Ramen Nakamura — Restaurant in Honolulu

My never ending quest to try ramen from different shops continues! Before I try any ramen shop, I study the menu and look at the pictures as if I were going to be tested on it lol. I just like to be prepared and don't want to be surprised or disappointed.

ATMOSPHERE: The shop is tiny, with just a u-shaped counter that seats about 20 people or so. We had late dinner, around 10:15pm on a Friday night, so we got seats without any wait. They do have queue ropes at the front door, so you know they get slammed during peak hours, only confirmed by the photos you see on Yelp.

FOOD: Oxtail Shoyu Ramen Combo This is the only combo that comes with a regular sized bowl of ramen, so the server told me. Regardless of the menu description stating "Shio flavor," I was able to opt for shoyu. It also came with 3 pieces of gyoza, and small fried rice. The ramen broth tasted really good at first sip, but then became just a salty, beef broth-like flavor, without any depth or character. It came with about 3 pieces of tender oxtail which I picked at, as I'm not one to suck on bones. A separate dish of grated ginger and splash of shoyu was advised as a dipping sauce for the oxtail. The noodles were white, chewy, and went well with the dish. Toppings were slivers of fresh ginger, celery, white & green onions, garlic chips, bean sprouts, and fresh mushrooms. Not a fan.

Gyoza The 3 pieces were perfectly seared and tender, with a tasty filling. One of the best I've had. Highly recommended.

Fried Rice Very mildly flavored with green onions, egg, and bits of char siu. Mainstream at best.

Hakata Tonkotsu Ramen My spouse's dish. I do not care for plain tonkotsu broths as the color turns me off. I had a spoonful of broth just to taste it. I was surprised at the depth in flavor which was slightly creamy, slightly savory, and very subtle.

SERVICE: The two elderly ladies (who look alike) were sweet yet silent, and did a lot of hand gesturing. They brought me the wrong ramen but quickly corrected it.

Due to the signage that states to present a "membership card" when ordering because it can't be changed when cashing out, I asked one of the ladies if they do a kamaaina discount. She smiled, made the palms up gesture and sort of directed it to the other lady helping her, so I took it as to "please ask her." So, I waited for the other lady to finish what she was doing, then asked the same thing, and she replied "YES! YES! OKAY!!!!" like I was being aggressive. shrugs I have no idea lol.

TIP: Cash only.

OVERALL: Fair pricing, okay ramen. Not a fan of the...

Wow, we have dined at so many fine dining restaurants during our stay on Oahu that it's hard to keep track of them all.  This was a place that I saw during out last visit in April and wanted to try but didn't because of the long lines.

On this trip, we got a chance to eat here on two occasions.  We took the trolley to Waikiki to save a little on the walking, which we did after our meal.

This time the lines weren't as crazy as the last and it also helped to go in between the "lunch and dinner hours" when it gets crazy!

The place is small and somewhat cramped but I guess you're not there for the ambiance but for their noodles.  I'm guessing, but I think there were roughly 20 stools for customers to sit at.

There are no tables here because this is a small restaurant with limited space instead; you sat side by side at a "counter style bar in an oval form."

On our visit, it was a humid day because of the VOG (volcanic ash) blanketing most of Oahu, made sitting inside of this cramped place a little warmer because there isn't any air conditioning here.

For a place that is always crowded, it didn't take long for my order to arrive.

I ordered their Miso Ramen Combo and made it a large portion because the regular is never enough.  MY Ramen also included, Fried Rice and Gyoza.  I also ordered an additional 6 pieces of Gyoza.

The noodles were fresh, firm but soft.  The miso broth was wonderful and went well with the noodles.

The only place that I know of where you can get noodles this fresh is at Japan-town which is in San Francisco.

After our meal I pulled out my "credit card" and was informed that they only accept cash or local checks.  I'm glad I had readily available cash on hand.

On our last day on the island we made another stop here when there wasn't a line.  We walked in and got seats right away!

This time around, I tried their "spicy Kim Chee Ramen."  The Ramen was spicy and very good and made your nose run.

The added toppings of bamboo shoots, green onions, roasted garlic pieces, char sue, added to the flavor of the Ramen.

The texture of the noodles was firm and delicious and the added stir-fried Kim Chee was really delicious!  Of course I got another helping of their fried rice and Gyoza to go with my Ramen.

Overall, the prices here are a little more expensive than the other Ramen shops, but definitely worth the price and trip down here if you're in the area, and the lines isn't...

I like Ramen Nakamura.

The shop was on the main drag in Waikiki. You'll have no trouble finding it. The exterior was a standard storefront with a yellow sign.

It was busy on Monday night so I waited outside for about five minutes. I was seated by the server and had a glass of water placed at my table. The seats were arranged around a U-shaped bar. There were sturdy clear plastic dividers on the table separating me from my neighbors when I was there in October 2023. It was probably a remnant from COVID and a welcome one at that. It was crowded and being protected from sneezes and stray slurp splashes made for a more pleasant time. All the usual condiments were present as well as a bottle of hand sanitizer. I appreciated the emphasis on cleanliness!

I ordered the ox tail ramen without added spiciness and it came out after ten minutes. It was piping hot and topped with sprouts, ginger, celery, green onions, mushrooms, and some bamboo. Attractive presentation. The taste was a bit subdued. It was true to its salt flavor but in the Japanese "not-too-strong-tasting" style. After the first few bites, I remember thinking that I should have ordered mine spicy for a little more kick. Not everyone may have my American palate.

The waitress had given me a bowl for bones when I ordered and it was much appreciated when I started on the ox tail. It was perfect - easy to peel off the bone, tender, not chewy, good distribution of fat and meat. Again, the taste was mild for me so I sprinkled salt on it for the second half.

The portion size itself was average. The amount of noodles was less than what I would have liked. Again, I am an American with an accordingly-sized appetite.

When the eating was done, I was satisfied. The food was good and probably would be better to someone with a more delicate palate. The service was prompt and courteous. Loved the spare bowl for the ox tail bones! The atmosphere was excellent. There were actual Japanese people from Japan here - an endorsement for authenticity. The emphasis on cleanliness (clean table tops, plastic dividers, and the hand sanitizers) made my dining experience that much more pleasant.

This place gets two big...