Ramen-lovers in Georgetown have a locally rare treat to slurp up in 2026: a restaurant dedicated solely to the comforting Japanese noodle dish. Haji Moto, which was slightly delayed due to inspection delays and holiday conflicts, should open in mid-January at 114 E. 7th St. #116, says chef-partner Jerry Thompson.

Guests can expect a traditional ramen style in a fun environment, with a short-and-sweet menu to start and more dishes coming in the future. Most dishes and components will be made in house, from the broths, to noodles, to gyoza (dumplings) and karaage (chicken) that's fried twice in beef tallow.

Haji Moto is also a sake bar with an additional focus on Japanese whisky. Specialty cocktails will highlight the two, but Thompson says the bar will also be happy to make a margarita. Guests can also order Japanese beers on tap.

Shishitos are a great bar snack.Photo courtesy of Haji Moto

The restaurant will specialize in tonkotsu, a rich, cloudy broth made with pork bones. However, guests branching out can also try chicken shoyu — a clear soy sauce-based broth — and a vegan broth. For now the noodles are straight and made with Texas spring water, but Thompson says the machine the team will use is "the Lexus" of noodle-makers, and it can vary thickness or waviness for more options as the menu expands.

Thompson, who is also a part-owner of 600 Degrees Pizzeria along with his family, decided to open a ramen shop after spending six months in Japan. He didn't originally go seeking ramen, but he found himself turning into "a ramen freak" and decided he had to learn how to make it authentically.

"Haji Moto" nods to the Arab side of Thompson's family; the team gets enough questions about it that they've crafted a statement to share: “It’s named after one of our owner’s Arabic nickname, ‘Haji,’ meaning old soul. In Japanese, ‘haji’ can also mean shame — like a guilty pleasure — and ‘moto’ means source. So we say we’re the source of shame…in the best way. Basically: ramen worth craving.”

He's joined by general manager Adam Simms and chef Yusuke Iwai, who is from Osaka, Japan, as fellow owners.

Iwai and Thomspon in Japan.Photo courtesy of Haji Moto

Haji Moto is located at the former home of Mango Tango, an Asian fusion restaurant that is now closed. The ramen shop has aesthetically benefited from a decision made by its predecessor: Mango Tango offered up an exterior wall for a mural celebrating the impact of the Japanese American 442nd Regimental Combat Team in World War II.

Japanese American siblings Andew Sakamoto and Victoria Saenz completed the mural for a November 30 unveiling on behalf of AmplifyAsian, the Hope Campaign (in connection with the newly reopened Hope Outdoor Gallery in Austin), and the Lunar Foundation.

On the inside, Haji Moto is covered in picture frames, art, and other objects sourced "from here to Missouri," says Thompson. TVs will play shows broadcast from Japan, including the country's famously chaotic game shows, and on Friday nights guests will sing their hearts out in karaoke.

More information about Haji Moto will be shared on Instagram as the restaurant gets closer to opening.