5 Best Authentic Japanese Ramen Restaurant in Seattle

Yuki and Hannah0 Comments

Ramen Restaurant Japanese people think their authentic in Seattle

Seattle is one of the best places to eat authentic Japanese food because of its large Japanese population, community, and history. In this article, we will introduce 5 of the most authentic Japanese restaurants in Seattle. Have you been wanting to travel to Japan for some great food, but Japan is closed down because of Covid? Read this article and check out these restaurants for a taste of authentic Japanese ramen in Seattle.

So what is an authentic ramen restaurant like?

There is no exact definition for what we consider authentic Japanese ramen or American-style Japanese ramen, but we believe that these three things are the main differences.  

The temperature of the broth

Depending on the ramen restaurant, the temperature of ramen broth in Japan is between 60-70°C (140-158F). However, in some American ramen restaurants, the temperature is much lower. Japanese people like their food served very hot.   

The Firmness of the noodles

If the noodles are cooked too long, they lose their texture. Also if the broth is hot the noodles will continue to cook after serving. For this reason, most Japanese prefer their noodles to be al dente. When ordering ramen in Japan you can actually customize the degree of noodle firmness. You can choose from “very firm”, “firm,” “normal,” “soft,” and “very soft.”

Ramen toppings

We have never seen ramen topped with karaage in Japan, but we have seen ramen restaurants in the US offering this type of ramen. Some Japanese people may like ramen with karaage on top, but for us, it is a little too much. Ramen has a strong flavor and karaage is too heavy. It feels as if we are eating pizza and fried chicken together.

1. Ramen Danbo

Ramen Danbo is an amazing ramen restaurant which serves Fukuoka ramen. Fukuoka ramen is known for its white, thick soup made from pork bones and thin noodles.The best thing at this restaurant is that they allow you to customize your ramen. Three are 5 categories you can customize.

  1. Noddle Thickness
  2. Noodle firmness
  3. Thickness of broth
  4. Richness (amount of lard)
  5. Karadare (amount of umami spicy sauce)

As we mentioned earlier, we usually go with firm noodles and normal in other categories. If you like spicy ramen, you could get a lot of Karadare which is umami spicy sauce. You can also order Kaedama, which is a another butch of noodles for $2. When you decided to order Kaedama, make sure to leave enough broth for a second butch of noodels. 

For Danbo’s special lunch menu, you can get a good deal with a ramen set. There are 3 options to choose from. You can add these options to a ramen you are going to order.

  • A sets: Gyoza 3 pieces + One ramen topping ($3.5)
  • B sets: Gyoza 3 pieces + Soft drinks or tea ($4.5)
  • C sets: Gyoza 3 pieces + Draft beer ($5.5)

Combination of ramen and gyoza is fantastic! You should definitely visit this restaurant to try authentic Japanese ramen!

2. Menya Musashi Tsukemen & Ramen

As the restaurant name implies, Menya Musashi offers the best tsukemen in Seattle. So what is tsukemen? Tsukemen is a style of noodle dish in which noodles are dipped in sauce and eaten cold, usually in a hot broth. In Japan, many people may prefer to eat tsukemen instead of ramen on a hot summer day. Tsukemen soup is thicker and richer, noodles tend to be thicker than ramen. Toppings on tsukemen are the same as ramen. 

Menya Musashi offers some vegetarian and vegan options too. If you’re looking for a vegan ramen restaurant in Seattle, this is the place to go. We brought our vegan friend to this restaurant and she loved mushroom based broth vegan ramen. I will recommend trying it even if you are not a vegan. 

3. Kizuki Ramen & Izakaya

If you have a chance to go to Kizuki ramen, you should definitely get Yuzu Shio ramen. This ramen restaurant’s Yuzu Shio ramen is popular even in Tokyo and there are none restaurants where you can taste this unique broth in Seattle. Those who don’t know what yuzu is, yuzu is one of Japan’s most popular citrus fruits. It has long been used in yuzu baths and as a colorful ingredient in Japanese cuisine, especially in winter. The clear soup has a refreshing flavor with a touch of yuzu. Super refreshing!

One of the reasons we like this restaurant is they also have some Izakaya food which are side dishes with beers. We usually order our ramens, Japanese beer, and karaage to share. Karaage at this restaurant is very affordable and comes in large portions making it easy to share. Other than karaage, they have tempura, edamame, gyoza, potato croquette, and takoyaki, etc.  

4. Betsutenjin Ramen

Betsutenjin is open late just like some Japanese ramen restaurants in Tokyo. A piping hot bowl of ramen after a night of dancing, is the definition of Tokyo nightlife.  Thanks to Betsutenjin Ramen, you can have a similar experience in Seattle! Betsutenjin’s Hakata style ramen after hanging out with friends in Capitol Hill or downtown Seattle is the perfect way to end the night. Definitely order a set with Gyoza and if you feel really hungry, or upgrade your ramen to a large one. 

5. Hokkaido Ramen Santouka

Hokkaido Ramen was inspired by miso soup to create a nutritious ramen a long time ago in Japan, and it is full of vegetables in a miso flavor. Hokkaido Ramen Yamatohka offers delicious miso ramen as well as other ramen. If you are a student and visit the restaurant in the University Village, you are eligible for a student discount. The restaurant also offers American sushi rolls exclusively at this location. And with a wide variety of other Japanese food available, I highly recommend going with friends!

You should definitely visit one of these ramen restaurants when you are in Seattle.If you know any other amazing Japanese restaurants, please let us know. We would like to discover more restaurants in Seattle. Thank you for reading this article.