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A bowl of vegetarian ramen topped with nori and mushrooms on a wooden table.
Vegetarian ramen from Menya Hosaki.
Anne D. Kim/For Menya Hosaki

14 Essential Ramen Bars Around D.C.

The best bowls to chase away the chill in the D.C. area

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Vegetarian ramen from Menya Hosaki.
|Anne D. Kim/For Menya Hosaki

When it comes to ramen, D.C. has an embarrassment of riches. With long-running noodle bars, newcomers making a name for themselves, and global chains touching down, the area has a bit of everything. The restaurants on this list are reliable bets for a variety of ramen riffs, including varying flavors, broths, and toppings.

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Ren's Ramen

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This small, longstanding shop just outside the Beltway specializes in hearty, Sapporo-style ramen suitable for a whole meal (or two). The ambiance is special with handwritten menus on the walls and a floor crowded with two-top tables. Ren’s is cash-only.

Qu Japan

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College Park’s Qu Japan dishes generous ramen bowls fit for students. The signature Qu Ramen features tonkotsu broth filled with roast pork, chicken, shrimp, and fish cake to go with bean sprouts, bok choy, bamboo shoots, wood ear mushrooms, corn, scallions, egg, and nori.

Qu Japan [Official Photo]

Menya Hosaki

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This relative newcomer to Petworth pays careful attention to the details when it comes to ramen. Find classics like tantanmen and tonkatsu, riffs like truffle shoyu and a “triple threat” with three broths blended, and two vegetarian options (one is vegan).Hoursare somewhat limited.

A bowl of vegetarian ramen topped with nori and mushrooms on a wooden table.
Vegetarian ramen from Menya Hosaki
Anne D. Kim/For Menya Hosaki

Hokkaido Ramen Santouka

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This massive chain out of Japan touched down in Tysons only a couple years ago, but its pearly white broth served in a cozy, brick-lined dining room has been around since the 1980s when the Santouka was founded in Asahikawa, Hokkaido. The specialty is the white tonkotsu soup.

A ramen bowl with a red spicy broth.
Ramen from Hokkaido Ramen Santuoka.
Hokkaido Ramen Santouka/Facebook

Akira Ramen & Izakaya DC

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Serving traditional Japanese fare including ramen, udon, and buckwheat soba noodles, the location offers eight ramen varieties, including one topped with karaage, or Japanese fried chicken.

Sakuramen

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在亞當斯摩根已經變得這地下室餐館e a staple known for melding different styles of ramen. Sakuramen has a whopping 12 ramen bowl options, including a vegetable-broth variety, a Korean bowl with bulgogi, and a spicy red tonkotsu — and optional toppings like bacon, kimchi, and cheese.

Haikan

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The sibling restaurant to Daikaya in Chinatown, Haikan has become a go-to for clear, delicate chintan broth. The vegetarian ramen is particularly popular here, and small plates like Old Bay crab rangoons or mapo tofu poutine make for great appetizers. Haikan’s location next-door to Atlantic Plumbing Cinema and right by 9:30 Club also makes it a popular stop for pre- or post-movie and concert meals.

Chaplin's Restaurant

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This ramen bar with a 1930s vibe has an option for gluten-free noodles and sources pork from Catoctin Mountain Farm in Maryland. The patio here is packed with outdoor diners, even in the winter.

A bowl of ramen on a wood table with spoon and chopsticks.
Ramen from Chaplin’s.
Chaplin’s

Toki Underground

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Toki Underground bills itself as D.C.’s original ramen house. It serves one of the most famous bowls of ramens in town, a Taipei curry bowl with fried chicken, among more classic dishes.

A bowl of chicken ramen with toppings.
Taipei curry chicken ramen from Toki Underground.
Toki Underground

Daikaya

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Since opening in 2013, Daikaya has remained a go-to for ramen lovers in D.C. The fast-paced shop on the first floor doles out traditional broths with salty shio, shoyu (dark soy sauce), and white miso bases (add pork to the vegan ramen for a sacrilicious option). The company has its ownspecial noodle recipecourtesy of their distributor in Japan.

An overhead look at Daikaya’s cooking station.
Daikaya’s ramen cooking station.
Photo:R. Lopez/Eater DC

Bantam King

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Located in a former Burger King location, this ramen joint from the Daikaya team is explicitly focused on chicken ramen (not to mention Japanese fried chicken). Don’t miss out on the (vegetarian) tantanmen, which packs an appealing heat.

Ramen from Bantam King on a wood counter with silverware.
Ramen from Bantam King.
Farrah Skeiky/Bantam King

Kaiju Ramen

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This newcomer on Barracks Row is all over the place when it comes to flavors: the ebirch ramen features lobster broth and roasted lobster; the wagyula includes, naturally, wagyu beef (with a $65.95 price tag to match), and other bowls feature ingredients like grated cheese and squid ink.

Basebowl Ramen

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Steps away to Nationals Park, Basebowl’s claim to fame is an 18-inch bowl of ramen brimming with eight ounces of ribeye, jumbo shrimp, bean sprouts, corn, seaweed, purple cabbage, sugar snap peas, and agaric mushrooms. It’s a two person dish to share ($38). The spot has plenty of more standard size options as well, like wonton ramen. Extra toppings cover all the bases, from ghost pepper to shrimp tempura.

Marumen

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Virginia’s top destination for ramen has all the standard versions, from shio to shoyu, as well as some interesting options including curry ramen, a chilled brothless spicy mazemen and an “army” ramen spiked with spam.

Ren's Ramen

This small, longstanding shop just outside the Beltway specializes in hearty, Sapporo-style ramen suitable for a whole meal (or two). The ambiance is special with handwritten menus on the walls and a floor crowded with two-top tables. Ren’s is cash-only.

Qu Japan

College Park’s Qu Japan dishes generous ramen bowls fit for students. The signature Qu Ramen features tonkotsu broth filled with roast pork, chicken, shrimp, and fish cake to go with bean sprouts, bok choy, bamboo shoots, wood ear mushrooms, corn, scallions, egg, and nori.

Qu Japan [Official Photo]

Menya Hosaki

This relative newcomer to Petworth pays careful attention to the details when it comes to ramen. Find classics like tantanmen and tonkatsu, riffs like truffle shoyu and a “triple threat” with three broths blended, and two vegetarian options (one is vegan).Hoursare somewhat limited.

A bowl of vegetarian ramen topped with nori and mushrooms on a wooden table.
Vegetarian ramen from Menya Hosaki
Anne D. Kim/For Menya Hosaki

Hokkaido Ramen Santouka

This massive chain out of Japan touched down in Tysons only a couple years ago, but its pearly white broth served in a cozy, brick-lined dining room has been around since the 1980s when the Santouka was founded in Asahikawa, Hokkaido. The specialty is the white tonkotsu soup.

A ramen bowl with a red spicy broth.
Ramen from Hokkaido Ramen Santuoka.
Hokkaido Ramen Santouka/Facebook

Akira Ramen & Izakaya DC

Serving traditional Japanese fare including ramen, udon, and buckwheat soba noodles, the location offers eight ramen varieties, including one topped with karaage, or Japanese fried chicken.

Sakuramen

在亞當斯摩根已經變得這地下室餐館e a staple known for melding different styles of ramen. Sakuramen has a whopping 12 ramen bowl options, including a vegetable-broth variety, a Korean bowl with bulgogi, and a spicy red tonkotsu — and optional toppings like bacon, kimchi, and cheese.

Haikan

The sibling restaurant to Daikaya in Chinatown, Haikan has become a go-to for clear, delicate chintan broth. The vegetarian ramen is particularly popular here, and small plates like Old Bay crab rangoons or mapo tofu poutine make for great appetizers. Haikan’s location next-door to Atlantic Plumbing Cinema and right by 9:30 Club also makes it a popular stop for pre- or post-movie and concert meals.

Chaplin's Restaurant

This ramen bar with a 1930s vibe has an option for gluten-free noodles and sources pork from Catoctin Mountain Farm in Maryland. The patio here is packed with outdoor diners, even in the winter.

A bowl of ramen on a wood table with spoon and chopsticks.
Ramen from Chaplin’s.
Chaplin’s

Toki Underground

Toki Underground bills itself as D.C.’s original ramen house. It serves one of the most famous bowls of ramens in town, a Taipei curry bowl with fried chicken, among more classic dishes.

A bowl of chicken ramen with toppings.
Taipei curry chicken ramen from Toki Underground.
Toki Underground

Daikaya

Since opening in 2013, Daikaya has remained a go-to for ramen lovers in D.C. The fast-paced shop on the first floor doles out traditional broths with salty shio, shoyu (dark soy sauce), and white miso bases (add pork to the vegan ramen for a sacrilicious option). The company has its ownspecial noodle recipecourtesy of their distributor in Japan.

An overhead look at Daikaya’s cooking station.
Daikaya’s ramen cooking station.
Photo:R. Lopez/Eater DC

Bantam King

Located in a former Burger King location, this ramen joint from the Daikaya team is explicitly focused on chicken ramen (not to mention Japanese fried chicken). Don’t miss out on the (vegetarian) tantanmen, which packs an appealing heat.

Ramen from Bantam King on a wood counter with silverware.
Ramen from Bantam King.
Farrah Skeiky/Bantam King

Kaiju Ramen

This newcomer on Barracks Row is all over the place when it comes to flavors: the ebirch ramen features lobster broth and roasted lobster; the wagyula includes, naturally, wagyu beef (with a $65.95 price tag to match), and other bowls feature ingredients like grated cheese and squid ink.

Basebowl Ramen

Steps away to Nationals Park, Basebowl’s claim to fame is an 18-inch bowl of ramen brimming with eight ounces of ribeye, jumbo shrimp, bean sprouts, corn, seaweed, purple cabbage, sugar snap peas, and agaric mushrooms. It’s a two person dish to share ($38). The spot has plenty of more standard size options as well, like wonton ramen. Extra toppings cover all the bases, from ghost pepper to shrimp tempura.

Marumen

Virginia’s top destination for ramen has all the standard versions, from shio to shoyu, as well as some interesting options including curry ramen, a chilled brothless spicy mazemen and an “army” ramen spiked with spam.

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