Tokyo has over 200 Michelin starred restaurants, which is the most in the world. While the most of Michelin starred restaurants in Tokyo are fine dining such as Sushi, Kaiseki course and French cuisine, there are also some affordable restaurants on the list including Ramen restaurants.

Ramen is one of the most popular and famous Japanese dishes today and recognizable all around the world. There are currently three Ramen restaurants in Tokyo awarded with one Michelin star. This is a guide to the Michelin star Ramen in Tokyo!

*LATEST UPDATE*
According to the 2024 Tokyo Michelin Guide, there are no ramen restaurants in Tokyo that have earned a Michelin star, as these three restaurants introduced on the post no longer hold their stars. However, they are all on the Bib Gourmand list along with 16 other ramen restaurants in Tokyo (including three new additions this year).

-Nakiryu

Nakiryu (創作麺工房 鳴龍) was Japan’s second ramen restaurant to receive a Michelin star in 2017 after Tsuta (introduced below) and continues to win a star for 6 years in a row. The restaurant is located in Otsuka, Toshima ward, Tokyo and owned by a former Chinese cuisine chef. The signature dish of Nakiryu is Dan Dan Noodles (Tantanmen in Japanese), s classic noodle dish from Sichuan, China. The bowl of noodles costs less than 1,000 yen, making one of the cheapest Michelin star dishes in the whole world.

The dish comes with homemade noodles, delightful sesame and red pepper soup, and pork mince. Besides the spicy Dan Dan Noodle, Japanese style ramen dishes such as Shoyu Ramen (soy sauce base) and Sio Ramen (salt base) are on the menu as well as a variety of side dishes and toppings such as shrimp wonton and fried rice.

Nakiryu is open for lunch only and a long queue usually starts before the opening time and the waiting time can be over 1 hour during a peak time.

Map: http://bit.ly/2Kdn9PT

Access: 6 mins walk from JR Otsuka Station

Hours: 11:30～15:00

Closed: Tuesday

-Sobahouse Konjiki Hototogisu

Sobahouse Konjiki Hototogisu (Sobahouse 金色不如帰 新宿御苑本店) joined the list of the Michelin starred ramen restaurants in late 2018, becoming the third Michelin star ramen restaurants in Tokyo. The restaurant is located in Shinjuku area which is the most competitive Ramen district in Tokyo where approx 200 ramen restaurants gather.

While the mainstream of ramen flavour in Tokyo is rich Tonkotsu (pork broth), the ramen of Sobahouse Konjiki Hototogisu is served with light, complex and delicate soup made of clear pork broth blended with Hamaguri clams and fish stock. The bowl of Ramen is topped by the sauce blended with porcini mushroom and truffle. The menu consists three kinds of ramen dishes: Shio Sobe (salt base), Soba (soy sauce base) and Tsuke Soba (dipping noodles). A single bowl of Ramen at Konjiki Hototogisu costs around 1,000 yen.

Sobahouse Konjiki Hototogisu has been one of the busiest Ramen restaurants in Shinjuku area, but ever since receiving one Michelin star, it’s been exceedingly busy. The restaurant currently has a numbered ticket system and the reception starts from 9:30 for lunch and 17:30 for dinner.

Map: http://bit.ly/2WKax40

Access: 3 mins walk from Shinjuku Gyoenmae Station

Hours: Lunch 11:30～15:00/Dinner 18:30～21:00

Closed: Saturday and Sunday

-Ginza Hachigou

The newest addition to the Michelin starred ramen restaurant list is Ginza Hachigou (銀座 八五), one of the fastest restaurants to gain a Michelin star after one year of opening. As the restaurant is run by a former French cuisine chef who has over 40 years experience in cooking, Hachigou serves a delightful and innovative ramen dish with a touch of French cuisine.

Ramen soup is usually made with concentrated flavor base called “Tare”, but in Hachigou, the chef does not use tare sauce and instead he creates the soup like preparing consomme with French method by blending free range chicken, duck, vegetables and uncured ham. It’s topped beautifully with a slice of pork chashu, menma (pickled bamboo shoot), chopped scallion, soft-boiled egg and pepper caviar that create a perfect balance in a bowl of ramen.

Like other two Michelin starred ramen restaurants above, you can also expect a long waiting queue to dine Ginza Hachigou, and they close the shop when soup is sold out.

Map: https://goo.gl/maps/c5hmVDazGmJYRG797

Access: 3 mins walk from Higashi Ginza Station

Hours: 11:00~until sold out

Closed: Sunday and Monday

+Japanese Soba Noodles Tsuta

Japanese Soba Noodles Tsuta (Japanese Soba Noodles 蔦) no longer owns michelin star, yet it definitely deserves a special mention as it was the very first ramen restaurant in the world to gain a michelin star in 2015.  The founder/chef of Tsuta, Yuki Onishi first started his career in 2008 at the Ramen restaurant run by his father, then opened his own shop, Japanese Soba Noodles Tsuta in Sugamo, Tokyo in 2012. Since then, it did not take him long until receiving multiple honorable food awards in the country, then becoming the world’s very first Michelin starred ramen restaurant only after 4 years. Tsuta has taken ramen to a whole new level with all the ingredients including noodles, broth and toppings, every item in the bowl of ramen is made with selected fine ingredients to perfection.(▶︎Review of Japanese Soba Noodles Tsuta)

After winning a Michelin star for 4 years in a row, Tsuta moved its location to Yoyogi and has changed its concept in 2019. Although it is no longer on the michelin guide, Tsuta still serves the innovative and original bowl of ramen today.

Map: http://bit.ly/38XTyT1

Access: 3 mins walk from Yoyogi Uehara Station

Hours: 11:00~15:00

Closed: Tuesday

Thanks for reading! Which Michelin star Ramen restaurants in Tokyo do you wanna visit most?? All three restaurants are busy, but I bet they are totally worth waiting in a long queue!

▽Check out the best ramen restaurants all over Japan!▽

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