10 ramen restaurants in Tokyo recommended by "Nari Gourmand Tokyo", who visits 300 restaurants annually!  

10 ramen restaurants in Tokyo recommended by "Nari Gourmand Tokyo", who visits 300 restaurants annually!  
Nari Gourmand Tokyo is a gourmet enthusiast who visits around 300 restaurants annually, ranging from ramen restaurants to Michelin-starred establishments. He tends to favor ramen not only for its deliciousness but also for its beauty, originality, and addictive qualities. Additionally, the 10 selected restaurants introduced here are not just ones that were good after one or two visits, but ones that Nari Gourmand genuinely likes and has actually visited multiple times, which is a point worth emphasizing.
writerphoto
Nari Gourmand Tokyo.
Eats at over 300 restaurants every year, ranging from ramen shops to Michelin-starred establishments. He's especially interested in mid-range restaurants that accept reservations. Enjoys sharing excellent meals through photos and videos. Favorite dishes include sushi, yakitori, Chinese cuisine, soba, and soup curry. He's a big fan of Star Wars, comedy, and horse racing.

1. Ramen Break Beats / Yutenji

Yutenji [Ramen Break Beats]
Opened in 2022, innovative ramen earned a Michelin Bib Gourmand in just one year. The ramen crafted by Mr. Yanase, who gained eight years of chef experience in Toronto, Canada, features a clear chicken oil broth that condenses the umami of Amakusa Daio chicken and beautifully arranged noodles. The delicate and profound ideas are genius, continuously breaking through the 1,000 yen barrier to 2,000 and 3,000 yen, challenging and elevating the value of ramen as a dish at this innovative restaurant.

2. Hakata Ramen Ryu / Yutenji

2. Yutenji [Hakata Ramen Ryu]
Hakata Ramen Ryu in Yutenji offers a rich and distinct tonkotsu broth that faithfully recreates the flavors of Dazaifu, Fukuoka. The thin noodles pair perfectly with the sweet and flavorful tonkotsu soup. The option with egg yolk is also appealing.  This hidden gem in Tokyo reminds me of my vaforite ramen restaurant in Hakata, "Hacchan", and allows me to enjoy authentic tonkotsu ramen in the city, Tokyo.

3. Ramen Jazzy Beats / Nakameguro

3. Nakameguro [Ramen Jazzy Beats]
Ramen Jazzy Beats is the third restaurant of Ramen Break Beats, located under the elevated bridges in Nakameguro. I am a regular here since it's in my neighborhood. The signature dish, "Chicken Nibo Ramen," features a broth made from dried sardines that surprisingly lacks bitterness, harmonizing with the chicken to create a soup that feels both refreshing and mild. The combination with firm noodles is exceptionally good, and the dish is also highly nutritious. The beautiful noodle arrangement in the soy sauce and salt ramen is inherited from Break Beats. By the way, the image used at the top of the article is of Ramen Jazzy Beats' "Ajitama Shoyu Ramen." It is a perfect bowl, with the noodle arrangement and the positioning of the seasoned egg carefully considered.

4. Niigata Sanpoutei Tokyo Lab Nakameguro Branch / Nakameguro

4. Nakameguro [Niigata Sanpoutei Tokyo Lab Nakameguro Restaurant]
This is a lab restaurant operated by the popular Niigata-based ramen restaurant, Sanpoutei. It boldly competes with its two signature dishes: "Zentoro Mabo Ramen (Thick Mabo soup noodles)" and "Hot and Sour Soup noodles." The "Zentoro Natto Mabo Noodles" adds the rich flavor of natto to the spicy mabo, creating an addictive taste. The authentic mabo noodles with a strong Sichuan pepper flavor are hard to find elsewhere. Be sure to try making a mini mabo rice bowl with Niigata-grown Koshihikari rice.

5. Teuchi Asama / Nakameguro

5. Nakameguro [Handmade Asama]
The chewy handmade noodles are excellent, making me return repeatedly to the Nakameguro restaurant "Teuchi Asama". The owner, who trained at Hatchobori's "Menya Shichisai", hand-cuts and hand-kneads the noodles for each order, creating a rich flavor and exquisite texture. The soup, which has a hint of acidity, pairs well with the noodles. Surprisingly, it is not very crowded, and being able to eat without waiting in line is also an attractive feature.

6. Handmade Oyadori Chinese Noodles Ayagawa / Ebisu

6. Ebisu [Handmade Oyadori Chuka Soba Ayakawa]
"Chuka Soba Ayakawa" in Ebisu is a place I find myself craving all the time. The golden clear broth covered with chicken oil is richly extracted from a full gwown chicken stock, offering a deep umami and richness. Its gentle flavor is especially appriciated for the day after drinking. The extra-thick hand-kneaded noodles made with green bamboo have a chewy texture and pair perfectly with the soup. It is also recommended to change the flavor with Koregusu.

7. Hakata Menbo Akanoren Nishiazabu Main Branch / Nishiazabu

7. Nishi-Azabu [Hakata Menbo Aka Noren Nishi-Azabu Main Restaurant]
The long-established restaurant in Nishi-Azabu, Akanoren, is a famous Hakata ramen restaurant perfect for a late-night meal. It is open until 5 a.m., making it a grateful yet risky end-of-night destination. The rich, milky pork bone broth and ultra-thin flat noodles are exquisite, and ordering a "half ramen" makes me think "It is OK to have a ramen in midnight." However, the smooth texture and juicy meat-filled boiled dumplings are an occasional temptation to add as well.

8. Ramen Afro Beats / Shinjuku Gyoen

8. Shinjuku Gyoen [Ramen Afro Beats]
When craving chicken paitan (slow-cooked chiken broth), I naturally heads to "Ramen Afro Beats" in Shinjuku Gyoen. This is the second restaurant of "Ramen Break Beats". The signature dish, "Ultimate Jidori Chicken Paitan Ramen", features a rich yet sharp foam-style soup that condenses the umami of the rare Amakusa Daio chicken. The paprika espuma harmonizes beautifully, adding depth to the flavor. The supple, firm thin straight noodles pair well with the soup. This bowl leaves a lasting impression both visually and in taste.

9. Ramen Hisui / Akasaka

9. Akasaka [Ramen Hisui]
The owner, Mr. Watanabe, is a skilled professional who honed his craft at "Ramen Break Beats" and more. After becoming independent, he opened "Ramen Hisui" in Akasaka Mitsuke in February 2025. From the first day of opening, there has been a constant line, and it has already become a hot topic among ramen enthusiasts as "the hottest ramen restaurant of the year." The "Special Soy Sauce Ramen" features a classic chicken clear broth soup perfectly paired with firm thin noodles, creating a skillful and refined bowl. It is expected to earn some kind of title soon.

10. Yakimiso Ramen Yadoya / Mizonokuchi

10. Mizonokuchi [Shakumiso Ramen Hachidouhachi]
The rich, miso-flavored ramen place that I have constantly visited since the days when the restaurant was in Nakameguro. Beloved most by Nakameguro locals and sadly closed, the restaurant "Yakimiso Ramen Yadoya" came back to Mizonokuchi in winter 2024. From the very first day of opening, lines form, and tasting the "Yakimiso Ramen" again after a long time, its aroma and depth brought an involuntary smile to my face. Featuring flat noodles directly shipped from Sapporo, homemade additive-free miso, and packed with the spirit of Yadoya. As expected, Yadoya is the best.

Extra Edition: Torisawa Jigbone Club / Shirokane

Special Edition: Shirokane [Torisawa Jigbone Club]
The "Cheese Toris noodle" offered at "Torisawa Jigbone Club" in Shirokane is a new sensation created by the famous yakitori restaurant "Torisawa." "Toris" is an abbreviation for "Tori (chiken) soup," featuring a unique style that combines chicken paitan soup (slow-cooked chiken broth) with somen noodles (thin wheat noodles). This "Cheese Toris noodle" is characterized by a rich chicken paitan soup blended with cheese, resulting in an indescribably creamy flavor. The noodles use ultra-thin somen from Kumamoto, providing an exquisite texture and perfect harmony with the soup. Minced chicken and lemon are served as accompaniments, and adding black pepper deepens the flavor. It offers a new experience different from both ramen and pasta. This distinctive dish is also perfect as a late night snack after drinking.

Disclaimer: All information is accurate at time of publication.

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