NAKA Ramen — Restaurant in Missouri City

Update 08/2025: the restaurant had been sold to New ownership since last year. New chef and New management. The previous chef is no longer with the restaurant. So there are changes in taste and service. The 5 stars review is for prior the new ownership.

This one is the better or the best Ramen bar in Sugarland area, Just a reminder, this is a Ramen restaurant, so please try to order the Ramen, yes - the Ramen to appreciate their food, which is what they do best.

As you know, the most important ingredient in the Ramen is in the Broth. Especially Tonkotsu. One of the hardest Japanese broth to cook it right. It takes a lot of time and patience to boil the bone and other spices.

To test if they make it right, you need to try the plain regular Tonkotsu broth ( without any soy or other chilly souces) Naka appears to have it realy good one. Not the best that I've tried in Houston area, but the best one in Sugarland area. So, instead of driving a cross town to find a good Ramen bar, this one is quite excellent in Sugarland area.

The Naka broth is about right, and is not from powder, like most other places, which are way too salty, and too watery. If I may suggest to the cook [ if you read this], try to make the broth a bit thicker please ( richer, longer boiling the bone until melt the marrow completely). Make it like the famous Tokyo style Tonkotsu. ( I lived in Saitama for few years, so... yea I know the taste). Naka Tonkotsu broth taste like more authentic bone broth. But in the lighter side, more like shoyu but with rich pork flavors. Real good tonkotsu broth starts from the real pork bones. The pigs are already well marinated from the farm.😄 Absolutely NO need for extra Salt and MSG!

Other ramen restaurants around Houston are are just way toooo salty, and you can literally taste the heavy MSG in it. Sometimes I wonder, do the chefs really taste it before selling it? 🤦‍♂️Or just because American customer already get used to super salty food like the fast food?

The Noodles are the right noodles for tonkotsu, a lot of ramen places use wrong noodles for Japanese soup style, obviously for economic purpose. Most of them use Fried ( chinese) noodles types. Japanese culinary is very peculiar about their ingredients ( their culture).

The Chasu is good as it gets. Since most places don't make it themselves, for business purposes. They just need to pick the best suppliers for their chasu.

The Ajitama egg is perfect

The service is excellent, the only one waiter is Lily, she is very nice and funny ( please give her a raise, 😄) and the Ramen chef is Yihe Chen, he is a great cook who worked in a restaurant in Japan before he works at Naka now.

Very clean and not congested place. They play Japanese song too🙂

I'm glad that I've found a really good ramen place near my home. And I have my special same table where I sit most of...

My dining experience at NAKA today was nothing short of spectacular. From the moment we stepped through the doors, we were greeted by an inviting ambiance that set the stage for an unforgettable culinary journey.

We kicked off our meal with an assortment of appetizers that left our taste buds dancing with joy. The Chicken Karaage was a perfect blend of crispy and tender, showcasing the chef's mastery in frying technique. The Coconut Shrimp transported us to a tropical paradise with its delicate crunch and subtle sweetness, while the Fried Chicken Wings were a savory delight that had us reaching for more.

For the main course, we dove into a bowl of Spicy Miso Ramen that was a symphony of flavors. The rich and robust broth, combined with the perfect level of spice, created a bowl of comfort that warmed both our hearts and palates. The Beef Shoyu Ramen was a testament to the chef's dedication to quality ingredients, with the tender beef slices complementing the savory soy-based broth impeccably.

The service at NAKA was equally impressive. Attentive and friendly staff members added to the overall positive experience, ensuring our needs were met with a smile. The restaurant's environment struck a balance between chic and comfortable, making it an ideal setting for a casual lunch or a special evening out.

In conclusion, NAKA has managed to seamlessly blend exquisite flavors with a welcoming atmosphere, creating a dining experience that lingers in the memory long after the last bite. If you're in search of a culinary adventure that marries traditional tastes with a modern twist, NAKA is a definite must-try. I look forward to returning to savor more of their delectable offerings...

I have mixed emotions after dining at this restaurant. When we walked in the waitress told us to sit wherever we want. It was hot outside and the restaurant was nice and cool to eat a bowl of ramen. As a party of 4 we decided to order:

Appetizers: Takoyaki (octopus balls) - shaped like a ball with a gooey filling and small pieces of octopus; not very many and some were a bit chewy

Gyoza - the size was pretty decent and the dish came out fresh. I dipped it in the sauce provided and took a bite. You can tell these were homemade and there was a good amount of pork filling that was seasoned and flavorful and juicy.

Chashu bun - came in 2, my son and brother ate them. My son said it was ok and the pork had a smokey flavor.

Main dishes: Tonkatsu ramen - my brother ordered this bowl and he requested it to spicy

Spicy miso ramen - I ordered this dish and here was I got mixed feelings because I wanted to like it but I didn't like the type of spiciness as it spiced up with hot chili oil vs the red pepper paste. Maybe I'm more inclined to eat traditional ramen...the chasu had a smokey flavor and the meat was tender

Spicy Naka ramen - my sister ordered this ramen bowl, she compared to my ramen and the soup flavor was indeed different. She was pretty indifferent about it.

Chicken Katsu Ramen - my son ordered this dish and a small piece of katsu was served on the side. He wished the katsu was larger.

The half seasoned eggs which were served on all of our ramen bowl were more hard boiled rather than slightly runny yolk.

Service was friendly and the restaurant was clean. I will...