This strip mall ramen-ya in downtown Hillsboro, sandwiched between a Subway and a neighborhood watering hole, is the sort of hidden gem that ramen fiends love to talk about. Dimly lit by chochins with J-pop videos blasting on the TV, Ninja Ramen offers the usual suspects: tonkotsu, miso, and vegetarian broths. The standout bowl here might well be the tantanmen, with its silky broth, crispy bits of seasoned ground pork, and nutty nuances. All bowls here are also arrive as combos with sides or donburi.

Koku brings the contemporary Korean-Japanese restaurant model to Beaverton, and it brings along with it some solid bowls of ramen. The soups here — such as the mala tonkotsu, its midweight broth blotted by chile oil — stand on their own just fine; however, quirky accompaniments like “cocktail sacks,” fruity and floral adult Capri-suns, along with the beautiful modern wooden décor, ultimately contribute considerably to Koku’s lure.

This upscale, Japan-based ramen franchise now has three locations in the Portland Metro, and it hosts a sizeable ramen menu, including tsukumen dipping ramen, vegetarian shiitake broth, or the extra-creamy garlic tonkotsu shoyu. The shop offers add-ons from more than a dozen additional toppings, or noodle refills for those in it for the carbs. Kizuki also brings in seasonal bowls throughout the year, making revisits worthwhile.

Tigard’s best ramen bar specializes in tori paitan ramen, a creamy chicken-based broth, but it does more than that: Mugen’s menu offers a number of unconventional bowls, including a lemongrass-scented spicy shrimp with tempura prawns, or a vegetarian ramen made with Oregon hazelnuts. The move here is decidedly the curry ramen, which combines the tori paitan with curry paste, finished with shimeji mushrooms, corn, and crispy egg noodles. Seating can be limited, so small parties would be the best strategy to avoid a lengthy wait time.

Ramen Ryoma had already accrued a loyal pack of devotees over its time in Beaverton, but the centrally located shop in downtown Portland is a welcome respite for those who live in the city itself. Ryoma offers a wide swath of ramen varieties and permutations, with a choice of broth, topping combinations, and a la carte add-ons. The shio stands out, though any of the base broths will work well; however, the real move is to opt for one of the tricked out bowls, be it the chile-laden spicy umami, the tamago mayu with its slick of black garlic oil, or the Sapporo-style corn butter ramen, best paired with miso broth.

Overlooking the marina on the Columbia River from its stilted perch, Menjiro is an alluringly cozy ramen-ya and the ideal place to hide out from the drizzle of the cold months. This spot has all the charm of a quaint mom-and-pop ramen shop, and the move here is the kobe beef ramen: Made with either the tonkotsu or shoyu broth, the bowl comes with a house-made beef patty incorporating a hard-to-pin-down seasoning blend and diced onion. It’s hard to find something like it anywhere else.

This Pine Street Market ramen stall focuses on ramen and fried chicken, offering vegan counterparts to every ramen on the menu. Interestingly, several bowls on the menu involve a dollop of mapo tofu (with ground pork for those who eat it and without for those who don’t), which is a fun touch that surprisingly complements the tonkotsu broths and thin noodles. Any bowl works well with the house-made chile oil.

Osaka expat Kayoko Kaye runs this an airy ramen spot (which also features heated and covered outdoor seating) where the star of the show is the mala, a bowl infused with tongue tingling Sichuan peppercorns and dried chile peppers. Nearly all the entrees are also available in vegan form. The creamy tantanmen is another beloved stalwart.

Those headed to luxury wellness center Knot Springs or the Burnside skate park could easily miss this tiny ramen shop, tucked between in a window-lined space. However, the ramens served inside are the ideal post-soak or skate treat. While many Portland ramen shops focus on things like tonkotsu — and Yokohama’s is, indeed, tasty — its shoyu is particularly well executed, using a foundation of beef and pork bones for depth without weighing down the broth. For something unique to the restaurant, the creamy tomato ramen provides all the nostalgia of sick day tomato soup, fortified with bone broth and Parmesan.

Mayumi Hijikata’s Kinboshi Ramen —formerly Marukin— is a popular counter-service restaurant in the same building as Nong’s Khao Man Gai on Southeast Ankeny that specializes in velvety Hakata-style tonkotsu broth. It has also expanded its offerings to include vegan options made with soy milk that are equally rich and flavorful. But what sets Kinboshi apart are its sides, particularly the sticky tebasaki chicken wings, with aromas of ginger and garlic.

This super fashionable Tokyo outpost — with its industrial chic Southeast location, quick-service sister restaurant in Southwest Portland, ramen lab in Slabtown, and Beaverton ramen and dumpling outpost — is famous for its delicate and refreshing yuzu shio ramen. However, the real hit, especially in the cooler months, is the spicy, sesame-miso-based tantanmen, available with a fatty tonkotsu broth or vegan hazelnut base. Seasonal specials often please, be it a Valentine’s Day tori paitan with chicken chashu or a clam-laden asari shoyu.

Hapa, which began as a food cart, has established itself as a brick-and-mortar with its distinct blend of ramen, Hawaiian cuisine, and Japanese whiskey. The restaurant prides itself on its distinctive proprietary noodle recipe, featuring thick and wavy noodles that stand up well to it broth. The menu offers classic ramen options such as tonkotsu, shoyu, and miso, alongside Hapa’s original creation, the G-Special: a rich pork belly-based broth with succulent chunks of pork belly, complemented by spicy sprouts and shiitake mushrooms.

Spice lovers, this one’s for you. Baka Umai offers big, blazing bowls ranging from habanero tonkotsu to Carolina reaper miso, with add-on pepper “mashes” to bring additional spice to any given bowl. Baka Umai’s commitment to improving and fine-tuning every aspect of the process moves its offerings forward year after year, and those improvements and tweaks are noticeable even in non-spicy bowls like the yuzu miso or lime shio. Baka Umai also makes three different kinds of noodles in house, and often runs specials, such as the beef noodle soup pictured, a ramen spin on the classic Taiwanese dish niu rou mian.