Top 9 Ramen Restaurants in Washington DC You Must Try

There’s nothing better than ramen when it’s rainy out, when it’s snowing, on a sick day—or any day, really. You don’t need an excuse to crave this noodle and broth-based dish, and fortunately, there are so many places in Washington, D.C. to choose from to get a ramen fix. Here’s a list of nine great ramen places to try in the city.

Daikaya

If you’re near the Capital One Arena, make a beeline to Daikaya’s ramen house. Upstairs on 6th Street is Daikaya’s stylish izakaya drinking den, but the downstairs ramen shop is just as hip. It’s walk-in only, so you could wait, but it’s worth it for the noodles here. Your choices include a vegan ramen with vegetable broth and toppings like Brussels sprouts, a rich soy sauce-flavored ramen, and a spicy miso ramen made with peanuts.
705 6th St NW Washington, D.C.
(202) 589-1600

Sakuramen

Looking for ramen in Adams Morgan? Asian fusion and ramen restaurant Sakuramen’s been slinging noodles for years on tourist-friendly 18th Street. The restaurant is influenced by ramen houses across the globe and offers seven different types of ramen priced between $13 and $17. That includes a vegetarian ramen, a spicy miso with pork (upgrade to extra spicy), a meat lovers bowl, and the DC Miso, a tribute to Washington D.C. with cheese and scallion.
2441 18th St NW Washington D.C.
(202) 656-5285

Haikan

Daikaya is so popular with Washingtonians, it’s spawned a mini-empire. Haikan is the company’s second traditional Sapporo-style ramen shop in D.C. after Daikaya, and it’s located in the bustling Shaw area. The restaurant’s interior is very modern, with concrete walls and plywood, and if it’s nice out, you can eat your ramen outside on the patio. The menu here is similar to Daikaya, with those same addictive noodles made in Sapporo, Japan.
805 V St NW Washington D.C.
(202) 299-1000

Bantam King

Bantam King is the latest ramen shop from the folks behind Daikaya. This restaurant near Chinatown is all about chicken: the broth is chicken-based, each bowl is topped with shredded chicken, and you can even add a quarter-chicken to your ramen. That’s not all, there’s also fried chicken on the menu, too. It riffs on Nashville hot chicken crossed with Chinese flavors. Make sure to save room for Bantam King’s ice cream too.
501 G St NW Washington D.C.
(202) 733-2612

Toki Underground

If you’re on H Street, don’t miss the tiny shop that helped spark the ramen craze in D.C. Toki Underground opened almost a decade ago (it opened in 2010). The hip upstairs space still feels like an underground spot to slurp bowls of Toki Underground’s Taipei curry fried chicken or kimchi ramen.
1234 H St NE Washington D.C.
(202) 388-3086

Jinya Ramen Bar

For ramen on 14th Street or in the Logan Circle area, there’s a new outpost from national chain Jinya Ramen Bar. The two-level space is outfitted in brick and industrial decor, and the menu has more than 10 different ramen options. Find everything from lobster to cilantro to vegan to tonkotsu spicy pork ramen here.
1336 14th St NW Washington D.C.
(202) 588-8560

Chaplin’s

Chaplin’s is a unique combination of a cocktail bar and ramen house. In addition to bubbly cocktails and frozen alcoholic drinks, you’ll find seven different kinds of ramen at this Shaw restaurant with a patio. Vegans and vegetarians can enjoy a variety of options while meat eaters can savor the rich flavors of pork belly chashu.
1501 9th St NW Washington D.C.
(202) 644-8806

DC Noodles

Noodles of all kinds can be found at this U Street neighborhood favorite, including ramen. Along with pad Thai and yakisoba, you’ll discover red miso ramen featuring a spicy miso broth, pork belly, corn, bamboo, nori, and an egg.
1412 U St NW Washington D.C.
(202) 232-8424

Oki Bowl

With two locations in Washington D.C., Oki Bowl is a favorite for its curry ramen, which boasts a curry broth blended with coconut milk, topped with shallot, pickled cabbage, fried chicken, and crispy noodles.
1608 Wisconsin Ave NW Washington D.C. (202) 944-8660
1817 M St NW Washington D.C. (202) 750-6703