Intro
If you’re exploring the Akebonobashi area in Shinjuku and want a “hidden gem” ramen shop, Mitaba Labo is worth adding to your list. This small counter-style spot is part of the “Mitaba” group and serves everything from refined chicken soba to a bold, oyster-forward paitan ramen created as a collaboration menu.
Mitaba Labo: A “Mitaba” Group Ramen Shop in Akebonobashi
Mitaba Labo is a ramen shop from the “Mitaba” group that opened on March 6, 2025. The group also runs “Torisoba Mitaba” in Kabukicho and “Chukasoba Mitaba” in Ushigome-Yanagicho.
The shop is located in a residential area: walk from Akebonobashi Station toward Ichigaya along Yasukuni-dori, then turn into a side street near Tsu-no-mori-zaka. It can be easy to miss at first glance, but the noren curtain and signage are your landmarks.
Inside & Menu
The interior is compact, with about eight counter seats. It felt welcoming even for a solo visit, and the background music was instrumental (no vocals).
There’s a ticket vending machine on the right as you enter—buy your meal ticket first, then hand it over.
Menu highlights shown in the article (partial list):
- Sea Bream & Clam Paitan Soba: 1,000 yen
- Light Chicken Soba: 930 yen
- Rich Oyster Paitan Ramen: 1,200 yen
- Sea Bream & Clam Mazesoba: 980 yen
- BLACK Mazesoba: 1,200 yen
- Okukuji Egg “Luxury” Tamago Kake Gohan: 350 yen
- Char-mayo Rice: 300 yen
The “Rich Oyster Paitan Ramen” is introduced as a collaboration menu with “Kameido Niboshi Chuka Tsukihi,” and there’s also a set that comes with cheese risotto.
What We Ordered: Rich Oyster Paitan Ramen & Light Chicken Soba
Rich Oyster Paitan Ramen (collaboration menu) — 1,200 yen
The oyster soup is thick and highly viscous—very rich and “heavy” in the best way. Toppings included two types of chashu, shredded menma, red onion, and green onion.
Because the soup clings to the noodles so well, the overall impression is almost like eating a seafood carbonara. As you keep eating, the flavor “changes its expression,” and the red onion adds a great accent.
As the noodles soak up the soup, it gradually starts to feel closer to a mazesoba. It also made sense why a risotto set exists—and adding extra noodles (kaedama) felt like it would be a great option for such a luxurious bowl.
Light Chicken Soba + Ajitama (seasoned egg) — 1,080 yen
This bowl has a clear chicken-based soup and comes across as an elegant shoyu ramen. The flat, straight noodles were smooth, easy to slurp, and had a clean bite.
With shredded menma that pairs well with noodles, two types of chashu with real presence, and a nicely set ajitama, the overall balance felt very polished.
Char-mayo Rice — 300 yen
Although it’s topped with plenty of mayonnaise, the chashu itself isn’t strongly seasoned—so it tastes lighter than it looks. There’s also nori placed underneath, and adding table-side kaeshi (seasoning sauce) is suggested as a way to enjoy it to the end.
Summary
Mitaba Labo is a tucked-away ramen spot in Akebonobashi with a focused counter-seat setup and a menu that ranges from refined chicken soba to a bold, oyster-forward paitan collaboration ramen. The shop even had a small “your favorite flavor” survey in front—so it’ll be interesting to see what limited-time and future collaboration bowls appear next. If you’re curious, it’s a place worth visiting.
Shop Info (as listed in the article)
Shop name: Ramen-ya Mitaba Labo
Address: 1-8 Katamachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-0001
Nearest station: Akebonobashi Station (about 309m / ~4 minutes on foot)
Hours: 11:30–15:00 / 17:00–22:00
Closed: Wednesday, Sunday
Power outlets: No
Wi-Fi: No
Smoking: No
Notes: “Seats: (blank in article)”
Tabelog score: 3.19 (as of Jan 2026)
Looking for the original article in Japanese?
Click here to view the Japanese version on Daily Shinjuku. (https://daily-shinjuku.tokyo/2026/01/11/akebonobashi-mitaba-labo/)
