Review Hakata Gensuke Ramen - Melbourne

Very good quality bowl of tonkotsu ramen. Noodles are a little too thin for my liking (lacking the firm bite). Broth is full bodied and rich but also can take it up a notch in terms of flavor. Place is family friendly, with high chairs for children.

Friendly service, the karage chicken was quite tender and juicy however the ramen was a let down especially for the price vs portions. The ramen wasn't as flavourful as I expected. Between a group of four, we ordered: - Chicken Karage 👌 - Gyozas 👌 - Black tonkotsu The fried garlic and black sesame paste were very subtle in flavour. However the homemade ramen was cooked well. - Signature tonkotsu A classic tonkotsu, the flavours are what you would expect. - God fire A good amount of spice (for those who can't handle much spice)

Happen to come across this ramen place while walking around Bourke street and decided to give it a try. This ramen restaurant is located by Bourke and Russell street. We got the Signature Tonkotsu Ramen, the Black Tonkotsu Ramen and Gyoza. The soup for the Tonkotsu Ramen was mind-blowingly good. The normal soup is flavourful, thick and creamy yet it's not too salty. The noodle was the right hardness on normal. The Black Tonkotsu soup was also as good as the regular Tonkotsu with added garlic and sesame flavour. However the sesame flavour is a little mild. The gyoza was great with a crispy bottom crust with juicy pork inside. Totally recommended 👍👍

Was looking for a nice Ramen Shop while staying here in Melbourne for a night. Saw the reviews that this shop always have a queue. Having 4.4 rating at around 2k number of reviews I decided to give it a try. At the entrance, they have a self serve ordering and payment system beside the cashier desk and each table has this "scan me" ordering QR code which is nice and saves time for everyone. Had the Black Tonkotsu, 5 pcs Gyoza and the "popular" Karaage 3pcs. Had paid $29 in total. Black Tonkotsu Tender pork cha-shu wasn't tender at all and very chewy, this isnt what I expected. Broth is very nice Noodles wasnt in my preference when I asked for normal type of thin noodles, not thick nor soft just normal. I was looking for that a bit firm hand made noodles type. Hakata Hitokuchi Gyoza - was very nice served with soy sauce and citrus pepper as they call, for me it was chili paste. Chicken Karaage was crispy on the outside but a bit uncooked inside. Would have been perfect if cooked well enough, these might be frozen which wasn't thawed well. The spiced pepper powder was really nice. *order mayo if you're going to have this. Staff seemed friendly but I didnt get my food served as I had expected from a Japanese Ramen Restaurant that has queue. The elder lady was great and has a very welcoming personality. Restaurant interior was very nice. I came here for the food but it didnt meet my expectation. Hoping to dine in again next time I come back to Melbourne with my wife and get us both greatly satisfied with their work of art.

Really delicious ramen. Been here twice and had to queue up both times.. usually if you get there reasonably early for dinner it’s not too long a wait. They do serve you very quickly (and ordering is via QR code) so patrons are fed and moved out fairly quickly. I think the broth tastes great, always wish there was more of it. Consistent taste an service

I really enjoyed the flavor of the ramen. Our group ordered the black tonkotsu, the classic tonkotsu and some gyoza. The broth tastes really rich without being too salty and the pork slices weren't dry. The ramen taste was boosted with the sesame, chopped garlic, and some chilli condiment. However the sesame was very mild despite putting a lot of it. The gyoza was also great. The one we got wasn't burnt and it taste best combined with the gyoza sauce and chilli sauce that came with it I highly recommend this place. It can get very crowded with long queues on peak hours. So be prepared to wait. The place was rather small and cramped, typical of a ramen joint.

The broth was sooooo good, rich in flavour but not oily. One of the best ramen I've had and I've have tried many! Friendly service but get here early or be prepared to queue. Worth the wait :)

I visited Hakata Gensuke Tonkotsu Ramen for lunch yesterday and I have to say, it was the best ramen I've ever eaten. The broth was rich and flavourful, and the noodles were cooked perfectly. The other dishes we ordered (chicken and gyoza) were average, but the ramen was definitely worth going back for.

I ordered the God fire ramen (🌶 🌶 ) and I absolutely loved it! Don’t be fooled by the level 2 because for someone who loves to eat spicy food this level was just right. Any more than that I think I would have struggled. My sons had the chicken karaage and gyoza and they both cleaned up their plates! Hubby had the ramen with black soup (can’t remember the name) but i had a taste of it and it was just devine. Would definitely recommend this restaurant! There’s always a long queue so better get there early!

Maybe it's my ignorance to the culture and cuisine but I found it noisy with all the yelling � and I found the soup to be too rich for my liking. My exact description was "slimy". Not asking them to change though if that gives its patrons the authentic feel. Apart from that it's a sensible place to eat. People queue up for it so it must be really good to be worth the wait.

We got the God Fire, Chicken Karaage & Gyoza's & it was all awesome. The condiments are second to none. There was a fair wait to get inside but it was worth it & I would highly recommend it if u can wait. There is a queue for a reason, because it is good! We obviously did not get the same staff that everyone else is complaining about as they were all very freindly & helpful to us. Thank you & we will definitely be back!

Cannot find fault in anything. Price is on point The taste of the food is amazing The service is A grade Master is always smiling and greets you

The best ramen i ever eaten....thanks to my thai friend nikki who treated dinner last night...i enjoyed the beer....

The best Ramen in Melbourne! It's my favorite place to go when I am in the city, the staff are lovely and the food is amazing!

We've been in Melbourne for couple of days and we found the place by mistake . We had ramen and gyoza . Absolutely amazing. We went two days in a row to eat the same things.

Gyoza was fantastic but a little bit small in size tho. Ramen was good, will come back again.

Great place and great Ramen, definitely revisiting when I’m back in town.

Excellent authentic Japanese ramen place. Try the Fire God (2 x🌶 for spiciness up to 4 x 🌶). Liked the black garlic too!

Very long wait for spicy soup. Amazing greeting and welcome from enthusiastic staff members who delight and inspire.

Taste is very standard plus bad front of house manage (or maybe by intentionally to do bad manage to get the queue long for marketing???). I'll Never go back again

Really enjoyed the Signature Ramen today, accompanied with a serve of gyoza and fried chicken! Sooooo gooood! Like a big bowl of hugs �

The best tonkotsu ramen I've ever had outside of Japan, the flavour and the texture of the noodles was perfect. This is the only ramen I've had in Australia that actually tasted like Japanese ramen.

5 Stars. The only Ramen I’ve had better than this was in Japan.

Very friendly service, food comes out real quick and their broth is amaaaaaazing 🤤

“ᔕᒪᑌᖇᑭ, ᔕᒪᑌᖇᑭ, ᔕᒪᑌᖇᑭ”🍜🍜<br/><br/>When you can’t go to Japan, it comes to you!🎌 <br/>——————————<br/>Even in the time of a pandemic, there are people lined up to enter the doors of this sensational ramen house- Hakata Gensuke <br/>—————————<br/>I’ve had so much ramen all my life but I would definitely rate this way up there!<br/>Simple broth, clean flavours and fresh ingredients giving you a sensory experience like never before!☺️<br/>——————————<br/>We ordered the 𝙎𝙝𝙞𝙤 𝙏𝙤𝙣𝙠𝙤𝙩𝙨𝙪 which was a light tonkotsu broth served with homemade thin noodles, tender pork cha-shu, bamboo shoots and spring onions.<br/>Adam, my foodie date loved it moreover because there was no black fungus in there. He’s not a mushroom fan at all😂<br/><br/>The 𝙂𝙤𝙙 𝙁𝙞𝙧𝙚 was my favourite pick! It comes with different levels of spice to choose from. Thank god I picked level 1🌶 because even then, my mouth was on fire with Gensuke secret blend of “Spicy Fire” but so good and perfect for this weather.😋<br/><br/>We also had to order the 𝙃𝙖𝙠𝙖𝙩𝙖 𝙃𝙞𝙩𝙤𝙠𝙪𝙘𝙝𝙞 𝙂𝙮𝙤𝙯𝙖 and 𝘾𝙝𝙞𝙘𝙠𝙚𝙣 𝙆𝙖𝙧𝙖𝙖𝙜𝙚 that were simply juicy and delightful!<br/>The service was truly impeccable. Minutes after we were seated down, the food arrived in all its glory. <br/>The staff was amazing as well. <br/>Ask for Bella and she’ll take good care of you!🥰<br/>——————————<br/>

Spicy pork ramen cheap and tasty!!! Lots of flavour always busy but worth the wait!

This is probably the only Ramen place that has a waiting line at 9pm.<br/>⁣<br/>It's in Melbourne and it's called Hakata Gensuke. It's quite popular as there seems to ALWAYS be a line. I tried to go very late (30 mins before closing) and I was terribly mistaken ⁣😅<br/>⁣<br/>There's all sorts of customisation from noodle texture to saltiness of the broth, making it perfect for picky eaters. ⁣

Best ramen!! So good that I went to the franchise in the states as well. My favourite part is eating nori sheets togeyher with everything. I always get my noodles extra firm, love the bite to it.

The place looks great and very authentic to the traditional #Ramen cuisine. Unfortunately we weren't able to dine here as there were non vegan or vegetarian options. We're not picky about food, but there was none that could be amended to be vegetarian or vegan. The food looked great and people seemed to enjoy their meal. For us unfortunately, it wasn't an option.

One of the best ramen i've ever tried.<br/>And the side dishes (Chicken Karage and Dumplings) was so enjoyable.

This was the second time I’ve been to Hakata in the CBD. First time was a few years ago. Was impressed the quality has been maintained. Had the godfire with level 2 spicy. Very tasty broth and not overwhelmingly spicy to the point of being uncomfortable. The flavoured egg was perfect. Highly recommend!

Long line. Moves fast. Killer food.<br/>Will receive stares from ignorant people passing by not understanding that Ramen Is Life.

Took my friend to Hakata Gensuke since I thought it was a good place to get her to try ramen. She rarely goes out and eat much and seeing her really satisfied with the ramen made me really happy. The gyoza was amazing and the ramen with some red ginger is so good. Really helps with eating more since it’s so heavy. Would come back here 100%

Solid ramen. My favorite part was the noodles. Great texture with a bit of chew. Broth was also nice.

Restaurant was not full, was waiting for a friend that’s about 3 minutes away and outside Melbourne was very cold and windy asked if I could wait inside my friend is literally in the corner the front staff insisted no. Disappointing.

Not bad but definitely not the best ramen we have had.

The best Hakata Gensuke ramen shop in Melbourne.<br/>The flavours are on point every single time and the noodle hardness is always perfect as per our request.<br/>We enjoy their signature tonkotsu and also the god fire very much. The god fire can get very spicy though so don’t order a high level if you can’t deal with spicy food!<br/>Their gyoza and karaage are also very nice, always order them for sides!<br/>The only thing is there might be a queue to get in to get there early!

The broth wasn’t good. It had very little flavour and the aroma of the pork was strong in not a good way. The ramen is not nearly close to a half decent ramen you would find in Tokyo. The gyoza was served lukewarm instead of steaming hot - which by Japanese standards is a failure. No sauce given with the gyoza, you just pour a generic soy sauce on the table - again not good. Service was loud but efficient. If someone says this place serves exceptional ramen please question how they came about that judgment. There was no queueing and the place was half empty on a Friday afternoon. If you decide to stand in line on a busy day, just don’t.

This place generally has a huge line out the front so I was stoked to when I was able to walk right in. Arigato.<br/><br/>The second was friendly and efficient. <br/><br/>We ordered some karaage chicken which was crispy, and the plump big pieces of chicken were delicious. Yummy! <br/><br/>The pork gyoza’s were hot and tasty, not the best I’ve ever eaten but certainly very good. Some more filling would have been good.<br/><br/>My partner ordered a “God Fire” Level 3/4 very spicy ramen which was extremely hot and I was gulping water after 1 mouthful hahaha <br/><br/>It was really good but too hot for me. I like the fact that you can choose your own add on’s and extra noodles. <br/><br/>My ramen was the Black Tonkotsu which was full of garlic flavour and the broth was really good. It was perfect for a cool day, and the broth was intense and it had a slight truffle earthy flavour. My noodles were cooked to order and they were well done. <br/><br/>Choose your time of day and you’ll enjoy some great ramen.

Ordered signature tonkotsu ramen, shoyu ramen and gyoza 🥟.<br/><br/>Both ramen were really good with beautiful broth. Chasu was amazing as well. Portion wise is a little bit in smaller size. Additional noodle or toppings are recommended to fill your stomach. Gyoza were good as well, fillings were still moist with crusted gyoza skin.<br/><br/>Will I be back? Sure!

Where do I start, as it is post spring carnival I will use horse racing parlance to describe my experience ie slow runner, making up the numbers, country track runner at best. Over cooked noodles, insipid broth and one skinny piece of meat. Queried with the waitress who did not appear to comprende so spoke to a cook who advised me that is what you get. Having noticed the queues over several months, expected something special, don't post on social media and encourage others. Melbourne has many many better offerings than this.

It's always queue line up outside. And I always have to wait at least 10 mins before getting in. But i guess it's becasue they have very limited seating to create this kind of urgency. I do believe they have one of best soup base in the Melbourne. it's very consistent every time Ive been there. But i would recommend to go during morning time where the soup base is most richer

This place always has large queues all day, every day. But finally made it - mainly as a result of joining the queue at 1130am just as it opened - so even though there was a queue, I'd worked it out that I'd get a seat :) <br/><br/>There are cheaper places in the city but at $15, the signature Tonkatsu ramen is bursting with flavour - the pork bone soup is delicious packed with noodles, pork cha-su, black fungus and spring onions. It's beautiful dish - and ordered with 5 gyoza makes for a very special lunch at $20.<br/><br/>Not a relaxing place though - lots of call outs by staff re food ordered, food ready etc! :)

Tried the Hawthorn outlet and was disappointed due to a lack of flavour. Thought I'd try this outlet since it has a higher rating. Was again dissapointed with the lack of flavour in both signature and spicy versions of the ramen. Not worth the money compared to other joints.

I'm so disappointed at this place after today. Long time customer and absolutely devastated with their lack of willingness to help the customer. Got a free signature ramen voucher from their last anniversary. Unbeknownst to me I ordered a God fire which was only $1 difference in price. Spent an extra $10 of toppings and was really expecting to only pay that. To my disappointment they would not allow it. It's not even about the money. It's just the principle. I will bend over backwards for my customers to make sure they're happy and will return. Besides we're the reason you can open your doors everyday. What a let down for such a good place of business.

Fantastic brothy food and 'authentic' to say the least (though noisy with them saying hi and bye). I like the signature tonkotsu, but it can be a bit thick at times. The black tonkotsu is also nice though comes second to the signature as colour can be a bit of a put-off.<br/><br/>Minimum amount of salt used & might try spicing it up next time! Overall, great winter's day dish.<br/><br/>As a downside, we asked for 2 bowls and staff only gave us 1 because we ordered '1 meal'.

Extremely disappointed with this outlet, we were offered to be serviced but could not get the 3 seats available as we were short of one person (I informed the waitress that my son was across the street getting a drink) even though my wife was in crutches. We were informed all have to be available. I noticed that the 3 seats were not taken for several minutes. I flagged to another waiter (we were standing in queue outside the shop along Russell Street) that my wife is in crutches and they should let her be seated. Just a gesture “I hear you” ... I was absolutely frustrated and told them that their services is all wrong. The waitress apologised to me. We walked away ... I will not visit a place that do not think about the condition of their clients first. Absolutely disappointing such establishment in Melbourne, Australia. No matter you may be one of the top noodle stores ... the practice is all Wrong. <br/><br/>No thanks you.

Probably not my favourite ramen place in the city, definitely wouldn't come here if there was a line....<br/><br/>LOVED:<br/>🔸The flavour of the pork is really good and generous amount, however it's a bit salty, especially with the normal salt level of the broth<br/><br/>LIKED:<br/>🔸The flavour of the broth is nice, would probably recommend the normal salt level<br/><br/>FEEDBACK:<br/>🔹As there is often a line at the restaurant, they hustle you out a bit to get new customers in<br/>🔹Expect a line after 6pm<br/>🔹Forgot the egg in my order<br/>🔹The standard ramen price doesn't include any toppings, whereas other restaurants you pay for extra toppings....

I only think about Hakata when it comes to ramen and they have been amazing with the quality of their soup base. I love how we get the option to select how we like the noodles done, and what is included in the broth

One of the best ramen but THE WORST SERVICE! Staff are so task-oriented. It’s such a shame that staff are not customer-friendly. Doesn’t really matter if a restaurant has good quality food if the service is poor it’s not worth coming back!

This would have to be the best ramen I have tried in Melbourne so far, hands down. The wait in the line to be seated is abit long, but once inside it is well worth the wait. The staff are friendly, food comes out in minutes and most of all it is delicious. Will definitely be back for more. Catherine Vu

The broth was truly amazing! It was creamier than any other tonkotsu broth I had tried! I love how you can customise your order as well. The only let down was a female wait staff who was really rude to us.

Hakata Gensuke!! Heard so much about you! My first visit and you lived up to my expectations. Had the chicken karage which was nice. The Gyoza was the best item, loved it. Yum Yum Yum.<br/>Also had my first ever bowl of authentic ramen 'The Godfather-Spice level 1'. The noodles in it was perfect. Delicious.<br/>I walked out feeling very happy and content.

Really good and cheap ramen however i’m not a big fan of the steamed pork slices because it’s kinda bland but other than that the stock / soup for the ramen is good and the ramen noodles are perfect!

The Worst service ever !!! Ask them to have some share bowl but they said not enough bowl so that only can give us only 2bowls but come back 1min later said don't have any share bowls.<br/>Definitely that was lie! Bad customer service!!<br/>Ramen was also average. Not reccomend!

Hakata Gensuke, Melbourne (Various Locations)<br/>God Fire Ramen Level 2<br/>Some things are worth waiting for. These things being - the right time for a Soupfluencer review of Hakata Gensuke and a spot inside Hakata Gensuke which rightfully so always has a line out the front. Hakata Gensuke has nailed Japanese ramen and the service that comes with it. It feels just fine waiting in line because the moment you get hit with that iconic shout of “Irasshaimase” you feel very welcomed indeed. The layout is frantic and intimate, it’s snug elbow room as you sit on a long bench slurping down ramen with your neighbours. Everyone is so focused on their bowl of soup and what a soup it is. Ramen is definitely subjective but for me a good ramen needs to have a noodle with perfect texture and a good bounce to it. Many Japanese restaurants that serve ramen have packet ramen - Hakata makes all their noodles in house and they have that perfect texture and bite. Similar to Ichiran in Japan, you can order how you want them cooked. Very ideal. The broth here - any of the broths whether it be the spicy god fire or the vibrant signature Tonkotsu are all good. The depth and flavour of the stock is second to none. It’s the right level of thickness without being overbearing. The pork is cut thin, I would recommend getting some more pork to add as you take one bite and it’s finished. The soy egg is a must and a worthy addition. Cooked to perfection the yolk is vibrant and cooked just right. Hakata Gensuke ramen is a fantastic reflection of what Japanese chefs do well - balanced, flavourful dishes that will leave you wanting more. <br/>Ps. Get the Karaage as a side dish. Phenomenal. <br/><br/>🥢🥢🥢🥢🥢<br/>Broth Flavour: 🍜🍜🍜🍜🍜/5<br/>Soup ingredients: 🍜🍜🍜🍜.5/5<br/>Service: 🍜🍜🍜🍜🍜/5<br/>Overall: 🍜🍜🍜🍜.5/5<br/>🥢🥢🥢🥢🥢

🍜Signature Tonkotsu ramen with the rich rich pork broth packed with flavour, I like to choose soft noodles and plenty of black fungus. Would recommend going for the classic salty option as the light unsalted version was slightly lacking. Haha what was I doing, tryin' to be healthy and all 😅<br/>🍗 Karaage Chicken was succulent and cooked to perfection with a light batter outside. Yum! Quality pieces of chicken, not the type that is more batter than actual meat.

Best ramen place in Melbourne. It’s flavours have been consistent since I found this place in 2016. I always get my favourite the Signature Tonkotsu with spring onions. Love the creamy and flavourful broth. I can’t restrain myself from ordering gyoza for appetiser. Love the Sichuan flavoured sauce that comes with gyoza. With the lovely food that they have, their staff are equally lovely and polite. The only downside is you might have to wait in line for quite sometime but it’s totally worth the wait. On a side note, the line does move pretty fast.

Ramen broth was thick and flavorful. Noodles were cooked well based on the hardness you decide to have.<br/><br/>Always a long line outside but I’d say it’s worth it if you’re craving for a bowl of hot ramen on a chilly night. <br/><br/>Definitely better than the other ramen stores in the city. Would come back for more.

Really good food. Good little place for a chilly night. The only thing is you might have to wait outside during busy weekends. Definitely a must try!!

The wait is totally worth it. One spoonful of the soup and you'll know. The broth is super flavourful and rich. Noodles were chewy and cooked to perfection. Would definitely return again!

My favourite ramen joint in Melbourne!! There’s almost always a line outside but the wait is worth it. My go-to order is the signature tonkotsu ramen with an extra soy-marinated egg. While I find the noodles to be good but nothing special, the broth sets it apart from other ramen places for me. The broth is creamy and incredibly rich in flavour, without being too salty or fatty. The slice of cha-shu just melts in your mouth and the egg is well cooked, with a slightly runny yolk. I never fail to leave my bowl empty!

The ramen here is so nice! Comes out nice and hot which is what i enjoy, so much flavour and the right amount of saltiness. Only thing is you have to order your toppings (such as egg, seaweed) seperate which other ramen restaurants originally include the toppings which isnt a huge deal but would definitely go again

Best ramen in Melbourne!! I always order the Signature Tonkotsu here. Food is super tasty and authentic, and the meat is tender! Queuing line was a bit long, but it’s worth the wait!!

The ramen broth was very rich and flavourful. Was expecting the level 4 spicy ramen to be more spicy but it was still good. The charsiu with onsen egg on rice was very satisfying!

This place has the most amazing ramen! Their 4.7 rating is 100% correct. I got the Signature Tonkotsu ramen, it so delicious, so much flavour in the broth and the noodles were fantastic. I got extra noodles, I would recommend doing this, you just let them know when you are ready to have your extra noodles, really easy. My partner ordered the god of fire ramen, he said it was fantastic too but probably would of got it less spicy, only 1 chilli spice not 2. The atmosphere is exactly as you’d imagine it would be in Japan, very authentic. A definite must try!

Absolutely love the ordering system they have here since I’m not the most confident in ordering verbally. You essentially fill out a piece of paper with what you’d like to have and give it to the staff members floating nearby. The dishes were fantastic! Only thing was that it gets quite crowded.

This place always have a long line for dinner. Everyone knows what's good! I've added extra chasyu in my ramen as it was sooo tasty!<br/><br/>The bubbling broth was really packed with flavor too. They would have slow cooked it for ages to get this quality. Overall the noodles dish was expensive after all the adds but it was worth it.<br/><br/>This place has ramen closest to the authentic ones in Japan.

Great food, but bad services tonight. Open the drink which we don’t want and force us to pay. We come here a but this time really pissed me off. Most waitress are friendly and passionate but this one ruined my night.

Excellent food. Good service. A warm Japanese atmosphere as always. Only one complain is about the seat that you will perhaps have to share with other people.

This place is amazing, best ramen I’ve ever had. Doesn’t serve alcohol unfortunately. Wouldn’t mind a beer or 2 while I eat my ramen. Will still go back even if I had to wait in line for an hour again.

Four of us were having lunch at this restaurant (Russell Street). We ordered the same signature tonkotsu ramen with flavoured egg. Also ordered their fried chicken and gyoza as side dish. I personally had been here a few times. My other friends are new. We had ordered the noodles to be normal and the pork broth soup were thick and delicious. We enjoyed it. (13 June 2019)

All time favourite Ramen place.<br/><br/>Had the limited edition Mentaiko Ramen and the hint of spice balanced the richness of the broth and creaminess of the roe quite well. Personally, I prefer a normal (usual richness) broth, but because there was creamy roe in it, found that it worked out better with a lighter broth.<br/><br/>The slice of pork was tender as always, the fatty bits melting like liquid gold in your mouth.<br/><br/>And the egg, the beautiful soft-boiled egg with runny yolk pooling like sunset on your spoon. It was like velvet, smooth and silky and slightly salty. The perfect pairing for the chewy noodles, giving a sense of contrast as you savoured the different textures.<br/><br/>On a whim, I ordered a portion of chicken karaage on the side, and did not regret it. The skin was amazing, with just the right amount of flour to keep it chewy and juicy inside.<br/><br/>I'll definitely be coming back again^^<br/><br/>Order specifications:<br/>Noodle: hard<br/>Saltiness (richness): less<br/>Add ons: Egg

I think this is definitely Melbournes best ramen restaurant. Why? Because the broth is so deliciously rich. The perfect amount of thickness and flavour. <br/><br/>I ordered the god fire with level 2 spicy and it was a tad too spicy for me, however, I was still able to finish it. Next time I will get level 1 because I always like that extra kick. I ordered my noodles soft and it was sooo good. <br/><br/>My partner ordered the original tonkatsu and it was delicious as well. I put a spoon of my broth to fire it up a little. <br/><br/>We shared a bowl of extra noodles for $2. The Gyoza was perfectly cooked, very thin skin, juicy and tender on the inside. <br/><br/>You can really taste the quality difference of the broth here. I haven’t been here in over 4 years but I’m glad I’ve tried again when I’m older and can appreciate the difference to every other large ramen chain in Melbourne.<br/><br/>Update -<br/>Still great! I got level 1 god fire today and it was the perfect level of spice for me. <br/><br/>I ordered chicken karaage on the side. It came with 3 large pieces of chicken. The skin was amazing! So crunchy and flavoursome and the chicken was hot and juicy.

Very poor customer service. Receptionist got a bad attitude. Half way through my dish, I have found a piece of blue plastic in my food!!! Who knows if I have eat any!!

With no shortage of ramen restaurants in Melbourne, Hakata Gensuke is still one of my favourites as it never disappoints. My go to is the signature tonkotsu which features a slightly lighter broth yet still creamy and full of flavour. I like to steal a spoon of my man's god fire broth to my ramen to add that little kick. When it comes to sides, I can't look past the chicken karaage. The only deterrence is the line that can build outside this tiny eatery - but worth the wait!

Despite the great reviews of this particular restaurant, there is waiting times (outside) with limited seating and they have removed pork from their menu.

I went to Russell Street to have a lunch with my friend after the first try at Carlton, but yeah Hakata Ramen never give me disappointment, the taste for both were excellent! Will definitely come back next time!

I finally got to visit Hakata! I have had this bookmarked forever and I finally popped in with a friend for some heart warming ramen.<br/><br/>The line was epic, we decided to wait as this surely was a good sign of what was installed inside. We got to sit inside after a 20-30 minute wait.  <br/><br/>I ordered the God Fire which was spicy, really spicy! I love heat and this ramen did not disappoint. The God Fire was very tasty, my friend ordered the signature tonkotsu which he loved.  The ramen broth was rich and packed a punch with flavour. We shared some gyoza which were 10/10.  <br/><br/>No alcohol served here which is a shame as I always love having a Sapporo with my ramen.  A great spot to visit and I can see why it is so busy.

The gods fire does not disappoint for spice lovers! Service is always quick + efficient with options to tweak your ramen order. Hakata Gensuke is my go-to for ramen!

Best ramen in Melbourne in my opinion. Rich, flavourful, thick broth with perfect noodles consistency (you get to choose your preferred hardness of the noodles). Very fast service even though there’s a long queue outside usually. Will definitely come back!

Had to wait outside in the line for 25 minutes on a Saturday night but it was worth it! Food is delicious and comes quickly - only downside would be that they do rush you in and out so you can't have a relax after you've eaten

Nice gyoza, the soup was not spicy for salty for me as I chose level three. Love the texture of noodle but the bamboo was a little bit hard.

Long queue at lunch times. Ramen can be bland and not that flavoursome. Tried the God of Fire and chicken karaage. It's hot(spicy) but not much else. The flavour of the chicken fried was bland. I found other ramen places on Russell to be better in flavour than this.

I love ramen! Good place to go when you are actually get hungry on a late night. The broth was so tasty. Perfect for winter time. Service is pretty quick, you don’t have to wait too long

Their pork broth is amazingly delicious. Perfect for every season its DELICIOUS. My favourite place to get ramen when winter comes. Not really a fan of gyoza but theirs is nice.<br/><br/>Expect queue at dinner time!

Hands down the best ramen broth in melb. Although I recommend selecting light for saltiness as I’m often left feeling incredibly thirsty after the meal with the normal saltiness (too much msg??). Not the most tender chashu but onsen eggs are always perfect. Both gyozas and kaarage are great but I prefer gyoza as it isn’t too oily to pair with ramen

OMG DROOLING AS I SEE THESE IMAGES! <br/>When I showed up to Hakata Gensuke, CBD there was a 10 metre queue outside of the shop....you know you’re in for a treat when this is your first impression!! <br/><br/>What a perfect dinner for a cooler Melbourne day ❤️👌🏼<br/><br/>But more importantly CAN YOU HANDLE THE HEAT? Then GOD FIRE is your jam!🔥 Absolute NOODLE GOALS here 🍜 Melbournes BEST RAMEN hangout spot; @hakatagensuke | RUSSELL ST 🥟💛<br/><br/>PLUS I GOT SOME 🥟 GYOZA & they were so amazing! The great reviews are real guys! Check them out!

Good broth and ramen texture. No pork ramen available at this branch, only chicken. Karaage was soft and juicy. However the chicken ramen soup was not as strong as I like compared to pork.

Arrive here on Sunday and there was a queue waiting already. So my expe5ctation is super high and they didn't disappoint me. God fire at level one is my favourite spicy enough but didn't overpower the broth original taste.<br/><br/>The side dish is ok but not the strong point so stick to the ramen is what I would recommend to order. And if you are greedy order extra serve of ramen. Absolutely worth the wait

The person who served us was extremely rude and asked us to stand outside the venue and wait. We decided as a result not to eat at the place. I don’t care how good the food is, if your customer service is shocking, I am better off not eating there.

You'll probably have to queue but the tables turn over quickly. Why? You can't help but scoff down this delicious ramen. Texture is smooth and slightly creamy, ingredients are wholesome and tasty, condiments are plentiful. Do yourself a favour and get down to Hakata Gensuke -- they're the professionals for a reason!

Always busy here and had to queue to go in. Soup base was nice and you can choose how you would like your noodle to be cooked. Overall a very pleasant experience.

The best Ramen joint in Melbourne after trying out most of them in Melbourne. The Ramen had amazing 'umami' and the toppings were generous. Waiting in line may be required during peak hours.

The reviews are right.  Best ramen I have had in Melbourne.<br/>The pork slices in the noodles are so tasty, the level 3 spice is very hot (what I wanted).  The egg is perfectly cooked, the noodles are just fresh and delicious cooked to perfection.<br/>Very limited space, and a long line to get in, but the food makes it worth it.

theres always a line outside when im there but its definitely worth the rate!! reminds me of when i was in japan its so yum 😋 food comes out really fast, service is so efficient