10 Ramen Spot Red Flags: How To Tell If A Restaurant Will Be Bad

Ramen is much more than a bowl of noodle soup; it is a symbol of Japanese culture. Ramen started life as a simple street food but has since become a global phenomenon, gaining huge popularity in the U.S. in the early 2000s. Today, ramen occupies a well-deserved place on the list of America's favorite foods. At Tasting Table, we have identified 27 commonly found types of ramen, but despite the wide variety, most are made from just three core components: broth, noodles, and toppings.

Broths are comprised of mainly four different types: shoyu, shio, tonkotsu, and miso. Ramen noodles are usually made from wheat flour, salt, water, and a special alkaline water called kansui. Their size and density change depending on how they are shaped and how much kansui is used. Finally, toppings are placed on top of the noodles and can include eggs, meat, vegetables, fats, and spices.

While there aren't as many ramen restaurants in the U.S. as in Japan, ramen shops are still plentiful in many states. A scroll through a food delivery app or a walk down a restaurant-laden street in a busy city, and you'll likely be face-to-face with an establishment serving ramen. However, not all of the places we find are gems. Some will only lead to disappointment — it's happened to the best of us. That's why it's important to keep a lookout for red flags. To help us identify the red flags that indicate a bad ramen restaurant, be it in Japan or the U.S., we spoke to two experts: Namiko Chen from Just One Cookbook and Kyle Taylor from Palate Passport.

Ramen may be a fast food, but it's practically a religion in Japan, where chefs spend years developing the perfect broth and carving the best plump noodles. In Japan, there are even specialized ramen restaurants called ramen-ya, and they might be a safer bet than those that serve an immense variety of dishes or cuisines. At a dedicated ramen shop, you can be sure that the chefs have spent time perfecting their craft. You may also be able to customize your ramen to your taste by choosing the type and strength of broth as well as changing up the toppings.

Though you certainly shouldn't stop yourself from getting ramen at establishments that aren't ramen-yas, restaurants that have particularly lengthy menus listing an endless array of items can be a red flag. The likelihood of those types of restaurants having fresh, sustainably sourced ingredients for a huge menu is doubtful and may mean that many of the ingredients are frozen or store-bought. A wide menu offering also puts chefs under strain, requiring them to churn out all types of different dishes, making it unlikely that they can dedicate the time and care required for a high-quality dish. Gordon Ramsay is known for often advising restaurants to keep menus small, and it makes sense — it'll be less hectic and confusing for all parties involved.

Savvy diners know to check out the quality of the restaurant beforehand by looking up customer reviews. 90% of consumers read online reviews before visiting a business, and 88% of consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations. In today's internet-aware world, it's incredibly easy to find a review for most restaurants. While just one negative review shouldn't put you off, multiple complaints about the food, cleanliness, service, or costs should raise alarm bells.

In the U.S., it's easy to head to sites like Yelp for customer-based reviews to get an idea of diners' experiences with food and service within the restaurant. For more in-depth reviews, there are a plethora of influencers and restaurant food critics online who will share detailed notes on the quality and standards of an eatery. However, Kyle Taylor said the establishment's location, size, and market should be considered when it comes to reviews.

Smaller restaurants are unlikely to have a huge social media or online presence and may rely on word-of-mouth recommendations. "When a restaurant serves incredible food, word of mouth spreads quickly, even if it's in a hard-to-reach location or has limited parking," Namiko Chen said. "While online reviews are helpful, I believe that if a ramen shop focuses on high-quality food, the positive reviews will follow naturally." 

At a good ramen restaurant, staff should have a broad level of knowledge about the different types of ramen they are serving. If they don't, it could mean that the restaurant does not take its food and service seriously. "The front-of-house staff is incredibly important in any restaurant," Kyle Taylor said. "The chef can't personally describe the dish to each and every patron, thus, the staff should be used as an extension of the kitchen." 

Namiko Chen said, "Staff should at least know what goes into the broth, especially for customers with allergies. Traditional Japanese ramen shops often have only one or two options, so detailed explanations aren't always necessary. However, if a restaurant offers a wide variety of ramen styles, knowledgeable staff who can guide customers based on their preferences are essential."

Staff who understand the origins and different regional styles of ramen can help inform customers on which type of ramen to choose. They should be fully up to date with the different kinds of broth the restaurant makes, what ingredients it uses — eggs, wheat, nuts, or dairy are common allergens, how long it has cooked for, and the best types of noodles and toppings to pair it with. Many ramen restaurants allow customers to tailor their ramen to their requirements, enabling you to leave out toppings that you don't like and add others in. The restaurant should also be able to offer you options that meet your taste and dietary requirements. 

Broth is the backbone of ramen, so if a restaurant has bad broth, it's a red flag. Top ramen chefs spend between one and a half and three years training to make the perfect broth seasoning, also known as tare, and no chef makes their tare sauce the same way. The broth flavor is what stands between a mediocre ramen restaurant and an excellent one, but how do you know if a broth is bad? Namiko Chen broke it down for us. "Broth preference varies, but whether it's tonkotsu, miso, or shoyu-based, it should have depth and richness without tasting watery," she said. "I personally don't enjoy overly fatty broths, as they can overpower the noodles — balance is key.

Kyle Taylor said a "flat, one-dimensional broth" that tastes thin or overly salty is a tell-tale sign of a "shortcut job." He said, "A good broth requires time and patience to make, which means extra cost for a restaurant. You can see how shortcuts like premade broth, seasoning packets, etc. can be advantageous for a business owner." 

Extreme oiliness is another sign of a "hastily-made or low-quality broth," according to Taylor. "A high-quality, long-simmered broth will have a luxurious, silky mouthfeel — from the bone marrow infusing in the liquid. This can't be replicated hastily," he said.

While it's hard to tell the quality of a restaurant broth before tasting it, you can quiz staff on the broth while ordering, which may give an indication of the time and care that goes into preparing the core ingredients. Or, while you're reading online reviews, you can pay special attention to how patrons describe the broth.

When the ramen has taken years to perfect, it could be seen as a crime to alter it in any way. Ramen restaurants may have soy sauce, rice vinegar, and chili oil on the table but these are usually there to create a dip for dumplings. Too many other condiments or toppings could be a sign that the restaurant isn't sure about the authenticity and taste of its broth and is trying to disguise the flavor.

We asked Namiko Chen what toppings she likes on her ramen, and she said, "Classic toppings like bamboo shoots, bean sprouts, wood ear mushrooms, marinated eggs, and sliced pork are always great complements in a bowl of ramen. I personally prefer just the right balance of these, without extras like roasted garlic, chives, or kimchi that are offered in some ramen restaurants, which can overpower the broth. The best toppings enhance the ramen rather than compete with its flavors."

Aside from overpowering toppings, watch out for poorly prepared toppings like overcooked eggs, wilted greens, and flaccid sprouts. Toppings are meant to enhance the dish, with every element adding to the flavor and experience. Piling on too many toppings may disguise the taste of the broth, while spoiled or poorly cooked toppings will ruin the dish or cause you to get sick.

Really good ramen is made of high-quality, freshly made ingredients. Remember, ramen was designed as a fast food, and there should be a high turnover of ingredients that ensures all items are fresh. Ramen broth should made entirely from fresh ingredients. Some broths, like tonkotsu, require cooking for a minimum of 10 to 16 hours, and ramen stock should only be kept for four to five days in a refrigerator.

Ramen noodles should also be made fresh or at least sourced fresh from suppliers. If they're soft or mushy, it could indicate pre-packaged or pre-frozen noodles. Namiko Chen said, "Fresh noodles should have the right chewiness, springiness, and flavor while also complementing the broth. Most ramen shops don't make their own noodles but source them daily from trusted suppliers to maintain quality and consistency. The previously frozen noodles are worse because they lack texture and don't absorb the broth properly."

Classic ramen topping ingredients include pork or chicken, other ground or cubed meat, seaweed, fermented bamboo shoots, green onion, marinated soft-boiled eggs, cloud ear mushrooms, spinach, leeks, mitsuba, corn, butter, chili pepper, and even wontons. Check that the greens are fresh and not wilted, the meat smells good and isn't slimy or discolored, the eggs aren't undercooked or overcooked, the nori is crisp, the mushrooms aren't mushy, and any fat additives aren't cloudy or foul smelling.

Uncared for restaurants may signify a lack of proper food storage and preparation care. A recent study by Simon-Kucher & Partners shared with QSR states that customers are happier to pay for restaurants that meet their standards of cleanliness. Post-COVID-19, these standards include sanitation and food hygiene; customers today are looking for assurances that their food is safe. 

You can gauge the quality of a ramen restaurant before you even step inside by surveying the exterior; if the restaurant is scruffy, it could indicate that the interior is in the same dirty state. Look for broken signage, garbage strewn around the vicinity of the establishment, and dirty windows.

Inside, keep an eye open for dirty tables and floors, sticky menus, and condiments that haven't been wiped clean from sauce spillages. The best way to check a restaurant's hygiene standards is to visit its toilet. Chef David Chang told GQ that he always checks the back of the toilet. In the interview, he said, "The key is: Are they cleaning the back of the toilet? 'Cause who cares about that? Who's cleaning the toilet? Literally, on the totem pole, the lowest person, right? But if they're caring about that, rest assured that everything will be taken care of."

Now, it's not a requirement for every ramen restaurant to have a visible preparation center, but it adds an element of openness and authenticity that can help you judge whether the restaurant is good. In Japan, ramen shops are traditionally small intimate spaces with an open kitchen, which allows diners to see the chefs in action. This visibility invokes trust in the cleanliness of the kitchen and confidence in the skill of the chef. If you don't see the ramen being prepared or cooked, it's not an immediate red flag, but given that you can't see the hygiene standards or chefs' confidence, it'll be something that you have to wonder about.

Cleanliness is the most important part of food preparation; if you are unsure about the quality and safety of a ramen shop, choosing one with an open kitchen will go some way to appease any concerns. Ramen chefs are highly skilled, and any reputable chefs should be proud to have their work on display and even to answer customer questions. Kyle Taylor said, "Clean, open kitchens are [a] factor to look for. Some of the highest-quality kitchens in the world are also the cleanest. That's always a good sign." 

People vote with their feet; if the restaurant is empty, it's a red flag. Unless you are heading for a ramen at an unsociable time, any good quality restaurant should be busy. It's lousy food and bad experiences that stop customers from coming back, so it's usually wish to stick to the old adage 'eat where the locals eat.' If the locals are eschewing a restaurant, it's usually with good reason.

In addition, humans naturally gravitate towards busier restaurants, as this indicates that the food is safe. So unless you are in a busy tourist area (a red flag for eating in restaurants within itself), then eating in the only empty restaurant on the block is a definite no. This is true even in Japan. Namiko Chen said, "... In Japan, the best indicator [of a quality restaurant] is the line outside during meal times — if locals are waiting, it's likely worth trying."

We've all had a bad service experience. Any restaurant that doesn't require its staff to warmly welcome their customers and treat them with respect gets a no from us. Badly trained, poorly dressed, and grumpy staff shows a lack of care for a restaurant's customers. While a frosty welcome or surly waiter is a definite red flag, there are other indicators of bad management. Look out for staff that is sick — no one wants wait staff coughing over their food, but more importantly, a management team that allows an ill member of staff to work hasn't considered both the staff member's health or their customer's. In 2023, the CDC reported that 40% of food poisoning outbreaks were linked to sick workers — so a reputable restaurant will ensure their sick staff members stay home.

Staff should be presentable. Wait staff are the face of the business, and those wearing unkempt, dirty clothes or who have strong body odors are off-putting. The same goes for chefs. Any staff member who doesn't have their hair tied back, clean clothing, and washed hands may be flouting health and safety rules and putting customers at risk.

Staff members eating in public areas look unprofessional, but more concerningly, they may prevent the restaurant from adhering to food standard health codes. Staff members bringing their food into the restaurant may introduce unaccounted allergens into the premises, while staff that eat on the go and don't wash their hands could be transmitting germs to customers.