Tokyo Ramen Street is underneath Tokyo station and part of the First Avenue shopping area. It features 8 ramen shops with wildly different ramen, all under one roof.
While it does feel a bit like a theme park, it is a convenient way to sample a variety of tasty ramen.
Not sure which of the 8 ramen shops to visit? We've got you covered.
Here are all 8 of them, from savory white miso ramen to spicy vegan tantanmen.
#1 Light Shio Ramen at Hirugao (ひるがお)
Hirugao is a product of the Setagaya ramen group. If you're in the mood for something light, their signature shio (salt) ramen is a fitting choice. The sea salt seasoning is from Vietnam and the soup is primarily scallops and chicken.
The delicate sea salt allows the chicken savoriness and the subtle scallop flavors to come out. Togarashi spice powder and sweetly marinated chashu pork slices adorn the top, along with a little shrimp placed on the egg - their trademark.
Shop Hours: 10:30 ~ 23:30 (Last Order at 23:00)
#2 Refined Tsukemen at Rokurinsha (六厘舎)
Rokurinsha is by far the most shop on Tokyo Ramen Street. It therefore has the longest wait - this could be over an hour on weekends. Rokurinsha played a big role in the tsukemen (dipping ramen) craze that started in the early 2000s.
Rokurinsha's tsukemen broth is rich and creamy but it also carries a strong fish punch. This all comes from 12+ hours of simmering of chicken bones, vegetables, niboshi (dried sardines), mackerel and bonito flakes. Enjoying mopping up the thick broth with appropriately thick noodles.
Shop Hours: 7:30 ~ 9:45 (Last Order at 9:30) / 10:00 ~ 23:00 (Last Order at 22:30)
#3 Vegan Tantanmen at Soranoiro NIPPON (ソラノイロ NIPPON)
Making vegan ramen is no easy task. But Soranoiro has achieved vegan ramen perfection through creativity and persistence. Their colorful vegan tantanmen is sesame-based and has a pleasant chili oil kick.
They also serve vegan shoyu ramen. But I believe the vegan tantanmen is the better bowl. Their carrot-puree "veggie soba" is no longer vegan but is still on the menu and a wonderful bowl in itself. Lastly, they have a gluten-free shio ramen too. More on Soranoiro here.
Shop Hours: 8:30 ~ 23:00 (Last Order at 22:30)
#4 Tonkotsu Gyokai Ramen at Ikaruga (斑鳩)
Ikaruga is is all about a tonkotsu gyokai (pork bones and seafood) style of ramen. Against Rokurinsha, this bowl holds even more of a rich pork flavor than a fishy one.
But the fish essence is of course still there. Namely, in the thick broth you get bursts of saltiness with little balls packed with fish flavor. All in all, this is a nice, heavier bowl of ramen without a crazy wait.
Shop Hours: 9:30 ~ 23:00 (Last Order at 22:30)
#5 Classic Chukasoba at Chiyogami (中華そば ちよがみ)
Chiyogami goes for a nostalgic look. They serve a classic Tokyo style ramen (chukasoba). The soy sauce base is light and the soup has a pleasant chicken silkiness, alongside a hint of niboshi (dried) fish. Kelp also provides nice umami.
Thin, wavy and slippery noodles really soak up this soup. While the bowl is classic-leaning, soft-boiled flavored eggs and lightly seasoned soft chashu politely exclaim "modern".
Shop Hours: 9:30 ~ 23:00 (Last Order at 22:30)
#6 Sweet Miso Ramen at Tsujita Miso no So (つじ田 味噌の章)
Tsujita is a ramen powerhouse that's actually best known for their tsukemen. But they have 3 ramen restaurants focused on white miso ramen, including 1 on Tokyo Ramen Street. White miso is naturally quite sweet.
This sweetness is reinforced by ginger and finely diced onions in the broth. But overall there's a strong creaminess to the broth too. They do a proper fatty chashu pork and egg as well.
Shop Hours: 10:30 ~ 23:00 (Last order at 22:30)
#7 Milky Tonkotsu Ramen at Oreshiki Jun (俺式純)
This ramen shop is also from the Setagaya ramen group but it's unfortunately one of their weakest (click to see my favorite). The tonkotsu ramen broth is somewhat milky but along the way, it misses the mark. It gets too watery towards the end, as they use fairly large bean sprouts as toppings.
Mentaiko (cod roe), Kyoto kujo negi (scallions), and beautifully seasoned and singed chashu pork toppings are saving graces. While I'm not the biggest fan of this tonkotsu ramen, I haven't yet tried their niboshi, tantan, garlic oil versions.
Shop Hours: 10:30 ~ 23:00 (Last order at 22:30)
#8 Creamy Niboshi Ramen at Gyoku (らーめん玉)
Gyoku serves one of my favorite bowls on Tokyo Ramen Street. Its strongly flavored soup is thick and rich in consistency (tori paitan style). But the soup also has a salty niboshi fish flavor that dramatically pierces through.
They use thin noodles and ultra thin, supremely salty chashu pork slices. The flavored egg is excellent and once the egg dam is open, adds more richness to the bowl. This ramen is best described as a harmonious balance between salty and creamy.
Shop Hours: 10:30 ~ 23:00 (Last order at 22:30)
Each of the 8 ramen shops use a ticket machine. Put your money in first and then make your selection. Finally, give your ticket to the staff!
With the diversity of choices, Tokyo Ramen Street does have something for everyone.