TabeTomo

Like the best Lindsay Lohan movies, TabeTomo prefers things “Fully Loaded.” This bright and buzzing East Village izakaya specializes in tsukemen and topping-heavy jiro ramen, and they offer bowls in various sizes. The standard tonkotsu jiro has a 60-hour boiled broth that’s rich and sweet, and comes with slices of chashu, thick and chewy noodles, and some veggies. For an extra $4, you get even more pork and a marinated soft-boiled egg. But if you’re feeling like a real hero, there’s the $48 Megamori Tsukemen Challenge: finish a bowl with more noodles than a college student's ramen care package in under 30 minutes, and your meal is free.

Tsukemen is the star here, but there’s also Sapporo on tap and affordable sake options to pair with bites like karaage chicken and takoyaki. With exposed brick, warm lighting, and old family photos behind the bar, TabeTomo feels like a neighborhood living room—but if you’re thinking of stumbling in, do it on a weeknight: they don’t take reservations and there’s often a line outside on weekends.