Had dinner here tonight. The shop really is run by one person. So we browsed the Tokyo Central for a bit after ordering. Really, we grabbed drinks that aren't offered at Garlic High...their drink selection is probably limited because they are located in the market. This bowl of ramen is significant. The noodles are so good! Thick-cut, really nice chew, and unevenly cut so you know it's house made. I loved the umami-rich Jiro broth with the garlic. The fresh veg adds a nice crunch, and then there's two very generous slabs of pork chasu. Unctuous, griddled to render the fat...it feels super luxurious. We also had a bowl of tonkotsu which was very good, but so much lighter than the Jiro bowl. We'd be happy to return. read more

Bottom Line Up Front: I really wanted to love Garlic High but ultimately only kinda like it because of flaws that go beyond the food. The Background: Garlic High is a Japanese restaurant located inside the Tokyo Central grocery store, which is a great asset for north Orange County, where few Asian markets exist. So I was pumped when I saw this shop pop up inside. It serves Jiro-style ramen, which is also rare to find in Southern California. The Food: I ordered the original Jiro-style ramen, which is known for its extra thick chewy noodles, garlic-forward flavors, and generous portions. While I enjoyed the texture and chewiness of the thick noodles, I did not enjoy the chewiness of the pork that came with it. Also, I barely tasted any garlic even though I clicked on the Regular Garlic option while ordering (more on this later) -- a shock given the restaurant name. My wife got the Yuzu Gyokai Tsukemen, a cold noodle that you dip into a concentrated pork-and-seafood broth that's balanced out by yuzu (a Japanese citrus). She said it wasn't very memorable, and she was right. Given that we've tried cold noodle dishes in Japan, we were both hoping for something more. There was also a sign offering free kimchi. "Interesting," we said, since kimchi is Korean fermented spicy cabbage. When we received our kimchi, we almost laughed. What we got was a tiny portion of what appeared to be chopped leeks topped with chili sauce. Something was lost in translation maybe? The Setting: As mentioned, Garlic High is located inside Tokyo Central, so parking availability is dependent on the amount of grocery shoppers. Expect difficulty finding parking during peak hours due to the smallish-medium parking lot. The Interior: The ramen shop itself is clean but quite small, with only about 4 tables and a counter. You'll find a touchscreen kiosk at the front to take your order, and basically no humans during your initial interaction. The kiosk is easy to use and understand, so ordering is pretty straightforward. The Service: As mentioned, you'll deal with a touchscreen kiosk first, which is not a completely odd experience given that some ramen shops in Japan have a similar setup. But there it's meant to be for subway commuters looking for a quick bite to eat. But here it's not the most welcoming experience. Fortunately, a human stepped in when our order was ready...but rather than bring it to our table, the server stood behind a counter and passed it to me. In fact, everything else was self-service; napkins, condiments, utensils, even water -- everything I had to get myself. Don't get me wrong, the sole employee (aside from the cook who never left the kitchen) was very friendly. But the setup did give a hands-off vibe. The Price: All of my nitpicking would have been forgiven...had it not been for the cost. When I'm paying $15 to $25 for a single dish, I expect delicious food and excellent customer service. Instead, I got a mid meal and minimal customer service, which is fine for a cheap fast-food joint, but not for these premium prices. The Conclusion: Was I impressed by Garlic High? No. But now that my expectations are low, I am willing to visit again, if only to try the other dishes on its menu read more

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A new ramen place, Garlic High, has opened in the Yorba Linda ramen desert, replacing Ramen Ginza Onodera. Some context: 1. This location is pretty much cursed -- not many ramen shops last long here. For the record, Ramen Ginza Onodera only lasted 5-6 months. (Personal opinion: they brought a pretty mediocre product to the US compared to their Harajuku operation -- look at the duck broth and other fusion dishes there. To be fair, those aren't the kind of ramen you'd find in a supermarket corner.) 2. Yorba Linda has zero specialized ramen shops -- hence the "desert." With Ramen Akimoto's departure to Fountain Valley, that gap got even bigger... until Garlic High. A bit of digging suggests Garlic High is expanding -- they opened a Sunnyvale location in December 2025, with the Yorba Linda store following only 5 months later. On to the review. I ordered the standard Jiro-style ramen, everything standard. Raw take: 1. Despite their warning that the small portion is larger than at other ramen shops, the standard order (modifications cost extra) doesn't come with the intimidating mountain of bean sprouts you'd expect if you're familiar with the style. 2. No soft-boiled egg -- raw egg only on the menu. Overall, I think this is a great addition to Yorba Linda. Jiro-style is polarizing: people who love it love it a lot; everyone else complains it's too fatty or too salty. Garlic High is less aggressive on both fronts, and they serve the tare on the side if you want it stronger. For other Jiro-style fans in LA: check out Tsujita Annex (which serves a Jiro-style ramen inspired by Ramen Bario -- note that Tsujita and Bario are separate companies in Japan with different noodles) and Umenoya. Sadly Ramen Akimoto is no longer around, and even before the move they had stopped serving Jiro-style on Mondays. As a ramen enthusiast, I'd love to see Garlic High break the curse and stick around. read more

Came here 1.5 hours before close and there were 2 parties eating and 2 parties ordered and waiting for their food. The price is $15.50 range and varies based on size. The food itself was good but one thing that was off was that the dipping ramen was heated up in the microwave... so made me question it because they have that at the food court where I can microwave the food in the common area and eat. So for a restaurant, expected better. Aside from the food, only one person was working. She had to prep everyone's order alone and clean up. She was running behind schedule but very polite and hard working. There should have been another person working forsure. There was someone there but just left her run the place. Maybe he had an early shift but overall experience was nothing special. This place is inside Tokyo Central. read more

Garlic High - Ramen Near Me - Yorba Linda, California

Located inside Tokyo Central Yorba Linda (to the right as you enter the store). We ordered from a kiosk, but the cook was there answering questions and helping us. The food was very fresh and yummy. Ambiance is clean and informal with several tables. Drinks are canned or bottled. Water station easily accessible. The service was friendly. read more

Garlic High - Tonkotsu Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Yorba Linda, California

Ramen for lunch says the wife, so I took the dog with me to Tokyo Central to visit Garlic High. I walked up to the register, and the counter girl motioned for me to use the kiosk to order. I didn't notice the kiosk because it looked an ordinary sign on a yellow board. But I was wrong, that's where the adventure begins! She asked if I had any questions - Do you have gyoza? No, was the reply. I am not certain but I don't think they have the sides that one might expect. I noticed before that there wasn't a website for this store. I got two medium ramens, one a Mala Chili and the other was an Original Ramen. Through the kiosk I selected: regular vegetables, regular garlic, regular umami fat, and Chives Kimchi for both. A five minute wait she said. Wow! I think the previous ramen shop had a 20 minute preparation wait...I went into Tokyo Central to buy California Roll because I like California Roll. Drove home, heated the soup broth in the microwave and we ate...My Mandarin wife said the noodles are like Chinese noodles; and I never had ramen with raw garlic. I said that is because of the shop's name - Garlic High. I need to say that my Mala Chili ramen was delicious, the level of spice (for flavor) was spot on. The chili flavor was hot but not too spicy. Both ramens had huge pieces of tender pork! The noodles were tender but chewy, and I didn't have the feeling afterwards that I consumed a lot of salt (from the broth). Very good lunch today!!! read more

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Delicious!! Inside Tokyo Central. This boutique ramen store is great. Service is good. A bit of hole in the wall. The garlic ramen makes up for the ambiance. read more

This casual ramen spot is located inside Tokyo Central. The noodles themselves are super thick with great texture. Soup itself was very garlicky and flavorful, a little on the salty side for me. Also generous with the chashu pork, which was huge! I got the tomato style ramen (which came with a marinara like tomato sauce to put on the ramen) which was unique to me as I've never had this before. Overall it was a blast of flavor :) read more

Garlic High - Ramen Near Me - Yorba Linda, California

We chose Original Ramen and Original Mazesoba, and taste were really good! If you miss the taste of Japan, especially Jiro-style Ramen, you should come here. You can choose variety of option. But be careful too much garlic lol (You can choose no garlic menu.) read more

Garlic High - Ramen Near Me - Yorba Linda, California

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Very unexpected in a good way- finding delicious ramen in a supermarket food court. Admittedly this was our first time trying Jiro-style ramen, but as Kevin W eloquently stated you either love it or hate it. In our case- we loved the extra chewy noodles, thick pork broth, quail eggs (?!!), pop of garlic and nicely charred chashu. The small portion was generous for the price too. Friendly owner and service- really hoping Garlic High lasts because they serve a stand out product in YL. read more

Garlic High - Ramen Near Me - Yorba Linda, California

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Delicious. I've tried the one in Sunnyvale and was pleasantly surprised they have one in Yorba Linda. Rich umami flavors, and very filling. There were certain things they didn't have, but I hope they continue to improve. I'll definitely be back when I'm craving something hearty and garlicky. read more

surprisingly one of the best ramen. unassuming corner in tokyo central, i had no expectations but it felt like i was back in japan. people serving the food were awesome and kind as well. great place, amazing food, huge portions also. read more

Garlic High - Jiro Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Yorba Linda, California

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Very good, reminded me of ramen jirou from Tokyo. Will be back to try other items from the menu read more

Garlic High - Small original ramens: before - Ramen Near Me - Yorba Linda, California

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The noodles were a little different from typical ramen, but they had a great chewy texture and soaked up the soup perfectly. Every bite was incredibly satisfying. The chashu pork was especially amazing unbelievably tender and full of flavor. The service was also excellent and made the whole experience even better. The location inside Tokyo Central is also super convenient because parking is easy, and you can even do some shopping before or after your meal. This is definitely one of those addictive flavors that keeps you thinking about it afterward. I'll absolutely be coming back again! read more