YUJI Ramen

This place always makes me feel like I am in another world. Amazing service, creative menu, beautiful everything. Highly recommend.

When the sun goes down, Okonomi becomes YUJI Ramen! A favorite breakfast place turns into a favorite ramen shop! It is a small little place that sits only about twelve patrons at a time. The seats fill up within one minute that they are opened, so make sure you get here before of their opening time. Décor is simple and everyone can see the staff crafting our delicious meal behind the bar.
A cold, windy, and snowy evening bought my party which, I call them my food tour shenanigans to Williamsburg. The idea of a piping hot bowl of ramen is the perfect food choice. We started with the daily special sashimi — tuna. Slices of tuna sashimi was served with a bit of yuzukosho — a chili pickled yuzu paste and a side of soy sauce. It was recommended by our waitress that we do not mix both condiments together. Sashimi was super fresh as expected and meats in your mouth.
Ramen Party! We tried three ramen bowls that night: Ankimo Miso, Tunakotsu, and the Uni Mazemen. Ankimo Miso Ramen was the favorite amongst the group. The spicy broth was made from leftover fish bones with pork bones and monkfish liver. It was a very hearty and delicious broth! Texture was just right — not too thick or thin. To top the ramen, there were pieces of snail, seaweed, and a leafy green, yu choy. Tunakotsu was lovely as well. Although, the broth is light, the charred pieces of tuna made it well worth it. Uni Mazemen. Brothless ramen was what YUJI Ramen was first known for when they had their post in Whole Foods. It is generously topped with uni, seaweed, red hot pepper flakes, and shiso leaves.
This may be my favorite ramen spot to date! Good portions of noodles. I left energized with a warm tummy to brave the cold!

Nothing outstanding about this spot. The wait was extremely long. I was told the wait would be about an hour and I ended up waiting for over 2 hours in the cold. The waiter compensated for the inaccurate estimate with two glasses of sake which was a nice gesture.
I ordered the shabu shabu shio ramen which was very interesting. Never thought I would be dipping sashimi into my ramen broth to light cook the fish. The broth was very mild in flavor and so was the fish as tilefish is a delicate tasting fish. I didn’t really like the noodles but I feel like I’ve been spoiled because of a different ramen place.
Boyfriend got the uni miso ramen which doesn’t have any broth as it is mazemen style. Both of us are huge uni lovers but we didn’t enjoy it that much. The flavors of the whole dish just didn’t mesh well. Quite unfortunate as the wait was so long and we travelled really far for this.

The ramen here is just fantastic. I had the monkfish liver broth ramen. It was rich, silky and extremely flavorful. The noodles were al dente. I don’t usually like that, but here, it worked well with the broth and other ingredients. I left the place with a satisfied belly filled with delicious goodness. I’ve tried their weekend tasting menu, which was a delicious experience. But it’s the regular weekday ramen menu that I will definitely be returning for again and again. Now I want to try their breakfast/​lunch menu (same spot, but under a different name). This place is also staffed by kind and welcoming people.

Nothing outstanding about this spot. The wait was extremely long. I was told the wait would be about an hour and I ended up waiting for over 2 hours in the cold. The waiter compensated for the inaccurate estimate with two glasses of sake which was a nice gesture.
I ordered the shabu shabu shio ramen which was very interesting. Never thought I would be dipping sashimi into my ramen broth to lightly cook the fish. The broth was very mild in flavor and so was the fish as tilefish is a delicate tasting fish. I didn’t really like the noodles but I feel like I’ve been spoiled because of a different ramen place.
Boyfriend got the uni miso ramen which doesn’t have any broth as it is mazemen style. Both of us are huge uni lovers but we didn’t enjoy it that much. The flavors of the whole dish just didn’t mesh well. Quite unfortunate as the wait was so long and we travelled really far for this.

Whoa. WHOA. Guys. Whoa.
I had Yuji’s ramen before, at Smorgasburg when he had a little booth for a short period of time. That was pretty fabulous. This is some next level sh*t.
All due respect to the ramen, but what you really want here is the mazemen, unless there is something special that really catches your eye that day in the ramen section. The wonders this place works with the notion of mazemen will change your opinion that ramen is all about the broth.
First — it’s a f*cking tiny place. You will wait, unless you made resys for the omakase. But you will not wait TOO long, especially during the week. We got there at about 7:30, and gave our number (yesss, they not only will text you, but they’ll walk down to the Blind Barber a few steps away to pick you up), and had just enough time for one cocktail before the seats were ready (about 25 minutes).
The menu is short, ever-​mutable, and SUPER-​reasonably priced (especially the sake).
Uni Mazemen — this is like some alchemy with the two best things in the world. Fancy italian restaurants dream of mixing noodles and uni to make such an indelible, creamy, toothsome succulence. I would order 8 bowls of this, and if you came at me with warnings of carb overload and other «health bullsh*t), I’d gnaw your finger off as a palate cleanser.
Bacon and Egg Mazemen — This is some unholy creation of ramen carbonara. Angels weep at its beauty. The bacon is sweet, not too smoky, not too crispy, not too chewy. The smokiness seems to come from the dashi rather than the bacon, and the yolk provides the creaminess. Steal some from your date.
Oh, did I mention this was on a date? Yadda yadda yadda… I didn’t skip the uni mazemen…

Most delicious ramen I’ve had in NYC. I’m a big fan of this spot, not only because of the great ambience (it’s a casual but authentic-​looking and intimate place that seats ~13 people total) but also the unique ramen and regularly changing menu.
They make two styles of ramen — one with the broth, and one without the broth. On the day I went, they had 3 types of each style of ramen I believe + a tuna sashimi appetizer that they recommend splitting. The sashimi was very good and had this type of sauce that my boyfriend loved (a little too spicy for me!). For ramen, I had the squid one with broth. It had actual large pieces of squid in it, which I thought was the best thing ever, and had bacon sesame oil in it (yum). My boyfriend had the bacon and egg ramen without broth, and it was also delicious — thick pieces of bacon with a poached egg over top and a bunch of seaweed. The waitress said that that’s one of their most popular ramens. Not sure how long each will be on the menu, as the menu changes, but would highly recommend both. Also, they do not allow tipping. We each paid $ 32 total, which I felt was reasonable for a delicious dinner in the city.
Despite the lack of seats, they do not take reservations. On a Friday night at 8pm, we were able to get a table for 2 after about a 20 – 25 minute wait. The place is too small to wait in, so they take your phone number down and call you when your table is ready. There’s a Blind Barber bar/​coffee shop next door that you can wait in.

This place really is tiny. It seats 13 if I remember correctly. Lucky to be seated immediately on a Thursday night. No issues with service. The wait staff is very helpful in explaining the menu to new customers. I tried the mackerel sashimi appetizer. I enjoyed the side of yuzu paste they added. The ramen unfortunately is not to my liking. The stock is fish based, which I found not to my liking. I ordered the vegetable mazemen which had roasted brrussel sprouts, kabocha, and something else I don’t remember. Overall it was very good. The only thing I didn’t like was that it was cooked al dente. I was told this beforehand and was willing to try it anyway. The next time I would probably ask to cook the noodles just a little past al dente.
So overall I would rate this place 3.5 of 5 because of the ramen stock. If you like fish stock, by all means give this place a go. I actually did find the stock seasoned to my liking which was not too salty.

I walked in this cold weather, found the place, waited outside for one and made it in. I ordered The Oyster Chowder with housemade almond milk dashi, jumbo pacific oyster, sunchoke, celeriac and sorrel. What an amazing dish! Nice staff. Looking forward to to tryout the other dishes.

Very rarely that you will find a ramen spot with five stars. Yuji is a true definition of a hole in the wall, they only have maximum of 8 seats, so most of the time if you want to eat here there’s always going to be line outside.
Their menu changes almost daily depending on the market availability, this is not your typical ramen where it’s either pork or chicken base. Most of their ramen are either seafood base, mazemen or something that you will find odd.
They only open during dinner time. During lunch time, there is another business that I forgot the name that runs during lunch. It’s really awesome spot if you want to try new and different type of ramen.
If there’s a long line, still go in, give your name and phone number, they will call you when your table is ready. There are plenty of bars where you can grab drinks while you wait.

I wasn’t able to visit YUJI Ramen when it originally debuted on the second floor of Whole Foods Bowery after a succession of successful pop-​ups, but when chef-​owner Yuji Haraguchi announced the opening of a permanent brick-​and-​mortar, it was quickly added on my «To Try» list. By day, the restaurant is better known as Okonomi, and serves up its take on «Ichiju Sansai», the Japanese «set meal», utilizing a variety of seafood and seasonal ingredients. At night, it transforms into YUJI Ramen proper.
The space is appropriately situated in Williamsburg, a tiny 10-​seater that appears to be evenly divided between the kitchen and the dining area. «Cozy» is an accurate description, but there’s a certain antiquated charm in the simplicity of the pale wood counters, the white-​tiled kitchen walls, and the neatly-​spaced tables and seats. Thankfully when we arrived, there were only two other parties present, but be prepared to wait if you plan on stopping by during peak dinner hours.
While the focus of the restaurant may be the ramen, there’s a surprising variety of options available on their compact menu. We opted to start with the sashimi, which featured four beautiful cuts of Bonito. The texture of the fish was sublime, each bite yielding a tenacity and freshness that was perfectly complemented by the side of yuzukoshu and a cucumber ponzu dipping sauce. We also tried the famed Bacon and Egg Mazemen, which features housemade ramen noodles that are more thickly cut than your typical noodle. Topped with diced bacon, bonito shavings, greens, and a perfectly poached egg, it’s a delicious concoction that achieves a startling balance between the strong and rich flavors of the bacon and bonito.
I wound up going with the Shoyu Ramen, which utilizes a «surf and turf» broth as its base. With a portion of thin noodles, sliced perch, and sliced radish tops, it’s simultaneously a simple yet deceptively complex bowl. The broth has some semblance to the traditional soy sauce base, but the added fish bones contribute an entirely different dimension of umami. The noodles are cooked to the ideal chewiness and a portion of steamed radish tops added some necessary greens to balance out the bowl. I tried a few spoonfuls of the Ankimo Miso Ramen broth as well, and I have to admit that I liked it better than the shoyu. The broth is much creamier, and the characteristic tang of the monkfish liver (better known as the «foie gras of the sea») makes for an incomparable flavor.
YUJI Ramen is far from your traditional ramen-​ya, but I have to applaud the restaurant for so successfully adding its own taken on the typical noodle bowl. Clearly, the «Yu», which is the character for «fish», is aptly utilized in the name of the restaurant, as seafood is so seamlessly integrated in the majority of dishes offered. As the menu changes regularly based on the seasonality and availability of ingredients, it’s well worth a visit, especially for the noodle lovers and connoisseurs.

This place is a gem. Made you feel that you are in Japan. Their type of ramen is different from any other that I had tried before. Had to say that it was food for tranquility. Comfort food!

Neighborhood gem, without a doubt. Yuji is super attentive and his recipes are incredibly creative. Everything is made fresh and in-​house, and to reduce food waste, seafood scraps from the morning (for the Okonomi Japanese breakfast) are used for the seafood ramen broth. Like pretty much all NYC ramen shops, they use Sun Noodles for their ramen.
The place is rather small, so make sure you get there early or don’t have a large party. Best if you only have yourself or one other person in tow.

Located in a quiet neighborhood off the main street, we spent a nice Sat evening with friends here last month. The restaurant only seats about 12 people so you must make a reservation for the Omakase meal well in advance. I loved how the dishes were extremely creative yet thoughtfully prepared and presented! The total experience lasted about 2 – 3 hours and cost $ 100 per person before tip and taxes. I was a little surprised that only 1 of the dishes was ramen, so don’t be misled by the name.
Our menu:
sunchoke, celery root, almond milk dashi chowder
chutoro fatty tuna tartar, tunakotsu broth gelee, ponzu, pear
ankimo miso, 6-​grain wild rice risotto, fresh wasabi
shirako dashi, ikura, yuzu
fried shio ramen, stripped bass, leek, and sansho
scallop & carrot kakigori, scallop sashimi, and grated carrot
boston mackerel sashimi, concord grape, young ginger, and pineapple mint
uni miso nori ramen ravioli with anise hyssop
OKONOMI shoyu ramen
kabocha ice cream

I’ve had Yuji’s uni miso mazemen back when they were still inside Whole Food Market in the city. Since then they’ve moved out into East Williamsburg, never got time to try it again. Location is in a quiet neighborhood off the main street.
Decided to go earlier since I’m meeting friends at Barcade later (which is just a few blocks down, awesome retro aracades!)
Anyway back to the ramen, ordered the Uni miso again this time. It is still as good as it was before. Only this time the portions are a little bit more compared to their Whole Food days.
Definitely will be coming back for this and check out the other ramen.

Best Ramen place ever… and super service, super beers ad super Sake.
This is real japanese food.

Always wanted to try this place out ever since I read an article about it somewhere on the internet. And I finally did!
Small cozy homey restaurant. Sits only 12 people so arrive as soon as it opens.
Service was quick. If you are a first timer always ask for recommendations. The food was pretty good and satisfying. It was just the right amount of food.
Ordered the daily sashimi special. The Spanish mackerel. Five thick slices of fish with yuzu ginger or wasabi to accompany it. The yuzu ginger/​wasabi was salty and gave the fish a big punch of flavor.
I had the ikura mazemen with an additional onsen tamago. Salmon roe wasn’t too salty like at other places I’ve tasted. The poached egg was wonderful and runny. Noodles were al dente. No broth. Pretty good flavor.
My dinner buddy had the ika ika ramen. With broth, squid and some kind of squash. He thought it was ok.
Overall it’s alright. I really liked the sashimi but a bit pricey. Both ramen dishes were good. Although a bit expensive I would definitely come back and give the other ramen dishes a chance.

Culinary done right. Excellent food quality. Great service. Lovely environment. No tips accepted.

Super impressed.
Two friends and I came here for the weekend 10-​course Ramen Omakase, not knowing exactly what to expect, but in high anticipation. (You have to book the omakase a month beforehand; they release openings on a certain date and time, so get onto their mailing list if this is something you’d be interested in.)
We were honestly expecting 7-​ish ramen dishes, so *warning* there was only one legitimate bowl of ramen for us, so don’t come here expecting that.
Nonetheless, (almost) every dish was FANTASTIC. There was a bonito dish that fell flat and the chowder in the beginning was very unmemorable (and the use of buckwheat soba for oyster crackers was interesting, but tasted meh).
My favorites were: a ramen ravioli with uni, Spanish mackerel with a concord grape sauce (don’t knock it!) and brown rice in a fish-​based broth with cuts of sashimi on top.
It’s moreover a seafood-​based omakase that gives homage to ramen in different ways. The staff is very courteous and intimate. I’m really excited to come back for their regular ramen/​their mazemen.
The total came out to be around $ 120 per person before tips. I thought it was very worth it, as it’s one of the more pleasing omakases I’ve had. I enjoyed their spacing between dishes, the presentation (they would pour broths or torch the salmon at our tables) and the intricate explanations of the dishes. I was very full, as a lot of the dishes had some type of carbs incorporated into them.
If you are doing this, allot 2 – 3 hours for this (there is only a 8pm seating, and ideally, come with a party of 2 – 4 people) as I did see a couple dash out around 10pm because they were on a tight schedule, which was unfortunate.
Try the white wheat beer made in Belgium — it was so light and refreshing, pairing well with the seafood dishes.

Yep, this really is as good as it gets! An unassuming tiny restaurant inside what maybe used to be a house, this place has charm and crazy delicious ramen. First the ramen. I ordered something a little different, a «bacon cheeseburger» brothless ramen. This included bits of bacon and fresh manchego. It blew my mind. It was perfect in every way, how else should I describe it? My husband had a ramen with fish liver stock and called it one of the more authentic-​tasting ramen’s he has had in New York. (Sorry can’t remember the exact names of the menu items.) It’s a little pricy but worth it. (Qualifiers for judgment: we have both spent time in Japan and we are making our way around the City’s ramen scene.) Second the charm. The servers and chefs are sweet. The inside of the shop is adorable. The cups and bowls are handmade (by the chef, I believe I overheard). Yes to everything here.
Go here now. But only by yourself or with one other person. Also I recommend ordering an appetizer to make sure you leave full.

Awesome. I’ve only been to Okonomi here in the mornings since I’m rarely in the city on the weekends, but finally got the chance to visit around 10:30 on a Friday night. The chefs here at Yuji Ramen are creative geniuses. I love how creative and thoughtful the dishes here are. As I was telling my friend, you may not walk away saying that this is the best ramen you’ve ever had in your life, but you will at least be able to walk away saying this is a pretty solid meal.
Yuji serves two types of ramen — mazemen and traditional ramen. Mazemen is essentially like pasta, soupless ramen. I got the salmon and cheese mazemen and my SO got the shabu shabu ramen. We also split a sashimi appetizer. I found the sashimi appetizer to be quite good, but I actually liked what I had during an Okonomi meal better, but that could have simply been a function of the cut of fish that night.
The salmon and cheese mazemen was very much like fancy mac and cheese with slightly thicker al dente noodles and salmon sashimi pieces with a nice citrusy finish. I personally love thicker noodles and was enthralled by how the mazemen tasted. Great portion sizes as well. The shabu shabu broth was quite delicious as well — rich fish flavored broth really complemented the sashimi slices that came with the dish.
Overall, we walked away full and happy. I love how careful each dish at Yuji was crafted. Easily one of my favorite nontraditional ramen places in the city.
tldr; amazing ramen, absolutely worth going to! you won’t be disappointed

This review will not be too long, be ready.
I love these guys, simply some on the nicest ones.
I adore their Mazemen (dry) ramen. Can you please open a pop up INSIDE my building?!
And I fully support their philosophy of using only sustainable, seasonal, local ingredients.
Go Yuji Ramen GO

Just a heads up first for all Unilocalers out there – In the morning, the restaurant is Okonomi. At night, it turns into Yuji Ramen. Don’t go in expecting it to be Okonomi at night time, which I did so foolishly. The restaurant is also super small. It’s a hole in the wall kind of restaurant, but a rather clean and trendy one. I would just bring yourself and your tummy, and maybe one other person. They’ll take your name down and call you when your table is ready. There’s really no room to hang around and wait inside the restaurant.
I ordered the shirako & tarako mazemen. Not having mazemen before, I was quite surprised when my bowl of noodles came because it was broth-​less. But regardless, I still enjoyed it. The noodles weren’t your typical ramen noodles. I found them to be a bit hard for my preference and wish they were cooked a tad longer. The spices & flavors (cod milt and roe, ginger, lime) all worked really well together but I could’ve definitely used more of the sauce in my bowl of noodles. There wasn’t enough to get a nice even coat on all of it.
My friend ordered the oyster chowder ramen and she loved the chunks of oysters that were in there.
Portions are a bit on the smaller side, so I ended up ordering the sashimi of the day, the Boston mackerel. It was so delectable and heavenly! The mackerel had a very buttery and fresh taste. The sashimi was served with unusual condiments; yuzu pepper paste, sesame oil, shiso, and scallions. Though untypical, the yuzu pepper gave the sashimi a nice kick and refreshing acidity along with all the other flavors that made the sashimi one of the best that I’ve had, if not the best. It was amazing.
Service was great too. The waitress was well-​mannered and filled our tea multiple times. Also, the fact that the chef also helped cleaned up tables and asked us if we wanted kaedama (refills) gave our experience a nice warm touch to it.