IchiRyu Ramen House, the Filipino-founded Japanese restaurant that first brought the solo dining concept to the UAE, has been named “The Ramen House of the Year” at the Entrepreneurial Elite Awards 2026, adding another accolade to a fast-growing list of honors for the homegrown brand.
The recognition caps a milestone stretch for the restaurant, which was founded by three Filipino brothers — the De Guzmans. The trio includes Executive Chef Raul “Chef Touru” De Guzman, who has been cooking ramen since 1989; Karl De Guzman, President and Chief Operating Officer; and Nicolai “Nico” De Guzman, Chairman and Chief Design Officer.
IchiRyu made its name as the first in the UAE to introduce Bocchi Seki, Japan’s solo dining tradition, offering diners semi-private booths for a discreet, personalized experience. Its flagship sits at Wasl Port Views Building in Jumeirah 1, known for its lineup of ramen varieties and its Tokyo-inspired setting popular with anime fans and lovers of Japanese culture.
The award follows a busy year of expansion and recognition. In September 2025, IchiRyu opened a second, Kyoto-inspired branch at the Marina First Building in Dubai Marina — a 3,000-square-foot space seating 109 guests, complete with a two-meter busho statue, traditional armor, a daruma doll, and a torii gate modeled after the Fushimi Inari Taisha shrine. The brand also collected four honors in 2025, including Best Ramen Restaurant from the Arabian Best of Best Awards and Best Ramen Restaurant UAE from both the International Business Magazine Awards and World Business Outlook.
Beyond the restaurant floor, the founders have increasingly stepped into the spotlight as Filipino business success stories, sharing their entrepreneurial journey at the Philippine SME Business Expo 2026 in Manila and hinting at further expansion in Dubai and Japan.
