Sugoi Niboshi Rāmen Nagi Shinjuku Golden Gai — Restaurant in Tokyo

Ramen Nagi is absolutely amazing. It’s a must-go if you’re in Japan.

Let me get straight to the point: this place is worth the hype, and some people just don’t get it—like a certain Sharon Moritz, who clearly doesn’t understand ramen or Japanese culture. If you’re traveling to experience something different, you need to go in with an open mind. Otherwise, what’s the point?

Yes, you wait in the alley—and yes, that’s exactly how it should be. It’s not rude, it’s not dirty—it’s efficient, respectful, and part of the charm. Standing in an alley while waiting for a spot in a legendary ramen shop is part of the experience. Would you rather stand in the middle of the street blocking the way? No. The alley is clean, organized, and even fun if you understand the vibe.

And about the small size of the place—yes, it’s tiny. That’s the beauty of it. It’s focused on quality, not mass production. A small space allows the chefs to perfect every single bowl. Why would you want a big, soulless restaurant that just pumps out mediocre food? No, thank you.

You also pay before you eat, which honestly is brilliant. No awkward waiting for the bill. You enjoy your food, and then you’re free to go. Efficient and simple.

Now, let’s talk about the food: This was the best ramen I’ve ever had in my life. So good that I swore I’d never eat ramen again until I’m back in Japan. We were in the area for five days, and we ate at Ramen Nagi most of those days. That’s how incredible it was.

The broth? Unforgettable. The noodles? Perfect texture. The flavor? Deep, rich, complex—it hits every note. You’ll taste ramen in a way you didn’t even know was possible.

The staff? Polite, respectful, kind. The place has character, culture, and soul. If you travel just to feel like you’re at home, maybe you shouldn’t be traveling. But if you’re someone who appreciates different ways of doing things—this is where you need to be.

So no—don’t listen to someone who left just a handful of clueless reviews. Take it from someone who’s been around, knows food, and respects culture.

Highly, highly recommend. Don’t miss it. Take pictures, enjoy the atmosphere, and if someone ends up in your shot, just be polite and ask—it’s not hard. Respect the culture, and it’ll reward you with an experience you’ll...

It was a great experience!

We chose Nagi Ramen without knowing anything about it or its location. While I speak decent Japanese, my sense of direction is very poor so at first, we were walking in circles just trying to find this place.

Then voila! A line in a very narrow alley complete with English signage about ramen eating etiquette, queueing etiquette, noise etiquette, etc. The wait in line didn't take too long then the shop staff called the two of us to go up the very steep narrow steps. Then we were instructed to pay with cash only using the box with buttons (in English) to choose our ramen and additional toppings. I chose the original ramen with 1 slice of chashu because I like my ramen a bit more "spartan" to enjoy the broth and noodles (this place specializes in thick + wide noodles). My sister got herself the special version complete with a generous helping of chashu slices, egg, and seaweed.

The size of the room was as wide as a bus and around 8 seats. Some patrons thought the broth was too spicy so they were not able to finish their meal. The waitstaff knows some English and asked customers if spicy soup is OK (please pay attention to thei question so that you can specify your dietary requirements or spicy soup preferences).

For the most part, I enjoyed the ambiance and they have a beautiful Nebuta display on the ceiling that looks exactly like the Nebuta floats in Aomori! Using my rudimentary Japanese, I conversed with the Shokukin-shan (Artisan/Craftsman/Chef) about the the decorations and was given permission to photograph my meal and some parts of the interior.

Their bathroom was super super small so, if you're on the squeamish side, don't use it. It looks like those small and cramped dive bar restrooms in the U.S. There's public restrooms not too far away from the establishment when you exit Golden Gai block has you head towards the main street.

Highly recommend this shop if you're into the ambiance of small & narrow izakayas or hole-in-the-wall sorts of establishments that serves...

The most unique and iconic bowl of ramen I have ever had came from this amazing experience. I came here after wandering around for the night and having a couple of drinks and arrived at about midnight to satisfy my craving for an epic meal before turning in for the night. I had a little trouble finding the line due to the previously mentioned drinks but once I found the alley that contained the line I waited happily for what ended up only being about 20 minutes surprisingly. However now that I have already eaten here I know that next time I’d be willing to wait even exponentially longer for another chance to savor this rich and fishy(in the best way) bowl of pure gold. Made my way up the stairs and sat down at the small bar. The great thing about this place and most places in Tokyo is that you’re meant to get in, enjoy your food and move on which is exactly how I prefer my dining experiences to be. I was almost immediately served after ordering and I could already smell the delicious sardine laden scent coming off of my steaming hot personal bowl. Two types of noodles in this ramen and the thicker flat noodles are such a welcome addition to the standard ramen noodles. I can only describe this as one of the most rich broths I have ever tasted and the flavors are just packed densely into it. This one is all about complexity of the flavor and doesn’t really contain any level of spicy in my personal opinion but that fits what this is supposed to be. Something about slurping down these intensely fishy noodles in the famous Golden Gai district after wandering around partially drunk at the end of the evening is just magic. Can’t wait to visit...