Restaurants
Recommended bowl: Niboshi 24/7/365
Master Ikuta-san's flagship shop sits hidden down a narrow alley in Golden Gai, the famously well-preserved section of Shinjuku where over 200 tiny nomiya and bars are packed into the space of a single city block. Originally, Ikuta-san was only able to offer his ramen one day a week, selling it from the back of a... More
Recommended bowl: Niboshi 24/7/365
Master Ikuta-san's flagship shop sits hidden down a narrow alley in Golden Gai, the famously well-preserved section of Shinjuku where over 200 tiny nomiya and bars are packed into the space of a single city block. Originally, Ikuta-san was only able to offer his ramen one day a week, selling it from the back of a Golden Gai bar that he rented on Tuesdays. He later won a ramen competition that awarded him the space to operate his own shop in Tachikawa for a limited time. He soon managed to parlay his growing popularity into his first permanent shop in Shibuya. Eventually, he returned to Golden Gai, where his ramen career got its humble start. Today, Ikuta-san owns and operates a large group of shops in Tokyo and more overseas, in locations such as Taiwan, Indonesia, the Philippines, and the U.S. He's even launched his own noodle factory in the Shinjuku area.
Naturally, the O.G. Golden Gai spot is the most iconic branch of Nagi. The soup is a heavy, almost bitter niboshi shoyu (dried baby sardines). It packs a potent flavor punch but retains a smoothness that makes it totally drinkable. The noodles are handmade by Daruma Seimen, the noodle company run by Nagi. The bowl comes with onions and other choice toppings. Company stablished in 2006, Golden Gai branch open since 2008. Open 24/7/365. Less
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Recommended bowl: Late-night tonkotsu
The well respected Nagi group has a plethora of shops both in Japan and overseas, with a few near Shibuya offering up different styles. Nagi Butao serves a Hakata style tonkotsu that gets the job done when you need a creamy pork fix. Smooth, Kyushu style pork bone soup, kaedama noodle refills, choices of black... More
Recommended bowl: Late-night tonkotsu
The well respected Nagi group has a plethora of shops both in Japan and overseas, with a few near Shibuya offering up different styles. Nagi Butao serves a Hakata style tonkotsu that gets the job done when you need a creamy pork fix. Smooth, Kyushu style pork bone soup, kaedama noodle refills, choices of black (with garlic oil) and red (spicy) available too. Toppings are on the counter to add to your liking and it’s open every day (late night, too). Less
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- Abram Plaut added a new meal Ramen at Denden (でんでん) at Denden (でんでん)
Recommended bowl: Ramen & curry set
Hachiōji style ramen made with chicken or pork bone soup and gyokai. Noodles are by Owariya Seimen, based in Hachiōji. Recommended is the curry set, which comes with a side of curry rice (the curry is made from ramen soup). The woman who runs this shop is kind of a legend in Hachiōji, famous amongst locals. Open... More
Recommended bowl: Ramen & curry set
Hachiōji style ramen made with chicken or pork bone soup and gyokai. Noodles are by Owariya Seimen, based in Hachiōji. Recommended is the curry set, which comes with a side of curry rice (the curry is made from ramen soup). The woman who runs this shop is kind of a legend in Hachiōji, famous amongst locals. Open since 1992. Less
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Recommended bowl: No extra talking
Jiro style ramen at Ramen Jiro Nishidai Ekimaeten in Itabashi-ku, Tokyo. Strong shoyu-tonkotsu soup is less emulsified compared to most Jiro shops, noodles also cut slightly thin. Regular size ramen here is quite large, noodles house-made on the customary Ebisu brand machine. Pork chashu is cut from the shoulder.... More
Recommended bowl: No extra talking
Jiro style ramen at Ramen Jiro Nishidai Ekimaeten in Itabashi-ku, Tokyo. Strong shoyu-tonkotsu soup is less emulsified compared to most Jiro shops, noodles also cut slightly thin. Regular size ramen here is quite large, noodles house-made on the customary Ebisu brand machine. Pork chashu is cut from the shoulder. Extra toppings available via ticket machine include ginger, green negi, white negi and quail eggs. No extra talking allowed, no eating ramen too slowly. Originally open since 2010, moved to the current location in 2018. Run by master Fujisawa-san. Twitter: @jiro_nishidai Less
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- Abram Plaut added a new meal Ramen at Housenka (らぁ麺 鳳仙花) at Ramen Hosenka (らぁ麺 鳳仙花)
Recommended bowl: Kinmedai soup
Open since July 2018, Housenka is run by the INGS group, which has a few shops in the Shinjuku area (including Suzuran and Hayashida). Housenka serves a light, clear soup using Japanese Kinmedai (golden eye snapper), with shio or shoyu tare and whole wheat Kanno Seimen noodles. There are bits of fish in the soup, with... More
Recommended bowl: Kinmedai soup
Open since July 2018, Housenka is run by the INGS group, which has a few shops in the Shinjuku area (including Suzuran and Hayashida). Housenka serves a light, clear soup using Japanese Kinmedai (golden eye snapper), with shio or shoyu tare and whole wheat Kanno Seimen noodles. There are bits of fish in the soup, with pork chashu and bamboo shoots for toppings. Ochazuke also available on the menu. Less
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- Abram Plaut added a new meal Ramen at Kaijin (麺屋海神) at Menya Kaijin Shinjuku ten (麺屋海神 新宿店)
Recommended bowl: Fish bone shio
Kaijin was opened by master Endo-san, the daughter of a ramen master and granddaughter of a ramen master. Naturally, she wanted to make ramen as well. Known for a light seafood broth, the soup is made using the bony parts of seasonal fish, so the fish change slightly everyday, and the taste of the soup is slightly different... More
Recommended bowl: Fish bone shio
Kaijin was opened by master Endo-san, the daughter of a ramen master and granddaughter of a ramen master. Naturally, she wanted to make ramen as well. Known for a light seafood broth, the soup is made using the bony parts of seasonal fish, so the fish change slightly everyday, and the taste of the soup is slightly different everyday. Noodles are ordered from Houka Shokuhin Seimen, spicy versions and rice balls available as well. First opened in Ikebukuro, then moved to its current location in 2007. There is also a branch in Kichijoji, and previously had a few other branches in west Tokyo (which have since closed). Less
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- Abram Plaut added a new meal Ramen at Waon (麺屋 わおん) at Menya Waon (麺屋 わおん)
Recommended bowl: Mensaibo roots
The tonkotsu-gyokai soup served at this shop takes two days to make. The first day, pork leg bones, back bones, trotters and chicken feet are simmered. The second day, chicken tails (bonjiri), dried fish and vegetables are added. There are three types of dried and smoked fish (bushi) used-- soda-katsuo (bonito), urume... More
Recommended bowl: Mensaibo roots
The tonkotsu-gyokai soup served at this shop takes two days to make. The first day, pork leg bones, back bones, trotters and chicken feet are simmered. The second day, chicken tails (bonjiri), dried fish and vegetables are added. There are three types of dried and smoked fish (bushi) used-- soda-katsuo (bonito), urume (herring) and saba (mackerel). Noodles are by Taisei Shokuhin, a noodle company in Nakano open since 1917. Master Watanabe-san trained at the shop Mensaibo in Nakano for 10 years, where he worked as the shop manager. Mensaibo is run by Taisei Shokuhin. Watanabe-san now runs this shop with his wife. Open since 2019. Less
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- Abram Plaut added a new meal Ramen at Ramen Free Birds (ラーメン フリーバーズ) at Ramen Free Birds (ラーメン フリーバーズ)
Recommended bowl: Chicken soup
Another highly ranked shop specializing in torisoba, aka chicken-based shoyu ramen. The clear soup is made from kombu, three kinds of chicken and three kinds of dried fish, including saba-bushi (mackerel), muro-bushi (horse mackerel) and katakuchi iwashi (sardines). The shoyu tare contains four varieties of shoyu. Topped... More
Recommended bowl: Chicken soup
Another highly ranked shop specializing in torisoba, aka chicken-based shoyu ramen. The clear soup is made from kombu, three kinds of chicken and three kinds of dried fish, including saba-bushi (mackerel), muro-bushi (horse mackerel) and katakuchi iwashi (sardines). The shoyu tare contains four varieties of shoyu. Topped with both chicken and pork chashu, ajitama. Noodles by Mikawaya Seimen. Run by master Miyamoto-san, who trained at the shop Shinasobaya for 23 years. Open since 2018. Less
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- Abram Plaut added a new meal Ramen at Moriya. (らーめん森や。) at Ramen Moriya. (らーめん森や。)
Recommended bowl: Homemade feeling
Run by master Hayashi-san with help from his wife, the shoyu based soup served at Moriya is made from whole chickens, and all organic vegetable toppings. No MSG. There are two types of house-made noodles to choose from, thin (hosomen) and medium-thick (chūbutomen). The hosomen are made with four kinds of wheat from... More
Recommended bowl: Homemade feeling
Run by master Hayashi-san with help from his wife, the shoyu based soup served at Moriya is made from whole chickens, and all organic vegetable toppings. No MSG. There are two types of house-made noodles to choose from, thin (hosomen) and medium-thick (chūbutomen). The hosomen are made with four kinds of wheat from Hokkaido; the chūbutomen contain 100% Haruyutaka brand flour (also from Hokkaido). This shop was previously located in Higashi-Tōtsuka, moving to the current location in 2014. Less
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- Abram Plaut added a new meal Ramen at Rai Rai Rai (來來來) at Rai Rai Rai (來來來)
Recommended bowl: Real Nagasaki Style
This decades-old shop is one of the few spots in Tokyo offering truly authentic and high level Nagasaki champon, made with an MSG-free chicken and fish soup. The master is from Nagasaki, and trained there at the well-known shop Houraiken before moving to Tokyo and opening this shop in 1984. Both the noodles and... More
Recommended bowl: Real Nagasaki Style
This decades-old shop is one of the few spots in Tokyo offering truly authentic and high level Nagasaki champon, made with an MSG-free chicken and fish soup. The master is from Nagasaki, and trained there at the well-known shop Houraiken before moving to Tokyo and opening this shop in 1984. Both the noodles and the kamaboko fish cake are ordered and shipped in straight from Nagasaki. Housemade bite-size gyoza are also recommended, with a few other Nagasaki style bowls like ‘sara udon’ available as well. Less
