than most suburban blocks, yet they manage to fit several facilities including a university into the midst. Having a few good places to get a bite to eat, or grab a coffee is only the most logical development I would consider. With the possibility of many students attending the university between times, something about it just situates itself perfectly. <br/><br/>Going on from that, the small amount of space they have has been well utilised. In spite of not a whole lot of space being given, they've fit a generous number of seats into the area and it does not feel crowded. These include several tables, and without any doubt they have that familar bar that faces the kitchen; this time it is in an L-shape. Wherever you choose to sit, they have a small box set up that contains some chopsticks, a bunch of serviettes, plus several condiments to mix through whatever you have ordered. They have set up a Spotify list (presumably) of J-pop music, which is a nice touch. Better yet with all of this, it is air conditioned which means it is a comfortable experience. <br/><br/>One of the best aspects about this ramen joint is how clients are able to customise their order according to their taste. After the ordering the desired flavour of ramen, how the noodles are cooked, the texture of the soup, plus the sauce's spice, and the soup base, can be done standard or slightly more or less on each front. After that, they have the range of garnishes for on top of the soup, and a few bites to eat. Get in at the right time, and you have - for lack of a better term - value meals for a few dollars more on top of the chosen soup. The whole customisation is not a unique aspect as far as I know, but I don't I have seen it utilised anywhere near as well as it was here. Before creating the transaction, they got a range of beverages to pair with the meal. These consist of several Japanese beers, iced teas, and the usual sodas. <br/><br/>The ordering process goes very smoothly, with the friendly lady at the counter managing to not miss a step with all the up-selling. After that is done, payment is upfront and afterwards you go and seek your seat. I can't recall if they give you a table number, or if they are so shrewd and clued on upon delivering the goods to the table. If it is the latter, this is more points in their favour. <br/><br/>When it came to the ordering process, mine went as follows: the ramen was the Negi-goma, one flavoured with plenty of sesame seeds. I got the noodles at the standard firmness, a more rich broth (from memory), getting the spicy level at a lot, and a less salty soup base. Furthering it along, I chose the rekka ramen option - a spicy one, which I had as extra being a real spice fiend, and topping it all off was the usual egg and seaweed. It is something about how the seaweed acts when soaking up the soup that I can't resist, and the way the eggs are cooked at these places - you like what you like sometimes, and that is the extent of it. This was also during the week, and during the usual office hours; that meant that the value meals were available. So I threw in a few gyozas for good measure. If you choose to drink water, they have a ready made station with the tap and some glasses for filling. <br/><br/>After the ordering process, the delivery is pretty quick. You can see it right in front of your eyes, with the kitchen being about a meter or two away from where you sit. This was one time I got a genuinely friendly impression from the atmosphere, where the cooks were interacting in a chirpy manner, the clients were all made to feel welcome (which includes the familiar Japanese salutations when you enter the door. For the longest time I thought of ramen places as a black sheep among Japanese eateries, meaning while great service is often the case with Japanese restaurants the ramen places will be rough around the edges. That I think no more, as this was just as good as most Japanese eateries I have had the pleasure of trying out. It almost makes me want to be going back some time soon, as I type up this review. <br/><br/>Well, the first thing I am going to say about the ramen was that it was one spicy number - which is par for the course, with how much I asked the broth and such to be spicy. Adding to that, the entire layer of sesame seeds contributed a nutty flavour, which was an interesting one. I hadn't experience this kind of flavour in Japanese cooking, and I consider myself fairly well versed in it. The soup was a rich, slightly thick one that was akin to milk. The big bed of noodles had much of the broth latching on, plus the noodles themselves were firm yet tender. Like I had already mentioned with the egg and seaweed, sometimes it is a case of you like what you like - and that is the case for me in this circumstance. The slices of pork were perfectly cooked and rounded the entire meal off perfectly. <br/><br/>Also on the side were the gyozas, the first suckers to be delivered to the table. These bite sized morsels satiated and begat a bigger hunger, with the moreish filling in the middle. It was lightly seasoned pork, with a nice subtle sauce to boot. They came in a pack of five, and were most certainly cooked fresh - they were still piping hot when I popped them in my mouth. <br/><br/>I am not sure when this particular soft spot for ramen came into being, but I certainly know several reasons why it has nestled itself snuggly into the soft spot I have for it. Much of it I feel is about the environment, in which even if it is blazing hot outside the warm and comfort that it provides is always welcoming and welcome in itself. I like how the meal is always just right with the portion, the balance of each ingredient, and the value for money. Plus, there is no disconnect between the table and the kitchen - the best ramen places will have the bench right at the edge of the kitchen, in the midst of the busy action. It also boils down to something that the Japanese do brilliantly, and that is take something that is wholly simple and keep it simple while making the most out of it. <br/><br/>Ramen Danbo proved itself to be all of those. The busy bustling environment felt warm and inviting, and they made sure of it from when you stepped foot in the restaurant to when you left after your meal. In such a small area, it feels like a world away from the bustling outside, comfortable and friendly. What I have seen with many great ramen places is they find a hidey-hole whether it is among the most busy, bustling pocket of town, or somewhere quieter, yet what is always consistent is the quirky uniqueness they take with the opportunity. And there in a universal truth that no time is wrong for a bowl of ramen.

The classic ramen soup was authentic and nice. Quick and go environment dining place like Japan.

Lovely broth

Came with a friend. Ramen was good but in my opinion not worth the price. I had the negi-goma, which was absolutely covered with sesame seeds and which I thought I would enjoy, but the sesame wasn't particularly tasty. Can't fault the eggs, broth and noodles.

Got our first exposure to Ramen Danbo in Gold coast. This is by far one of the most value for money ramen in Brisbane. <br/><br/>They give you 1 whole egg! And 2 decently sliced char shu. The spicy ramen is also Asian level kind of spiciness. Something you dont get at hakataya or taro. <br/><br/>Its not overwhelmingly salty like other places. <br/><br/>Noodles were firm, you get to choose the firmness of your noodles. <br/><br/>Draft suntory was a good addition.<br/><br/>Theres free parking too!<br/><br/> I love my experience here! <br/><br/>Will be back again !

I like the place as it can choose how well the noodle to be cooked and how salty the soup to be!

Drove pass a few week ago and seen along queue in front of Ramen Danbo, we were so keen to try whether it was worth the queue. We arrived in the late afternoon so not many customers. Our ramens were served not long after we had ordered. Apart from being able to choose firmness of noodle and richness of soup, we didn’t think it’s the best as the soup was salty and not hot enough, and a bit pricier than the others. Loved the fast service and clean environment though.

Really delicious ramen! The soup is extremely flavourful, but a tad on the salty side (i ordered standard richness). I would have preferred the ramen egg to be more undercooked, but it was still decent. I'll definitely to return to satisfy my ramen cravings, but their ramen is on the slightly pricier side compared to other joints that I've been to.

Came here for a friend's birthday. Nice environment, however hard with a large group. You're to order then take a seat; very tricky with latecomers.<br/><br/>I enjoyed my vegetarian ramen. I'm not a fan of soggy noodles so was delighted to see you could choose your firmness preference!! Soup was quite salty but probably a good thing, once you're onto your kaedama.<br/><br/>Mr French Fry ordered the tonkotsu broth but was not as pleased. He says the flavour isn't quite the same as his favourite, Taro's.<br/><br/>Overall, I would recommend if you'd like a customisable ramen in the South Brisbane area.

Good ramen, very thick and flavoursome soup. It’s good that u get to choose the soup consistency, noodles firmness and spiciness. It can get very busy during dinner time. It’s a shame they can’t do fully cooked yolk and i have to skip the eggs due to pregnancy.

Sooo glad Ramen Danbo opened in Brisbane!! I had their Se-abura Ramen as well as a side of their pork gyozas. Really really like that you can customise your ramen. As for the food itself - amazing!! Loved the noodles, loved the broth, loved the pork, loved everything! Service is also super friendly. Will come back for sure!

Delicious food. They offer us a good variation of Ramen that can suits our needs. A highly recommendes restaurant for those seeking good noodles along with warm soup.

I dined here on Saturday night with a friend and this place is incredibly popular. We had a 20 minute wait to place our order and be seated, however, the ramen came out seconds after we were seated which made it worthwhile. I ordered the classic ramen with Nitamago $14 and added the spicy soup base for an extra $1. I love that we had the ability to choose the noodle firmness and the level of spice. I chose 'a lot' as my spice level and chose 'mild' for my spicy base for the ramen. If you like spice I would definitely recommend trying the 'spicy' or 'extra' option as I found this wasn't spicy enough for me. Overall, very flavourful ramen.

It’s a pretty good place for some lunchtime ramen. Ive had the vegetarian ones- once I got more chilli, extra sesame seeds and shallots into them, they were great. Photo below is of friends pork ramen while I wait for mine.

Delishhhhh! Loved that you can customise your bowl to whatever you fancy including firmness of noodles, spice and richness. Great service but can get busy! Would highly recommend this to all!

I had high expectations before coming here because I’ve heard so much good reviews. And I was in LOVE! I love how you get to choose the firmness and richness of the noodles and soup. Because I love my ramen extra firm and soup to be very rich in flavor, which some other ramen places tend to not meet my expectation.<br/>Staffs were super nice and polite. They greet and smile a lot. Always checking on customers to see if they need anything. Chefs were friendly too as they don’t just stand inside kitchen and mind their own business, they would actually look up and smile at customers too.<br/>Gyozas could be a bit more crispier but pork in the ramen melted in my mouth!! Would definitely come back for more 🙂

love to have a choice to choose the hardness of the ramen and the intensity of the soup....since i prefer it firm and Spice Dad prefers it soft. <br/>And with $1 extra for a whole soft boiled egg, which is so lovely! And definitely a kid-friendly restaurant, with high-chair, kid's bowl and utensils  (just be aware of the hot bowls when the waitress is bringing around though, cause is piping hot)

Danbo is really nice 🍜ramen! It might be the first one in Brisbane where you can fully customise the richness and spicyness of the soup along with the firmness of noodle. My soft noodle were probably about as soft as most Brisbane ramen shops, while Misscharlot had firm noodle. The firm seems similar to al dente pasta which is nice too.

Nice location, decent interiors, friendly staff , great service- they asked me if I wanted my food to serve later as they noticed that I was waiting for my friend! 👍<br/>Well, Ramen 🍜 was too salty 🌚( no further comment )<br/>And the music is way too loud - I guess they attempted to cover the people talking noise...

We had heard about Ramen Danbo opening on the Gold Coast, but always found ourselves heading to our long time favourite Muso Ramen whenever we were there. When a Ramen Danbo outlet opened in Brisbane’s South Bank though, that proved easier to get to (eventually). After a few hours of wandering through the Asia Pacific Triennial exhibit at the Gallery of Modern Art, we decided that it would be an opportune time to visit Ramen Danbo, given that we were already in the vicinity. It turned out to be not too far a walk away. The shop is located away from the busier Grey Street section of South Bank, on the other side of the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre. It is located at the base of the USC South Bank building, the sign somewhat obscured from the road by a tree in front of the building. The line outside clued us in that that was where it was located though.

Tasted very average. The soup was salty with no richness at all. Compared with other ramen places I have been to, the standard of the noodles here are like food court level.

I’m a little late to the party on this one… which is strange as I am a giant fan of Ramen Danbo. I’ve just had so much on lately I haven’t had a chance to get there in Brisbane. Anyway, finally made it, obviously!. The new venue on Merivale Street in South Brisbane is their classic design, same as the Gold Coast. There’s been giant lines (they move fast) out the front as all of Brisbane’s ramen lovers get in to give the new competition a go but it was clear the day that I went.

Ordered a classic ramen and it's taste amazing! You can choose the richness of the soup and how you want your noodles to be cooked. The place is cozy and clean. Friendly staffs. Will defintely come back!

I’d recently seen on Facebook that a new ramen shop had opened on March 28th, so I decided to try it for myself.<br/><br/>Walking into the restaurant, I was warmly greeted by all the staff members. I ordered the Classic Ramen with Nitamago (standard noodle firmness, standard richness and a little bit of spice). While I waited for my ramen to come (about 2 mins), I walked over to the condiments and water table. I put some minced garlic in a bowl and poured myself some ice water.<br/><br/>The bowl of ramen itself was presented nicely, but it was a little bit small compared to the fares at other ramen shops. The broth was tasty, quite rich and the flavours were good. After adding the garlic (quite concentrated), the fragrance and taste of the broth is elevated. Be careful though, as this garlic is highly concentrated in flavour and you will taste it in your mouth for a while afterwards.<br/><br/>The noodles were nice, they had a good texture. However, more noodles could be added to the standard serving because once I had finished the noodles, I had about 2/3 of my broth remaining.<br/><br/>The pork was nice, it was a bit fatty but melted in my mouth. It had really absorbed the flavour of the broth and it left me wanting more. The eggs were perfectly cooked but could have used a little bit more marinating as they were a bit bland.<br/><br/>The restaurant itself was nicely decorated and air conditioned. The tables were quite clean and had appropriately placed condiment boxes. The staff were exceptional: extremely friendly and served the food with a smile.<br/><br/>To sum up this experience I would like to use the words of the Japanese pop singer who was crooning on the restaurant radio, “大好き” !! Enjoy 😊<br/>

Despite what some other bloggers may have said, I’m hardly an expert on ramen. I am however, definitely a ramen enthusiast, and having heard that Ramen Danbo, the highly acclaimed ramen store in the Gold Coast with a cult following was opening in Brisbane, I made sure to hit them up on their first day and see what all the fuss was about. Situated across the road from the convention centre on Merivale Street, it places itself in direct competition with Taros Ramen’s West End venture. Arriving somewhat late in the evening after another launch event, I was quite concerned that they would have sold out, but even at 8.30pm, the line was still out the door.