Tabelog ratingRamen Jiro Nakayama ekimae ten (ラーメン二郎 中山駅前店) is a direct branch of Ramen Jiro, the cult chain known for mountains of vegetables, thick noodles and slabs of pork. It has been open by Nakayama Station since 2010. Many Jiro regulars rank it among the chain's best for its clear, non-emulsified pork broth with a sharp soy edge. The staff are also unusually friendly by Jiro standards. It was selected for Tabelog's ramen 'Tabelog 100' every year from 2020 to 2025. Weekly specials are announced on the shop's X account and include tsukemen (dipping noodles) and shiru-nashi (brothless) bowls.
Nearly every review praises the crisp shoyu broth. Many also single out the high share of cabbage in the vegetable pile and the tender, well-seasoned buta (braised pork). The specials earn repeat praise, especially these three:
- the gyottama tsukemen with mackerel and ginger
- the chi-tama shiru-nashi with chicken fat
- the cold tsuke-aji bowl
The house amai abura (sweet seasoned back fat) and the spicy nira-dare (chive sauce) have their own following.
On the downside, some find the broth very salty. The noodles are sometimes soft and the pork sometimes dry or tough. Several diners had a request, such as half noodles or fewer vegetables, ignored, and slow eaters feel pressure to finish. In summer the queue is unshaded and the room hot, and one diner reported insects inside. A couple of reviewers noticed greasy cups and staff chatting when the owner was away.
Reviewers in 2025–2026 paid around ¥940 for the shō (small) ramen, which is still enormous. The shop lists it at ¥980 from 1 May 2026. The five-slice pork ramen cost reviewers ¥1,120–1,160. Extras ran to ¥80–100 for nira-dare, ¥100 for sweet fat, ¥50 for a raw egg and ¥120–150 for seasoned quail eggs. Switching to the gyottama tsukemen added ¥150, and the butattama shiru-nashi added ¥150–250. Lunch or dinner typically comes to ¥1,000–1,999.
The value is excellent. A 'small' of roughly 300g of raw noodles, plus pork and vegetables, costs under ¥1,000 and leaves most people stuffed.
- Getting there: 2-minute walk from the South Exit of Nakayama Station (JR Yokohama Line and Yokohama Municipal Subway).
- Booking: reservations are not accepted, so just join the queue on the left side of the shop. Expect 20–40 people and a 20–45 minute wait, or up to 2.5 hours on anniversary days.
- Payment: cash only, at a ticket machine. Credit cards, electronic money and QR payments are not accepted. Buy your ticket only when staff ask you to.
- Ordering: while you queue, give your noodle amount, firmness and any 'no soup' or 'less oil' request. Ask for sukuname (less) or hanbun (half) if needed. At the counter, staff ask 'ninniku iremasu ka?' (garlic?). Answer with toppings such as yasai, abura or karame. Free extra servings are allowed.
- Seats: 13 counter seats, no private rooms. Eat promptly and return your bowl to the counter.
- Smoking: non-smoking inside, with an ashtray at the entrance.
- Parking: none. Paid parking nearby costs about ¥300/hour.
- Drinks: you may bring your own.
- Language: little English is spoken. One foreign reviewer suggests going with a Japanese speaker.
- Closures: summer holiday runs 20–27 August. Hours can change, so check the shop's X account.