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The Best Ramen in Austin

The Tatsu-ya ramen empire and the bowls that followed — from the city's reference tonkotsu shop to a Michelin Bib Gourmand izakaya and a Japanese-Mexican hybrid.

By Dim Hour · Updated 2026-07-05 · 6 verified picks

Ramen in Austin starts with one family. The Tatsu-ya group — Ramen Tatsu-Ya, the reference tonkotsu shop, and its Michelin Bib Gourmand izakaya sibling Kemuri Tatsu-ya — reshaped the city's noodle scene, and the bowls that followed raised the floor everywhere. The picks below are the canonical answers to "where's the best ramen in Austin," each scored and verified by Dim Hour.

A note on the bowls: tonkotsu is the rich, cloudy pork-bone broth most of these shops are built on; shoyu (soy) and miso are the lighter and deeper alternatives; tsukemen serves the noodles and dipping broth separately. Austin's scene leans tonkotsu, with a couple of left turns — a smoked-brisket bowl, a birria-ramen hybrid — that could only happen in Texas.

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The Picks
1

Ramen Tatsu-Ya

Ramen · North Lamar · $$ · Dim Hour 87

Austin's reference-point ramen shop, on North Lamar, with tonkotsu, chicken, and vegan broths held to a consistent line across a small local chain. The original room runs loud and lean; the tonkotsu and the spicy bowls are the orders. Walk-in.

Order: Tonkotsu · Spicy Tonkotsu · Tan Tan Men · Shoyu
📍 8557 Research Blvd APT 126, Austin, TX 78758 Website ↗ Full listing on Dim Hour →
2

Kemuri Tatsu-ya

Japanese BBQ · East Austin · $$$ · Dim Hour 96
🏆 Michelin Bib Gourmand

The most decorated room in the Tatsu-ya family — a Michelin Bib Gourmand izakaya-meets-Texas-BBQ mashup in East Austin. The brisket tsukemen folds smoked Central Texas brisket into a ramen format, and the smoked-yakitori program reads like an Austin dare. Book on Resy.

Order: Smoked Brisket Ramen · Tatsu-Yaki · Tsukune
📍 2713 E 2nd St, Austin, TX 78702 Website ↗ Full listing on Dim Hour →
3

Tare

Japanese / Noodles · North Austin · $$ · Dim Hour 87
🏆 Michelin Recommended

A Michelin-recommended Japanese noodle shop in North Austin built on handmade udon and soba — the refined, broth-forward alternative for noodle-seekers. Deeply flavored broths, pristine tempura, and a serious tea program. Walk-in.

Order: Handmade Udon · Soba · Tempura · Japanese Tea
📍 12414 Alderbrook Dr, Austin, TX 78727 Website ↗ Full listing on Dim Hour →
4

Ramen Del Barrio

Japanese-Mexican Ramen · North Austin · $ · Dim Hour 87
🏆 James Beard Best New Restaurant 2024 (semifinalist)

A Japanese-Mexican ramen hybrid from the Ramen Tatsu-ya team and a James Beard Best New Restaurant semifinalist (2024). Birria ramen and a swing-for-the-fences crawfish bowl fuse the two cuisines without making a mess of either. Walk-in.

Order: Birria Ramen · Tonkotsu · Mexican-Japanese Fusion
📍 7858 Shoal Creek Blvd, Austin, TX 78757 Website ↗ Full listing on Dim Hour →
5

Sazan Ramen

Japanese Ramen · East Austin · $ · Dim Hour 86

An East Austin shop on Airport Blvd built on rich pork broth and housemade noodles, with a tight focus — proper tonkotsu and miso bowls and gyoza rather than a sprawling izakaya menu. Order ahead on Toast or settle in. Walk-in.

Order: Tonkotsu Ramen · Miso Ramen · Gyoza
📍 2015 E 7th St, Austin, TX 78702 Website ↗ Full listing on Dim Hour →
6

Komé Sushi Kitchen

Japanese · North Loop · $$ · Dim Hour 90

A family-run North Loop Japanese spot open since 2006 and voted Best Sushi 2025 by the Austin Chronicle — its tonkotsu ramen (pork chashu, blackened garlic oil) is a neighborhood staple alongside the sushi. Izakaya small plates and a sake list round it out. Walk-in.

Order: Kara-Age (fried chicken thighs with Japanese mayo) · Tonkotsu Ramen (pork chashu, blackened garlic oil) · Tarantula Roll (shrimp tempura, softshell crab, avocado, black tobiko, go-go sauce) · Alone Together Roll (tuna, salmon, yellowtail, BBQ eel, tempura crunch) · Sake Kasu Cheesecake (housemade with sake lees)
📍 5301 Airport Blvd Ste 100, Austin, TX 78751 Website ↗ Full listing on Dim Hour →
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best ramen in Austin?
The top ramen picks in Austin include Ramen Tatsu-Ya, Kemuri Tatsu-ya, Tare. Each is scored and verified by Dim Hour; see the full ranked list with signature dishes above.
What is the Tatsu-ya group?
Tatsu-ya is the Austin restaurant group that defined the city's ramen scene. Ramen Tatsu-Ya is its reference tonkotsu shop, Kemuri Tatsu-ya its Michelin Bib Gourmand izakaya, and Ramen Del Barrio its Japanese-Mexican hybrid. Several of the best bowls in town come from the same team.
Which Austin ramen spot has a Michelin distinction?
Kemuri Tatsu-ya holds a Michelin Bib Gourmand, and Tare is Michelin-recommended for its handmade udon and soba. Both are among the most refined Japanese-noodle rooms in Austin.
What kind of ramen should I order in Austin?
Tonkotsu — the rich, cloudy pork-bone broth — is the house style at Ramen Tatsu-Ya, Sazan, and Komé. For something distinctly Austin, the brisket tsukemen at Kemuri Tatsu-ya and the birria ramen at Ramen Del Barrio fold Texas and Mexican flavors into the bowl.
Is there a Japanese-Mexican ramen in Austin?
Yes — Ramen Del Barrio in North Austin is a Japanese-Mexican ramen hybrid (a 2024 James Beard Best New Restaurant semifinalist), best known for its birria ramen and a crawfish bowl.
Do Austin ramen shops take reservations?
Most are walk-in (Ramen Tatsu-Ya, Tare, Ramen Del Barrio, Sazan Ramen). Kemuri Tatsu-ya takes reservations.
How much does ramen cost in Austin?
Most bowls are budget-friendly ($–$$). The sit-down izakaya experience at Kemuri Tatsu-ya runs higher ($$$) once you add the yakitori and small plates.
How many restaurants does Dim Hour cover in Austin?
Dim Hour curates 692+ restaurants in Austin, each scored and verified.
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