A best of Fukuoka Ramen list of course means tonkotsu (pork bone) ramen! Consider these 10 must visit ramen shops in Fukuoka City, Fukuoka!
1. Hakuryuken (博龍軒)
We’re starting the list with a ramen shop that’s been around since 1952! This history flows through Hakuryuken like some mystical wind. As to their ramen – it’s simple…but delicious.
Soy sauce in the background commands a silky pork bone soup. The drier noodles are thin and flat. They occupy the bowl with soft pork slices, crunchy negi (spring onions) and kikurage (wood ear mushrooms).
2. Fukuchan Ramen (ふくちゃんラーメン 田隈本店)
At Fukuchan, they simmer pigs heads for 2 full days. They then add a newer, sharper soup to this 2 day one. This creates a delicious pork swamp of a ramen.
But there’s also some sweetness and saltiness coming from the soy sauce base. The noodles in this one are thicker than normal, matching thick slices of pork. Now run by the third generation owner, they go back to 1976.
3. Shin Shin (博多らーめん ShinShin 天神本店)
Shin Shin’s ramen couldn’t be more different than Fukuchan. Fukuchan serves a heavier, porky bowl while Shin Shin serves a gentle-tasting one. This is partially due to the chicken bones they blend into the soup.
Thin, straight noodles mingle with your standard tonkotsu ramen toppings. Lastly, Shin Shin has English menus and they’re kind of a late night drinking spot. Enjoy other items like gyoza (fried dumplings) and rice bowls.
4. Hakata Genki Ippai!! (博多元気一杯!!)
Like at Shin Shin, Hakata Genki Ippai steers its ramen away from being heavy. There is practically no funky pork bone smell when you walk in. Their ramen soup is mild, and drinking it will even remind you of MILK!
Furthermore, the noodles have more water in them than most in this style. Also – they have no signs outside. When you see a little blue bucket hanging in front of the door, you’ll know you’re at the right place!
5. Hakata Issou (博多一双 博多駅東本店)
The ramen here is playfully referred to as a “Tonkotsu Cappuccino” This is because of the frothy, cappuccino-like top layer of soup. Below this layer awaits a heavy, porcine maelstrom of a soup.
Hakata Issou apparently uses 2-3 times more pork bones than other places, constantly adding them to giant pots. You won’t be able to ignore the smell – even if you’re a block away. If you can get past this, they serve a tasty bow!.
6. Akanoren Setchan (元祖 赤のれん 節ちゃんラーメン 本店)
Established in 1946, Akanoren Setchan is the oldest ramen shop on this list. You wouldn’t guess this though, as they’re now in a new, shinier location. In their ramen soup, they cook pig skin, back, trotters, and head for 16 hours.
This naturally creates one porky, fatty soup. But the soy sauce seasoning (from Shodoshima) gives it a salty undertone. It also tastes surprisingly refined. For reference, they have a sister branch in Tokyo (Roppongi).
7. Hacchan Ramen (八ちゃんラーメン)
Hacchan is one of my absolute favorites in Fukuoka City. Their 100% pork bone broth is on the greasy side. But the sweetly flavored soy sauce seasoning shines through it like a bright beacon. They got their start in 1968.
This is all part of the charm. The menu on the wall is faded and the countertop slopes downward, as if it’s supported too much weight over the years. Enjoy the bucket of benishouga (red pickled ginger) as a condiment.
8. Ramen Anzen Shokudo ラーメン 安全食堂
Like Hacchan, this place has history (over 40 years of it). But their signature tonkotsu (pork bone) ramen couldn’t be more different. It’s far milder and far less messy. But it’s still insanely appetizing.
In the same way, the interior is like the opposite of Hacchan. It’s clean and spacious, with plenty of tables. Finally, the delicate, beautiful noodles are so thin you almost have to squint to see them in the soup.
9. Ramen Komaya (ラーメン 駒や)
This spot is relatively new and doesn’t get as much attention as some of the bigger Fukuoka ramen names. But Komaya’s ramen is top-notch – a throwback to old-school tonkotsu.
They boil pork bones on low heat (not high heat) and this creates an oily, syrupy consistency. But the Yamataka shoyu (soy sauce) adds some salty vigor to the soup too. I recommend the spicy takana (mustard leaf) condiment!
10. Yatai Food Carts (屋台)
This last slot is not about specific Fukuoka ramen shop. Instead, I want to highlight Fukuoka’s food cart (yatai) ramen culture. These carts can sometimes be harder to find…or they’re located in touristy areas like Nakasu.
Regardless of which Fukuoka food cart you choose for ramen, it’ll be a magical experience. This is one of the few places in Japan where this experience is still possible. The ramen pictured is from Nagahama Tomochan.
Feel free to check out this video I made as well! :)