Let me put you on to a spot that had me questioning how it stayed off my radar for so long. I honestly can’t believe RamenYa exists in Glen Burnie, and I have @bmorefood to thank for the tip. This is some of the best ramen I have ever had, hidden gem status fully earned, and yes, it’s SO worth the drive. The spicy tonkotsu is the standout, with a rich, porky broth, and the pork buns are a must-order. It sits on Crain Highway in Glen Burnie, it’s budget-friendly, and the ramen genuinely lives up to the hype.
What RamenYa Is Known For
RamenYa opened in 2021 and has quietly become the ramen destination in Anne Arundel County. It’s Japanese comfort food done right, and it’s not just me. In 2025, Yelp named RamenYa the only Maryland spot on its Top 100 Ramen Shops in America list, which tells you the noodle game here is no joke.
The menu runs deep: tonkotsu, spicy tonkotsu, black tonkotsu, blackjack, miso, spicy miso, shoyu, curry, and even a vegetable ramen if you want to keep it meat-free. Between the lighter shoyu, the punchy miso, and the deep tonkotsu variations, there’s a bowl here for every mood.
What Is Tonkotsu Ramen?
Tonkotsu is a pork bone broth simmered for hours until it turns cloudy, creamy, and deeply savory. That long simmer pulls collagen out of the bones, which is what gives the broth its signature silky body. The first spoonful’s almost velvety, and it clings to the noodles so every bite carries that porky depth. At RamenYa, the spicy tonkotsu layers heat on top of that richness, and it is the bowl I reach for every single time. If you want to nerd out on the different broth styles, Umami Days has a great primer.
What to Order at RamenYa
Spicy Tonkotsu Ramen
This is my favorite bowl here, full stop. The spicy tonkotsu is a rich, porky tonkotsu base with a hit of heat that builds as you slurp, silky and comforting all at once. If you only order one thing, make it this.
Pork Buns
Get the pork buns, no negotiating. They are a must alongside your ramen, pillowy and savory, and they disappear fast. My rule here is simple: order the spicy tonkotsu and the pork buns together, then thank me later.
Save Room for Dessert and Drinks
To finish, RamenYa keeps it classic with mochi ice cream (green tea, mango, red bean, strawberry, and vanilla) and monaka ice cream, which is the perfect cool-down after a spicy bowl. They also stock Ramune, the fizzy Japanese marble sodas, in flavors like grapefruit, strawberry, original, and Hawaiian blue, so it is a fun stop with kids or anyone new to Japanese treats.
Does RamenYa Take Reservations?
No, RamenYa doesn’t take reservations, so it’s walk-in only. The space is on the smaller side and weekend waits are common, so go early or off-peak if you can. There’s parking around the building, and you can also grab takeout or order delivery through Uber Eats if you’d rather get your slurp on at home.
Is RamenYa the Best Ramen in Maryland?
It’s definitely one of my top Maryland picks! My other ramen love is Ejji Ramen in Harbor East, where everything is made from scratch in-house and you can watch the team work the noodles and broth, so if you want a proper ramen crawl, those two belong on your list. But for a creamy, spicy tonkotsu that is worth the drive, RamenYa is my pick.
The Vibe and Experience
The vibe is casual and unfussy, the kind of place you come for the food, not the frills. It’s a compact dining room (RamenYa renovated a former Pizza Hut building), so it fills up fast, especially on weekends, and it’s kid-friendly with high chairs available. On a Friday night you may spot a line, but it moves fairly quickly, and the payoff in the bowl’s more than worth a few minutes on your feet. Glen Burnie has quietly turned into a solid Asian eats stop, too. If you are around on a weekday, Ja Kum Sung is another local hidden gem for solid Korean food.
If you’re a noodle fan willing to make the short drive down Route 2, Nam’s Pho in Annapolis is serving some of the best Vietnamese pho in Maryland and belongs on any Anne Arundel County noodle crawl.
Good to Know Before You Visit RamenYa in Glen Burnie
- Where: 📍 7938 Crain Highway, Glen Burnie, MD 21061
- Hours: open for lunch and dinner Tuesday through Saturday (with an afternoon break between services), closed Sundays. Hours can shift, so it is worth a quick call before a special trip.
- No reservations: walk-in only, and expect a wait on busy nights since the space is small.
- Order out: dine-in and takeout, plus delivery through Uber Eats.
- Meat-free: a vegetable ramen is on the menu if you are skipping the pork.
- Good for: ramen die-hards, a cozy solo lunch, or an easy weeknight family dinner.
TLDR, RamenYa’s worth the drive, the wait, AND the hype. Have you guys made it out to RamenYa yet? If yes, tell me your go-to bowl in the comments below.