Restaurants
- Abram Plaut added a new meal Ramen at Ichiran (一蘭 本社総本店) at Ichiran (一蘭 本社総本店)
Recommended bowl: Flagship HQ
First opened in Fukuoka city in 1960 as Futaba Ramen, then renamed Ichiran in 1966, this now world-famous ramen shop first branched out with its second location in 1993 and the onslaught of additional branches opening hasn't stopped since. Ichiran's famous Hakata-style tonkotsu is now known worldwide and can be tried at... More
Recommended bowl: Flagship HQ
First opened in Fukuoka city in 1960 as Futaba Ramen, then renamed Ichiran in 1966, this now world-famous ramen shop first branched out with its second location in 1993 and the onslaught of additional branches opening hasn't stopped since. Ichiran's famous Hakata-style tonkotsu is now known worldwide and can be tried at any of the chain's 50+ locations. Smooth, savory and quintessentially Hakata-style pork-based tonkotsu. This 11-story, company-owned building now serves as the Ichiran flagship. Less
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- Abram Plaut added a new meal Ramen at Ichikawa (イチカワ ) at Niboshi Chuka Soba Ichikawa (煮干中華ソバ イチカワ)
Recommended bowl: 80 precious bowls
This destination shop serves up a supreme bowl of niboshi shoyu ramen. Limited to 80 bowls per day, the shop opens at 11:30am and usually sells out by 1:30pm. A deep and rich niboshi soup, bursting with umami. The egg topping is injected with tare and not to be missed. Sugano Seimen noodles w/ aedama noodle refills... More
Recommended bowl: 80 precious bowls
This destination shop serves up a supreme bowl of niboshi shoyu ramen. Limited to 80 bowls per day, the shop opens at 11:30am and usually sells out by 1:30pm. A deep and rich niboshi soup, bursting with umami. The egg topping is injected with tare and not to be missed. Sugano Seimen noodles w/ aedama noodle refills available and highly recommended. No music in the shop and no decor. You focus on the ramen. Widely regarded as one of the top 10 ramen shops in Japan. Less
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- Abram Plaut added a new meal Ramen at Hōzuki (担々麺 ほおずき) at Tantan-men Hoozuki (担々麺 ほおずき)
Recommended bowl: Respectable tantanmen
Hōzuki prides itself on being a tantanmen specialty shop. Originally located in Ikejiri but relocated to Nakano a decade ago, the shop is tucked away on a side street near the popular Nakano Broadway shopping area. When you place your order you can choose the spice level. The above-average "spicy" level is not... More
Recommended bowl: Respectable tantanmen
Hōzuki prides itself on being a tantanmen specialty shop. Originally located in Ikejiri but relocated to Nakano a decade ago, the shop is tucked away on a side street near the popular Nakano Broadway shopping area. When you place your order you can choose the spice level. The above-average "spicy" level is not that hot for most, so don't be afraid to go for the maximum heat level if you're a fan of fire. The chicken-based stock gets mixed with copious amounts of sesame and chili paste to create a vibrant red soup. The noodles are specially ordered from Maruyama Seimen and made with rye flour. Topped with minced meat, dried shrimp and Chinese-style zasai pickles. Less
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- Abram Plaut added a new meal Ramen at Hyottoko (麺屋 ひょっとこ) at Menya Hyottoko Kotsukan Ten (麺屋ひょっとこ)
Recommended bowl: Japanese underground
Nestled in an underground shopping center filled with various retail shops is Hyottoko, a simple open-air ramen shop with just a counter and an extremely narrow kitchen space. There's a ticket machine out front but basically the customers just stand and wait right there until one of the seats frees up. The sign... More
Recommended bowl: Japanese underground
Nestled in an underground shopping center filled with various retail shops is Hyottoko, a simple open-air ramen shop with just a counter and an extremely narrow kitchen space. There's a ticket machine out front but basically the customers just stand and wait right there until one of the seats frees up. The sign advertises 'wahu ramen', or Japanese style ramen. You can get regular 'wafu' style or with yuzu. The chefs move about effeciently in the insanely cramped kitchen and make the bowls right in front of the customers. The soup is a light shio, topped with juicy pork belly and diced negi and mitsuba. The yuzu is a nice touch and brings out the flavors. Less
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- Abram Plaut added a new meal Ramen at Hulu-lu (フルル ) at Menya Hulu-lu (麺屋 Hulu-lu)
Recommended bowl: Hawaiian themed
This Hawaiian-themed shop serves a nice and refreshing bowl of shoyu ramen. New school decor with tropical undertones make this a relaxing hangout. The bowls come with a clear, mellow soup, with bits of onions for a nice fragrance. The master makes the noodles by hand, and there are even spam musubi rice balls for... More
Recommended bowl: Hawaiian themed
This Hawaiian-themed shop serves a nice and refreshing bowl of shoyu ramen. New school decor with tropical undertones make this a relaxing hangout. The bowls come with a clear, mellow soup, with bits of onions for a nice fragrance. The master makes the noodles by hand, and there are even spam musubi rice balls for purchase (a Japanese Hawaiian snack). Within striking distance of Ikebukuro. Less
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- Abram Plaut added a new meal Ramen at Houryū (宝龍) at Houryū (宝龍)
Recommended bowl: Funky spot
Houryū feels as if it's been open for decades. The large pot of pork bone broth simmers in the open kitchen behind the counter. Tatami-style seating with some tables sit opposite the kitchen. Rich, intoxicating tonkotsu soup hits you from the first sip. Topped with fatty pork slices and chopped green negi, this is quintessential... More
Recommended bowl: Funky spot
Houryū feels as if it's been open for decades. The large pot of pork bone broth simmers in the open kitchen behind the counter. Tatami-style seating with some tables sit opposite the kitchen. Rich, intoxicating tonkotsu soup hits you from the first sip. Topped with fatty pork slices and chopped green negi, this is quintessential Kyushu ramen, Kurume style. Feel free to opt for some rice onigi on the side to help cut the richness. Less
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- Abram Plaut added a new meal Ramen at Hope-ken (ホープ軒) at Ramen no Mise Hope Ken Chidagaya Ten (ラーメンの店 ホープ軒)
Recommended bowl: Open 24/7/364
Hope-ken's history dates all the way back to the1920s, when a Tokyo entrepreneur established a chain of yatai (street food stalls), first called 'home run ken' and then changed to 'hope-ken.' There were over 100 stalls in the chain at various locations at one point. One of the old guys who ran one of the stalls, Ushikubo-san,... More
Recommended bowl: Open 24/7/364
Hope-ken's history dates all the way back to the1920s, when a Tokyo entrepreneur established a chain of yatai (street food stalls), first called 'home run ken' and then changed to 'hope-ken.' There were over 100 stalls in the chain at various locations at one point. One of the old guys who ran one of the stalls, Ushikubo-san, later opened this brick and mortar outpost in Sendagaya in 1960. The shop has four floors, and they serve a greasy, no-frills bowl of tonkotsu shoyu ramen topped with pork back fat. The first floor is standing-only, for customers who want to eat quickly (such as taxi drivers). On the second and third floors there are both counter and table seating. Occupying the fourth floor is the room where they make the noodles. No one will tell you that Hope-ken serves the most cutting-edge ramen, but it's a legend, especially amongst taxi drivers. Open 24/7 on 364 days of the year (closed Jan. 1). Less
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- Abram Plaut added a new meal Ramen at Honmarutei (本丸亭) at Atsugi Honmaru Tei (厚木本丸亭)
Recommended bowl: Top shio in Kanagawa
Shio ramen fans, put Honmarutei high on your hit list. Shop master Tooru Kanemaru established his first ramen shop, Marutei, in Osaka in the mid 1990s. In 2000, he relocated to Tokyo and launched Honmarutei in Hon-Atsugi. Kanemaru-san's shio ramen ranks among the genre's best in the Kanto area.
Everything in... More
Recommended bowl: Top shio in Kanagawa
Shio ramen fans, put Honmarutei high on your hit list. Shop master Tooru Kanemaru established his first ramen shop, Marutei, in Osaka in the mid 1990s. In 2000, he relocated to Tokyo and launched Honmarutei in Hon-Atsugi. Kanemaru-san's shio ramen ranks among the genre's best in the Kanto area.
Everything in the bowl here is high quality: The soup is a delicate chicken and gyokai blend made with dried flying fish stock (agodashi). The noodles are provided by the Kamioka Seimen noodle company based in Tochigi. Slightly flat, thick and translucent yellow, they are prepared in the aodake teuchi-men style. The bowl's most unique characteristic is the use of shungiku as a topping. The greens have a fresh, slightly herbal taste that nicely compliments the soup. Other toppings include a few plump and flavorful wontons, and two juicy slices of roasted chashu — homey and belly-pleasing. The house-made hanjuku tamago is available in shio or shoyu flavors and must be ordered separately. Both options are great; don't miss it.
Another tip: Order the gyoza. Handmade each morning, Honmarutei's delicious gyoza come hot from the pan, fused together in a tasty, crusty sheet. This is a must-order for big eaters.
Honmarutei has two additional branches in Yokohama, but the head shop is the best. Expect at least a short line at the door. Less
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- Abram Plaut added a new meal Ramen at Hiyoshi Taishoken (日吉 大勝軒) at Hiyoshi Taishoken (日吉 大勝軒)
Recommended bowl: OG connections
Before opening Hiyoshi Taishoken in 2010, master Yoshida-san trained at the legendary Eifukucho Taishoken. The shop is located down a little side alley off one of the main shopping streets in Hiyoshi, on the outskirts of Yokohama. In typical Taishoken style, the bowls here are huge — at least 1.5 times the size of... More
Recommended bowl: OG connections
Before opening Hiyoshi Taishoken in 2010, master Yoshida-san trained at the legendary Eifukucho Taishoken. The shop is located down a little side alley off one of the main shopping streets in Hiyoshi, on the outskirts of Yokohama. In typical Taishoken style, the bowls here are huge — at least 1.5 times the size of your average ramen bowl in Japan. The soup is simmered in a large stockpot visible behind the counter, brimming with four varieties of niboshi sourced from Chiba and lots of vegetables. The bowls also contain a piping-hot spoonful of dutch lard, which seals in the heat. The noodles are supplied by Kusamura Shouten, the noodle company run by Eifukucho Taishoken. A huge, satisfying old-school bowl. Less
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- Abram Plaut added a new meal Dinner at Piedmont Avenue at MENSHO
特製燻鶏白湯らぁ麺 / Signature Smoked Toripaitan Ramen / MENSHO — Oakland, California
Rich 100% chicken soup is combined with a kombu-mushroom dashi containing porcini, shiitake and vegetables. Noodles are house-made daily on two noodle machines, using a blend of wheat flours from California and Japan. The tare contains shio koji and... More
特製燻鶏白湯らぁ麺 / Signature Smoked Toripaitan Ramen / MENSHO — Oakland, California
Rich 100% chicken soup is combined with a kombu-mushroom dashi containing porcini, shiitake and vegetables. Noodles are house-made daily on two noodle machines, using a blend of wheat flours from California and Japan. The tare contains shio koji and smoked shoyu cha-tare. Toppings include smoked ajitama, smoked kurobuta pork chashu, smoked A5 wagyu chashu, smoked duck chashu, king oyster mushroom menma, og truffle sauce, enoki chips, green onion and charcoal negi. Aside from a chicken based soup menu, five different vegan bowls are available, utilizing premium Japanese ingredients like kioke (wooden barrel) soy sauce and nori seaweed sourced from the Yoshino River, Shikoku.
MENSHO founder and ramen creator Tomoharu Shono taught himself how to make ramen as a teenager when he was still in high school. He opened his first ramen shop Menya Shono in Ichigaya, Tokyo, in 2005. Overseas expansion began with Mensho Tokyo SF in San Francisco, open since 2016. Now there are 15+ stores worldwide in six different countries, with each location offering an original concept and menu. New U.S. flagship in Oakland at 4258 Piedmont Ave. 50 seats. Since August 15th, 2023. @menya_shono @team_mensho Less