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10 Restaurants to Satisfy a Ramen Craving, Mapped

by Eric Sandler
8 comments / new
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by Eric Sandler
8 comments / new

Houston may be known as a town with great pho, but suddenly it seems like everyone's talking about ramen. Whether it's Soma taking the people's choice at last month's Go Pig or Go Home chef competition or Goro & Gun attracting a line on its first day of business, the national ramen craze has finally come to the Bayou City. The city isn't known as a ramen hotspot (yet?), but there are no shortage of Japanese and Japanese-inspired restaurants that have tonkotsu (pork), shoyo (soy) and miso offerings on their menu.

As usual, these restaurants aren't ranked, although Soma earns the top spot for both variety and overall quality. Special thanks to Carl Rosa, head of enthusiast group Ramen in Common, for his help compiling data and sharing photos.

· Ramen in Common [Facebook]
· All Maps on Eater Houston [-EHOU-]

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Soma

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Chef Gabe Medina's Texas ramen with barbecue pulled pork won the people's choice award at the recent Go Pig or Go Home chef competition. Soma serves six different kinds of ramen, including black bean and seafood.
4820 Washington Ave, Houston, TX 77007
(713) 861-2726
(713) 861-2726

Also featured in:

Goro & Gun

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This downtown restaurant's has tweaked its recipes and broadened its offerings. There are three kinds on the menu now, veggie, miso and pork, with a host of add-ons and upgrades.
306 Main, Houston, TX 77002

Nippon Japanese Restaurant

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This small Montrose institution serves soy, pork and miso ramen. Beware the tiny parking lot and be prepared to park on the other side of Montrose.
4464 Montrose Blvd, Houston, TX 77006
(713) 523-3939
(713) 523-3939

Fat Bao

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The steamed-bun restaurant has started running Tonkotsu ramen as a Monday-night special. Follow the restaurant's Facebook page for updates.
3419 Kirby Drive, Houston, TX 77098
(713) 677-0341
(713) 677-0341

Kata Robata

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Not to be outdone by former sous chef Gabe Medina, Kata's chef Hori-san is serving a pork-based Tonkotsu on his lunch menu. It's earned praise from some Ramen in Common members for being more authentic than Soma's offerings.
3600 Kirby Dr, Houston, TX 77098
(713) 526-8858
(713) 526-8858

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Jenni's Noodle House

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With four ramen varieties, including pineapple and ginger beef, there's nothing traditional about Jenni's noodles. For those looking for variety, it's worth checking out.
2027 Post Oak, Houston, TX 77056
(713) 621-4200
(713) 621-4200

Teppay Japanese Restaurant

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Teppay is among Houston's most traditional Japanese restaurants, and the restaurant's tonkotsu and wafu ramen are known for their authenticity. Some Yelpers complain about a lack of toppings, but the broth is always solid.
6516 Westheimer Road, Houston, TX 77057
(713) 789-4506
(713) 789-4506

Sasaki

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Sasaki is another traditional Japanese restaurant with tonkotsu ramen on the menu. The broth earns praise, and the price is very reasonable.
8979 Westheimer Rd, Houston, TX
(713) 266-5768
(713) 266-5768

Kaneyama Japanese Restaurant

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This Westchase institution's soy ramen is one component of a large menu of traditional dishes, which makes Kaneyama the rare spot where, although the sushi is reliable, it's easy to pass on it and sample other dishes.
9527 Westheimer Rd, Houston, TX 77063
(713) 784-5168
(713) 784-5168

Cafe Kubo

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Cafe Kubo serves three varieties of ramen after 5:00 p.m. during the week and all day on the weekends. In a 2011 review, Press critic Katharine Shilcutt praised Cafe Kubo's ramen, which indicates it's worth the drive to Chinatown to sample it.
9889 Bellaire Blvd, Ste 234, Houston, TX 77036
(713) 995-4200
(713) 995-4200

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Soma

4820 Washington Ave, Houston, TX 77007
Chef Gabe Medina's Texas ramen with barbecue pulled pork won the people's choice award at the recent Go Pig or Go Home chef competition. Soma serves six different kinds of ramen, including black bean and seafood.
4820 Washington Ave, Houston, TX 77007
(713) 861-2726
(713) 861-2726

Goro & Gun

306 Main, Houston, TX 77002
This downtown restaurant's has tweaked its recipes and broadened its offerings. There are three kinds on the menu now, veggie, miso and pork, with a host of add-ons and upgrades.
306 Main, Houston, TX 77002

Nippon Japanese Restaurant

4464 Montrose Blvd, Houston, TX 77006
This small Montrose institution serves soy, pork and miso ramen. Beware the tiny parking lot and be prepared to park on the other side of Montrose.
4464 Montrose Blvd, Houston, TX 77006
(713) 523-3939
(713) 523-3939

Fat Bao

3419 Kirby Drive, Houston, TX 77098
The steamed-bun restaurant has started running Tonkotsu ramen as a Monday-night special. Follow the restaurant's Facebook page for updates.
3419 Kirby Drive, Houston, TX 77098
(713) 677-0341
(713) 677-0341

Kata Robata

3600 Kirby Dr, Houston, TX 77098
Not to be outdone by former sous chef Gabe Medina, Kata's chef Hori-san is serving a pork-based Tonkotsu on his lunch menu. It's earned praise from some Ramen in Common members for being more authentic than Soma's offerings.
3600 Kirby Dr, Houston, TX 77098
(713) 526-8858
(713) 526-8858

Jenni's Noodle House

2027 Post Oak, Houston, TX 77056
With four ramen varieties, including pineapple and ginger beef, there's nothing traditional about Jenni's noodles. For those looking for variety, it's worth checking out.
2027 Post Oak, Houston, TX 77056
(713) 621-4200
(713) 621-4200

Teppay Japanese Restaurant

6516 Westheimer Road, Houston, TX 77057
Teppay is among Houston's most traditional Japanese restaurants, and the restaurant's tonkotsu and wafu ramen are known for their authenticity. Some Yelpers complain about a lack of toppings, but the broth is always solid.
6516 Westheimer Road, Houston, TX 77057
(713) 789-4506
(713) 789-4506

Sasaki

8979 Westheimer Rd, Houston, TX
Sasaki is another traditional Japanese restaurant with tonkotsu ramen on the menu. The broth earns praise, and the price is very reasonable.
8979 Westheimer Rd, Houston, TX
(713) 266-5768
(713) 266-5768

Kaneyama Japanese Restaurant

9527 Westheimer Rd, Houston, TX 77063
This Westchase institution's soy ramen is one component of a large menu of traditional dishes, which makes Kaneyama the rare spot where, although the sushi is reliable, it's easy to pass on it and sample other dishes.
9527 Westheimer Rd, Houston, TX 77063
(713) 784-5168
(713) 784-5168

Cafe Kubo

9889 Bellaire Blvd, Ste 234, Houston, TX 77036
Cafe Kubo serves three varieties of ramen after 5:00 p.m. during the week and all day on the weekends. In a 2011 review, Press critic Katharine Shilcutt praised Cafe Kubo's ramen, which indicates it's worth the drive to Chinatown to sample it.
9889 Bellaire Blvd, Ste 234, Houston, TX 77036
(713) 995-4200
(713) 995-4200

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