"Founded in 1976 and considered the first and longest-running ramen restaurant in the United States, this old-school spot serves post–World War II–inspired Japanese fare—ramen alongside takoyaki, yakisoba, and Chinese-influenced plates like mapo tofu—and is a popular late-night haunt (open until midnight on Fridays and Saturdays, 10 p.m. other days). A standout is the niku dango teishoku: pork meatballs stewed in sweetened soy sauce that evoke childhood memories for Niki." - Mae Hamilton