This Ramen Spot on Lower Greenville Should Be on Your Short List

Listen. There isn't anything wrong with Wabi House.

Its ramen is consistently ranked as some of the best in Dallas by the Observer, our readers and other news outlets. It has won our readers' choice for Best Ramen four years in a row. We know.

But when it's the only place we hear about... C'mon, y'all.
Hinodeya Ramen & Bar has a rich history in Japan, starting in 1885, and it has thrived under the Kuribara family name for four generations.

The two original owners, Kanjiro Kuribara and his wife, Tome, opened Hinode-ya outside of Hasuda train station, which was newly built to connect two cities just north of Tokyo. The original building stood at the same station for 120 years before being demolished and relocated to the present-day site.

In Japan, the legacy of Hinode-ya takes on many names and faces, like the Soba Dining SORA and Wafu Ramen and SASALA. But when the restaurant came to the U.S. in 2016, the owners went back to the roots and opened Hinode-ya (literally Sunrise-house).
Hinodeya Dallas, opened in 2019, was the second U.S. location, and it's been underrated since.

We've stopped in here on multiple occasions and have tried a good bit of the menu: Brussels sprouts, sukiyaki ramen, Texas Umami Super Max Ramen, Hinodeya cucumber, crispy chicken karaage and the chicken namban.

The sukiyaki ramen and chicken karaage are must-orders. The others are great, too, but these stood out the most for us.
Chicken karaage is Japanese fried chicken, and it's just as popular abroad as it is in the States. The recipe is really basic: marinate chicken and deep fry it. Simple, but so flavorful. The karaage here is served with savory miso mayo, a lemon wedge and shishito pepper.

Give the lemon a little squeeze and you get a slightly spicy, savory, zesty batch of juicy fried chicken. The mayo mellows it all out and brings it together. Order extra. Good luck sharing.

The sukiyaki ramen is worth sweating over on a 90-degree day in Dallas. It's that good. But in this cold weather, it has that extra oomph to it. The base is a dashi broth topped with wheat noodles, sukiyaki beef, bamboo shoots, soft boiled egg, chili crisp, sesame seeds and red pepper.

It's savory. It's rich. We'd put it against any bowl at Wabi House.
The Texas Umami Super Max Ramen sounds like a massive bowl of indulgence with an egregious number of ingredients, but it's quite the opposite. Dashi broth is mingled with wheat noodles, beef steak, spinach, portabella mushroom, lemon, bell pepper, sesame seeds and truffle oil.

It's not our preference as we enjoy bolder flavors and richer broth in our bowls, but we can see why it would be appeal to someone looking for a less indulgent dish.

The Brussels sprouts are a must at any Japanese restaurant, and the chicken namban offers the perfect excuse for another round of fried chicken. The Hinodeya cucumber is both refreshing and salty with the tuna flake garnish.

There are winners across the menu, and we haven't even made a dent in the curries, desserts or dumplings. If you're bold, bring some friends and get the Russian Roulet takoyaki: one of every five pieces is extremely spicy. Just how spicy? Stop in and (hopefully, let someone else) find out.

Hinodeya Ramen & Bar Greenville, 2023 Greenville Ave. Sunday – Thursday, 11 a.m. – 11 p.m.; Friday – Saturday, 11 a.m. – 11:50 p.m.