While Houston is rightfully known for its killer Tex-Mex and barbecue, it’s the endless variety of global offerings that really encapsulates the city’s culinary scene. From Indian street eats and Viet-Cajun crawfish to complete Ethiopian feasts, tasting your way through the city can be an adventurous journey. And, thanks to a handful of new restaurant openings over the last decade, Japanese ramen is solidifying itself as its own category of dining in Houston.
Consider this list of some of the best places to huddle over the rich noodle soup, from bowls loaded with lobster to rare regional styles.
Ramen Moto
This Upper Kirby-area izakaya stays open until 1 a.m. six days a week, making it a hot spot for night owls on the hunt for ramen. Find bowls like the aromatic black garlic tonkotsu and the sapporo miso, plus hearty sides like Seoul nuggets. Soothe the palate with a frozen cocktail like the yuzu tajin margarita. 2320 W Alabama St., Houston, ramenmototx.com
Tiger Den
This ramen spot is tucked among the bounty of restaurants and shops in Dun Huang Plaza in Asiatown. Wait times can get lengthy, but the ramen is well worth the wait. Tiger Den offers traditional tonkotsu, garlic black bean, tantan, miso, and shoyu varieties, incorporating noodles made in-house. Round out your meal with an order of yakitori–options range from lamb and shrimp to chicken skin and chicken heart. 9889 Bellaire Blvd. Ste. 230, Houston
Soma Sushi
Sushi may be the main draw at this casual Washington Ave. hangout, but Soma was among the first in Houston to offer a diverse menu of ramen bowls, and they remain on the menu today. Go for a traditional bowl of tonkotsu ramen, or for a Texas-inspired alternative, try the Texas ramen, which incorporates pork belly and corn in a bowl with a shoyu-tonkotsu base. 4820 Washington Ave., Houston, somasushi.com
Kata Robata
Most know Kata Robata to be among the city’s top destinations for sushi, but the Upper Kirby restaurant also happens to serve some of the best ramen. The lobster ramen features a combination of egg noodles with lobster, crab, and pork, making it well worth its hefty price tag, while the Nagasaki champon is limited to clams and shrimp. For tongue-tingling flavor, opt for the spicy soy ramen, which pairs braised ground pork with chili oil, soy milk, soft-boiled egg, and wakame. 3600 Kirby Dr. Ste. H, Houston, katarobata.com
Toukei
Few places in Houston are better for a late-night bowl of ramen than Toukei, an izakaya and whiskey bar in Asiatown’s Yun Lu Center that stays open until 2 a.m. on weekends. Dig into a bowl like the spicy kara ramen, made with silky pork and fish broth, with pork chashu, aji tamago, bamboo, and mushrooms, and then linger around afterward for a whiskey flight sampling. 9630 Clarewood Dr. Ste. A-15, Houston, toukeiizakaya.com
Ramen Tatsuya
Houstonians had long been fans of Ramen Tatsuya from afar when it opened in Austin more than a decade ago, but the restaurant’s popularity reached new heights when it finally debuted an outpost in Montrose. The eatery operates under the direction of chef partners Tatsu Aikawa and Takuya Matsumoto, and showcases a number of bowls, including the mi-so-hot tonkotsu and the ol’ skool chicken shoyu. Plant-based bowls are on offer too, with the nu skool vegan bowl, built with almond milk tonkotsu and tofu. Keep up with Ramen Tatsuya on social media and get a heads up on limited time specials like crawfish ramen or the barbecue brisket ramen. 1722 California St., Houston, ramen-tatsuya.com
Ramen Bar Ichi
Neighboring Seiwa Market, this retail strip ramen bar is hailed for its scratch-made broth and bowls that won’t break the bank. Ramen varieties like the spicy tonkotsu and pollo loco ramen are under $15, and you can supplement your meal with dishes like calamari, chicken karaage, and pork gyoza. 1801 S. Dairy Ashford Rd. #108, Houston, ramenbarichi.com
Kazzan Ramen
An outpost of the famed Osaka-based Kazzan Ramen chain recently debuted its first Texas location (and only the second in the United States) in the Heights, officially bringing “volcano” ramen to Houston. The unique style of ramen boasts noodles and vegetables served in a 350-degree hot stone bowl with hot soup poured through a cylindrical top, tableside. The small opening releases steam, with the set up resembling a volcanic eruption. Beyond the head turning dish, there are a number of other things to try, including small plates like black pepper edamame, chicken karaage, and fried shrimp, plus shaved ice in three flavors. 191 Heights Blvd., Houston, kazzanramenhtx.com
Toyori
This Japanese-Taiwanese fusion restaurant in Asiatown’s Dun Huang Plaza has a well-rounded menu of dishes, including several different types of ramen. Find classic tonkotsu, chicken shoyu, and a signature spicy tantan ramen that packs in a double dose of meat with homemade pork chashu and sweet and spicy minced pork. 9889 Bellaire Blvd. Ste. 306, Houston
Rakkan Ramen
This ramen bar chain has multiple locations in Houston, and is known for its large variety of offerings, including bowls with plant-based broth for vegan diners. Among the many bowls is the popular Spicy Garnet, made with vegetable broth, sesame paste, grilled pork, and thick noodles; and the Quartz, a creamy alternative with chicken chashu and fried broccolini. Beyond ramen, there is a variety of gyoza, buns, and sushi, plus premium Japanese sake and sake cocktails. 600 N. Shepherd Dr., Ste. 515, Houston, rakkanramen.com
Samurai Noodle
Located in Lyric Market, one of Downtown’s bustling food halls, Samurai Noodle’s ramen menu has range. Tonkotsu bowls boast traditional Hakata style pork broth with house-made thin, straight noodles; while shoyu bowls are built with chicken-based broth and house-made chewy wavy noodles. If you can handle the heat, go for the tetsu hellfire dipping ramen, which pairs a tongue-tingling chicken broth with cold wavy egg noodles, shredded pork, bamboo shoots, roasted seaweed, and naruto. 411 Smith St. Level M, Houston, samurainoodlehouston.com
Jinya
With countless locations around the greater Houston area, Jinya is one of the most convenient spots to slurp ramen in the city. Venture in daily for lunch or dinner and find tonkotsu, spicy and vegan broths with indulgent toppings like pork chashu, crispy chicken, and black garlic oil, plus small bites like gyoza and takoyaki. Revolving chef specials keep things interesting. Multiple locations, jinyaramenbar.com
Tamashi
This sushi bar, with multiple locations around town, has a worthy selection of ramen, including a hard to beat curry tsukemen. A velvety broth made of nine spices and herbs, and coconut milk is hearty with a soft-boiled egg, fried kani, chashu, cabbage, and fish cake, and arrives with dipping noodles. Seafood lovers can’t resist the Tamashi Menn, a shrimp-based broth loaded with toppings and garnished with a shrimp skewer. Multiple locations, tamashiramensushi.com
Afuri
This Tokyo-based ramen brand, with 28 locations worldwide, opened its first Texas location in the Heights. Its signature Yuzu Shio ramen pairs chicken broth with thin noodles, and is packed with flavor intensifiers like chashu, egg, and nori; while new additions like the “Egg” Mazemen incorporates thick noodles with ikura, tobiko, cured egg yolk, yuzu and a wasabi soy reduction. 1215 N. Durham Dr., Ste. B-100, Houston, afuriramen.com
Mensho
Tucked in the Dun Huang Plaza in Asiatown, Mensho is Houston’s newest ramen obsession. Chef Tomoharu Shono, the Tokyo mastermind behind the brand, treats each bowl like a work of art, packing springy, house-made noodles in rich broth. You’ll see plenty of diners Instagramming the Texas-smoked wagyu ramen, which has swiftly become a favorite of the menu. Be prepared to wait for your bowl, Mensho often draws a crowd. 9889 Bellaire Blvd. Ste. C308, Houston, mensho.com
