Pho 68
Pho 68, out in Wilmington, is our top pick — rated 4.9 out of 5 from 853 reviews.
Every spot we track for cheap ramen in Wilmington, ranked by rating and review volume. Search by name, or switch to the map.
15 restaurants on this page
15 restaurants
Pho 68, out in Wilmington, is our top pick — rated 4.9 out of 5 from 853 reviews.
Pho Vanhly Noodle House, in Wilmington, is next up, rated 4.8 out of 5 from 246 reviews.
Family-owned eatery presents specialty rolls & other classic Japanese fare in a relaxed atmosphere.
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Yaki Express, in Wilmington, is next up, rated 4.7 out of 5 from 332 reviews.
Fashionable Pan-Asian spot serving sushi & craft cocktails on the 2nd floor of a historic building.
Tap Tea Bar, in Wilmington, is next up, rated 4.5 out of 5 from 677 reviews.
Sushi & hibachi entrees cooked by showman chefs, served in a traditional space with private booths.
Easygoing stop with a bright wall mural offering sushi rolls & other Japanese fare in casual digs.
Nori The Pointe on 17 st - Nori Asian Fusion & Sushi Bar, in Wilmington, is next up, rated 4.3 out of 5 from 1,144 reviews.
Modern Japanese eatery with Asian decor, outdoor seating & a large menu with sushi & hot entrees.
Nigori Gourmet & Sushi Bar, in Wilmington, is next up, rated 4.3 out of 5 from 732 reviews.
Nori on Market st in Porters Neck, in Wilmington, is next up, rated 4.3 out of 5 from 127 reviews.
Counter-serve chain offering international noodle & pasta dishes from mac 'n' cheese to Pad Thai.
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When I am after cheap ramen in Wilmington, the list above is where I start. It is already filtered toward cheap ramen, so it is easy to compare ratings, hours, and photos and pick the bowl you actually want — or switch to the map and tap "Use my location" to sort the same list by distance.
Cheap ramen is not lesser ramen. A bowl under about $15 in Wilmington is usually the sign of a shop that keeps its menu tight and its overhead low — one broth done properly, a couple of toppings, no table service to pay for. Some of the most respected shops in North Carolina sit squarely in this price band, because a long-simmered pork or chicken broth costs far less to make than it tastes like. This map filters Wilmington, NC down to budget-friendly bowls, sorted so you can find the cheapest good ramen closest to you rather than just the cheapest.
My approach is simple: I favor shops that specialize rather than do a little of everything, and I trust a strong rating that holds up across plenty of reviews over a perfect score from just a few. In Wilmington, I open a couple of listings, skim the most recent reviews and the photos, and go with the bowl that looks carefully made. The map keeps everything sorted by distance, so you are never trading quality for a long drive.
Prefer to widen the search? You can browse all ramen in Wilmington, NC or jump to cheap ramen near you nationwide.
The map above filters Wilmington, NC to restaurants in the budget price range — roughly under $15 a bowl. Enter your ZIP or click "Use my location" to sort by distance and find the closest affordable option.
Most markets run about $14 to $20 for a standard bowl. Anything under roughly $15 counts as budget, and under $12 is genuinely cheap. Prices climb with premium toppings like extra chashu or a marinated egg, which are usually a few dollars each.
Not usually. Price tracks overhead — rent, service model, decor — more than broth quality. Counter-service shops with a short menu often make excellent ramen precisely because they do one or two bowls extremely well instead of a long menu adequately.
Order the shop's standard bowl rather than the loaded special, skip extra toppings, and drink water instead of a beverage — that alone often saves $8 to $12. Lunch service is also frequently cheaper than dinner for the same bowl.
Kaedama is a refill of noodles added to your remaining broth, usually $1 to $3. At shops that offer it, ordering a standard bowl plus a kaedama is almost always cheaper than ordering a large or a second bowl.
Also browsing: Cheap Ramen Near Me · Ramen in Wilmington, NC · Ramen in North Carolina
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