Ever since Snappy closed their Highland location and advertised on their website of "Tsurumen - Coming soon", I've occasionally looked up the status of this mystery Tsurumen. Finally this morning Snappy, and both YWK and YGA FB pages announced the opening tonight - only serving 50 bowls from 6-8 pm. I believe the noodles are derived from the Yume recipe: they are cut a little thinner than the YWK noodles but still retain that amazing bouncy and chewy texture. The broth is chicken based, which I love, and it's a welcome change from the majority of the ramen joints in the area (except Sapporo). I got the thicker chicken paitan broth, which was filled with flavor - I couldn't stop myself from drinking the whole bowl. Tsurumen also departs from the YWK tradition of no toppings - they add bamboo shoots, scallion, and red onion in addition to the pork, and you have the choice of some add ons including a wonderful onsen egg. The egg is perfection, in case you were wondering. I'm not crazy about the onion, but the bamboo shoots are really well done. The pork is cut pretty thin, but it's really flavorful and tender, so I'm not complaining. All in all, I think this could easily become my new go-to ramen place in the area because of the combination of chewy delicious noodles with a broth that isn't as salty as Snappy / Santouka / YWK... but I can say with near confidence it will probably have eternal lines like all the other noodle places around here... but I'd say it's worth the wait, at least to give it a try! read more

Tsurumen 1000 - Ramen Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

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4.5 stars: Tsurumen is thankfully run by an authentic Japanese chef who very much cares for his work. You can tell that he spends many hours each day preparing the broth, noodles and meat for the days meals. We had both the 1985 and the Paitan ramen. The 1985 is definitely lighter in flavor, as you may expect because it's broth is not as rich but you can taste the all the flavors of the chicken in it. Personally like heavier more than lighter tasting ramen but both were great for its type. Its challenging to give a ramen place a 5 star, given that we've been to Japan and had some really good ramen but this place is definitely authentic, delicious and a one of a kind in the area. Would go back! read more

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OMG. Even better than I expected. Went for dine-in dinner on a Sunday and there was barely any wait. Ordered the paitan ramen which was delicious!! The chicken broth was fantastic, super flavorful and chicken-y, you could tell it had taken a long time to produce that flavor. That was truly the standout, and every other component of the ramen supported the broth and helped it shine. Tsurumen Davis is definitely one of the best ramen spots in Boston--much much better than popular spots like Hokkaido. read more

Tsurumen 1000 - Paitan Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

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It was literally -9 degrees and me and my boyfriend were craving soup so we decided to try it out. I'm so glad we did!!! This is the bEST ramen l've ever had! My favorite was the chicken broth ramen. And last but not least, make sure to add an egg to your ramen!!! It's literally cooked to perfection. read more

This is the one restaurant you can go to where no matter what your ramen bowl will be absolute perfection every single time. The staff put so much care into crafting the perfect bowls, they are well worth the price. Make sure you come hungry, as the bowls are quite large! read more

Absolutely wonderful... house made noodle, real chicken broth, perfectly pouched eggs served at the right temp. Whats not to like here? TSURUMEN, finds its origin from Osaka where they also have a couple shops. Delighted to see this in our area. If you're a fan of ramen you're in for a treat :) read more

Tsurumen 1000 - Ramen Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

This ramen is alright. The service was nice and everyone working here was kind. In terms of variety, I thought they were lacking a bit - there were like 6 options that all kinda looked and sounded the same? They also had no naruto so I was a bit disappointed but if you would like some ramen that isn't amazing but holds you down til next time check them out. read more

As always, Tsurumen 1000 exceeds expectations. This is a must-try ramenya in Cambridge MA. read more

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The ramen is a bit on the expensive side and there's usually a wait but the ramen is worth it! We got the formula 1995, paitan and shio. The bowls look smaller but they gave a decent portion of their delicious homemade noodles. The noodles were the perfect texture and consistency. The paitan broth was rich and garlicky-our favorite by far. The shio was light but clean and very flavorful. It was the last day for the formula 1995 so we had to try it. It is very different than traditional ramen but delicious. The meat, unlike typical chasu, is very thinly sliced but tender and fatty. Overall, a very solid ramen shop- we can't wait to come back and try a new ramen every 200 days! read more

Tsurumen 1000 - Formula 1995 Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

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We love your ramen Noodle!.... Noodle is chewy~sticky and soft. Soup is tasty. Pork Chashu is juicy and good smell... read more

Tsurumen 1000 - Ramen Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

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Is it good ramen yes but is it worth over 23 dollars? The short answer is no. Being a bit of a ramen snob I do think the bowl itself is quite delicious. The broth is rich, deep in flavor and noodle texture is well balanced in thickness and chew. But I'm just left wondering at how can anyone price a humble dish like a bowl of ramen at such a crazy price range. It's not like New York, Toronto, Tokyo are cheap places either. I've had Michelin rated and mom and pop shops ramens with equally if not greater care put into their food, but at a drastically lower price range. For reference, I went to Tsurumen about a year ago and had their "shoyu" based chicken ramen and was blown away, of course back then it was 15 dollars which was quite acceptable and appropriate for the quality and location. To the owner: raising the price by greater than 50% in less than a year is just plain greed, and leaves a sour taste in the mouth. read more

After seeing the line out the door, we knew we had to add Tsurumen to our list of ramen destinations. We visited on a weeknight, and the wait wasn't bad (10 min or so). The cashier was very helpful in the ordering process, and we settled on the Paitan and Spicy Paitan, both with an onsen soft egg. I appreciated the smallness of the space in that we got to see our orders being filled - the kitchen is right there. However, I didn't love the really-no-frills atmosphere (bottled water and utensils to grab in the back, and a rather impersonal and unwelcoming atmosphere felt more like a food court). Our ramen arrived in a timely manner and we dug in. My Paitan was rather bland (broth-wise), while the spicy version was too hot for me (although much more flavorful). The noodles were the star of the dish for sure. For such a pricey bowl, I expect to be impressed with flavor (especially in such a casual setting), but that just wasn't the case for us. read more

Tsurumen 1000 - Spicy - Ramen Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

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Don't know all that much about noodles aside from the fact that this place got it down right. When my friend wanted to bring me here I was a bit hesitant because it initially seemed pricy for a bowl of noodles but it was totally worth it. I got full and it was delicious. First time I went I got the noodles that don't come with the broth and I went back to introduce another friend to the place and had the pork dish. Both my friend & I enjoyed our noodles. Service was great & the times I went I had no issues with seating. read more

I really don't understand the hype with this place. Went with 2 friends on a Sunday night and it was empty, yet a lot of menu items weren't available. The ramen was likely the most bland, flavorless thing I have ever ordered at a restaurant. Nongshim ramen made at home is more flavorful. Maybe this was an off night? Regardless, it was very disappointing considering the reviews. read more

Awesome addition to the local ramen scene! There's been a ramen explosion lately and I think this is arguably the best new spot. Not sure if this is still the case, but when I was there they had very limited hours (6pm -8pm), and were serving only 50 bowls a day. There was already a line at 5:45 so show up early! When I went they only offered 2 menu items: a chicken paitan and a shoyu broth. I chose the paitan and was quite happy that I did. You can add an egg for an additional fee, which I did. The broth was thick and creamy. It reminded me a lot of the chili paitan at Little Big Diner. The noodles were thick cut and chewy, and paired sooo nicely with the broth. Very slurpable. The egg was an onsen egg (poached), and it was very satisfying to break the yolk into the hot broth. The other toppings didn't stand out much to me. The pork was sliced very thin, which was fine, but I found myself missing that thick, melt-in-your-mouth chashu that you find at some other ramen places in Boston. My only other complaint is that it was pretty chilly outside when I was there, and they had people lined up outside despite there being plenty of room to queue inside or to put more tables to seat people. I'm assuming they plan to add more seating but for now expect to wait, and bring an umbrella if it's raining! Also, since customers have to get up to refill their water, it would be nice if they provided larger cups so you don't have to get up multiple times. Ramen is salty!! Currently cash only and no tipping is allowed. read more

Tsurumen 1000 - Paitan ramen with egg - Ramen Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

Waited in line for 20 minutes to find out they don't do take out. They also have open tables to look at while you wait outside in line. This place is onsite only / feels like a hobby more than a business. ...there, I said it - sometimes feedback hurts, but you're lucky I cared enough to provide it. read more

Really great ramen, but the line that forms outside is a facade. They have a ridiculous seating system where they make everyone wait outside until THEY are ready to call you in and take your order (mind you, plenty of tables might be perfectly clean and ready). It's frustrating to watch. read more

Aside from Isshindo and Santouka, Tsurumen Davis is my partner and mine's top place to go for ramen in the area. Chef Onishi really created a gem in Cambridge with Tsurumen. Heart and soul are put into the food, so expect nothing short of perfection! My partner and I went on Friday, September 13th. We waited about 30 minutes but it was well worth the wait. While I ordered the shio sakura ramen, my partner chose the special for the night: zha jiang men. You pay for your food right when you get in-- cash only! And are seated by the hostess. You can pick up utensils, napkins, and bottles water while your seated. And when our food was ready, Chef Onishi brought our bowls to us! It was getting cold outside by the time we were seated, so it's perfect for the fall and winter. We absolutely adore this place, and will be coming back as much as we can before its 1000th day. read more

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The curry tsukemen was so good I had dreams about it. The staff are always high energy and the food is 10/10!!!! Don't sleep on this place!

3.5 stars I've heard a lot about this place, so I was excited to go and finally try this ramen before it closes (they're nearing day 800/1000 before they shut down!). In my opinion, the ramen is alright, ranking in the middle of the ramen I've tried in Boston (still better than Santouka). The good: I appreciate that they use chicken broth as opposed to the more common pork-based tonkotsu broth in the area, and that flavor definitely comes out! You can tell that it's a broth that takes a while to make, as it definitely has a good level of complexity and depth (though, mentioned later, the flavors still weren't quite as savory for my tastes). The noodles are thinner than I've had at other places but were still chewy and flavorful. I liked the chashu pork they provided, and thought it was flavorful and moist (though my boyfriend thought it was a little dry -- they do cut it a little thin). I liked the atmosphere of the restaurant, and service was nice! The not as good: Personally, neither my boyfriend nor I liked the toppings that came with the ramen very much. Especially the red onions, which felt like an unconventional addition that didn't add much good to the flavor. Instead, they made it hard to drink the broth afterwards. We thought they might've been better fried, to add a crunch texture. The bamboo shoots were also little tough and had an aftertaste. Like I mentioned earlier, the pork was a little dry at some bites. Though not a minus, the onsen egg was also a little different than expected, not marinated in soy sauce but instead seemed like it was poached? On top of the toppings, the broth itself didn't blow me away. I ordered the paitan ramen with the "thick chicken broth" -- definitely more flavorful than the shoyu ramen that we also ordered, and was a little lacking in flavor or even salt. Even so, I didn't find myself wanting to drink all of the leftover broth from my bowl; besides the tons of floating red onions, it just didn't taste as savory as I suppose I was expecting. read more

Ramen broth was amazing! Noodles were good but a bit too thin. Staff was nice and pork was very tender and flavorful. Only concern was the price which was a bit too high ($17 if I remember correctly). Note: this place is cash only! They provide water bottles for free there. read more

Tsurumen 1000 - Miso - Ramen Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

Love this place! I can't wait to go back. This is probably the best bowl of ramen I've ever had. I got the Paitan Ramen which had this really lovely, thick, rich broth. I've never had this style of ramen before and I'm glad I was able to try it. So flavorful and the noodles were a great texture too. The bowl was pricey - $20 - but I think it was absolutely worth it. I hope you get the chance to try this ramen before the shop closes; what a special bowl of soup this was. read more

Tsurumen 1000 - Paitan Ramen with Onsen Egg - Ramen Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

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BEST RAMEN EVER. I noticed it only got a four star review. I hope to change that. The first ramen I was interested in was the shoyu. I loved it. I noticed in was really oily especially the broth but the extreme flavor in the soup was outstanding! I couldn't get enough of it and asked my mom if I could have more BUT everything is extremely pricy. I do not enjoy having the prices so high but I do think the place is worth trying. -(Written by a ten year old) read more

そのとてもおいしいです you are probably wondering what i just wrote. I have no f***ing idea neither but this food was so delicious, i went home and for first time watched anime and became fluent in Japanese. the ramen blows your mind the same way im blown away to the point im writing yelp review about it. It is probably because of Tsurumen jutsu. I finally understand why Naruto was so obsessed with ramen. The ramen chef should become the next Hokage read more

Tsurumen 1000 - Ramen Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

Poor customer service. The young boy in the burgundy shirt had a very off putting and condescending demeanor. It's obvious it was his first time having a position of power and he was going to see to it that everyone knew "he was in charge." Ramen was lacking. The broth was flat. Much better spots in the area. Service completely overshadowed the Ramen. Aside from the rotten meat smell...zero ambiance. read more

I wouldn't say this was my favorite ramen in Boston. The noodles were definitely the best part (homemade), but honestly I thought it was a bit over priced for the quality, quantity, and atmosphere. If I'm paying $17 at a ramen house it better by damn good ramen. read more

Tsurumen 1000 - Titan and house origina - Ramen Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

Update - via march 2022: It seems the staff changed, and weren't up to the same professionalism as before. We were unsure of the flavor of the shiso dumplings (they didn't taste like shiso, they tasted like dawn dish soap) and asked, and was given a very rude answer and shut down quickly. This was after a young kid working there proceeded to pour half my bowl of ramen on the table in front of me, then ran off so I had to clean it up myself. They did top off my bowl, but was still ridiculous. The ramen itself still tasted great, minus the dumplings, but nearly having a lap full of ramen for your birthday dinner was enough to make me change my review, because I want the owner to acknowledge this and fix it, so I can enjoy the last of the days they're open. read more

the noodles here are insanely well done, like wow your gotta try a bowl over here and that broth is to die for. i will say my only thing is that this place is a bit pricey for the amount of food you get, but still it's an amazing tasting bowl of ramen read more

I was there on 453days of 1000. I had Formula 2005 with eggs cost22$. They don't want any tips. I gave to cashier. She said I could not accept any tips. I forgot to bring cash. The have atm opposites the restaurant. And parking on the street meters. read more

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The best ramen ever! Tsurumen is a must try for every ramen lover. Food - excellent! Service and Hospitality - excellent! Cleanliness- excellent! read more

This is definitely my favorite place for ramen! I always come early to wait for them to open because I'm always so eager to eat after smelling it from the outside. I typically get the formula 2010 with the onsen egg. This place has perfected the egg - nowhere else in Boston does it like Tsurumen does. The chasu is also melt in your mouth and the soup/broth is the perfect heaviness. read more

Tsurumen 1000 - Formula 2010 - Ramen Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

Cash only, no tip. Order at the counter and they'll bring over your ramen. Grab your own utensils. Spicy paitan with onsen egg - I wanted to compare with Totto's spicy paitan. Tsurumen's broth was thick and almost creamy, but definitely not spicy. The broth could be a little saltier imo. Meat was thin, nothing to write home about. Noodles were standard. Egg was perfect. Portion looked small, but was actually just right. Not too stuffed. Overall the ramen was not bad, but also not crave-worthy. read more

Heard many good things about this ramen spot and finally made it over. This is good ramen but I wouldn't wait in line for it again. The people behind me in line were also talking poorly of other area ramen shops that surprised me quite a bit. I had the spicy miso ramen special with an egg and loved the crunchy additions of bamboo shoots. My biggest complaint is that the chashu was COLD on top of the dish. That was an unpleasant surprise. It was better once you dug the heat out from the underside of the bowl but I just can't understand the cold slices sitting on top. Broth was flavorful - could have used more heat for this so picky bowl. read more

Tsurumen 1000 - Spicy Miso Special - Ramen Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

I have been so excited to try this place. My husband and I arrived on a weekday early evening, and told the host we expected our friend to show up any minute. The restaurant was essentially empty aside from two people who were finishing up their meal. The host tells us to wait outside until our friend gets here. During an off-time with an empty restaurant he expected us to wait outside. We were appalled and got crepes instead. I was dying to try this place but if they're going to be that resentful of excited happy customers, I'll stick to getting ramen down the street where I know my patronage is appreciated. read more

I don't think I would come back... the wait was long, even for a Thursday night. We came a few minutes after it opened at 6pm, but the first round was already seated. We waited for about 30min before we were brought inside. They had us order and pay first and seated the 4 of us at the bar. There are only 2 people seats, and the bar can sit up to 6. I wouldn't come with a group because you can't talk to anyone but the person beside you when you're at the bar. Each bowl of ramen was $20, and the place is cash only. I thought it would be an extra large bowl or higher quality ingredients, but it was just a normal sized bowl of ramen. We got the 1995 one, and it came with 4 dumplings and some onions. The dumplings were small and flat. They tasted like home made dumplings, and there really wasn't anything special about them. The ramen was very Chinese to me, since they had Chinese style dumplings and thin square noodles (kind of like a thicker version of Chinese wonton noodles). The broth was lighter than the miso one, which my boyfriend tried, and it was flavorful but not anything unique. I really don't understand the high price and the long wait.. The restaurant is unique because it rotates every 1000 days or so, but even that is not that special... I just don't get it... read more

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Amazing ramen! I've been a few times, and I've tried the Shoyu, Paitan and Formula2020 ramen. The Shoyu had tasty pork with slurpy noodles. The broth was delicious by itself! The Paitan ramen was flavorful, and you could tell it was a dish that took longer to perfect, but it was worth it. The Forumula2020 is a salt-based ground chicken and shiso wonton ramen. There was so much to this dish that I would order it every day if I could! read more

Service was fine although I was a bit disappointed that they had no chili paste, powder, liquid or any spicy condiment at all. The noodles were perfectly fresh and chewy. The broth however was greatly lacking. It was a bowl of soy sauce, chicken broth, and excessive pork fat. After two spoonfuls, I knew it wasn't for me. For $17 a bowl, I expected more. read more

SWEET LORD JESUS YOU HAVE ANSWERED MY NOODLE PRAYERS. The basics: Tsurumen is located right in the heart of Davis Square, in the old Snappy Ramen location. Their menu changes, and on the day we went, had 3 items. The menu had the Paitan and the Shoyu, both ramen dishes, and a Date Soba noodle dish. The ramen was $15/dish, with an upcharge of +$2 if you wanted an egg. The soba was $12. Let's just put it this way... I would push little children out of the way for the Date Soba again. Even the cute ones. That's how freaking amazing it was. The noodles were so damn memorably delicious. I'm salivating just thinking about it. So please ignore Yelpers like Jeffrey L. and his review on 5/9/2018, who is offering his advice on how to run a restaurant and cook ramen. If he knows so damn much about making world class ramen, then why doesn't he just open his own restaurant? As the kids say, SMDH. read more

First walking in the guys were very nice, really chill dude. But once I took that first sip of the broth it hit DIFFERENT, we are talking umami, flavorful and savory to a new level. I got extra pork and added a soft boiled egg. People the pork is S tier pork. Meat literally just melts in your mouth, very tender and just the right about of fatty ness. The egg is perfect, not too runny were if you break it the yolk pours outs. It's just a little bit more cooked to the point were the yolk is nice and gooey but still holds itself. Definitely coming back here again. read more

Tsurumen 1000 - Shoyu Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

I've found my new favorite ramen shop! We visited on a Friday just as it opened and it wasn't crowded, but do note that it gets crowded soon after it opens. They only have 4 tables and the counter seats. Also note they're cash only. They offer two types of ramen: the Formula and Paitan. The Paitan also comes in spicy. We got the Formula and Paitan Spicy. Both were amazing. The Paitan Spicy broth was flavorful and the perfect amount of spiciness. The Formula broth had a unique flavor that I couldn't put my finger on, but it was my favorite! Both ramens had noodles that were more chewy than crunchy. I prefer crunchy more but that's just a personal preference. The pork was so tender and rich! I couldn't get enough of it. Both ramen also had bamboo shoots, which I thought went perfectly with the broth (especially the Formula) and added a good amount of crunchy texture. We added an egg in one of the ramens, and that too was great - it was so soft that I practically had to slurp up the egg white. I would definitely visit again! read more