A ramen shop is a restaurant that specializes in ramen dishes, the wheat-flour Japanese noodles in broth. In Japan, ramen shops are very common and popular, and are sometimes referred to as ramen-ya or ramen-ten . Some ramen shops operate in short order style, while others provide patrons with sit-down service. Over 10,000 ramen shops exist in Japan. In recent times, ramen shops have burgeoned in some cities in the United States, such as Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York City.
A ramen shop typically specializes in ramen dishes, and may provide other foods such as gyōza. In Japan, ramen shops are sometimes referred to as ramen-ya or ramen-ten. Some ramen shops prepare all of their foods in-house "from scratch", including the soups, broths and ramen noodles, while others use prepackaged prepared noodles and other prepared ingredients. As of 2016, over 10,000 ramen shops exist in Japan.
Ramen dishes are very popular in Japan and are a significant part of Japanese cuisine, and ramen shops are very common and popular throughout the country. In Japan, television shows devoted to ramen shops, their fare, finding the best shops, and local specialties are popular. In the 1990s in Japan, corporate restructuring led to increased employment layoffs and cuts, and during this time articles were published in various magazines about starting up a ramen shop as a means to generate income and become a self-employed entrepreneur in attempts to offset the job layoffs and cuts.
In the United States, ramen shops exist in several cities and states, and in recent times have burgeoned in cities such as New York City, Chicago and Los Angeles.
Japanese ramen shops specialize in ramen dishes and exist throughout Japan. Many ramen restaurants have limited seating, and some only have a bar with stools for patrons to eat at. At some ramen establishments, patrons place their order and remit payment at a ticket machine located in front of the shop, and then wait in line for their food. When a seat becomes available, patrons give the server their ticket and then wait for their food. This system can serve to keep the line moving in an expedient manner. Other ramen shops provide sit-down service whereby patrons are provided with a menu and order fare from a server.
The following is a list of notable ramen shops and restaurants.