You may experience something of a psychadelic moment entering this unassuming storefront on 18th St. Ken Ken's glowing space is covered with low-lit paper laterns evoking a pseudo time-warp to '60s Japan. The ramen, though, is all modern

Orenchi gained a cult following for their rich, immaculately seasoned bowls of ramen at their original Santa Clara shop. Their Valencia Street location is, dare we say, even better, with exclusive dishes like a mizuna and pork belly-topped tonkatsu ramen and a rich miso pork-laced tan tan men (they only serve 15 bowls of that per day). Starting your meal with fresh-fried takoyaki and buttery hamachi carpaccio are fine ideas, too.

It may be Union Square-adjacent, but locals know that Katana-Ya is one of the finest spots in San Francisco for a hearty bowl of steamy, soul-curing ramen. Ignore the vast majority of the menu (you're not here for sushi, after all), and skip straight to the good stuff—the karaage ramen topped with crispy-skinned fried chicken is a fine choice, but it's hard to beat the namesame Katana-Ya ramen. It's loaded with pork, gyoza, egg and corn, which may be excessive but is undoubtedly delicious.

The first U.S. outpost of a Tokyo ramen shop with a cult following, you'll generally find a line of die-hard ramen fantatics outside Mensho's Tenderloin shop. Once you've tasted their ramen, it's easy to see why. They're known for their tori paitan ramen, which features a rich, creamy chicken stock and is topped with pork and duck chasu; keep an eye out for rotating specials like spicy miso lamb ramen, or even bowls topped with foie gras.

This choose-your-own adventure ramen shop hugs the border between Chinatown and the Financial District, and has been known to get crowded during weekday lunch. Come dinnertime, though, you'll feel you've stumbled into a no-frills spot in a Kyoto alleyway. From there, it's on to building your perfect bowl, starting with a variety of broths (the tonkatsu is excellent, as is the firey habanero miso) and toppings that range from classic soft-boiled eggs to herb butter and braised pork belly. Pair it with a pitcher of cold Sapporo for peak ramen happiness.