The Best Ramen in Portland All Broken Down by Soup Stock, Price, and Focus (Traditional/Fusion)

Featured image courtesy of Afuri Ramen

In the last couple of decades, this sansei/yonsei (3rd/4th generation) Japanese American has been living and traveling to Japan, Los Angeles, and Portland because I am always seeking out ramen (and a soul mate who is clown like, in a cheerful way, not in a creepy way).

The last time I rolled through Portland, I loved the city more than I liked Seattle, which was also my first time in the city. I was with my girlfriend from Japan, and while we were in Portland, she was on the lookout for coffee as an omiyage (food gift) for friends back in Japan, and I, of course, was seeking out food for myself (a food gift for my belly).

Compared to the rest of the country, it is great to see Portland heavy on chicken-based ramen, which I assume is due to Afuri’s influence. Without it, the PDX is like the rest of the US, where tonkotsu reigns supreme, so I want to highlight these spots in Portland (a lot of craft going on).
Also, a whole lot of fusion aka confusion going on too.

Photo Description: a bowl of vegan ramen by Kinboshi ramen. — I have not had this vegan bowl of ramen by Kinboshi yet, but I can tell by looking at it how smart/put together it is. Every other attempt I see of a vegan dish is a stereotype of vegan and vegetarian diners (tofu and a bunch of vegetables which is pathetic).

Never Risk Having a Bad Meal Ever Again (Not Guaranteed and Your Results May Vary, Just Like Dating)

Trying to decide on a ramen spot can be a major PITA if you are not the type to ever chance a bad meal (like myself). If that is also you, to minimize that risk (1st world problems), I have broken down almost all Portland metro ramen shops down into these categories:

The base stocks: pork, chicken, veggies, to seafood (katsuobushi, niboshi to scallop).
Focus on traditional Japanese flavors or Japanese inspired (fusion).
Types of ramen offered from Hokkaido style miso/butter ramen to a yuzu shio ramen.
A bowl of ramen pricing/range from a small bowl $6 to a fusion bowl upwards of $19.

Portland Metro Ramen Shop Offerings

Prices below are subject to change and the menu items featured are only meant to give you an approximation of the type of ramen offered/specialization (not comprehensive).

One style unique to Portland is “gekikara” or extra spicy, which utilizes habanero chili paste as one style (another is the use of hatches chili).
This should be a Colorado or New Mexico thing.

SOUP STOCK	SAMPLE MENU	PRICE RANGE
Afuri Ramen chicken fish veggie	• Yuzu Shio • Asari Shoyu • Yuzu Ratan • Tonkotsu • Tantanmen • Hazelnut Tantanmen	15 16 15 15 15 15
Akasaru Ramen chicken fish	• Shoyu • Miso • Spicy Coconut • Miso • Vegetarian	13 13 13 13 13
Baka Umai pork chicken duck (fusion AF)	• Carolina Reaper tonkotsu shoyu • Chorizo-men Tantan pork • Tonkotsu Hakata, pickled shiitake, mayu • Mala Miso Vegetarian	18.50 16 15 16
Boke Bowl pork (fusion)	• Pork Bone with slow smoked pulled pork. • Caramalized Fennel Dashi Japanese eggplant • Spicy Chicken Miso Dashi	14 13 16
Ippo Ramen chicken veggies *food truck	• Tomato/Chicken konbu broth, spinach, tomato, mozzarella cheese, cherry tomato • Tantan Men chicken and peanut butter miso • Vegan Potage vegetable broth with spinach, sweet corn bamboo, red ginger	10 11 10
Kayo’s Ramen Bar “Assari style” Veggie? Seafood? (fusion)	• Snow Ramen bone/vegan broth ginger, citrus, grated daikon • Shoyu Pineapple Ginger Wasabi Smoked Salmon	17 12 13 14
Kichinto Izakaya chicken seafood	• Shoyu Ramen • Yuzu Shio Ramen • Spicy Miso Ramen	6/12 6/12 14
Kinboshi Ramen pork chicken vegan	• Tonkotsu Shoyu • Tonkotsu Red • Paitan Shio • Miso/Vegan	12 13 13 13
Kizuki Ramen & Izakaya pork seafood chicken veggies	• Gekikara Ramen pork, chilies, garlic, and spices. • Garlic Tonkotsu Shoyu • Spicy Miso Ramen w/miso and garlic paste • Shoyu Ramen • Tsukemen (Dipping) shoyu and chicken	15 14 14.80 11 14
Koji Osakaya ?? (old school)	• Plain • Spicy (gekikara) • Chashu • Wakame • Seafood and Vegetable	9.95 10.95 12.50 10.95 15.50
Koku Ramen & Bites pork	• Mala Tonkotsu • Tonkotsu • Miso • Vegan	13.50 13 13 13.50
Menjiro pork (odd)	• Chashu • Plain • Wakame • Vegan	11.50 9 10 12
Mirakutei pork chicken (fusion)	• House “Tonkatsu” • Traditional “Tonkatsu” • Sapporo Miso • Genki • Vegetarian	14 13.50 13.50 14 13
Nama Ramen pork veggie	• Shoyu (Tonkotsu) • Miso/Spicy (Tonkotsu) • Vegetarian	13 13 13
Ninja Ramen pork	• Tonkotsu • Miso/Spicy • Deluxe Ninja	10.95 11.95 13.95
Ryoma Beaverton black pork (looks good)	• Deluxe Ryoma Ramen • Corn Butter Ramen • Tamago Mayu Ramen • Killer Spicy Ramen • Vegetarian Ramen	13.50 11.35 11.85 11.85 10.35
Shigezo Izakaya pork chicken seafood	• Shoyu Ramen • Okinawa Style Noodle • Shio-Abu Ramen • Veggie Veggie Tanmen	13 13 13 13
Tokyo-ya Ramen pork	• Spicy Negi Ramen pork bone broth, spicy teriyaki sauce. • Champon • Shoyu Ramen pork bone broth. • Miso Ramen pork bone broth. • Chicken Ramen chicken. broth.	13.95 15.95? 13.95 14.95 14.95
Yataimura Maru (looks good) chicken pork seafood	• Sapporo Shiro Butter Corn Ramen • Chicken Paitan Ramen • Tokyo Ramen • Hot and Sour Ramen • Hokkai-Miso Ramen	13/19 14/21 12/18 13/19 13/19

Portland has no shortage on places that want to wow you with fusion. Except, the only fusion I like would a be a goat “nihari” ramen with julienned ginger, diced jalapeños, sous vide mutton shank, foam, and topped with cilantro and diced green onion.
I made that up but that sounds delicious (I love nihari).

Photo Description:the menu for Ryoma Ramen. The design of the menu looks Japanese with a dark wood looking background, with several shots of ramen bowls clipped out. Right behind that is the Japanese kana character for Ryoma ramen. — I had to include this menu because it’s got Japanese design vibes all over it. Image courtesy of Ryoma Ramen.

Multi-unit Ramen Shops

Afuri Ramen (?): throughout Tokyo, OR, CA, Canada, Hong Kong, Portugal, and Singapore.
Kizuki Ramen (14 locations): several locations throughout OR, WA, IN, IL.
Ryoma Ramen (4 locations): Beaverton, Portland, Pacific Beach, Hillcrest (OR and CA).

The Best Vegan/Vegetarian Ramen Shops

Ippo Ramen: from a tomato ramen, ramen salad, to a vegan potage ramen, these dishes don’t trivialize vegan to vegetarian dishes.
Kinboshi Ramen: the vegan option is offered in a spicy version, and is soy milk based with vegetables, mushroom, and a tofu mix.