Best Ramen In Osaka

In order to help out those looking for good ramen in Osaka, I've broken down this page into two sections. The first are my favorite shops in the major areas in Osaka, and the second are my favorite of a given style, regardless of where they are.

Umeda

7.5Hz

Osaka's own style of ramen is Takaida-kei, a dark shoyu with thick noodles, pieces of menma, and lots of thickly cut green onions. 7.5Hz does a killer version, and while their flagship is out of the way, you can try their signature dish in their Umeda shop.

Mitsukabozu

The best miso in Osaka and one of the best bowls of ramen of any kind, Mitsukabozu Kamoshi, can be found by the Umeda Sky Building. They have rich white, and red miso ramen, in addition to a traditional Japanese-style seafood bowl and an all vegetables bowl.

Roran

Roran offers some of the best straight shoyu you can get in Osaka. It's smooth and salty in a balance so delicate it makes you want to keep slurping even after you've run out of noodles.

Yosuko

Stepping into Yosuko feels like stepping into the Japanese equivalent of an old diner. Counters are metal, and you're served a bowl of simple salt broth briskly. It won't leave your stomach in knots, which is a rare quantity with ramen.

Namba

Joroku

Joroku takes the Takaida-kei style of Osaka ramen to the next level. It's a gourmet touch on an old classic; they keep the shoyu soup just on the edge of being drinkable, and add a light pepper seasoning.

Men Life Taku

One of my all-time favorites, Men Life Taku shows just what can be done with chicken. They have both ramen and tsukemen made from chicken and seafood. If you fancy it enough to make return visits, I recommend the seasonal specials as well.

Bokkoshi

If you wondered what ramen would be like if it was just a little more like pasta, go to Bokkoshi. It's a thick chicken ramen, but the way they mix the creamy sauce with the flat noodles is a rare site.

Zundoya

Everyone who spends time in Namba learns to love Zundoya. Their specialty is a powerful tonkotsu, tuned to your liking. It's open 24 hours, so this is a prime stop for pre or post-drinking noodles.

Tonkotsu

Muteppo

Muteppo is a legend in Kansai. Their ramen is thick as tar, and you can smell the shop from a block away. This is not for the feint of stomach, but if you're willing to wait on line and take in tons of pork, Muteppo should not be missed.

Ramen Kozo

Like Muteppo, Kozo does not hold back on the pork fat. Their bowl has a bit more balance, though, and I've found that I can go there for repeat visits more readily. A relative newcomer to the Osaka scene, but one that shines above most others.

Cho Tonkotsu Nodo 8

Nodo 8 presents a rich tonkotsu that is still very drinkable. They have a system where in addition to being able to order more noodles, you can also get a flavored bowl of rice that changes up the flavor of your meal.

Shoyu

Kinguemon

Takaida-kei is the only original style of ramen in Osaka, and Kinguemon is perhaps the master of that style. In addition to their special Naniwa Black ramen, Kinguemon offers a couple other different kinds of shoyu ramen, all stellar.

Jet

Jet has two locations - one in Fukushima the other in Tamatsukuri - and both specialize in delicately balanced shoyu ramen. It's a simple pleasure, oily and peppery in good balance, with medium and firm noodles.

Yashichi

Yashichi offers a whole different kind of shoyu ramen from anything available at other restaurants. It's soup is cloudy and milky, with a richness that is not par for the course in shoyu ramen. The noodles, egg, and chashu are all top-notch.

Shio

Shiogensui

I've always been more of a fan of the thicker, more flavorful ramen, but Shiogensui is the shop that convinced me that light ramen could be just as impactful. It is easy to drink, but loaded with flavor that gets taken up easily by the soft noodles. Any shio lover in Osaka should stop here first.

Iizumi

Iizumi's shio is a model shio: simple and salty, with a welcome arrangement of additional flavors brought in by the toppings mixed in. It's a clear soup that takes a lot of notes from the sesame seeds and green onions sprinkled about.

Miso

Mitsukabozu

I know I mentioned this before in the Umeda section, but I will mention Mitsukabozu here again because it's that good. So many different varieties of miso ramen, all of them great. Go already!

Men to Hito

Good old classic miso ramen is something that does not seem to exist in Osaka. Thankfully Men to Hito was created, and now we have our standard-bearer. Rich, grainy miso soup, with thick noodles, and chashu. This is the place to come if you want to try a good rendition of standard miso ramen.