Got a hankering for ramen?
Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the top ramen houses in Cambridge, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of the best spots to meet your needs.
1. Hokkaido Ramen Santouka
Topping the list is Hokkaido Ramen Santouka. It's a Japan-based chain serving a focused ramen menu, along with rice and side dishes.
The ramen — whether shio (salt), shoyu (soy sauce), miso or pork — comes in distinctive blue bowls, and can be paired with sides like gyoza, roasted pork cheeks or soft-boiled egg.
Located at 1 Bow St., Harvard Square, it is the highest rated ramen spot in Cambridge, boasting four stars out of 937 reviews on Yelp.
2. Shabu & Mein
Next up is East Cambridge's Shabu & Mein, situated at 148 First St. It's part of the mini-empire of local restaurateurs Jimmy Liang and Peter Tse (JP Fuji Group) that also includes Fuji at Kendall and Bistro Chi.
Guests can take charge of cooking Japanese hot pot at their table, or order ramen noodle soups fully cooked by the chefs. Ramen comes in styles from spicy pork to a vegetarian version, and add-ons include kimchi, stir-fired wagyu beef and wood ear mushrooms. With four stars out of 424 reviews on Yelp, the restaurant has proven to be a local favorite.
3. One Ramen & Sushi
One Ramen & Sushi, located at 1759 Massachusetts Ave. in the former Super Fusion space near Porter Square, is another top choice, with Yelpers giving it four stars out of 22 reviews.
Traditional ramens (miso, shoyu, tonkotsu) are on offer as well as a salmon-flavored miso version. As the name suggests, there's also sushi, from hand rolls to sashimi, along with rice bowls and other Japanese fare.
4. Chick Chick Boom
Finally, there's Chick Chick Boom, a Thai spot in Cambridgeport. The house specialty is spicy chicken wings, which it serves solo or added to rice or noodle dishes like pad thai and green curry fried rice. In terms of ramen, look for grilled honey pork, shrimp wonton and vegetable versions.
The eatery is another go-to, with four stars out of 20 Yelp reviews. Head over to 80 River St. to try it for yourself.
