At last, I had the opportunity to visit Ginza Hachigou (Ginza Hachigo / 銀座 八五), a ramen shop I’d been eager to try for a long time. Opened in December 2018, it quickly gained a reputation as one of the top ramen spots in Ginza.
I arrived just before 6 p.m. on a weekday. Two weeks earlier, I had tried visiting around 1:30 p.m., only to find they had already stopped accepting new customers because they’d run out of noodles. This time, I was a little nervous, but fortunately, there was no issue.
With only six counter seats, I expected a long wait. Surprisingly, I was seated within 30 minutes.
The shop’s appearance and interior are refined, resembling a high-end Japanese restaurant or sushi bar. It was established by the owner of the popular ramen shop “Katsumoto” in Suidobashi, which explains the immediate popularity of Ginza Hachigou from its opening.
Here’s the menu. A ticket vending machine is located just inside the entrance.
Seasonal ramen (季節のそば) wasn’t available during my visit, so the only option was their Simple Shoyu ramen (中華そば), priced at 1,100 yen.
When I first visited Hachigo, I was surprised to see a small bottle of beer priced at just 250 yen! Of course, I couldn’t resist and bought a drink ticket right away. However, I noticed that their ramen doesn’t pair well with beer. My tip: enjoy the beer before your ramen is served. I do this every time I visit.
For my meal, I ordered the Special shoyu ramen. Its presentation is perfect—absolutely beautiful! These days, delicious ramen often has an equally appealing appearance. You can almost taste the quality just by looking at it.
The soup is a delicate broth made with duck meat and Nagoya Cochin chicken. Interestingly, it doesn’t use “kaeshi” (カエシ), a sauce or seasoning base commonly added to ramen soup. This unique choice contributes to its refined and balanced flavor.
Special shoyu ramen includes two slices of tender roast pork, green onion, a soft-boiled egg, and bamboo shoots. The roast pork is topped with “pepper caviar,” which uses aromatic Madagascar pepper. The lightly seasoned egg complements the broth perfectly.
The thin noodles, produced by the renowned Asakusa Kaikaro, pair exceptionally well with the soup. Every bite feels elegant and satisfying. The broth isn’t too salty, so I couldn’t resist drinking it all!
For a simpler option, the normal shoyu ramen is also available, featuring one slice of roast pork.
At the end of the meal, they serve delicious hojicha (roasted green tea)—a perfect finishing touch.
Even though I dislike waiting for food, I’m willing to wait up to 30 minutes for this amazing ramen. I haven’t had the chance to visit Katsumoto in Suidobashi yet, but after experiencing Hachigou, I’m definitely curious to try it!
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Name Ginza Hachigou (銀座 八五)
Open Lunch, Dinner
Reservation Unavailable
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