This small, longstanding shop just outside the Beltway specializes in hearty, Sapporo-style ramen suitable for a whole meal (or two). The ambiance is special with handwritten menus on the walls and a floor crowded with two-top tables. Ren’s is cash-only, so hit the ATM first.

College Park’s Qu Japan dishes generous ramen bowls fit for students. The signature Qu Ramen features tonkotsu broth filled with roast pork, chicken, shrimp, and fish cake to go with bean sprouts, bok choy, bamboo shoots, wood ear mushrooms, corn, scallions, egg, and nori.

This massive chain out of Japan touched down in Tysons only a couple years ago, but its pearly white broth served in a cozy, brick-lined dining room has been around since the 1980s when the Santouka was founded in Asahikawa, Hokkaido. The specialty is the white tonkotsu soup.

This basement restaurant in Adam’s Morgan has become a staple that’s known for melding different styles of ramen that command lines out the door. Sakuramen has a whopping 12 ramen bowl options, including a signature veggie-broth variety, a Korean bowl with bulgogi, and a spicy red tonkotsu—and optional toppings like bacon, kimchi, and cheese.

This relative newcomer to the D.C. ramen scene ladles patiently prepared, steamy bowls of ramen in a small wood-flanked dining room with bright splashes of red in lanterns, paint, and movie posters. Choose from six broths (tori chicken, tonkotsu pork shank, shoyu soy dashi, and others). Then choose the substance (pork belly, chicken, or cauliflower) and toppings ranging from crunchy rayu to smoked garlic oil.

This ramen bar with a 1930s vibe has an option for gluten-free noodles and sources pork that was humanely and organically raised at Catoctin Mountain Farm in Maryland. The patio here is packed with outdoor diners, even in the winter.

Chef-Owner Hiro Mitsui heads up this Union Market based ramen shop with flavorful broths and perfectly cooked noodles. Uzu’s toppings are on point: chile threads, spinach, and eggs with perfectly soft yolks. Specials sometimes include vegan ramen and the clam ramen pictured here.

Toki Underground bills itself as D.C.’s original ramen house. It serves one of the most famous bowls of ramens in town, a Taipei curry bowl with fried chicken, among more classic dishes.

Worth the drive to Arlington, Gaijin is one of the only places to find spicy black miso broth. Owners Nicole Mazkour and Tuvan Pham serve house specialties like spicy tonkotsu volcano bowls and fried chicken Southern Comfort ramen bowls. Note: As of this update, Gaijin is closed for dine-in and only open for carry-out and delivery.

Steps away to Nationals Park, Basebowl’s claim to fame is an 18-inch bowl of ramen brimming with eight ounces of ribeye, jumbo shrimp, bean sprouts, corn, seaweed, purple cabbage, sugar snap peas, and agaric mushrooms. It’s a two person dish to share. The spot has plenty of more standard size options as well, like wonton ramen. Extra toppings cover all the bases, from ghost pepper to shrimp tempura.