Michelin Bib Gourmand ramen you must try in Tokyo

Many visitors use the Michelin Guide to narrow down Tokyo’s abundant dining options. While most focus on Michelin-starred restaurants, there’s another category that showcases affordable, high-quality options that locals love. Learn about Michelin’s Bib Gourmand recommendations. Read on to explore the difference between Michelin stars and Bib Gourmands, and learn where to get Michelin-rated ramen in Tokyo.

For years, Tokyo was home to three Michelin-starred ramen restaurants. But starting with the 2024 edition of the Michelin Guide, those stars have been replaced by Bib Gourmands. While starred restaurants represent fine dining with high prices and hard-to-book reservations, Bib Gourmands represents the cuisine of the people; it highlights restaurants that have stood the test of time and earned the loyalty of locals with high-quality food that everyday diners enjoy. While Michelin-starred restaurants may feel like a show-off, a Bib Gourmand recommendation feels more like a reliable good friend. In this sense, it’s fitting that the Michelin Guide’s ramen selection includes Bib Gourmands: after all, ramen is a meal that’s for everyone.

Haru Chen Ramen

Haru Chan is arguably the most quintessential Bib Gourmand on this list, as it’s located in the heart of salaryman Shimbashi. Located on the first floor of Building 1 in front of Shimbashi Station, Haru Chan is a hive of bars and standing rooms that salarymen flock to before catching the Yamanote Line home.

Diners are treated to a rich, salty and clear pork broth that is a departure from the usual milky pork bone broth. The richness of the pork complements the savory dried fish, a combination that creates an incredibly comforting soup that is sure to fill you up. Haru Chan’s portion is generous, with the soup almost overflowing from the bowl. The intense salty flavor dances on the tongue in a satisfying way.

If you go during lunch time, be prepared to queue as the restaurant only has six seats and the storefront is very narrow. You will rub shoulders with men in suits and ties as you sample some of the best ramen in Shinbashi.

Find Haru Chan twitter and Instagram.

address: 2-20-15 Shimbashi Station Building 1, 1F, Minato-ku, Tokyo

Hour: 10am – 6pm | Closed Sunday and Monday

Ramen Break Beat

Ramen Break Beats has been a hit since it opened in 2022 and has consistently topped the charts with its commitment to style and elegance.

Each bowl of noodles looks impeccable, with the typical noodles and clear broth being perfect. The Kyushu chicken broth, mild soy sauce and melted chicken fat layers are to be expected. We recommend ordering the special noodles that come with all the toppings, including juicy smoked pork, olive oil-marinated chicken and deep-fried enoki mushrooms.

The chef is also a DJ, hence the name. The atmosphere inside the restaurant is very stylish. Diners sit on high stools facing the kitchen, each with a well-placed lamp to warm their personal dining space. The restaurant plays smooth background music, and the staff encourages diners to take their time and enjoy the dining experience. The last point is important because Break Beats is a reservation-only restaurant, using the online TableCheck reservation system. Reservations for the next seven days will open on the website at midnight.

Ramen Break Beats is perhaps a more indulgent experience than some of the other restaurants on this list, and the quality of its ingredients and attention to detail makes one wonder if Michelin will one day allow starred ramen to return to Tokyo.

Find Break Beats Instagram.

address: 1F, Ivy Heights, 4-21-19, Meguro, Meguro-ku, Tokyo

Hour: Lunch time only; visit TableCheck for available time slots

Yakumo

Everyone goes to Yakumo for one thing: wontons. Yakumo’s wontons are legendary for their plump, creamy texture and hand-made.

Yakumo is one of the oldest wonton ramen shops, having opened in 1999. The shop is just a short walk from Ikejiri-Ohashi Station and a short walk from Naka-Meguro, making it a convenient excursion if you’re in the Shibuya area.

The restaurant has a nice atmosphere with a huge U-shaped counter that wraps around the entire restaurant. As the staff carry the bowls to and from the kitchen, diners look at each other as if they are standing center stage. You can choose between white or dark soy sauce, with white having a milder flavor and dark having a stronger flavor. Be sure to order both the pork wontons and the shrimp wontons so you can experience the different flavor combinations of the soup.

Find Yakumo twitter.

address: 1st floor of Hibikiya Building, 3-6-15 Higashiyama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo

Hour: 11:30am to 3:30pm | Closed on Tuesdays

Simon King

If a smiling fish cake doesn’t bring customers in the door, I don’t know what will. King Seimen deserves its Michelin Bib Gourmand nod, and with a name that translates to “King of Noodles,” you know it has to be good. This ramen is proof that a comforting bowl of soup and noodles can stand the test of time.

The white soy sauce-based soup exudes a spicy dried fish aroma. This bowl of noodles is very umami, with a light kelp flavor that balances the sourness of the sardines. The noodles are homemade daily and have a high moisture content, making them perfect for sipping. For those who want something a little more exciting, the sansho is recommended, which adds an aromatic pepper oil to stimulate your taste buds.

King Seimen is part of the Koike Group, which has six other excellent, highly regarded ramen shops in Tokyo, one of which is currently Bib Gourmand-rated. This makes the Koike Group a perfect “bucket list” for foodies who love ramen. King Seimen is a little off the beaten path, but well worth the trip. With 10 seats and a fast turnover, you’ll never have to wait too long for a bowl of ramen.

Finding King Seinen Instagram.

address: 1F, Takasaki Building, 1-14-1 Ojihonmachi, Kita-ku, Tokyo

Hour: 11am to 3pm / 5:30pm to 8:30pm

Sosaku Noodle Workshop Nagaryu

If you’re craving spicy ramen, head to Nakiryu for their exquisite dandan noodles. This ramen shop is so exquisite that many people line up to try the most delicious spicy noodles in Tokyo.

This is a classic Tokyo-style dandan noodles dish, with sesame paste and chili oil layered over a clear broth of chicken and beef. The soup is delicately balanced, combining Chinese five-spice with nutty sesame paste. The taste of electric black vinegar complements the mellow spicy creaminess. The addition of cilantro topping creates a beautiful color contrast and brightens your palate as you eat it.

Nakiryu was once a Michelin-starred restaurant, but now has a Bib Gourmand recommendation. The aesthetic is true to its reputation: think gleaming chrome countertops and attentive waiters refilling your water. Speaking of luxuries, customers can get umbrellas to cool off while queuing outdoors in the summer.

Reservations in the form of numbered tickets will be accepted outside the store from 8am, so arrive early to secure your lunch slot and then head into Shinjuku for some pre-dinner shopping.

Find Nakiryu twitter.

address: Sky 1F, 2-34-4 Minami-Otsuka, Toshima-ku, Tokyo

Hour: 11:00am to 3:30pm | Closed on Tuesdays, occasional unscheduled holidays; check Twitter View calendar

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