The Most Delectable Ramen in Cincinnati

Zundo Ramen & Donburi

★★★★☆ 4.1 (244) • $$

"So I had a summer cold and wanted ramen I know have a favorite one This place is delicious It's hiding right next to Queen City radio and you must go I ordered the miso ramen The portions are big and the taste is an explosion in your mouth The service was great and quick perfect for lunch I will be back especially during the cold months"

Zundo Ramen & Donburi -Mason

★★★★★ 4.7 (79) • $$

"Great, authentic food. Im not a huge fan of ramen but this place has changed my mind. Fresh ingredients and quality preparations. Beat ramen Ive had for sure."

Poke Island Grill

★★★★☆ 4 (3)

"A poke gem inside the foodcourt mall! Always fresh and very generous portion you better be hungry to finish a bowl. Their ramen is also good! Love this place. The servings are way bigger than the Poke Hut in OTR. I always leave with a happy tummy!"

Ninja Ramen

★★★★★ 4.5 (27) • $$

"Was really excited to try this place because we are big fans of ramen and their sister restaurant (Ozu 852). We ordered two drinks, app and two different ramen dishes. Delish! Inside is so so beautiful as well!"

Osaka Sushi & Hibachi

★★★★★ 4.7 (36)

"Such a delicious find!Run, don't walk (brisk carry out business too). Everything was delish. Started with crab Rangoon, followed by hibatchi shrimp and steak, sweet and sour chicken and a dancing crab roll. We loved it all and we were thrilled with this find!!"

Genki Ramen Izakaya

★★★★☆ 3.9 (63) • $$

"My husband and I needed snack while we were out running errands. I had ramen at Genki before, so I knew it was good. This particular visit, we tried the okonomiyaki, the chicken karaage, and the spicy garlic edamame. I would happily eat them all again, but the star of the show was the edamame. We loved the spicy garlic! The restaurant was clean and the service was good."

Maki Express Ramen House

★★★★☆ 4.2 (239) • $$

"My best friend and I visited Cincinnati for a day trip and on this rainy day ran across Maki Express Ramen House. We almost passed on the experience after we stepped inside and noticed the small place, which could only seat a handful of people. The tables were full but the gentleman working offered to take out number and call us when one opened. Thankfully we found shelter next door and stood outside to wait about 15 minutes. We were offered menus right away and were able to ask questions about a few of the ramen options. I chose the miso ramen with bone broth, pork belly, corn, spinach and other goodness. The broth was thick and flavorful with tons of noodles. I was hooked from the first bite - my first ramen experience. The only thing I left behind was the pork belly, which was very fatty. A small fridge offers bottled waters and sodas. I love the graphics on the wall and multiple lucky cats. This spot does heavy carry out. People came and went throughout our lunch. Highly recommend this spot and it would be a regular spot if I lived in the area."

Hoshi Ramen

★★★★☆ 3.8 (128) • $$

"We had to come and see what this restaurant had to offer. We were visiting friends on campus and one of my friends mentioned a quint ramen shop so of course we could not pass it up! We had to come and check Hoshi Ramen out! It was very cute walking in and seeing lots of different japanese decorations with Scooby-Doo episode playing behind the bar. Immediately felt comfortable as a nerd coming here to get some food.We actually reserved a table ahead of time for the 5 of us and they were excited to accommodate. We sat down and the server started service with waters and our appetizers. We ordered the Chashu fries, the chicken karaage and the seaweed salad. Everything was fresh and tasty! Then we went in ordered our respective ramen bowls. I acquiesced to a spicy seafood ramen bowl. Because spice and seafood is the best combination.The noodles were chewy. The vegetables were fresh. And best of all the broth was light and savory. This a great place to try. The even have a description key to aid in the menu if you didn't know what it's from. 5 stars!"

SAM Sushi & Ramen

★★★★☆ 3.9 (92) • $$

"I wish I could have been here before COVID, but it appears they have made some pretty extensive changes to the place because of COVID. For the most part there is no dine in. They have put up a wall and there are two tables in the area to sit in which are not attached to the regular HVAC system.... cold in winter. That being said, the food was good. I got a tuna bowl and the tuna was fresh. My husband got ramen and really liked it, but there is no dine in experience. Everything is served on disposable plates/containers. I ordered a hot sake and in came in a coffee cup. All drinks are bottles (even water).Typically when I go out to eat, I want the experience and service too.... this is not the place, but would be great for take out."

Ukiyo Ramen

★★★☆☆ 3.3 (3)

"Not great. Which is sad because I was excited! The menu looked great and the prices were good and the people were nice. But the ramen wasn't great. The broth was good but the beef was awful it tasted leftover and the egg wasn't amazing. Also it made my stomach hurt."

Stone Bowl

★★★★☆ 4 (322) • $$

"A hidden gem everyone should know about! Delicious & authentic dumplings, ramen and stone rice bowl. The best I've I'm so amazed by this one-man operation -- the chef does everything. Everything was delicious, he was kind and courteous, and I could tell the others dining there were regulars. Can't wait to come back"

Genki Ramen

★★★★☆ 4.4 (116)

"It's been a while since I've had Ramen, so my friend and I decided to have dinner here last night. I ordered the Miso Ramen, it had really great flavor, was served quickly, and was exceptionally hot! My friend ordered the same and seemed to enjoy it as well."

Osaka Ramen House

★★★★☆ 4.3 (127) • $$

"A former coworker of mine always raved about this place and even went at least once a week. So, I knew that, eventually, I'd have to check it out for myself. Was it as good as he said? Definitely! Excellent service, great food, and an atmosphere that looks like something straight out of Japan itself.My boss and I went on a Thursday to check it out. The place itself is rather small with only about six tables, but don't let that fool you, because what it may lack in size it makes up for in character and flavor. The menu features lots of tasty appetizers, ramen (of course), rice dishes, and soups and salads. No sake but that's okay because I was on the clock anyway. We started out with an order of gyoza, an order of shumai, and two green teas. Both the shumai and gyoza were cooked just right and delicious. As for our ramen, my boss got the seafood bowl and I got the shio (because I love bok choy). We didn't wait long at all before everything was ready and it really hit the spot. Hard to beat good ramen on a cold winter day. Overall, for the price, it was a really good deal too.If you've read any of my other reviews, you likely know what I'm gonna say next, and yes, I'm likely gonna visit here again sometime with my lady because I know she'll enjoy it too. Absolutely worth checking out!"

Zozo’s

★★★★★ 4.5 (95) • $$

"I have been here many times and it is amazing every time! They have one of the best sushi rolls I have ever had! mango Samba! Pho is amazing as well! Fried rice and even the kids chicken nuggets are good! Service is always friendly!"

Dope! Asian Street Fare

★★★★☆ 3.9 (83)

"Everything was delicious. Would go back again. It was a fun food hall market style above the Kroger and for an out of towner- I'll recommend any day and I'll be back.The lemongrass broth was so yummy! The baos were great, and my guy was digging the pork belly ramen. Everything too notch!"

Rokaru Ramen

★★★★☆ 4.4 (121) • $$

"I raved about this local ramen stop after our first stop -- but a service mistake and an incorrect order (not vegetarian) make us hesitant to go back. For my first visit, five of us dined in. Everyone loved their ramen. The veggie gyoza was a highlight -- so flavorful and crispy. The waitress was helpful when it came to creating a Build Your Own Ramen bowl that was vegetarian. So delicious! Unfortunately, our takeout order a few weeks later was not so good. The cashier had our food ready, but said she'd accidentally charged a previous customer for our order. She was confused on what to do. My husband suggested he pay in cash for the cost of our food, then she can sort out a refund to the other customer later. Simple, right? Not to her. She was so overwhelmed by confusion that she left my husband (and our food) waiting at the register for more than 15 minutes. Once home, I noticed my "vegetarian ramen" didn't look the same as last time -- and the stomach problems that followed for two days tell me they gave me a meat-based broth (or similar non-vegetarian mistake)."

Mei Japanese Restaurant

★★★★☆ 4.2 (144) • $$

"We really liked Mei Japanese Restaurant! The food was great, the interior was very well done and the staff were excellent! My daughter and I were craving ramen one afternoon, and decided to try Mei. I had a great miso ramen and my daughter had curry katsu udon. She loved her and mine was excellent! Great portions served piping hot. The friendly server suggested a hot lemon citrus drink for me which was outstanding . The menu is quite broad - lots of sushi and many other Japanese dishes that we would like to try in a future visit.We were the only customers in the restaurant but that was not surprising since we were there on New Year's Eve day, at an odd time in between lunch and dinner. The interior space is very well done, with lots of seating.The location was the strange part - sort of behind a car dealer in an odd little "neighborhood" of businesses in what look like ranch style houses? Definitely the landlord should invest a few bucks in sprucing up the exterior commercial spaces (Mei looks fine but some of the other buildings could use some TLC), but none of that impact Mei - Mei shines once you get inside. Lots of parking, welcoming staff and great food. We'll be back!"

Poke 96

★★★★☆ 4.4 (39)

"We stopped by here after his 5K run, and he was absolutely famished. I couldn't have been happier because poke is my favorite food--I could probably eat it every day and never get tired of it! We arrived in the late afternoon, and there were no other customers, which was perfect for a quick and quiet bite. Ordering was easy and efficient; you place your order on self-service screens right by the counter, and as soon as you finish paying, the team gets to work preparing it.The space itself is clean and inviting, with plenty of seating for groups or solo diners. Once they received our order, the wait time was minimal, and all the ingredients looked super fresh. There's something for everyone here: I love my poke raw, but they also offer cooked protein options for those who prefer it. I opted for my standard poke bowl of half salad half sushi rice with salmon and tuna, and for the sauce I chose umami soy-based sauce mix with spicy-creamy sauce, and I usually go batshit crazy with the max number of toppings I can fit in my bowl for the extra juiciness and crunch: typically edamame, corn, cucumber, jalapeno, mango, orange, pineapple, seaweed salad and spicy crab salad (if available) paired with tempura crunch and furikake or sesame seeds or chopped nori.I enjoyed my salmon bites immensely, though I did find the (ground) spicy tuna a bit on the fishy side. The portion is filling, and to be honest I've never had a poke bowl I didn't lick off to the last drop. Overall, it's tough to go wrong with a poke bowl, just pick your favorite toppings and sauces, and it's sure to come together deliciously. A solid spot for a poke fix!"

Rokaru Ramen

★★★★★ 4.5 (20) • $$

"Good ramen at a good price. It's not upscale or gourmet, but it is, importantly, tasty. Deserving of five stars because I cannot think of anything I was dissatisfied by. Everything landed right in the good range, at prices I couldn't disagree with. It's interior is cute and chic, emphasizing multiple textures and tied together by a light wood. It's just modern enough, without it feeling like it is trying to be trendy. Service is fine and fast. Again, not a gourmet dining experience, but it doesn't pretend to be."

Kiki College Hill

★★★★☆ 4.3 (137) • $$

"Made a last minute reservation on a Thursday evening and we were seated quickly.We ordered the oysters first which were from Nova Scotia and so petite and delicious. Next we split the tamaki hand roll which was $28. Generous amount of fish and so flavorful. Two people can get several hand rolls each with fish, rice, kimchi.We then ordered two types of ramen, the shio ramen and the kimchi ramen. The kimchi ramen was very good but a little saltier than I prefer but the shio ramen was outstanding. Overall, the service was extremely fast, the food was fresh and delicious and the experience was super positive. I will absolutely be returning to try there branzino with chimichurri."

I Love Noods

★★★★☆ 4.1 (30)

"We have been back a couple of times since my original review. The hiccups of the first time have been corrected and there is even a sign with clear instructions when you enter now.The food is always really good and prepared fresh. The drinks are crafted to perfection. You can tell that the team preparing the items cares about the quality. This is a new favorite spot and we will definitely be back!"

Osaka Ramen House

★★★★☆ 4.4 (51) • $$

"I love the broth and the egg. The egg was perfectly soft. The place is cutesy decorated. The customer service is warm and friendly. My favorite was the wooden spoon."

Zundo Ramen

★★★★☆ 4.2 (6)

"Had the Katsu Curry Rice bowl tonight, and the flavors and textures were AMAZING. I don't usually got ALL CAPS on things, but this is an amazing dish! I got it to-go, so pix won't do it justice, but it comes in a two-tier container, one with the curry sauce , and one with the rice, pickled onions, and katsu fried pork. I could eat this every night of the week. I've tried their Teriyaki Chicken Don rice bowl here (also AMAZING) and their Ramen at the original location on 12th St., OTR, also AMAZING. With the ramen bowls you can get an extra serving of noodles, but beware, that's a lot of food! The space is nice, with a Cincy-centric mural, but it is in a strip mall on Red Bank. Neighbors with some other good restaurants in El Jinete and New Shaan. Please give them a try, you won't regret it, I promise."

The Silver Slipper

★★★★★ 4.6 (26)

"Can't say how much I love this place! It's a hidden gem in the GEM city! If you like oysters and wine with food music please stop by and tell Brock I sent you! If you don't like oysters, cool.. try the French chicken, slipper salad and maybe Baxters Pick! You should be a happy camper after. The vibe is always chill in here enough to where you can still have comfortable conversation with friends. Service is great as well'"

Speakeasy Miso

★★★★☆ 4.2 (19)

"Wonderful experience! The food, service, and ambiance were all great. Excellent selection of ramen (not your typical shoyu/miso!) and sake/cocktails/beer and ciders.We tried the beef gyoza, very tasty and big! I had the sapporo ramen, husband had the hakata. Both were good, I think I liked his a bit better. They also offer kids bowls of ramen which weren't listed on the menu.I also tried the Southside cocktail and the 21 Barrels Lychee cider. The cocktail was pretty solid, but the cider was fantastic! Not too sweet, not too dry, great lychee flavor. Husband also tried the juice box sake - very cute.Very happy to have a Speakeasy Ramen location closer by and can't wait to see how they evolve!"

Ramen Hachi

★★★★★ 4.5 (40)

"I didn't expect a little ramen shop in tiny Oxford to be anything special so I was extra delighted to discover how excellent the food is at Ramen Hachi. They've really set the bar for me actually. As I try other ramen places all over, I haven't found one yet that compares. I had the black garlic tonkotsu and will likely keep getting that because it's memorably delicious. Our server was also really personable and attentive. The shop feels new, clean & inviting. Wish there was a Ramen Hachi in my city!"