New JINYA Ramen Bar Coming to Woodruff Road in Greenville

The popular Japanese ramen chain is set to open its first location in the Upstate.

Published on Mar. 5, 2026

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JINYA Ramen Bar, a popular Japanese ramen chain, is coming to Greenville, South Carolina. The company has listed a Greenville location as "Coming Soon" on its website, with an address at 1025 Woodruff Road. JINYA was founded in Tokyo in 2001 by Tomonori Takahashi, who later opened the first U.S. location in California in 2010.

Why it matters

The arrival of JINYA Ramen Bar in Greenville is seen as a positive development for the city's growing food scene, as it will bring authentic Japanese cuisine to the Upstate region. The chain's reputation for high-quality ramen and other Japanese dishes is expected to attract both local residents and visitors to the new location.

The details

JINYA Ramen Bar is a Japanese ramen chain founded by Tomonori Takahashi in Tokyo in 2001. Takahashi, the son of a successful restaurateur in Japan, opened the first U.S. location in Studio City, California, in 2010 after being disappointed in the lack of authentic Japanese cuisine in the country. The name "JINYA" was chosen to embody the ideals of Takahashi's new restaurant, as it was named after a Samurai soldier who owned a property in Tokyo and was close to the community.

  • JINYA Ramen Bar announced plans to open a Greenville location in 2023.
  • A sign for the new JINYA Ramen Bar location was recently spotted in the Magnolia Park shopping center on Woodruff Road in Greenville.

The players

JINYA Ramen Bar

A popular Japanese ramen chain that was founded in Tokyo in 2001 and has since expanded to the United States, with the first U.S. location opening in California in 2010.

Tomonori Takahashi

The founder of JINYA Ramen Bar, who is the son of a successful restaurateur in Japan and opened the first JINYA location in Tokyo in 2001 before expanding to the U.S.

RocaPoint Partners

A real estate investment and development firm that announced in 2023 that JINYA Ramen Bar would be joining a host of businesses coming to the Greenville County Square development.

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What’s next

The Greenville News has contacted JINYA's corporate office in Burbank, California, to learn when the new Woodruff Road location is slated to open, but has not yet received a response.

The takeaway

The arrival of JINYA Ramen Bar in Greenville is a significant development for the city's growing food scene, as it will bring high-quality, authentic Japanese cuisine to the Upstate region. The chain's reputation and the founder's commitment to providing a true Japanese dining experience are expected to attract both local residents and visitors to the new location.