Kyoto ramen guide post study abroad

I lived in Kyoto for around three months and tried 57+ bowls in and around the city. I decided to do a top 10 restaurant ranking because it’s something I wish I had coming in.

Just to preface, I have a bias toward tsukemen and thick, rich, heavy ramen.

1. Ramen Bishiya – Pictures 1 and 2

Located in a ramen hotspot called Ichijoji. Open for lunch and dinner, and as long as you don’t go during peak times, there shouldn’t be a line.

Their tsukemen was by far my most eaten bowl in Kyoto. It’s neck and neck with Kirari for the best tsukemen I’ve ever had. IMO, Kirari’s dipping soup and noodles are a bit better, but the toppings and value at Bishiya give it the edge for me (1,350 yen for a choice between 200 or 300g of noodles, three large chashu pieces with more in the dipping sauce, ajitama, and free finishing rice).

The noodles for the tsukemen are on the thicker and flatter side and are perfect for the extremely rich, punchy tonkotsu gyokai broth. The addition of raw onions adds a nice sweetness to cut through the rich, salty broth.

The standard ramen is also at the top of my list. It’s a rich and salty iekei-style bowl. The noodles are thinner than in the tsukemen and absorb the flavor of the broth well.

I would also like to mention the house garlic they keep on the tables here. It is probably my favorite table condiment from any shop. If you like garlic, just pile it into your bowl to level up the flavor and intensity.

2. Tsukemen Kirari – Picture 3 (original tsukemen)

It’s a tsukemen specialty shop down in Fushimi. It’s only open for lunch, and you will most likely have to wait in line.

I love the noodles here. They’re perfectly thick and bouncy with the right amount of chew. The dipping broth is also top-notch, with a similar deep and rich flavor to Bishiya but with a bit more sweetness.

I went here twice and got the original tsukemen with the special toppings and the shrimp tsukemen. The second time, I did not get the toppings because IMO the chashu is not great and there are some weird fatty parts. However, the cubed pork in the soup is absolutely fantastic.

The original tsukemen was the standout for me. The shrimp was good, but not as good as the original for me. The table condiments here are also top-notch. They have fresh garlic you can squeeze into the sauce and pickled garlic for something more mild. There are also two kinds of vinegar, a citrus vinegar and chili vinegar, which are fun to eat with the noodles.

There are also microwaves available to reheat the soup and dashi in pitchers on the table for soup wari.

3. Menya Gokkei – Pictures 4 and 5 (standard and spicy)

Also located in Ichijoji. Probably one of the most famous shops in the area and the highest rated on Tabelog. Open continuously for lunch and dinner. Expect a wait if you don’t go during an off time.

The broth here is very thick and sludgy. The noodles and your spoon will sit on top of the broth. Despite this, it’s not super heavy, and it’s easy to finish a bowl (and the broth) without feeling disgusting. The flavor is the deepest chicken/umami flavor you can imagine. The noodles are somewhat thin and bouncy, and the broth clings to them nicely after you mix everything. The toppings here are fine, nothing special. I definitely recommend pairing it with rice and finishing the broth with a rice porridge.

I’ve ordered the original, the spicy, the black garlic, and the shrimp. They’re all really good and very similar. The spicy looks crazy, but honestly, you can’t even taste the pepper that much. The black garlic is good, but it’s just oil drizzled on top, so it doesn’t change the flavor too much. Same thing with the shrimp; they just dust it in shrimp powder.

4. Ramen Mugyu Vol. 2 – Picture 6

Located in Karasuma. Open continuously through lunch and dinner. There’s frequently a line, but you can get lucky, and it typically moves pretty fast.

I’ve tried every bowl here. They have a dark soy sauce broth, a thick tori paitan, a lighter shio? broth (I can’t remember), and mazesoba.

My favorite is by far the dark soy sauce broth. The broth has insane depth and a lot of rich chicken and soy flavor despite not being thick or heavy. It’s probably the best example on this list of a bowl that gets an insane amount of flavor without relying on a super-concentrated broth.

The noodles are thin and work really well with the soup. The chashu here is also some of my favorite in Kyoto. It’s sliced very thin, but you get a lot of it, and it has a great roasted pork flavor.

The tori paitan is also very good and much richer. If you like Gokkei but want something a little less extreme, I think this is a good option. The other bowls are good too, but I would definitely get the dark soy sauce ramen on a first visit.

5. Menya Sanda (picture 7)

Located within walking distance of Saiin Station. Open for lunch and dinner. Expect a line if you go during peak times.

Another tsukemen specialty shop. Sanda is famous for a thick and rich chicken dipping sauce made using only chicken and water. The dipping sauce reminded me a lot of the flavor you get at Menya Gokkei. It’s very thick and basically an umami bomb. The broth clings to the noodles perfectly.

The noodles are fairly thick and flat with a softer, bouncier texture than some of the other tsukemen shops on this list. They work really well with how concentrated the dipping broth is.

This is probably the best option on the list if you specifically want chicken-based tsukemen rather than tonkotsu gyokai. The broth is extremely rich, but the chicken flavor still comes through very clearly.

6. Tentenyu (picture 8)

Also located in Ichijoji and one of the more classic Kyoto ramen shops on this list. Sometimes has a very very long line but I got in with no line around 1pm?

The bowl here is much more traditional than places like Gokkei or Bishiya, but it’s still rich and flavorful. The broth is pretty chicken forward with a pork flavor with a good amount of body, and the noodles are on the thinner side.

This was one of those bowls that didn’t necessarily have one crazy element that stood out, but everything worked really well together. The noodles are perfect for the soup: very thin and bouncy. The spicy miso on the table was a nice addition to the soup too.

7. Jukuo Gundan (picture 9)

Another Ichijoji shop and often cited as the originator of the heavy tonkotsu gyokai tsukemen in the Kyoto area. It’s a tsukemen and mazesoba specialty shop with large portions, very popular with college students.

Small shop so expect to wait a bit, especially if you go during peak times.

The dipping broth is extremely thick, rich, and concentrated. It’s closer to the Bishiya/Kirari end of the spectrum, but the toppings are cooked inside the broth. The noodles really stood out to me here. They were thick but had a firmer bite and more snap than most of the other tsukemen noodles I tried.

That contrast between the very heavy dipping soup and firmer noodles is what made the bowl memorable for me. It feels like both the noodles and broth were designed specifically around each other rather than just being two good components put together.

Also be careful when ordering here the portions are very large. I went twice and accidentally ordered a large the second time and was slightly overwhelmed (don’t know if the picture does it justice but it was a ridiculous amount of noodles — maybe 400g?)

If you like really rich tsukemen but prefer noodles with more bite instead of a super-soft, mochi-like texture, this is definitely worth trying.

8. Kyoto Tori Paitan Soba Jun (picture 10)

If you like tori paitan, this is another shop I would definitely recommend.

Located around karasuma Oike, line is never too bad ina pretty residential area.

The broth is thick, creamy, and very chicken-forward, but it isn’t nearly as extreme as Gokkei. It’s much easier to drink like a normal bowl of ramen while still having a lot of richness and body.

The whole bowl is very polished and balanced. The noodles work well with the creamy broth, and it’s a good option for someone who wants to try a richer chicken ramen without going straight to something as ridiculous as Gokkei.

I would especially recommend this one if you’re with someone who likes a rich yet bright ramen but doesn’t want to be weighed down by a rich bowl like some of the others on the list.

Also they have I think 3 or 4 different types of vinegar as table condiments that make a very interesting eating experience!

9. Menya Yuko (picture 11 oyster ramen, picture 12 dark soy sauce ramen)

I tried several bowls here, including their standard soy sauce ramen, dark soy sauce ramen, and one of their award-winning bowls I think it was oyster broth.

Also near karasuma Oike. Definitely expect to wait 20+ minutes here on of the busiest shops in Kyoto.

My favorite was the standard soy sauce ramen. Compared with most of the restaurants higher on my list, the broth is much lighter and cleaner, but it still has an insane amount of depth.

The dark soy version is also very good if you want something with a stronger soy flavor. The noodles are relatively thin and work well with the lighter broth.

It is a little expensive and very busy but I suppose that’s to be expected of such a famous shop.

10. Ramenya Tamin (picture 13)

Unfortunately the owner is closing the shop at the end of this year. His tsukemen is extremely good, taking inspiration from jukuo Gundan. I wish I’d discovered this shop earlier as there is also a rich ramen on the menu I wanted to try.

I think the shop has been getting more traction since it’s closing soon but shouldn’t be a crazy line here.

The dipping broth is extremely rich and concentrated and feels much more experimental than a lot of the other bowls I tried. It’s another shop where the relationship between the noodles and the broth is a huge part of the experience.

The noodles are thick and designed to carry a lot of soup, while the broth is concentrated enough that you don’t need to completely drown the noodles in it. It’s a very heavy bowl but still has a lot of actual flavor beyond just being fatty or thick.

I also tried the chuka soba here (ordered on accident lol), and to be honest, I was not a fan. The noodles were too thick and the soup was not particularly tasty.

This is probably one of the less obvious recommendations on the list, but if you like extremely rich tsukemen and have already tried some of the more famous spots, I think it’s definitely worth going out of your way for.

There were quite a few shops I didn’t make it to in Kyoto that were on my list. Let me know if anyone has thoughts or questions wanted to put this out there to maybe help any ramen heads planning a trip to Kyoto.