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  • Best ramen? This spot was voted No. 1 in Charlotte — twice. Why folks love it

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    Charlotte-area restaurants were missing from Yelp’s Top 100 Ramen Shops for 2025, but thankfully locals aren’t shy about sharing their favorites.

    YUME Ramen & Sushi Bar remains a hot spot and recently earned bragging rights as the best Japanese restaurant in the city, as voted by Charlotte Observer readers.

    Known for serving steamy bowls of ramen in “a signature pork broth,” the eatery won Gold for its cuisine and snagged Silver for Best Happy Hour in the newspaper’s 2025 Charlotte’s Best Awards.

    The results of this year’s poll were released in October. YUME was also voted as the top spot in the 2024 CharlotteFive Readers’ Choice Best Ramen poll.

    Fermented Black Garlic Ramen at YUME Ramen Sushi & Bar.
    Fermented Black Garlic Ramen at YUME Ramen Sushi & Bar. Alex Cason CharlotteFive

    Nikko Japanese Restaurant & Sushi Bar got silver among Japanese eateries in the citywide contest, which ran from July 7-25. Finally, Ru San’s Charlotte earned bronze.

    While there wasn’t a specific ramen category, the hot noodle dish is offered at each of the featured restaurants.

    For Charlotte’s Best, readers are invited to nominate their favorite businesses across several categories including restaurants, real estate, shopping and more. This year, nominations were collected between June 9-20 and 30 Japanese restaurants made it on the ballot.

    Readers can cast one ballot per day in any category, and repeat voting is encouraged as locals “explore and find new businesses,” Neil Potter, chief operations officer for Nerus Strategies told CharlotteFive. The digital marketing firm oversees the annual contest.

    In all, Charlotte’s Best collected more than 412,000 reader votes, “a 36% increase year-over-year,” Potter said.

    Here’s where to find the best ramen in the city:

    Location: 1508 S Mint St Suite A, Charlotte, NC 28203

    YUME opened its first location in Matthews in 2016 before moving to South End in August 2018, CharlotteFive previously reported. It has become a go-to spot for noodle lovers and was voted best ramen in the city in the 2024 CharlotteFive Readers’ Choice poll.

    YUME owner and chef Patrick Tong finishes ramen dishes in the kitchen.
    YUME owner and chef Patrick Tong finishes ramen dishes in the kitchen. Alex Cason CharlotteFive

    It boasts a 3.9-star rating on Yelp, and popular dishes include the Thai coconut curry ramen, seafood ramen and Takoyaki.

    “We enjoy the crowd and we enjoy making good food — great food, ramen, sushi — in Charlotte for everybody,” YUME co-owner Tony Yum told CharlotteFive.

    “We want to continue to thrive, and we want to continue to get the support and love from all our customers. And we always have the consistency on our food, so we’re just not going to disappoint anybody.”

    Location: 325 Arlington Ave #108, Charlotte, NC 28203

    Opened in 1999, Nikko serves “innovative sushi and Japanese cuisine” — including bowls of hot ramen, according to the restaurant’s website. Tonkotsu is on the menu, as are spicy miso and shoyu ramen.

    Nikko was also awarded bronze for Best Sushi in the 2025 Charlotte’s Best poll.

    Location: 2440 Park Rd, Charlotte, NC 28203

    Soy ramen soup, sake cocktails and an unlimited sushi lunch buffet: What’s not to love about Ru San’s?

    The Japanese eatery has racked up several Charlotte’s Best Awards over the years, including Bronze for Best Sushi in 2024 and Gold for best Japanese food in the city the year prior, results show.

    Beyond ramen, fan-favorite dishes include the Kiss of Fire roll, chicken fried rice and yakitori tempura maki roll.

    “Ru San’s is cheap and [has a] fun environment,” restaurateurs Michelle and Q Nguyen, who own ShareTea, told CharlotteFive. “Plus, there’s fast service and friendly staff.”

    Other popular Charlotte ramen shops

    These ramen spots have also earned high praise from soup enthusiasts, according to CharlotteFive.

    Related Stories from Charlotte Observer

    Tanasia Kenney

    Sun Herald

    Tanasia is a service journalism reporter at the Charlotte Observer | CharlotteFive, working remotely from Atlanta, Georgia. She covers restaurant openings/closings in Charlotte and statewide explainers for the NC Service Journalism team. She’s been with McClatchy since 2020.

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    Tanasia Kenney

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  • 3 Raleigh-area restaurants ranked among Yelp’s best ramen spots. Which ones?

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    Ramen lovers, rejoice! North Carolina is home to some of the nation’s best ramen shops, Yelp reviewers say.

    Three Raleigh-area spots and a Greensboro gem earned spots on the business review site’s list of the Top 100 Best Ramen Shops in the U.S. for 2025. Here’s how they ranked:

    Published Thursday, Dec. 11, the list highlights standout spots for steamy bowls of broth, tender “noods” and toppings, as rated by Yelp users. Emerging trends including flavor fusions, plant-based dishes and “dry ramen” have also grown in popularity among noodle enthusiasts, according to Yelp.

    Yelp users named four North Carolina ramen shops among the best in the U.S.
    Yelp users named four North Carolina ramen shops among the best in the U.S. AKAY Getty Images

    “Ramen shops have become some of America’s most popular and affordable places to eat, thanks to passionate chefs, creative menus, and a community of noodle-obsessed fans,” editors wrote.

    Here’s what makes these North Carolina spots so special:

    Gen Ramen in Raleigh

    “My Tonkotsu Ramen was chef’s kiss!” a Yelp reviewer wrote. “This is my new absolute favorite Ramen spot in the area. I’ve traveled to Okinawa a couple of times and truly enjoy Ramen, and honestly, this location has the best tasting food that makes me feel like I’m right back.”

    Qinji Hawaiin BBQ & Ramen in Greensboro

    • Rank: No. 59
    • Yelp rating: 4.7/5 stars
    • Location: 2224 Golden Gate Dr, Greensboro, NC 27405
    • Why folks love it: Spicy beef ramen is on the menu, as is spam musubi and shrimp katsu, according to the restaurant’s website. Ramen lovers will also find fried fish and shrimp, Hawaiian pineapple chicken and beef short ribs, among other classics.

    “When I am in the mood for the most comforting bowl of ramen, Qinji is where I go,” one customer wrote of their recent visit. “It’s a warm bowl of love. So flavorful with the perfect amount of heat to make your eyes water and nose run just a tiny bit. Every slurp is spectacular.”

    Miso Ramen Bar was ranked No. 64 in a national list of best ramen spots.
    Miso Ramen Bar was ranked No. 64 in a national list of best ramen spots. Juli Leonard jleonard@newsobserver.com

    Miso Ramen Bar in Raleigh

    “This was the most stellar bowl of ramen I have ever had, and I’ve been to LOTS of ramen restaurants around the Southeast!,” one Yelper wrote, noting the “broth was creamy and full of punchy flavors.”

    “If you love ramen, this ramen will love you back. That’s a promise.”

    Steam rises off a bowl of Shoyu Ramen with braised pork belly, bok choy and a soy-marinated ajisu egg in a fragrant umami-rich broth at Noodle Boulevard in Cary.
    Steam rises off a bowl of Shoyu Ramen with braised pork belly, bok choy and a soy-marinated ajisu egg in a fragrant umami-rich broth at Noodle Boulevard in Cary. 2016 News & Observer File Photo – Juli Leonard jleonard@newsobserver.com

    Noodle Boulevard in Cary

    Noodle Boulevard also earned high marks for its laid-back, casual vibe and outdoor seating options.

    “The chicken ramen is the BEST!” one user wrote. “Love this home-cooked, local spot of authentic noodle bliss! Amazing and authentic Asian flavors and warms you up on a chilly Fall or Winter day. If you’re craving food that’s both comforting and elevated, Noodle Bar is an absolute must.”

    How Yelp came up with the rankings

    For the list, Yelp said it identified businesses in the ramen category and ranked them using factors including the total volume and ratings of reviews.

    All restaurants on the list had a passing health score as of Oct. 22.

    Related Stories from Charlotte Observer

    Tanasia Kenney

    Sun Herald

    Tanasia is a service journalism reporter at the Charlotte Observer | CharlotteFive, working remotely from Atlanta, Georgia. She covers restaurant openings/closings in Charlotte and statewide explainers for the NC Service Journalism team. She’s been with McClatchy since 2020.

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    Tanasia Kenney

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