Hakata Gensuke Hawthorn - Ramen Professional

Service was good but the food was a letdown. We ordered Curry Ramen which was supposedly to be seasonal and special was a disappointment. Portion was small and bland. Worst ramen I have ever tasted. Not worth $21. Also had saksana curry rice. The fish tastes so bad.

Second time I’ve tried this place because of all the good reviews and been disappointed again. This is not authentic ramen at all, the broth is tasteless and not creamy like tonkotsu should be. The meat on top is like a boiled piece of ham, not chashu pork. Egg wasn’t also cooked properly like a ramen egg should be.

I decided to try their signature Tonkotsu Ramen, and I was blown away by the rich, flavorful broth that had been simmered to perfection. The noodles were cooked just right, and the toppings were fresh and delicious. The service was prompt and attentive, making the whole dining experience even more enjoyable.

The staff were friendly and knowledgeable, happy to offer recommendations and answer any questions. I also appreciated the restaurant's commitment to using high-quality ingredients.

In short, Hakata Ramen is a must-visit for any ramen enthusiast. From the ambience to the food and service, it's a top-notch dining experience that I can't wait to enjoy again.

Best ramen ive tested so far in hawthorn east, reasonable price with excellent Japanese shokunin seishin.

The broth was thick but not too heavy, overall the best Ramen I’ve tasted so far! Gyoza and Karaage were both fantastic too! Will definitely come back.

Ordered Ramen. Portion was tiny and overpriced. They put one tiny piece of meat into the Ramen. Taste was okay, that’s the only reason why I didn’t give them less stars. I wouldn’t go here again.

Do not understand the hype around this Ramen chain. I’ve tried it twice even over 5 years ago and the broth lacks any depth and flavor it’s like eating with a cold. A flat and boring ramen not to mention overpriced. The noodle texture was done right though.

The ramen is consistently great! (Sorry can’t find a better photo to describe how good the ramen is)

Really disappointed in the portion sizes, a bowl of ramen for $18 should include more toppings by default. The amount of noodles and Chashu, were very ungenerous, the bowl itself was great but definitely too small a portion for the price

Non authentic, non Japanese style ramen. Very small servings, so not good value for money. Have always left still hungry. Each bowl has very bare minimum of toppings/ ingredients, have to pay extra for everything. Their minimum ingredients are far too less for the price that are asking. Very small amount of noodles. They need a study trip to Japan.

TLDR: Delicious food, excellent service, a bit too pricey for an everyday meal

Full review: went out with my family to celebrate my sister's birthday and decided to go here they don't take reservations but we only had to wait while they cleaned up and set up a table for us.

We had a ramen bowl each (~$18pp) and also ordered gyozas (~$13). I had the signature ramen, plus chasu and egg which cost extra as usual. It was delicious. The noodles were nice with a slight springiness to them and the broth was tasty. The chasu was thinly sliced which meant flavour was added to without the fatty feeling you'd get from a large chunk. It was also cool temperature-wise. I'm not sure if it's supposed to be but because it was thinly sliced it warmed up with just a quick dunk into the broth. The egg was perfectly cooked. The yolk was solid, no liquid, but golden and soft.

Note: I'm not super familiar with ramen so I've been comparing this to general Asian noodle soup dishes rather than Hakata Gensuke ramen vs ramen dishes elsewhere.

The service level was amazing! The staff were friendly and polite, extremely helpful and attentive. Without being asked, the table was set up with a high chair, plastic plate, bowl, cup and cutlery for my toddler. Next, they noticed my parents' seemed a little uncomfortable so they came over and swapped out their stools for chairs with backs. Again, without being asked. When I asked for scissors to chop up the noodles for my son, my request was acknowledged with a smile and it was provided promptly. Even when we were leaving, one of the staff helped push the stroller to the door as my son was getting tired and clingy. This was completely beyond my expectations

Ordered two set menus:
Aka Tonkatsu with Chicken Karaage and Green Tea
And God Fire Tonkatsu - spice level #4 with Gyozas and Green Tea

The Aka Tonkatsu was mildly spicy, rich broth and the God Fire was spicy and could taste some “porky” notes in the broth.

Both broth were opaque, rich and thick but was not “gummy” like other broths elsewhere with a similar consistency. The “gummy-ness” comes from prolonged boiling of the bones which extracts the collagen. The broth flavours were well balanced in both dishes.

The singular slice of pork cha-shu was tender and not fatty. The ramen still has a bite to it and was not overcooked.

The Spicy Pickle on the condiment tray accompanied the God Fire Ramen well, whilst the pickled ginger and raw garlic did the Aka Tonkatsu some justice.

The chicken karaage was crispy, tasty and well marinated. The gyozas as described was definitely bite size, filling was loosely packed but juicy. The yuzu kosho (fermented chilli paste) that accompanied the gyozas was a good touch which complimented the dish.

Despite the serving size seemingly look small, the meal was just enough.

Service was friendly enough and the food arrived within 10 mins after the order was placed.

Wide selection of authentic ramen in a Japanese-feeling space. Prompt service, easy online ordering. Excellent gyoza. What more do you want?

The vibe of the place was immediately welcoming. Colouring pencils and papers for kids (or anyone) provided at the door - I suppose when there’s a long waiting time you could sit on the chairs there and kill time making some art to bring home! A very family friendly place.

Food was good. One of the best ramen I have had. Admittedly when the tonkotsu was served, my sensitive nose picked up on the distinct pork smell which made me skeptical about the broth. But I had nothing to worry about. The broth was flavourful, just the right thickness and the portion was just nice. Loved every morsel of the food!

Location wise, I was pleasantly surprised to find this chain in a suburb and it really satisfied my cravings. Glenferrie road (where the restaurant is at) was a nice walk with lots of shops too.

Service was good and our food came really quickly. In app order and payment were a smooth experience too. Staff were accommodating.

Price is okay! Portions are smaller than usual aussie portions.

0 star for service. We went there for dinner and there were 5 of us including 2 active young kids, 2 big size bloke and a mum full with kids stuff. We requested for a bigger table but was rejected and were offered a small 4 person table to fit 5 of us. The kids felt squeezed and were making a fuss so we requested to have another table joined FOR THE SECOND TIME, however they rejected us AGAIN even though there’s actually an empty table right beside us! Not to mention that we ordered a table full of food. They just want to spare up tables for more business and doesn’t care about your needs. Not even a single apology was given for not being able to cater our needs. Very bad service and attitude will not visit again.

Ramen was very nice, with good quality ingredients, it very very salty. Chicken Karage was still pink and made from sinews of chicken.

If you’re on the hunt for the BEST ramen in Melbourne - you MUST visit here!

We’ve been coming here for over 4 years, visited many other ramen outlets and none come close to Hakata Hawthorn. I’m my opinion even the other Hakata’s in Melbourne don’t compare. Serving size, customer service, food quality, amazing broth, stacked with meat / noodles / veg.

Everything you could possibly want & need in the work of Ramen.

Ramen goodness! Restaurant was not very busy when we arrived which was good. Food came arrived on time. Will definitely come back and try their best sellers!

Still one of the best ramen restaurants in Melbourne, so long as you stick to their speciality and/or don’t mind their average side dishes.

Otherwise, it’s a noodle lover’s delight.

Having read the positive reviews for this place, no doubt I went in with high expectations. The black and signature ramen did not disappoint. Dumplings was ok but came out a little burnt. Price is reasonable for the food quality.
Would definitely come back next time, probably with more toppings