Ikebukuro Ramen BEST 10: Buttery Miso to Green Ramen
- Oct 5, 2019
- 4 min read
Updated: Feb 20
Ikebukuro ramen doesn’t get talked about enough - and that’s a mistake. From buttery miso bowls to clean, modern chicken ramen and even the occasional curveball, Ikebukuro quietly delivers some of Tokyo’s most satisfying bowls if you know where to look.
Ikebukuro itself is noisy, crowded, and a little rough around the edges. But that energy carries straight into the ramen scene. Ikebukuro is home to some seriously good bowls - here are our top picks.
1. Tori no Ana (鶏の穴) – Creamy Chicken Ramen
Tori no Ana specializes in rich chicken ramen (tori paitan). The broth is like a lighter, less thick Thanksgiving gravy, gently seasoned with sea salt.
Staying true to the chicken motif, the bowl is topped with finely minced and sliced chicken. Medium-thick, round noodles help you mop up every bit of the broth. Spicy and tsukemen (dipping noodles) versions are also available.
2. Menya Nakagawa (メンヤ ナカガワ) – Smooth-Tasting Tsukemen
Menya Nakagawa is all about tsukemen, serving a rich yet remarkably smooth dipping broth built on chicken and fish, with chicken clearly taking the lead. The soup is glossy and refined, pairing beautifully with silky noodles that slide easily from bowl to mouth.
There’s a youthful energy here. The staff are young, the crowd skews young, and the shop is always buzzing. Nakagawa is openly inspired by Menya Itto, one of Tokyo’s premier tsukemen specialists, and that influence shows.
3. Rokubou (六坊担担麺) – Zesty Tantanmen
Every best 10 ramen list has to include tantanmen. Ikebukuro’s top tantanmen is at Rokubou. Like many tantanmen shops these days, at Rokubou you can choose soup or soupless. You can also select your spice level and numbing pepper (shibire) from 1–5.
You can also steer things stylistically - a more Japanese-style bowl is milder and creamier with a strong sesame base, while the Chengdu-style version turns up the heat and leans into mala numbing pepper. If you want to make things creamier, order the runny egg (onsen tamago) as a topping.
4. Gokan (五感) – One of Tokyo's Best for Shio
Reservation-only Gokan serves one of the most impressive shio ramen bowls in Tokyo. The soup is comprised primarily of chicken and shellfish, creating a layered, highly expressive broth that is both delicate and deeply flavorful. It’s bright, radiant, and complex without ever tipping into heaviness.
Thin noodles keep the bowl clean and focused, while carefully chosen toppings support the broth rather than compete with it. This is shio ramen done with confidence and clarity.
5. Kissui (生粋 池袋本店) – Unique Saury Ramen
Kissui uniquely uses sanma (Pacific saury) – a long, silver fish. They grill it, which gives the ramen a smoky body without being too fishy. Choose shio or shoyu as a base. The broth has a subtle richness that leaves a touch of fattiness on your lips.
Bits of floating negi add a hint of sweetness. Wakame toppings nod to the sea, while crunchy tsukune meatballs bring some land to the bowl. Finally, thin, firm noodles from Taisei Shokuhin round it out.
6. Hanada (花田 池袋店) – Buttery Miso Ramen
Hanada does a mean miso ramen. It’s wonderfully buttery with a salty twang, and as with any good miso ramen there’s a smoky aroma from stir-frying the miso and vegetables.
Outside you’ll notice two entrances: the miso ramen shop is on the right, and on the left is Hanada’s tanmen shop (another style of ramen). The tanmen is prepared with the same care in the Hanada ramen laboratory - left or right, you can’t go wrong.
7. Hulu-lu (麺屋フルル) – Hawaii-Themed
A Hawaii-themed ramen shop might sound gimmicky, but Hulu-lu’s ramen in Ikebukuro is anything but. Both the shoyu and shio bowls are high-level, built on a chicken base.
In the broth you’ll find small pops of yuzu citrus and plenty of crunch from bamboo shoots and kaiware sprouts. It also features excellent peppery minced pork alongside slow-cooked chashu. To stay true to the Hawaii vibe, be sure to order a spam musubi on the side!
8. Kikanbo (鬼金棒 池袋店) – for Spice Lovers
Kikanbo has always been a game changer with its “uma kara” ramen - the perfect union of savory and spicy. Like their flagship shop in Kanda, the Ikebukuro location builds its broth on both pork and chicken bones.
The result is an explosion of complex flavors from blended miso, assorted vegetables and herbs, and red peppers. Go early if you can — the line gets pretty long here too, but your patience will be rewarded.
9. Kuwabara (桑ばら) – Rock Salt Ramen
Kuwabara does shio ramen with a twist: the salt comes from Mongolia and the Andes. This gives the broth a distinctly mineral quality. The noodles soak up the rock salt and rich Daisen chicken flavor, and there’s even a sprinkle of scallop powder atop the seaweed.
I don’t normally add condiments, but if there’s yuzu kosho (citrus pepper), I can’t say no – it’s a lovely addition to Kuwabara’s shio ramen. On the flip side, I could do without the super fatty pork slab and the egg topping, but the broth more than makes up for it.
10. Tanaka (志奈そば 田なか) – Fish Ramen with Truffle Oil
Rounding out the list is a ramen built primarily on kelp and niboshi (sardines and mackerel). The owner of Tanaka is an avid surfer, so an ocean-inspired bowl feels perfectly on brand.
The signature “Niboshi Truffle Soba” leans into fish and kelp, yet it’s not nearly as aggressive as you might expect. The truffle oil is used with restraint, complementing the broth rather than overpowering it. More details on this shop here.
Ikebukuro Ramen - A Ramen Juggernaught of a Neighborhood
All in all, Ikebukuro ramen is extremely diverse and delicious. Pushing through the crazy crowds of Ikebukuro to reach any of these ramen shops is well worth it.
If you’d rather avoid the crowds and wait time, book a Tokyo Ramen Tour!
Curious about exploring Japan beyond ramen? Our travel brand Japan Food Travels covers food itineraries, hidden gems, and regional dining across Japan.
