Kajiken, the Japanese noodle chain that started in Nagoya in 2010, now has a shop at 88 Creek Street in Brisbane City. Its speciality is abura soba (油そば): ramen with no soup, where you mix thick noodles with the sauce and toppings yourself. I tried it on a Saturday during the soft opening. Our lunch for two came to about $40 after the 20% discount, and it was worth the trip into the city.
Below is what we ordered, how much it cost, how to eat abura soba properly, and what the wait was like.
What is Kajiken?
Kajiken (歌志軒) is a ramen chain founded in Nagoya, Japan, in 2010. It's best known for abura soba, which literally means "oil noodles". It isn't a soup dish. The flavour comes from a sauce and seasoned oil at the bottom of the bowl, and the noodles carry all of it.
The chain has since opened branches outside Japan, including the United States and New Zealand. The Brisbane shop is in the CBD on Creek Street.
What did I order, and how much was it?
I had the signature chashu abura soba for $19.50 and added extra noodles for $4.50. My kid insisted on the tonkotsu ramen. We finished with a matcha ice cream.
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Chashu abura soba (signature) | $19.50 |
| Extra noodles | $4.50 |
| Tonkotsu ramen | $18.50 |
| Matcha ice cream | $6.50 |
| Total | $49.00 |
| After the 20% soft-opening discount | $39.20 |
Prices as of Saturday 10 October 2026. The 20% discount was for the soft opening only, so expect to pay full price now.
Why are the noodles so important?
With no soup to hide behind, the noodles are the main event. Kajiken makes its own thick, wavy yellow noodles (太麺). They're firm and springy, what the Japanese call mochi-mochi, and the waves catch the sauce and oil so every mouthful is coated.
If you're a big eater, the extra noodles are worth the $4.50. They come in a small side bowl (you can see it in the photo at the top), and you mix them through the sauce left in the bowl.
How do you eat abura soba?
There's a small ritual, and the stand on each table spells it out in three steps: order, mix well, then add vinegar and chilli oil.
- Add the vinegar and chilli oil. Pour one or two circles each of the white vinegar (酢) and the house chilli oil (ラー油) over the bowl. The stand puts this after mixing, but I added mine as soon as the bowl arrived, and it works either way.
- Mix it fast, while it's hot. Lift the noodles and turn everything over until the sauce and oil from the bottom of the bowl coat the noodles, chashu, spring onion, bamboo shoots and nori.
- Taste and adjust. Add a little more vinegar halfway through if it starts to feel rich.
I've always eaten ramen with soup, so mixing my own bowl felt new and a bit fun. People say the chilli oil is the soul of the dish. I don't eat spicy food, so I skipped it and probably missed the best part. Even without it, the bowl was rich and satisfying, and the vinegar keeps the oil from getting heavy.
Is Kajiken good for kids?
Yes. My kid wouldn't try the abura soba and wanted the tonkotsu ramen ($18.50) instead. It's a creamy pork-bone soup with chashu, a soft-boiled egg, bamboo shoots, nori and spring onion, and the verdict was that it was good.
The real favourite, though, was the matcha ice cream at $6.50. If you're bringing children, save room for it.
Do you need to book, and how long is the wait?
We arrived just before noon on a Saturday. With two of us, we walked straight in. Groups of four had to wait, though it looked like less than 15 minutes.
You order by scanning the QR code on your table, so there's no queue at the counter. The staff were friendly and helpful. The shop is bright and clean, with white tiles, timber tables and booth seats.
Where is Kajiken Brisbane, and when is it open?
| Address | 88 Creek St, Brisbane City QLD 4000 |
|---|---|
| Monday to Friday | 11 am to 8 pm |
| Saturday | 11 am to 4 pm |
| Sunday | Closed |
| Ordering | QR code at the table |
Note the short Saturday hours and that it's closed on Sundays. These were the hours when I visited during the soft opening. They may change, so check before you go.
If you're making a day of it in the city, the free Sky Deck lookout at Queen's Wharf is within walking distance. And if the noodles make you miss Japan, my Shinjuku Gyoen night light-up photos are a nice follow-up. For more Brisbane, see the UQ jacarandas photo walk from last week.
Is Kajiken Brisbane worth it?
Yes, especially if you've only ever had ramen with soup. The house-made thick noodles are the highlight, the ritual of mixing your own bowl is fun, and about $20 for a filling bowl is fair for the CBD. If you like spice, don't skip the chilli oil like I did. Have you tried it yet? Tell me what you thought through the contact page.
I paid for this meal myself and this isn't a sponsored post. Prices, the soft-opening discount and opening hours are from my visit on 10 October 2026. The founding year and Nagoya origin come from the chain's own franchise material. The photos are my own, and AI helped me edit the English.
