What is the Japanese term for a ramen shop?

The Japanese term for a ramen shop is ramen-ya, written ラーメン屋.

The suffix -ya means a shop or establishment specializing in a particular product or service. In this case, ramen-ya refers to a restaurant whose main specialty is ramen, although many shops also serve side dishes such as gyoza, fried rice, or drinks.

Ramen-ya are often compact restaurants with counter seating, ticket vending machines, and quick service. Some are independent neighborhood businesses, while others belong to national or international chains. The term ramen-ten is another expression sometimes used for a ramen restaurant.

Yatai means a Japanese street-food stall and can serve ramen, but it is not the general word for a ramen shop. Udon-ya and soba-ya refer to shops specializing in udon and soba respectively. The broader word ramen also has Chinese linguistic roots, but ramen-ya specifically describes the Japanese restaurant category.