This lively branch of a Tokyo-based chain serves up flavorful tonkotsu ramen and delightful bites like griddled dishes and fried chicken, all in a friendly atmosphere.
"The menu of this restaurant on the edge of Koreatown focuses on Tokyo comfort food, including a collection of ramen based on what it calls a Tokyo-style tonkotsu broth, and many of the bowls set off on strange but lovable jags. A case in point is the smoked dashi ramen, which begins with the broth and then adds fish oil and clams, for a spectacular combination of flavors. Noodles made on the premises are another plus at this outlier among ramen joints." - Robert Sietsema
"Tonchin is a busy place. It is so busy, in fact, that if you try to make a dinner reservation at their Midtown location there will probably be nothing available for the foreseeable future. But that’s why you should go to Tonchin for lunch. There are tables for groups in the back, in case your coworkers realize that a ramen lunch is the best idea you’ve ever had, and a bar up front for a quick solo meal. Get the $25 lunch special with the classic tonkotsu ramen and an unagi rice ball, and end with an enormous matcha shaved ice. " - will hartman, willa moore, sonal shah, neha talreja, kenny yang
"Leave it to this Tokyo-based ramen chain to offer one of the city’s best bowls. A refined tonkotsu is the house favorite but the smoked dashi ramen holds its own. All noodles are made in-house and boast proper spring and bounce. Starters also flaunt refinement, including the crisp-seared gyoza packed with pork, ginger, and set in a cast-iron pan sizzling with ramen broth. For something lighter but equally heartwarming, go for the kale salad dressed with an umami-packed vinaigrette and garnished with sweet pomegranate and grapefruit segments. Finish with mango milk shaved ice topped with a dollop of honey cream.The décor is sleek, featuring high ceilings, concrete floors, and everything necessary to make it a slam-dunk among the midtown lunch crowds." - Michelin Inspector
"Tonchin is a ramen chain from Japan, and their first US location is on 36th Street. This is a great place to know about if you work in the area and occasionally need a weeknight place to eat with friends. It’s a long, narrow space with sleek, minimalist design, and the ramen is some of the best you’ll find north of Union Square. Grab a booth along the wall, or sit at the bar up front and watch the bartenders fastidiously make cocktails while you eat a bowl of noodles." - bryan kim
"The latest, Tonchin, was founded in Tokyo in 1992 (it arrived in New York in 2017). Here, Tokyo tonkotsu takes the American favored pork-boiled broth and loads it with thin house made noodles and myriad toppings." - The MICHELIN Guide
