What better way to stay warm in this chilly Houston climate than with a bowl of hot, sour, and spicy ramen? Ramen is a food that is accessible to everyone and is inexpensive and simple to adore. It was first made popular in Japan, where making it is a true art form. Japanese cuisine has a unique taste, and ramen is pure culinary bliss.
Here are 10 best ramen restaurants in Houston, TX, that offer some of the greatest bowls around.
1. Jinya Ramen Bar
The now-global restaurant was founded in 2000 by second-generation restaurateur and native Tokyo Tomonori Takahashi. It is currently among the most famous names in ramen. There are 11 different ramen bowls available at JINYA Ramen Bar, and you can customize your bowl with more than 20 toppings.
Popular options include the Tonkotsu Black, an 18-hour pork broth topped with black garlic oil, smoked pork chasu, green onion, wood ear, and garlic chips, as well as the Spicy Chicken Ramen, which is made using a 14-hour chicken broth.
Location: 3201 Louisiana St Ste 105, Houston, TX 77006
Phone: (832) 925-8596
2. Samurai Noodle
This ramen restaurant has grown tremendously popular since it opened. They don’t offer artificially preserved broth or commercially mass-produced noodles. Their highly trained artisans make their noodles in-house and cook the stew from scratch every day, adapting the recipe for the noodles to the humidity and temperature of the surrounding environment.
This precaution ensures that they only provide their clients with the highest-quality cuisine and replicate the authentic flavors of Japan, such as the slightly sweet natural flavor of wheat noodles. Tonkotsu ramen, which is their specialty dish, is a pure treat for the taste buds. The restaurant offers vegan alternatives as well as shoyu ramen and other flavors that taste authentic.
Location: 1801 Durham Dr. Ste 2, Houston, TX 77007
Phone: (832) 879-2982
3. Ninja Ramen
If you want to spend a late night with friends, Ninja Ramen is a terrific place to go. They serve one type of ramen from Asahikawa that is different from the normal Hakata-style tonkotsu or Sapporo-style miso.
The only choices are to add miso or spice (or both). Additionally, they serve mazemen, a form of ramen without broth. Do not leave the restaurant before trying their magical mermaid eggs.
Location: 4219 Washington Ave, Houston, TX 77007
Phone: (281) 888-5873
4. Soma Sushi
The menu at this restaurant includes several Japanese meals in addition to sushi. There are five distinct ramen bowl options, each with a delectable broth, on the menu. The pig broth ingredients at Soma Sushi are proudly sourced from heritage breed farms in the area.
This restaurant is ideal for a date night or dinner with friends because it not only has courteous staff but also exudes a charming environment. They also have fantastic cocktails and happy hour specials.
Location: 4820 Washington Ave, Houston, TX 77007
Phone: (713) 861-2726
5. Tamashi
This ramen restaurant is a unique Houston specialty with only three locations throughout the city! They offer a coconut milk-based soup seasoned with nine different herbs and spices, which is topped with fried crab sticks that have been feathered out, char siu, cabbage, and a soft-boiled egg with noodles.
Location: 2518 W Holcombe Blvd, Houston, TX 77030
Phone: (346) 204-5523
6. Izakaya
Izakayas are relaxed eateries that serve alcoholic drinks and food in Japan where people congregate to unwind with friends. With a modern touch, Houston’s Izakaya, an upscale Japanese gastropub, is continuing the legacy of traditional Japanese drinking places.
Here, innovative culinary creativity can be found in the fusion of Spanish cuisine with French undertones and Italian components with Japanese cooking techniques.
Craft cocktails are served alongside the expertly calibrated flavors to create a memorable dining experience. The result is fresh, flavorful ramen meals that explode with flavor on your tongue thanks to the use of custom-made noodles and family farms for the other ramen ingredients.
Location: 318 Gray St, Houston, TX 77002
Phone: (713) 527-8988
7. Ramen Tatsu-ya
Ramen Tatsu-ya is a well-known ramen restaurant and all-around noodle home in Houston. There are miso, tonkotsu, and other innovative broths available that can all be enhanced with a variety of toppings (like marinated bamboo, Parmesan, and mushrooms).
Do not skip the Yodas, which are flash-fried sweet-and-sour Brussels sprouts coated in apricot vinegar and curry powder, in addition to the noodles.
Location: 1722 California St, Houston, TX 77006
Phone: +1 512-893-5561
8. Ramen Bar Ichi
In 2016, Ramen Bar Ichi opened near the well-known Japanese Seiwa Market. Among the ramen bowls the menu is tonkotsu, spicy tonkotsu, vegetable ramen, and tsukemen.
The house specialty and one of the more reasonably priced bowls in the city is the tonkotsu with kikurage mushroom, bamboo, pork chashu, and garlic oil, which costs only $10.
The welcoming atmosphere is complemented by prompt and polite service and lovely interior design.
Location: 1801 S Dairy Ashford Rd #108, Houston, TX 77077
Phone: +1 281-531-7980
9. Tiger Den
One of Asiatown’s most successful restauranteurs, Tiger Den is a clear pick for consistently superb ramen.
For its thick, savory pig goodness, the legendary Tiger Den broth is known to simmer for more than 20 hours.
Tonkotsu, miso, hot miso, and tantan variations are available on the menu, along with a wide variety of izakaya (Japanese pub) cuisine. In contrast to its trendier, more accessible rivals, Tiger Den only charges $10 per bowl.
Location: 9889 Bellaire Blvd Ste D-230, Houston, TX 77036
Phone: (832) 804-7755
10. Ramen Fun
This upscale restaurant’s soft lighting offers an intimate atmosphere that is ideal for date nights with that special someone while enjoying healthy ramen served with unique toppings.
The restaurant offers house-made specialties like hot miso and traditional black garlic ramen in addition to the normal ramen variations, giving the classic Japanese noodle soups an intriguing twist.
The roomy setting will appeal to families with children as well. The simple chicken ramen is a good choice for families with children because it is not overly spicy.
Location: 3645 Farm to Market 1960 Rd W, Houston, TX, United States, Texas
Phone: +1 281-397-1042