Having been in Southeast Asia since 2018, I am embarrassed to say that it wasn’t until the spring of 2023 that I first tried ramen. Real ramen, that is. Real Japanese ramen.
I’d always overlook ramen at restaurants, probably because I have eaten thousands of Maruchan instant ramen. I didn’t think it could get much better. But one day in May 2023, I was hungry, saw a ramen restaurant nearby on Google Maps, and thought, what the heck, and went to check it out.
And as you’re probably assuming, because I’ve created an entire article on the topic, yes, it was excellent. My eyes were opened to the world of Japanese ramen. Who knew there were different types of ramen? Shio, shoyu, tonkotsu, miso… I didn’t. But my first experience was great, so I’ve slowly been trying other places throughout the city. Below are some of the best places to eat ramen in Ho Chi Minh City.
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1. Ramen Danbo (Japan Town, District 1)
Address: Google Maps • Facebook Page • Website
Japan Town in District 1 is a little area known for its Japanese restaurants and bars. It’s quiet during the day but comes alive at night. It then gets very crowded, and you might have difficulty getting seats in one of these places. During the day, however, the area is infinitely quieter. This is usually when I go. Sometime between 1 PM and 3 PM is the best.
I reviewed Japan Town on Google Maps
Danbo is the first place that I tried any real Japanese ramen, so I thought I’d start the list here. It also may have spoiled me right off the bat because it was, and is, excellent. At the time, I had nothing to compare it to, but it was just so good that I came back numerous times over the next couple of weeks.
Their focus is tonkotsu ramen. The shop is small, and when you walk in, the staff will verbally welcome you out loud. Grab a seat on the right counter or a table on the left.
In front of you on the counter, there’ll be little white pieces of paper to fill out your order with a provided highlighter marker. There is a menu for reference. You can select the ramen type you want, your noodle stiffness, flavor strength, and whether you want green onions, hot sauce, and many other small add-ons. Check out the menu, see what looks good, then fill out the paper slip. You don’t need to write an essay; you can quickly highlight it in a matter of seconds.
Napkins, spoons, chopsticks, sauces, and ginger are all provided right in front of you. Water is free as well. You’ll be given a cup, and there are pitchers lining the countertop. Here’s a helpful article on using chopsticks.
Every time I come here, I always get the same thing: Tonkotsu Ramen and Fried Chicken 3 Piece & Rice for 175.000 VND. It is great and more than filling.
Ramen Danbo also has a location in Thao Dien that I have not tried.
Related: 20 Best Hotels in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City: A Local’s Guide With Map
2. Tori Soba Mutahiro (Japan Town, District 1)
Address: Google Maps • Facebook Page
Water is usually free at all of the ramen places in Japan Town. There will be cups and water pitchers along the countertop.
This is a small ramen shop inside Japan Town. It’s at the beginning of a small, dead-end alley. You likely won’t see or notice it unless you look for it.
I sought this place out the other day to give it a shot. They do not have tonkotsu ramen, but that’s fine because I wanted to try their much-touted shoyu ramen instead. With shoyu, the ramen broth is made with soy sauce.
The shop is small, with only about 8-10 seats. It’s not the cleanest, well-decorated, or fanciest place on this list, but the shoyu I had was good.
I had the chicken ramen bowl with egg and seaweed paper for 170.000 VND. The chicken in the broth was excellent – really good and tasty pieces of chicken.
Related: 19 Best Things to Do in Ho Chi Minh City (By an Expat)
3. IPPUDO (District 7)
Address: Google Maps (closed) • Facebook Page
This branch in District 7 closed in 2023. They moved here: Google Maps
IPPUDO is a famous Japanese ramen chain. They are known for their tonkotsu ramen. This location in District 7 is one of the higher (and most) rated restaurants in Ho Chi Minh City.
Since Japan Town in District 1 is the most highly concentrated ramen area in Ho Chi Minh City, sometimes I want to get out and try some elsewhere. From the Ho Chi Minh Statue in District 1, this IPPUDO in the Phu My Hung area of District 7 is about a 15-20 minute car or motorbike ride away.
This is a really nice restaurant, tucked away in between some buildings, and a swimming pool in a quiet area of District 7. As I’ve mentioned in other articles, District 7 is one of my favorite districts in Ho Chi Minh City.
In these pictures, I had their Shiromaru Special, then substituted the pork for chicken chashu. I also ventured off-course by ordering a salad, which was also really good.
More: 9 Best Gyms in Ho Chi Minh City (By an Expat)
4. Yukichi Ramen (Japan Town, District 1)
Address: Google Maps • Website
This restaurant opens from 12 PM to 2 PM, closes, and then opens again from 5 PM to 2 AM. I personally go at 1 or 1:30 PM before it closes for the afternoon. 12 PM is likely to be busy, but it is still much better than going in the evening or night, which I always avoid.
Yukichi is in Japan Town. I discovered this place when I went to eat at Danbo, and it was too busy, so I started wandering around Japan Town. This place is tucked in the back, off to the side. Not many people venture back here, and you might not notice it when walking by.
There are about 10 seats along a square counter in front of the chefs, with a couple of small tables to the side. The staff have always been nice and chatty.
I have tried a few different types of ramen here, as well as the gyoza (Japanese dumpling) and karaage (fried) chicken sides. Everything has been great.
Their Tonkotsu Shoyu Ramen Max Full Topping is a pretty big bowl that comes with rice. This is 220.000 VND.
More: 14 Best Budget Hotels in Ho Chi Minh City: A Local’s Guide With Map
5. Daiichi Ramen (Japan Town, District 1)
Address: Google Maps • Website • Facebook Page
I reviewed Daiichi Ramen on Google Maps
This Daiichi is in Japan Town, in the first alleyway to the left after you enter the main entrance from Thai Van Lung Street. They also have a branch in Binh Thanh District.
You can park your motorbike directly in Japan Town. Just pull in the main entrance, and you’ll see some security guys to the left. They’ll point you where to park. It’s usually down the left alley, towards Daiichi. But if it’s crowded, then over to the right somewhere. Parking costs 10.000 VND.
I really like the decor of this place. A lot of dark wood. The ambiance feels very homey and relaxing. It’s like stepping into another world for a bit. Nice to have lunch here, then step back outside and reemerge.
Related: How to Get Around Ho Chi Minh City for First-Time Visitors
6. SUKIYA (Multiple Locations)
Addresses: Google Maps (showing multiple locations)
This restaurant chain is excellent for budget ramen and Gyudon (Japanese beef bowl). I wouldn’t actually call it “budget,” but when the food came out, I was just surprised at how filling it was compared to the cost. They could easily charge a bit more.
Every time I’ve ordered here, I have always left more than full, for a fraction of the cost of the places in Japan Town. And since they have locations all over the city, it’s a great place if you need to grab something quick, tasty, filling, and cheap.
They have a number of add-ons, side dishes, and combo sets. In the picture above, I ordered the Tokyo Chashu Ramen and added on the Kangkung Set, which included a vegetable, miso soup, and a drink.
The ramen was 95.000 VND, and the set was an extra 20.000 VND. The total bill was 123.000 VND. Extremely good value.
Sukiya locations are spread throughout the city. You’ll want to download and use the Grab app to get around. The popular locations are:
- Pasteur Street (District 3)
- On Thai Van Lung, right outside of Japan Town (District 1)
- Outside of Thao Dien across the highway (District 2)
Related: 8 Best Hotels in District 3, Ho Chi Minh City (With Map)
7. Miso Chikura Saigon
Address: Google Maps • Facebook Page
Miso Chikura is located in District 1, not far from Japan Town, but in a quieter area. It’s actually less than a 5-minute walk away. So, if you’re in the area and want to avoid the craziness that sometimes exists in Japan Town, especially at night, this is a good choice.
When you walk in, you’ll be immediately greeted by friendly staff. When I came here last, the chef greeted me at the door, and he was genuinely happy to interact.
The restaurant has good air-conditioning. There’s a long wood bar in the front, facing the chefs, and some restaurant seating in the back with four or five tables.
The large Kokuuma Miso that I had in the picture above was very filling. What I noticed that was different from the other ramen places I’ve tried is that this bowl had a lot of flavorful ingredients inside. I’m not even sure what it all was, but the concoction was excellent.
Underneath the Kokuuma Miso on the menu, the description reads: “The thick and rich soup with soybean paste from hukaido and chewy noodles are excellent.” That’s all it says, and I have to agree.
More: 15 Best 5-Star Hotels in Ho Chi Minh City: A Local’s Guide With Map
8. Machida Shoten
Address: Google Maps • Website • Facebook Page
This ramen restaurant is inside the mall at Landmark 81 in Binh Thanh District. I frequently eat at the food court just across from this place, so I decided to try it. It does have excellent reviews on Google Maps.
Landmark 81 is quiet during the week during the daytime. That’s when I usually eat at the food court across the way, and it’s also very relaxed.
The same goes for Machida Shoten. I was the only person eating here when I visited.
I had the Yokohama Style Ramen + Gyoza Set, which also comes with a drink. I ordered the biggest set, the MAX size, for 247.000 VND. The chashu pork was excellent.
As with most of the ramen places I’ve reviewed, water is free. Each table had its own water pitcher. Because it’s in the mall, it’s air-conditioned and very clean.
Related: 24 Best Hotels in Ho Chi Minh City: A Local’s Guide With Map
9. Choi Oi Noodle
Address: Google Maps • Facebook Page
Choi Oi Noodle is another ramen restaurant located in Japan Town. This one is best accessed from Japan Town’s side entrance off Le Thanh Ton Street. From this alley next to 7 Bridges Brewing, it is straight ahead.
The interior here is very basic. There are about 10 seats along the counter facing the chefs and two tables off to the side. As with most ramen restaurants, there is free water.
Choi Oi Noodle specializes in dry ramen. There’s no soup, the noodles are thicker, and the pork chashu is one big-ish piece of pork. The overall taste is a bit different than the others in this article, but still very good.
The big bowl of the Pork Chashu Dry Noodle pictured above was 160.000 VND.
More: Best Pizza Places in Ho Chi Minh City (By an Expat)
Ramen in Ho Chi Minh City (FAQs)
What are the top-rated ramen restaurants in Ho Chi Minh City?
Many of the top-rated ramen places are found in Japan Town in District 1. This is where you’ll find Ramen Danbo, one of the more popular places. I would check this one out first. If it’s too busy, then check out Yukichi or Daiichi nearby. For something slightly more upscale, check out IPPUDO in District 1.
Where can I find authentic Japanese ramen in Ho Chi Minh City?
For authentic Japanese ramen, you’ll want to head to Japan Town in District 1. This little area has the highest concentration of ramen restaurants in Saigon. But it can be extremely busy and hectic at night. Not the ramen spots, but this entire area. I personally eat here during the daytime, usually between 1 and 3 PM, when it is much less crowded.
How much does a typical bowl of ramen cost in Ho Chi Minh City?
Ramen in Ho Chi Minh City can be had for as little as around 90.000 VND, up to more than 200.000 VND per bowl. Some places include a side of rice with their ramen bowls. Other places have sets or lunch sets, which can include a drink, rice, dumplings, and fried chicken. If you’re wandering Japan Town, pop into one of the places I recommended and give it a go. Then try a different place next time.
