Located right next to the airport in Hillsboro, Ninja Ramen is Hillsboro’s first dedicated ramen spot. Owner Hitsumoto Taka graduated from ramen school in Tokyo, and even has a photo of his certificate on the business’ Yelp account. Ninja Ramen carries a wide range of ramens, including sukiyaki-topped tonkotsu and chilly vegetarian hiyashi; however, the star of the show is definitely the garlic ramen with an ideally jammy soft-boiled egg. Ninja Ramen is currently open for takeout, delivery, and dine-in.

A new-ish Beaverton ramen shop, Koku’s menu only focuses on a tight selection of broths, with a not-too-heavy tonkotsu, as well as an immaculate shoyu and a few miso variations. But the restaurant’s mala ramen, topped with swirls of tingly chili oil, is likely the move here. Order online for takeout or visit for onsite dining.

This polished, Japan-based ramen franchise is hidden in a fancy Beaverton strip mall, where diners can choose from 12 traditional bowls, including a vegetarian ramen bowl, tsukumen dipping ramen, or the extra-creamy garlic tonkotsu shoyu. The shop offers add-ins from more than a dozen additional toppings, or noodle refills for those in it for the carbs. Kizuki is currently offering takeout, delivery, and socially distanced dine-in.

Attached to Uwajimaya, Ramen Ryoma serves as a place for grocery shoppers and ramen lovers to intermingle over a bowl of noodles. The lack of windows makes the restaurant feel a bit dark and quiet, but the bustling atmosphere reminds diners that the ramen here is no joke. Ryoma’s ramen menu is straightforward and simple, showcasing only classic broths such as miso, shio, and shoyu. What makes Ryoma truly stand out in Portland’s competitive ramen scene is the juicy and thick slice of chashu that comes in all of the ramen. Ramen Ryoma is currently open for both takeout and dine-in.

After being located in Beaverton for about half a year, Ramen Ippo relocated to Nob Hill Food Carts, home to top-performing carts like Farmer & The Beast and Bing Mi. After working as a sushi chef in Las Vegas for more than 15 years, owner Daisuke Kondo decided to finally open his own ramen place in Portland as a cart. The main ramen here is a savory paitan (chicken broth) ramen, but there are also vegan and vegetarian options such as the creamy vegan potage ramen and the seasonal tomato ramen. Ramen Ippo shares seating space with the rest of the carts in the pod and is open for takeout or onsite dining.

For sushi and sashimi fanatics looking to enjoy some high-quality fish before digging into no-joke ramen, Mirakutei is the place to head. The specialty here is Sapporo-style ramen with a rich paitan broth and curly noodles, but the popular Genki ramen, white miso broth with roasted pork, scrambled eggs, and Thai chilies, is also exceptional. Mirakutei is currently offering takeout and delivery, as well as onsite service both indoors and outdoors.

Counter-service style Kinboshi Ramen has two locations in the city: One inside the bustling food hall Pine Street Market and one in a light-filled corner of Southeast Ankeny. Kinboshi’s Southeast Portland location reopened and is offering most of the original menu for takeout, onsite dining, and delivery, while the location inside of Pine Street Market is only open for takeout and delivery. Kinboshi is known for the incredibly creamy and rich Hakata-style tonkotsu broth and the sublime ramen add-ons. With chef Mayumi Hijikata at the helm, the ramen shop has continued to improve its ramen and gradually widen its offerings, including a creamy, vegan, soy-milk-based ramen and seasonal specials like its summertime hiyashi made with hazelnut milk. The sides here are not to be missed, especially the new Nagoya-style wings which are a rare find.

This super fashionable Tokyo outpost — with its industrial chic SE location, quick-service sister restaurant in SW Portland, and new Beaverton izakaya— is famous for its delicate and refreshing yuzu shio ramen. However, the real hit, especially in the cooler months, is the spicy, sesame-miso-based tantanmen, available with a fatty tonkotsu broth or vegan hazelnut base. Afuri offers takeout and delivery from all three locations, with onsite dining at the Southeast Portland and Beaverton restaurants.