Rai Rai Ken + Curry Ya + Otafuku

"If you happen to be nursing a crippling hangover, add two points to this rating. According to ancient Japanese mythology (and this website), Rai Rai Ken shoyu ramen has unique healing properties and it regenerates liver cells. You’ll be hard pressed to find a better cure for those extra shots you took last night that made you so awesome at Buckhunter and girls. There’s plenty of ramen in the East Village these days, and no shortage of opinions on where to go. We happen to believe that Rai Rai Ken sits near the top of the heap, mostly because that shoyu ramen is so good, but also because it’s inexpensive and simple. It’s one of our favorite places for Dining Solo on a Saturday afternoon. We don’t, however, recommend trying to go during prime lunch or dinner hours. The whole restaurant is about fifteen seats, all at a counter, and they’re almost always taken. If you do give it a shot, the good news is that turnover is pretty quick, and you have plenty of other ramen options around the neighborhood as a backup plan. Food Rundown Gyoza Fried pork and vegetable dumplings that are paper thin and fried perfectly so that the bottom is crispy but the wrapper stays soft and delicate everywhere else. They’re a little greasy, but we’re cool with that. Shoyu Ramen The mythified soy based ramen with a big hunk of pork, nori, egg, and a fish cake. It also has some spinach in it, and the broth is a bit richer than what you might find at other ramen joints (excluding Ippudo). Good for your hangover and your wallet. Miso Ramen Also good, this one is miso based with some chicken, sprouts, sesame seeds and other goodness. Not quite as satisfying as the shoyu, but if you like miso ramen, you won’t be disappointed. Mabo Tofu Ramen This is a big bowl of soy broth with tofu, ground pork, scallion, ginger and a spicy chile sauce. We love it, but the spicy chile sauce is a strange consistency, almost like the seeds of a tomato. Might be off-putting to some." - Chris Stang

"There are a lot of street food options around NYU - burrito bowls, Halal chicken and rice, and Thai noodles are a few. While those trucks have the benefit of being able to park in front of Stern everyday, Otafuku x Medetai serves Japanese street food that warrants a short walk to the East Village. The takoyaki (doughy balls stuffed with grilled octopus) and okonomiyaki (savory pancakes) combo platter is one of the best $12 lunch orders around." - hannah albertine, matt tervooren

"A bowl of ramen at Rai Rai Ken will cost you around $12, and it’ll provide enough broth, pork, and sodium to balance out any weeknight stress you might currently be dealing with. Go for the shoyu kind or the Mabo one with ground pork and chili sauce, then try to get home before you fall asleep. If you live in the East Village, that should be doable." - bryan kim

"Dubbed an 'East Village ambassador for Japanese cuisine' by the New York Times, Yagi's mini-empire of restaurants includes ramen spot Rai Rai Ken." - Emma Orlow

"The original ramen spot, Rai Rai Ken, which I haven’t, again, during the pandemic I haven’t been to any of these places."