Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
Food
Ramen Wars: Who Makes The Ultimate Bowl?
By
Jamie Feldmar
Published Oct 31, 2011
Modified Oct 31, 2011
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Jamie Feldmar
Published Oct 31, 2011
Modified Oct 31, 2011
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
In case you haven't noticed, there's a lot of ramen in this town. Some of it's good, some of it's great, and some of it is barely a step above the instant stuff. With winter setting in, two of Gothamist editors got into a heated debate over who makes the best bowl in town. What do you think?
Ippudo's ramen (Flickr user Gabriel Li)
Ippudo: Since it opened in 2008 the lines have been out the door at Ippudo, a Japanese chain whose sold outpost in the States is located on Fourth Avenue in the East Village, and with good reason. If you can handle the wait (no reservations here!) the ramen will blow your mind. And if you find the noodles a bit too al dente, well, just let them rest a little longer in one of the restaurant's delicious, thick and porky broths (they make it by cooking pork bones for over 15 hours). Our only real gripe with the place—well, besides the waiting—is the fact that they won't let you take your leftovers to go. Those bowls are big! (Garth Johnston)
Noodles: A — but we like our noodles on the firmer side
Broth: A+ — best in town
Toppings: A — the soft boiled egg sometimes approaches boiled but otherwise they've got it all.
Pro Tip: Go for the cheaper lunch specials when the lines are much more manageable.
Hide-Chan's Hakata kuro ramen (via Yelp)
Look, I think Ippudo makes a great ramen. But I just cannot handle the lines, and the pumping music and the vaguely futuristic decor once you're finally inside. I am old and cranky, and I want my ramen in peace. Which it why I go to Hide-Chan in Midtown East. It's not super-sexy, but they make a serious bowl of soup, including one variety that I've yet to see at any other ramen restaurant in the city: Hakata kuro (black garlic). It's a bowl of deliciously fatty, salty tonkotsu pork broth turned pitch-black with a swirl of charred black garlic oil. Bring Altoids. (Jamie Feldmar)
Noodles: A-. They're thin, firm, and made fresh every day at sister restaurant Soba Totto. Excellent slurp-ability.
Broth: A. The plain tonkotsu and shoyu aren't quite as nuanced as Ippudo's, but the black garlic oil in the Hakata kuro kicks ass.
Toppings: B. This is where Hide-Chan lags a bit. The chashu pork can border on flaccid, and sometimes there's too much scallion. But the kikurage mushrooms are solid.
Pro Tip: You can specify how firm you'd like your noodles cooked when you order—go on the firmer side, then let them soften as you slurp.
Tagged
food fight
hide-chan
ippudo
ramen
Jamie Feldmar
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE food
Where are the cheapest drinks in NYC? A new report details the city's average prices.
The median price of a cocktail in the city is now $16, and $9 for a draft beer.
By
Hannah Frishberg
Published Oct 19, 2026
North African restaurants are rare in NYC. These 10 are the best.
Egyptian, Moroccan, Algerian and Tunisian food is delicious but underrepresented in the city.
By
Robert Sietsema
Food
North African restaurants are rare in NYC. These 10 are the best.
Egyptian, Moroccan, Algerian and Tunisian food is delicious but underrepresented in the city.
By
Robert Sietsema
10 dishes that demonstrate the delicious diversity of curry in New York City
By
Robert Sietsema
Frozen yogurt is back in New York City. So are the super long lines.
By
Sonia Rao
5 NYC banana puddings as good as Magnolia's
By
Hannah Frishberg
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .