Top ramen restaurants in Ho Chi Minh City
Living in Saigon, we’re all just one call away from a hot bowl of hearty noodle soup. If you have tried all the varieties of Vietnamese noodle dishes, it’s time to check out noodle delicacies from other countries, such as Japan.
One of the best ways to experience Japanese gastronomy is to try ramen, a staple of Japanese cuisine. Loved all over the world, this iconic dish is also found in many places across Saigon.
To help you get started, we’ve listed out seven most popular ramen restaurants in Ho Chi Minh City where you can enjoy excellent and budget-friendly ramen.
1. Mutahiro Ramen – chicken-bone based ramen broth
Tsukemen, also known as dipping ramen
Image credit: 鶏そばムタヒロ-Mutahiro- ホーチミン
Most ramen is served in pork bone-based broth, but Mutahiro Ramen specialises in ramen broth made from the bones of chickens, chicken oil, and torigara chicken stock. Therefore, the ramen broth here has a sweet and chicken-flavored taste.
Image credit: 鶏そばムタヒロ-Mutahiro- ホーチミン
A piping hot bowl of chicken bone-based ramen with a soy sauce-marinated egg, several slices of fatty chashu, and a thin layer of bamboo shoots, is priced at VND140,000 (~USD6.03).
The restaurant opens till 2AM in the morning, so you should save its address in the back of your pocket for a day when you have late-night hunger cravings.
Image credit: 鶏そばムタヒロ-Mutahiro- ホーチミン
The restaurant features two levels of compact dining space and tends to get a full house after 6PM.
Address: 8A/G8b Thái Văn Lung Street, Bến Nghé Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
Opening hours: 11AM-2PM I 6PM-2AM, Daily
Telephone: 090 890 16 45
2. YuiRamen DANBO – diners can customize their order details, perfect for picky diners
Image credit: Ramen DANBO Thảo Điền
Originating from Japan with several stores opened internationally, Ramen DANBO has been in Saigon for over 3 years and enjoys great popularity among both locals and Japanese expats.
At Ramen DANBO, you can customize your bowls from choosing the texture of your noodles to deciding how much flavor you want in your tonkotsu, or ramen broth.
Richly flavored and packed with succulent slices of pork belly, the classic tonkotsu ramen (VND140,000,~USD6.03) is a warm and soothing choice for dinner.
Image credit: Ramen DANBO Thảo Điền
Another must-try dish is seafood tsukemen (VND150,000,~USD6.46), serving cold whole-wheat noodles in fish-flavored pork-based broth.
For an appetizing starter or side dish, you can also try a plate of juicy and crispy gyoza (VND40,000,~USD1.72), also known as Japanese dumplings. In fact, rumor has it that this is one of the best places in town for gyoza.
Image credit: @jjpw43
Compact yet cozy, this no-frills eatery can only host around 20 diners at any given time, so it’s more suitable for a quick lunch or dinner.
Address: 98 Xuân Thủy, Thảo Điền Ward, District 2, Ho Chi Minh City
Opening hours: 11AM-3PM I 6PM-11PM, Daily
Telephone: 036 423 2640
3. Phạm Nghiêm Trai – serving vegan Japanese food
Image credit: Khanh Nguyen
Compared to most local ramen houses, Phạm Nghiêm Trai, also known as Bongensai, is quite spacious and even decked out with traditional Vietnamese architectural elements. Plus, the house even hosts musical performances at 8PM every day.
Vegan miso ramen
Image adapted from: Khanh Nguyen
Aesthetics aside, Phạm Nghiêm Trai dishes out a plethora of tasty vegan Japanese dishes, including meat-free ramen and udon.
For ramen, you’ll find the spicy and a non-spicy version of miso ramen (VND175,000, ~USD7.72), an iconic dish originating from Sapporo, Hokkaido. Boasting toasty, salty-sweet miso-based broth, the dish is filled with vegan-friendly ingredients such as tofu, bokchoy, corn, seaweed, and a marinated egg upon request.
Address: 49 Nguyễn Đăng Giai, Thảo Điền Ward, District 2, Ho Chi Minh City
Opening hours: 8AM-10PM, Daily
Telephone: 090 129 9829
4. Ramen Bar Suzuki – extensive menu and many fusion-inspired options
Cardinal red tonkotsu ramen
Image credit: Duy Phan
Serving a good selection of traditional ramen as well as regional varieties with a whole host of toppings, Ramen Bar Suzuki is a great place to experiment with Japanese traditional noodles.
A highly recommended dish here is cardinal red tonkotsu ramen (VND135,000, ~USD5.81), featuring thin and springy noodle strings layered with a custardy jammed egg, fatty pork belly, and seaweed laid in spicy and nutty miso soup.
Emerald green tonkotsu ramen
Image credit: Ramen Bar Suzuki HCMC
An equally delicious yet creamier alternative is emerald green tonkotsu ramen (VND140,000, ~USD6.03), a velvety pork-based ramen layered with basil and cheese.
Image credit: Ramen Bar Suzuki HCMC
Albeit compact, the joint boasts elegant decor and plush chairs for comfortable dining.
Address: 8/5 Lê Thánh Tôn, Bến Nghé Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
Opening hours: 11AM-3PM, 6PM-11PM, Daily
Telephone: 076 899 5618
5. IPPUDO Ramen – spacious dining space
Image credit: Ippudo Vietnam
As Ippudo Ramen is a renowned Japanese chain with locations worldwide, you know you’re in for some legit ramen here. Boasting ample seating and elegant decor, the place is considered quite roomy for a common ramen spot in Ho Chi Minh City.
Since this restaurant is well known for its tonkotsu ramen, make sure you try its shiromaru (VND154,000,~USD6.79), a classic Fukuoka dish. Cooked with springy and chewy noodles bathed in richly flavored and creamy pork bone broth, this bowl comes with tender pork slices, bean sprouts, ajikiku mushrooms, and spring onions.
Gyokai tonkotsu ramen, a combination of tonkotsu broth with mild bonito flavor.
Image credit: Ippudo Vietnam
For something with bold flavors, try the spicy black (VND154,000,~USD6.79), which features thick ramen noodles served in broth infused with homemade curry paste and spicy chilli oil.
Address: Lot 1-3 MD2, Nguyễn Văn Linh, Tân Phú Ward, District 7, Ho Chi Minh City
Opening hours: 11AM-2AM, Daily
Telephone: 070 888 0001
6. Daiichi Ramen – a variety of ramen at affordable prices
Tantanmen, a Japanese take on sweet Sichuan Dan Dan noodles
Image credit: Daiichi Ramen
If you’re on the hunt for scrumptious yet affordable ramen treats, Daiichi Ramen will be right up your chopsticks. At Daiichi Ramen, you’ll find over 10 options of shoyu and shio ramen, or salty and soy sauce-based ramen respectively.
Image credit: Daiichi Ramen
With only VND80,000 (~USD3.53), you can savor a fulfilling bowl of soy sauce-based iekei ramen packed with pork marrow and thick noodles.
Featuring a heap of peppery minced pork laid out in warmly spiced and milky soy sauce-based broth, tantanmen (VND120,000,~USD5.16) makes a spectacular flavor-packed meal for lunch or dinner.
Image credit: Daiichi Ramen
Aside from ramen, you’ll find a plethora of udon, gyudon, and gyoza here.
Located in the heart of a Japanese neighborhood and surrounded with Japanese pubs, this charming wood-bedecked eatery is a great place to head to after a hard day at work.
Address: 8A/2B2 Thái Văn Lung, Bến Nghé Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
Opening hours: 10AM-11PM, Daily
Telephone: 079 272 3555
7. HOME RAMEN – offering 5% discount if you do Facebook check-ins
Image credit: HOME RAMEN
HOME RAMEN, a compact and lovely eatery in Phú Nhuận District, offers a 5% discount on your bill if you check in at the stall at any time of the day. However, discounts are not the main reason why this eatery has become a new hit among many local ramen lovers.
Image credit: Ý Như
From miso ramen to shoyu ramen to shio ramen, the eatery dishes out a good array of budget-friendly and scrumptious ramen from only VND75,000 (~USD3.31).
Some of its best-selling menu items include tonkotsu ramen (VND85,000, ~US3.75) and spicy miso ramen (VND89,000, ~USD3.93), featuring a host of tasty toppings in flavorful broth cooked for 20 hours. Aside from ramen, you’ll find a host of other Japanese delicacies such as udon and curry rice.
Image credit: Huyen Dang
Although small, the eatery has windows so you won’t feel stuffy here.
Address: 3 Hoa Cúc, Ward 7, Phú Nhuận District, Ho Chi Minh City
Opening hours: 9AM-10PM, Daily
Telephone: 1800 577 766
Where to get your ramen fix in Ho Chi Minh City
Flavorful, protein-packed, and warming, ramen is one of the most popular comfort foods all over the world and is the perfect dish to chase away the cold. We have no doubt that you’ll have a great slurping time with your friends in these above-mentioned ramen places in Ho Chi Minh City.
For recommendations on how to enjoy an authentic Korean dining experience in the city, check out our guide here.
Also check out:
- Things to do in Japan Town: Saigon’s Japanese neighborhood
- 8 restaurants in Ho Chi Minh City for authentic Korean food
- 16 vegan & vegetarian restaurants in Ho Chi Minh City
- 12 shopping malls in Saigon to stock up your wardrobes
- 9 riverside cafes and restaurants in Saigon for a chill weekend dinner
Cover image adapted from: Daiichi Ramen and HOME RAMEN
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