Best Ramen in Minneapolis

Chef Matthew Kazama opened this counter-service ramen shop on Nicollet Avenue in 2015, and a decade later it remains the standard by which every other bowl in the city is measured. The tonkotsu is the essential order — a 12-hour pork-bone-and-marrow broth that is impossibly rich, gelatinous, and deeply savory, topped with chashu pork, a soft-boiled egg, and thin noodles with the right amount of chew. The shoyu is lighter but just as deliberate, and the vegan ramen — built on garlic, ginger, shiitake, and kombu — is one of the rare plant-based bowls that does not feel like a concession. You order at the counter, grab a table letter, and the food arrives fast. No takeout, because Kazama-San knows noodles absorb broth and should be eaten immediately. Walk-in only. The 46-seat room fills up on weekends, so go early or be patient. Open Tuesday through Sunday.

Moto-i opened in 2008 as the first sake brewpub outside of Japan and the first American craft sake brewery, and the ramen has evolved into something genuinely worth the trip on its own. The kitchen serves modern, craveable bowls — rich tonkotsu, a miso ramen with depth and heat, and seasonal specials that rotate throughout the year — alongside an izakaya menu of small plates that reward ordering widely. The sake, brewed in-house using traditional Japanese methods, is the real differentiator. Pair a bowl of tonkotsu with a flight of junmai and you have a combination that no other restaurant in Minneapolis can replicate. The two-level space on Lyndale at the corner of Lake Street has both indoor and rooftop seating, and the atmosphere leans casual and inviting rather than precious. Happy hour is one of the better deals in the Lyn-Lake corridor. Reservations available through Tock.

Tenka is easy to walk past — a small storefront on West Lake Street with minimal signage and no social media hype machine — but the ramen inside is serious. The tonkotsu is thick and creamy with a clean pork flavor that builds as you eat, and the spicy miso brings real heat without burying the broth underneath chili oil. The noodles are cooked to order and arrive with the right springy bite. The menu is focused: a handful of ramen styles, a few appetizers, and that is it. No sushi, no bento boxes, no distractions. The room seats maybe thirty people, which means waits happen on Friday and Saturday nights, but the turnover is quick. Closed Mondays. Cash and card accepted. If you are looking for a no-frills bowl of properly executed ramen without the scene, Tenka is where you go. Open Tuesday through Saturday, 11 AM to 9 PM.

Staff Meeting operates inside the Eat Street Crossing food hall on Nicollet Avenue, and what Chefs Louross and Thai are doing with ramen here is unlike anything else in the city. The tonkotsu is rich and creamy in the traditional sense, but the kitchen layers in flavors drawn from Filipino heritage and Hawaiian street food culture — the result is a bowl that feels familiar and surprising at the same time. The drowned dumplings are a must-order side, and the portions across the board are generous. The food hall setting means counter service, communal seating, and a casual vibe that works for a quick lunch or a lingering dinner with friends. Eat Street Crossing also houses other vendors, so your group does not all have to eat ramen. Open seven days a week with slightly extended hours on weekends. The value here is excellent for the quality and portion size you get.

Ichiddo’s newest Minneapolis location on 1st Avenue NE opened in early 2026 after the Nicollet and Dinkytown locations both closed, and the Northeast outpost represents a fresh start for the chain. The ramen menu covers the classics — a rich tonkotsu, a clean shoyu, a bold miso, and a spicy option that builds real heat — with generous portions and well-prepared toppings including thick-cut chashu, soft-boiled egg, and fresh scallions. The izakaya side of the menu adds gyoza, takoyaki, and Japanese curry that make this a place where you can order well beyond the noodle bowl. The space is new and inviting, and the kitchen is still dialing in, but the fundamentals are solid. Liquor license was in progress at opening; check before you go if sake or beer matters to your visit. This is a chain with over 20 locations nationally, but the product is consistent and the price is fair.

Kyatchi is known primarily as a sushi restaurant, and deservedly so, but the ramen deserves more attention than it gets. The kitchen takes the same care with broth that it takes with fish — the shoyu is clean and layered, built from dashi and soy with a depth that rewards slow eating, and the seasonal specials reflect what is available rather than what is trendy. The noodles are well-textured and the toppings are precise. Kyatchi’s commitment to sustainable sourcing extends to the ramen program, which means the pork and chicken are responsibly raised and the vegetables are seasonal. The Nicollet Avenue location in Kingfield has a warm, neighborhood-restaurant feel that makes it easy to linger. Dinner only on weekdays, lunch and dinner on weekends. Reservations available through OpenTable. If you are already going for the sushi, add a bowl of ramen to the order — you will not regret it.

Wakame has been a southwest Minneapolis staple since 2009, and while the sushi and Thai curries get the most attention, the ramen is a legitimate reason to visit. The miso ramen is the strongest option — hearty, well-seasoned broth with a richness that holds up against the dedicated ramen shops on this list. The menu is enormous, spanning Japanese, Thai, Chinese, and Vietnamese traditions, which means not everything hits with equal precision, but the kitchen’s strength with noodle dishes is clear. The Excelsior Boulevard location has a casual-upscale atmosphere with both indoor seating and one of the better patios in the area when weather permits. Happy hour runs Monday through Saturday and is one of the better deals on the southwest side. Open seven days a week, late into the evening. A good pick when your group cannot agree on one cuisine and someone wants ramen.

Kajiken is the first Minnesota outpost of the mazesoba chain, and if you have never had brothless ramen, this is the place to start. Mazesoba strips away the soup and gives you thick, chewy noodles tossed in a concentrated sauce with toppings like chashu, a raw egg yolk, green onions, nori, and fish powder — you mix everything together at the table and the result is intensely flavorful, almost closer to a pasta than a traditional ramen bowl. The build-your-own option lets you customize the sauce intensity, noodle firmness, and toppings. They also offer a brothy ramen for traditionalists who want a more conventional bowl. The 66th Street location near the Richfield border is technically in the Diamond Lake neighborhood, and the space is clean and modern with quick counter service. Open daily from 11 AM to 10 PM. A welcome addition that expands what ramen means in Minneapolis beyond the standard tonkotsu-shoyu-miso rotation.