CRAFTED RAMEN MISOLADO

Hoppen Hierarchy:★★★★

District: Aksarben

Authentic ramen and small plates

Standout Dishes: Gyoza; Tonkatsu Ramen; Spicy Creamy Chicken Ramen

Omaha is no stranger to ramen shops, and there are plenty of good ones around the city. But there’s a reason Crafted Ramen Misolado was packed for weeks after it opened in late 2025. What this Omaha ramen joint serves is simply on another level and will change the way you look at ramen moving forward.

That’s because one of the owners is a renowned ramen master who taught ramen courses in Los Angeles. And while most ramen shops in Omaha use either premade noodles and soup bases (or both), Misolado makes them in house. And that’s not just lip service; the entire kitchen is open, allowing you to peer in and watch your delicious bowl com to life.

The concept is unique; before you sit down, you walk through a quick market where you can pick up sodas, beers, wine, or unique Japanese snacks I doubt you’ll find many other places in Omaha. It’s a quick hit of culture that sets the table for what you’re about to experience.

The service is remarkably fast; even when the restaurant is packed, small plates and meals arrive within minutes. If you’re unfamiliar with ramen, the friendly staff is happy to help you understand the menu.

Misolado offers three ramens with protein: Misola, Creamy Chicken, and Tonkatsu, all of which can be ordered normal or spicy, which adds a housemade chili oil for a little extra heat. Misolado also serves a couple of vegan ramen bowls, which start with oat milk, a special salt base, and mushroom oil. The small plate menu includes fried chicken bao, chicken karaage, and fried brussels sprouts.

You can’t have great ramen without a well-developed broth, and that’s the first thing that sets Misolado apart. Pork and chicken bones are simmered for long hours, lending a deep umami flavor to the soup. The rich, smooth liquid coats the inside of your mouth in a pleasant way, allowing each tastebud to soak in the umami, salty goodness.

The Tonkatsu is rich, creamy, and bursting with umami, as the pork base injects a savory punch into each slurp. The Spicy Creamy Chicken doesn’t have quite as much depth, but a homemade chili oil adds a nice heat that builds as the meal progresses.

Next come the noodles, which are thin and slurpable with a wonderfully bouncy texture.

The proteins are well cooked, black mushrooms and raw onions add chewiness and crunch respectively, and the soft-boiled egg is perfectly cooked, with a soft white and a delightfully creamy yolk. The bowls are massive, and they literally warm you from within.

Every few months Misolado will hold special ramen events. For example, for its grand opening, Misolado flew in A5 Wagyu beef from Japan to craft a special dish. The beef was ridiculously rich and well-marbled, lending that luscious, fatty flavor to every bite. The tonkatsu soup was deeply savory and rich, like an umami punch to the tastebuds, and it had a pleasant garlic undertone. Vegetables and bean sprouts added some nice crunch.

Misolado also hosts ramen chefs from other cities and countries, allowing their diners to experience different takes on ramen. For example, in May of 2026, they consulted with head chef at Manya Tenho, a beloved ramen shop in Japan, to craft a special menu for the. weekend. The result was brilliant, as the rich, creamy Dan Dan Ramen combined the savory, numbing flavor of dan dan noodles with incredible ramen. And the Porcini Shoyu Ramen brought a serious punch of earthy, savory umami.

As great as the ramen is, the appetizers and small plates are arguably just as craveable. The Pork Gyoza are dumplings with springy shells and are stuffed with rich, delicious pork. They’re pan-fried on one side, producing a crispy skirt.

The chicken karaage are truly special; they’re basically the greatest version of a chicken nugget you can imagine. They employ chicken thighs, ensuring the meat remains moist and incredibly juicy. The meat is dredged in a potato starch to create a thick, crunchy crust that Misolado paints with the sauce of your choosing. The Misola Pepper Chicken Karaage has a peppery kick with great umami and a slight bit of sweetness.

The Takoyaki are fried balls that achieve a crispy, golden exterior while protecting a creamy, molten-hot interior of gooey goodness. The octopus bits inside are a bit chewy, but the sweet, savory combo is irresistible.

The atmosphere is fun and inviting, as the entire staff is known to shout “Thank you!” in Japanese as guests leave. But even if it were a hole in the wall with no ambience, Misolado would easily be my go-to ramen spot in Omaha. Omaha’s other shops are solid, but Misolado is on another level.