AFURI Ramen Arts District

"A Tokyo-based ramen restaurant known for its yuzu shio ramen." - Rebecca Roland

"While much of the Arts District comes alive at night, Afuri offers an outstanding option for daytime ramen cravings. Here, chewy housemade noodles swim in a rich yuzu shio broth, or a vegan hazelnut tantanmen with spicy sesame miso tare. Though Afuri specializes in ramen, its non-broth-based options like donburi bowls and hand rolls are worth an order." - Rebecca Roland

"If you’re someone who, in this day and age, still loves a hot bowl of ramen (for the record, we do too), head to Afuri. The specialty at this Tokyo-based chain is their yuzu shio broth—a light, acidic variety that’s unlike anything else in the city. It’s made from a combination of chicken, seafood, vegetables, and seaweed, which provides a bright umami flavor that hits the spot no matter what temperature it is outside. Plus, with a full beer and cocktail menu, Afuri is a great casual group option, especially before a night out. " - brant cox, nikko duren, garrett snyder, sylvio martins

"Vast ceilings and exposed steel venting give Afuri’s inner-Southeast location the feeling of an industrial music video, particularly at night when hunched over a steaming bowl of ramen alongside a dozen others. Afuri offers a respectable sushi menu, but the main attraction here is the astonishing yuzu ramen broth, served with expertly balanced ingredients dropped into the bowls with impeccable timing. The busy open kitchen and abounding hard surfaces might make a quiet intro to a neighboring diner challenging, but the creative highball cocktails from seasoned bartenders might bolster courage." - Nathan Williams, Krista Garcia

"If you're excited about the idea of eating ramen for lunch, but don't want a bowl of rich tonkotsu broth to lull you to sleep at 2pm, head to Afuri in the Arts District. Everything about a meal here is refreshing, from the windows pouring tons of natural light into the industrial space to the yuzu-infused shio ramen with enough acid to cut through the salty, fatty chicken stock. Said ramen is always our order, here. Its thin noodles spring back against your chopsticks, chashu melts away, and the entire bowl is light enough to leave room for some karaage or gingery gyoza. " - nikko duren, brant cox, sylvio martins