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Best ramen in Portland

Twelve ramen places that Portland locals recommend — the real reasons, and the caveats.

12 places

Map

The map and place list use the same cited directory records. Every public entry has a stable Maps We Made ID and geopoint.

Places

  1. 1.Kinboshi Ramen (SE Ankeny)

    54 people recommend, 6 warn against it

    Most people recommend Kinboshi Ramen, and some people each single out the tonkotsu red, the vegan bowls and the curry rice side. Some name the SE Ankeny shop, and one calls it their favorite ramen place near home, though says prices have gone up. Some people are less keen: one wonders whether quality has slipped, one found it underwhelming, and one thinks it is only average for the price.

  2. 2.Baka Umai, Hawthorne

    40 people recommend, 3 warn against it

    Most people recommend Baka Umai, and several point to its spicy options as a draw for spice lovers. Some people single out the tsukemen, and one says the hottest bowls are extreme even for spice lovers. Some say the reaper ramen is hotter than it is flavorful. People recommend the Baka Umai/Ramen Den brand; several comments name this Hawthorne shop, while several others are about its Northwest Ramen Den outlet.

    Hawthorne

    • RecommendsCalls it their favourite Portland ramen; reaper is hottest but less flavourful, habanero and ghost recommended. r/askportland, May 2024
    • CaveatSays the reaper ramen here was extremely hot, an intense experience worth warning about. r/askportland, May 2024

  3. 3.Ramen Ryoma (SW Morrison), Sw Morrison Downtown

    31 people recommend, 1 warns against it

    Many people recommend Ramen Ryoma, and several name its SW Morrison shop downtown. A few call it reasonably priced. Two people say they prefer its Beaverton branch to the downtown one. On the other side, one diner was underwhelmed next to Afuri and Matsunoki, and another ranks it solid but below their favorites. One diner finds its broth more flavorful than Kizuki's.

    Sw Morrison Downtown

  4. 4.Kayo's Ramen, North Williams

    28 people recommend

    Most people recommend Kayo's Ramen, and many name the tantan ramen as their pick, with several pointing to its vegan or vegetarian options. Some mention the tacos, and some name the North Williams shop. Heat is a caveat: some warn the spice levels bite, with one finding even medium intense. One diner who likes the broth dislikes paying extra for toppings, and another calls it a good spot but not traditional ramen, more Asian-Latin fusion.

    North Williams

  5. 5.Toya Ramen

    25 people recommend, 1 warns against it

    Most people recommend Toya Ramen, and several name it a favorite. Some call it the best ramen in town. Several describe it as upscale or pricey, and a couple say it was worth the cost, while one found it middling for the price. One diner suggests trying the shio or shoyu.

    • RecommendsRecommends Toya for a style that feels distinctly Portland, and would share it with Japanese friends. r/askportland, Jul 2025
    • CaveatFound the visit middling and poor value, admitting they may be the lone dissenter. r/ramen, Jul 2024

  6. 6.Tomo Ramen, Hawthorne

    18 people recommend, 1 warns against it

    Most diners recommend Tomo Ramen, and many name the Hawthorne location. Some diners praise the pork or chashu, some like the generous portions, and some find the room cozy or cute. One diner says the beef ramen is excellent, and one who goes to the Woodstock outlet calls it the best ramen in Portland. One diner dislikes the quail egg topping and says it keeps them away.

    Hawthorne

  7. 7.Matsunoki

    15 people recommend

    Many people recommend Matsunoki, and several call it a favorite or the best they have had. Two people single out the tonkotsu, and a couple mention the garlic bowl. One diner calls the vegan ramen very good, one places it fifth in a personal top five, and another calls it pretty good but ranks Ryoma higher. People recommend the brand across its outlets; this listing is the downtown Pine Street Market shop, which one commenter names.

    • RecommendsNames Matsunoki their favorite, praising a shoyu-style tonkotsu and a hot black garlic miso bowl. r/ramen, Apr 2026

  8. 8.Hapa Ramen

    15 people recommend, 1 warns against it

    Many commenters recommend Hapa Ramen, and some name the Gladstone and Caesar Chavez corner. Several call it great or a favorite. One commenter calls the chashu the best they have had, another singles out the shiitake mushrooms, and one names the G-Special. A caveat comes from one diner who found the chashu sliced badly and overcooked on a few visits.

  9. 9.Kizuki Ramen, Downtown

    13 people recommend, 1 warns against it

    Many diners recommend Kizuki, and several call it their top pick or favorite. A couple praise the tonkotsu, and one recommends the chicken tan tan for a downtown visitor. Some commenters recommend it for the downtown area, and one mentions its uptown outlet. Caveats: one diner found the broth thin on repeat visits but still called it good, and one disagrees with the praise while noting tastes vary.

    Downtown

  10. 10.Senyo by Ramen Ippo, Sellwood Cart

    8 people recommend

    Several people recommend Senyo by Ramen Ippo, a food cart off SE Milwaukie Ave, and several name it a favorite or top pick. Some diners praise the black garlic ramen, and one says its black garlic and tan tan bowls are both legitimate and the closest to ramen in Japan they have found in the city, noting it sits in a small cart pod with limited seating.

    Sellwood Cart

  11. 11.Fat Kitty Ramen

    6 people recommend

    Several people recommend Fat Kitty Ramen, a few after recent visits. Two people praise the generous pork belly, one finds the tonkotsu broth very rich, and one recommends the shiitake broth and okonomiyaki tots and says they see families with kids at dinner. One comment names the Alberta shop, and another mentions an SW outlet.

  12. 12.Mirakutei Ramen + Sushi, Portland Oregon

    6 people recommend, 1 warns against it

    Several people recommend Mirakutei Ramen + Sushi, most by name alone, and one ranks it above Kayo's and Ryoma. One of them says the Sapporo-style ramen was good on past visits but they have not been in ages, and another commenter feels it was once much better.

    Portland Oregon

Questions people ask

Which ramen places do Portland locals recommend most?
Right now the most-recommended are Kinboshi Ramen (SE Ankeny), Baka Umai, Hawthorne and Ramen Ryoma (SW Morrison), Sw Morrison Downtown, ranked by how many different people vouched for each one. Every place lists the reasons people gave and the caveats they raised, with a link to the original comment.
How is this list made?
It is built from public Reddit discussions — 195 comments from 186 people across r/askportland, r/ramen, r/PortlandFood and r/Portland. We paraphrase why each place is recommended, keep the negatives and caveats in, and link to the original comment so you can read the source yourself. We never invent details.
Are these paid placements?
No. Nothing here is sponsored, paid or ranked by a business. Places are included only because real people recommended them in public conversations, and every claim links back to its source.
How recent are these recommendations?
This map was last refreshed November 13, 2026. Recommendations reflect what people said at the time, so confirm current details directly before you rely on them.

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