Ramen Nijūbun no ichi — Restaurant in Tokyo

✍️ Visit Review – Ramen にじゅうぶんのいち (Nijubunnoichi) 👥 Purpose of Visit I visited to quietly enjoy a proper bowl of ramen alone. 📍 Location & Accessibility This is a small ramen specialty shop tucked away in a quiet alley in central Tokyo. Since it’s slightly removed from the busy areas, it feels more like a local haunt frequented by residents rather than tourists. It’s easy to miss without a map app, but the tranquil location allows you to fully focus on your meal. 🚗 Parking & Surroundings There’s no dedicated parking, but a few bicycles were parked in front of the shop, and the location is optimized for walking. The alley is clean and almost free of noise, creating a tidy atmosphere. A traditional noren (curtain) hangs at the entrance, giving off a distinctly Japanese vibe. 🏠 First Impressions from Outside The calm exterior colors, wooden signboard, and yellow accents on the eaves blend harmoniously, radiating the feel of a true local favorite. 🏠 Interior Facilities & Atmosphere Inside, there’s a small number of seats arranged around an open kitchen with a bar-style counter. The overall atmosphere is minimalistic and neat, helping you focus on the food. 🚻 Restroom Availability & Cleanliness The restroom is tucked in a corner inside and was well-maintained. Though small, it was clear that hygiene was a priority. 🪑 Table Spacing & Seating Mainly counter seating; the space between seats wasn’t cramped, making it very comfortable for solo diners. 💨 Comfort (Air Conditioning, Ventilation, Lighting) The air conditioning worked well, and the lighting was mainly soft indirect lights, which was easy on the eyes. ⸻ 👨‍🍳 Staff Service One staff member handled both orders and cooking. As soon as I entered, I was greeted politely and treated kindly. Their English was somewhat limited, but they could explain the menu basics sufficiently. ⸻ 📖 Menu The menu is simple, but each ramen looked carefully crafted. Options include shoyu (soy sauce), shio (salt), and special ramen, with additional toppings available. The menu is mostly in Japanese, but there are visual aids, so ordering isn’t difficult. 🍜 Food Review I ordered the special shoyu ramen this time. • Broth: The clear, deep soy sauce-based broth emphasized umami over saltiness, and I was impressed from the first sip. The refined flavor filled my mouth, with a clean finish. • Noodles: Medium-thick straight noodles with a chewy texture that absorbed the broth well. The balance was excellent—not too firm, not too soft. • Chashu: There were 3–4 types of chashu from various cuts, each with a smoky aroma and tender texture. The reddish chashu in particular tasted as luxurious as steak. • Ajitama (soft-boiled egg): The whites were springy and the yolk moist, creating a perfect harmony, with just the right seasoning. • Menma (bamboo shoots): Savory and crunchy, they balanced out the entire bowl. 🍽 Portion Size & Satiety (for one person) The portion was above average, and the generous toppings made one bowl more than satisfying. ⸻ 💰 Price & Value • Around 1,200 yen per person • Considering the Michelin-recognized taste and quality, the price is very reasonable • No extra charges; both cash and card payments were accepted ⸻ ⭐ Overall Impression & Recommendation • Overall satisfaction: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (out of 5) • Will I revisit?: ★ Very likely • Recommended for: Ramen enthusiasts, solo diners, couples, Michelin food tourers Calling it “the best ramen I’ve ever had” is no exaggeration. Local Japanese atmosphere, Michelin Guide recognition, and outstanding flavor—all in one place. A must-visit for anyone traveling to Tokyo looking for a true...

i heard many claiming this to be the best shio ramen but i was left quite disappointed.

the soup was decent, certainly a clear and refreshing soup but it doesnt really stands out much, its good but nothing special.

the biggest red flag was when the master refused to allow for harder noodles - a lot of high rates “refined” ramen stores refuse to accommodate for difference in noodle hardness and their noodles always comes out too soggy for my liking and ruins the experience of the bowl. this shop is no excetion, their refusal to accomodate for harder noodle led to soggy noodles and an unpleasant eating experience for me, which is not something that can be saved by good soup, let alone a mid soup.

At ¥1500 for soggy noodles, mid soup, 1 thin slice of pork, an average egg and some (pretty good tbh) menma, it is definitely not worth the hype personally. im glad to had tried it but i probably will not crave to eat this bowl of ramen again.

maybe the shoyu will perform better next time. this is a rare...

This place was magnificent. I ordered the shoyu ramen with all the toppings. The broth had a very rich shoyu taste with a very clean chicken taste. The shoyu was a bit deeper and stronger than some of the more lighter and elegant shoyu ramen, and I quite liked the punch it packed. There were 2 types of pork and one slice of duck. The chunk of pork belly was thick with a nice smokey flavor. This was my favorite piece of meat, but the rare pork loin and the duck were also fantastic. Noodles were slightly soft and soaked up the broth perfectly. Egg was also cooked to gooey perfection. I can't say anything bad about this ramen other than I regret not getting a second bowl and trying the shio ramen. This is top-tier shoyu...