Nama Ramen

We sat outside in the shade and had lunch. The ramen was delicious and I love how the tofu was flavored. The noodles were great and so were all the other ingredients. The cold drink was perfect too. They brought a dog bowl with fresh water for my dog and were very sweet. I’d love to back any time.

Greetings, Came here to get takeout for a birthday. Atmosphere is okay, albeit a little crowded feeling. Parking is tough in that area. Service was mostly good and our food came in a timely manner. I like that they didn't put ice in the to-go drinks. Got the Shoyu Red Ramen. The broth wasn't very flavorful and the spicy overwhelmed it easily. The pork was good as well as the egg. Noodles and veggies were okay. It is unlikely I will go back, except for someone's birthday, and would try something different.

Excellent vegetarian ramen! Great seasoned tofu. The broth is delicious.

We've lived in Sellwood for 4 years and hadn't stopped in because we thought they only had ramen and my wife is gluten intolerant. Then one day we noticed they had Poke bowls and were excited to go back and try it. We went yesterday and we will be back again soon. She got a salmon bowl and I got a tuna one and they were both so fresh and yummy. There's an option for veggies or rice or a mix, we got the mix and it was such a great mix of vegetables. One of the best poke bowls I've had. Very filling portions, we thought that next time we might share a bowl and get one of their tasty looking sides as well.

Great little spot on the corner! No line and plenty of places to sit! Don’t let the open seats be a deterrent! The food was amazing and they have self-serve take away containers for if/when you can’t quite finish a meal. Omissions were an option so I decided to pass on the soft boiled egg. Serving sizes were large and we did need to take away our ramen options home as there was plenty to eat for two people. Can’t wait to come back and try the poke options! Recommendations: gyoza, bulgogi rice

Pretty lack luster ramen. The broth was cold and the noodles were barely warm. Also got really sick after eating here. Would not recommend.

Order and seat yourself environment. Affordable for a bowl that will leave full. Just not crazy about the ramen broth flavor itself. Had the spicy miso. Wasn’t really spicy and just not very flavorful or decadent. They are generous with their toppings and meat

Came in for dinner. Shoyu ramen did not disappoint! Person taking orders could have stepped up on being personable and bathroom was nasty. 5 stars for food though!

This place is so cute! It's decorated well, had a beautiful mural, very clean and comfy spot. Cozy too, it's a small place but they have outside seating. The menu is straight forward and simple, they were out of rice which was a bummer but we all decided on ramen so it was okay. They offer to spike the lemonade with tequila or vodka, it's delicious. My gyoza was very good, though the dipping sauce was minimal. And the ramen was tasty. They have metal chopsticks, which I hate to use but I understand why they do it. The woman who took our order was friendly and quick. They give you a number and your drink and someone is out with your food within ten minutes. Only thing I found to be a bummer (aside from the lack of rice and metal chopsticks) was that the egg in my ramen wasn't seasoned or soaked like normal, just white. And it was hard boiled, so no yummy yolk which is the whole point.

Update: I've been ordering Nama for over two months, maybe longer, and the last time I ordered their Korean fried chicken it was white meat tenders and not their drumsticks. Called and asked what happened and was told that that is what they're going to do with that item from now on. Gave friendly advice to not do that but have an option for the bites, with their website and even social media posting that the item is now chicken tenders. I'll say that when I first had the Korean fried chicken on the bone that it was amazing. I remember the was a day that I craved it so bad that I was going to hurt someone, not really, to get me some of that chicken. I'm just really upset that they'd do this and not tell their customers about it and not have the option for the drumstick option like they had before. Sorry to say, you've lost a customer. And no, I didn't receive your gift card, Tommy.

pretty tasty! unexpected kind of hole in the wall type place. tried the bulgogi and poke bowl as well as the ramen, and was very enjoyable. (order before you sit down restaurant) also pretty great pricing!

Nama Ramen took me by surprise when it came to taste. I will start my review with a caveat that we ordered delivery from here so I can't really comment on service or ambiance. I had a hankering for noodle soup that only ramen could cure so my husband I decided to go for it! We liked that this place was relatively nearby and seemed to have solid options without too many frills. He got the shoyu red and I got the spicy vegetarian. I will say that the flavor of the broth was so good! I usually side eye veggie broths because they tend to be bland but this one was delicious and had the spicy kick. My husband really enjoyed his shoyu red as well! We scarfed down both noodle soups rather quickly tbh. My husband, the omnivore, certainly wants to try their poke and other options so maybe there is a second order in the works -- or maybe we'll drop by and see how it is in person. Regardless, if you're vegetarian and want a good veggie broth, this place delivered (both literally and figuratively).

I will say I was slightly skeptical about their vegetarian ramen. It usually goes one way, blaaaaand and the reviews seem to go 50/50 between great and unflavorful, so I decided to take my chances. A quaint little restaurant with a ordering counter and busing station the menu is short and to the point. But I will say I was really digging the broth on the vegetarian ramen, it has like a creamy milkiness to it that's id maybe chalk up to coconut milk? But I def wasn't getting any coconut flavor. Anyway, kudos to them for nailing it. I also appreciate the pricing as well, very reasonable.

overall ratings: food: 4.2/5 service: 4/5 atmosphere: 4/5 price: $$ value: average we decided to try out this place because we were in the area. this is a very cute and small ramen shop tucked inside sellwood. the price was VERY affordable, all the ramen was priced at $13, for a very big portion. we ordered one of each ramen, and they were all very good. we got an order of gyoza, but they were store-bought frozen dumplings (which every ramen shop uses). i would definitely give this place a try if you are in the area.

I love the Korean fried chicken. It was so good! Fried perfectly and not too covered with sauce. I also had the Agedashi Tofu and ramen. My ramen was a bit spicier so I think next time I'll try the other ones. I know some people were complaining it wasn't spicy enough. Can't please everyone right?! The bulgogi rice was a hit for my son. He ate it up.

Sometimes you just need a good, no frills ramen and this was it. It hit the spot! The ramen broth had depth and flavor. The noodles were thick and chewy (in a good way). Service was really good! Def going back to try the poke and the rest of the menu.

Cute shop with a simple menu of ramen, poke, and izakaya. Prices start around ~$7 and then go up to $13 for the main entrees. When you enter you order first before you sit down. There's decent seating indoors and when it's nice outside they also have seating outside. Not made for super large groups but you could get lucky to get the large communal table. Tried the shoyu ramen, miso ramen, ahi tuna, and wakame salad. Wakame salad is a great starter for you to share and it pairs nicely with the ahi tuna poke. Fish is fresh and goes great over rice or greens. As for the ramen I usually like a savory base so the miso is great but this time around I preferred the shoyu base. Both bowls of ramen came in piping hot broth with chewy noodles and melt in your mouth chasu pork. I was surprised to see bean sprouts in my bowl but it paired well with the bamboo and wakame. Overall, Nama is a solid spot to get a decently priced, quick, and satisfying bowl of ramen on a cold day.

Don't eat here if you have a gluten allergy! I've been served normal noodles more than once, and have gotten really ill from a few of the other menu items that "can be made gluten free". Super disappointing. The food here is absolutely delicious and the service is always great, so if you aren't gluten free I definitely recommend this place. I unfortunately will not be back.

The ramen is delicious. Only negative feedback is the serving of pork belly is so small.

Ramen, Poke, Bulgogi, all my favorite foods I couldn't decide what to get! My friend got ramen and a side of fried chicken. I got poke and bulgogi. We shared. And it was heaven on earth. Excellent!!

The best casual place for ramen in Portland! It's a hole in the wall restaurant with decent service and good quality ramen. The menu is minimalistic and they also have poke bowls! My friend also got the basil lemonade and she really enjoyed it :) The miso red and spicy miso ramens were a bit spicy so just a warning to request adjustments if you can't handle spicy food. I got the veggie ramen was FIRE and I finished the whole thing. Good portion sizes and chill vibez - would recommend!

Snow day in portland and it has me seeking out something warm. I ordered a spicy miso soup. Was sad the egg was hard boiled as well. The toppings were fresh and the noodles were nice. The pork belly was great. Ordered the agedashi tofu and Korean fried chicken as well. Large portions!! It's pretty loud in the restaurant with the music playing. There's an d school street fighter arcade machine so that was a nice treat to see.

We had some really good poke bowls here in the summertime, and finally made it for ramen. The vegetarian ramen was honestly the best I've had. The broth was rich and thick and so full of flavor -- which is often lacking in veggie ramen. The noodles had the perfect thickness and texture, and it was loaded with mushrooms, greens, bean sprouts, really flavorful tofu, and more. I also like that the egg was cooked perfectly. I am not a fan of runny, raw eggs! My husband had the red miso ramen with pork, and he was very happy as well. The hot sake was absolutely delicious and a good value. It was a great meal on a cold day.

Ramen is ok. The red shoyu broth was too oily for my taste buds. Pretty color and generous portion but the broth needed some tlc. Came here for the ramen but was disappointed so ordered more food. What sold me here is the Korean chicken. Come here for the Korean fried chicken, not the ramen! Winner winner chicken dinner, it's amazing. I give 5 stars to just the chicken. Agedashi tofu gets two thumbs up! Authentically cooked and plated like it's supposed to be - no hipster fusion which I appreciate. Not a fan of the poke bowl- unnecessary fillers like seaweed salad and imitation crab is like smothering sushi with Mayo to mask the fish. No thank you. At the end of it all, We were asked very nicely to buss our table.

It was pretty good ramen. Big portions. Glad I found parking, it could be an issue, thankfully I lucked out and got a spot on the same block. Ambiance was casual

Still love this place! I usually get dinner and a beer here after getting my hair done at Chamelon Salon down the street. The poke is always fresh and delicious, really I've never ordered anything I didn't like. The staff is always very friendly as well.

hey yall! starting my yelp journey. the order day i went to nama ramen and ordered the shoyu red, ultimately i was underwhelmed. presentation was great and nothing was upsetting but it lacked flavor and needed to be coated in soy sauce to have like any flavor.. it was good but did not justify the price, there are better sellwood options

It was edible. Beyond that, the place was dirty, the staff seemed disgruntled, and the ramen was bland and flavorless. Honestly, some of the worst ramen I've had. Hopefully i just caught them on an off day.

Outstanding!!! Their menu is simple and reasonably priced. Huge portions with a ton of meat and vegetables. Honestly their poke bowls could be split with just one person. The staff is super friendly and food came out fast. The fish is fresh and ramen broth super succulent. Definitely my new favorite place in sellwood!!

Ramen was fantastic- take out was super quick! Super flavorful and full of veggies. Thank you Nama

Definitely a ramen spot that hits the spot. I ordered the miso ramen, creamy salmon poke bowl, and edamame.

Always going to recommend the pork belly Ramen . It's so tender and melts in your mouth!! Definitely a favorite in sellwood!

Pretty decent little restaurant. Good ramen & poke, really good gyoza. A few nice beers & sakes as well.

FOOD WAS FIREEEEE. service was amazing the girl was soooo cool. Ambiance was warm and welcoming.

The food is great. We typically take orders to go since we live in the neighborhood but it looks like a nice place to sit and eat.

03/11/20:  4.5 out of 5 - I came here with my Wednesday Running Group.  We've been to Nama Ramen many times in the past, but it's been awhile.  Just haven't gotten around to doing a proper review.  So, here is my take. The Business Originally, back in 2017,  I came here with my running  group after finding out that Nama is the sister restaurant to Akasaru in NE Portland.  I don't know if that still is true, though. Nama Ramen is situated in Sellwood on the corner SE Miller and 13th, just a few blocks from the Columbia Sportswear Outlet.  At first appearance it looked small, but it actually seems more spacious once inside with plenty of seating for small or mid size groups.  Large groups can be challenging, but there is a large table available.  Inside is kept very clean.  Moreso than many other restaurants in Portland that I've been to. Scored:  4.75 out of 5. The Staff The service of the staff was friendly and accommodating.  Although counter service, the staff actually didn't hide behind the counter like most places, and came out and checked on us and provided actual service.  Well deserving of being tipped. Scored:  4.75 out of 5. The Food It's been awhile, but to me, the menu has changed a bit.  Tried some of the new items; Soy Garlic Fried Chicken, Kimchee Fried Rice and such. First off, the ramen was tastier than before.  Finished my bowl; noodles, broth, all of it!  However, the appetizer items that I mentioned earlier were a little undesirable.  Sounded good on menu, but when received and tried, we were disappointed.  Kimchee Fried Rice really didn't have any Kimchee in it, just the flavoring.  And, as for the Soy Garlic Fried Chicken, it was okay.  The seasoning of the batter can be better.  We didn't finish eating it. Scored:  4.25 out of 5. The Bathroom This may seem to be a funny thing to rate, but the bathroom in any restaurant/eatery should ALWAYS BE CLEAN and in tip top condition and working order...ALWAYS. Nama's bathroom is small.  At the time of my visit, the bathroom was kept and very clean. Scored:  4.75 out of 5. The Price If you can't keep the prices low and fair, then you better make sure there is substance for the price you are asked to pay.  Nama Ramen's prices seem to match the Portland standard of pricing for ramen, which in my opinion is fair, considering Nama's location. Scored:  4.0 out of 5. In the end, Nama Ramen is still an overall good ramen place.  Everyone liked what they ordered.  Just needs to work better on adding more authenticity and just not the flavoring to the smaller menu items.  People want the real deal. We definitely will be returning for more since Nama Ramen also has a little bit of Izakaya and Poke on its menu.   So, if you are feeling for a tasty bowl of ramen, give Nama Ramen a consider. As I always say, try it out once and decide for yourself.   Enjoy

My favorite ramen place in the sellwood neighborhood. I love the shoyu ramen so much it's definitely a staple for the cold weather. The poke bowls are also super good and would definitely recommend the korean fried chicken!!! Service is also super quick and easy.

Got the Shoyu (red) - not so spicy that you can't taste anything else. It was delicious and well made. Korean fried chicken (soy garlic) was BOMB - crispy skin, tender and flavorful on the inside. Cannot recommend enough!

I love love love their ramen! Whenever I order I make a point to get a second ramen to go to have the next day! Great service, friendly folks.

Ordered miso ramen extra broth and gyoza and received none of it. I got 1 ramen bowl, with half the toppings. I thought, maybe it was the wrong ticket, checked my ticket and everything was there. Paid for it, but didn't get it. Got pick up and bag was stapled so no need to check right? Nope. Ramen is sub par as is too, 2/10 would NOT suggest.

Nana Ramen has both Poke and Ramen. We came here for lunch to have the Takoyaki on a rainy day, when we didn't want to deal with the traffic and lines downtown. The ambiance is very inviting for locals with outdoor seating and plenty of window seats on two sides, since they're on a corner. The Takoyaki was hot and crisp on the outside. It's better than Takoyaki at Saburo's. The ramen was ample with real cha siew far better than the trendy ramen places downtown. The cha siew (aka Pork Belly) was thick slices which were grilled before placed on top of the ramen. The ramen comes with a whole soft boiled egg, much better than the ramen places downtown which only give you a half egg. The ramen noodles and broth were really fresh too. A couple of Reed students on a first date were sitting near us, having Poke bowls. I'm thinking Poke bowls will be our choice on our next visit. I highly recommend Nama Ramen for locals or anyone wanting to have Ramen, Poke, Takoyaki, Mochi... in a quiet relaxed atmosphere where you can have conversations without competing with loud music.

Pretty subpar ramen unfortunately. The spicy miso ramen had only salt/soy flavor, no deeper developed flavors. Noodles were cooked well, but it wasn't enough to overcome a poorly made broth. The agedashi tofu also had a chewy breading that was strange - mochi maybe? Perhaps we ordered wrong, but we've had much better ramen in Portland and we would prefer to drive farther for ramen next time.

While a large menu can be impressive, it's often better to have a place that only does a few things and does them well. Nama Ramen is such a place. Had the spicy msio ramen and it was pretty perfect, a heap of chewy noodles,3 or 4 nice slabs of pork, and a whole (not half) egg. Mike had wanted ramen and much enjoyed his miso. Abby found her poke to be just what she wanted. And some of the best gyoza I've had in a while.

We had their gyoza, spicy miso ramen, shoyu ramen, agedashi tofu, mango basil lemonade, and Korean fried chicken. We really enjoyed all of our dishes! We especially liked the fried chicken and tofu. The only thing I would criticize is that there's not too many options for ramen and I think there's more potential!

I was heartbroken when I found out Mekong Grill closed. It was one of my favorite go to Vietnamese spots in town. After hearing that a new ramen spot was opening in its place, I felt a little optimistic. After finding out a food cart had already closed, my friends and I decided Nama since ramen is hard to pass up. As most place in town these days, you order at the counter then get a table. There was a small line and the place was filling up. Luckily we managed to get a table after ordering. Utensils, sauces, and napkins are all self serve in the middle of the restaurant. After grabbing the necessary items, we waited patiently for the bowls to arrive. Other places are pretty prompt with the ramen to come out but there was some waiting time. My friends bowls arrived first and although I ordered after them, it took just a tad bit longer. The karaage chicken with the dipping sauce was the highlight of my meal. The chicken was plump and juicy. The sauce was a bonus and pretty addicting. Sadly there was more chicken than sauce to go around but fortunately one of the workers was able to give us more sauce. The spicy miso I had was ok. I did like the abundance of noodles that had a good bite plus the meat was tender. The broth was pretty sad - not really hot and just a little lukewarm. I added a bunch of pepper and siracha to give it a little extra kick. It did fill me up but I wish the broth had more depth warmth. I like that the prices are reasonable and the staff was friendly and helpful. Hopefully since they just opened, they can perfect the broth just in time when Fall and Winter starts.

Was excited to find a ramen place close to us that had vegan options, we just moved here, but was incredibly disappointed. The vegan ramen tasted like spaghetti noodles and the broth was sweet. I also don't understand why there were tomatoes in it? I couldn't eat my dish so I resorted to just drinking green tea. My fiancé ate his and ended up with an upset stomach that night. Would have loved to have seen a more umami soy based broth instead of whatever that sweet nonsense was. Overall the staff were nice but we won't be going back

The food is literally amazing! no long wait times even when they are busy. The customer service is amazing (ive been here multiple times and everyone has been amazing) The inside is so cute with the art and the menu. Such an amazing place to grab a bite to eat! Id recommend the fried chicken and the kimchi fried rice! (the ramen is also to die for any choice is a good choice)

I was stoked to hear that Tommy Shin is adding another ramen shop to his growing empire because I really like both Akasaru and Samurai Blue! I had high hopes that it would be spot on, but I think they are still working out the kinks, because the 3 bowls we tried had some issues. First, the good: ramen prices are fair, the karaage chicken was great, the charsiu was tender and noodles were plentiful with nice texture. Really the only issues we had were with the broth: All 3 ramen bowls we got had broth that wasn't nearly hot enough - just a step above lukewarm, whereas I want and expect a traditional ramen broth to be near boiling, so hot that I can barley sip it when it's served! Other broth issues: we all thought the "spicy miso" was barely spicy at all, and the tonkatsu wasn't as thick or rich in flavor as we normally expect (the broth was so clear and light we almost thought it was a shoyu). Overall it was ok, but I really hope they can fix the broth, and make it a 4-5 star experience that I would go back for over and over.

In a great area of Portland. Parking was easy, lots of close side streets. Got miso ramen bowl; the broth & meat were delicious but the noodles seemed undercooked and had an odd taste, didn't seem to go with the ramen. Clean and welcoming inside (:

Best Agedashi Tofu in the city, in my opinion! Other items were equally tasty. Nice people work their too

A Ramen place trying to make it. Here it's a little more authentic than your average fast food style Ramen. This place has more authentic food with a twist. Sure there is some American in there but you also get the soft boiled egg in there that excites the tastebuds. I have to apologize I always take a star for not serving food in a restaurant and then swinging around looking for the tip. Don't we tip on service we have received not service we might get? There are Gluten Free options which is a boost. They have some beer options. For those of you looking for alcohol. A great broth to their Ramen which really picks up the flavor in the noodles. Not made there so it's just different from some of the other Ramen spots. I slurpped mine up to the last drop. Great place for a date night. Intimate yet space for groups Go for some good food in a nice location

I should've given up on them a year ago. Prior to the pandemic, Nama Ramen would always get something wrong with to-go orders. 3 years ago, 2 years ago, etc. Back then, they would take your money for extra tofu and give you ......less! Fast-forward to 2021, and so after two years of abstaining from Nama Ramen - and out of desperation during the pandemic, we tried them once again, hoping for some kind of luck. Nope. This time I got several pieces of pork buried in vegetarian Raman. Done. Never again. And to think that a really great Pho restaurant used to be located in that spot. How depressing.

AMAZING ramen! The meat, eggs, noodles- all perfect, everytime. Customer service is great too, highly recommend

I'm back for my second time at Nama. As the dietary pain in the butt, I ordered their vegetarian ramen with gluten free noodles. My SO ordered their spicy miso ramen. Vegetarian ramen: $13 + $1 GF. 5/5 Phenomenal. The broth is rich, layered, but light enough to drink the entire thing. Their tofu has an addictive sweet taste that I would order by itself. Enoki mushrooms, green onions, and a soft boiled egg are also included. Crazily enough, the gluten free noodles I selected have excellent springiness with a starchy feel. I'm from the Bay Area, land of ramen and this is the best non-meat I've had. Spicy miso ramen: $13. 4/5 The SO got this and gave it 4 stars. His egg was over cooked. The broth was perfectly spicy but could be too much for other people. Noodles were good, meat was okay but tender, toppings good. Lots of outside and inside seating. Pretty fast service.

Vegan takeout review: From the online menu, it's hard to tell if Nama Ramen offers vegan options. Thankfully a few other reviews mentioned making the vegetarian ramen vegan so I took a chance and ordered this over the phone. Thankfully the staff seemed to understand what I wanted. However, when I picked up my order, the lid had "GF" (gluten-free) written on top with no mention of vegan. I was a bit confused and wondered if maybe the regular noodles had egg in them. At any rate, my ramen was fine. I missed the regular noodles and wasn't a fan of the tomato addition (I think) to the soup. I wish they had a vegan miso broth (maybe they do, but I could tell from the menu). Would be curious what menu options here are actually vegan or can be made vegan.

My go to ramen spot. Very flavorful, all the soup bases are delicious, the appetizers are all amazing, and they also have a tasty lemonade for sale. really love the sauce and karage chicken!

Not a fan of this. I was really in the mood for ramen and this place didn't meet the expectations. Slow service and off - putting dishes

Best Ramen in town! I ordered spicy shoyu ramen and shoyu ramen with rice noodle. I tried new menu Korean style kimbab. It was delicious!