This cult-favorite Tokyo ramen shop touched down with its first US outpost in 2015, and has been popular ever since. The tori paitan ramen remains a favorite, but the G.K.O. (Garlic Knock Out) is another popular favorite for those who enjoy a punch of garlic in their soup (see what they did there?).

Ippudo, a respected Japanese chain, has landed in the Bay Area with locations in San Francisco, Berkeley, and Cupertino. The menu spans a few different styles, both “modern” and “classic,” but the shop is probably still best known for its 18-hour “Shiromaru Classic” tonkotsu.

Hinodeya’s house ramen, made with a dashi-based broth and whole-wheat noodles, is quite popular, as is its bountiful, vegetable-topped “Zen” ramen — one of the better vegan ramen options in the city. Hinodeya has locations in both Japantown and FiDi.

When it first opened in 2017 this Japantown spot drew long lines for its hot bowls of rich, Hakata-style ramen — marked, broadly speaking, by its thin noodles and creamy tonkotsu broth. The shop is also known for its deluxe chicken paitan, which is available in limited quantities and comes with a chashu chicken breast.

It’s unclear when Clint and Yoko Tan’s uber-hyped church of noodles will really be open for service. Seemingly, the award-winning couple is waiting on a few permits and repairs though for now, interested parties can get a taste on specific dates (reservations available on Tock). Expect ramen-tasting menus full of A5 Wagyu and crispy karaage.

Soy sauce paitan is the signature style at this Hayes Valley ramen restaurant, whose parent company owns more than 200 ramen shops in Japan. The paitan base can come supplemented with corn, spicy miso, and other add-ons, and includes a whole slow-braised chicken leg.

Iza’s most popular ramen dish is its tsukemen — the soupless style, served with a concentrated dipping broth. But the restaurant’s standard ramen, which has a hybrid pork, chicken, and dashi-based broth, is also perfectly solid.

This snug storefront on 16th Street in Mission Dolores swings open to warm wood interiors. The kitchen simmers the broth for 16 hours, with tonkotsu, roasted garlic, shoyu, and veggie miso variations, and spiciness ranges from “No Spicy” to “Goku Spicy.” In addition to ramen, there are small plates such as takoyaki octopus balls and taiyaki fish-shaped cakes.

If you’re looking to try a different style of ramen broth, which can skew more toward chicken and pork, Ushi Taro will instead tempt you into trying its beef broth ramen. Go for the paitan if you’re looking for something more classic, but there are other ramen takes to explore, such as the oxtail tomato ramen, if you’re so inclined. If you’re a fan of roasted bone marrow, there’s an option to add it as a flavorful side.

Esteemed ramen chef Masayasu Sakaguchi deemed San Mateo worthy of his first ramen outpost in the United States. Then in spring 2022, the restaurateur decided the former Mau space on Valencia Street was right for a second location. Nakano-style tsukemen, cold ramen noodles that are dipped into hot broth, remain the main draw.

Coco’s is a cozy black-and-red izakaya with lanterns glowing from the windows on upper Mission as it crosses into Bernal. The home-style ramen comes in eight different types of broth, from classic tonkotsu to miso and curry bases, with options to add on garlic or black garlic, and customize spiciness levels.