Shinpuku Saikan Honten

I stepped out of Kyoto Station feeling like I was being fried alive. ow THAT is humid heat! I was starving, and there was no way I was going to try to figure out the bus system before starving to death so I picked one of two adjacent ramen shops, the one without the line.
This is why there is no line. The Shoyu Ramen is a bit heavy on the shoyu. The pork broth is still savory, and the noodles are perfect, but make sure you drink plenty of water to balance out the salt. A side of Fried Rice costs nearly nothing. Also heavy on the shoyu, but definitely hits the spot.
Not bad for a bowl of noodles, but not the best I’ve had.

Was brought here by a man we met on the airplane who knew the area. Best ramen I’ve ever had so far!

Delicious and filling ramen. Good amount of meat and very nice staff. There is also an upstairs so don’t worry about the line. Enjoy.

You’ll find Shinpuku Saikan Honten on many «best of» lists in Kyoto, and for good reason. This place goes with the shoyu ramen (soy sauce-​based), which I find to have a very robust, satisfying taste while remaining light and soupy. Obviously it’s unlike what you’ll find in most of America, where the ramen gets complicated with too much going on in it. Shinpuku’s choices stick with bamboo, bean sprouts, and onions, and one or two more ingredients. Not to say the American style of ramen is «incorrect» by any means, but I think you’ll find a keen appreciation for the traditional Asian style, especially here.
Although Shinpuku is apparently famous in Kyoto (it has been in existence since 1938), we came across it last-​minute. We arrived in Kyoto later in the afternoon and Shinpuku was recommended to us by hotel concierge (we stayed right by Kyoto Station). Just a quick walk away, they said. The walk there is fun; you can take a few detours and get a glimpse of Kyoto off the beaten path, walking through old residential areas before stumbling on it. It fits right in with old Kyoto, as it’s very cramped, bustling, and a smidge sloppy. Not dirty, by any means though. You’ll likely share your table with others.
If you arrive in Kyoto Station and have time to kill or you’re tired, make a quick stop over here. It’s cheap and is the perfect showcase of Kyoto-​style ramen. Our wait wasn’t very long, either.

Maybe we came around lunchtime so the restaurant was packed… but I am not really impressed. Dont get me wrong, food is pretty good but the second floor seatings gave me the «eat-and-get-the-f***-out» vibe.
We had to share a table with two other strangers, which we did not mind but it was a little awkward. There was not enough space underneath the table to put our bags and because it was so cramped, we had to put them on our laps.
Food was good though. The ramen noodles were more like chinese egg noodles but the broth was rich and flavourful (mainly soy sauce). The highlight of this meal would probably be the side of fried rice, so good!
Since the regular bowl of noodles is pretty big, I would recommend ordering a Shio (small bowl of ramen) and a side of fried rice.

You can’t go wrong with this soy sauce based ramen. Plenty of meat and noodles to fill you up. One bowl is enough but if you’re starving, order a side of fried rice. You won’t regret it.

Cozy, authentic place. Basic interior, delicious ramen.
Menu with pics available if you don’t speak Japanese.
Great place unless you expect restaurant atmosphere.

Don’t understand the appeal at all. It’s cheap; you get a large bowl with plenty of meat; but the broth is salty and tastes nothing outside of soy sauce. Great service even for a small hole in the wall. Don’t come with super high expectations.

Kyoto style ramen, not far from kyoto station. If you have time and wanna taste local environment restaurant, this place is answer. They have english menu but not good english speaking. They can understand your orders. Good taste of fried rice and light soysauce based soup with noodle. They have only 5 tables.

I read the Unilocal reviews and came here for my first meal. I could I wasn’t the only one, cause boy there was a line. But the wait was only 20 minutes (and I started 15 heads back). Totally worth it, I ordered the famous «special ramen» and it was wonderful.

Absolutely delicious! They even have an English menu. Very simple, straightforward ramen, but oh, so tasty! The fried rice and pork side dishes are a must!

Arriving late at Kyoto, feeling tired, didn’t feel like a nice dinner. Thanks to fellow Unilocalers, I ate at what it turned out was «the ramen» of Kyoto.
As it was warned on the review, there were some lines. It was good I went at night as I would not liked to wait in line during the day (hot and humid in summer). However the line moved very quick. Once inside, they will take your order and start cooking. By the time you get seated (often shared table), food came in less than 3 mins.
Location: walking distance from Kyoto station, I suggest to have a map to get there as it was near a small street. As I was walking I wasn’t sure I was at the right place or not.
Ramen: yes it sure was good. Very dark soup, shyoyu base I think. Pork belly meat was vert tasty too. Thick noodles matched with dark soup.
Fried rice: they call this yakimeshi. They used the same soup stock to flavor the rice, also dark looking. This fried rice compliments the ramen really good.
I love ramen and am glad I had opportunity to try the Kyoto ramen.