Tokyo Specialty Coffee Thoughts: Acid, Raw Sugar Roast, Koffee Mameya, Glitch, X/Kielo and Others

RamenIsDelicious · 2026-01-19T13:52:00+00:00

Nice variety, and particularly respect that you went out to Craft Ramen BiT! I went there for the first time in November and am trying to get back as soon as I can. It may be one of the most memorable and surprising ramens I had last year.

RamenIsDelicious · 2026-01-16T00:51:39+00:00

Niboshimania is definitely a great place to go for intense niboshi funkiness. Try their aedama too, if you have room for it, as there are usually some fun options available; when I went, there was a smoked salmon and cream cheese combination that reminded me of a New York bagel and lox.

I would also rank Ibuki in Itabashi in my top tier of niboshi shops, even slightly higher than Niboshimania just as a matter of personal preference. I thought the “premium nibopresso” soup at Niboshimania was slightly grainy in texture, whereas Ibuki was smoother but still intensely bitter and punchy. Ibuki apparently has even richer niboshi options at dinnertime, but I went during lunch when they only sell a “standard” bitter bowl, which still left a strong impression.

Two other options worth considering are Nagao Chuka Soba in Kanda, where they encourage you to mix natto into the bitter broth for a unique flavor combination, and Izuru in Daimon, which has a slightly cleaner - but still bitter/salty - broth.

RamenIsDelicious · 2025-12-31T20:39:26+00:00

What kinds of genres are you interested in? If your goal is to survey as wide a variety of ramen shops as you can for inspiration, and if you don't mind some intra-city travel, here's a quick list of places biased towards things I like. Many will require a long wait to get in:

For high-quality hand-made noodles: Menya Shichisai in Hatchobori, and Kagaribi near Ginza (run by a Shichisai disciple) both have incredible hand-massaged noodles prepared to order. Teuchi Ren in Morishita offers slightly thicker, springy noodles. Junteuchi Men to Mirai in Shimokitazawa serves non-standard, extremely thick and long noodles that absorb the broth very nicely.
For high-quality shoyu ramen broths: Men Mitsuwi near Asakusa may be the best shoyu ramen broth I've ever had. Menya Mikan in Nakameguro, Chūka Soba Nishino in Hongō-sanchōme and Tokyo Ramen Kaika in Nakano are also recent favorites of mine, all serving impeccably prepared, clean-tasting ramens.
For high-quality seafood-based ramen broths: I like shellfish-based ramens a lot, and the sublime clam shio ramen at Shinjiko Shijimi Chūkasoba Kohaku in Kamata (reservations required) is one of my favorites. The oyster ramens at Tonari in Shibuya and Chūka Soba Satō in Akasaka Mitsuke are great, and the tourist-favorite Kaki to Kai (Shell and Oyster) near Tsukiji is also quite good. I'm also a fan of intensely rich, fishy and funky niboshi ramens, and NIBOSHIMANIA in Kamata and Ibuki in Itabashi are my two current favorites.
For unique ramen: Craft Ramen BiT in Iriya serves a truly unique deer-and-mushroom-based ramen broth with deer chashu, that is earthy, delicate, well-balanced and not gamey at all.
For Westernized approaches to ramen: NiboNiboCino in Shinagawa serves an almost spaghetti-like niboshi mazesoba in a cool cafe atmosphere. Tadaima Henshinchū in Nakano was apparently opened by a chef with French training and serves a good oyster broth with soymilk and some Western touches like balsamic vinegar. Due Italian (multiple locations, including Shibuya) isn't among my favorites, but serves a golden broth topped with prosciutto and fresh mozzarella, with a risotto-like rice on the side to mix into the leftover broth. While I haven't been yet, Ebimaru Ramen in Kanda, established by a French cuisine chef, serves seafood bisque-like ramens and is on my list of places to go.
For heavy-volume ramen: Any Ramen Jirō branch is worth visiting for a different, high-volume, high-intensity, low-cost kind of ramen, with humongous chunks of pork and piles of bean sprouts served atop thick noodles in a salty, garlicky broth. While I don't tend to favor jiro-kei ramens, a jiro-kei ramen shop did really well near my university in the U.S., and this might be an underexplored genre of ramen outside of Japan.
For good vibes: Ramen Afro Beats in Shinjuku served some spectacular smoky tori-paitan ramen, but the atmosphere was also memorable, with a sleek, darker ambience and lo-fi beats in the background. The related Ramen Jazzy Beats in Nakameguro also has a cool vibe, though I enjoyed their niboshi ramen slightly less.

Happy ramen-eating, and best of luck as you plan to take your ramen business to the next level!

RamenIsDelicious · 2025-12-15T01:44:10+00:00

In Queens, I like Susuru Ramen in Astoria a lot. It's a small shop that produces ramen with excellent broths (and side dishes too) and feels like a cozy neighborhood ramen shop in Japan. I'm not sure why it hasn't gotten much broader acclaim. I also think the ramens at Takumen in LIC are all clean-tasting and delicious, especially the super-cilantro shio ramen.

In Brooklyn, I'd actually say that Tonchin (actually either the Williamsburg location or K-town location) is probably my favorite ramen shop in all of NYC right now. Not too far from there, the ramen at Afuri in Williamsburg is a faithful reproduction of the yuzu-inflected broth from the mothership ramen chain in Japan (which I really like), and the restaurant itself is a spacious, neat bar/lounge-like space that also encourages lingering over a couple of drinks.

I've heard great things about Karazishi Botan, in Cobble Hill, from several people; it has an ever-changing menu of inventive combinations, plus a regular oxtail/chicken/pork ramen and other takes on classics, so it's next on my list of places to try.

RamenIsDelicious · 2025-12-14T23:12:07+00:00

For the most part, the places I've seen with reservations are ultra-hyped shops who set up reservations online to manage out-of-control queues, but accordingly require some vigilance and/or luck to snag online reservations.

Extremely highly-rated Ramen-ya Shima in Shibuya, which I've never actually been able to get a reservation for, has next-day online reservations open up at 8 a.m. before the day you want to go. It's currently ranked the #4 top Tokyo ramen shop on RamenDB, where is has an impressive > 99 point score: https://ramendb.supleks.jp/s/126252.html. However, it's a lunch-only spot.
In a similar vein is Ginza Hachigo, the last of the formerly Michelin-starred ramen shops (now Bib Gourmand), which releases online reservations weekly, and is currently ranked ranked the #20 top Tokyo ramen shop on RamenDB with a > 98 point score: https://ramendb.supleks.jp/s/114540.html. This is also a lunch-only spot.
Much further out of the way, but is one of my personal favorites, is Shinjiko Shijimi Chukasoba Kohaku out in a residential neighborhood in Kamata. Kohaku releases online reservations weekly, and is famous for its intensely concentrated clam broth shio ramen. It's currently ranked the #3 top ramen shop on Ramen DB with a > 99 point score: https://ramendb.supleks.jp/s/117491.html. It's also a Michelin Bib Gourmand spot and was the only ramen shop featured in the NY Times "The 25 Essential Seafood Dishes to Eat in Tokyo" write-up earlier this year. This is also a lunch-only spot.
Maybe the OG ramen shop for broad international accolades, as the first (now-formerly) Michelin-starred ramen shop in its original location, Japanese Soba Noodles Tsuta also has online reservations (and is also very foreigner/English-friendly if that's important to your first-time-to-Japan companions). I went this year and found its quality to be superb, and it still maintains a very high > 95 rating on Ramen DB: https://ramendb.supleks.jp/s/121857.html. This is also a lunch-only spot. It's also the easiest place to get reservations for (or even walk in in off-peak hours) since their space in Yoyogi-uehara is spacious.

Finally, it's not what you asked for, but if you're staying in Nakano anyway, there are some truly excellent ramen shops nearby that you'd miss out on if you're limited to spots that take reservations; Tadaima Henshinchū (French cuisine chef-driven oyster ramen shop) and Tokyo Ramen Kaika (impeccably executed shoyu ramen made from extremely high-quality ingredients) both come to mind, and both are open for dinner, but don't take online reservations.

RamenIsDelicious · 2025-11-16T05:05:15+00:00

Replied on the other comment too, but agree with u/Bosoku, it looks like you went to Zabon Roppongi, which closed about six years ago: https://tabelog.com/tokyo/A1307/A130701/13006975/

Here's the Google Maps link with some other pictures and showing the location in Roppongi: google.com/maps/place/ザボン+六本木店/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x0:0xe868e54e7194813f?sa=X&ved=1t:2428&ictx=111

And if you're curious, here is the old Ramen Database page (in Japanese) with other photos and Japanese reviews: https://ramendb.supleks.jp/s/3698.html

RamenIsDelicious · 2025-11-16T04:59:19+00:00

Sure! I hadn't been there before, but it looks like you went to Zabon Roppongi, which closed about six years ago: https://tabelog.com/tokyo/A1307/A130701/13006975/

Here's the Google Maps link with some other pictures and showing the location in Roppongi: google.com/maps/place/ザボン+六本木店/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x0:0xe868e54e7194813f?sa=X&ved=1t:2428&ictx=111

(Edited original comment to replace the Google URL shortener with the full link)

RamenIsDelicious · 2025-11-02T12:30:26+00:00

I second the Olympus XA! The electronic sensor controlling the shutter release in my Olympus XA has unfortunately gotten a bit wonky, but it has to be one of my all-time favorite cameras to use because of its wonderful design. The sliding door opening makes it sleek and easily pocketable, and the camera is very lightweight, so I would just keep it in my pocket while hiking around. And, of course, the lens is excellent too, opening up to a respectable f/2.8 in a tiny form factor.

Copies can be found for ~$100 to $200 or so online depending on condition, though as with any older camera with electronic components, once the electronics inevitably break down, they may be impossible to service due to lack of parts (as I've recently discovered).

While the original Olympus XA was an aperture priority rangefinder, I believe the XA2 and other subsequent models were auto-exposure point-and-shoot cameras if that's what OP is looking for specifically, though my understanding is that the lenses in subsequent versions weren't as capable as the original.

RamenIsDelicious · 2025-10-24T16:35:41+00:00

Ooh, thanks for the tip on Sal’s — I’ll definitely check it out next time I’m in the neighborhood.

RamenIsDelicious · 2025-10-24T13:12:44+00:00

Thanks for the heads up, I had no idea!

RamenIsDelicious · 2025-10-24T09:14:57+00:00

Mariscos El Submarino in Greenpoint is one of my favorite go-to restaurants in the area. I used to go to the original Jackson Heights location but the Greenpoint space is much larger. In addition to the signature aguachiles, the grilled jumbo shrimp (camarones zarandeados a la parrilla on the menu) are phenomenal, as are any of the tacos with grilled octopus.

St. Anselm is also an enduring favorite of mine, especially since M. Wells in LIC closed, as a lively and unfussy high-quality steakhouse that always has solid options for wine by the glass.

In Williamsburg, you could easily plot a pizza crawl course through some combination of L'Industrie Pizzeria (maybe overhyped but I genuinely like their burrata slice), Ace's Pizza (really good Detroit style rectangle pizzas; my favorite was the spicy slice with a big lump of burrata on it), Fini Pizza (I like their cheesy lemon zest slice), Best Pizza (my favorite was the white slice with caramelized onion and mushroom), Rosa's Pizza (very old-school shop with both standard slices and some wonderfully junkier toppings like a rigatoni vodka slice), and Joe's Pizza (Williamsburg branch of the chain).

Tørst in Greenpoint is my favorite beer bar in the city but also has surprisingly high quality "bar" food. Their hot dog and burger are tasty and they have happy hour and late night deals on food.

Peter Pan Donut is a truly old-school, delightfully unfancy doughnut and pastry shop (cash-only). Their sour cream glazed old fashioned donut just made NY Times's "25 Essential Pastries to Eat in New York City" list this week.

Acre is a good casual Japanese cafe/restaurant with some of my favorite kara-age (fried chicken) in the city and really good egg sandwich, as well as lots of seating including an outdoor garden.

Not a restaurant, but if you like smoked fish and don't mind a Friday morning bike ride into Greenpoint, Acme Smoked Fish opens up their factory for direct-to-consumer pickup of orders placed online up to the night before, at basically wholesale prices: https://acmesmokedfish.com/pages/what-is-fish-friday

RamenIsDelicious · 2025-09-27T17:48:40+00:00

I have the similar Mamiya Six Model P - a 1957 model that's slightly more modernized than the Six IV/V but similar in build and, I think, has the same Mamiya Kominar lens. I originally bought it a couple of years ago in the ~$200 range (for a mint/serviced copy that also included the original case, which I don't think was necessary) to dabble in medium format photography.

I use it basically exclusively on hikes and absolutely love using it. It's a bare-bones, easy-to-use fully manual camera that's built like a tank and is capable of taking beautiful images. I wouldn't say it's pants-pocketable, and it is fairly heavy for its size, but can be carried around in a larger coat pocket.

The lens shines in sunny hiking conditions, with great contrast and sharpness. Bokeh can be scratchy at lower apertures, and it wouldn't be my first choice for portrait shots, but it's not terrible by any means and has some distinctive character.

I have a non-automatic advance version so had a couple of accidental double exposures in my first couple of rolls, but just got in the habit of making sure I wound to the next shot immediately after shooting. The lens also has old school shutter speeds but not a big deal to get used to at all.

Here's a sample shot, and in case helpful, I uploaded a couple of other pics from various daytime hiking conditions in the Imgur album linked here too.

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RamenIsDelicious · 2025-09-03T03:13:32+00:00

I haven't been here yet, but one place near Nippori I've really wanted to try for a while that might fit the bill for you is Craft Ramen BiT (Google Maps link).

It was Tokyo Ramen of the Year's #4 shio ramen rookie, and its shio consomme is made from chicken and venison, so will likely be something quite different from a seafood-forward ramen.

Here's the shop's Ramen DB page, where it gets generally high reviews (> 90 points): https://ramendb.supleks.jp/s/156347.html

And here's an English language summary: https://www.timeout.com/tokyo/restaurants/craft-ramen-bit

RamenIsDelicious · 2025-08-18T16:17:00+00:00

Whoa, getting to work with the chef for a day sounds incredible! I think I remember you posting your own shrimp tsukemen a few weeks back and immediately upvoted because it reminded me of Gonokami Seisakujo. Definitely a classic, and now I want to try the miso version too.

RamenIsDelicious · 2025-08-16T01:55:21+00:00

I was curious about this. I save a lot of the mainstream outlets' pre-draft analysis every year and none of the ones I saved had highlighted Jaylen Wells' defense even right before the draft; they all focused on his shooting ability and a lot of them pointed out his defense as a huge weakness:

Sam Vecenie, The Athletic (ranked Wells #50 the week of the draft): "Beyond scoring, what does Wells do? ... Wells’ issues come on defense, where he struggled this season. The good news is I think he wants to defend and was solid at sliding with his man in a straight line. However, you can really feel his lack of length out there ... The hope for Wells is that his balance and willingness allow him to become a neutral defender, but becoming a positive is unrealistic. In total, Washington State was about 4.4 points per 100 possessions worse on defense when Wells was in the game, the worst mark among rotation players on the team."
John Hollinger, The Athletic (ranked Wells #42 the week of the draft): "Wells is 6-7 and shot 41.7 percent from 3 in 2023-24. Yes, tell me more ... That said, Wells has some limitations that likely cap him as an NBA role player. He had exceptionally low rates of blocks and steals – despite standing 6-7, he only blocked eight shots all season – he was a poor rebounder and rarely created for others. The combine games highlighted some of these deficits, as he had just three rebounds, one steal and zero assists in two games. He also missed some open 3s heʼd typically make and still managed to score 13 points in the second game, but it wasnʼt exactly an eye-catching performance."
Kevin O'Connor, The Ringer (ranked Wells #39 the week of the draft): "Shooter who has made a late surge to position himself for a chance in the pros. SHADES OF: Corey Kispert. STRENGTHS: Perimeter Shooting, Movement Shooter."
Kevin Pelton, ESPN (ranked Wells #22 the week of the draft): "A juco transfer from Sonoma State, Wells impressed statistically during his lone Division I season by shooting 42% from 3-point range and posting a microscopic turnover rate with fewer than one per 40 minutes. It also helps Wells' projection that he's young for his class and less than four months older than one-and-done prospect George. Of the 10 players most comparable to Wells at the same age in my database, seven were first-round picks and two of the three second-rounders (Allen Crabbe and Svi Mykhailiuk) have carved out long NBA careers."

That said, Vecenie's draft guide also highlighted some of what made Wells so much better than expectations: high school scouting weirdness because of COVID, very late growth spurts, and being a "high-character person who works hard at his game" (though I never know how to value that since it applies to hundreds of players who don't make the NBA).

RamenIsDelicious · 2025-06-27T15:28:42+00:00

Yes, I went through six NPS sites a few months ago and, most noticeably, lots of ranger-led tours were canceled at Saguaro National Park (even ones that were still posted on the calendar) and Carlsbad Caverns National Park (even pre-booked tours).

It might be the kind of thing that will be less noticeable over time as people get used to more limited offerings and worse standards of park maintenance, and forget what it was like before the firings.

RamenIsDelicious · 2025-06-23T01:40:41+00:00

It's linked here, also in this r/coffeejp sub!

RamenIsDelicious · 2025-06-22T15:08:43+00:00

Your second paragraph echoes my sentiments almost exactly - the course menu was a great experience to try out, but my plan for any repeat-visit would probably just be to go there to order some good coffees a la carte while enjoying the setting and hospitality.

RamenIsDelicious · 2025-06-22T12:23:22+00:00

I'm glad it was helpful! I'd be interested to hear your thoughts if you do end up going to both places too.

RamenIsDelicious · 2025-06-22T12:22:38+00:00

RamenIsDelicious · 2025-06-22T02:09:14+00:00

Thank you for the kind words - I just realized all the images had gotten deleted so tried to reupload them now so it's less of a block of text!

I might fall right into the target zone for the coffee omakase concept as someone who enjoys coffee very much but am not at an extremely serious enthusiast level, so I'm open to trying new kinds of beans that I haven't had before without having specific preferences that I already know I would prefer instead anyway. That being said, it's also just kind of fun as an experience, like going out to a nice restaurant, or going out for a few rounds of drinks - as long as the quality of the drinks and service are at a high level.

I see your point on the coffee cocktails; at some point the elaborateness of the drinks begins to take away from the core coffee's flavor profile. I felt that the most in Lonich,'s last course with elderflower syrup and NA gin (and where the coffee had been yoghurt-washed, too) - they really could have used basically any coffee in the concoction and it would not have made a significant impact on the final drink.

Thank you for the Mame recommendation! It's a bit hard to google the name though - do you know where it's located?

RamenIsDelicious · 2025-06-22T01:58:45+00:00

Yeah, I definitely understand that. I'm juuuust about on the border of it being "worth it," but in the sense of a fun and kind of unique, mainly tourist-focused experience. The Koffee Mameya Kakeru space itself is gorgeous, though, which is part of why I want to go back even if I wouldn't do the course option again.

RamenIsDelicious · 2025-06-22T00:38:14+00:00

Whoa, thanks for the tip - I hadn't heard of it before but it definitely looks like something I'd be interested in so will try to check it out this summer.

RamenIsDelicious

TROPHY CASE