Though Hironori may have started in Irvine, California more than six years ago, it’s made quite the name for itself with three Bay Area locations — two of which are in the South Bay. The restaurant is known for homemade noodles, broths, and sauces. Hironori’s tonkotsu ramen is served with hand-crafted noodles and prepared with a pork bone broth that’s simmered for more than 24 hours before being topped with bean sprouts, green onion, spinach, a half egg, seaweed, wood ear mushrooms, and chashu pork. The vegan ramen is also a popular choice, as it’s served with a surprisingly umami-filled sesame miso broth.

There’s truly something for everyone at family-owned ramen shop Men-Bei, which is known for its plethora of unique ramen options. The signature bowl, the Men-Bei Ramen, is strikingly heavy on garlic and pork, while the wonton ramen includes a generous portion of pork dumplings in the soup. The curry ramen is another fan-favorite for its savory, beefy flavor, while the gomoku is prepared with a light, clean broth with an assortment of Chinese cabbage, shrimp, and pork. For those who are feeling a little more hungry, you can upgrade any bowl to a large size for $3.

In San Jose’s Japantown, the quaint but inviting Kumako Ramen offers all the expected staples including shio, shoyu, and tonkotsu, which has pork broth that’s noticeably lighter than usual. But for something with a bit more kick, try the Mabo Ramen, which comes with ground pork, tofu, and a sour, spicy broth, or the Chili Ramen with cilantro, corn, scallions, and spicy ground pork in Southwestern-style broth. The options at Kumako clearly run the gamut, as the shop even offers low-sodium ramen and chilled ramen in the summertime. The handmade gyoza is also a hit. 

In a modest Santa Clara strip mall, you’ll find Orenchi, a Japanese restaurant specializing in ramen and small bites. Though it can get busy, customers who make it off the waitlist tend to gravitate toward bar seating to get closer to the action. The shop offers a comprehensive menu of ramen and izakaya staples. Though Orenchi is most well-known for classic tonkotsu, you can’t go wrong with the lighter shio and shoyu options, and the tsukemen is also another popular choice. The duo of ramen and karaage is always a hit.

If you don’t mind a line, then Ramen Nagi is a solid option for flavorful ramen and a dynamic dining experience. With bar seating and an open kitchen, the restaurant is small but welcoming. 

The shop is acclaimed for its highly customizable menu, as diners are able to choose the levels of salt, broth density, noodle doneness, selection of meat, and extra toppings. The Original King, followed by the Red, Black, and Green King, are some of the most commonly ordered bowls of ramen, which each embody different flavor profiles as varied iterations of classic tonkotsu ramen. 

Ramen Hajime exemplifies an incredibly detailed approach to ramen. All the noodles are made in-house, using 10 different types of cutters to achieve the optimal thickness for the flavor of broth they’re served in. The shop prides itself on its monthly specials, which range from seafood-based scallop ramen to miso ramen with a load of toppings and diced chashu pork. Though the shop has served 14 special ramen versions to date, the tried-and-true tonkotsu remains the best seller. Some of the ramen bowls are infused with a black garlic sauce that’s smoked with Jack Daniels chips. 

A quaint, cozy spot in San Jose, Kahoo Ramen serves a thoughtful assortment of miso-based ramen with egg noodles. Though the broth is light, it doesn’t skimp out on flavor or depth. The signature miso ramen is rather simple, but the black garlic miso ramen takes the umami up a notch with black garlic oil, while the crab miso ramen is, of course, topped with fresh crab meat. If you’re craving a heftier bowl, you can’t go wrong with the Ultimate Ramen — miso ramen topped with a crispy, deep-fried pork cutlet. 

Hokkaida Ramen Santouka is no stranger to those who frequent Mitsuwa, the Japanese grocery store. Located in the food court, the stand consistently serves quality bowls of ramen with broth made in-house from scratch. It’s hard to believe the infamous chain started in Hokkaido in 1988 with a restaurant that had just nine seats and a single bowl of ramen on the menu. To this day, the most commonly ordered item remains the signature shio ramen, with its mild, creamy, savory broth that’s topped with a Japanese pickled plum.