Unique ramen restaurants in Bangkok
where ramen lovers unite to experience authentic Japanese noodles
Ramen has been the staple food of Japan since the late 19th Century, introduced by Chinese immigrants living in Yokohama Chinatown. The word “ra” comes from a Chinese word, and the word “men” means “noodles” in Japanese. It is a simple dish consisting of a meat or fish-based broth, seaweed, chewy noodles, green onions, boiled eggs, and various toppings.
Ramen arrival in Thailand
The popularity of Japanese cuisine, including ramen, has grown significantly worldwide in recent years, and Thailand is no exception. Due to globalization and cultural exchange, ramen has been introduced to Thai people by Japanese restaurants and chefs who moved to Thailand for job opportunities in the early 2000s. And due to many Japanese companies investing in Thailand, a lot of Japanese ex-pats and businesspeople have brought their food culture with them.
As Thai food culture is diverse and open to new foreign food, ramen has become famous in Thailand and also Thai chefs are customizing the ramen dish into a unique Thai-style ramen dish that appeals to local customers.
There are now a lot of ramen restaurants offering various styles of dishes, noodles, broth, and toppings. Especially Bangkok is filled with many Japanese cuisine restaurants, ranging from high-end ramen to street food ones. So, if you are lost and confused about which ramen to try, here are the most unique ramen restaurants in Bangkok that are serving unique and slurp-worthy ramen dishes.
5 most special ramen restaurants in Bangkok
RockMen 69
Address: 44, 11 Soi Akapat Sukhumvit 55 Rd, Khwaeng Khlong Tan Nuea, Khet Watthana, Bangkok 10110
Opening hours: weekday, 12:00 PM – 3:00 PM, 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM
weekend, 12:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Located in the heart of Soi Padimadee Klang, 69 Rockmen has been serving authentic, clear chicken broth ramen for about two years now. Even though it is a small restaurant, Bangkok foodies have found their preference in the taste and the concept that this restaurant has offered. The restaurant has been flooded with long queues of customers due to its exclusiveness in the number of servings per day. Thus, it is recommended that customers wait one hour before the opening time.
The number “69” from the restaurant name means the concept of serving 69 people per day and the number of servings is divided between lunch and dinner. Thus, ramen lovers are fighting to get a seat in this restaurant to experience the live show of chefs making your orders right in front of your table!
The signature dish that will warm up your soul is Shio Ramen A, priced at 290 baht. It has a clear but rich soup along with chewy noodles, cha shu pork, Chinese spinach, and green onions for appearance. It’s a simple but divine dish that has a bit of umami flavour and fragrance from the flour of the noodles. It’s a bowl for starters who are just beginning to discover Japanese cuisine.
Bankara Ramen – The Manor
Address: The Manor 32/1 Soi Sukhumvit 39, Klongtin Nue Watthana, Bangkok 10110
Opening hours: daily, 11:00 AM – 10:30 PM
Bankara is a franchise of a famous Japanese Ramen chain from Tokyo, with the promise to bring a real taste of ramen to its customers. It offers four basic types of ramen to choose from, depending on the various ingredients used in the broth. There are Bankara original ramen, Tonkotsu ramen, Tsukemen, and Miso ramen. Each dish can be personalized to your liking, by adding additional toppings like pork, corn, seaweed, veggies, and different-sized noodles. They also have other special dishes such as Kakuni, and Japanese braised pork.
The Bankara original ramen dish is a must-try that is rich, and creamy, and the fragrance of miso butter will make you feel all the good flavours that a good ramen dish has. The broth is based on tonkotsu flavour with thin layers of braised pork that have been marinated for long hours. All of this combined, this ramen has a lot of flavour punches that will solve your craving for ramen. It is best for those people who enjoy heavy umami flavour and chewy noodles.
Hachiban Ramen, No.8 Ramen
Opening hours: Daily, 10:00 AM – 10:00 PM
Address: CentralWorld Plaza 6th floor, Ratchadamri Rd, Pathum Wan, Bangkok 10330
The first branch of Hachiban Ramen originated on Highway 8 Kaga, Ishikawa, Japan by Mr. Choji Goto. It is well known for its intense taste of soup, and the chewiness of soft sticky noodles. The name “Hachiban” was named after Highway 8, because “Hachi” in the Japanese language means number eight. The logo represents an infinity sign when looked at horizontally and a number eight when looked at vertically.
Hachiban Ramen opened its first branch in Thailand on 25 October 1991 and now to this present date, Hachiban Ramen has opened over 150 branches across Thailand. It offers Japanese ramen at an affordable price, with carefully selected ingredients, and its dishes are well-known for its unique “Hachikama” which means fish balls with a design number 8 in each bowl.
Hachiban ramen has customized ramen dishes for Thailand foodies as well such as Tomyung kung ramen which has a spicy flavour, topped with some shrimp, and mushrooms. This dish is well enjoyed by a lot of local customers and also foreign customers as well and you should at least try it once when you arrive at the Hachiban restaurant!
Menya Itto BKK
Address: 999 Ratchadamri Road 3rd Floor, Gaysorn Tower (New Building, Lumphini, Pathum Wan, Bangkok 10330
Opening hours: 11:00 AM – 9:00 PM
Menya Itto, a renowned ramen restaurant, first opened its doors in Shinkoiwa, Tokyo on June 18th, 2010. The name ‘Menya Itto’ is derived from an ancient proverb, with a literal translation of ‘Noodle Shop – One Lantern.’ This name serves as a metaphor, suggesting that a single small light can pave the way for others to shine, ultimately creating a brighter world.
At Menya Itto, the primary objective is to bring happiness to people through their exceptional ramen dishes. By embracing and promoting Menya Itto’s philosophy in Thailand, they strive to continue shining a light on the values and traditions that make the restaurant stand out in the world of ramen.
One of their signature dishes is Chashu Itto Tsukemen, with 3 types of chashu, chicken dumplings, and Karami, and a warming soup of a spicy blend of seafood and pork. Prices at Menya Itto BKK are typically between 215 THB and 385 THB.
Tsuta Thailand @ Central World
Address: Room No. A304, 3rd fl., Atrium Zone, Central World, Rama I Rd, Pathum Wan, Pathum Wan District Bangkok, Thailand 10330
Opening hours: 10:00 AM – 10:00 PM
Tsuta Ramen is a world-renowned ramen restaurant that has a branch in Bangkok, originating from Tokyo. Tsuta Ramen is the world’s first Michelin-starred ramen eatery, making it a must-visit destination for ramen enthusiasts. The restaurant is known for its unique and flavorful Shoyu Soba, featuring a soy-based broth infused with truffle oil, along with tender slices of char siu and various toppings. Prices at Tsuta Ramen are around 200 to 350 THB per bowl, offering a high-quality dining experience at a reasonable price.
Now that you know some of the most unique ramen restaurants in Bangkok, it’s time to buckle up and go experience these unique and delicious ramen dishes!
If you want more information about Japanese ramen, check out our article on the 5 slurp-worth bowls of ramen in Bangkok.
