Daikokuya is a long time staple of Little Tokyo, whenever I'm in town on business or vacation I…read moremake a point to visit. Their ramen noodles are always cooked perfectly (I like them a little firm) and their broths are super flavorful, their eggs cooked perfectly. I usually enjoy their spicy or black garlic broths which add extra kicks. Daikokuya can be busy throughout the day, but there servers and kitchen staff work hard to turn around orders and tables relatively quickly. Anytime is a good time for ramen from Daikokuya.

Daikokuya is a solid ramen franchise from the Bishamon group. I miss how close the Hacienda…read morelocation one back in the day, and now the closest one to me is the MPK location, but if any of my out of town, out of state, out of country friends are visiting and they have a hankering for ramen with a strong, but not super heavy kotteri flavor. The location isn't super big and it does get super busy with people putting their names on the wait list and people queueing busily outside (overflow of people waiting for many of the other restaurants along this part of the block too). Overall the ramen isn't bad, chashu is nice and fatty and tender. Ramen is rich and filling. It's nice that it already comes with an egg too and you don't have to add another one. Lots of other side dishes and combos too if someone in your party doesn't want ramen. However, with the increases in prices, the fact that there's many other options in LT, and the fact that there are other Daikokuya locations, it's an alright LT option.

Didn't sit inside as it was stuffy, so we sat outside which was warm but at least there was air…read more Our server was great and helpful. Vegan TanTan Tsukemen (5/5 stars) - it's not easy find a ramen place that has good vegetarian ramen let alone vegan, this one was delicious, very refreshing, and I'm glad I got the broth cold since it was so hot, the broth is a miso soy milk combo and it works super well in having flavor and creaminess Overall, great vegan ramen!

It was my second visit here. The first one was OK. This time it was just passable. There are…read moreseveral really good ramen restaurants in Little Tokyo so I don't see a 3rd visit happening. I was craving ramen and ordered the Ruby, with a miso-based broth. The description says, "Chicken chashu and perfectly seared shrimp create the perfect pairing, while bamboo shoots, green onion, and a seasoned egg add layers of texture and taste." The broth was indeed very good, and almost hot. Everything *in* it was not very warm: I think they left it to the broth to heat up the chicken, the egg, the noodles, and even cook the shrimp. The broth couldn't do all that. 10 minutes in, the egg halves and the chicken were still very cool inside, and the shrimp were still translucent. As you can see in the picture, they were not seared at all on arrival as per the menu. I told the waitress they weren't cooked; she said they were, but I took her up on her offer to have them "toasted." They came back w sear marks on top and still translucent underneath. The chicken is very tender, but it wasn't "chashu" as the descriptions says, either: just plain white poached chicken with no particular flavor. With this I got a melon float. It was delicious, but no spoon for the ice cream, so I used my ramen spoon. And I got the bill while I was involved with this process -- there was nobody else in the restaurant at this point, so there was no reason to hurry. Even though the waitress said "take your time"... it's hard not to feel rushed when they push the bill on you while you're still eating. Altogether not a nice experience. Next time I'll go back to Hachioji, Mr Ramen, or Shin-Sen-Gumi, which have been consistently great.

We came here around 1:30pm to grab lunch thinking we will get skewers, but then found out they only…read moreserve it after 5pm on weekdays. Nevertheless they still had curry and ramen options we wanted to try. Tue interior of the restaurant was super nice, as it recently opened. It was clean and nicely decorated with Japanese artifacts. We ordered the karaage curry rice and eel combo set. Took about 10 minutes for the dishes to come out. The curry was so tasty. Chicken karaage was excellent. Loved the flavor of the eel, it was cooked perfectly. Prices of the dishes were good for the quality and the portion. Service was excellent. Our server greeted us in Japanese, was very friendly throughout the lunch. We found out he was from Fort Lee, NJ, so we also had extended discussion on current state of Fort Lee and NJ.

Every time I come eat here, the employees are always so friendly and helpful! I usually get a…read moreHakata Ramen (consistently 10/10), but today I was craving some rice! Today, I got their Pork Cutlet Bowl; it features pork cutlet topped with mayo and tonkatsu (?) sauce, shredded cabbage, red ginger, and rice. For me, it was a decently good bowl. The flavor was good, but the pork was a little dry. Overall, not too bad!

One of our must-go ramen shops whenever we visit LA! It was really hot in LA this time and we were…read morealready sweating like crazy but that didn't stop us from eating some good ramen! We usually order the same ramen but my husband and son decided to try something different this time. My husband ordered the Tonkotsu Ramen and my son ordered the Shio Ramen. Mine was, of course, delicious as always but I tried theirs too and they were both very tasty! Our only complaint was that it was also very warm inside the restaurant. We were hoping to cool down a little while we ate but unfortunately, that wish was not granted. LOL We still really enjoyed the food, though! And my husband definitely enjoyed his cold beer!

TLDR: Go for gluten free experience, avoid for other dishes…read moreThe only positive part of this experience was that they offered gluten free noodles and specific gluten free broths for my brother with Celiac who hasn't had ramen in years. They were very knowledgeable in what was gluten free and what wasn't. The only unfortunate part is that all the meats are marinated in a sauce that is not gluten free. So you can only get tofu or no protein. Even if you select no protein, it comes out to be the same price. Other than the gluten free ramen, we ordered a karage bowl, dry spicy ramen, and spicy tuna roll. The karage bowl had chicken that was NOT fried. I'm not sure how it's cooked but the chicken came out slimy. I was very disappointed as I was looking forward to crunchy karage. The dry ramen had noodles that were way overcooked. The flavoring was okay. Nothing to be impressed about. The spicy tuna roll was probably the best thing there. They had pickled yellow radish that we thought was interesting.

Literally in shock that they closed!…read more This is the best ramen spot in all OC/LA area. Food and atmosphere was great! I loved god fire level 2/3. I visited both the Costa Mesa and little Tokyo location. I am so sad - especially because my boyfriend and I completed 4 stamp cards and were ready to fill out the 5th for our special gift. We are extremely loyal to Hakata Ikkousha. Even visited their Brazil location when we were on vacation.

Ramen- both Black devil and Mentaiko Tonkotsu ramens are tasty 5 out of 5. Their crafted thin…read morenoodles are al dente. Their cha-shu is soft and easy to chew and every bite has good taste. 5/5 Service- staff were knowledgeable with ramen dishes and they were friendly. Our orders came out fast after we ordered them. Parking- no parking lot available for this place, but there is a pay parking lot across from this place.

We ordered over the phone for pick up. My boyfriend went to pick up the food…read more I was craving udon. As a vegetarian, I really enjoyed my veg udon. It was the only vegetarian option but it was creamy and hearty. I loved it. My boyfriend was surprised by how good their udon is.

Would not recommend on a sweltering day because the AC is WEAK or perhaps nonexistent I couldn't…read moretell; also not sure if their ac was just broken that day. Food 3.5/5 - Atmosphere 2/5. We stopped by on a high 90s high humidity day in LA and had to wait a bit outside in the heat. Was so looking forwarding to stepping inside only to find out that it was only mildly better temperature wise. We had already waited and were seated so decided to stay but it made for a quick meal (maybe that's their tactic lol). I ordered the miso carbonara and it was good - not too salty - but the portions were tiny! I would say it's close to half the amount of the frozen udon blocks you get at the supermarket. Nice chew and flavor but almost like an appetizer for $17/$18. I do really like the food but would probably either not wait or grab another noodle place nearby. Feel really bad for the workers who have to work in such hot conditions.

We were looking for a place to eat for lunch and we haven't had ramen in a minute so we decided to…read morestop by before we head back home to Bakersfield. If you have not been to this ramen spot, you are missing out! I still remember that broth like it was yesterday..... so flavorful, so rich, delicious umami flavors. There's not a lot of seating here and there's also not a long line; however, weirdly when we visited people came exactly when another person was leaving. I don't know if it was just timed perfectly or what, but this place definitely stays busy. If you're not afraid of garlic then I would highly recommend the black garlic for sure and of course don't forget to order your extra egg for good luck! You have to pay for the parking area to get into the gated area, but it's not too bad. They won't let you in the gated area if there's no parking which is probably how they have consistent guests but also kind of timed perfectly. I mean, there are other restaurants nearby also that are as busy, but that's what I noticed when I came. I'm always in the area and there's too many delicious food spots in Southern California, but I would love to come back to this one. The staff was also really nice and gave us our space. Restrooms were okay, we came in the afternoon so it wasn't spotless, but it wasn't too bad either.

This was my first time trying this place out. 1. Staff were…read morefriendly and attentive. 2. Ramen Soup broth was amazingly tasty, best part was that it wasn't too salty. 3. Chicken Karaage was very good. I ordered the Black Garlic Ramen and Chicken Karaage. The Chiasu was tender and cut thick. I really enjoyed having lunch here. While I was there, people were coming in and out, and the place fills up. The manager/owner was Japanese and was very friendly.

Every time I come to little Tokyo, this is the place I go to eat. Amazing Ramen bowls, fresh…read moresushi, and great Japanese spirits from rice beer, to sake, to shochu. This is the place to eat in little Tokyo!

Little Tokyo Ramen Crawl: Maruya Some days you just get a…read morecraving. Not a specific one, not a "I need this exact dish" kind of craving -- just a deep, nagging need for a bowl of noodles. That's the mood that pulled me into Maruya in Little Tokyo, Los Angeles. I ordered the chashu tonkotsu, the classic go-to when you want to judge a ramen shop by its bones. And the verdict? It was... fine. Not bad, not memorable -- just okay. The kind of bowl that doesn't offend you but doesn't linger in your memory either. No standout richness in the broth, no chashu slice that made me pause mid-bite. Just noodles, doing their job. This is actually the second ramen spot I've tried in Little Tokyo, and I'll admit -- I'm starting to feel a little underwhelmed by the neighborhood's ramen scene so far. For a pocket of the city with so much culinary history packed into a few blocks, I expected to be a bit more wowed by now. Two tries in, and I'm still searching for that bowl that stops me in my tracks. What did stand out, though, was the service. The staff at Maruya were genuinely warm and helpful -- attentive without hovering, quick to check in, the kind of hospitality that makes you want to root for the place even when the food doesn't quite deliver. It's the kind of detail that softens an otherwise middling meal. So, Little Tokyo ramen crawl: two down, verdict still out. The people have been great. The noodles? I'm still waiting to be impressed. On to the next bowl.

There is no better place to get dipping ramen than Tsujita!…read more The one in sawtelle always packed with a wait- this one you could walk right in! Don't bother getting anything else except the chashu tsukemen for food. It's THAT good!!! Also if you want to treat yourself- get the $6 apple juice that's won several awards. Lowkey expensive but you get why when you taste it. Best apple juice I've ever had- and I grew up in the northeast.

I thought Tsujita Artisan Noodle was really good, though I still don't feel like I've found my…read moreperfect ramen spot yet. I ordered the spicy tonkotsu and loved the flavor, especially the chashu. I'm usually a pork belly person, but the chashu was so flavorful that I genuinely think I'll start choosing it instead from now on. Everything came out piping hot, which normally sounds like a compliment, but it was almost too hot to comfortably eat. Weirdly, we actually enjoyed the leftovers even more reheated at home. I do wish I'd tried the thicker noodles, but paying an extra $3 just to switch noodle styles felt a little ridiculous. We also tried the gyoza, which were good, but I wish they had come with a more traditional soy-based dipping sauce instead of already being dressed in chili oil. I'd definitely come back, especially to try the dipping ramen. I'd never had tsukemen before, and it sounded so good that I was already regretting not ordering it by the end of the meal.

I came here for the 2nd time with my son. He is a regular customer since he lives near this place…read more Being a vegetarian I ordered a vegetarian Ramen. Service and ambience was good. I wish they added tofu(for protein) and vegetables to this meal. I enjoyed the robot delivering our meal

I've been coming to Kouraku for years and it's still one of my go-tos in Little Tokyo. It's got…read morethat old-school, no-frills Japanese diner feel, but the menu is huge -- ramen, fried rice, bento boxes, katsu, you name it. It's the kind of spot where everyone in your group can order something totally different and still be happy. The portions are generous and the prices are fair for the area. Nothing fancy, just consistently solid comfort food. If you're looking for a place with variety that doesn't take itself too seriously, this is it.