I hope this note finds its way to its intended audience: fellow fans of Jiro-style ramen in the United States.

Sometime in the fall of 2014, I began my Jiro ramen journey at Yume Wo Katare (Yume*) in Porter Square (Cambridge, Massachusetts). Eventually, I obtained a ramen pass which came with access to unlimited bowls of ramen for myself and a companion. During my two years as a passholder, a weekly trip to Yume became a nonnegotiable ritual. Various friends and family often tagged along; many also became regulars and fellow addicts.

One day, I found myself in the unenviable position of moving from Boston to New York City. I had never considered the possibility that four hours of travel time would separate me from my weekly fix. Could I ever find another eating establishment to recreate the comfort of a giant, hot bowl of Yume ramen?

Fortunately, in the past few years, I’ve come across multiple places across the United States which have been able to scratch my itch for Jiro ramen with mixed success. I had always wanted to compile a list because internet search engine results for “Jiro ramen” are fairly spotty. Recently, as of February 2023, the comments in a Reddit post from 2021 inquiring about Jiro-style ramen in the US became fairly comprehensive for the continental United States. That post covers all of the establishments that I’ve personally visited so far (as of April 2023). However, it misses a recently opened restaurant in Chicago as well as two branches of an established chain in Hawaii.

The list, as of April 2023

If you think this list needs updating or have any other feedback, feel free to reach out via email! (If you’re fancy, I will also accept pull requests :)).

I’ll try my best to update this list with advice, personal reviews, and easter eggs.

Acknowledgments: My Jiro ramen journey started with the recommendation and encouragement of my friend Vincent. I would also have missed out on Jiro ramen adventures on the West Coast if not for my friends Nate and Mitch.

Yume Wo Katare (Yume)

• Where: 1923 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02140 [Google Maps]
• Est. 2012
• Links: Hours, updates, & specials on Instagram, Online menu for ordering on arrival

Tsujita Annex

• Where: 2050 Sawtelle Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90025 [Google Maps]
• Est. 2013
• Links: https://www.tsujita-annex.com/

Tabetomo

• Where: 131 Avenue A, New York, NY 10009 [Google maps]
• Est. 2018
• Links: https://www.tabetomonyc.com/

Ramen Champ

• Where: 6229 Santa Teresa Blvd, San Jose, CA 95119 [Google Maps]
• Est. 2022(?)
• Links: https://www.ramen-champ.com/

Chicago Ramen Annex

• Where: 1608 E Algonquin Rd, Schaumburg, IL 60173 [Google Maps]
• Est. 2022(?)
• Links: Chicago Ramen Annex Instagram, Menu on Partner Site

Ramen BARIO Ala Moana

• Where: 1450 Ala Moana Blvd #1160L, Honolulu, HI 96814 [Google Maps]
• Links: Official US Site for Hawaii, Japanese “Aramoana” site

Ramen BARIO Waikiki [may be closed]

• Where: 2250 Kalakaua Avenue LL100-3, Honolulu, HI 96815 [Google Maps]
• Links: Official US Site for Hawaii, Japanese Waikiki site

Ramen Lab (seasonal) [closed]

• Where: 70 Kenmare St, New York, NY 10012 [Google Maps]
• Links: Facebook post for Butayama’s residency

* My social circle refers to it as Yume, although I think the proper abbreviation is YWK.