14 Best Ramen Shops In Boston

Whether you're a die-hard ramen fan or have only tried the instant ramen you get in a packet, there's one thing we can all agree on: Nothing is more comforting than a hot, steaming bowl of ramen to warm you up and soothe your troubles. Luckily, ramen has become popular around the world, and most major cities have a handful of good ramen shops where you can satisfy your cravings for the cozy stuff.

Boston is no stranger to amazing ramen shops serving every type of ramen you can think of, from umami-packed miso ramen with crispy garlic to shoyu ramen and hearty tonkotsu ramen with its meaty broth. But where do you start when it comes to ramen in Boston? 

We've picked 14 of the city's best ramen shops, each with its own specialties, so you can slurp your way to happiness while trying something new, or stick with a tried-and-true favorite. The only question left to ask is, which of these ramen shops will you try first?

Tsurumen Ramen has a long history in its native Japan, opening in 2005 in Osaka before the Boston branch opened its doors in 2015. Originally, the owner only planned to keep the Boston shop open for 1,000 days, but in July 2021, they announced it was now a permanent part of the Boston ramen scene.

We're glad about that, as head chef Masuo Onishi hails from Osaka and serves up some of the most authentic Osaka-style ramen you'll find anywhere in Boston. The menu here is tiny, with only five flavors to choose from, but that just means absolutely every bowl of ramen is perfectly balanced and delicious. If you're unsure what to get, try the Pork Shoyu Special Ramen with a pork and soy sauce broth, sliced chashu pork, scallions, Narutomaki fish cake, and crunchy bamboo shoots.

This is a tiny ramen shop with cozy, no-frills bench seating — and it's so popular that queues are to be expected at most times of day. It's worth it for a bowl of Spicy Tan Tan Ramen with ground pork, Tsurumen chili oil, and bok choy, topped with an onsen egg. Ramen bowls start at around $16, and portions are hearty, so you'll leave feeling warm, cozy, and fully satisfied.

This funky izakaya (Japanese food bar) in the Verb Hotel in Fenway is a popular late-night spot serving up premium sake and craft cocktails. But it's the ramen you're here for, and there are two types to choose from, both made with 48-hour slow-cooked chicken broth. Hojoko's Spicy Miso ramen is prepared with a broth made from hatcho and white miso, topped with light, crispy corn tempura and spicy pork. The Funky Chicken Ramen comes with grilled, koji-cured chicken thighs. For added spice, add some house-made fermented chili relish to your ramen.

Ramen here isn't cheap, at around $20 a bowl, but it's so delicious — and the surroundings are so eclectic — that it's worth every penny. The menu is also packed with street food small plates, from shrimp toast to karaage fried chicken and potstickers, plus grilled yakitori if you fancy a quick bite to eat with your drinks. There are also some heartier mains, including Chicken Katsu Curry, a Wagyu cheeseburger, and Doggzilla, a bacon-wrapped hot dog.

Reviewers praised the restaurant's atmosphere, with one Yelp reviewer saying, "When you enter Hojoko, it feels like you're at a Japanese nighttime market." Another reviewer recommended the Karaage Chicken, Brussel Sprouts with shiso and a karashi mustard-soy vinaigrette, and Funky Chicken Ramen.

One of the highlights of a trip to Japan is being greeted by the kitchen and serving staff as you enter a tiny, cozy, family-run ramen shop. At Yume Wo Katare in Boston, you'll almost feel like you're in Japan! The shop's name means "talk about your dreams," so be prepared, as staff often ask customers to share their sleepy-time adventures with other diners once they've finished eating.

Greetings and dream-sharing aside, the ramen in this tiny shop is to die for. There's only one option, making it a great spot for the indecisive. A rich, fatty pork broth is topped with thick homemade noodles. The only choice you have to make is whether you want two slices of pork or five. Just don't forget to ask for the crunchy fried garlic topping. One Yelp reviewer raved about the ramen, saying, "Every ingredient was on point: huge pieces of chashu, bean sprouts that had a nice crunch, garlicky & fatty broth (garlic can be optional), and chewy & springy noodles."

Yume Wo Katare is absolutely tiny, and queues are to be expected, but if you're after a hearty bowl of ramen to curb your craving, it's definitely worth the wait. The personal greeting alone ensures you'll have a memorable experience.

Pagu serves up a Japanese-Spanish fusion menu, and chef Tracy Chang has a cult following in Boston, once hosting Guchi's Midnight Ramen pop-up. The venue's signature dish, Guchi's Midnight Ramen, is still available to order here with homemade noodles and oyster-sauce marinated pork belly served in a seafood and pork broth, topped with scallions, nori, and a soy egg and drizzled with umami oil.

Chang's signature ramen isn't the only noodle dish on the menu here, though. Try the Mapo Tofu with chili crisp, pork belly, and shiitake mushrooms, or amp up the heat with the Spicy Knife Cut Noodles with chili crisp, sherry vinegar, and a choice of roasted pork or mushrooms. Ramen bowls start at around $16. Alongside the noodle options, you'll find the menu offers a range of tempting fusion small plates, like the Black Cod Croquetas with pickled cabbage and togarashi, or heartier sharing dishes, such as the Suckling Pig served with pickles, romesco, hot sauce, and bao.

All these dishes are served in a cozy, comfy, sleek space that's open seven days a week from 5 p.m. until 10 p.m. One Yelp reviewer praised the restaurant's noodles, saying, "I do have to say Pagu's ramen is excellent, and overall all their noodle dishes are superb."

When you really, really want ramen in a tiny, cozy setting, try the Little Big Diner. Yes, it gets busy, and there are no reservations, so you'll likely have to wait, but the ramen here is so good that you won't mind. Inside there's a relaxed vibe despite the lines, with cool art on the walls and a selection of six varieties of ramen, as well as rice bowls and small plates.

Unsure what to get? Try the Chef's Ramen, which has everything. Or go for the LBD Paitan Ramen with your choice of chashu or chicken, wood ear mushrooms, scallions, nori, and white kimchi, topped with an Ajitama egg. There are regularly changing seasonal ramen dishes and daily specials, too, so even if you've been here before, you won't tire of the menu. 

Ramen at Little Big Diner starts at around $15, with add-ons such as menma, shiitake mushrooms, pickled ginger, or chashu from $1 to $4. Over on Yelp, one reviewer praised the Chef's Ramen: "Super creative flavors. The kimchi topping is GENIUS, and it made me want to go back for more." Another reviewer said, "Some of the best ramen I have ever had. The spicy miso broth is amazing."

Some of Boston's very best ramen shops take root in Japan before expanding overseas. The same is true of Menya Jiro, founded in Ibusuki City in Kagoshima, Japan, in 2010. Today the shop has three Boston locations producing award-winning ramen.

Menya Jiro imports all its seasoning and soy sauce directly from Japan, offering three signature tonkotsu-based ramen dishes alongside two vegetarian options that use a miso broth base. We'd dive straight into the Ibusuki Ramen with a pork and chicken broth base with garlic and soy, topped with fried garlic, bean sprouts, scallions, and chashu. Or try the Veggie Miso Ramen with a miso vegetable stock base and tofu nuggets, topped with mixed greens, tomato, and sweet corn.

Ramen at Menya Jiro starts from around $15, which seems to be an average price for a bowl of the good stuff in Boston — it's neither too cheap nor too expensive. One Yelp reviewer commented that this was their go-to spot for ramen and mentioned the flavorful broth, saying, "The bowl size is deceiving — it looks like you don't have much food, but that's just because the bowl is HUGE. The ramen is tasty, and the broth feels very clean. I always end up drinking all the broth because of how much flavor it has."

Isshindo Ramen takes the place of former favorite Pikaichi at the Super 88 food court. Opened in 2019, this small and cozy ramen spot has an impressive 12 types of ramen on offer, as well as vegetarian options. The Signature Isshindo Ramen packs woodear mushrooms, house char siu, seaweed, scallions, and bean sprouts into a rich tonkotsu broth, topped with a soy egg. The best part? The chashu is fresh and prepared by hand every day for melt-in-your-mouth deliciousness. Or try the Spicy Tonkotsu Gyokai: an umami-laden pork and dashi broth with chashu, naruto wakame, scallions, bamboo shoots, and bean sprouts.

On the side, take your pick of appetizers like chicken karaage, steamed buns, curry, takoyaki, and rice bowls. Ramen bowls here are pretty affordable, too, starting at around $13.

One Yelp reviewer said they kept coming back to Isshindo Ramen whenever they were in Boston, and commented, "If you're looking for some of the most flavorful, fresh, and delicious ramen, you have to check out Isshindo Ramen! If you're a ramen fan like me, you know the KEY to a good ramen boils down to the broth and the noodles. Some places the broth is too salty or 'greasy.' You don't have that issue here."