Tokyo’s Ultimate Ramen Guide: 10 Must-Slurp Bowls Ranked by Locals
Tokyo’s ramen scene is a vibrant tapestry of flavors, techniques, and traditions that has evolved from humble street food to culinary art. From Michelin-starred establishments to hidden gems tucked away in narrow alleys, each shop offers a unique expression of this beloved dish. This guide takes you through the most acclaimed ramen destinations in Tokyo, ranked by customer reviews, showcasing the diverse styles and innovative approaches that make Tokyo the ultimate ramen paradise for both traditional purists and adventurous food enthusiasts.
1. SOBA HOUSE Konjiki Hototogisu （SOBA HOUSE 金色不如帰）
Hidden in Shinjuku’s back alleys between Shinjuku Gyoenmae and Shinjuku Sanchome Stations, this tiny establishment features only seven counter seats and two small tables.
Their signature Shoyu Soba features a complex “triple soup” made from clear pork broth, wa-dashi, and hamaguri clam dashi, topped with homemade truffle sauce, porcini mushroom oil, and flakes. The Shio Soba offers a different experience with Mongolian rock salt, Okinawa sea salt, and Italian white truffle oil. Both use homemade noodles crafted from six domestic flour varieties.
Order tickets from the English-labeled vending machine at entrance. For a complete experience, try the Nankobai Shirasu Don rice bowl and pour your remaining ramen soup over it to create a flavorful porridge.
2. Sousaku Menkobo Nakiryu （創作麺工房 鳴龍）
The second ramen restaurant in Tokyo to receive a Michelin star, Nakiryu opened in 2012 by chef Kazumasa Saito, formerly of Hong Kong’s Michelin-starred MIST. The cozy counter-only setup accommodates just 10 people in a café-like atmosphere welcoming to solo female diners.
Their renowned Tantanmen (Dan Dan Noodles) features homemade sesame paste and rayu (chili oil) in a creamy orange broth made from whole chicken, beef bones, and oysters without chemical additives. The ultra-thin straight noodles complement the rich, elegant soup perfectly. Enhance your meal by sprinkling the provided Hana Sansho (flower pepper).
English menus are available for tourists. Use Google Maps to locate the restaurant precisely.
3. Motenashi Kuroki （饗くろ喜）
Located between JR Akihabara and Tokyo Metro Asakusabashi Stations, this acclaimed spot consistently receives media recommendations. Chef Naohito Kuroki brings diverse culinary experience from traditional ryotei, Italian restaurants, and executive chef positions at major yakiniku chains.
The restaurant offers only shio and shoyu-based ramen. Their signature Tokusei Shio Soba features a clear amber broth blending multiple salts with chicken, duck, dried sardine, and kelp. House-made toppings include garlic-herb marinated chashu, dried tomatoes, negi, mustard spinach, bamboo shoots, wonton, and a seasoned egg. Choose between thin or flat noodles.
Seasonal limited-edition ramen appears regularly, and recipes evolve as Chef Kuroki continuously refines his craft. Despite the consistently long queue, turnover is quick.
4. Ramen Tatsunoya Shinjuku (ラーメン龍の家 新宿小滝橋通り店)
This popular branch of the Tatsunoya chain, which originated in Kurume, Fukuoka Prefecture in 1999, serves exceptional tonkotsu ramen created by artisans trained at the renowned Ippudo in Hakata.
Their exclusive tsukemen (dipping ramen) features thick noodles paired with concentrated soup served separately. The dipping sauce combines pork bone soup with charred soy sauce and flame-seared motsu (offal), while the soup emphasizes soy sauce over pork bone essence and includes flame-seared chicken skin for fragrance. The homemade noodles deliver rich wheat flavor with pleasant texture. A complimentary “warigayu” (diluted porridge) concludes the tsukemen experience.
Despite fierce competition in Shinjuku’s ramen scene, Tatsunoya maintains popularity for its heavenly tonkotsu soup, succulent char siu, customizable options, and warm service. Expect queues during peak hours.
5. Karashibi Miso Ramen Kikanbo (鬼金棒)
Located in Higashi-Ikebukuro, Kikanbo is famous for “Karashibi Miso Ramen” that draws hours-long queues. Purchase food tickets before joining the line to avoid losing your place.
Their distinctive bowl combines rich miso, selected red peppers, and Sichuan pepper oil with three noodle varieties of different thicknesses. Generous bean sprouts and melt-in-your-mouth char siu top the creation. Customize both “Kara” spiciness and “Shibi” numbing sensation to your preference.
The founders created their signature “karashibi” concept by blending fiery chili with aromatic numbing sansho pepper oil. The restaurant’s dramatic atmosphere features taiko drums, devil masks, towering flames, and intoxicating spice aromas, making it a must-visit culinary experience.
6. Menya Sho Honten （麺屋 翔 本店）
This acclaimed shio ramen specialist in the residential Nishi-Shinjuku area stands out among Shinjuku’s numerous ramen establishments, frequently featured in restaurant magazines.
Their popular Shamo Tokusei Shio Ramen showcases a golden hybrid soup blending three chicken varieties (Tokyo Shamo, Hakata Jidori, and Kyozakura Oyadori) with savory pork umami. The complex base combines four salt varieties, four dried bonito flake types, dried baby sardines, and shiitake mushrooms, enhanced with umeshu (plum wine) and sake. Custom-made thin whole wheat straight noodles from Kanno Seimen emphasize wheat’s aroma, texture, and firmness. Toppings include pork and chicken chashu, seasoned egg, wontons, bamboo shoots, and kujo negi.
7. AFURI Harajuku （阿夫利 原宿）
AFURI Harajuku sits a short walk from JR Harajuku station’s Takeshita-Dori exit. Named after Kanagawa Prefecture’s Mount Afuri, this stylish establishment resembles a fancy café with its U-shaped counter and refreshing yuzu aroma.
Their signature Yuzu Shio Ramen features a beautiful golden broth made with natural spring water from Mt. Afuri. The chicken-based soup balances light (assari) and heavy (kotteri) elements, paired with thin whole grain Hokkaido flour noodles. Toppings include charcoal-grilled pork chashu, mizuna, boiled egg, menma, seaweed, and yuzu peel slivers. All components are free of chemical additives.
The restaurant embraces changing customer needs with vegan seasonal vegetable ramen and konnyaku (konjac) noodles for those monitoring sugar intake.
8. Soranoiro Honten (SORANOIRO 本店)
A few minutes from Tokyo Metro Kojimachi Station near the Imperial Palace’s outer moat, this pioneering establishment opened in 2011 and has since expanded to Tokyo Station’s Ramen Street and Kyobashi in Chuo-ward.
Soranoiro Honten revolutionized the ramen scene by creating vegan and vegetarian options without meat or fish, attracting female customers who traditionally avoided male-dominated ramen shops. Their signature menu features four varieties: “Veggie Soba” (carrot and puree-based soup with paprika noodles, vegetable toppings, and boiled egg), “Vegan Veggie Soba” (egg-free with more vegetables), “Umami Dashi Soba,” and “Shio Dashi Soba.” Seasonal limited-edition ramens appear regularly, and gluten-free options are available for wheat-allergic customers.
9. Mugi to Olive （むぎとオリーブ）
Located behind the Ginza Six Shopping complex, equidistant from Tokyo Metro Ginza and Higashi Ginza Stations, this unique shop incorporates olive oil into their ramen, inspiring its name “Wheat and Olive.”
They offer three soy-based soup variations: chicken, niboshi (dried sardines), and hamaguri clams, with an option to combine all three in their triple soba. Thin straight noodles blend 20 selected wheat varieties. While Hamaguri Soba is their signature, Tori Soba featuring Tottori Prefecture’s Oyama chicken broth is equally noteworthy. Toppings include tender pork and chicken chashu, nagaimo batons, naruto fish cake, green onions, and seaweed. Enhance your experience midway through the bowl by adding olive oil from counter bottles. Try the tamagokake gohan (TKG) side dish if you enjoy raw egg over rice.
Be aware they occasionally run out of soup.
10. Ramen Jiro Mita Honten （ラーメン二郎 三田本店）
Established in 1968 near Tokyo Tower and Keio University’s Mita campus, this influential Tokyo ramen institution operates from a distinctive narrow wedge-shaped building. Expect at least 30-minute queues during busy periods.
Their signature style combines shoyu (soy sauce) with tonkotsu (pork bone) broth, topped with massive portions of barbecued pork, bean sprouts, and cabbage to cut the broth’s richness. Extra-thick udon-like noodles complete the experience. An antique vending machine offers just three options: regular ramen, buta (pig) ramen, and double buta ramen. Even their smallest portion (sho ramen) doubles standard ramen serving sizes.
While widely imitated throughout Japan, this original location provides the authentic Ramen Jiro experience.
