This strip mall ramen-ya in downtown Hillsboro, sandwiched between a Subway and a neighborhood watering hole, is the sort of hidden gem that ramen fiends love to talk about. Dimly lit by chochins with J-pop videos blasting on the TV, Ninja Ramen offers the usual suspects: tonkotsu, miso, and vegetarian broths. The standout bowl here might well be the tantanmen, with its silky broth, crispy bits of seasoned ground pork, and nutty nuances. All bowls here are also arrive as combos with sides or donburi.

Koku brings the contemporary Korean-Japanese restaurant model to Beaverton, and it brings along with it some solid bowls of ramen. The soups here — such as the mala tonkotsu, its midweight broth blotted by chile oil — stand on their own just fine; however, quirky accompaniments like “cocktail sacks,” fruity and floral adult Capri-suns, along with the beautiful modern wooden décor, ultimately contribute considerably to Koku’s lure.

This upscale, Japan-based ramen franchise now has three locations in the Portland Metro, and it hosts a sizeable ramen menu, including tsukumen dipping ramen, vegetarian shiitake broth, or the extra-creamy garlic tonkotsu shoyu. The shop offers add-ons from more than a dozen additional toppings, or noodle refills for those in it for the carbs. Kizuki also brings in seasonal bowls throughout the year, making revisits worthwhile.

Tigard’s best ramen bar specializes in tori paitan ramen, a creamy chicken-based broth, but it does more than that: Mugen’s menu offers a number of unconventional bowls, including a lemongrass-scented spicy shrimp with tempura prawns, or a vegetarian ramen made with Oregon hazelnuts. The move here is decidedly the curry ramen, which combines the tori paitan with curry paste, finished with shimeji mushrooms, corn, and crispy egg noodles. Seating can be limited, so small parties would be the best strategy to avoid a lengthy wait time.

Ramen Ryoma had already accrued a loyal pack of devotees over its time in Beaverton, but the centrally located shop in downtown Portland is a welcome respite for those who live in the city itself. Ryoma offers a wide swath of ramen varieties and permutations, with a choice of broth, topping combinations, and a la carte add-ons. The shio stands out, though any of the base broths will work well; however, the real move is to opt for one of the tricked out bowls, be it the chile-laden spicy umami, the tamago mayu with its slick of black garlic oil, or the Sapporo-style corn butter ramen, best paired with miso broth.

Osaka expat Kayoko Kaye runs this an airy ramen spot (which also features heated and covered outdoor seating) where the star of the show is the mala, a bowl infused with tongue tingling Sichuan peppercorns and dried chile peppers. Nearly all the entrees are also available in vegan form, and Kayo’s offers no-carb or low-carb noodle options that use julienned and blanched zucchini and daikon radish. The creamy tantanmen is another beloved stalwart.

This Nagahama ramen shop, in the former Noraneko space, has fine-tuned its rendition of the celebrated tonkotsu style in its brief tenure. The broth has the distinct richness typical of tonkotsu, but it doesn’t come across as unnecessarily heavy; instead, it almost undetectably coats the thin noodles, which retain a satisfying bite. The chashu slices hew thick, juicy with a slight sear, and the shop doesn’t skimp on the sesame seeds and green onion. This isn’t the kind of place where diners can stack their bowls with a laundry list of add-ons and toppings, but it doesn’t need to be: What it does simply is simply exceptional. For variations, diners can opt for things like Sapporo-style miso, a vegetarian tantanmen, or a spicy chicken paitan.

Mayumi Hijikata’s Kinboshi Ramen —formerly Marukin— is a popular counter-service restaurant in the same building as Nong’s Khao Man Gai on Southeast Ankeny that specializes in velvety Hakata-style tonkotsu broth and delectable ramen toppings. It has also expanded its offerings to include vegan options made with soy milk that are equally rich and flavorful. But what sets Kinboshi apart are its sides, particularly the sticky tebasaki chicken wings, with aromas of ginger and garlic.

This cozy spot in Sellwood cooks with the philosophy of less is more, inspired by the Japanese word “nama,” which can mean “unedited,” or “as it is.” Bowls of ramen come in four different soup bases: shoyu, miso, spicy miso, and vegetarian. No matter which soup diners select, they can expect toothsome noodles and a beautifully jammy egg. Nama also serves poke and izakaya small plates like agedashi tofu.

In terms of late-night ramen options, Northeast Killingsworth’s Toyshop is the move, serving inventive bowls of yellow coconut curry ramen and kimchi shrimp ramen until midnight. Visitors roll in to order Hpnotiq-spiked scorpion bowls and katsu corn dogs, playing pinball before main event bowls of ramen appear. It’s worth it to opt for the seasonal specials, which range from coconut clam to birria tsukemen.

Hapa, which began as a food cart, has established itself as a brick-and-mortar with its distinct blend of ramen, Hawaiian cuisine, and Japanese whiskey. The restaurant prides itself on its distinctive proprietary noodle recipe, featuring thick and wavy noodles that stand up well to it broth. The menu offers classic ramen options such as tonkotsu, shoyu, and miso, alongside Hapa’s original creation, the G-Special: a rich pork belly-based broth with succulent chunks of pork belly, complemented by spicy sprouts and shiitake mushrooms.