Recommended bowl: 40 bowls daily

Mendo Hanamokoshi is one of the higher ranked ramen shops in Fukuoka that does not specialize in tonkotsu. Master Hirohata-san is self-taught and runs the shop solo, making everything from scratch. Fresh noodles served in a multitude of styles are house-made as well, on a noodle machine that sits near the entrance. Some customers opt for the chūka soba, made with a delicate chicken and fish-based soup, but Hirohata-san's most popular bowl is probably the nōkō tori soba — a creamy chicken soup topped with succulent pieces of chicken chashu and limited to just 40 bowls per day. Only open for lunch for just a few hours. Since 2011.