Hunger clinging to my stomach, I ventured into Nama Ramen. The interior reminded me of an old Japanese Ramen shop, thus giving me hope. The cashier/host smiled and welcomed me upon passing through the threshold. Being a pescatarian, my options, of course, is limited to the vegetarian ramen. Everything else on the menu contains other meaty products. The last time I ate a vegetarian ramen, my stomach disagreed with the meal. I hoped it would not be a repeat experience. The food came out in less than ten minutes and shocked me by it's presentation. Stewing the broth, the noodles hide under a small hill of ingredients. Even a small soft boiled egg swam with the noodle under the broth. I sipped the broth first. Flavorless. Not sure if it was intentional, or the vegetables needed more time to seep flavor into it. The noodles itself carried the dish and add the pieces of tofu made the dish very palatable. I did leave satisfied and full by the dish. I would recommend finding a way to include more flavor to the broth. Those who know ramen, know how the broth is an essential part. read more

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Cold, rainy Portland night. This kind of cold doesn't make requests. It makes demands. And what it demands is ramen. Nama Ramen in Sellwood. The Red Shoyu arrives. Dark, lacquered broth, the color of aged soy and serious intention. read more

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I gave jt a 4 but it's honestly more like a 3.5. The seaweed salad was very good and was worth the price and my girlfriend's veggie ramen was one of the best I have ever had! Sadly, the shoyu ramen was very one note but the pork was good, just which it had a bit more. I had this place last year, when I first was making the ramen rounds and getting into it, and thought it was pretty good, but I did also try the spicy miso that time so maybe that's the move? I may try again, since it's close to my house, but I have had many better ramen places and will probably seek those out. read more

Nama Ramen - Shoyu ramen with pork - Ramen Near Me - Portland, Oregon

This is our favorite spot for a quick, inexpensive lunch. We always get the bulgogi. While I miss the $9/plate days, $12 for a full meal each is definitely a good deal these days. You get a bunch of meat, rice, HALF an avocado, and a generous portion of pickled ginger. The textures and flavors are heaven. The inside is just as casual as when it was Mekong (Sellwood OGs know), which makes it an approachable spot. You order at the counter, bus your own table, and there is outdoor seating. We have brought people in the past, and they always stray from our recs. They always say their ramen or poke is good, but they always regret not getting the bulgogi. Their mango basil lemonade is also really really tasty. read more

Nama Ramen - Bulgogi Beef - Ramen Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Nama Ramen has become a staple for ramen between my girlfriend and I. We first discovered Nama on accident when we were walking through the Sellwood area, but now consistently find ourselves going back. Typically we both get the Spicy Miso ramen. This past time I got the Shoyu Red Ramen. Both ramens are very good. The soup provides the right amount of spice, the ratios of ingredients also feels good, and the quality is great. The service is also fantastic. The staff is friendly and helpful. After going for several months we have yet to have a bad experience. In my opinion Nama Ramen is a go to if you are in the Sellwood area or want to check it out. read more

Nama Ramen - Shoyu Red - Ramen Near Me - Portland, Oregon

The sauce on the Korean fried chicken was delicious, the temperature was a little lower than it should've been. The food was all received very quickly, very good Ramen. read more

Nama Ramen - Korean Fried Chicken - Ramen Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Nama ramen offers a wide variety of poke bowls and ramen options, which are superb. The poke bowls are so incredible, and the presentation is amazing as well, i love the mural on The wall, and it's just so good. read more

This place is so cute! It's decorated well, had a beautiful mural, very clean and comfy spot. Cozy too, it's a small place but they have outside seating. The menu is straight forward and simple, they were out of rice which was a bummer but we all decided on ramen so it was okay. They offer to spike the lemonade with tequila or vodka, it's delicious. My gyoza was very good, though the dipping sauce was minimal. And the ramen was tasty. They have metal chopsticks, which I hate to use but I understand why they do it. The woman who took our order was friendly and quick. They give you a number and your drink and someone is out with your food within ten minutes. Only thing I found to be a bummer (aside from the lack of rice and metal chopsticks) was that the egg in my ramen wasn't seasoned or soaked like normal, just white. And it was hard boiled, so no yummy yolk which is the whole point. read more

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Good spot to stop in for ramen. It's counter service and very convenient. The ramen is always solid. The apps are also delicious. How do bus your own tables here. There's a lot of tables with plenty of seating options inside and outside. read more

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It's is super good and so flavorful and the service here is amazing and some of the best ramen I have ever had and the decors is super nice to. read more

Nama Ramen took me by surprise when it came to taste. I will start my review with a caveat that we ordered delivery from here so I can't really comment on service or ambiance. I had a hankering for noodle soup that only ramen could cure so my husband I decided to go for it! We liked that this place was relatively nearby and seemed to have solid options without too many frills. He got the shoyu red and I got the spicy vegetarian. I will say that the flavor of the broth was so good! I usually side eye veggie broths because they tend to be bland but this one was delicious and had the spicy kick. My husband really enjoyed his shoyu red as well! We scarfed down both noodle soups rather quickly tbh. My husband, the omnivore, certainly wants to try their poke and other options so maybe there is a second order in the works -- or maybe we'll drop by and see how it is in person. Regardless, if you're vegetarian and want a good veggie broth, this place delivered (both literally and figuratively). read more

Wow the Ramen was fantastic! Will definitely be coming back here. Also looked like lots of to go orders. read more

Nama Ramen - Spicy Miso and Shoyu w Mango Lemonade - Ramen Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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I have been coming to Nama for the past 7 or so years now. It is clear that the quality has gone downhill. I get the exact same thing every time, the miso ramen with tofu instead and chili oil on the side. This time that I went, i noticed that they have changed the noodles that they use. They're not as thick and chewy as they used to be, and the ratio of noodle to broth was too much. The broth flavor has also changed, it was overly salty without a depth of flavor. I am a bit disappointed in these changes, and hope to see improvement in the future. read more

Nama Ramen - Miso Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Ramen is ok. The red shoyu broth was too oily for my taste buds. Pretty color and generous portion but the broth needed some tlc. Came here for the ramen but was disappointed so ordered more food. What sold me here is the Korean chicken. Come here for the Korean fried chicken, not the ramen! Winner winner chicken dinner, it's amazing. I give 5 stars to just the chicken. Agedashi tofu gets two thumbs up! Authentically cooked and plated like it's supposed to be - no hipster fusion which I appreciate. Not a fan of the poke bowl- unnecessary fillers like seaweed salad and imitation crab is like smothering sushi with Mayo to mask the fish. No thank you. At the end of it all, We were asked very nicely to buss our table. read more

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Cute shop with a simple menu of ramen, poke, and izakaya. Prices start around ~$7 and then go up to $13 for the main entrees. When you enter you order first before you sit down. There's decent seating indoors and when it's nice outside they also have seating outside. Not made for super large groups but you could get lucky to get the large communal table. Tried the shoyu ramen, miso ramen, ahi tuna, and wakame salad. Wakame salad is a great starter for you to share and it pairs nicely with the ahi tuna poke. Fish is fresh and goes great over rice or greens. As for the ramen I usually like a savory base so the miso is great but this time around I preferred the shoyu base. Both bowls of ramen came in piping hot broth with chewy noodles and melt in your mouth chasu pork. I was surprised to see bean sprouts in my bowl but it paired well with the bamboo and wakame. Overall, Nama is a solid spot to get a decently priced, quick, and satisfying bowl of ramen on a cold day. read more

Nama Ramen - Shoyu Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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Snow day in portland and it has me seeking out something warm. I ordered a spicy miso soup. Was sad the egg was hard boiled as well. The toppings were fresh and the noodles were nice. The pork belly was great. Ordered the agedashi tofu and Korean fried chicken as well. Large portions!! It's pretty loud in the restaurant with the music playing. There's an d school street fighter arcade machine so that was a nice treat to see. read more

Nama Ramen - the inside of a restaurant - Ramen Near Me - Portland, Oregon

I'm surprised I haven't written a review yet but, THIS IS A 5 STAR RESTAURANT!!!!!!! I love this place through and through out... it used to have an arcade game but they took it out... their poke bowl though is ABSOLUTELY AMAZING, ramen is decent-good. The servers are nice people... and great ambiance! I try to take all my friends to this restaurant when they are near. 100/5 stars read more

Every time we have been there the food, service and ambiance is fantastic. Reminds me of my childhood. -Lee

Sometimes you just need a good, no frills ramen and this was it. It hit the spot! The ramen broth had depth and flavor. The noodles were thick and chewy (in a good way). Service was really good! Def going back to try the poke and the rest of the menu. read more

Nama Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Portland, Oregon

The best casual place for ramen in Portland! It's a hole in the wall restaurant with decent service and good quality ramen. The menu is minimalistic and they also have poke bowls! My friend also got the basil lemonade and she really enjoyed it :) The miso red and spicy miso ramens were a bit spicy so just a warning to request adjustments if you can't handle spicy food. I got the veggie ramen was FIRE and I finished the whole thing. Good portion sizes and chill vibez - would recommend! read more

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Mediocre ramen in my opinion, gave most of mine to my partner to finish. Left hungry.

I will say I was slightly skeptical about their vegetarian ramen. It usually goes one way, blaaaaand and the reviews seem to go 50/50 between great and unflavorful, so I decided to take my chances. A quaint little restaurant with a ordering counter and busing station the menu is short and to the point. But I will say I was really digging the broth on the vegetarian ramen, it has like a creamy milkiness to it that's id maybe chalk up to coconut milk? But I def wasn't getting any coconut flavor. Anyway, kudos to them for nailing it. I also appreciate the pricing as well, very reasonable. read more

Update: I've been ordering Nama for over two months, maybe longer, and the last time I ordered their Korean fried chicken it was white meat tenders and not their drumsticks. Called and asked what happened and was told that that is what they're going to do with that item from now on. Gave friendly advice to not do that but have an option for the bites, with their website and even social media posting that the item is now chicken tenders. I'll say that when I first had the Korean fried chicken on the bone that it was amazing. I remember the was a day that I craved it so bad that I was going to hurt someone, not really, to get me some of that chicken. I'm just really upset that they'd do this and not tell their customers about it and not have the option for the drumstick option like they had before. Sorry to say, you've lost a customer. And no, I didn't receive your gift card, Tommy. read more

overall ratings: food: 4.2/5 service: 4/5 atmosphere: 4/5 price: $$ value: average we decided to try out this place because we were in the area. this is a very cute and small ramen shop tucked inside sellwood. the price was VERY affordable, all the ramen was priced at $13, for a very big portion. we ordered one of each ramen, and they were all very good. we got an order of gyoza, but they were store-bought frozen dumplings (which every ramen shop uses). i would definitely give this place a try if you are in the area. read more

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I've only had one menu item here, the vegetarian Ramen, but it's not at all good. The tofu is sweet, the mushrooms are sweet, they add tomato, which is sweet. The broth is not good. The greens are shredded seaweed, so the whole vibe is sweet and fishy. I can't think of a worse bowl of ramen I have had. In addition, the noodles congealed into a 2" x 2" glob in the bowl, so the kitchen is paying little attention to the quality control of the food they serve. Perhaps other menu items are home runs. The veg ramen is a foul. read more

We had some really good poke bowls here in the summertime, and finally made it for ramen. The vegetarian ramen was honestly the best I've had. The broth was rich and thick and so full of flavor -- which is often lacking in veggie ramen. The noodles had the perfect thickness and texture, and it was loaded with mushrooms, greens, bean sprouts, really flavorful tofu, and more. I also like that the egg was cooked perfectly. I am not a fan of runny, raw eggs! My husband had the red miso ramen with pork, and he was very happy as well. The hot sake was absolutely delicious and a good value. It was a great meal on a cold day. read more

Nama Ramen - Veggie Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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We love the veggie ramen here. And the service is always friendly and efficient. It's our favorite rainy afternoon lunch spot.

Ramen, Poke, Bulgogi, all my favorite foods I couldn't decide what to get! My friend got ramen and a side of fried chicken. I got poke and bulgogi. We shared. And it was heaven on earth. Excellent!! read more

Pretty decent little restaurant. Good ramen & poke, really good gyoza. A few nice beers & sakes as well. read more

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Nana Ramen has both Poke and Ramen. We came here for lunch to have the Takoyaki on a rainy day, when we didn't want to deal with the traffic and lines downtown. The ambiance is very inviting for locals with outdoor seating and plenty of window seats on two sides, since they're on a corner. The Takoyaki was hot and crisp on the outside. It's better than Takoyaki at Saburo's. The ramen was ample with real cha siew far better than the trendy ramen places downtown. The cha siew (aka Pork Belly) was thick slices which were grilled before placed on top of the ramen. The ramen comes with a whole soft boiled egg, much better than the ramen places downtown which only give you a half egg. The ramen noodles and broth were really fresh too. A couple of Reed students on a first date were sitting near us, having Poke bowls. I'm thinking Poke bowls will be our choice on our next visit. I highly recommend Nama Ramen for locals or anyone wanting to have Ramen, Poke, Takoyaki, Mochi... in a quiet relaxed atmosphere where you can have conversations without competing with loud music. read more

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This place was so good, unfortunately they changed changed their noodles recently to these tiny little things and they really not not as good. It's still a good value and they have options but it'll be time to find a new spot. read more

The ramen is delicious. Only negative feedback is the serving of pork belly is so small.

Outstanding!!! Their menu is simple and reasonably priced. Huge portions with a ton of meat and vegetables. Honestly their poke bowls could be split with just one person. The staff is super friendly and food came out fast. The fish is fresh and ramen broth super succulent. Definitely my new favorite place in sellwood!! read more

Nama Ramen - menu - Ramen Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Definitely a ramen spot that hits the spot. I ordered the miso ramen, creamy salmon poke bowl, and edamame. read more

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What a disappointment! There are so many great ramen restaurants in Portland and this is definitely NOT one of them! The food is marginal and the staff is extremely rude. I asked for guidance on my meal before ordering, and they brought me exactly what I didn't want. They didn't listen to anything I said. When I spoke to them about it, they were dismissive and condescending, and wouldn't do anything about. Too many great competitors to settle on this place. read more

Always going to recommend the pork belly Ramen . It's so tender and melts in your mouth!! Definitely a favorite in sellwood! read more

Nama Ramen - Pork belly miso ramen - Ramen Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Got the Shoyu (red) - not so spicy that you can't taste anything else. It was delicious and well made. Korean fried chicken (soy garlic) was BOMB - crispy skin, tender and flavorful on the inside. Cannot recommend enough! read more

Nama Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Still love this place! I usually get dinner and a beer here after getting my hair done at Chamelon Salon down the street. The poke is always fresh and delicious, really I've never ordered anything I didn't like. The staff is always very friendly as well. read more

Don't eat here if you have a gluten allergy! I've been served normal noodles more than once, and have gotten really ill from a few of the other menu items that "can be made gluten free". Super disappointing. The food here is absolutely delicious and the service is always great, so if you aren't gluten free I definitely recommend this place. I unfortunately will not be back. read more

03/11/20:  4.5 out of 5 - I came here with my Wednesday Running Group.  We've been to Nama Ramen many times in the past, but it's been awhile.  Just haven't gotten around to doing a proper review.  So, here is my take. The Business Originally, back in 2017,  I came here with my running  group after finding out that Nama is the sister restaurant to Akasaru in NE Portland.  I don't know if that still is true, though. Nama Ramen is situated in Sellwood on the corner SE Miller and 13th, just a few blocks from the Columbia Sportswear Outlet.  At first appearance it looked small, but it actually seems more spacious once inside with plenty of seating for small or mid size groups.  Large groups can be challenging, but there is a large table available.  Inside is kept very clean.  Moreso than many other restaurants in Portland that I've been to. Scored:  4.75 out of 5. The Staff The service of the staff was friendly and accommodating.  Although counter service, the staff actually didn't hide behind the counter like most places, and came out and checked on us and provided actual service.  Well deserving of being tipped. Scored:  4.75 out of 5. The Food It's been awhile, but to me, the menu has changed a bit.  Tried some of the new items; Soy Garlic Fried Chicken, Kimchee Fried Rice and such. First off, the ramen was tastier than before.  Finished my bowl; noodles, broth, all of it!  However, the appetizer items that I mentioned earlier were a little undesirable.  Sounded good on menu, but when received and tried, we were disappointed.  Kimchee Fried Rice really didn't have any Kimchee in it, just the flavoring.  And, as for the Soy Garlic Fried Chicken, it was okay.  The seasoning of the batter can be better.  We didn't finish eating it. Scored:  4.25 out of 5. The Bathroom This may seem to be a funny thing to rate, but the bathroom in any restaurant/eatery should ALWAYS BE CLEAN and in tip top condition and working order...ALWAYS. Nama's bathroom is small.  At the time of my visit, the bathroom was kept and very clean. Scored:  4.75 out of 5. The Price If you can't keep the prices low and fair, then you better make sure there is substance for the price you are asked to pay.  Nama Ramen's prices seem to match the Portland standard of pricing for ramen, which in my opinion is fair, considering Nama's location. Scored:  4.0 out of 5. In the end, Nama Ramen is still an overall good ramen place.  Everyone liked what they ordered.  Just needs to work better on adding more authenticity and just not the flavoring to the smaller menu items.  People want the real deal. We definitely will be returning for more since Nama Ramen also has a little bit of Izakaya and Poke on its menu.   So, if you are feeling for a tasty bowl of ramen, give Nama Ramen a consider. As I always say, try it out once and decide for yourself.   Enjoy read more

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