My first time at GONZO, and I absolutely loved it! The food was delicious, the service was…read moreexcellent, and the atmosphere was wonderful. Everything about my experience was enjoyable, and I had such a great time. I'll definitely be returning, and I highly recommend GONZO to anyone looking for a great place to eat. Can't wait to go back!

Gonzo is our goto favorite place each year when we visit Carlsbad. We love the retro 80s and 90s…read moreJapanese posters of multiple ads, anime posters like Captajn Tsubasa or Conan's future world. Their menu us straight forward and simple, you go up order what you want and get a number and wait for food to show up. We always order back garlic tonkotsu ramen. Flavor profile is great deep thick pork bone broth with black garlic oil infused in. Their small fried snack items like chicken karage is good, tasty, on point. They do also sell all kind of snacks with the restaurant as well as having a separate place for the claw machines for prices!! The restaurant itself is not big, lots of 2 and 4 tops with one big booth in the corner for larger group of guests. This is our must go places annually and love that their broth is not as greasy as other we had tried in Goleta or Las Vegas ramen shop. A definite 5 star place

I was expecting more Americanized experience because this is a ramen place located in well to do…read morewhite neighborhood. To my surprise, ramen was quite authentically Japanese. It was like what I would experience when I am in Japan. I tried the nagoya and my wife got black tonkotsu. I was extremely happy with how both tasted. Sushi was unsurprising. It was exactly what I expected. But the people sitting beside me got ceviche and that looked delicious. I guess I will try that next time. Full disclosure. I think I rated the one in downtown wrong. I tried their thin broth ramen many years ago and I was not convinced. But if one in carlsbad is this good, maybe I just ordered wrong when I went to the one in downtown.

I really enjoyed this Ramen spot. The spicy garlic edamame was delicious. I got the vegan ramen and…read morethe broth was good as well as the ingredients. A little feedback on this ramen is it's described as having broccolini and it came with regular broccoli, not a huge deal but they should fix the description. My freind has the black garlic ramen and the broth was really tasty as well. They serve Saki in a cool glass that keeps it chilled. The interior was well designed and clean! They have a big bar top with chairs as well as table seating and an outdoor patio. The staff were friendly and helpful.

We came in for a late dinner while in the area. I've had it bookmarked for a while so it was…read moreserendipitous that we happened to be in Vista for a birthday party just around the corner. The restaurant is small, cozy, welcoming and aesthetically pleasing. It isn't well suited for larger parties as most tables are tables for 2 unless tables are pushed together. They do have patio seating and heaters outside, but it didn't appeal to me being so close to the street/loud traffic. Gabriel checked us in, seated us, took our order, served our food and waited on us for majority of our visit, I would give him 10 stars just on his impeccable service. The food though? The food was AMAZING!! Everything we ordered was the best we have ever had anywhere. The buns were very kawaii (and we ordered ever single one to try). The fillings were savory, but we also loved their seasonal panda bun with ube filling while the kids preferred the nutella bunny. Best chicken karaage we've had by far, the coating almost tasted like it was rolled in kinako powder. The ramen broth was "chef's kiss" with so much flavors, the crab rangoon were jumbo and the filling was delicious, but the chicken katsu was also the best we have had anywhere (including Hawaii). The breading was just top tier crunchy while the chicken was thick and juicy. There isn't one bad thing I could say about this place, from the service to the food, I would make the drive out here again. Super duper, highly recommend, don't sleep on this little place, you'll regret it!

Okay, I found out Harumama Ramen + Sushi was in my neighborhood so I had to check it out. I wanted…read moreto see if it's the same as another one I've been to about 20 minutes away. Since I'm a lover of information, I looked up "Harumama". It's a combination of two words: the Korean word haru, which means "day," and "mama". Together, it translates to "mom's daily food". The name reflects the restaurant's mission to serve dishes prepared with the same love, care, and attention that a mother gives to her family's everyday meals. How lovely is that?! Anyhow, I was able to find street parking and walked into a clean dining space with a nice atmosphere. It wasn't too busy. Again, the staff was very attentive and provided stellar service. My food came out pretty fast. I loooved how my Drunken Noodles had the right amount of chicken and peanuts. Overall, another fun flavorful time. I'm still a Harumama fan. I can't wait to try more dishes. I highly recommend this location to the Yelp Community!!

They have good ramen. The soup was balanced / flavorful, and not super rich or salty. Noodles are…read morelegit. Chashu was tender. Great portion, I'm a heavy eater and I'm full. Takoyaki came out hot and steaming. Very attentive and nice service. Will come back.

Yelp! review #15 of 2026 Visit on 16 March…read more Dropped in around 7pm with a party of 9, including several meat eaters and one vegan friend. The place wasn't too busy but had decent reviews, so we decided to give it a try (for the win!). They were able to accommodate our large group with seating, which was really appreciated. Once we sat down and placed our orders, things initially seemed fine. But then the service slipped. When I asked for water, they only brought out three cups, just for the kids. We had to ask multiple times before my wife and I finally got ours. Most of the food arrived, but my eldest daughter's meal was completely missing. After we inquired, it took another 15 minutes for it to come out. It really felt like they had forgotten half our order. The fried rice and broth arrived even later. On the positive side, the food tasted fresh and was genuinely good overall. What really stood out negatively, though, was the staff's response every time we said "thank you." Instead of "you're welcome" or "no problem," it was always just "Yep!" It came across as dismissive and disrespectful. While the food was solid, the service and basic human interaction need real improvement. If I'm ever back in the area, I'll probably look for other options.

the food was amazing!! the service was also on point . we tried a variety of different things from…read morethe menu - tuna crispy rice - california roll -philadephia roll -crispy chickie ramen - passion fruit & lychee crafted soda we really enjoyed them all will be back soon, also they have a great playlist

Tasty food, excellent service, Thank you Kenneth for recommendations and great customer service!read more

I wholeheartedly agree with a lot of the yelpers on here. I got to take the team out for a great…read morelunch here today. It was absolutely amazing. For $25 you get a starter (think edamame, marinated cucumbers, dumplings, etc.), a choice of Chicken, Pork or Beef, and a soft drink. It also includes all the dipping sauces, broth, rice and vegetables. Everyone loved that you could customize it to their own liking and it was just a fun experience cooking together with everyone. Definitely will come back and it was an awesome value at only $25 a person.

I want to start by saying that I very much enjoyed eating at Tabu Shabu. It's very fair to state…read morethat my three star experience is mostly my own doing more so than the restaurant itself. Our server was fantastic, the setup clean, and the menu was fairly easy to navigate. Where it fell apart for me all came after that. This is not my style of cooking. So many places I've been to, where you cook your own food on a grill or hot plate at your table, you're mainly dealing with thin cuts of meat, salt and pepper, and possibly a dipping sauce. This makes the cooking simple, a quick sear, a light crust on the beef or pork, and the finished product is basic and delicious. Shabu, though ... it's boiled meat. That's not to say that Tabu Shabu isn't good, but unless you're really adept at making soups, it's easy to be completely out of your element. And I can safely say I was a bit over my head at this restaurant. You start with your broth, where I am ashamed to admit that instead of opting for the Tonkostu with its deep and rich fatty flavor, I chose the basic umami of the White Miso. Because of that, I spent most of my meal mistakenly chasing flavors I would normally find in a Ramen Shop. They give you a plate of chopped herbs to add and some basic instructions ... I like garlic, so I added the whole thing, radish sound alright, so add in the whole ball, what was the last thing I put in? They give you a few squeeze bottles of oils with paper labels ... this one makes it more sour, this one makes it more spicy, this one has sesame, and I'm too timid to add enough of any to truly add to the flavor of the broth, so it just keeps that basic umami flavor without being as salty as it should be. Then you have a plate of vegetables to steep in your creation. Cabbage, broccoli, spinach, bok choy, tofu ... all of it serves as a way of soaking up that broth you've made. Other options, like the carrots, mushrooms, and squash, become sweet and tender after taking their turns in the pot. And they're nice as they offer a different flavor other than that umami. And then there's the meat. A wide variety of options ranging from salmon, to chicken, to pork, all the way down to multiple versions of beef. But, all of the meats we ordered seem to differ only in texture after spending some time in that broth. Some fell apart on the tongue, some still had a nice chew, but all shared that umami from the pot, with an aftertaste of beefy flavor before swallowing. After a few initial pieces, I found myself thankful for the dipping sauces to distract me from how boring I had made my broth to be. You also get a choice of rice, which I don't think you really need. You get a choice of noodles, which they give you a good amount where it doesn't fill you up with carbs. And anything left over is readily bagged up to eat at home after the flavors mix together and mature. In the end, it's a very filling and fairly healthy meal. I think it's difficult to not compare this to eating a bowl of Pho or Ramen. All the ingredients are there, just instead of eating it with a spoon, you pull out the individual bits with some chop sticks and pretend you're not eating boiled beef and spinach. If I were a better cook, or had another ten visits worth of practice, Tabu Shabu could easily be 4-5 stars. As it is, though, I think I would rather just go to GONZO and get another chef's creation to be sure of the flavors I want. Regardless, I want to come back here and try again one day. The variety of options and the wait staff alone are enough for me to learn more and expand my Shabu options, as well as recommend this place to others.

Such a friendly experience! We came in after a rainy morning soccer game, looking for somewhere…read morewarm and cozy near Cal State San Marcos. We had three bowls of ramen, gyoza, edamame, and a chicken teriyaki bowl for my son. He likes his food very plain--no sauce, onions, or extras--so his order was a little different from ours. His meal came out separately, a little late, and the owner was genuinely bothered that everything hadn't arrived together. She kept apologizing. We kept telling her it was totally fine, but she really cared about making sure we were taken care of. The restaurant is small and cozy; the food was good, the service was very friendly, and the restroom was clean. We'd definitely come back if we're in the area again. Recommend!

Ramen Mik in San Marcos brings tasty and fresh Japanese Sapporo style ramen to the San Marcos area…read more With this being my first visit I always love to ask the server their most popular dishes that customers love. For small bites she said the Pork Gyoza is the most popular appetizer so I had to try it. The pan fried edges made for a wonderful texture as well as the pork filling. Definitely a great way to start the meal. For the my main entree she recommend I try the BST signature ramen that features a Sio Tonkotsu Base with Black Umami Garlic Oil. For a first timer at Ramen Mik this was an excellent choice with its rich, creamy broth surrounded by fresh garlic, stir fried vegetables, green onion and ginger. The noodles were fresh and had an excellent bite to them. It was a very tasty bowl of ramen and I recommend trying the BST. Overall great first time experience at Ramen Mik as service was great, plenty of seating and parking making it very accessible. Can't wait to come back and try their other dishes such as Japanese curry, beef bowls and tonkatsu.

it's saturday night. we don't have a reservation. they tell us the wait is over an hour. what do we…read moredo? we wait. and thank jebus we did, because this ended up being one of the best meals i've had in a while. we started with the prawn. we each got one, and given that they're $10 a skewer, our bill started off STRONG. the prawns were perfectly roasted with hints of mezcal and prickly pear. the candied habanero or whatever garnish of death was on there totally kicked my ass in terms of spice. in true Asian fashion, we ripped the heads off and sucked all the goodness out of them too. no shame. you don't waste the good stuff. then the cornbread showed up. the group collectively agreed we'd pass on this one next time. for me, the goat cheese threw me off, but that's entirely on me because i hate goat cheese and still knowingly ordered something with goat cheese. i played myself. there was absolutely nothing wrong with the dish, but compared to everything else we ate, there wasn't anything particularly standout about it either. but then. the fucking broccoli showed up. it is literally charred broccoli with chermoula, lime, and peanut. that's it. BROCCOLI. and after taking one bite, i learned that broccoli could, in fact, be life changing. suddenly i was a new woman. a woman who wanted nothing more than to sit there and stuff her face with massive amounts of broccoli. unfortunately, i couldn't because we still had dishes to taste. and so i moved on to the pork belly. when people describe something as "melting in your mouth," they are specifically referring to Campfire's pork belly. because that's exactly what it did. just melted all up in my mouth and lit my taste buds on fire. normally, i find pork belly prepared this way a little heavy and can only stomach a few bites, but i could have eaten the entire dish. but of course i didn't, because i'm a lady. and the octopus was about to show up. and show up it DID. i don't like celery, and this dish had plenty of it, but because it was shaved super thin, it was actually super palatable. the octopus was incredibly tender, and there were little bits of chorizo throughout that gave it the perfect balance. also, love me a good chimichurri sauce. and finally, last but truly not least, the chicken. a whole ass half bird, charred to perfection with roasted red pepper, kumquat, and fennel. apparently i like fennel now??? i didn't even know i liked fennel like that, but here we are. if i hadn't already been stuffed to the absolute brim, i could have destroyed this entire dish. the chicken was juicy and tender, and paired with the fennel, you're almost like just having a healthy dish??? LOL. although we went in with every intention of ending the night with s'mores, our bodies simply said no. there was no more room at the inn. see what i did there :P so instead, we left and went on a very long walk to digest all the delicious goodness that was Campfire. i cannot wait to go back. mostly for the broccoli, which is a sentence i never thought i'd write in my life. and this time, i will absolutely be making a reservation.

This place has amazing food!!! It's one of the few places I've been to that I absolutely love…read moregetting vegetables here! Everything I have eaten here, and I've been multiple times, has been delicious! Great place for foodies! The only thing is it's not super comfortable. The seating is hard and you feel like you are camping, hence the name campfire. I've sat at the bar, the high tops, the seated area, inside and outside. I've always wanted to leave a little early because it didn't feel good. Service is great! Food is epic, seating needs much improvement unless you do want to feel like you are camping and eating Michelin level food ha ha ha!

Ordered the poke bowl with brown rice and the portions were generous! My takeout container was…read morefilled to the brim. The seared tuna stood out, had a nice smoky flavor. The spicy tuna was also on point, and the salmon was buttery. All the toppings paired well with the poke. Also got a Thai tea with boba, and the boba texture was nice and chewy :) Will definitely be coming back for my poke fix!

Great little spot where both the poke and ramen are pretty nice. I got the naruto ramen, I will say…read moreit did need a little chili paste in the broth but other than that was great. The poke bowls were fresh and very large for the portion. Food came out quickly and the people working were very friendly

Went on a little ramen date with my sister, this is one of our favorite spots in North County! The…read moreservice is top notch and the food always comes out quick! The Flying Pig ramen is SO good!

Food and drinks were amazing. Our server was also very attentive. The Nutella Bunny buns were the…read morebest!