This New York Restaurant Was Just Named the Best New Ramen Spot in the U.S.

Other top spots are in Las Vegas, Chicago, and San Francisco.

Ramen just might be one of the most universally beloved meals around the world. The egg noodle soup of Chinese origin was first popularized in Japan in the 1880s and has become a timeless classic throughout the generations, especially rising in popularity in recent decades here in the U.S. Since 2000, retail sales of ramen have spiked 72 percent, with Americans buying more than $1.6 billion in a year, according to sales tracker Nielsen IQ.

With the uptick of viral and trending hotspots, and long lines commonly lines stretching out of the restaurants, Yelp released its list of Best New Ramen Spots in the U.S..

Highlighting new spots with Yelp pages that were created after Feb. 1, 2023, and analyzing those with the highest volume and ratings of reviews, the No. 1 pick was in New York, but surprisingly outside of the city in the Long Island village of Mineola.

Opened in the summer of 2023, Youta Ramen has quickly earned a loyal following, especially for its homemade pork broth cooked for 16 hours, which is used in both its creamy tonkotsu as well as its shoyu truffle. Diners are also fans of its tempura, with staples like vegetables and shrimp but also smelt.

The menu also features a variety of buns, katsu curry, and donburi. Desserts feature three kinds of parfait: matcha, mango, or strawberry. One recent diner wrote on Yelp: “This place was phenomenal,” adding that “my ramen was maybe the best I've ever had.”

The runner-up, Ramen Boys, actually topped Yelp’s overall Top 25 Ramen Spots (not just new) list last year, after opening in March 2023 in Las Vegas, just a few blocks from The Strip in Decatur Twain Shopping Center. “I wanted people to know what ramen was supposed to taste like when you first slurp the soup and feel the texture of the noodle,” owner Jason Kim told Yelp, calling ramen “the food of the people.”

With more than 520 five-star reviews to date, both locals and visitors rave about every aspect of the experience. One local diner wrote on Yelp, “I order food from this place all of the time and it never disappoints ... You can tell it's made with lots of love!” while a traveler from California said, “We always stop by here every time we visit Las Vegas,” adding that “They really take their time making the food and the presentation is always perfect.” As a bonus, she said the leftovers are “just as delicious the next day too!”

The bronze medal spot landed in the middle of the country in Chicago, Rudy’s Ramen. Rudong Fan was an auditor at a Big Four accounting firm, who felt lost until a bowl of ramen changed his life's direction. Last summer, he opened up his Wicker Park shop, committed to using the freshest ingredients and preparing everything from scratch. And it’s paid off with nearly 100 ratings and an average of 4.9 on Yelp.

The Las Vegas area had two other ramen shops on the list, with Ramen Ebisu and Soru Ramen & Asian Cuisine, both nearby in Henderson, Nevada. California was home to several top spots too, including Taniku Izakaya in San Francisco, Iki Ramen in Los Angeles, and Hoshi Ramen in Newbury Park. Brooklyn also had a pair of picks: Konoha Yakitori Ramen and Sushi House and Enerugi Ramen.

Also on the list: Kanji Sushi & Ramen in Brandon, Florida; J & J Kitchen Ramen Sushi in Katy, Texas; Gen Ramen in Raleigh, North Carolina; KC Craft Ramen in Overland Park, Kansas; Nana Sushi Thai in Evergreen, Colorado; Toki Underground in Baltimore; and Gin Ramen & Asian Tapas in Alexandria, Virginia.

For Yelp's complete Top 25 Best New Ramen Restaurants in the U.S., visit yelp.com.

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