A Kaohsiung ramen shop trained in Japanese techniques — get free refills of noodles twice, guaranteed to fill you up

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Yamamoto-ya Ramen, founded by three top students, has been in business for two years. Originally driven by their love for Japanese ramen, they traveled to Japan to learn from local masters. Later, they each opened branches in northern, central, and southern Taiwan, achieving impressive results. The Kaohsiung branch, near the Art Museum, has seen the tree leaves in front grow lush enough to nearly cover the sign when I visited again over a year later.

The interior has undergone slight changes, with a new partition added up front for zoning, but no other significant alterations.

The shop specializes in ramen and offers free refills on noodles—twice. The menu has changed significantly since my last visit, now simpler and more straightforward. The soup bases are mainly divided into pork bone (tonkotsu), soy sauce (shoyu), and miso, allowing diners to choose according to personal preference.

There are still plenty of side dishes available, priced between NT$35 and NT$80.

The “Flame Ramen” is a recently launched dish, featuring double the amount of char siu (BBQ pork) and noodles — the generous serving of meat is mouthwatering.

Flame Ramen can be ordered as a single item or as part of a set meal. The couple’s set is NT$899, which includes appetizers, main courses, sides, desserts, and drinks.

Tamagoyaki (Japanese omelet): NT$50 (single order)

Fried chicken: NT$120 (single order).Even after frying, the chicken remains tender and delicious.

Spicy Char Siu: NT$60 (single order).The flavor is indeed quite spicy, making it very satisfying for those who enjoy heat.

Flame Ramen: NT$380 (single order).A generous heap of green scallions and grilled char siu immediately catch your eye, almost hiding the double portion of noodles underneath.

The noodles used here are fine-textured and the portion is so large that even my husband, who eats a lot, couldn’t finish it.

Flame Ramen uses a tonkotsu broth simmered for over 12 hours. It has a milky color, and the taste isn’t overly rich or greasy — perfect for Taiwanese palates.

Miso Char Siu Ramen: NT$280

The miso broth is slightly heavier and saltier than the tonkotsu, which I personally love, though my husband prefers the tonkotsu base.

The char siu is marinated for three days and then seared at high heat to bring out its aroma, resulting in a non-greasy taste.

Deluxe Set – Tiramisu

Deluxe Set – Mango Panna CottaThe base is fresh panna cotta, topped with mango sauce. You can enjoy both the original panna cotta flavor and the mango-infused sauce.

The ramen flavors here differ from traditional Japanese styles, with a focus on light and non-greasy broths. Paired with fine-textured noodles, the taste is subjective. Overall, the flavors are well-suited to Taiwanese tastes, the portions are generous, and you get free noodle refills twice — making it great value, especially in tough economic times.

Yamamoto-ya Ramen
Address: No. 78, Section 3, Meishu South Road, Gushan District, Kaohsiung City
Phone: 07-5866679
Business hours: 11:00–14:00, 17:30–midnight

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