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So. Amazing. The place was so quaint with the Japanese decor and the service was so quick. I forgot who helped me but he was so nice and very polite when my mom would take her time to order! Bless his heart. And the food, I can't stress it enough it was so delicious! Definitely recommend going to this little hidden gem at least once!
A famous Japanese ramen place in SGV! I can't believe we got Daikokuya in SGV. They got their own parking at the back for the reataurant. The food is good. Ramen is yummy. And it's more than a ramen restaurant, it's got a lot of great appetizers and drinks. Check out their happy hour menu with half price beer. We ordered a few combo, with ramen and rice bowl together, great values. The appetizer are good as well. The inside decor look very Japanese and very fun. The booth are comfortable. Servers are great.
I can't even remember the last time I visited Daikokuya. The first time when I visited their Little Tokyo location (probably more than 15 years ago), the long line/waiting time was something I don't want to experience again. They are one of the pioneers of Japanese ramen in Southern California, and tonkotsu ramen is their best selling item and what they are known for. I stopped by their El Monte location and ordered togo for dinner this time. The Japanese themed decorations transport you to a cozy local spot in Japan, giving off the warm, authentic vibe of a good izakaya (I will likely opt to dine in next time). As expected, the tonkotsu ramen broth was incredibly rich and creamy, packed with strong pork bone flavor. Daikokuya's signature touch, the addition of pork back fat, is really elevated the soup, making the taste even more strong and bold. After a 30 minute drive home, the ramen noodles still had a great texture and hadn't turned soggy. However, the chashu was a bit too fatty for my liking. The spicy tuna roll was not bad with a satisfying kick of heat that didn't overpower. The beef don, while not particularly memorable, came in a generous portion and miso soup. Overall, Daikokuya El Monte holds up to the brand's reputation, especially when it comes to their ramen, which has its own unique characteristic. If you're in the area and looking for a hot bowl of Japanese tonkotsu ramen, this is a great place to go. (Street parking is limited, private parking lot in the back of the building).
Enjoyed food with friends. We had a very kind server who gave us a lot of answers to her questions about the different dishes. We enjoyed the cozy seating area. We had a group of six and they made room for us. They were able to accommodate larger groups, but be prepared for weeks. We do appreciate the fact that when we needed extra dishes to share with the kids, they were willing. The children's menu was wonderfully made. For the price, it was better than expected. We will definitely be coming back again.
Have not been to this particular location! Never realized there's one here in El Monte! Want a good ramen fix without driving out to little Tokyo? Want a good bowl of ramen on a cold winter night? Want no wait? There were only 3 tables including ours on a Friday night. Interior looks outdated, must have been around for years. Very sticky floors throughout. My son felt the sticky floor and noticed it first but dam, I can hear my shoe pull like a semi sticky mouse trap glue on the floor. Hmm service was not good, weren't even busy. We were checked on once the entire time, that's fine. Had to flag down the staff to get forks, in fact I went to the counter , no one was to be found. Then patiently waited for the check.... No one, went back to the counter and the two staff members were talking away. Would come back but don't expect attentive service.
This restaurant has very poor service. It was my first time here and it took over 5 minutes to be acknowledged and offered a table. Once we were seated it took 15 minutes for a waiter to come take our order for drinks and/or food. We placed our order and the food came out instantly and never again did the waiter come back to check on us. We sat there waiting once again to get our check for multiple minutes. The restaurant was slow and had multiple open tables and two young ladies working. There was no reason for us having such poor service. The restaurant needs better waiters than these young ladies. If it were up to me I wouldn't even rate this restaurant quality not even 1 star.
Daikokuya in El Monte? Shock!! But also pleasantly surprised that I don't have to make the trek to Monterey Park or LA for some tasty ramen. The restaurant had their own private lot, but my boyfriend was able to secure street parking in front of the restaurant so that worked out better for us. No wait!! Another pleasant surprise. Normally when I go to Daikokuya in LA, I'm waiting for quite a while. We got seated at a comfortable booth. The table was a little wet, but I guess that's good since they wiped it down. Staff didn't give us a menu immediately so we looked around for a QR code. They came back later after taking the menus back from the table next to us and handed it to us. Funny... are they short on menus? Also, I noticed they had some sections of their menu saying El Monte specials. So it seems like they have some variation from other locations. My boyfriend had their combination meal. These all come with a side salad and price varies depending on which side item you want with your ramen. He had the Daikoku Ramen, no green onions, with the Small Fried Rice ($22.50). I also had the Daikoku Ramen ($17) no bean sprouts and an order of Corn ($1.50). I honestly think the combination meals are a great deal. The side salad was premade and a bit underwhelming but my boyfriend's fried rice was a good portion. Enough for him to share with me and still have some to take home for a subsequent meal. That #1 top seller Daikoku Ramen comes standard with their famous tonkotsu soup base infused with their secret blend of soy sauce, pork belly chashu, marinated boiled egg, bamboo shoots, bean sprouts, green onions and sesame seeds. I enjoyed the broth and the noodles. I bit into the egg right away to assess and it was more of a hard boil than a soft boil. Not the perfect yolk I usually enjoy. My boyfriend had an overcooked egg too. My order of corn came on the side and not directly put into the soup. There was soooo much corn, in a good way, so I shared some with my boyfriend. The meal was good for the most part, but there were definitely areas for improvement. I would consider this location if I'm too lazy to make a drive any further, but not my favorite Daikokuya location.
We came in yesterday 8/29 around 2:10pm. It's a famous brand for sure. The taste level of the ramen has been the same , slightly worse than the other one at little Tokyo. The noodle itself has a weird not yeast but like disinfectant liquid back taste . I would not give a bad review just because of the taste since it does depend on individual preferences. The reason for this two stars are because of the terrible service. Since we walked in, made eye contact with the girl standing behind the register table I assume, she said absolutely nothing but have us just weirdly waiting for 2 or 3 minutes while she was doing nothing there. We don't want to be rude so we waited patiently. Until we Hello her to remind our existence again, she just said ' sit wherever you want' Yes, they only had one or two tables of customers. So we sat in one then noticed the table was sticky, ramen noodle from last customers stuck to the table side. Ok, so we switched to another table ourselves . We waited for over 10 minutes to get water even there's no else customer in the restaurant needed to be served at that time. She never offers to add water. Even when we wanted to ask for more napkins we couldn't even get a chance, because for over 15 minutes she's not even present in the room. However, later on there's another group of people maybe 3 or 4, when they walked in they were seated by a guy servant who may look like the manager or something . Surprisingly she immediately cleaned up the table , brought out the water, welcomed them and take their orders. I can't think of any reason to be treated differently besides maybe because we weren't taken in by the manager, or maybe she just didn't like us from the first glance. Maybe when the restaurant is doing the training, they can actually emphasize a little bit more like , not treating customers differently based on your personal preference? Terrible attitude, terrible service, terrible experience.
6 months ago
Business owner information
Beatriz M.
Thank you for the great review! We’re happy to hear you enjoyed the…
2 years ago
I've always gone to the location in Little Tokyo but decided to try this one since it was closer. Food was great, service was great, and felt just like the one in LA. read more
It's a really nice place with an excellent customer service. Everyone is pleasantly nice and will offer suggestions if you're new to their restaurant. I've had tried different ramen places and so far this is a great spot to eat at. The food was exquisite with amount full of flavor. As a first time experience at this Ramen place, it really hits the spot. Also a very pleasant space for kids, brought my younger sisters here and they seem to enjoyed their experience here. read more
Business owner information
Beatriz M.
Dear Alexis,…
2 years ago
Love this place. Especially since I don't have to drive all the way down to Little Tokyo to get it. El Monte is just a city away, and parking is free! They were celebrating their 22 years in business...I can't believe it's been that long already! I went all out and ordered ramen, chasu pork rice bowl, Iced green tea and a green tea matcha tiramisu! Everything was delish and the server was very attentive and nice. I also like visiting for the decorations. There was soft Japanese songs playing that sounded very dated, but that added to the ambience. Loved it. Come stop by! There's lots of other things on the menu besides ramen. read more
Business owner information
Beatriz M.
Dear Camille R.,…
Always seen this spot in lil Tokyo but never tried it. Saw they had a location nearby in 626 so I gave it a try Decent ramen I got the Daikokuya ramen for $17 and made it the extra rich broth. It was a bit too rich for me so I couldn't finish all the broth. I read somewhere on a review ask them to put the meat on the grill on it and it's pretty good. Not the best I've ever had but not the worst. I would recommended don't get the extra rich broth if you like drinking it after. read more
Business owner information
Beatriz M.
thank you for your kind review of our location! We will be happy to…
Finally a Daikokuya closer to home!!!! Their ramens are so delicious. I had the spicy miso this time. Soooooo gooooddd... The restaurant was very clean. Waiters were nice. Food came out pretty quick. I came on a week night so no long wait. Also tried the crunchy poke salad it was fresh and delicious. Definitely recommend read more
1 year ago
2 years ago
This is our go to Ramen spot. It's close to my house and we love the food. The service is always pretty quick and everyone who has helped us is very nice and helpful with the menu. My favorite item is probably the gyoza. I really love it here! This last time I went, our server asked if we wanted the pork that goes in our ramen grilled first, and *chefs kiss. Game changer! The chicken fried rice is another item we get every time we go. It's sooo delicious. Something new I tried was the spicy tuna roll and I was not a fan. Another item I tried were the shrimp pops, and I would probably get them again. The sauce it came with was so good! read more
Business owner information
Beatriz M.
Dear Cristella G.,…
1 year ago
Friendly staff ,clean place and fast service . Food was good . I do wish how ever there was shrimp fried rice on menu but unfortunately it wasn't again that is a personal preference read more
2 years ago
My Fiancé and I had dinner here last night and had a great experience. There was a little wait, but definitely not crazy for a Friday night, just about 20 minutes. The decor is really fun and similar to the Monterey park location, but this location has so many more seats! They've got bar seats, a community table, booths and regular tables as well. The food is fantastic, and I'm also a massive fan of the original Little Tokyo Daikokuya. The gyoza here always slaps!! We both got the original Daikoku ramen, but I added the new black garlic oil and had my chashu grilled for a little crispiness, and of course we both got the extra kotteri flavor. I know some reviews are mentioning the broth is thinner than the original locations, but I didn't experience that. Also want to shout out Max and Caesar, our waiters for the evening! They were great, knowledgeable, and friendly. It was basically just the two of them for a Friday night rush, and they still made us feel prioritized and welcome. (Side note, be nice to your servers! They were hustling with a very busy restaurant and doing a great job, be kind!) We'd come back again just for the service. Overall we would absolutely come back any time we don't want to bother driving out to Little Tokyo. It's great to have this location close! read more
Business owner information
Beatriz M.
Thank you so much for choosing Daikokuya El Monte for your dinner and…
3 years ago
Business owner information
Beatriz M.
Thank you so much for your kind words, Ritzy! We're glad to hear that…
1 year ago
1 year ago
3 years ago
Very, a small place hidden in El Monte at first outside doesn't seem like much, but when you get inside, it transports you to a different place.food always great i got Daikoku Ramen with black garlic and chilli oil so good flavorful frome the marinted egg to the broth so delicious of of my favorites spots for ramen and its hard to find a place that just focuses on there food.the Pork Belly Bowl soo good with carmilzed onions sauce and rice cooked well.Service is good, but it seems like they take long to come back even when it's slow. And you can see staff hanging out in booths. read more
Business owner information
Beatriz M.
Thank you for your kind review, Ricardo! We're delighted to hear that…
1 year ago
The restaurant was clean and felt very cozy. Food was great! The spicy miso ramen was so delicious, I'm still thinking about it 2 days later. The wait staff was nice and quick to help when needed. Overall, it was a great experience. read more
3 years ago
The interior is super unique, it feels like a ramen stall in Japan with the seating arrangement and decor. We tried the ramen and pork cutlet bowl with salad. Every item was on point and had a good flavor. The pork cutlet especially was good with the crispy breading and better than some other places I've tried so far too. The service here was amazing too. The servers were very attentive and we didn't wait long for more water or the check. They were backed up on orders and they let us know but even then we didn't wait long for the food. read more
Business owner information
Beatriz M.
Thank you for taking the time to share your wonderful experience at…
Daikokuya was a simple, flavorful ramen to fulfill any cravings late at night. Seating was quick. Service was tentative. You pay online at the end of the meal. Parking was in the rear - may be sketchy at night in El Monte. I suggest to be aware of your surrounding walking to/from the entrance. read more
1 year ago
If I'm going to be completely honest, this was probably one of the worst/most mediocre ramen I've ever had. While the servers werent rude, it was difficult to get the servers to come since they couldn't really hear us. I wish there was a button to get their attention and call them over to our table. Often times, we'd have to get up ourselves and go to the front to ask for things-- including paying. I'd understand if it was a busy day, but we were the only people there. The store is pretty cool inside, with cool decorations and a lot of seating. If the food was more decent, it definitely would've been a nice spot to drink and relax with friends-- as their happy hour price for beer is pretty good. I'm hesitant to give this place a complete 1 star because of the prices of the happy menu drink. Seeing how it was the most popular, I ordered a Daikoku ramen combination with a small pork cutlet bowl. My friend ordered the Daikoku ramen combo with chicken karrage bowl. The soup for our ramen was bland, lacking flavor and depth. I think the sour taste of the vinegar/soy overpowered the base, but maybe some might enjoy it. It was disappointing because this combined with the hard and chewy texture of the ramen noodles was a bad combination. It felt like I was eating something that was heated up or rushed.. The chicken karrage was misleading since it was covered in sauce-- making it soggy and not crunchy. Likewise the same for the pork cutlet-- as it was soggy. I think the sauce could have been an amazing addition, but the usual satisfying crunch mixed in with sauce was not there. I don't know if it's because the pork cutlets were reheated, but I mean I guess it was only $23 for the combo for a reason. I don't think it was even worth the $7-8 though. Although the interior is beautifully presented, and there's a lot of potential for this restaurant to be great, the menu and service is lacking. It's really disappointing because it reminds me of a restaurant that was given up on by both the employees and management. read more
Business owner information
Beatriz M.
Hi Janet,…
2 years ago
I came during their lunch special which offered ramen and a choice of appetizers for $18 (spicy miso is additional $1). I got the spicy miso with karage (fried chicken) the food came out fast and the waiter was super nice and delivered us with fast service the ramen was so good and filing I had leftovers. I saved the karage for later and it tasted fresh, it came with lemon and mayo! read more
Business owner information
Beatriz M.
Hi Bonnie,…
9 months ago
Excellent service!! Delicious food!! Ambiance was inviting and they played really good music! Came in tonight for my first time and fell in love with their delicious Ramen! My son recommended this place and it did not disappoint! We were greeted warmly and the servers were very nice and attentive!! We sat at the countertop and we really enjoyed our time here! If I could give 10 stars I would! My ramen was so yummy and perfect for the rainy weather that we are having tonight! Parking was a little challenging because they have a small parking lot but the food and service make it worthwhile to come! Thank you to all the staff! We had a great time and we will return! read more
3 years ago
Friendly service. Nicely air conditioned. Nice decor that made me wonder if this is what a mom and pop restaurant back East. Food: tofu, nuggets! I never had tofu nuggets. They were yummy. My classic Cali roll was good and so was the price point, Oolong tea was yummy. My daughter had the Daikoku Ramen with added koterri flavor. She liked it. I'd come back. read more
Business owner information
Beatriz M.
Thank you for taking the time to leave us a review, Lilly! We're glad…
11 months ago
Business owner information
Beatriz M.
Thank you, Eric, for your kind words about our food, clean booths,…
1 year ago
1 year ago
My bf was craving ramen, so we decided to order from here via Postmates. He got a combo that came with Spicy Miso Ramen and a small Pork Cutlet bowl. He said the ramen tasted good, but I thought it could have used a bit more flavor/spice. I typically can't handle a lot of spice, but I felt like this bowl was mild. As for the pork bowl, it was basically a pork katsu. That's usually something I enjoy with curry, but the pork was so tough that it was not enjoyable to eat. We ended up tossing half of it, which is rare for us to do. read more
3 years ago
Business owner information
Beatriz M.
Thank you for your review, Phillip. We're glad to hear that you found…
1 year ago
4 years ago
I was hesitant as it has lowest stars. Well please just trust other's and ratings. The worst location for this franchise. Please just deal with traffic, parking and wait time, but well worth going to Little Tokyo in LA location. Experience: Party of 2. Only some booths were taken and 3 available (not busy). We got seated by older lady very nice and then she never came back. Our order came out separately. We sat way before a party of 5 however a gentleman helped them and they got the order first, ok cool. We overheard and we all ordered spicy ramen? So why not follow first come first serve protocol? Odd! Okay, let it slide. Then I got my soup and my son didn't get his until way after! Umm not okay. As we wait for one another to begin to eat. No one came to us to say if we were okay, we had to flag down staff and ask for what was needed even the check. Horrible!! Vs. Little Tokyo location the food comes together and almost immediately. The servers will suggest and guide and warn if food is hot. The server comes back to offer water, etc. the entire staff greets you upon entry! Fantastic place in LA, but this location is sad. Thank God it was less than $60 but Don't come here! Go with your gut. Trust Me!!! read more
Business owner information
Takaaki K.
Greetings Ms. Lupe G,…
3 years ago
Daikokuya in El Monte, Ca.. I would like to let you in on my review: 10+!!! Really love the Ramen, brothe,karaage,& the Iced Green tea. Suggested for us to try the charsu grilled & it was excellent that way of being cooked. I highly recommend this location too. Thanks team members for also the excellent service I'll have to go back to re-taste everything just to make sure it was really good...lol Appreciate you guys for a great eating experience. LM read more
Business owner information
Beatriz M.
Thanks Lorraine! We're thrilled you enjoyed your experience with us!…
1 year ago
4 years ago
The daikokuya special ramen was so good! It was delicious. It comes with two pieces of charsiu and an egg. read more
1 year ago
1 year ago
4 years ago
Still one of my favorite ramen places, even to go. This review update is to comment on their to go service. The food was still good when delivered. Ramen is still chewy and delicious. The beef bowl is a wonderful side. The poke isn't good though. read more
3 years ago
10/10 food and service!! My fiancée and I have been coming here for years, and we love it every time. Prices have gone up during the years, its now $17 compared to it being around $13.50 several years back, but honestly still very much worth it. Servers are so helpful and super chill. Its our #1 favorite ramen; broth is delicious, and the noodles are amazing. Pork is always cooked just right too. Recommend to anyone looking for a solid and reliable ramen, we'll be coming back again for sure read more
Business owner information
Beatriz M.
Thank you so much for taking the time to leave us such a wonderful…
More info about Daikokuya - El Monte
9911 Garvey Ave
El Monte, CA 91733
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(626) 542-3285
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http://www.daikoku-ten.com
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Ask the Community - Daikokuya - El Monte
Did they change the recipe? The spicy ramen tastes different than the last time I was here.
Yes, we make periodic recipe improvements and modifications. Our Spicy Miso ramen recipe underwent a slight adjustment approximately two years ago as part of our ongoing efforts to enhance food quality.
This place is listed today as having outdoor seating. Is it still available? If it is, is it covered or heated? How many people can sit there? / April 8, 2023
there is no longer outdoor seating
How is this business handling the re-opening? What safety measures are they taking? Are they offering indoor or outdoor dining or both? Any heaters for outdoor dining?
Is this location (like the Little Tokyo location) cash only?
No, they accept credit cards. That's how I paid when we went there. Hope that helps.
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Daikokuya - El Monte - ramen - Updated July 2026
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