Bump into any Austinite and chances are that they’ve been to Ramen Tatsu-ya, and whether they love it depends on their experience of Japanese food. Anyhow, the popular chain has locations in north, south, and east Austin (plus Houston), and come dinner-time, each one is packed with ramen junkies. The rich broth of the Tonkotsu original sets the foundation for extra toppings like a Spicy Bomb or extra garlic (or even more noodles, if you’re super hungry).

The obscurely located Ramen Tatsu-ya single-handedly inspired the Austin ramen craze. The eateries cooks its tonkotsu for three days for a depth and richness of flavor that has earned it lots of praise. Custom noodles, tender chashu, marinated egg and woodear mushrooms for the traditionalist; if you’re more adventurous, add a corn bomb, a spicy bomb or yuzu kosho bomb.

From the people behind Ramen Tatsu-Ya and DipDipDip Tatsu-Ya, Kemuri Tatsu-Ya in East Austin is a Japanese izakaya with a Central Texas barbecue twist. And they’re doing it in an entirely unique way that we think might just make it a crossover that’s here to stay.

The middle of Texas is not where you’d expect to find one of the finest bowls of ramen, but Ramen Tatsu-Ya has overperformed for years, outgrowing its North Austin strip mall beginnings and expanding into three locations. The restaurant has spawned several great offshoots, including Dip Dip Dip Tatsu-Ya (hot pot restaurant), Tiki Tatsu-Ya (tiki bar/restaurant) and Kemuri Tatsu-Ya (smokehouse with shareable plates). Tatsu-Ya South Lamar has reasonable wait times, especially for lunch, and supplements its regular menu of bowls with seasonal favorites such as crawfish ramen and spicy chilled ramen for the summer months.

Everybody has someone in their life who is obsessed with ramen - maybe that person is you - regardless, Ramen Tatsu-ya is the obvious choice for Austin’s ramen scene. Starting off as hip-hop DJs in Austin, chefs Tatsu Aikawa and Takuya Matsumoto don’t mess around with their ramen dishes. Aikawa and Matsumoto call ramen the ‘soul food of Japan,’ and the two want to ‘educate people on what ramen really is.’ If you take ramen as seriously as these guys do, then you won’t be disappointed.

Austinites love their tacos, queso, BBQ, and ramen — especially Ramen Tatsu-ya. With locations in North Austin, South Austin, and East Austin, this “Japanese soul food” joint is where you and your coworkers can slurp on piping hot ramen noodles that come with your choice of flavor “bombs” and toppings. Just keep in mind that the lunch rush is a real thing no matter which location you choose, so stop by before or after the noon hour if possible.

This ramen place struck a chord with Austin locals when it first opened in 2012, serving up big bowls of traditional ramen featuring a luscious pork broth that requires three days’ worth of cooking time. While the broth alone is worth coming, all the fixings, protein options, and flavor “bombs” make it a truly special experience, especially during the colder months when you’re craving something comforting. ramen-tatsuya.com, multiple locations

The Austin ramen scene has gotten a bit noisy, but Ramen Tatsu-ya is still the champion. It’s a true ramen experience, with long bars for solo diners to quickly stop in, order a bowl of noodles, and noisily slurp them back before paying the tab and heading back out the door 15 minutes later. Local chefs Tatsu Aikawa and Takuya Matsumoto wanted to bring the type of ramen to Austin that you could previously only find in Japan or L.A.

Bet you didn’t know that Ramen Tatsu-ya offers a vegan ramen, because I didn’t either. Ramen Tatsu-ya has a vegan mazemen (warm noodle salad) for lunch -mazemen is a type of ramen where you mix the ramen with sauce rather than having it sit in broth. The veggie ramen is 100% vegan with a soy-based vegan broth, shredded red pepper, spinach, tofu, brussels sprouts, corn, menma (pickled bamboo shoots), and woodear mushrooms.

Picking our favorite ramen shop was no easy task — Michi Ramen and Daruma Ramen really gave our top seed a run for its money. However, Ramen Tatsu-ya's bowls are so good that the restaurant rakes in accolades on the regular, including the title of best ramen joint in the country and recognition as a CultureMap Tastemaker. Everything here is slurp-worthy, from the namesake ramen to the tasty sake cocktails.

When Ramen Tatsu-ya opened their shop in Austin, it signaled big-time ramen had arrived in town. Centered around a tonkotsu pork broth that cooks for over two days, even those unfamiliar with ramen that doesn't come in brick form are quickly won over by this most comfortable of comfort foods. Along the way, they added a kids' ramen, a smaller bowl with just broth and noodles.

You can’t talk about ramen in Austin without talking about Ramen Tatsu-Ya. The noodle shop now has four locations across town, and the Tatsu-Ya team has since launched offshoots like Tiki Tatsu-Ya, DipDipDip Tatsu-Ya and BBQ Ramen Tatsu-Ya — more on that later. The pork Tonkotsu broth is rich and savory, while the Assari chicken broth is lighter, but still deeply tasty.

The team behind the Tatsu-yas are particularly well-known for gracing Austin with Japanese and Japanese-inspired menus. Ramen Tatsu-ya opened a hole-in-the-wall Ramen restaurant in North Austin before anyone knew that ramen was something besides the 80 cent packets at the grocery store. Lines began forming out the door for the thick noodle soup and an empire was born.

You can find ramen at dozens of places in Austin, but Ramen Tatsu-ya is still the best. They brought the good stuff, the type of ramen that you could previously only find in Japan and LA and New York, right here to Austin, Texas. This thick, creamy soup of pork bone broth, noodles, chasu, ajitama, and add-your-own toppings is the labor of dozens of hours of love.

Ramen Tatsu-ya is a concept collab of two local chefs and DJs that honed their ramen craft in Japan and LA!. Their spaces are a reflection of both cities, with modern and sleek seating areas and dragon murals across every wall. This chain spot has noodles and broths that are made fully from scratch, every day, so you know your dish will be fresh every time!

You can’t talk about ramen in Austin without talking about Ramen Tatsu-Ya. The noodle shop now has four locations across town, and the Tatsu-Ya team has since launched offshoots like Tiki Tatsu-Ya, DipDipDip Tatsu-Ya and Kemuri Tatsu-Ya. The pork Tonkotsu broth is rich and savory, while the Assari chicken broth is lighter, but still deeply tasty.

Four Locations in Austin | With its signature menu of ramen bowls and bombs, small bites like the popular Sweet & Sour Yodas, rice bowls and sweets, Ramen Tatsu-ya is a local sensation, boasting accolades from locals and national publications alike. All three Austin locations are open for in-house dining and takeout. Photo by Giant Noise PR

At the three Ramen Tatsu-Ya restaurants, chef-owner Tatsu Aikawa and his crew serve the Japanese soul food right. A small but customizable menu offers several types of ramen, such as the traditional with pork bone broth, chashu, woodear mushrooms, and scallion. Each of its soups translates surprisingly well to takeout containers.

Tatsu-Ya has been personally recommended to me as the definitive best ramen spot in Austin. Their menu boasts seven delicious ramen concoctions as well as a host of other small dishes and sides guaranteed to make your mouth water. They are open for takeout every day until 10 pm, and their east Austin location offers dine-in.

With great house made broth, perfectly cooked noodles, and a fun energy filled restaurant where people greet you “irasshaimase!. ” (welcome to the restaurant.), there’s no doubt you’ll have a great time at Ramen Tatsu-ya. What separates Tatsu-ya from the other ramen shops are the flavor bombs you can add to your ramen.

But I have a handful of eateries on this list because there are so many places in Austin that have Instagrammable photo spots and feature yummy food!. I’ve read great things about this place’s food and I think the Insta photos speak for themselves. If you like ramen, this is a must-see Instagrammable spot in Austin!

If you’re looking for the best popular ramen restaurants in Austin, the lines at Ramen Tatsu-ya are consistently running out the door. Now that there are a few more spots, there’s usually only a wait at peak dinner hours. If you’re looking for traditional flavors in a cozy environment, this is the place for you.

Walking into Ramen Tatsu-Ya, I immediately knew I was in for an amazing experience. The aroma of simmering broth filled the air, teasing my taste buds and leaving me eager for what was to come. I started with their signature Tonkotsu Original ramen, and let me tell you, the broth was nothing short of delicious.

Ramen Tatsu-Ya is a renowned destination for authentic Japanese ramen in Austin. It offers a variety of ramen bowls, from classic tonkotsu to creative seasonal specials. With a casual dining atmosphere, the restaurant features a minimalist design, focusing on the essence of Japanese culinary tradition.

Currently, Michi has returned with a brick and mortar and very recently Daruma Ramen came on to the scene. There’s another Austin ramen place rumored to be opening in June called Ramen Ninja. East Side King @ Hole in the Wall serves “ramen” but it’s so far from traditional that it’s not on this list.

Ramen Tatsu-Ya marries two of our favorite things: Japanese food and barbecue. Their katsumi barbecue ramen is served in the tsukemen style, where you take dry-cooked noodles and dip them in a concentrated, flavorful broth. At Ramen Tatsu-Ya, their noodles are hand-pulled and perfectly chewy.

As the cold weather approaches, or random rainey days because this is Austin after all, Ramen Tatsu-Ya is the place to be!. Sure they’re known for just Raman, but they have one dumpling dish that is pretty solid. Order the Gyoza for pork dumplings with cabbage, as a side to your ramen.

If you like authentic Japanese ramen, definitely head over to Ramen Tatsu-Ya for a comforting bowl of delicious Tonkotsu Shoyu Ramen. It’s made slowly with pork bones and has delicious pork chashu, ramen egg, bamboo, and silky smooth noodles. Tonkotsu means ‘pork bone’ in Japanese.

Ramen is more or less a recent phenomenon in the U.S. restaurant world, with chefs all over the country interpreting the Japanese favorite and giving Americans a new appreciation for the noodle dish. But no brand has yet packaged ramen into an exciting limited-service concept.

Probably the most famous Austin ramen spot is Ramen Tatsu-Ya and rightly deserving of of the top spot on my list of Austin’s Best Bowls of Ramen. With a list of accolades and a line out the door, this hot spot will never disappoint. Try the Ol’ Skool and add a Spicy Bomb.

For a warm, filling meal that won’t empty your wallet, Ramen Tatsu-Ya is a go-to spot in Austin. Their flavorful ramen bowls are full of rich broth, noodles, and toppings, and most bowls cost less than $12. Pro Tip: The Tonkotsu Original is a fan favorite for under $10.

Their Tonkotsu Ramen features a rich, creamy pork bone broth that’s been simmered for hours to extract maximum flavor. The broth is deeply savory and umami-packed. The perfectly cooked noodles, tender pork belly, and soft-boiled egg complete this deeply satisfying bowl.

If the only ramen you’ve ever tried came from a styrofoam cup, you’re really missing out. At Ramen Tatsuya, you can find a fine selection of creative and delicious ramen bowls. The Tonkotsu Original, for instance, is filled with wood ear mushroom, scallion, and chashu.

Ramen Tatsu-ya, one of the best restaurants in downtown Austin, repeatedly ranks among the top ramen establishments in all of North America. Ramen Del Barrio is another delicious new ramen restaurant in Austin, known for their unique Mexican-Japanese fusion.

Ramen Tatsu-Ya is a favorite for those who want something warm and comforting with a bit of a twist. Try the tonkotsu ramen with a rich, creamy broth and perfectly cooked noodles. The chefs here take ramen seriously, and it shows in the flavors.

Picky eaters will enjoy being playful with a big bowl of noodles from Ramen Tatsu-ya. Both chefs who own the place started as DJs in the Austin music scene and brought their love for cuisine together to bring Austin authentic Japanese dining.

It's definitely on the heavier side, but I can't ever get myself to order anything else whenever I visit. Of course, their whole menu is delicious and you can always customize your ramen by adding in things - try the spicy bomb!

- Rating: 4.5 / 5 (87 reviews)- Detailed ratings: Food (4.5/5), Service (4.0/5), Value (4.5/5)- Type of cuisine: Quick Bites, Japanese- Price: $$ - $$$- Address: 1234 S Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX 78704-2369- Read more on Tripadvisor

Cuisine: Traditional ramen focusing on pork, chicken and veggie broth. Pro tip: Get a spicy bomb on the side so you can adjust the spiciness of your ramen. Location: There are various locations in the greater Austin area.

Photo from Ramen Tatsu-Ya Facebook Page captured by Lobo Sucio Creative. Location: 1234 S Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX 78704. Austin, Texas may be hot but it won’t stop the locals and visitors from having a hot bowl of ramen.

At Ramen Tatsu-ya, diners can indulge in a deeply savory ramen crafted with creamy pork bone broth. This establishment is located at 1600 E 6th St, Austin, TX 78702 and operates daily from 11 am – 10 pm.

As countless SXSW attendees busy themselves with panels and screenings, Ramen Tatsu-Ya will spend that hectic March weekend preparing to open its sixth Texas location.