Shinjuku Yamamotoya Ramen Review 2026: Authentic Iekei in Tokyo
Explore Yamamotoya, a beloved Iekei ramen spot near Shinjuku Station, known for its rich tonkotsu shoyu broth. Perfect for late-night cravings!
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Explore Yamamotoya, a beloved Iekei ramen spot near Shinjuku Station, known for its rich tonkotsu shoyu broth. Perfect for late-night cravings!
Recommended Tokyo Ramen Spots in Japan
Shinjuku Iekei Ramen Yamamoto-ya
Text/Photos ©Hibubu
When you think of Japan, what's the first food that comes to mind? Ramen, of course!
And Tokyo is famously known for its incredible food scene, right?
Tokyo is absolutely packed with famous ramen shops,
and among them, there's a unique style called 'Iekei Ramen.'
Today, I'm excited to introduce you to an amazing Iekei Ramen spot near Shinjuku,
Yokohama Ramen 'Yamamoto-ya'!
Recommended Tokyo Ramen Spots in Japan
Yokohama Ramen Yamamoto-ya |
Opening Hours: 10:00 AM ~ 12:00 AM Closed: None Location: 3 minutes walk from Shinjuku Station |
The ramen shop I'm recommending today, located near Shinjuku, Tokyo,
is called Yamamoto-ya.
📍 They are open every day until midnight without any breaks,
and since it's just a 3-minute walk from Shinjuku Station,
it's the perfect spot to grab some ramen anytime!
Also, the Yokohama Ramen in the restaurant's name
refers to a style of ramen that originated in the Yokohama region,
and it's also famously known as Iekei Ramen.
It uses a tonkotsu shoyu (pork bone and soy sauce) base with chicken oil,
and its umami-rich soup makes it incredibly popular.
Yamamoto-ya is so beloved by locals that there can be a wait even late at night, a true local favorite.
💡 Just so you know, if a restaurant's name includes the character 家 (ya/ka),
it's highly likely to be an authentic Iekei Ramen shop!
✅ Plus, from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM,
you can enjoy ramen for just 700 yen,
and rice refills are even free!
So, if you have some free time in the morning,
I highly recommend visiting during this early hour.
Yamamoto-ya Menu and Ordering Guide
Next up, I'll walk you through the menu and how to order.
Ordering is done by purchasing meal tickets from a vending machine outside,
and if there's a queue, you'll join the line outside after purchasing your meal ticket.
Menu
Special Ramen 1,100 yen
Regular Ramen 900 yen
Chashumen Regular 1,200 yen
Rice (Unlimited Refills) 200 yen
Regular Rice 150 yen
The main menu is as shown above,
and an extra 100 yen is added for a larger noodle portion.
You can also add rice for 100-200 yen,
and the 200 yen rice option includes unlimited refills!
Iekei Ramen's broth is especially renowned for how well it pairs with rice,
so I highly recommend ordering a bowl of rice with your ramen.
I ordered the 1,000 yen medium-sized ramen,
and after finding your seat inside the restaurant,
you simply hand this meal ticket to one of the staff members.
The staff member will then say something in Japanese;
they'll be asking about your preferences for the ramen's noodles, flavor, and oil level.
So, you can tell them your preferences,
but if you're not sure, just say 'Zenbu Futsuu (or Nomaru) de'
and they'll prepare it with a medium, standard taste.
Yamamoto-ya's Interior Atmosphere
The restaurant interior is quite small, with only 14 seats,
all of which are counter seats.
When I visited, luckily, there was no wait,
but soon after, a line of locals quickly formed.
At each seat, you'll find garlic, ginger, and cutlery,
and tissues are tucked away underneath the table.
Also, water is self-service
from the water dispenser located in the corner.
The most unique thing was the grated garlic.
It's not common to find places serving garlic in Japan,
so it was especially unique to see it offered this way.
Adding it to the rich ramen creates a fantastic harmony,
and I think it would definitely capture the taste buds of Koreans.
Iekei Ramen Taste Review
Now, let me tell you about
how the ramen I ordered tasted.
I ordered my noodles firm, the flavor rich,
and the oil level normal.
Just looking at it, it already seemed incredibly delicious.
The characteristic of Iekei Ramen is that it features a tonkotsu-based soup
topped with chicken oil, spinach, chashu, and seaweed,
and the noodles are quite thick, as you can see in the picture.
While you can wrap the noodles in seaweed to eat them,
locals often order rice along with it,
eating the seaweed, rice, and broth together.
The broth definitely has a tonkotsu base,
but it wasn't off-putting at all.
Perhaps thanks to the chicken oil, it had a rich umami flavor.
Also, even though the ramen soup was a bit on the salty side,
it harmonized well with the umami flavor.
You might find it a little salty.
In that case, if you add plenty of garlic,
you'll be able to enjoy a much cleaner taste.
Iekei Ramen: A little salty, but deeply flavorful
Yamamotoya's Iekei Ramen
was a bit different from the ramen I usually eat.
It's tonkotsu-based, but not too heavy;
instead, it had a delightful umami flavor.
Also, while Koreans might find it a little salty,
I think it pairs much better with rice.
If you order the large size rice, refills are available,
so it would be even more satisfying to visit when you're really hungry.
And since they're open until midnight,
it's a perfect spot for a final late-night meal before heading back to your accommodation,
or even as a delicious hangover cure!
So, I hope the information about the Iekei Ramen restaurant I introduced today
helps you enjoy a delicious meal!
▼ Curious about more Shinjuku ramen spots? ▼
Between 10 AM and 11 AM, you can enjoy ramen for ~$4. Additionally, during this time, you can get free rice refills.
Yamamotoya is located a 3-minute walk from Shinjuku Station. Business hours are from 10 AM to 12 AM (midnight), operating daily without holidays.
Orders are placed by purchasing a meal ticket from a vending machine outside the restaurant. When you hand the ticket to a staff member, you can choose your preferences for noodle firmness, flavor strength, and oil quantity. If you're unsure, you can say 'Zenbu Futsude' (everything standard) to order a medium taste.
At Yamamotoya, you can enjoy ramen by using the grated garlic available on the tables. If the ramen soup feels a bit salty, adding plenty of garlic will make it taste much milder and richer.
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