Japanese Ramen¥¥hakata
Ippudo's Hakata Station branch sits on the 10F of KOOTEN inside JR Hakata City. Priced at ¥¥. Kitchen leans japanese ramen. Booking recommended.
Signature: Shiromaru classic tonkotsu, Akamaru shin-aji, Karaka-men
Order: Shiromaru classic tonkotsu with the bun-set add-on at lunchtime.
Tip: Open 11:00-22:00 most days. English menu, vending-machine ticket order at lunch.
Japanese¥¥hakata
Wakou's Hakata Hankyu branch runs canonical Japanese tonkatsu: thick pork cutlet, panko crust, free cabbage and rice refills, in a department-store room.
Signature: Hire pork cutlet, Rosu pork cutlet, Cabbage refills
Order: Hire katsu set with miso soup and unlimited cabbage.
Tip: Open with the Hankyu, 11:00-22:00. Walk-in only; lunch queue between 12:00 and 13:00.
Japanese¥tenjin
Manda's small Tenjin counter pours a soft Hakata-style udon with the city's better goboten burdock tempura, working lunch crowds through 800-yen bowls.
Signature: Hot bukkake udon, Goboten udon, Curry udon
Order: Goboten burdock-root tempura udon with a raw egg on top.
Tip: Open from 11:00 most days. Cash and IC card; turnover is fast.
Japanese¥hakata
Maki no Udon is one of Fukuoka's three big udon chains. The Hakata Bus Terminal branch runs the trademark soft Hakata noodle through commuter rushes.
Signature: Soft Hakata udon, Niku udon, Kashiwa rice
Order: Niku udon with kashiwa rice on the side.
Tip: Open from 07:00 most weekdays. Vending-machine tickets; cash and IC.
Japanese¥¥¥¥nakasu
Kawataro's three-floor Nakasu flagship runs Yobuko squid ikizukuri live from the tank, plus the canonical Hakata goma-saba and river-view tatami rooms.
Signature: Yobuko squid ikizukuri, Goma saba mackerel, Seasonal sashimi
Order: Yobuko squid ikizukuri at market price, then goma saba.
Tip: Lunch 11:30-14:00, dinner 17:00-23:00. Reserve through the operator's site.
Japanese¥¥¥hakata
Hakata Station branch of Yamanaka's miso-motsunabe original, closer to the shinkansen than the Akasaka room, with the same recipe since 1984. Most central.
Signature: Miso motsunabe, Soy sauce motsunabe, Champon noodle finish
Order: Miso motsunabe for two, finished with champon noodles.
Tip: Reserve ahead for dinner; the room fills with business travellers most weeknights.