We must have come at a good time, because there was no line outside and we were ushered to our seats right away. The waiter was really friendly and his english was superb. A friend and I both got the highly recommended burnt miso ramen, which came with a small appetizer of lotus salad. It was just as good as reviews said! A slightly smokey taste, and very flavorful. We ordered one dish of karaage, which was just the right amount of crispy and saltiness. We also asked for Matsu-no-Midori sake, which was very smooth. Pretty pricey at 1090 yen for a glass, but they overfill the glass to let the sake flow into a surrounding box– if you drink it all, it’ll probably be close to 2 glasses. I would recommend this place to try out if you’re in the area.
Olivia L.
Rating des Ortes: 3 Temple City, CA
Was told by someone of «burnt ramen“‘ in Kyoto and decided to try it out. Came in around 11PM and was told there is a 300 yen charge for dinner but you get a small side dish. We chose the chicken side dish — there was another option but couldn’t understand the waiter hehe. Burnt ramen is definitely something to try because you probably can’t get this back in the states. Be aware of how salty it is! It’s mediocre, the broth is really thick and fatty which is something I’m not super fond of. And also because I recently tried ichiran in Tokyo and am obsessed with that. The soft boiled egg definitely gets 5 stars in my book though! FYI — This is a smoking restaurant for anyone who hates smoke. We asked to sit at the bar! Edit — just read another Unilocal review that you can downsize your portion lol do that if you really just wanna try it.
Hui Li N.
Rating des Ortes: 3 Singapore, Singapore
Went for supper at 11pm and there was no queue. Tried the burnt ramen and the broth was distinctively flavourful. They served thin noodles and for those who wanted to just have a taste of the ramen, they have an option to allow you to downsize your food portion at a discount. Ordered gyoza as well, which was not too bad. Do note that they have an extra mandatory charge of 300 yen and, for this, you get to select a side dish to go with your ramen.
Rebekah M.
Rating des Ortes: 1 Bethesda, MD
The ramen here is average at best — when they say burned, expect to have gristle and ash from the wok in your soup. It looks like what you scrape out of the bottom of a charred pot but it’s all in your soup and you’re eating it. I would avoid this place — there are better ramen places in Kyoto.
Laurent M.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Montreal, Canada
Do not be mistaken, this place is surprising. The burnt miso is a must have if you never had it, trust me I’m always looking for new taste. I would recommend adding a chicken karaage because it’s a great one. Everything is served very hot! Also get a serving of sake, it comes in a glass in a box, very fun experience. Enjoy a great diner in good company :)
Terence L.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Portland, OR
The black ramen is ridiculously good! Haha try it whenever u are in the area. Kyoto that is. The line is long but it’s worth it! Put ur name down on the waiting list once u get to Nishiki Market and you can take a walk around the market and come back later. Only available in Kyoto and u can try the other famous ones in Tokyo too. The black ramen is really unique and has a unique burnt taste. Had black miso which was great. Try it, you will not regret :)
Christina W.
Rating des Ortes: 4 New York, NY
This was our first stop upon arriving to Kyoto. I ordered the burnt miso ramen, as suggested by Unilocalers and the staff. It was definitely interesting, a bit salty but good nonetheless. My friend ordered the burnt shoyu ramen. We had a bit of each other’s and both agreed that the burnt miso is definitely better! The gyoza wasn’t anything special. If you’re in the area, definitely try the burnt miso ramen. It’s different!
Terra F.
Rating des Ortes: 2 Chatsworth, CA
This was a very subpar dining experience. It began with my boyfriend and I being asked to stand outside the restaurant while they prepared our table. This sounds reasonable, however it was around 30 degrees out and there was no one waiting for a table except us. The food, which is raved about all in the comments was unimpressive boarding on dull. The best part of the meal was the overpriced sliced cucumber salad. The burnt miso lacked depth and unique flavor. There is also a ¥300 cover charge per person which comes with small tapas type appetizers, however as this isn’t a bar the charge seems like a gouge.
Wayzer H.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Chicago, IL
Long wait — there is a sign-in list at the front which wasn’t obvious while in the back of the queue — the burnt miso ramen is the standout
Sharon G.
Rating des Ortes: 4 San Francisco, CA
I found this courtesy of other Unilocalers! Thank you! Definitely worth the experience !! We got the burnt miso ramen per recommendations of others. And also added in the karage(890¥) & rice combo for 200¥. I liked it, but my bf did not and said it lacked flavor. I thought it was yummy and would definitely recommend trying it if you are in town. Happy ramen-ing!
GT W.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Oceanside, CA
Along a side alleyway adjacent to Nishiki Market, you need to write your name down on the waiting list instead of just queuing up. Once inside, it is a sit-down, fancier restaurant with an oddly Western-style interior design that wouldn’t be out of place in the US. A Spotify playlist that had to be titled«Billboard Top 1001998» was on in the background. There is a whole«show» over the burnt miso ramen where the whole kitchen seems to light on fire. You can see and even feel the heat from the conspicuous window on the street that lets passerby’s know this place serves something awesome that is on fire. Menu had quite a few options, but we chose to do the burnt miso ramen as mentioned on Unilocal.This had a unique black broth with a hefty layer of oil on top. The noodles were the thinner kind you find at Ichiran. I thought the flavor was certainly unique and I liked it better and better as it cooled off. However, the thick layer of oil on top made it difficult to enjoy once the noodles were gone. Sake pours were generous with your little overflow boxes. Staff was able to speak Engish fairly well. Overall, certainly more of a novelty type place and bit too familiar to me with its Westernized ambiance. Trip Advisor has this listed as $$$ for price level. It is certainly more like $$ or cheaper.
Victor W.
Rating des Ortes: 3 San Francisco, CA
Burnt miso or soy sauce ramen is their specialty and it certainly is distinctive. I just wasn’t a huge fan of the flavor though it wasn’t bad. It’s worth trying once. I thought the ramen noodles themselves were also only okay and the egg wasn’t anything to write home about. Service is good and the staff is English friendly. The prices were super reasonable for lunch and won’t leave a hole in your wallet. The wait can be fairly long so I wouldn’t be dying to return.
Eifeh S.
Rating des Ortes: 3 Taipei, Taiwan
I really like ramen, and in Japan you have an abundance of options. Having read a lot about the burnt miso ramen online, I decided I should give it a go. Unfortunately, while it was interesting, it wasn’t all that special. Kyoto Gogyo is in an alley offshooting from Nishiki Market and pretty easy to find. We arrived right when they opened at 11:30am, so we didn’t have to wait for seating. We did notice, though, that the restaurant quickly filled up(This was a Monday afternoon), mostly with foreigners which became a bit of a warning sign that this place was more of a tourist locale than a local one. Based on recommendations, I decided to go with the burnt miso ramen, as did my friend, who also ordered some gyoza. I found all the food to be rather average, especially for ramen in Japan. The burnt miso taste is definitely interesting and unique, but not a ramen I would consider a favorite. The noodles were only okay. I thought they could have been harder and overall just better. The broth was also just okay. I prefer my ramen broth really rich, and this wasn’t. I mean, there was some good flavor, but there are so many great ramen places that this place wouldn’t stand out if you took away the burnt miso flavor. The gyoza I also thought was just okay, nothing special. If you want to try the burnt miso ramen out of curiosity for the flavor, this is worth a go. If you’re looking for a fantastic bowl of ramen and you only have one meal for it, this is not it.
Molly E.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Stockholm, Sweden
First time Ramen and also the best time! I took the burned ramen, which was delicious! Will definitely go here the next time I go to Japan and Kyoto :-)
Sarath P.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Fort Worth, TX
Get ready for your ankles to swell up from the salt explosion you will have at Gogyo. But you know what — you go ahead ankles — swell up – for once in your life, you won’t regret it. I NEEDED to try burnt miso ramen while I was in Japan because it looked so intriguing. Anything that looked like that HAD to taste good, right? I ordered the burnt miso ramen and Mike ordered the burnt shoyu ramen. For anyone who will be trying this in the future — order the burnt miso ramen… the shoyu is just a weak version and isn’t packed with flavor like the burnt miso. Your bowl is piping hot when it comes to you so be careful — it’s a bit oily but man is it good. It’s the perfect saltiness — the miso gives it so much depth of flavor. The noodles were perfectly chewy and they give you a good amount of meat in your dish, as well. If you’re in Japan — definitely try this. It’s amazing. But just make sure you drink lots of water before, during and after your meal, k?
Sushi S.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Kyoto, Japan
Overall very solid, but nothing stood out.
Jae K.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Fullerton, CA
Kogashi-men(burned miso ramen). Gogyo is one of the most famous ramen spot in Kyoto. They burn the ramen at 100 degrees celcius, hence the soup stays torch hot until the last bite of the ramen. One of the most tastiest ramen I have ever ate.
Raquel Y.
Rating des Ortes: 4 San Leandro, CA
Tip #1, Burnt Miso! The burnt miso is better than the burnt shoyu, which I read in a couple of reviews of the opposite. The burnt shoyu is good but light, whereas the burnt miso has all the flavor! Beware #1, there is a lot of oil, but how often are you going to have burnt miso ramen. Just order it and try one of the most interesting ramen bowls ever! Tip #2, order chicken karaage and the dumplings because those were BOMB. Chicken karaage extremely tasty and the dumplings were so juicy. Amazing appetizers(5 stars) Beware #2, The wait was extremely long. At least the market is close by to shop while waiting. Thanks Gogyou for adding this to #58 on my ramen list! –Ramen Sheriff
Sarah D.
Rating des Ortes: 2 Montreal, Canada
Hold the hype. There’s a flood of chatter around Gogyou and unfortunately, we aren’t shouting from the rooftops. This rating is for the overall experience. It’s not your traditional Japanese resto so if you’re looking to eat what the Emporer did, no go. We ate pretty tasty, good but not«wow”/fried chicken & burn miso ramen. Nothing to rave about. It’s the difference between serving food and making food you’re proud to have guests to eat. You know what I mean? Cool. The music was weird. Covers of soft rock and at one point I heard Creed. Remember Creed? «If you tahhhke meee highyaaaah…» Apologies for making you relive that. The staff is inexperienced and as a general rule I tend to not dine at places where staff wear headsets unless A) At a ballin’ burger joint, or B) Britney Spears. Our multiple waiters forgot about us until it was time to pay up. Classic. Wouldn’t bring my mama and you know that’s the highest standard.
Kelly K.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Los Angeles, CA
Deliciously perfect meal for a crisp fall day. I wasn’t sure what to expect from burnt ramen but I have to say, it was a pleasant surprise. When we arrived there were a few people waiting. The wait was about 5 min and we were seated upstairs. We ordered the combination(karaage or gyoza) with shoyu burnt ramen. The karaage was crisp, juicy, and hot. And the gyoza was also tasty. I especially enjoyed the tiny dollop of yuzu chile paste along the side. The ramen arrived piping hot. Hotter than anything I’ve ever had. I’m guessing it’s because of the oil. So be careful when taking your first bite. The soup is definitely black in color, very oily, and flavorful. There were lots of white onion pieces, bits of meat, half an egg, and sliced belly pork. The thin noodles were also cooked perfectly. The bill came out to around $ 40 which was a great price for what we had. We enjoyed this meal very much and may even return to try the miso burnt ramen.