🍜 Shinjuku, Japan — Ramen Ranking

ラーメン龍の家 新宿小滝橋通り店

This tonkotsu ramen shop draws lines day after day and is popular with foreign tourists. The signature bowl, "Tonkotsu Junmi" (1,050 yen, with an extra portion of noodles, kaedama, for 200 yen), pairs thin noodles with a classic, orthodox pork-bone broth. There is also a fragrant tsukemen (ramen served with a separate dipping broth), in which slices of smoked chashu pork are layered into a dark, rich dipping sauce. Diners can change up the flavor with spicy takana (pickled mustard greens) as they eat, and finish the meal with warigayu, rice porridge stirred into the leftover broth. The shop also accepts electronic money payments.

麺匠 竹虎 本店

A hugely popular ramen shop that stands as one of Kabukicho's landmarks, where lines are all but guaranteed. The menu is wide-ranging, featuring tora-dare miso ramen, ago-dashi (flying-fish stock) shoyu ramen, and the Ura Taketora tsukemen (ramen served with a dipping broth) in a spicy version for 1,280 yen. The kitchen is known for its rich tonkotsu (pork-bone) broth, firm medium-thick noodles with plenty of bite, and tender chashu pork. Side dishes round out the experience, including a complimentary otoshi (starter) and deep-fried chicken wings. The interior is chic and spotlessly clean, with private rooms available, and because Menshou Taketora Honten stays open until morning, it makes an ideal spot for a satisfying bowl to cap off a night out.

らぁ麺 はやし田 新宿本店

Just steps from Shinjuku-sanchome Station, this popular ramen shop holds a Google rating of 4.3 across 3,439 reviews. Its signature shoyu ra-men strikes a fine balance between the deep, mellow richness of chicken and the crisp sharpness of soy sauce, and the whole-wheat noodles and hosaki menma (tender young bamboo shoot tips) earn high praise as well. The menu is wide-ranging, from a thick, creamy chicken paitan ra-men (950 yen) to a light, clear special shio ra-men and even a version made with nodoguro (blackthroat seaperch). The moist chashu pork and soft-boiled ajitama (seasoned egg) are popular too. You can order kaedama (an extra portion of noodles) or oimeshi (rice added to finish the broth), and everything is enjoyed at clean counter seats that are welcoming even for a woman dining alone.

すごい煮干ラーメン凪 新宿ゴールデン街店 本館

A celebrated niboshi ramen shop reached by climbing the narrow staircase to the second floor in Shinjuku's Golden Gai district. Its rich broth stands out for the bold savory depth, gentle bitterness, and aroma of niboshi (dried sardines), earning a reputation for being intense yet easy to drink. The soup pairs beautifully with the chewy, medium-thick curly noodles and with the wide, flat ittanmen noodles. The signature bowl is the Special Sugoi Niboshi Ramen at 2,000 yen. Open until late at night, it is a favorite for capping off an evening of drinking or for takeout.

駄目な隣人 新宿店

Known for its striking, tongue-in-cheek name, Dame na Rinjin Shinjuku is a ramen shop in the Shinjuku district of Tokyo. Its signature dish is suan la tang mian, a hot-and-sour ramen with a well-judged balance of tang and heat; thin noodles are cloaked in a thick, slightly viscous broth that clings to swirls of beaten egg and shiitake mushrooms. The rich broth and generous slices of rare-cooked chashu pork are equally popular, and the table is set with free nori seaweed, raw egg, and spicy garlic chives so you can adjust the flavor as you go. Almost all seating is at the counter, making it easy to drop in on your own, and the interior is clean, the staff attentive, and turnover brisk. Rice dishes are also on offer, including seiro-steamed rice with kuroge wagyu premium Japanese beef.

つけ麺・らーめん 波海拉 NAMIURA

On an upper floor of a Shinjuku building, this restaurant offers authentic tsukemen (ramen served with a separate bowl of dipping broth) in a calm, Japanese-style space, supervised by Sharin of the acclaimed Rokurinsha lineage. It is known for chewy, extra-thick noodles paired with a rich yet pleasantly light seafood-and-pork-bone dipping broth, and about eight seasonings on the table let you adjust the flavor as you go. Diners also praise the tender chashu (braised pork), the soft-boiled seasoned egg, and the complimentary yuzu sherbet served after the meal. With plenty of seating across counter seats, tables, and semi-private rooms, it has a relaxed atmosphere that welcomes solo diners and families alike.

麺匠 竹虎 新宿店

Menshou Taketora Shinjuku is a much-loved ramen shop in the Kabukicho district of Shinjuku, Tokyo, and it stays open until nine in the morning, so you can drop in even in the small hours of the night. Its thick, springy noodles hold plenty of bite and catch the rich, deeply flavored broth beautifully. Diners praise the dependable ajitama (marinated soft-boiled egg) and the tsukemen (ramen served with a separate dipping broth), along with the generous slices of chashu (braised pork) that make a bold impression across the bowl. The menu offers distinctive bowls such as gyukotsu shoyu ramen (beef-bone soy sauce ramen) and a seasonal chilled shio kombu-water ramen (kelp-infused cold ramen) for 1,280 yen. Complimentary nibbles and private-style seating round out the appeal.

焼きあご塩らー麺たかはし 新宿本店

The signature bowl here is yakiago shio ramen, a salt-based ramen built on broth made from grilled flying fish. When you sit down, you are served a small sake cup of that grilled flying fish broth, and its toasted, savory richness fills the mouth. Though salt-based, the deep-colored soup is both full-flavored and clean at once, and it pairs beautifully with the springy, firm noodles, the rare chashu pork, the seasoned soft-boiled egg, the mizuna greens, and the rock nori seaweed. To finish, you can order ago dashi chazuke, rice steeped in the flying fish broth, and with the large-portion set you can savor the grilled flying fish flavor right to the last bite. It is a celebrated Shinjuku destination.

麺屋 翔 本店

Menya Sho Honten is a popular Shinjuku ramen shop where diners regularly line up. Its signature dish is the special shamo chicken shio ramen (1,500 yen), built on a clear, golden broth that layers the savory depth and natural sweetness of chicken over a refined, delicate salt profile. Light on the palate yet lingering in its finish, the soup pairs beautifully with thin, straight noodles. Each bowl comes generously topped, with two kinds of chashu made from chicken and pork, wonton, a seasoned soft-boiled egg, and menma (seasoned bamboo shoots). Best enjoyed alongside the grilled chicken rice bowl, this is a shio ramen that showcases the polished refinement of the light and clear style.

鶏そば みた葉

The signature bowl at Torisoba Mitaha in Shinjuku, Tokyo, is a rich tori paitan, a creamy chicken broth simmered to a full, velvety body. It stays smooth and satisfying without feeling heavy on the finish, and toppings such as tender chicken chashu, grated garlic, and yuzu kosho (a fragrant yuzu-and-chili paste) let you shift the flavor and keep it interesting right down to the last spoonful. The U-shaped counter seating makes it easy and comfortable to drop in on your own, and because the shop stays open until late at night, it is a great choice for a closing bowl after drinks. Credit card payment is also accepted.

金目鯛らぁ麺 鳳仙花

Housenka is a ramen restaurant celebrated for its elegant broth built on dashi made from kinmedai (splendid alfonsino, a prized deep-sea fish). The lineup ranges from a clear shio (salt-based) broth to a rich, creamy paitan, and diners praise it as a bowl you can happily sip to the last drop, carried by the deep savory flavor and fragrance of the fish. The signature Kinmedai Ramen is 900 yen, and the beautifully prepared hosaki menma (tender bamboo shoot tips) and chashu pork earn high marks as well. To finish, there is a kinmedai chazuke, where the leftover broth is poured over rice so you can savor the sweetness of the fish right to the end. The interior is clean and refined, with counter seating where you can enjoy your meal in a calm, relaxed setting.

つけ麺 五ノ神製作所

Ramen made with shrimp at center stage draws crowds to this specialty shop, tucked down a Shinjuku back alley yet with outposts in Nagoya and Taipei as well. The signature special shrimp tsukemen (ramen served with a separate bowl of dipping broth) features a broth as rich and creamy as bisque, packed tight with the sweetness and savory depth of shrimp, and it clings beautifully to the extra-thick whole-wheat noodles. The shrimp-and-tomato tsukemen is offered at a flat 1,100 yen, and when broth remains at the end you can add grilled cheese rice to turn it into a risotto. Inside, the space is as stylish as a cafe, with an atmosphere welcoming enough for a woman to drop in on her own.

創始麺屋武蔵

Menmusashi (Sosshi Menya Musashi) is a long-established ramen shop in the Shinjuku district of Tokyo, famous for its rich, thick tsukemen (ramen served with a separate dipping broth) built on a deep pork-bone and seafood base. The broth pairs beautifully with the shop's thick, springy noodles, and the toppings are just as celebrated: kaku-ni chashu (braised pork belly) so tender it falls apart at the touch of chopsticks, and a soft-boiled seasoned egg. Diners can vary the flavor as they go with warishi soup to dilute the broth and the shop's own Musashi nama shichimi (fresh seven-spice blend) on the table, and the portions are generous. Between the lively atmosphere of the main branch and the energetic service, it is a favorite for anyone in the mood for a truly filling, satisfying bowl.

麺屋 海神 新宿店

Menya Kaijin Shinjuku is celebrated for its clear, golden-hued broth, made by carefully simmering fish bones and trimmings chosen fresh each day. The signature bowl is the ara-daki shio ramen, a salt-based ramen built on that fish-bone broth, served with a grilled heshiko onigiri (rice ball topped with salt-fermented mackerel) for around 1,200 yen. Diners praise its deep seafood umami and mellow, clean-tasting salt with none of the fishy edge, a flavor so rounded you want to drink it down to the very last drop, and it pairs beautifully with the shop's smooth, easy-to-slurp thin noodles. You can also enjoy toppings such as chicken tsukune, shrimp tsukune, and Sanriku wakame seaweed. Founded in 2007 and honored among Tokyo's Hyakumeiten (Hundred Famous Restaurants), it ranks as one of Shinjuku's most popular ramen destinations.

味噌屋八郎商店

Miso-ya Hachiro Shoten, a specialist miso ramen shop on Kotakibashi-dori in the Shinjuku area of Tokyo, belongs to the acclaimed Nantsuttei group and is known for its rich, deeply flavored miso broth scented with black mayu (aromatic burnt garlic oil). A regular bowl of ramen is a reasonable 880 yen and comes with medium-thick noodles, crisp bean sprouts, and tender chashu pork. The menu offers plenty of variety, including spicy miso, curry miso, and tsukemen (ramen served with a separate bowl of dipping broth), and diners enjoy changing up the flavor partway through with the grated ginger provided at each table. Cashless payment is also accepted.

煮干中華そば 鈴蘭 新宿店

This popular bowl is known for its rich broth made from niboshi (dried sardines) and pork bones, praised for being full-bodied yet leaving a light, clean finish. The signature niboshi chuka soba (dried-sardine ramen) costs around 1,050 yen, and you can choose between medium-thick and thin noodles, with kaedama (an extra portion of noodles), tsukemen (ramen served with dipping broth), and mazesoba (brothless mixed noodles) also on offer. Diners especially enjoy changing up the flavor with the niboshi vinegar kept on each table. Access is excellent as well, just a 20-second walk from subway exit C6, and with counter seating the shop is easy to visit even on your own.

らぁめん 満来

A long-established ramen shop behind the Bic Camera at Shinjuku West Exit, in business for more than 60 years. Its signature dish is the chashu zaru: cold noodles served with a dipping broth, piled so high with chashu (braised pork slices) that the broth beneath is hidden from view. The pork is cut thick yet praised for staying moist and tender. The rich dipping broth, made from chicken bones and pork bones, is paired with a generous 400 grams of medium-thick, wavy noodles for a truly satisfying bowl. The spacious interior, built around natural wood, has the calm, settled atmosphere of a long-established sushi restaurant.

伊之瀬

Inosé is a popular tsukemen (ramen served with dipping broth) shop in Shinjuku, Tokyo. Its signature dish is konbu-water tsukemen, which lets you compare four different dipping broths side by side. Noodle portions up to 300 grams cost the same, and the konbu-water tsukemen starts at just 1,000 yen. The thin noodles come steeped in kelp water, and even eaten plain they carry the silky viscosity and deep umami of the kombu, keeping your chopsticks moving. Order the deluxe version and you also get shrimp wonton, a seasoned soft-boiled egg, and condiments that let you change up the flavor partway through. So well loved that lines form from lunchtime on weekdays, this bowl also earns praise for the smooth, efficient service from its staff.

らぁめん ほりうち 新宿本店

This ramen shop is celebrated for its signature chashu, thick slices of braised pork so tender they seem to melt. The chashu zaru ramen (1,550 yen), a bowl of noodles served with a separate dipping broth, arrives piled so generously that the pork almost covers the entire bowl; cut thin, each slice stays soft and brings out the gentle sweetness of the fat. The clear soy-based broth carries a deep, slowly steeping savoriness from chicken and pork, making for a kind, mellow flavor that pairs beautifully with the smooth, medium-thick noodles. With doors opening at 8 in the morning, you can even enjoy a bowl of morning ramen here, and it all adds up to the kind of place you will want to visit day after day.

中華そば 流川 新宿店

Chuka Soba Nagarekawa's Shinjuku branch is known for a refined, clear soy sauce broth unlike any other, combining the richness of beef bone with shellfish dashi. Diners praise the way the beef umami and the aroma of shellfish come together in exquisite harmony, saying it is a bowl you will want to drink to the very last drop. Low-hydration straight thin noodles catch the broth well, while the pork and chicken chashu and the soft-boiled seasoned egg also win high marks. The artistic plating and careful, attentive service add to the appeal, and the shop earns support for keeping prices modest for Shinjuku, with its Special Beef and Shellfish Clear Soy Sauce Soba at 1,250 yen.

らぁ麺 くろ渦

Just steps from Shinjuku-sanchome Station, this is a brand outlet from INGS, the company behind the popular Ra-men Hayashida. The signature bowl is the ajitama shoyu ra-men (soy sauce ramen topped with a seasoned egg), built on a clear broth that combines whole Ohyama chicken with duck and pork bones, finished with the crisp edge of namaage soy sauce. Also well regarded are the rich, soft-set seasoned egg called "Maximum Koitamago" and the two styles of chashu: low-temperature-cooked chicken and hung-roasted pork belly. The kombu-water tsukemen (ramen served with a dipping broth, here made with kelp-infused water) has drawn its own following. Open and easy to drop into until late, it is a favorite choice for a final bowl to round off the night, offering polished, refined soy sauce ramen in a relaxed, approachable setting.

らーめん はな火屋

Opened in 1999 by a chef who trained at the renowned Chabuya, this ramen shop has been beloved for more than 20 years in Shinjuku's fiercely competitive dining scene. The deeply savory shoyu (soy sauce) broth is fragrant with charred scallions, while the miso option stays light and easy to finish to the last sip. The medium-thick noodles, made by Kanno Seimenjo, are pleasantly chewy and thoroughly satisfying, and the chashu (braised pork) is so tender it falls apart at the touch of your chopsticks. The tsukemen (ramen served with a separate dipping broth) is 900 yen, with medium and large portions offered at the same price. Seating is at a counter, with orders placed at a ticket machine and payment in cash.

麺や 百日紅

ラーメン 麺匠虎白 新宿アイランドタワー店

らぁめん 壱蔵家

新宿ラーメン鶏そばかぐら屋

萬馬軒 新宿南口

横浜ラーメン 町田家 新宿店

横浜家系ラーメンみどり 新宿店

横浜らーめん 山本家

麺屋 翔 みなと

新宿ナギチャンラーメン

つけ麺古武士新宿6丁目店

横浜家系ラーメン 壱角家 新宿5丁目店

節丸|削りたて鰹節ラーメンと御膳・新宿本店

つけそば 黒門

横浜家系ラーメン 壱角家 新宿3丁目店

横浜家系ラーメン 壱角家 新宿中央東口店

ラーメン壱角家 新宿歌舞伎町店

横浜家系ラーメン 壱角家 新宿西口店

横浜家系ラーメン 壱角家 西新宿本店

横浜家系ラーメン 壱角家 新宿東南口店

一匠

横浜家系ラーメン 横浜道 新宿西口店

横浜家系ラーメン壱角家 新宿歌舞伎町一番街店

横浜家系ラーメン 壱角家 西新宿店

舎鈴 新宿パークタワー店

壱角家 新宿靖国通店