さぶちゃん

I pass by this shop on an almost weekly basis, but never even noticed it until I was on an unrelated adventure to buy gas for my camping stove. Searching for the outdoor shop, I turned down a nondescript alley. Jimbocho is the place to go in Tokyo if you want to buy outdoor sporting goods, by the way.

The line is always long. Even longer is the history.

Kinoshita-san, a chain smoking old ramen chef, has been serving up classic Tokyo noodles for ages. He is truly a ramen master, working tirelessly day after day. Focusing on his customers.

Even when a reporter from Tokyo TV was asking him questions, he remained 100% on the ramen. She decided, instead, to interview me. What followed was not fit for television, as my Japanese language skill was a little rusty that day.

Simple and good. But Sabuchan is only half famous for their ramen. Their claim to fame is in 2 parts. The ramen, of course, and…

… a side order of fried rice. This may seem normal, but Kinoshita-san was the first guy to put these 2 menu items together. Someone had to be the pioneer, no? A lot of the seasonings can be used for both the soup and the rice.

It should be noted that the menu has only a couple of options, but everyone gets the half and half special.

Very normal, but great. If you are trying to capture the history of ramen in this great country, Sabuchan is a must-stop.

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東京都千代田区神田神保町2-24
Tokyo, Chioda-ku, Kandajinbocho 2024
Closest station: Metro Jinbocho

Open 11:30-15:00, 16:20-19:30
Closed Sundays

Ramen Adventures

Ramen Shop Reviews from Japan and Abroad

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さぶちゃん (Sabu-Chan in Jimbocho)

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克味 (Katsumi in Akebonobashi)

三八 (Sanpa in Tokushima)

Best 50 Ramen Shops According to Tabelog