Ginza Hachigou

Ramen restaurant · Chūō

Ginza Hachigou

Ramen restaurant · Chūō

Japan, 〒104-0061 Tokyo, Chuo City, Ginza, 3 Chome−14−2 第一はなぶさビル 1階

Highlights

Nestled in a cozy corner, this six-seat ramen haven dazzles with its golden broth, delicate noodles, and an experience that ramen lovers won't forget.

Japan, 〒104-0061 Tokyo, Chuo City, Ginza, 3 Chome−14−2 第一はなぶさビル 1階 Get directions

katsumoto-japan.com

@ginza_hachigou

¥1,000–2,000 · Menu

Reserve

@michelinguide

"With a single bowl, Yasufumi Matsumura shows you the evolution of ramen. The soup uses no sauce, instead relying on the flavour of duck, free-range chicken and vegetables and the salt tang of dry-cured ham – taking a page from the preparation of consommé in French cuisine. The name suggests setting sights high for constant improvement by suggesting the halfway point when climbing Mount Fuji." - Michelin Inspector

Chukasoba Ginza Hachigou

View Postcard for Chūka Soba Ginza Hachigo

@cntraveler

"A latticed wooden sliding door behind a simple white noren curtain. From the outside, there's little to suggest that this humble ramen joint is a Michelin-starred restaurant–apart from the line, which often snakes around the corner. Inside, the clean-lined, understated space looks more like a sushi bar than a noodle shop, with six white chairs in front of the wooden counter. Ramen is chef Yasushi Matsumura's second career. After 36 years working in French cuisine, his fascination with the noodle dish took him all over the country to learn the secrets of each region's broth. At Hachigo, Matsumura combines the breadth of his ramen knowledge with techniques gleaned from the French kitchen. His broth is a luxurious consomme crafted from Nagoya chochin chicken, duck, shellfish, shiitake mushrooms, and kelp, with an extra hit of umami from cured ham." - Melinda Joe

39 Best Restaurants in Tokyo Right Now | Condé Nast Traveler

View Postcard for Chūka Soba Ginza Hachigo

@eater

"Hachigo’s chef, Matsumura Yasushi, worked in fine dining at a fancy hotel for most of his life. At 55, when peers might start thinking about retirement, he opened up a small ramen shop in Ginza. The ramen gets its salty kick from Parma ham in the soup stock, with duck and shellfish adding some complementary flavors. While most ramen shops prefer you leave the minute you finish your food, Hachigo shows some extra hospitality, encouraging guests to relax a bit at the end of their meal with some iced tea (combined with the slow pace of the restaurant, this can also cause some long lines)." - Brian MacDuckston

The Best Ramen in Tokyo: 16 Restaurants to Not Miss - Eater

View Postcard for Chūka Soba Ginza Hachigo

@michelinguide

"Chukasoba Ginza Hachigou has been promoted from a Bib Gourmand to a One MICHELIN Star restaurant. The venue is recognized for its revolutionary approach to ramen, blending Japanese and Western elements, thanks to chef Yasufumi Matsumura's background in French cuisine." - MICHELIN Guide Japan

MICHELIN Guide Tokyo 2022 Marks 15th Edition With New Stars, Special Awards

View Postcard for Chūka Soba Ginza Hachigo

@davidcho

Michelin ramen

View Postcard for Ginza Hachigou

Law Mak

Google

This was so delicious. Well worth the wait. This is for the true Ramen fans only. It's hard to get a reservation and seat because they have such limited bowls. Only if you truly love Ramen, then you should come here. But it is well worth it. The attention to quality and taste and ambience. Everything about the experience was perfect. So so delicious. I had to come 3 hours before opening and barley made the cut for the day. About 30mins after I arrived in line, they already had to turn customers away. If you make the cut, you'll know its worth it.

L Ho

Google

Reservation should be made, walk-in is nearly impossible unless just 1 person likes me this time. The ramen is amazing and is a good match with the soups. The french-style ravioli is filled with truffle and foie gras. Also, the pork meat is nice as well. Must try!

Mike Kim

Google

One of the best ramen I’ve had in Tokyo. Got there early to pick a spot later around 11am. Purchased a bowl of ramen, rice with pork belly and some beer from the vending machine. The presentation of the ramen was amazing and needless to say it was very delicious!

Ah Boy Like Ramen

Google

Absolutely worth it. The attention to detail, the carefully crafted meal, elaborate plating and delicate flavours are what makes you go… ah so this is Michelin Star… I can go on and on but details of my review can food on my site. Recommend to make reservations online before visiting. The week’s schedule is released every Saturday. Standby your laptop and the page cuz it gets booked out very fast. The shop don’t accept cash so bring your card.

Ken

Google

Well worth the 2 hour wait. Ramen, aromosphere, and service was top notch. All those 1 star reviews are a joke. Do some research. Either make a reservation or come in the morning about 1.5 to 2 hours on weekdays. You will prob get to eat. One of the best ramen I had. The soup tasted so clean and light. I'll probably miss this the most on this japan trip.

FamilyPro Portrait

Google

The experience is exceptional! It was so good that It’s hard to eat any other ramen now :) The broth is miracle, the noodles are very tasty, all the ingredients are amazing! Love the story behind and strongly recommend to read it and how they cook the broth too! It makes this all thing as an experience :) Very nice and friendly stuff! 10 out of 10 and def worth the hustle with booking, waiting and etc.

DeeRae D

Google

This is a very small six (6) bar stool ramen shop. Our group lined up at 0700 on a Thursday (10OCT24) and were first in queue. Our entire group had to be present in order for us to be together. They only had 11 openings this day. (OMG) My little sister found this spot online, tiktok and Google. Here's is my honest review since I acknowledge myself as a ramen conesour. 🤭 Appearance (outside)- on the corner their entrance is as dainty as can be. Not flashy, or bright but simplicity makes it stand out best. You line up to the left down the alley on the corner where the ramen shop is. A kind lady (worker) will come and check the queue often and when close top open time will ask you to place your order. They have English menu and Japanese. (INSIDE) Once they open you will go into the ramen shop with two steps up where the bar is. six barstools with back rest and platform for your feet. Behind you is a narrow walk way and a counter to place your personal belongings. CHEF- There is your Executive chef and his sous chef behind the bar preparing your ramen. **NO PICTURES OF KITCHEN PLEASE** Be respectful 🙏 They are very kind and do an AMAZING job with presentation and speak softly. FOOD- We ordered the chefs special which has, 1 boiled egg, foie gras, pork, green onion & bamboo chute. The soup was very clean tasting, fullness and bold in flavor. The boiled egg was like no other I've had. still a little raw inside but instantly cooks when it hits the soup. The pork was so tender at each bite. You are given a glass of water, and Japanese tea as beverage. Since it's only a 1hr time slot you must eat quickly and be respectful of the time. I I thoroughly enjoyed the culture thru their food and hands that prepared it. Everything was very clean and smiles all around. Great experience for us all. We caught the train there as Google maps is very accurate.

Yuki

Google

Couldn’t get reservations online and was here to queue for walk-ins. Arrived at 8am there were people queuing already😂 despite from the queue, the noodles itself was quite good I have to say. They only take 18 walk-ins between 10:30-12:00. I would come again if there is no queue. Not worth the time and it’s still hyped

Vincent P.

Yelp

This Michelin star ramen restaurant with French-infused flavors seats only seats 6 people, so we made sure to make an online reservation on TableCheck to secure seats. There is a small reservation fee, but it was worth it rather than waiting in line. Pro tip though, we made a reservation for 2 PM, which was too late as they were sold out of the chef recommendation Ravioli Gourmandise Chuka Soba. That was a bummer, so I highly recommend getting an earlier time if you want to eat that. I went with the Ajitama Chuka Soba instead, which was a tasty ramen bowl with a boiled egg, pork-belly chashu, bamboo shoots, and green onions. The ramen bowl came nicely presented and everything was very delicious. The price is very affordable, the ramen was 1400 yen and it was a filling bowl. I really wished I got to try the Ravioli Gourmandise Chuka Soba, so that made the visit a little disappointing. However, the Ajitama Chuka Soba was still a delicious bowl of ramen.

Justin L.

Yelp

The newest Michelin star ramen restaurant in Tokyo. I had to go because it was only 1400 yen! Or just over TEN U.S. DOLLARS. Expect to wait two to three hours. No reservations, only six seats inside, and they sell a limited amount of bowls each day. I recommend lining up before 10 AM if you want to eat at a reasonable time. On the day I visited, they closed the queue before the restaurant even opened. Bring lots of sunscreen, there wasn't too much shade in the morning. The ordering process is a little unorthodox. Basically, everyone leaves the line to place their order inside and then returns to their place in line. So as soon as the person(s) in front of you returns, you leave your place in line to get a ticket from the machine, hand your ticket to the staff, and then get back in line so that the party after you can go place their order(s). Cash only. There were no English labels, but you ask for assistance from the staff or use Google Lens to translate. It's a very simple menu, with three ramen choices and a rice bowl dish. The cheapest ramen was 1100 yen or $7.87 USD. I got their signature special ramen with all the toppings. The broth is mostly a combination of duck and chicken. The flavor is further enhanced with the addition of scallops, prosciutto, sea salt, shiitake mushrooms, tomatoes, green onions, and seaweed. It looks transparent and watery, but it was super savory and umami! The noodles were chewy, with the perfect level of firmness to it. I loved the slices of chashu pork with a light seasoning of pepper, each bite was heavenly! The egg yolk was decently runny, and the accompanying bamboo shoots/green onion toppings were like icing on a cake: makes a good thing even better. They provided a cup of hōjicha (tea) to drink after the meal. Definitely one of the more unique bowls I've had, with a lot of ingredients you normally don't find in ramen!

Dianna H.

Yelp

Note: Cash Only I wanted to try Michelin starred ramen when I was in Tokyo and decided to try Ginza Hachigou. It was really good, but I ended up waiting 4 hours and no food is worth a 4 hour wait. I came for Friday lunch. I didn't do my research beforehand and made the mistake of coming too late. They open at 11, and I came at 10:20 thinking that would be early enough, but I was shocked that right after I got in line, a restaurant employee came out and told me they were sold out after me. I later asked and they said they serve only 80-90 bowls of ramen a day. I finally got seated at 2:20, so it was a 4 hour wait. The wait was pretty brutal as there's nowhere to sit, and I was by myself so I couldn't leave my spot in the line at all. Once you get close enough, you can go in and pay for your order at the vending machine at the front of the store. Just wait for the party in front of you to leave and come back with a ticket, and then you'll know it's your turn. As is standard, the vending machine only takes cash, so make sure you have some on you. The menu is very straightforward. There's only three options plus a side: -chuka soba - 1100 yen -chuka soba + egg - 1250 yen -special chuka soba - 1400 yen -meat with rice - 500 yen The bowl of ramen was solid, though I don't know if I'd call it the best bowl of ramen I've ever had. Everything was cooked to perfection, the broth was rich, and the chashu was melt in your mouth tender. If you decide to come here, just make sure you don't make the same mistake as me and at least 2 hours early!

Olivia S.

Yelp

Michelin starred ramen? Now, was it worth the hype??? Oh, hell yes!!! That egg was molten gold. The noodles with firm, yet soft. And the broth wasn't heavy but packed with flavor. Oh, and I can't forget the pork - it broke apart with the touch of my chopsticks. Expect to wait about 2 hours, even if you go early. The line is pretty organized but there's limited seating on the inside so it does take time. Be patient - it'll be worth the wait.

Brandon T.

Yelp

I lined up maybe an hour and half before opening and in total probably waited around 4 hours before I ate. The ramen was probably the best bowl that i have tried so far. everything from the broth, egg, pork and soup were superb! me and my friend described it as an ethereal experience. would we wait that long again? probably not!

Andrew S.

Yelp

Best ramen I've ever had. I'll update my post if I find something better, but this place takes #1 for me currently. I got in line at 10:12 AM and got seated around 12:00PM. Recommend going early and waiting. Another day, went close to 09:15 AM and got seated at opening. THEY OPEN HAVE 6 SEATS and THEY SELL OUT every day. The clear broth was insanely amazing, I believe it is a chicken and duck broth. The way they plate the ramen is a work of art, so simple but so perfect. The meat is so tender and some pieces even broke off as I tried to lift it with my chopsticks. The menu is extremely simple with only a few items which includes ramen, rice bowl with meat, and beer. Definitely WORTH THAT WAIT, especially for the umami broth. To finish your meal, they offer you a small cup of tea, tasted like Jasmine tea. Luckily, the main chef served us on the day we went. I didn't get to try the rice bowl, but I definitely will on my next trip. Yes, I WILL go back here!

Ruobin W.

Yelp

You will spend almost 2 hours in line. No matter if you decide to show up at 9am to be the 5th in line or at 12pm to be the last in line, expect a long wait. That's the price of admission for this small ramen shop. It's not even my issue, though. I was hoping to get a number and a time to come back, but anticipated a wait. My real issue with the ramen here was the oily quality of the broth. I know with the addition of duck to the broth that some fattiness would no doubt seep out. However, the richness mixed with the salt just made the broth sink in my stomach and left a little film in my mouth. Don't get me wrong, the noodles and the contents of the ramen are high quality. Just don't expect to feel your tip top self after eating.

C. R.

Yelp

I went to this super famous ramen shop in Ginza that can have a line with enough people to sell-out before even opening on a Tuesday morning, arriving at 8:40 to be the first person in line. At 9am, the line was already long enough to fill all 6 seats inside twice-over. It seems a bit crazy to line up for ramen so early, but the experience felt incredibly luxury. The staff provided shaded umbrellas with fans inside while I waited, and the shop ended up opening a bit early at 10:45 this particular morning. I ordered the special chashu ramen for ¥1400. The egg was large and well cooked, the chashu was nicely seasoned, and the broth was incredibly delicious. Additionally, houjicha was served halfway through the meal. The warm towel, comfortable seats, and the free hairband to keep my hair out of the soup all added to the luxury feel of this place. I left feeling satisfied despite the long wait, and can recommend to those who are willing to get up early.