Ramen Ya has landed on Yelp’s national list of the Top 100 Ramen Spots in the U.S. and it is the only ramen restaurant in Maryland to make the cut.
Located at 7938 Crain Hwy S in Glen Burnie, Ramen Ya opened in 2021 and has steadily built a reputation well beyond Anne Arundel County. The restaurant currently holds a 4.8-star rating on Google with more than 1,300 reviews and a 4.6-star rating on Yelp with more than 350 reviews, numbers that reflect both consistency and a loyal customer base.
According to the restaurant, Ramen Ya’s roots stretch back more than a decade in the food industry. The team behind the concept previously worked in premium seafood distribution and operated sushi stations in high-end supermarkets before deciding to open their own spaces focused on authentic Japanese ramen. That experience ultimately led to Glen Burnie becoming the brand’s flagship restaurant.
The company says its ramen recipes are the result of years of research, trial and error, and extensive travel to Japan to study regional ramen styles firsthand. The goal was to strike a balance between traditional Japanese ramen and flavors that resonate with American diners, with a heavy emphasis on precision and repeatability.
Ingredients are a major part of that approach. Ramen Ya imports premium flour directly from Japan for its noodles and uses a top-of-the-line noodle machine to make fresh noodles daily. The broth is made with Berkshire pork bones, a high-quality pork known for producing a rich, flavorful base. The restaurant emphasizes that great ramen is not about one standout component, but about balance and harmony in every bowl.
Ramen Ya was originally created as a central kitchen for Pora Foods, which operates at the American Dream Mall in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The Glen Burnie location came after strong local support convinced the company to open as a full restaurant, rather than operating solely behind the scenes. The team credits customer feedback and reviews for helping shape the brand and fueling its continued expansion plans.
Closer to home for Montgomery County diners, Ramen Ya had previously planned a second Maryland location in Olney. “Coming Soon” signage went up in late 2023, but the project ultimately stalled and is no longer moving forward.
