Have you ever had what feels like the longest week ever, and then you realize it's only Tuesday? That happened to me today. Also today I realized how proud I am of my 18 year old daughter who is becoming a remarkable woman right in front of me. I needed comfort... but I also needed to celebrate my girl. Needless to say, the kid & I wound up at King of Ramen. We started off with the crispy pumpkin, which is a glorious mix of textures: delicate and crunchy and smooth all at the same time. It's sweet and savory. The contrast in texture and flavor started to cheer me up as soon as I took a bite. I could feel myself relaxing and I gave myself the space to enjoy a conversation with the kid as we shared our appetizer. I've had food from here enough to know that the ramen portions are humongous, though, so I restrained myself from completely wolfing the pumpkin down. We both ordered the Tonkotsu Ramen with extra egg (there are so many optional add-on's if you want.) the broth is soooo comforting I felt like my mom was giving me a hug. The meat is so tender and flavorful. The ramen perfectly slurpable and the exact perfect level of chewy to take me to a whole new level of happiness. I usually order the King (or Spicy King) Ramen, which is also delicious, but a little more complex. Today I wanted - and got - a solidly delicious, umami-filled bowl of exactly what I needed. There aren't many seats (and there is plenty of parking!) but even when there are other patrons it never gets loud. The folks who work here are so generous - not only with their portions, but also their time. I knew that they closed at 8pm and asked our server to let us know when it's time for us to leave. She didn't, and they stayed open until 8:30 for just us. You might not have a kid, you might not be burned-out from work on a Tuesday, but if you want to smile with every bite, I really hope you stop by this joint. Pasadena has so many wonderful restaurants, and this if one of them. It's not fancy. It's not expensive. It's perfect if you want to feel better leaving than you did when you walked in. At least that's my experience. read more

Ginjo Ramen - Tonkotsu Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Pasadena, California

When I pick up my wife from I told my wife let's have ramen then she say where,I told her in Pasadena the shopping center where the Smokehouse Social BBC and Lupitas and Plate 38. I told here the ramen restaurant called King of Ramen I told her they good reviews including Yelp. We found parking in the shopping despite it get busy on a Friday night and a full moon that bring anyone for nice bowl of hot delicious ramen to keep nice warm. We step in the restaurant,we're greet by the owner/hostess of the restaurant she was very nice and told us we can sit anywhere in the restaurant. Then she can to table where we at hand us the appetizers and the ramen menu and we thank her. We looking at menu and what ramen dish rhay we prefer the best from the menu. The both of us decided to order the Tonkotsu with rich and creamy pork bone broth that cook for hours to bring the flavor of broth instantly. We also a order a side of sweet potato tempura it's our first time trying sweet potato tempura. The restaurant have a unique touch of interior look that bring a piece of a ramen house in Japan. She brought us the Tonkotsu Ramen it looks so good I took a sip of the pork broth it was very impressive flavor light and clean taste of the pork bone flavor. The meat was very tender and full of flavor and cook for hours and the meat fall apart. The ramen noodle were cook perfect and adding the pork bone broth make this Tonkotsu dish earthy and full of flavor. The soft boiled egg and ginger add more flavor in the broth and bring the ramen noodles and pork in one unique dish. The sweet potato tempura were very crispy and light and nice sweet taste of rhe sweet potato. We enjoy the Tonkotsu Ramen and the sweet potato tempura at King Ramen also thank the chef and his staff for the Tonkotsu Ramen and also thank to the owner/hostess for the piece of a pastry. read more

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Like the name suggest they are the king of ramen. The tonkotsu ramen was delicious and super satisfying. The egg was perfectly creamy and soft. The pork was a bit too chewy but it was made up by the noodles and broth. Limited interior seating and no washroom, the staff are very friendly. read more

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I tried this place to change things up but that was a mistake. Chinese owed ramen shop but being Chinese doesn't automatically make it bad. One of my all time favorite ramen from Nagoya is a Chinese spot. I do enjoy a good niu ro main or Lanzhou noodle but this spot did not do it for me. Ramen was watery no real taste or depth of flavor. i got the king ramen which was suppose to be miso and tonkotsu but instant was better. saw the boxes of noodles came from myojo but they over cooked the noodles. Honestly the stuff you can get at an Asian supermarket from myojo is better. Chashu was charred but has a butane taste to it. In Pasadena to tosakko and tatsunoya are better options. This place was a one and done for me. read more

Got 2 spicy king ramens with extra noodles as takeout and it came out pretty quickly. The soup is given separately and extra noodles were hot. Travels well so no complaints there. As for the ramen itself. It has a nice chew and bouncy texture. I believe ramen is made with baking soda and it feels more noticeably in flavor than I'm typically used to. It could be due to the broth feeling a little lighter than some of the richer tonkotsu style ramens out there so it doesn't overwhelm the noodles as much. The broth is still rich and the fats coat the mouth in a satisfying way but it feels a little lighter to me. The cuts of chashu are thinner and leaner as well which is honestly a welcome change to what I'm used to. The spice is also higher than what I'd commonly see in Japanese cuisine which I also appreciate. Lady who put in my order gave me some water as I waited and the place itself looks cute. read more

This place has the best ramen in Pasadena if not most of Los Angeles. The only place in town to serve cold ramen too :) Honored to be the first to have tried their cold ramen. It was so delicious They also have a great selection of vegan and veggie options compared to other spots. Even have Kale noodles available for those who love plant based food. Can't stress enough how great this place is. Much love and appreciation for what this family is putting together out here in my neighborhood :) read more

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Ramen is always delicious here. They now also have cold ramen, which is refreshing and tasty. I've been eating here for many years, and the food has always been consistently excellent. My favorite is the Spicy King -- rich, flavorful, and always satisfying. Highly recommend! read more

Ginjo Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Pasadena, California

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Delicious and affordable dining with free parking in the lot in front. The decor feels like a Japanese home style restaurant with about 7 tables for dine in. They have take away and party trays available too. My favorite is the King Ramen with tonkatsu and miso broth. They specialize in tonkatsu broth that they actually make in-house, slowly cooking the pork bone for ten hours to get the rich umami flavor. I like my broth hotter in temperature so I ordered it hotter, and it was perfectly piping hot! The portion is big too. Definitely will come back. Hidden neighborhood gem. Friendly service. Support small local business! read more

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This place is amazing! The food was delicious and the service was fast and very friendly. We ordered the King Ramen and it was incredibly tasty. Definitely coming back again! read more

Ginjo Ramen - Delicious!!! - Ramen Near Me - Pasadena, California

Not Equal Hospitality service. Food is Great The chef puts effort into his craft. the Lady didn't know what scallion was I had to stand to get water which I didn't mind her focus was more with the white folks nothing against but made me feel less. read more

Located in a plaza that sometimes may not have parking. You can do street parking! It's a small shop but never seems too busy ehen i go. I love the interior decoration. Service is quick and polite. Ramen is pretty good! I have had their spicy tonkatsu ramen and regular tonkatsu ramen and both are delicious with generous portions. The chashu is also very tender and super flavorful. Edamame portions are also pretty big but I wish it was salted more evenly. I'd love to try their curry next! I'd say they are a very reliable ramen shop that hits the spot when you're getting ~cravings~ read more

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This a small family shop with a simple, easy-to-read menu and reasonable prices. Parking can be tricky due to the small full lot, but you can park at the Vons across the street and walk over. I had the tonkatsu ramen and the karaage, the ramen soup was good. read more

Ginjo Ramen - To King Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Pasadena, California

This is one of our family's go-to spots. The ramen is yummy, especially the Tonkotsu. The staff are friendly and helpful, and the service is fast. Definitely recommend it for either dine-in or takeout. read more

I was feeling a bit under the weather so I wanted comfort food. My first instinct was to go with ramen, but I didn't want anything fancy or wait in some long line and wait to be seated. I wanted ramen NOW! I found King of Ramen to be exactly what I was looking for; close to home, quick, and good! They're located in a strip mall with a small parking lot. Luckily I got the last spot, but it would've been a hassle if I had to circle for parking. When I walked in the store, my first instinct was "whoa it's bright in here". I really don't like fluorescent lighting at restaurants, as it takes the "coziness" out. But hey, I was only there for a quick meal so I tried not to let it bother me. I got the ramen that they were known for: the King of Ramen that is supposedly an umami of Tonkotsu and miso. I gotta say, that first sip was really good! The chashu was slightly over cooked in my opinion where the edges were browned, but I actually preferred it as I'm not a fan of the softer chashu. The egg was spot on! The yolk was soft and runny, and had been marinating in the umami for a while. It was certainly a great bowl of ramen that hit my comfort spot. A good, easy spot to come to when you need a fast, delicious ramen meal. Probably not the greatest date spot due to lack of ambiance, but maybe good after a 6th or 7th date :) read more

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I normally don't like ramen but King of Ramen Pasadena is one of the few places I've enjoyed for ramen! It is not traditional Japanese ramen; The business is Chinese owned so some of their dishes are a blend between ramen and Chinese flavors like the Dan Dan Ramen Noodles for example. The meat and sauce for the Dan Dan Ramen Noodles are very Chinese inspired while the ramen and broth add an interesting perspective. Parking is not always easy in that shared lot and the menu is a little salty like some others have said, but this is still my favorite ramen place in Pasadena probably! read more

Really good solid bowl of ramen in a casual neighborhood place with a huge plus: Parking! We both had versions of the tonkatsu ramen and it was delicious- rich, not overly salted, toothsome noodles, and my favorite was the thin slices of tender pork with a slight char on it. That added Such good flavor. Ask for the homemade chili oil on the side/ its fantastic! Can't wait to tru some of their other offerings. read more

Ginjo Ramen - Ramen! - Ramen Near Me - Pasadena, California

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Satisfactory food, friendly service, plenty of parking outside. Overall, a great restaurant I would be happy to return to. My only gripe of course are the hard wooden seats (I guess they're a non-issue if you get your food to go). read more

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Great family owned, small shop. Service was super nice and friendly, and fast. We started with the Karaage and Fried Tofu, which were both fried to perfection, not oily or greasy, but great bite, and texture, with very tasty seasoning on both. and great price, it was either 5.99 or 6.99 but it was a portion to share for two people My wife got the Tonkatsu Ramen, it was a great size for like 13.50, great both, perfect soft soiled egg. The char sui could have been more tender, but it was satisfactory. I also think the noodles are good, but it also preference, i prefer a thicker noodle, but they were good enogh I got the spicy king of Ramen, again great size, broth was nice and spicy, but no over powering. The content of the ramen was pretty much the same as by the Tonkatsu, but the king of Ramen bowl is a mix of tonkatsu and Miso, in the broth. I would definitely go back, for a quick bite, its definitely most fast, homemade, the inside is very plain, not too much seating, wooden tables and benches, and the lighting is like hospital lighting, so no date nights here, but food wise, great choice. Dragon egg approved! read more

Healthy & savory soups. Their ramen soup is derived from bone broth which is a rarity currently in most ramen restaurants. Nice staff & reasonable prices! read more

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Just finished my lunch from King of Ramen and here is my review. It was my first time eating at this establishment. My motivation for trying it was largely the excellent reviews provided by past patrons. I ordered the Ramen King Miso and the hot ramen soup as well as the pumpkin tempura and the seaweed salad. Everything was really delicious and I will definitely be returning again soon to try other menu items. Three other observations. 1. Owner very kind and welcoming. 2. The chili oil/sauce is bomb! Owners gave us sample and emphasized it was entirely vegetarian. They sell by the jar for $10. Will pick up for sure next visit! 3. Broth was more salty than it needed to be. I know it's hard to judge seasoning when doing food on restaurant scale, especially broths and sauces. That said I would rather have a broth under salted than too much. I can always add but cannot subtract. This observation is done in kindness and because your food is otherwise really flavorful and I would hate to lose that balance because of over seasoning. 4. Support Mom and Pop owned restaurants. This practice is a central part of any " good neighborhood" sensibility and an act of kindness. read more

This place is a hidden gem, the pricing, the portions, the flavors. It's great for what it is. I haven't seen these kinds prices in a very long time. Its pretty easy to assume that a bowl of noodles would set me back 18-20, but 13.50? Thats a great price seeing how prices have gone up almost everywhere in LA. The yelp prices are incorrect by the way. I'll put up some pictures of the menu. The price ranges from 12-16 for noodles or rice, as for the sides it ranges from 4-6 and the portions of the sides are pretty decent as well. Didnt expect those portions for the price especially the karage and fried tofu. Tofu is extremely fried well done and crispy (sauce for flavor) and the karage has a light crisp and juicy tender meat. The staff are nice and helpful as well. Highly recommend trying. read more

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amazing flavor and customer service was on point! The number 4 is the best! nicest people!

Solid spot. Not the best ramen but it's pretty good! I ordered the spicy tonkatsu (mild) and kaarage chicken. The soup was good, there was a large portion of noodles, and the chashu was crispy. The kaarage was moist! I tried my sister's king ramen though and the broth was sooo salty. There's a parking lot so easy parking! read more

Ginjo Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Pasadena, California

Delicious spicy tonkatsu ramen. Great staff! Reasonable pricing and fast service! We really enjoyed the fried pumpkin and karaage with sweet mayo house dipping sauce. Definitely coming back soon! read more

Ginjo Ramen - Spicy Tonkotsu Ramen and Fried Pumpkin yummy goodfulness! - Ramen Near Me - Pasadena, California

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Huge fan of King of Ramen! It's a very casual restaurant, but it's food quality and service was amazing! For appetizers you must try the KARAAGE, FRIED TOFU, and the CRISPY PUMPKIN. For the main dishes loved the CURRY or RAMEN options! You absolutely must try their hot sauce! ENJOY! PS: Parking lot is kind of small. :0) read more

KR is my family's local spot for ramen. It's a cute family owned ramen shop nestled inside a shopping center on the corner of Colorado and Sierra Madre. The service is great! They are very kind and attentive. I like my ramen spicy, so I switch between the Spicy King Ramen and the Spicy Tonkotsu. The king ramen has a creamy broth, with a mixture of tonkotsu, miso, and umami. The broth is amazing and the noodles are just the right texture---topped with a split egg, green onions, ginger, & chasu. read more

Putrid food and lacking service. Edamame that was so overcooked it was crunchy. The spring rolls were absolutely miserable sad pre frozen inedible slime filled slop. Now the Ramen, just setting it in front of us you could smell the putrid old pork. Like rotted pig filth. We asked politely if the broth and meat were fresh and were met with immediate resistance. We tried one sip of broth and nearly gagged. The still insisted we pay for at least one ramen despite having barely touched it. Truly a shocking experience for such a highly rated place. read more

Ordered the vegetable ramen, vegetable curry ramen, fried tofu, spring rolls, and ramune of course. The vegetable ramen was great (not ramenhood level, but good). What was surprisingly delicious was the fried tofu. Service was quick and extremely friendly. All the food came out piping hot. read more

We came here while visiting from out of town and so glad we found this family owned restaurant. We were seated quickly and picked from a relatively simple menu that still had plenty of options that we liked. (It was a nice contrast to those corny trendy new places with menus that are straight up overbearing). Food came out fast and was delicious. If we lived here we'd be here often. Highly recommended. read more

The ramen is great and I often go there for their teriyaki chicken or minced pork! The staff in friendly, their prices are affordable, they do not skimp on meat, and they use high quality ingredients! read more

Sadly, I was not impressed by the food. I buy easy to cook ramen from Asian Groceries and this tastes exactly like those. I was hoping that it would have tasted better than store bought easy to cook ramen, after all I did spend time going to their place hoping to be wowed. Besides, their name says "King of..." and yet it feels like this is the food being served to the servants of whoever that King is. Service was quick, which made me wonder more if this was indeed the easy to cook variety. I wouldn't have minded waiting a bit more if only they could serve me something better. It was a bit quiet since there was only one other customer when I came in. It was still within lunch hours (around 1ish in the afternoon) thus my expectation was that there would have been more people. I guess that the food spoke of the reason why there were hardly any other patron. The only ither noise came from the crew who took their lunch at one of the empty tables. I really wish they were better, and their food too. After all, this is a review of food places. read more

Ginjo Ramen - Spicy King Ramen with Ground Pork - Ramen Near Me - Pasadena, California

We ordered from King of Ramen many times and every time we've had great food and friendly service, highly recommend it.

Just tried this place for the first time today and oh my god what a hidden gem this place is! I'm vegetarian and got the vegetable ramen and it was SO GOOD. I've never had a veggie ramen so flavorful before. It was delightfully loaded with fried garlic, fried onion, ginger, corn, and even some sliced tomato. Absolutely delicious!!! My fiancé got the spicy tonkotsu ramen and he loved his as well. As sides we got edamame and fried tofu. OMG the fried tofu was incredible! The service was speedy and the waitress was very friendly and attentive. Can't wait to eat here again. Don't sleep on this place, it might just be your new favorite spot as it is mine! read more

I tried this place a few months ago but haven't gotten around to writing a review until now. This shop is located in an unassuming strip mall, and is very quaint inside with minimal seating. It's very clean and inviting and the owners are welcoming! Because it's been some time since I was here, I can't remember the exact name of the ramen I got, but I believe it was the King Ramen with tonkotsu broth and pork on top. It was perfect - just the right amount of deep, savory, rich flavor in the soup and the pork slices were a nice addition. I had wanted to try the wavy noodles but forgot to ask, so I'll do that next time. However, the thin noodles I got were still great. The portion size is very generous and filling. We asked for some chili oil on the side and the very kind owner gave us a container of some of the best chili paste/oil I've ever had. She told us she makes it herself, and you can definitely taste the love in it. I really appreciated the cozy laidback vibe in the shop itself, as well as the kindness of the owners. I look forward to returning once the summer heat lets up and I can enjoy a nice hearty bowl of ramen again. read more

Ginjo Ramen - Tonkotsu Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Pasadena, California

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I'm so glad there is yummy, no frills ramen place nearby! I've tried ramen at a lot of trendy, popular places who's flavor and quality went down, so finding King of Ramen just a few minutes from my house was a god-send! We went on a rainy Saturday afternoon (today), were seated and served in under 5 minutes! They have a simple menu, easy enough not to over complicate this yummy comfort food. I had the spicy tonkotsu (add fried garlic for a dollar extra, you'll thank me!) The broth wasn't too over powering and gamey like most places, and the amount of spice was perfect for me! I did notice that they do not have a condiment bar for those who prefer it spicier. I finished my bowl of ramen, which I don't think I've ever done anywhere else! You've got a returning customer with me! read more

I walked it and was immediately welcomed and offered a table. My server was pleasantly friendly and I was glad I made the choice to come in. I ordered the fried tofu with just salt on it, seaweed salad and rice. I added crispy garlic and asked for house chili . Everything was perfect and I had to literally fight myself not to order more food to go for later. I REALLY want the fried pumpkin next time I come in. Hands down the best fried tofu I've eaten. The house chili is perfection.10 out of 10 recommend :) read more

Ginjo Ramen - Fried Tofu , rice, seaweed salad - Ramen Near Me - Pasadena, California

Was looking for curry ramen and asked in the SGV Eats Facebook page, and this place came up in conversation. I headed down there the same day and ordered it. Place had a cool Japanese vibe to it. My dish came with a small cup of miso soup, which I could care less about since it's not my favorite soup, but their broth was amazing! It tasted nothing like all the others I've had! Then when the curry ramen came the familiar smell of comforting curry hit my nose and I devoured it. There were a lot of potatoes! That plus the ramen noodles filled me up! I didn't eat a thing the rest of the day! When the lady came to take my plate, I commended them in their soup. She was happy to hear of my extreme satisfaction. I said I would be back to try the minced pork ramen next! read more

Ginjo Ramen - Curry ramen - Ramen Near Me - Pasadena, California

Not even worthy of 1 star! It's November 2023 and using flimsy paper plates, paper cups, plastic cups, and disposable chopsticks for DINE IN experience is NOT acceptable. Expect ALL appetizers to be served in paper plates and side soup bowls in paper bowls. First the cabbage salad is filled over the top of the paper plate with 2 drops of dressing. I had to ask for a real bowl to mix the salad to avoid making a huge mess on the table and the server brought over 1 small bowl. As you can see from the picture, they use the dirty outer layer of the cabbage. Makes me even wonder if they wash the cabbage! Gyoza - was not even fried crispy. Pumpkin tempura was the only edible item, but even then it was thinly sliced. The Tan Tan noodle was at least served in a real bowl but with a side soup in paper bowl and not even with decent disposable chopsticks. As for the taste, it's sweet and lacking in flavors. Overall, definitely first and very last time ever dining here! read more

Ginjo Ramen - Tan Tan Noodle, Cabbage Salad, Pumpkin Tempura, Gyoza - Ramen Near Me - Pasadena, California

Located in a small strip mall, we enjoyed a good bowl of ramen and a teriyaki chicken plate. The service was attentive and friendly, the portions good size, and the prices are lower than other ramen restaurants that we've tried. read more

I love coming here for the ramen , best ramen I say. Ambience ok . Service was bad today I was intended to take to go but ended up eating here . Once I came in I went to counter ended up ordering a gyoza . Sat down I ask to order a side of miso . Right away she said u gotta pay saying more money I told yes I know that's fine . Once she came back I ask for water . Once I was ready to go I ask for a container I felt that I bothered her she look at me like what can I have a container please she gave me a small one told her not gonna fit she shrud her shoulders then of course it didn't fit went back can I have another one pls she look upset literally followed me to see if I was lying then brought the other one very upset . I love the food her but costumer service is very important to me so I won't be coming back I felt very uncomfortable and that I kept bothering her i was not a good feeling read more