My quest to try different types of ramen led me to Kitakata Ramen Ban Nai. I was fumbling with Waitlist when Madison welcomed me inside to be seated. Nice! I considered tonkatsu ramen but decided to order a large spicy miso ramen instead, Make it a large for $1.50 is a great deal. I found myself staring at a mount of vegetable toppings when my ramen arrived. The next thing I noticed was the wavy kitakata noodle that reminded me of chewy homemade noodle. I tasted the broth by itself before slurping in my ramen. The whole package was a winner for my taste buds. I learned from Madison that this location in Costa Mesa was established in 2014, the first international Kitakata joint outside Japan. Although this is my first time at Kitakata certainly won't be the last. read more

See all

+ Yummy spicy ramen. Lotsa veggies. + Nice, helpful staff. . Service speed is okay. . Good amount of indoor seating. - Interior space a lil crowded. - Also crowded parking. Awkward triangular spacing; kinda cramped. . Reasonably priced. I had: $17.75 spicy miso ramen + $1.70 Japanese egg + tax + tip = $23 read more

This used to be my go to spot to take my family. However after tonight's experience I might not be back. Me and my husband and two kids waited over an hour (based on a Yelp wait time of 5 minutes). The restaurant was very clearly understaffed (2 servers on a busy Saturday night.). Tables were left unbussed for 20 plus minutes. Despite open tables in the restaurant, the wait time continued to increase. I inquired as to when we could expect to be seated and the staff was not able to give me an answer, only mentioning a large amount of to go orders. Although the food is wonderful, the ownership clearly does not prioritize customer service or treating their staff well because they were overwhelmed. Absolutely mind boggling to continue taking to go orders when you have in person customers ready to be seated. We eventually left hungry and cranky. read more

Lots of tables when we arrived on a Saturday afternoon. I ordered the Spicy Tan Tan Ramen (extra spicy, large). Portions were really good as I could barely finish! This is one of the few ramen places I've been to in OC where a spicy broth actually had good heat! Chashu was also cooked to perfection and the bean sprouts and chives added some good crunch to the dish. I could come here again but probably during colder weather months! read more

Kitakata Ramen Ban Nai - Spicy Tan Tan Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

First time here and I have to say 10/10 perfectly served and service great and friendly! The food was excellent I enjoyed it & it came out nice and Hot ! It was a bit cooler in the evening so this was perfect! I will visit again next time I am in Cali! Recommend if you're looking for ramen !! read more

Kitakata Ramen Ban Nai - Perfect with pork regular Portion - Ramen Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

great lunch or dinner spot! came here for some quick bites before going to a bar in the same plaza and the food was all delicious. everything was perfectly flavorful and the fried food was perfectly crispy without feeling too greasy or heavy. loved the sauce that came with the fried chicken bowl. the service was quick and we didn't wait crazy long for our food. the restaurant is pretty small so it's great for small groups or a date night out. read more

See all

Stopped by Kitakata Ramen Ban Nai for lunch and had a great experience. Even though this spot can get busy, the Yelp waitlist kiosk made the process smooth and we were seated quickly. Parking in this plaza is always a bit of a challenge with so many businesses and limited spots, but we found one after a short loop. Inside, the restaurant is compact but has a warm, cozy atmosphere and is very clean. We ordered a spread: Kitakata Ramens, chicken curry, gyoza, Aburi Chashu Plate, cheese French fries, and the melon float. Everything arrived at a good pace and tasted fantastic. The melon float was a fun surprise - my son loved the mix of melon soda and vanilla ice cream. The ramen broth stood out: light, clean, and pure-tasting, without the heaviness some broths have. We'll definitely return. read more

Kitakata Ramen Ban Nai - Melon Float - Ramen Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

See all

My wife doesn't eat pork, chicken, or beef and is also on a gluten-free diet. They have a vegan broth and gluten-free ramen option with tofu as the protein and she absolutely enjoyed it. I've been here a few times, had both the ramen, the karage chicken, and the cucumber salad, all were excellent. read more

The wife and my favorite ramen spot! We've tried countless places and we always end up back here! read more

Tuesday afternoon after 1:30 pm, I must have just missed their lunch rush. The restaurant was clean, I was immediately greeted. I do not recall seeing this server before, he was friendly, presentable, and reminded me that they are a cashless restaurant and only accept credit cards. He gave me a moment after I was seated. I ordered a hot water, large chashu ramen with no green onions and firm noodles. Water came out quickly. Food came out a few moments later. Exactly as I ordered it. read more

Kitakata Ramen Ban Nai - Ramen Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Here's a smoother, more polished version of your review: I first came here about seven years ago, and at the time, it wasn't as palatable compared to other ramen spots I had tried. We decided to give it another chance last night after all these years, but unfortunately, not much has changed. Even back then, there was always a crowd lined up outside, and it was the same when we arrived at 6 p.m.--already on the waitlist. We ordered the rich miso ramen, and to me, it tasted just like it did seven years ago--bland. I've had far better ramen, especially in Japan, and in my opinion, this one doesn't come close. The chashu pork portions were cut small (don't be misled by the photos on the menu). My son did enjoy the cubed chashu bowl, though. The gyoza was on the smaller side but tasted good. For the overall taste and quality, I found it a bit overpriced. Our server, Anne, was bubbly and very pleasant. As the restaurant filled up, it became quite loud, and tables were turned over quickly. I don't think we'll be returning. I honestly don't understand the long lines--perhaps people need to visit Japan to experience truly authentic ramen. read more

See all

I have been here a couple of times before many years ago since I lived down the Street. My friend suggested coming here since he had the cravening for the Green Chili Shilo Ramen. Our lunch visit was last Sunday 5/24/26, There are some changes to the menu since my last visit. They now offer rice bowls and curry and only accept cashless payments. So make sure you have a debit or credit card with you to pay. While my friend ordered the Green Chili Shilo Ramen Large size I got the Spicy Tan Tan Ramen Large size and Yuza Fizz soda which was lime based and tasted similar to Sprite. The service was friendly and helpful and the food was amazing. I really enjoyed my Spicy Tan Tan ramen. It was full of flavors and the toppings mixed well. Definitely will return to try other menu items. Highly recommend. read more

Kitakata Ramen Ban Nai - Spicy Tan Tan Ramen and Yuza Fizz Soda - Ramen Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

My fiancée randomly found this place and we decided to try it on NYE We were helped by Jason, who was great and very informative of the menu. It was our first time trying Ramen so we were asking a bunch of questions and he gave us a great run down of the different options. I got the kitakata ramen, which was pork broth with pork. For my first time having ramen, it was great! The freshness of the broth and flavor from the egg and pork was amazing. The cucumber salad was great, similar to Din Tai Fung but bigger cucumbers. The juicy fried chicken may have been our favorite, as my fiancée loved it and wants to get it next time. Overall, the price, service, and chill vibes made this a great experience and somewhere I'd recommend for anyone in the area! read more

See all

have been here a few times and the green chili ramen is the star of the show. the broth is flavorful and light, while still being rich and porky at the same time. however, on our most recent visit, we tried the tsukemen and it was pretty horrible. the broth is so waterful and flavorless. the noodles they use are the same as the ramen noodles. they literally just deconstructed ramen and called it tsukemen. would recommend only ordering their ramens when dining at this establishment and skipping the tsukemen. read more

Kitakata Ramen Ban Nai - Green Chili Shio Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Kitakata never disappoints when it comes to their ramen. The quality of their ramen is always a 10/10. I've been coming here religiously for the past 8 years whenever I visit Orange County. My go to ramen is the green chili shio ramen. I love that the broth is light and it has a kick from the fresh green chili. I like it extra spicy since I like the burn so I would ask for extra of the green chili. Their chashu is always a nicely sliced even layer and if you're big on meat, they have a ramen option to get more meat (chashu ramen). I also really like the texture of their ramen. It's flat and thicker than normal ramen noodles. I feel like today's service was kind of slacking a bit. They forgot our extra chili that we ordered and when asking for extra napkins, they forgot about it. Parking is limited when it gets busy and during rush hour, there will be a wait time so make sure to join the waitlist on yelp if you're in the area before arriving to cut down on wait time. read more

See all

We came on a Saturday afternoon and the place was not too busy. We got seated right away, and while service was initially friendly and attentive, water refills and check-ins were not happening. We were particularly interested in the gluten-free ramen noodle options, so we tried the Umakara Tan Tan Ramen and the Tsukemen. The first had a very rich and balanced broth that was very tasty. The second was bland and very tomato-heavy, but lacking the rich umami of Tsujita. The gluten-free noodles were good, the best we had so far. However, in direct comparison to their excellent regular noodles, which we also ordered as an extra, they lack the texture and chewiness, and don't cling to the broth as well. Finally, we had the cucumber salad, which was okay. read more

Kitakata Ramen Ban Nai - Umakara Tan Tan Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

See all

This place was the first time experiencing kitakata bannai and I didn't have a good experience. I went a few years ago and just realized I posted photos but not a review so I will update with my review. When I got my noodle my bowl had clumps of ramen noodles. I told the staff and told them I didn't think that's how it was supposed to be. They looked kind of upset but served me a replacement bowl to find the same clumps of ramen. Maybe that night their whole ramen batch was like that. I couldn't tell and the staff weren't friendly. I didn't feel it was worth the argument so I paid and left. Maybe because it was busy and they were overwhelmed but the overall experience left a bad taste in my mouth overall. I actually had asked my friend who had posted about them later if the ramen were supposed to be bunch of yarn ball clumps and he said absolutely not so... shrugs *note kitakata bannai opened near where i live and their ramen were not clumpy. So I guess my instinct a few years back was right! read more

See all

My all time favorite ramen place!!! Got hooked on the tan tan ramen one day and never looked back. Highly recommend it to all my friends and no one has ever been disappointed. I also add an egg to it and it's so worth it. The portions are huge and service is great. The interior is pretty small so keep that in mind if you're looking to dine in, especially with a larger group. We have even got the ramen to go and did the whole set up at home. Never fails. Husband and I are also hugeeee fans of the gyoza and chicken karaage. Check it out if you get the chance!! read more

Kitakata Ramen Ban Nai - Ramen Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

One of the best ramen restaurants next to one of the best coffee shops in all of OC, this little plaza packs a punch. Kitakata is never the wrong option for cozy comfort ramen you probably won't find anywhere else as far as quality clear broth and ban nai noodles go. This location especially is reminiscent of Japan -- tiny, cozy, unassuming, line out the door. You want dipping ramen, they got that. You want 10/10 karaage chicken, they got that too. Me? I can't even get myself to explore outside of my usual, the Kitakata ramen. And when I'm hungry hungry, I'll go for their chashu bowl to double up on their fatty pork. Truly Michelin worthy in my opinion. From texture to flavor, Kitakata strikes all the right balance from broth to noodle. You want quality ramen in OC? Trust me, try Kitakata out in Costa Mesa. read more

See all

Very good quality noodles. Not too many soup options but you really don't need a lot when all the broths are good. The tan tan had really good broth and noodles. Green onions perfect! The meat in this bowl isn't as good and they should just keep it the same as the sliced. The kitakata ramen is basic but very nice. Balanced broth. The chicken karrage was really good! read more

My go-to ramen spot! The classic Kitakata ramen has the best clear broth with chewy thicker ramen noodles! My brother tried the new Tan Tan ramen and he said it was just okay - wouldn't get again. The broth was too heavy once you ate more than half the bowls. My sister got the Tsukemen which was pretty good, but nothing special. We also got their karage which is ultra crispy and juicy - def recommend!! We only waited about a few minutes to get seated since we had an early dinner around (4-5) but the wait can be pretty long around dinner time (FV location is bigger and not as packed btw). Parking isn't great in the plaza so try to come early. Restaurant is always clean and the service is great! Havent had a bad experience at any of their locations ever. read more

See all

Ramen shop that is popular for its wavy noddles. We've come by close to the end of lunch twice and enjoyed our food. On our most recent visit, we had the large tsukemon noodles with spinach, large tonkatsu ramen, and the kids combo. I think our server said that large portions are 60% more broth and noodles. The noodles are chewy and overall the ramen was good. During lunch, you can add a small side for $2-$3. We got a half bowl of the cubed chasu with rice. The meat is very flavorful and was also very good. The kids combo is a small bowl of ramen, 1-2 pieces of crispy chicken, edamame, and a small shaped rice ball. The only downside is that they can only chose between the miso and soy for the ramen. The kids really liked the combo. Fantastic service. They use Yelp waitlist so keep this in mind if you're coming during a busy time. They also have a rewards program that is linked to your credit card. I always forget about this until I get the alert after I pay so I'm not sure how to redeem a reward. Located in a plaza with free parking. Great spot for ramen. read more

See all

I was in the area, and it was my first time visiting here. Multiple businesses in the plaza share a small parking lot, so I went to the empty lot across the street. However, there is a nearby bus stop to access OCTA route 55, which travels north to south between Santa Ana, Costa Mesa, and Newport Beach. I sat at the bar and had the ban nai pork curry (regular) ($15.75), which included pork cubes and a few small slices of vegetables. I intended to order a katsu curry dish based on prior menu photos I saw online. However, they only had this curry dish in regular or small sizes. The curry was nicely savory. However, some of the pork pieces were fatty. Overall, it was a solid curry and made for a pleasant and quick meal. read more

Kitakata Ramen Ban Nai - Ban nai pork curry - Ramen Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Wow!!! Amazing quick service and they use yelp waitlist. The menu is great with large font, colors and lots of options. You can customize the saltiness of the broth too! We ordered a wonderful spread of appetizers: edamame, takoyaki and gyoza. The takoyaki was a bit too heavy for our taste on the sauce but the appetizers were otherwise good! We both got different styles of Ramen, mine included tons of vegetables. I highly recommend asking for customizations if you worry about saltiness with ramen. read more

See all

Yums on the food, apps were ok, ate before I could take more pictures because of Long wait time! So bring friends to entertain yourself :) Thanks! read more

Kitakata Ramen Ban Nai - Ramen Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

See all

I was never a big ramen fan until I tried ramen from this place, and I fell in love. I didn't like it right away the first time. After coming here for the third time and visiting other ramen places, Kitakata will always be my top favorite ramen place! read more

See all

I've been to a few Kitakata Ramen spots and let me tell you--it's like the McDonald's of ramen... in the best way. You always know what you're getting: a cozy, reliable bowl that hugs your insides and whispers, "you didn't really need to eat a salad today." They've got a mix of broths--from "rich enough to make your cardiologist nervous" to "light enough to convince yourself it's healthy." I usually add a side of veggies to my bowl because balance is important (aka I need to pretend I'm doing something good for my body between bites of pork belly). And speaking of pork belly? Melt-in-your-mouth tender. Like, "I don't even need teeth" tender. Their fried chicken slaps too--crispy, juicy, and just greasy enough to keep your soul happy. Is it the best ramen I've ever had? No. But it's consistently solid, no matter which location you hit up. Prices are ramen-standard, and service is quick--which is great because no one comes to a ramen shop to wait around and contemplate life. Would I come back? Absolutely. Especially on cold days... or mildly breezy days... or just any day that ends in "y." read more

See all

Water noodles and a sprinkle of pepper. Tasteless The server was great, very nice energy and friendly and helpful. So I gave an extra star cause he had good energy. But the food was the saddest I've ever had. I had a few bites and left it. Ambiance is fine, plenty of parking. Not super busy. read more

I really don't like giving bad reviews but I had to be honest. The green shio ramen was probably the most bland ramen I've ever had. Ramen is typically too rich and salty.. this was a complete 180 from that. The noodles are great with a decent chew and bite. The broth however and the overall flavor tasted like an incomplete ramen. I added soy sauce to it to make it even decent. It was shocking and I really hope it was an off day. Chicken was delicious I've got to say and the tonkatsu broth for kids was about average. read more

Came here to celebrate a birthday and our server Anne and Madison went above and beyond in recommending us the best food hats off to management as we will be back here more often. read more

This is one of my favorite ramen spots! The food is always amazing! I've been coming here for a few years but this was my first time trying the spicy miso ramen, which was very flavorful. I did have questions on the spice level and my server was very helpful in describing it. I ordered the spicy sauces on the side to add to my liking. The team's service was very friendly and courteous. My server checked on me multiple times. read more

Kitakata Ramen Ban Nai - Spicy Miso Ramen and Crispy Cucumber Salad - Ramen Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

See all

Kitakata ramen is definitely my favorite ramen spot and has been for a long time. I hadn't been to this location in a minute but I was very happy to go as I was craving this ramen and karage combo while driving from work in the rain and I wanted a hot bowl of ramen to warm me up. The food is always excellent but the service is what really impressed me yesterday. The hostess/server was super friendly and she helped me find a better spot to sit when I told her I was too cold by the door. She even showed me a table I didn't see at first. And my server for my meal was the kindest guy who gave me many lemons when I asked for more with my karage and he was super kind throughout my entire service. I wish I'd gotten their names but I loved that they were smiling and seemed happy and made the restaurant a pleasant environment with their energies the entire time. I can't wait to come again. read more

Kitakata Ramen Ban Nai - Spicy miso ramen and Fried Chicken Nanban 5pc - Ramen Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

I tried this place once during my lunch break and it was close by and had a lot of great reviews. I was able to get seated quickly, likely because i sat by myself and service was really fast. I like the ambiance, very humble and cozy. I ordered their Kitakata Ramen and I felt like it was just fine. It was good, but nothing that blew me away and made me want to come back again and again. I am pretty torn about whether this is truly a 3 star or 4 star restaurant. Part of me is curious to go back and try it again, but at this point, if I'm craving ramen, this is not the first place that will come to mind. read more

Kitakata Ramen Ban Nai - Ramen Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Came here on a Friday for lunch. I walked in near opening hours so I was quickly seated. It was my first time here so I asked the waitress what items were popular and she recommended the Green Chile Shio Ramen. On the weekdays there is a lunch special where you can make the meal a combo set. I decided on the Ban Nai Pork Curry. The food was good. I really like the curry, the pork was soft and gives that melt in your mouth feel. The ramen was solid. The next time I come here I want to try the other ramen flavors. The restaurant isn't very large. The space and tables are kept very clean. There isn't that much parking outside the restaurant, so I can imagine parking to be a challenge during the evening and weekends. Overall is a good spot, I would def come back if I was in the area. I looked online and it looks like they have one in Buena Park which is closer to where I live. read more

See all

Kitakata is a ramen shop that started off in the city of Kitakata in Japan in 1958. It has multiple locations across Southern California and some in Illinois. This location in Costa Mesa is in a small plaza with an even smaller parking lot so you'll often find cars in their own makeshift spots. You can join the Yelp waitlist to reduce your time in line. TAKOYAKI ($8.95) - I liked the crispy exterior and soft interior; this was your standard takoyaki. JUICY FRIED CHICKEN ($8.45) - like its name suggests, the chicken was juicy and the pieces were big. CHASHU RAMEN ($19.75) - this is similar to their kitakata ramen but with a lot more chashu that it covers the whole bowl. The chashu was thin but tender and melted in my mouth. The broth was decent but the chashu shined here. GREEN CHILI SHIO RAMEN ($16.25) - the broth was spicy because of the green chili. I liked this broth more than the chashu ramen's broth because of the spice. The noodles in the ramen tasted like they were house made and were unique. Overall the food was good and filling, and the service was great. read more

See all

I've had decent in-person experiences here in the past, which is why this was so disappointing. I ordered through DoorDash and somehow my ramen noodles were missing from the order. At a ramen restaurant. Without the noodles, the meal was completely uneatable and essentially pointless. To make it worse, DoorDash only refunded $5, which doesn't come close to covering a ruined meal. I understand delivery issues happen, but missing the core ingredient of the dish shouldn't happen at all. Food quality has been fine when dining in, but based on this experience, I wouldn't recommend ordering this place for delivery unless they seriously improve their order accuracy. read more

Kitakata Ramen Ban Nai - Chashu Ramen with no ramen - Ramen Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

spicy miso ramen: 7/10 the broth is sweet and spicy. it was good, but specifically i liked the tonkotsu ramen better. tonkotsu ramen: 8/10 the broth is flavorful. the meat and the added seasoned egg was delicious. the noodles were firm but very delicious to eat. takoyaki: 8/10 not as crispy and more on the soft side but I still liked it. it's filling and flavorful. overall, the place is a bit small but the line wasn't that long. we waited around 15 minutes to get called in. the parking lot is spacious and it's around other food shops. this place is worth stopping by! read more

Kitakata Ramen Ban Nai - parking lot - Ramen Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

See all

Came here with my family for dinner and our server Jason was so kind and helpful. His positive attitude radiates and made our experience at Kitakata 100x more enjoyable Food was amazing as usual and came on a usually calm Thursday. read more

In my book this is one of the best ramen spots in SoCal area which is a chain from Japan. I enjoyed their gyoza and chicken karage the most out of even the ramen too. It's sad to see how bad inflation has raised prices on establishments like these but it's definitely worth trying! Friendly staff and service always as well! read more

Came to eat here like I always do as a loyal customer and I had a runny nose while eating their spicy. Miso, I noticed that the empty table next to us had a napkin, so I took it and wiped my nose. The waiter came to immediately scold me and tell me to "stop and refrain myself from touching other tables." This was rude and unprofessional, never have i had a waiter say this. read more