According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a recoil starter including: a case includes a support shaft formed thereon; a rope reel rotatably disposed on the support shaft; a recoil rope wound on the rope reel; a recoil spring that rotationally energizes the rope reel; a cam of an engine side; a power storing spring interposed between the rope reel and the cam; and a ratchet mechanism interposed between the rope reel and the cam. The ratchet mechanism includes: a ratchet shaft formed on the rope reel, a ratchet member having: a base portion oscillatably and slidably supported through an elongated hole on the ratchet shaft, and a ratchet pawl engageable with an engaging portion of the cam, and an energizer that energizes the base portion toward an uneven inner peripheral surface of the case.