Hakata Gensuke Hawthorn - Ramen Professional

When I first wrote this review in 2019, it read "The best ramen in Melbourne. That's the whole review. "

Now that we're in 2022, I'm thrilled that, in my opinion, Hakata Gensuke is still the best ramen in Melbourne.

The staff are always bright and bubbly. The restaurant is clean, and the transition to QR codes for ordering means that they get you in, seated, and fed at breakneck pace.

My wife and I typically both order the Hawthorn Set Menu. It's $26 for a bowl of ramen, a side (chicken karaage and gyoza for us), and a drink. Order some seperate edamame and you're totally sorted.

Thanks to the chefs, staff and owners for years of terrific meals.

Wow what can I say… I don’t even know where to begin.the broth was MSG flavouring and super diluted broth (basically of water consistency). There was no depth, and was overpowered by white pepper seasoning (which all sunk to the bottom of the bowl). The noodles clumped up, the chashu was tough, I paid close to $30 to get this special shio ramen and I’m sorely disappointed. The other reviews about it being like a Chinese noodle place is right. I don’t even know what happened, esp I’ve had your noodles in both Russell street and the chicken ramen shop- they were both so amazing. The bowl I got served yesterday was subpar and I just don’t know how two shops can differ so much in quality. Would really like to know what happened!

Always a good time coming to Hakata for their tonkotsu ramen. The god fire if you can handle the heat is the perfectly balanced ramen - saltiness, porkiness with well cooked chewy bouncy noodles. At lunch there is a set menu meal which gets you a ramen, a side and a cup of hot tea which is a great deal - if you go down this route, get the karaage. Their special salt for dipping the chicken in is unbelievable, like crack some may say.

We were so disappointed when we ordered ramen at this restaurant yesterday, it seemed that they use frozen noodle, it was hard, uncooked. The soup was cold and tasteless, the price has also gone up a lot. I don’t think we will come again.

For a global ramen chain it can be hard to fault, quality is upheld across multiple sites, but a lunch special would be ideal! Happy to know this store is pork-based. The 'AKA Tonkotsu' ramen is a tasty, spicy, creamy choice.

Simple honest food, order and pay on your phone or you can still go to the counter. Either way, food comes out quickly

Great service, good ramen broth but. The ramen doesn't come with an egg and the karaage doesn't come with the kyupi mayo. They both cost extra. Maybe they're cutting costs after last year and fair enough but these are essential ingredients and the dishes aren't the same without them.

Absolutely excellent! The black tonkotsu is amazing. Service is very fast, food is of excellent quality.

Hmm based on these reviews I think I got the wrong flavour maybe. Cause mine was not good at all. Maybe I'll go back and try another one and update the review

My fave place for tonkotsu ramen in Melbourne. The yummy karaage and the bite sized gyoza accompanied with yuzu dip. So delicious and hearty.

Nice chewy noodles.
Broth was tasty but very little meat and no egg on what should be a standard bowl or ramen.

But.the Chicken Kaarage is really good!

Food is good (can't really go wrong) but the service could be better. I always feel rush to order and pay whenever I'm here.

Hands down the best Ramen I've had in Melbourne! My only complaint is that they try to rush you out the door the split second you've finished eating so that they can get more people in. I understand that they don't want people sitting around talking while they're busy but they're a touch too aggressive on this front. Still a top notch experience and I will be back for sure!

Nice authentic ramen. Quality wise it is consistent with other Hakata Gensuke stores. The place is spacious and the lighting it good. Only 4 star because finding parking is a big problem and the prices are a little dearer than competitors.

Good quality ramen out in the suburbs when you can't get to Hakata in the city. Can sometimes be a bit hit and miss with quality but overall good still. The aka ramen is unique here and a tad bit spicy. Popular with school kids in the area.

Great little ramen spot! Always worth giving the god fire a go if you can take spice! Otherwise the signature is very tasty! Condiments available are good but if you want all the extras the ramen can get quite expensive and the servings aren't huge like other places. Overall one of the best ramen spots in Melbourne still!

Excellent ramen and gyoza. Great for a quick bite. Make sure you order the extra mayo with tori karaage, it's a little dry without it

Classic Gensuke quality from the Aka Tonkotsu bowl that I had at the Hawthorn location. This bowl blends the perfect combination of spices, umami flavour, and condiments together to produce an amazingly presented and tasteful bowl of ramen.

The Aka Tonkotsu served is on par with bowls from Japan that i’ve had, and i’ve had hundreds. If you’re near, this is a MUST try.

Went over the weekend, staff were reasonably friendly, the broth was a little salty - they might have been extremely busy due to the GlenFerrie Festival.

Price point wise, a smidge pricey for a bowl of ramen, but worth a second chance.

One of the best Japanese ramen restaurants in melbourne. They keep the menu simple with just a few dishes, but they are able to keep the high quality consistently.

Chicken karaage is also very good. They have a few different Hakata Gensuke restaurants around Melbourne and they are all great for me.