The 10 Best Ramen Spots in Tokyo

Slurping is encouraged.

It’s hard to beat a bowl of ramen. It’s fast and cheap, yet filling and full of flavor — and to top it all off, rapid-fire slurping is encouraged. Nearly every region in Japan — the birthplace of ramen — has its own variation, but the basics don’t change much: noodles, a hot broth, and plenty of toppings.

Noodles are often made in-house using wheat, egg, and kansui, an alkaline mineral water that gives ramen noodles their color, flavor, and texture (buoyant and stretchy). There are five main types of broth — shio (salt), shoyu (soy sauce), miso, tonkotsu (pork), tsukemen (dipping style) — and toppings range from homemade wontons to slices of pork and sweet corn.

You can find ramen all over the world, but there’s nothing like eating a giant bowl of warm, noodle-filled goodness in Tokyo. To lend you a hand, we’ve curated a list of the best Tokyo ramen spots around. And to keep your Japan trip easy and on track, we’ve included the neighborhood, because you never know when they will be a Michelin-star ramen joint (yes, those exist) around the corner.

Itadakimasu! (Let's eat!)

Kikanbo

If you like your ramen spicy, look no further. At Kikanbo, you can customize your bowl by choosing the amount of heat — from one to five — when you place your order. You’ll pay at a vending machine, give your ticket to the chef, grab a pair of chopsticks, and prepare for an amazing bowl of super-spicy, super-delicious miso ramen.

Neighborhood: Ikebukuro

Nagi Golden Gai

There are only a handful of seats tucked in Nagi’s tiny Golden Gai space, but the cramped quarters only seem to increase Nagi Golden Gai’s deliciousness. Here, the fishy broth is made using baby sardines, and you can slurp your noodles down alongside bizarre sides like chicken skin in ponzu sauce.

Neighborhood: Shinjuku

Ichiran

This ramen chain can be found all over Tokyo, which is a testament to the fact that Ichiran dishes up a damn good bowl of ramen. Here, the specialty is the pork-based tonkotsu ramen — thin noodles surrounded by a milky, sweet broth topped with sliced pork.

Neighborhood: Ginza, Shibuya, Shinjuku, Shinbashi, Roppongi, and more

Sobahouse Konjiki Hototogisu

In 2019, this ramen shop was given a Michelin star — making it one of the cheapest (but no less delicious) Michelin restaurants in the city. Try its signature shoyu (soy sauce) ramen for a complex dish made using pork, clams, and fish stock and topped with truffle sauce and porcini oil.

Neighborhood: Shinjuku

Kiraku

For a little Japanese history with your ramen, head to Kiraku, where the pros have been serving up Tokyo-style ramen since 1952. Its traditional bowl of Tokyo shoyu ramen is packed with chewy, flat noodles and fried onions and topped with bean sprouts, slices of pork, and an egg.

Neighborhood: Shibuya

Nakiryu

Nakiryu was awarded a Michelin star in 2017 so expect a line — you’ll be well rewarded for the wait. It’s up for debate exactly what ramen they won a Michelin star for, but people are gaga for its tantanmen ramen, which features special dandan noodles from the Sichuan province of China.

Neighborhood: Otsuka

Tsukemen Gonokami Seisakusho

When most people think of ramen, they think of a steaming bowl filled with noodles and broth, but the tsukemen-style of ramen (dipping ramen) is just as delicious, and arguably way more fun to eat. Dip the thick, chewy noodles into the bowl of hot soup and slurp up all the goodness. We recommend the ebi (shrimp) tsukemen.

Neighborhood: Shinjuku-Sanchome

Do Miso

For a hearty bowl of miso ramen that doesn’t skimp on the toppings, order the Toku Miso Kotteri Ramen from Do Miso. You’ll be treated to a rich bone broth that’s mixed with grated ginger and five different types of miso, then topped with pork belly, seaweed, bean sprouts, sweet corn, and an egg.

Neighborhood: Kyobashi

Tsuta

Nakiryu and Konjiki Hototogisu may have Michelin stars too, but the first ramen restaurant in Tokyo to get Michelin recognition was Tsuta — and they have the line to prove it. There are only nine seats in the tiny restaurant, so don’t come too hungry, but make sure you’re ready to chow down on a steaming bowl of shoyu ramen when the moment comes.

Neighborhood: Yoyogi

Ramen Sugimoto

If you find yourself on the west side of Tokyo, swing by this gem in Saginomiya. Not only did the owner train under Minoru Sano, the late, great ramen master, but he makes his own noodles in the back of the shop. Try the shio (salt) ramen, and make sure you’ve got all the goodies on top — pork, bamboo shoots, handmade wontons, and a farm-fresh egg.

Neighborhood: Saginomiya

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