Ovo
Japanese
Asian
Non-veg
Serves meat, vegan options available. Ramen restaurant offering an updated menu with vegan choices, including a vegan option for most dishes. Vegan choices include: vegan fire ramen, fried rice, gyoza, karaage (fake meat), and more. Specify vegan to server. Call ahead to confirm. Open Mon 11:00am-3:00pm, 5:00pm-9:00pm, Wed-Sun 11:00am-3:00pm, 5:00pm-9:00pm.
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Last update on 11 Jul 2023 by JimmySeah
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Added by hailesuper on 27 Jun 2019
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28 Reviews
First Review by happycyclist
Lena567
Points +18
Incredible Ramen - Edit
We had the vegan Ramen Menu.
Read moreIt came with a ramen-soup, Gyoza and rice with vegetables.
You can choose if you want egg-rice or rice without egg.
The Ramen itself was really delicious and tasteful.
You could taste the fire in the soup.
I definitely recommand a visit.
The owner and the whole staff were super friendly and kind.
Pros: Vegan options, Fire taste, Friendly staff
Guest
rosieevie5
Points +27
Tasty food and fun experience - Edit
Would have given 5 stars if I could have. Friendly staff and tasty food with a vegetarian set menu offered that can be made vegan as required. The fire show was fun to see!
Read moreOnly downside is that it’s so popular you have to wait for a bit outside before going in. We went for a late lunch and had to wait for about 30 minutes until there was a space
Guest
Kalliejackson
Points +32
Very fun and great rice! - Edit
Super fun experience, you can modify the vegetable ramen to vegan, the food is tasty, unpretentious and the staff are hilarious and charismatic. It’s a very exciting lunch or dinner spot. You will leave smiling.
Read morePros: Tasty, Fun, Great personality!
Guest
AkihiroShugo
Points +1053
Definitely tasteful and entertaining - Edit
I won't write too much because I don't want to give away the secret, but the vegan ramen here is absolutely delicious, and the staff who have a lot of knowledge about veganism take care of everything. It's a popular restaurant, so you may have to wait in line, but it's definitely worth it.
Read moreGuest
CassieEke
Points +134
Amazing experience - Edit
Amazing service, the fire is good entertainment and the food is incredible best ramen I’ve had
Read morePros: Fire, Food, Service
Guest
igniux
Points +75
Entertaining food place - Edit
The restaurant accepts people in groups of 8 to 12. If you don't make it into the group, you have to wait for another one. Two groups are served at a time, with a single group taking around 30 minutes. The menu is small and straightforward. The service is nice and thorough.
Read morePeople are seated at a bar overlooking an open kitchen, and served/entertained in an honest, friendly manner. The atmosphere is exciting and without it I would rate this experience at 3 stars
I got ramen and a set of gyoza. Ramen noodles were great, but the broth was rather bland (this made the whole meal rather bland compared to T's tantan or Kyoto engine ramen). A whole set of spices were available but that didn't help that much. Gyoza was decent.
Cons: Long wait for great experience but ok food
Guest
KenPendola
Points +50
No ramen, no life - Edit
This place is the best, not only for the great food but for the fun you have while dining. While geared towards tourists, this shop also hosted several locals as we were dining there. Call it a tourist trap if you want but I am happy to be trapped there. The food was great (specifically the ramen and the karaage hit the spot). It was a heavy meal which energized me and my non vegan friend for hours of touring after lunch. The boss has his business down to a science, but unlike a certain Seinfeld character, if you go along with it you’ll have a great time. It’s hard to classify this as just a restaurant cause it’s more like dinner and a show. Check it out and you won’t be disappointed with this unique experience!
Read morePros: Excellent food that caters to vegans/veg, Funny and entertaining staff, 100% unique experience
Guest
Marianne1211
Points +45
Good experience and friendly staff - Edit
Good experience and the chefs and staff were very friendly. Veggie ramen ok but not as good as other ramen we’ve had in Japan. Sadly would not go back.
Read morePros: Experience, Friendly staff
Cons: Ramen lacked flavour
QingsSoo
Hi do you have other ramen shop recommended in Kyoto/Osaka?
Read moreGuest
Keeyan
Points +217
I accidentally ate egg :( - Edit
The main course was delicious and the entertaining display is definitely worth the visit.
Read moreUnfortunately, they messed up my side dish of rice and included egg, which I didn't notice until I was almost done 😭 So I'm going to have to drop a star
Pros: Great food, Exciting flame show
Cons: Served me non vegan food
Guest
peapod69
Points +21
this deserves 6 stars - Edit
they had a clearly labeled and very yummy vegan ramen. had the best night of my life here because of the big boss. it was a great value and a fun experience. wish i could eat here every night
Read morePros: everything
Guest
Vegan.honey
Points +960
Cool experience okay food - Edit
I waited in line for 2 hours
Read moreThe people were really nice, the ramen, vegan karagee and gyoza were all okay.
Grateful for vegan options.
Guest
Elisabeth042
Points +59
Ramen flambé - Edit
Restaurant is run by father and son, very nice guys. Vegan options are easy available (English menu). The fire Ramen has a very delicious smokey flavoring. The soy karaage (vegan) is also very tasty! When we were there, there were mostly tourists, but I think it's definitely worth it. It is a unique experience!
Read moreGuest
roni27
Points +51
A must in Kyoto - Edit
One of the best ramen I ate in Japan. The owner is very nice and will make sure you are having a good time. The restaurant runs by him and his son, and together they put out a tourist guide that they give everyone for free.
Read moreGuest
Dariush
Points +662
Not fine dining, but a LOT of fun - Edit
I found this place using HappyCow. While Menbaka is an omnivore restaurant, all menu options (granted, the menu consists of about 5 items- ramen, fried rice, slaw and fried chicken) can be “veganised.” Which is awesome. The gimmick is the fire ramen… essentially a normal bowl of ramen that is “flambeauxed” in spectacular fashion in front of you. The owner, who other reviewers have noted is a character, will take your phone and hang it up to record a video of the action. The food was great. The crowd was a lot of fun, albeit heavily weighted to foreigners. All in all a must visit for vegan tourists.
Read moreGuest
SophieSchmailzl
Points +293
Experience if you are in kyoto - Edit
Owner is super nice and even gives yiu recommendations on sightseeing spots.
Read moreOne vegan ramen dish and the gyoza can also be vegan.
It's a nice thing to do if you are sightseeing in kyoto, they even take a video of you while they set it on fire.
(8/24 don't know why it currently states its temporary closed, opening hours are correct to the ones you find on Google.)
LilacHippy
Hi, I removed the note. Sending in an update is usually the best way to inform us. :)
Read moreSophieSchmailzl
I tried to update but it was not possible to submit.
Read moreGuest
susanacardich
Points +44
Tasty ramen - Edit
A really amazing experience. Great taste of ramen and cool vibes.
Read morePros: Great experience
Guest
anand.s
Points +51
FIRE RAMEN! - Edit
I had no idea what I was walking into so I won't spoil it for you😉Vegan ramen was really good and restorative. Dumplings tasted good too!
Read moreGuest
egrzunov
Points +306
Fun experience - Edit
One vegan ramen option. Mainly went for the experience where they set your ramen alight. Added great Smokey flavour loved the abundance of spring onions on top. Filmed it for us also which was nice. Average price. Was nice flavour to the ramen haven’t had anything quite like it.
Read morePros: Great experience, Reasonably priced
Guest
TommyYip
Points +45
Great Fire Ramen - Edit
The presentation and taste of the Fire Ramen was awesome. Not only can they substitute for pork, they have soy meat for their fried chicken, vegetable gyozas and meatless fried rice. So they covered off pretty much everything. Capped it off with a Matcha beer!
Read morePros: Vegan options for everything, Great fire presentation, Excellent service
Guest
kattyratty18
Points +303
Amazing ramen and gyoza - Edit
Ramen was amazing - my favourite ramen even though it didn't include heaps of veges. It had the best broth, spring onions and a smoky flavour. The gyoza was also amazing. The rice was pretty plain and the karaage needed sauce and was a bit dry. Recommend getting the ramen and the gyoza. Great fire show!!! Was super entertaining, friendly staff who filmed us during the show.
Read moreGuest
KevinStout
Points +46
Overpriced - Edit
Ramen were good, but you‘re not allowed to share, even if you order other items. Staff not really friendly. They had fried tofu bits though. Overall, pretty decent
Read moreGuest
happii
Points +76
Five! It's amazing ramen - Edit
This is the second best ramen I've ever had. It's amazing. Go here, you will not regret it. Spring onions and spring onion oil is literally not optional - the whole flavor profile is based on it, and they say in writing they can't leave it out - so this isn't one for people avoiding alliums.
Read moreThe gyoza are good, the fried rice is nice. The ramen is much better.
Pros: Delicious. Theatrical. Good communication.
Cons: Basically one option
Guest
42TJ0NES
Points +227
Incredible food experience extravaganza - Edit
We were enthusiastically greeted on entering and the enthusiasm didn't end there... Right from being seated, the staff were so welcoming and lovely that we felt right at home and were so glad we chose to come here. The whole experience was great (I won't ruin anything for you) from start to finish; the ramen was very unique; the gyōza, some of the best I've had in Japan; the rice super flavoursome and the optional chili sauce was the bomb! I'd give 5 stars if I could.
Read morePros: Such lovely staff, Amazing experience, Great tasty food
Cons: Not everything is vegan
Guest
MelanieRabid
Points +52
A lot of fun! - Edit
Small counter ramen shop. Can make vegan version!
Read morePros: Great experience , Good food
Cons: Small, Hot in there LOL!
Guest
DrVeg
Points +59
Great food, lovely staff - Edit
Staff speak English - catered for vegetarians, vegans and meat eaters.
Read moreLoved our veg ramen
Pros: Veg ramen, gyoza and rice, Lovely staff, Fire show
Cons: None
Guest
Shoytze
Points +289
The ramen is on fire!!! - Edit
This place is prepared for tourists from all countries with menus and signs in multiple languages. Even our non-veggie friends were pleased they could finally have ramen without fish broth. It was delicious and an experience more exciting than hibachi back in the US.
Read moreGuest
jamesdeanmcdonald
Points +216
Fun and Greasy - Edit
This restaurant is probably more about the experience and fanfare and excitement than it is about the taste of the food.
Read moreHere's the set-up. My partner and two friends were ushered into the restaurant with about six other customers, where we were all sat at a bar that horseshoed around the cooking area. You choose what kind of ramen you want (veggie stalk available, omit the pork) and what, if any, kind of appetizers you want (veggie gyoza, friend "chicken" nuggets). Then, the show begins. If you have one, your phone has been suspended so that you can be videoed during the show. Your ramen is set in front of you on the metal counter. You are told not to touch the ramen. (You are told many things: that no one has died during a show, that your clothes may be ruined if you don't follow the rules, etc—I forgot to mention that you are covered in protective bibs.) You are told to lean back as a man with a cast-iron pan of fire—donning a kind of firefighter's helmet—creeps up to the first person in line at the counter, yells FIRE, then pours the fire into your ramen, letting it spark off the counter and rise up to the stainless-steel hooded fans above. You can feel the extreme heat of the fire on your face, and you lean back as far as you can on your stool, trying not to get your eyebrows singed. (You are told to keep your arms behind your back during the show.) The fire is, well, amazing. We were laughing and a little concerned and enjoying the unexpected spectacle.
Once the fire is gone, you're left with your ramen. How is it? Meh. Not bad at all. Not great at all. It is veggie stock, noodles, and green onion. That's it. Oh, except for the oil—lots and lots of oil floating on top. If you are one of these vegans who is trying to eat a more whole-food diet (as I am), this oil may end up making you feel a bit ill. We don't use oil at home, and we don't eat at a lot of oily restaurants, so this bowl of oil was off-putting.
However! This place is great. It's fun. It's theatrical. The employees seem to enjoy the work. There's a menu in English (ask for the vegetarian/vegan menu). It is a bit pricey, close to $15-$20 US, probably, but it's worth it.
Also, they take your cell phone and take pictures of you eating from your ramen, which is just a bit of fun.
There you go. If you're in the neighborhood and up for some entertainment and oiliness, this is your place!
Guest
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