Sara Crocker
Audio By Carbonatix
Yelp’s list of the top 100 ramen shops in the country proclaims, “It’s a great time to be a ramen lover.”
And that’s true, especially in Phoenix.
On the review site’s nationwide list, Phoenix eateries scored three spots. We certainly have our favorite spots to slurp rich broth and nosh on tender noodles. But here are the three Phoenix ramen restaurants Yelpers love the most.
No. 22: Yutaka Japanese Restaurant
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751 E. Bell Road, #9
Yutaka Japanese Restaurant is the Phoenix eatery with the highest spot on Yelp’s list, coming in at No. 22. The Bell Road restaurant is also one of our top 10 ramen spots in the Valley. The restaurant first won us over with its sushi offerings and shareable snacks, including the crispy rice with spicy tuna. But when the temperatures dip, there’s nothing better than a steaming bowl of ramen. The offerings are tight. Pick between tonkotsu or spicy miso ramen, both of which come with chashu pork, chewy noodles and a soy-cured boiled egg. The broths are packed with layers of savory flavor that keep us coming back for more. Yelpers, who give Yutaka an average of 4.7 stars, agree.
No. 28: Daruma Ramen and Bowl
2650 E University Dr #107, Mesa
The second local spot on Yelp’s list is Daruma Ramen and Bowl, a strip mall restaurant on the northwest corner of University Drive and Lindsay Road in Mesa. The restaurant opened in 2020 and has an average of 4.9 stars on Yelp. The ramen menu includes many traditional and creative options, from regular or spicy tonkotsu to Sapporo miso butter ramen and shio chicken ramen with crispy chicken karaage. Along with steaming bowls of noodle soup, the restaurant serves sushi rolls and appetizers including edamame, gyoza and takoyaki.
No. 44: Daruma Sushi/Roll/Noodle
1116 S. Dobson Road, #113, Mesa
The third Valley spot on the list is the sibling restaurant to No. 28. Located on the northwest corner of Dobson Road and Southern Avenue, Daruma Sushi/Roll/Noodle earns an average 4.6 star rating on Yelp. The restaurant offers a larger sushi menu, and an abbreviated ramen menu. Offerings from Daruma Ramen and Bowl that make appearances are the mayu tonkotsu ramen and Sapporo miso butter ramen. The restaurant also serves hiyashi ramen, a dry noodle salad with chashu, spring mix and fresh veggies.
