I had to see if Ramen Nakamura lived up to its #3 ranking on Timeout's best ramen list. This hidden gem on the Lower East Side is a small, intimate spot perfect for a quick, fantastic meal. The appetizers were a highlight, especially the yummy Yuzu Wings-which was my favorite. Also enjoyed the shishito peppers, the geso calamari had a nice chew. My parents enjoyed the corn ribs and gyoza. For ramen, our table tried the rich and creamy Tontoro Pork, the light and clean Jidori Chicken and the Tokyo Tsukemen with pork and flavorful fish dipping sauce. I've just returned from Japan and this is pretty authentic ramen. A special shout-out to our server, Carlos, who was attentive and made the experience even better. And a fun fact we learned: Chef Nakamura is one of the "Ramen Gods," a title earned from competing on a Japanese TV show called Ramen King, the ramen version of Iron Chef. read more

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My all time favorite spot, had a bite and got choked up y'all, I wish this was closer to Jersey! My husband uses this place to bribe me into doing errands in the city and I'm totally okay with that! The staff are always super sweet, too. I just love everything about this place except the location. read more

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We've been to NAKAMURA so many times. Starting back in 2017, where we found this place almost by accident. I've been reluctant to Yelp It because I want "our place" to stay a secret. It's small, a bit hard to get to, and hot in the summer. But it's worth it. This place has the best ramen in the city, if not the entire East Coast. They have about dozen Ramen, Mazeman & Tsukemen entree's (w/add ons), appetizers, mini rice bowls, fun drinks (hard & soft) and the most delicious XO Mapo Tofu. And I really don't care for the dish. But here, I cherish the flavors. The last time we went, we walked about a mile in the rain. The meal was so good, I looked up and saw tears of elation on my wife's face. read more

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Came here in 2019 and went out of my way to come here. It was pretty good back then. I can't remember too much besides that it was NYC's top Ramen restaurants at the time. The service was great. Small restaurant with cozy vibes. Not sure if I would go out of my way to go there now. read more

This is a very small ramen shop in lower east side. The ramen I got here was pork tonkatsu. What stood out to me was that the noodles were bigger than what I'm normally used to. That's a good though though, I found the noodles to be very tasty and have that bigger noodles mean that it was able to soak up the broth. I found the broth to be really tasty too! However I felt like there was barely any pork, I only had 1.5 piece. read more

tiny ramen shop thats not the cleanest but the ramen is solid. its definitely not the 'everything is made to look beautiful' kinda ramen but the 'we know what we re doing' kinda ramen. i got the tokyo tsukemen which i liked better than any other tsukemen i remember trying in nyc. the dipping broth was a good balance of salty, fishy, and citrusy but I wish the noodles were a bit thicker and colder. pork had a very nice char that i could smell the smoke on when first brought out. portion size is larger than most places but prices are high too. will be back to try normal ramen. read more

Nakamura - tokyo tsukemen - Ramen Near Me - New York, New York

One of the last hidden gem ramen shops in the city. Very small shop, but generally doesn't get too full. The tonkotsu ramen is incredible you can tell how much work they put into perfecting the broth. Right amount of richness, flavor, and thickness. Noodles are always on point as well. You order right from your phone so service is quick and easy! read more

Nakamura - Ton Toro Pork - Ramen Near Me - New York, New York

It was really good but I felt so sick for hours after eating here. Staff was nice, the experience was great but I'm not sure what made me feel sick, it was immediately after eating this read more

Nakamura - Ton Toro Pork - Ramen Near Me - New York, New York

I haven't had such clean and flavorful noodles in a really long time and Nakamura really did it right. With so many ramen shops focusing on perfecting the Tonkatsu ramen, it's a change of pace to have Nakamura's Torigara Ramen which is the most guilt free bowl of ramen you can have. Right next to the Williamsburg bridge exit out on Delancy, you'll find an unpretentious ramen shop with exactly four tables, no a/c, and a chalkboard of specials. Interaction with the employees is kept minimal since you scan a qr code of the menu and order through the app. Casual and no frills, perfect for a quick bowl of ramen. The Torigawa ramen that I ordered is what I expect every shoyu ramen to taste like, light and savory but also rich in flavor. They also give you a decent amount of chicken and the noodles are thin and easy to eat. Topped with a soy marinated egg, some chili oil, and a single fish cake, you have both a picture perfect and delicious bowl of ramen. My partner got the chicken curry ramen with extra noodle and a poached egg. The curry broth was lighter than most curry broths I've had. Since the curry ramen is on the lighter side, the broth is drinkable and you can finish the ramen without having it weigh you down. With the ramen being so good, It's no surprise that Nakamura opened a location in the US (originally from Japan). It's worth checking out if you're in the area and want a light and rejuvenating bowl of ramen. read more

Nakamura - Chicken Curry Ramen with Poached Egg and Extra Noodles - Ramen Near Me - New York, New York

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Cozy restaurant with limited seating. I came here on a weeknight, around 6, and I was able to easily find a free table. There is a qr code on the table that allows you to order without speaking to a server. The chicken gyoza ($10) was decent. I've had better, but it is nice to try at least once. The meat inside was very small. The gyoza wrapper is very thin and delicate. When I bit into the gyoza, all I could think was that the taste and texture were very cute. They also provided hot oil and vinegary soy sauce. The Torigara Ramen was pretty good. The chicken broth had a clean taste but it had a slight bitter aftertaste that I did not like. The noodles were thin and straight. The chicken was very tender and not dry at all. The Ton Toro Ramen was my favorite. I actually finished all the pork broth, which was packed with flavor and very creamy. The noodles were thicker and wavy. The soup clung to the thicker noodles better than the thin noodles. The chashu was soft and a fatty, which some people may not like. Overall, I would rate this a 3.5 but I rounded up for the Ton Toro Ramen. read more

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This is a hidden gem. Great service and amazing food! We ordered the gyoza as appetizer, my husband had chicken broth ramen and I ordered the pork broth ramen. Everything was delicious. read more

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I'm expecting either big portion or mind blowing flavor for $20 for a ramen. this was neither :( I'd give 3.5 if I could given the cute ambiance but sorry I'm here for the food I can't placebo a better deal if it looks cute pretty decent ramen but overpriced for what it is. They also only gave one piece of pork which I've never seen this level of stingy :( granted it was a busy Monday night maybe they were running low on things but Yelp is for harsh and honest opinions !! read more

Nakamura - Truffle Miso (Vegan) Ton Toro Pork - Ramen Near Me - New York, New York

I was not expecting the wings to look so "skinny". When I opened up the container I stared at the contents and I thought to myself, "there is no way" these are chicken. I was not walking back to the restaurant to complain since it was late and I was really hungry but this was a huge letdown. The flavor was good and the staff was very nice and greeted me as I entered the restaurant, but paying $12 for something that wouldn't even get a small child full is disappointing. read more

Nakamura - They call this a chicken wing? Lol - Ramen Near Me - New York, New York

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Got the Truffle Miso Ramen and it was delicious! Just the right level of truffle and not overpowering. Quick service in a comfortable atmosphere. My dining companions enjoyed theirs (the spicy ramen my Sister got was definitely spicy!! ) read more

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Many of my friends still recommend Ramen Ishida in the neighborhood, but I prefer Nakamura at my heart beat! Their clean, simple, yet flavorful shoyu soy based Torigara (chicken stock) ramen is definitely a must-try! It can be a top contender for the best ramen to even competitors in Japan. Another bonus- Hayao Miyazaki's seal of approval on the wall :) read more

Nakamura - Ramen Near Me - New York, New York

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Still plenty of seats available on a Saturday around opening. The restaurant did fill up a bit as time went on, but there was always at least a table available while I was there. I had the ton toro pork ramen. The noodles were perfect. I loved that they were still a bit chewy. The broth wasn't as rich as other pork based broths that I'm used to, but it was still very flavorful. It wasn't as salty as other broths either, so I could consume more of it without it getting too overpowering. The chashu had a good amount of fat and was so tender. The ajitama was good. There were what I believe to be mustard greens with the ramen, which was new for me. I enjoyed them, and they were a bit spicy. Menma were soft. My friend got the torigara ramen. I tried the broth, and it definitely tasted more like a fish base than a chicken base. I liked that we could order and pay online, so we could leave without getting a check when we were finished. It also made it easier because we didn't have to figure out how to split the bill later. read more

Nakamura - Ton Toro Pork - Ramen Near Me - New York, New York

Sometimes, I kinda not want to review certain hidden gems for selfish reasons. But I would rather see this establishment thrive than fail. I was introduced to this establishment by a great friend. She is vegan and has been going to eat here for quite a while that she has her own platter ready for her. That is dedication, and after coming here a few times, I see why. The ambiance is calm and welcoming it isn't the biggest spot on the block, but I guarantee you it's the most important establishment on the block. Anything you try is delicious from drinks to food. The love that is put into these dishes is phenomenal. Unfortunately, I can't share the dish that was customized for my friend and I. But I promise you everything on the menu I tried has been a meal to enjoy. To come visit NY in the heart of Delancy streets and have some real Ramen made with love and represents its culture is just that dope! This is the establishment to be reckoned with. Now that my secret spot is out, I hope you get to enjoy what I write about. Kudos to Nakamura on being a doer and not a talker. read more

Honestly such a hidden gem in the LES. Have been coming for years and love their light but flavorful broth - ordered their tonkotsu recently and it was great. The tontoro was an old favorite of mine but I haven't seen that lately. read more

Very authentic tsukemen and almost no wait on a Saturday night. Location: Nakamura is located on the Lower East Side in a location close to a lot of other Japanese restaurants. Food: The tsukemen tasted very authentic, and it went really well with the grilled shishuto peppers we ordered. Also unlike some other Japanese restaurants I've visited, I was happy with the portion size (especially after ordering a kaedama) (a second serving of noodles)- with a kaedama, the tsukemen is honestly really filling. Price: The food wasn't cheap, but with inflation so high nothing really is anymore. I would be lying though if I said I don't miss pre-pandemic prices or the price of ramen in Japan (which is usually around 8 USD a bowl). Service: The service was very good. Verdict: Worth the price if you are craving a good bowl of noodles. read more

Nakamura - Grilled Shishuto Peppers - Ramen Near Me - New York, New York

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The ambience was very pleasant and the food was good overall. I really enjoyed the ramen, though I think adding a bit more chicken would make it even better. read more

Came to Nakamura the other night with a friend, and we got the chicken to split, and the Jidori ramen for myself. The space itself is quite small, but overall not too busy so you likely won't have to wait. The fried chicken was fine, but not particularly standout. The sizes were really varied, and the chicken wasn't particularly crispy, but the flavor was good and had a good amount of spice and numbing spice. The ramen itself was ok. The soup has a light chicken and fish taste, which was what the menu advertised. However, the vegetables here were a bit overpowering in taste, so when it was eaten in conjunction, it overpowered everything. I'd have preferred they chose a lighter tasting vegetable. The chicken and egg were well-cooked though, which made up for the lack of flavor that was in the soup. The food would've made this spot 4 stars, but the service was also quite slow. We waited nearly 30 minutes for our food. While the kitchen was quite small, the output seemed rather slow, which docks this by another star. Ideally, I'd give it a 3.5. From my limited dining experience here, I think there are much better ramen spots in the area in comparison to this. read more

Nakamura - Szechuan Fried Chicken - Ramen Near Me - New York, New York

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I've come here before but it seems like it's new ownership so I was surprised with a different menu. I ordered yuzu chicken wings.. and it's the best wings I've had in a LONG time. The sauce is well rounded with a hint of citrus. Perfectly crunchy on the outside and juicy on the inside. Huge fan! Would come back solely for to have those again. I also ordered vegan miso ramen. The broth was okay. But the noodles were just right, chewy and tasty. Not crazy about all the cabbage and the faux meat. I'd rather have it loaded with more different vegetables. But it's nice there's that options for those who don't want a meat based soup. The ordering system is through a QR code where you can punch in your payment and check out on your own time. I felt that it wasn't big tip worthy since I am doing the work myself. read more

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TLDR: Decent ramen shop right by the Willliamsburg Bridge but expensive. It's good if you're in the area but wouldn't make this a destination. Nakamura was on my list for a very very long time. Eventually the stars aligned and we were able to stop by for a late lunch. For starters ordered the gyoza and yuzu wonton soup. Gyoza was thin-skinned, crispy but a bit small. Yuzu wonton was enjoyable enough but again, $10 for a pretty small bowl with basically a dollop of chili oil on top. The ramen. I got the Torigara which is their signature ramen. At $18 with no egg or additional topping, this is an expensive bowl. The broth was clean, relatively light but it just seemed to miss that punch for me. The ingredients were fine but nothing stood out. Wife's Ton Toro was better but again, at $19 with no toppings - I think your money can go longer elsewhere. Would I try it again? Maybe, if I was in the area. However, Ishida is also down the block and till this day; I still think about that bowl. read more

Nakamura - Chicken Gyoza - Ramen Near Me - New York, New York

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THE UMAMI TRUFFLE FRIES OMGGG You HAVE to get these!! So flavorful and paired perfectly with the chili oil mayo sauce The Tokyo Tsukemen was perfectly cooked and beautifully presented. My only wish would be that the dipping broth had less citrusy lemony flavor because I'm not personally the biggest lemon fan Service was good and the staff were kind to give us bowls to share food. The interior is very cutely decorated with the sign. It's a small restaurant so seating is limited and it's also pretty hot inside the place. They sell their super cute bowls for a small $40 and large $100 (too pricey for me lol but I appreciate the art on it) read more

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I went with the tontoro. The broth here has a beautiful silky, rich texture and an intense pork flavor, with a slight bitter soy sauce finish which makes you crave the next slurp. They really nail the noodles here also- they are curly with just the right amount of chew. I think they are shorter than most ramen noodles I've had? This means I made less of a mess while eating. The bamboo shoots are sliced thin and combine with the noodles. The flavor is different than the standard menma I think and they offer a pop of sweetness and fibrous textural contrast in each bite of noodles. The pork is not a typical chashu. In my opinion, it was a bit dry and the fat was gelatinous instead of tender. I found it to be very salty but not unbearably so. The egg was over marinated for my taste- too intensely salty. I wish there was a little more spinach! The place is quite small and you order and pay on your phone so it's a nice place to go if you don't want to talk to anyone. It's certainly on the pricey side and not the largest portion size ($19+2 for egg) I think the bowls they have are very cute. read more

Nakamura - Ton Toro Pork - Ramen Near Me - New York, New York

Looking for the perfect bowl of Ramen Look no further they have a ramen for literally any time of the day Try their breakfast ramen to get your day started the right way! We promise you have never tasted anything as good as their ramen Super cute quaint place with staff that is right on top of what you need read more

Nakamura - Ramen Near Me - New York, New York

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This ramen spot is a hidden gem. Located next to the Williamsburg Bridge, it's literally a hole in the wall spot. The ramen was authentic and delicious. It's a bit on the pricey side, but it's worth it. read more

Yum yum. I love some yummy Ramen and haven't Has any since before the pandemic. This location is way off the beaten path and very small. We came in late afternoon and it wasn't busy so was served rather quickly. We both had the Ton Toro Pork and added an egg. The noodles are thick and the broth is as hearty. Although my taste buds wanted some salt, I added some spicy (chili) to the ramen and that worked out well...was excellent. Note: no outdoor seating despite the description on Yelp saying they do have, and the portions are not small. Not sure what people are expecting but it's a nice regular size bowl of ramen. read more

Nakamura - Ton Toro Pork - Ramen Near Me - New York, New York

Close to Chinatown and the LES bars is @nakamuranyc with yummy ramen. Honestly it was awesome to have a bowl of hot ramen after a couple drinks at the bars. Mine was a salty broth with thin noodles, and the other broth that I've tried (tonkotsu and yuzu) were completely different but yummy in their own ways. Would come back next time! read more

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The servers were really nice and on top of their job. However, it does question me, when I walk into a Japanese restaurant and see no Japanese, nor any Asians working inside the restaurant. Ramen itself, was just average. The soup was great, which was personally very impressive. But the noodle was horrible. The restaurant is very tiny, with minimal seating, but nice and cozy, something you'd expect in New York. read more

I'm so serious when I say this is the best ramen place I've been to. Whenever I go to eat ramen at places I always feel like something's off or something could be better. Everything about Nakamura's ramen was just impeccable. For starters, my two other friends and I shared this dumpling small dish, and it was actually perfect. The meat inside was so rich, and the sauce was also incredible. I'm pretty sure the sauce was just soy sauce with garlic, but I literally couldn't stop dipping my chopsticks into the sauce and eating it. For my ramen, I got the Shrimp Yuzu Wonton. Literally it was incredible: the wontons, the broth, everything was so so good. I wish the place was bigger because it's definitely a hit!! If you're near Delancey, PLEASE check Nakamura out! read more

Nakamura - Chicken Gyoza - Ramen Near Me - New York, New York

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Looooove their ramen. The broth has so much depth and the noodles are so chewy. Small place! Next to the Williamsburg Bridge. read more

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uhhhhhh ummmm uhhhh uhuhhhhhh i feel like this place was alright Chicken Gyoza: I mean it's gyoza can't go wrong here Torigara: biong bing bonk boo boo bong. it was okay. I don't think I was impressed by this ramen but I had this ramen like 2 months ago so I can't remember the specifics on why I didn't like it so hmm. If you don't trust me, just go and try it out yourself. I'm just some random dude on the internet. Why are you even reading this? go bucky mode thanks for reading this review and do not forget to react to it!!! :ddd read more

Nakamura - torigara and beautiful company - Ramen Near Me - New York, New York

A little cute place and its ambiance has a flavor. However, the food was mediocre. We ordered * cucumber chili ar $7 expensive for not very tasty pickles * chicken gyoza at 10 this was good *torigara Ramen at 18 This ramen was mediocre and 3 stars. Not bad but the nama-ramen at home is slightly tastier. It is a shame as our expiration was high. We paid $80+ including tip, for 2 people. It was not worth it. They charge the bottle of tea (yes, they give you a bottle) at $4. ( the bottles are sold in dispensers in japan at 130 yen which is less than $1 now due to weak yen). read more

One of the worst ramen I've heard. The ramen was soggy, the soup was too salty and lacks of flavor, and there's only 1 piece of meat meanwhile the cost was $19. read more

Specialty ramen spot hidden next to the entrance to Williamsburg bridge. A few tables inside. Prices are quite high, reflective of current inflation. Most of the items tasted below average and aren't worth the cost, other than the tonkotsu ramen. Prices are a bit higher than in the picture shown. @ yuzu wings - half wings fried topped with yuzu sauce, tasty especially with the spicy sauce provided, pitiful portion @ yuzu tsukemen - noodles are a bit overdone for me, dipping sauce is very flavorful, quite sour and acidic. Not too much of a fan even though I love dip ramen @ steak mazemen - very expensive, steak is okay, noodles are overdone and subpar, not much flavor @ tonkotsu ramen - delicious porky creamy soup, goes perfectly with the noodles, the only thing worth getting, and pricey enough that it's for an occasion read more

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Looked for a quick bite in the area and found Japanese ramen at Nakamura. This place was tiny with a capacity of about 18 seats. We had to wait about 30 minutes. Nakamura has a small menu, but the food is excellent. The Yuzu Wings were crispy and cut into half pieces. Had a really nice yuzu flavor. A can of Japanese Orion Beer costed $6. My favorite ramen was the classic Tontoro Ramen with pork broth and the chewy noodles. If you like truffle flavor, the Truffle Miso Ramen was very satisfying. Other ramens we tried were Yuzu Dashi and Torigara. All were very good. Attentive and friendly service. Would definitely come back and place a reservation online. read more

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It's not bad but it's not mind blowing. It deserves more than 3 stars but less than 4. So we'll round up. Place is tiny and food is okay. A lot of atypical ramen flavors but that's the great thing about it. Curious mind can try different styles versus your typical tonkatsu or miso. The yuzu wings looked like they were butchered from malnourished chickens. That or they cut the wing in half and fried it. I couldn't tell. The spicy yuzu was good but it sounds better than it tastes. You know when you sip on an akumaru modern at ippudo and you go ahhhh... umami. You don't get the same reaction here. The truffle ramen was very salty and only tasted a tad like truffle. Yeah... use of truffle oil is garbage and restaurants over charge but chemically created truffle is still good damn it. It doesn't give you the same truffle burst like a truffle pasta would so its eh ok. I wouldn't pay $21 for this thing again though. read more

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This ramen shop is very small, with just around four small tables if I remember correctly. The ramen tasted good, but was pricier than other places. I had the Ton Toro pork ramen and paid $2 more for the eggs, which were cooked the way I like them -- soft boiled. The broth was rich and flavorful and I like the soft and chewy texture of the wavy noodles. As someone who likes spicy foods, I really liked the option to add chili oil to the ramen. The chili oil was pretty good. It tasted especially good in the chili oil mayo sauce that came with the truffle fries. read more

Nakamura - Pork Tonkatsu ramen with truffle fries and chili oil mayo on the side - Ramen Near Me - New York, New York

Very small ramen spot by the williamsburg bridge. We got the XO miso and pork ramen. Quality noodles and broth but nothing spectacularly remarkable. The menu is quite small and they only have one pork ramen - the rest are chicken or vegan. The prices also seem very high considering that the ramen doesn't have many ingredients in it - the XO miso literally only has cabbage and fake ground pork and noodles, for $20. They also charge you $2 for the egg - which i understand is a general practice but it wasn't stated anywhere in the menu nor told to us by the server. read more

Nakamura - XO Miso 9/10 - Ramen Near Me - New York, New York