Hugely Popular Tonkotsu Chain From Japan Joins NYC Ramen Market

Yet another popular Japanese tonkotsu chain has made its way to NYC. Ramen Danbo — which has a Seattle location that still has lines a year after its debut — opened its latest outpost last week in Park Slope, at 52 Seventh Ave. between St. Johns and Lincoln Place.

Ramen Danbo specializes in pork-based broth, which comes available as classic, with shio, miso, or negi-goma, or with white sesame oil and roasted sesame seeds. Its bowls are customizable, meaning that diners can choose things like richness of their broth, thickness of their noodles, and how firm they want the noodles to be cooked. It’s similar to the way other popular Japanese ramen chain Ichiran sets up its ramen.

Besides ramen, the restaurant offers dishes like pan-fried gyoza, rice bowls with chashu pork, and weekday lunch sets. Vegan broth, made with shiitake mushroom, is also available upon request.

The company is not quite as well-known stateside as pork-broth ramen competitors like Ichiran or Ippudo, but so far, it’s been well-received. In Seattle, which was its first U.S. restaurant, Ramen Danbo regularly has long lines, though it’s in a neighborhood packed with other top ramen choices. It’s also considered one of the top ramen choices in the city, and earlier this year, the Seattle Times ranked it among the best new ramen shops in the competitive neighborhood where it landed.

New York, of course, is also a crowded ramen market. Japanese companies have been flocking to the city with ambitious expansion plans, with restaurants like Ichiran and Ippudo already boasting a couple locations and often packed dining rooms.

Ramen Danbo, too, wants to eventually grow its mark here, according to manager Yota Ishizaki. No exact plans yet, but several more Ramen Danbo outposts might be in the city soon.

The new Park Slope location seats more than 30 people and is open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily.