Ramen Jiro Shinjuku Otakibashi-dori Branch

I visited Ramen Jiro Shinjuku Otakibashi-dori Branch, which apparently used to be called “the worst Jiro.” Now, I didn’t take that “worst” label seriously. That’s ancient history. Today, it’s an important shop that reliably fills the stomachs of Shinjuku-area Jiro fans (especially during the Shinjuku Kabukicho Branch fire incident…), drawing crowds daily.

The reason I visited this shop this time was to try a certain specialty item that hadn’t been available at any Jiro shop before. I’ll tell you what that specialty item is…

“Abura Katamari” is the specialty… Here’s what Ramen Jiro Shinjuku Otakibashi-dori Branch is like…

Before that, let me briefly explain the shop. Ramen Jiro Shinjuku Otakibashi-dori Branch, established in February 1999, is the sixth oldest Jiro shop. It’s a so-called direct-line Jiro shop, where the owner trained at the Mita Head Shop. However, there was a period when it was under the umbrella of a company called Jiro Food System Co., Ltd., and apparently, it was during this time that it gained a reputation as “the worst Jiro.” After that, it returned under the Mita Head Shop‘s umbrella, underwent a period of re-learning at the flagship, and has continued to the present day – a shop with quite a rich history. Well, as long as the ramen is delicious now, I personally have no complaints.

Now, at this Ramen Jiro Shinjuku Otakibashi-dori Branch, the “Abura Katamari” seems to be the signature dish. Literally, it’s a chunk of fat that comes out in a lump. I wonder if this Abura Katamari is offered anywhere else in the Jiro chain… Looking it up online, it seems Abura Katamari exists as a step above the standard “Abura Mashimasshi” (extra fat) order. “Then, this time, I’ll go for that Abura Katamari!” I decided, visited the shop, and bought my meal ticket while waiting outside. I placed my order when handing the ticket to the staff (at Ramen Jiro Shinjuku Otakibashi-dori Branch, you place your order when handing over the ticket). After waiting about 10 minutes, I sat down at a counter seat that opened up (Ramen Jiro Shinjuku Otakibashi-dori Branch has 11 counter seats and 2 table seats, totaling 17 seats)…

I messed up my order request for extra oil… But how was the ramen at Ramen Jiro Shinjuku Otakibashi-dori Branch?

Actually, this time I messed up my order request for the “Abura Katamari”. At Ramen Jiro Shinjuku Otakibashi-dori Branch, I ordered the default ramen (price: ¥1000 tax included), but out of habit, I called out “Garlic Extra Veggies” (you have to specifically call out “Abura Katamari” for it). By the time I realized my mistake, it was already too late. With tears in my eyes, I ended up with just regular ramen…

After sitting down and waiting a little over 15 minutes, the ramen (Garlic Extra Veggies) arrived looking like this. At first glance, the veggie volume (mostly bean sprouts though…) is substantial even with extra veggies, but the soup and noodles themselves feel a bit on the light side.

Anyway, let’s start with the soup… It’s a slightly emulsified broth where the FZ soy sauce flavor really comes through. The pork flavor is surprisingly mild for a Jiro-style ramen. It has a slight sweetness, making it a perfectly balanced pork bone soy sauce ramen soup. However, compared to the typically aggressive Jiro soup, this one feels quite mild in impact…

The noodles, on the other hand, are extremely thick and wide like other Jiro shops, but they also have significant thickness, giving them a round noodle shape. So the chewiness is even more pronounced than at other Jiro shops! In contrast to the soup, the noodles deliver massive impact. However, the noodle portion at Ramen Jiro Shinjuku Otakibashi-dori Branch is standard at 250g before cooking (large is 1.5 times that), which seems to be less than the average portion at other shops… It was satisfying while eating, but after finishing, I found myself thinking, “I could have used a bit more…”

Now, the pork, buried under the bean sprouts, came with two slices by default. They were a good 1cm thick… Not a chunk of meat, but definitely extremely thick for chashu. They had just the right amount of fat, making them surprisingly tender. For Jiro pork, I’d say they’re quite easy to eat. That said, adding extra pork seems a bit pricey (400 yen for two slices), so unless you’re specifically craving pork, the standard ramen should be plenty…

So, I’d like to say I successfully finished the ramen at Ramen Jiro Shinjuku Otakibashi-dori Branch… but this time, I have one final point to add. I think the generous amount of bean sprouts contributed to it, but after flipping the bowl and letting it sit for a while, the soup became diluted towards the end. This was a bit unexpected. Could this soup thinning be why it was once called “the worst”? I couldn’t help but wonder. I definitely don’t think the current soup is “bad,” but it might be wise to have some countermeasure for how the vegetables affect the soup’s flavor.

Other Menu Items at Ramen Jiro Shinjuku Otakibashi-dori Branch (Prices include tax)

• Student Discount Ramen: ¥900
• Pork Ramen: ¥1,400
• Double Pork Ramen: ¥1,800
• Tsukemen: ¥1,200
• Large Tsukemen: ¥1,300
• Double Pork Tsukemen: ¥2,000
• Extra Large Ramen (2-5 servings): ¥1,400

They apparently serve dry noodles too… Access to Ramen Jiro Shinjuku Otakibashi-dori Branch is a 5-minute walk from the nearest station, Shinjuku-Nishiguchi Station on the Toei Oedo Line.

At this Ramen Jiro Shinjuku Otakibashi-dori Branch, although it wasn’t on the ticket machine, they apparently do serve dry noodles too…

It seems you can get the no-soup version by adding 100 yen to the regular ramen price. Should I just say “No soup!” when handing the ticket to the staff? Anyway, this is the first Jiro I’ve visited that offers three types: ramen, tsukemen, and no-soup. In that sense, it’s a rare Jiro. If they also did TARO, it would be perfect… Well, I shouldn’t be so greedy.

Now, here are the shop details…

It’s a 6-minute walk from Seibu Shinjuku Line/Seibu Shinjuku Station, or an 8-minute walk from JR Shinjuku Station.

P.S. If you are looking for delicious ramens in Tokyo, please stop by this article below…