Had a wonderfully simple and tasty lunch here on a Sunday. The food quality is A+. The server was cheerful and attentive. We arrived a few minutes after they opened for the day and the service was fast. The store had plenty of parking. The store was clean and quiet. We ordered their bestseller Kuromayu ramen, seaweed salad, and shrimp shumai. Quite honestly, the ramen was waaay better than Silverlake Ramen. It was much tastier! The meat was so tender and it was well-seasoned. The seaweed salad was OK. And the shumai were four large pieces with generous portions of shrimp. What a great find on Reseda Boulevard. Location is very close to CSUN and right next to JPM Chase. Will come back here for sure! read more

Maru Ramen - Northridge - Shrimp Shumai was very tasty and filling! - Ramen Near Me - Northridge, California

I was pretty disappointed with my experience here. The ramen itself lacked depth and flavor--it didn't have that rich, comforting quality you expect, and honestly felt like it was missing the care and attention that makes a bowl memorable. I don't eat pork, but I'm okay with pork broth, so I asked if I could substitute the pork chashu for chicken. What I received instead was popcorn chicken, which was unexpected and not at all what I had in mind. There was no communication that this would be the substitute, which made it even more frustrating. On top of that, I was still charged for it without any clarification beforehand. Transparency goes a long way, especially when making substitutions. Overall, between the lackluster flavor and the confusing substitution, it just didn't feel like a thoughtful or well-executed experience. read more

I've been wanting to come back to Maru Ramen ever since I saw it made #11 on the Top 100 Ramen Spots in the US for 2025: https://www.yelp.com/article/top-100-ramen-spots-2025 For appetizers, my dad and I ordered the garlic edamame, gyōza, and karaage chicken. The Garlic edamame was actually surprising because there was an unexpected hint of sweetness that accompanied the garlic. The Gyōza was as good as you can expect from perfectly fine gyoza. There was a nice balance of crispness, savoriness, and deliciousness. The soy is just right, too. Not too salty. The Chicken Karaage was perhaps the only stumble since I felt that it was a little too much breading and not much of a flavor with the chicken. The lemon and that sauce were a must and did a lot of the heavy lifting to make the karaage not just taste "ordinary. The good news is the Kuromayu Ramen was simply stellar. I wouldn't be surprised if this ramen played a big part in why Maru Ramen ranked so high on Yelp's list since it was a revelation. The menu said it's pork bone broth, but it was so unique in taste, brightness, and clarity. It was not Tonkotsu-style, rather more like Shio or chicken clear broth, but not quite. It really lies in this wonderful hard-to-point place in the world of broth. The Chashu pork cuts were delicious, the noodle were slurping good, and egg was yummy. The harmony between each ingredients was masterful, and I made sure I completely emptied the whole bowl. I was not going to leave any morsel around! All in all, this was a really no ice experience. The location is small, but we were lucky to have made it before the Friday Night Dinner Crowd took over. All in all I love this place. I'd definitely be back! read more

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Really liked the food and the ambiance of the place. We were seated quickly and our server helped us navigate the menu! The Karage chicken was really good and I really liked the sauce it came with. read more

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Decided to check this place out after reading the raving reviews suggesting the Kuromayu ramen and I must say it absolutely lived up to the hype. It was incredible, even better than Silverlake. No notes on the food, 10/10. The service was also great and accommodating. We had to move seats a few times, and my company was extremely cranky because... The ambiance was absolutely awful, and that alone is preventing a 5 star rating. When we walked inside, the kitchen fan was blasting extremely loudly. On top of that, the music was loud. It's a small cramped space. It was rough. We moved closer to the back to get away from the kitchen fan and were instead assaulted by the constant deafening buzz of a fluorescent light. It was sensory overload. Thankfully I have ear plugs that helped keep things to a manageable volume but I can't see myself returning here until the fan/buzzing light is resolved. It was so unpleasant and I had a hard time enjoying my food knowing that my dad was so unhappy. There is another location that we plan to try, so hopefully the noise issues are better addressed there. I hate leaving a bad review like this; I truly hope that these issues are resolved because we would both love to come back and enjoy the delicious food. read more

Favorite hidden gem in the valley! Their chashu is seasoned so good and their ramen is perfection! Everyone is also super nice and welcoming! Parking is in the back! read more

Maru Ramen - Northridge - Ramen Near Me - Northridge, California

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Best chicken karaage I've ever had! Wow even the sauce it came with was absolutely phenomenal. The ramen itself, LOVED. The noodles were perfect. I got the spicy miso ramen and broth was thick. The pork fell apart as I ate it oh myyyy. I'm coming back read more

Came by at around 2:30pm, so it was not busy at all. I ordered the tsukemen again because I was craving it. The broth was very flavorful and the serving was a good size. This is my second time here and it was just as good as the first time. The service was nice and attentive. Would definitely want to try the other ramen they offer. read more

Maru Ramen - Northridge - Tsukemen - Ramen Near Me - Northridge, California

We came in to have some Ramen. I found them on Yelp. Everything was delicious. Customer service was amazing. Everyone was so nice and they kept checking on us. We brought our one year old and asked for a side of broth and they were so sweet. I loved everything I tried. Everything was very flavorful. read more

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Great food and great service! From the moment we walked in, the staff was welcoming, attentive, and made us feel comfortable. The food came out fresh, flavorful, and beautifully prepared. Every dish tasted amazing, and you could tell real care went into the quality and presentation. The service was just as impressive--friendly, fast, and professional without feeling rushed. Overall, it was an excellent experience from start to finish. I would definitely come back again and highly recommend this place to anyone looking for a great meal. read more

Great portions, the service was quick and friendly. The restaurant has a great vibe with music and decor. My daughter and I shared the Ramen and got appetizers to taste the menu. The shrimp pops were good! read more

Maru Ramen - Northridge - Mochi dessert was well presented and delicious - Ramen Near Me - Northridge, California

Quick service, friendly staff, and frequented by many students. The pricing is good and portions are okay. Personally, I ordered more noodles because of my hunger level. There's parking and plenty of high tops and tables. The only downside is that there's only a women's bathroom and the men were recommended to go next door to wing stop. read more

Maru Ramen - Northridge - Ramen Near Me - Northridge, California

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Small but mighty ramen restaurant serving up rich and savory slurps. Parking lot in the back on Baird street. Once you enter, the service is quick and friendly. I was served my order very quickly. The ramen is rich and super flavorful. Definitely filling. I can see why its so popular. I personally prefer the clean light ramens. read more

This hidden ramen place by reseda is great, the Kuromaya Ramen was a great choice and the Karaage chicken.

Was craving a bowl of ramen and decided to try Maru in Northridge. I ordered Kuromayu ramen and a lemonade. It was delicious and exactly what I needed in that moment. The broth and all the ingredients were fresh. Service was exceptional and the ambiance was great, I came in after the lunch rush but before several customers walked in so I enjoyed a nice, quiet lunch. read more

Maru Ramen - Northridge - Kuromayu Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Northridge, California

First timer here - really enjoyed what we ordered, which included the spicy miso ramen, pork rice bowl, and the gyozas! Miso broth was really savory and tasty, and gyozas were well prepared. Rice bowl was tasty too. Our Sadie server was awesome, super friendly and attentive. Shoutout to her. Nice clean place with plenty of seating and spacious parking lot. Will come back! read more

the spicy miso is always a go to here! I will always come here if i'm craving a ramen! Service is always great here!

I really enjoyed eating here, from the ambiance to the service to the meal. It's intimate without that date night feel - so you can totally bring the family if you're not a huge group. My kid loves ramen and fried chicken so this was a big hit, and everything was tasty and the portion was generous as well. Price was reasonable and on par with other ramen joints in the area. And bonus points for the free parking lot and being able to score a spot literally right next to the door - such a win. Definitely putting a return trip on the agenda! read more

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Food: 3/5 Service: 4/5 Ambiance: 3/5 The parking here is very tight, not ideal for standard size cars. When I walked into the restaurant, I immediately noticed the ventilation was poor. The entire place smelled heavily of fried food. The interior decor is dark, giving off a cozy vibe, which I liked. I got seated and ordered their signature Kuromayu ramen, Tsukemen ramen, and chicken karaage. The wait for the food felt a bit long, and I imagine it would be worse when the restaurant gets busier. Service was good though, attentive and friendly. I don't have much experience with Tsukemen ramen, so I won't comment too much on that one. As for the Kuromayu ramen, something was off, it was missing that authentic ramen flavor. The chashu was on the sweeter side, which was unexpected and not my preference. If you like spice, you can ask for spicy paste, which helped a little but didn't fully make up for the lack of depth in the broth. The karaage was also a letdown. It was cut into tiny pieces and fried, more like popcorn chicken than traditional karaage. Not what I was hoping for. By the time I left, my clothes and hair smelled like fried food. That's something I'd expect from a budget Korean BBQ spot, not a ramen shop. Honestly, I don't understand why this place has such high ratings. I won't be coming back. read more

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Came on a Sunday afternoon and had quick and friendly service. We had no wait. A good sized lot in the back to park. We enjoyed the edamame starter and added chili oil. The ramen was delicious the broth was creamy and we liked how its very customizable. We added extra pork and of course more chili oil on the side. read more

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It's not a particularly large place, so during the busy times, the wait, I'm sure can be long. But from what I tasted of their Vegetable Ramen I would say that it would be worth it. We went close to opening on a weekday so we didn't have a wait at all. The Vegetable Ramen broth is just the right amount of salty, with nice thin chewy noodles and packed with toppings: bamboo shoots, mushroom, beans sprouts and a block of tofu. I would definitely eat at this location again and I would definitely order the same bowl of ramen. They have their small parking in the rear. Service was kind and helpful. read more

Maru Ramen - Northridge - Solidly delicious vegetable ramen - Ramen Near Me - Northridge, California

2 stars because I did not like the the ramen. I really wanted ramen and I saw that the reviews here were good. However, I did not like my Kuromayo ramen. I substituted the pork for chicken and the chicken was not good at all !! It did not taste like chicken to me at all. I paid 2$ extra for it but it's not worth it. Maybe it's better the way it is originally made, but the soup itself was not all that great. The service was decent the server took the chicken off of the tab. Though she could have took the entire soup off because it was left pretty much untouched after like 3-4 bites. But it's ok that's still was a nice gesture. I just know not to try ramen here again. I also did not like the ambiance it's too dark and the sitting is different and set up is not really suitable for the type of restaurant. However, I am happy I finally tried though. Side note: You can park in back in the lot! read more

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Very choice ramen spot that's great for lunch. I imagine it's more busy later in the day. I got chicken karaaage and spicy miso. Both were great. The chicken was nice and crispy and came with a really tasty sauce. Ramen was very good too. Thinner noodles than I'm used to but very good. Parking is around the back and limited. Good amount of space inside the restaurant. Service was great too. read more

Maru Ramen - Northridge - Karaage Chicken - Ramen Near Me - Northridge, California

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I love their piping hot kuromayu ramen, so tasty and flavorfuI but kinda too oily for me so I'm going back to my favorite veggie ramen so it doesn't clog my arteries lol. Service was quick and fast. Perfect for cold days. Small hole in the wall with free parking at the back. My only complaint is that I smelled like ramen after eating there read more

Maru Ramen - Northridge - Menu 01/2026 - Ramen Near Me - Northridge, California

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Both Ramen bowls we ordered were amazing, also the karaage bowl was delicious. Definitely coming back again to try the other items on the menu! The service was great! read more

Outstanding service! AJ was our server this evening & he truly was the best! Ordered the Veggie Ramen soup and gyoza appetizer. Both were very good. The gyoza was a bit too greasy but were tasty. They have a parking lot in the back that is shared with other restaurants. The restaurant has a Chill vibe and super casual. read more

Maru Ramen - Northridge - Veggie ramen soup - Ramen Near Me - Northridge, California

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Really friendly service and yummy ramen to boot! Seating is a bit limited with only a few real tables and a long high top table for seating a larger group. Our server was helpful with recommendations and everything came out delicious. The gyoza was nice and crispy and the shumai was packed with the shrimp. I had the spicy miso ramen and it was the perfect amount to make my nose run, just a bit. Maru is a good spot for the colder weather. If I'm in the San Fernando Valley and craving ramen specifically, I'd make another visit here. read more

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Overall impression: good! Worth the visit. I would skip the Karaage and focus on the ramen. Broth in the was flavorful, fatty and rich. Great for a cold day. The spice blend gets a little spicy, so beware! I liked it, as it cut down the fattiness a bit and added more warmth. Service was friendly and helpful. Savannah was very accommodating. Interior was chic yet inviting. Give them a try! I would call them a strong contender in the valley for ramen read more

Disappointed as it was my first time, ordered the ramen and said no egg, see that they put egg, tell them to remake it, get served the same ramen with the egg removed (as if i couldnt do that myself), call the waiter again, ask them if they just scooped out the egg, they said yes, tell them to remake it, they said its a 15min wait cause of the other orders. i just canceled the order instead. The gyoza are a 6.5/10. read more

Tried this place during the rainy weekend and it was delicious. We ordered the spicy miso ramen and it was amazing. The both is so thick and hearty. The location is so nice and cozy. The service was good just wished our waitress offered the spicy paste from the beginning not when we were about to finished our food. Will definitely go back. read more

Maru Ramen - Northridge - Spicy Miso Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Northridge, California

Maru ramen has been my go to lately. I always order the Kuromayu ramen & add chili paste to it. It always hits the spot along with some gyozas. My boyfriend ordered the soporo bowl which he also enjoyed. Overall super solid spot read more

Maru Ramen - Northridge - Kuromayu Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Northridge, California

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Satisfying ramen spot. We came on a Saturday night and it was busy but didn't have to wait too long. They have a good amount of tables inside. Kuromayu Ramen - creamy and garlic flavor. We added spicy paste and it was a nice addition. Karaage Bowl - super good and tasty. They add a lot of spicy mayo to the rice so if you don't like spicy mayo beware. I'd come back here if I lived closer to the area. They have a parking lot out back. read more

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Sadie was very cool and literally the best person to attend us. First time here and the ramen was spectacular'!

I've been to both their locations - Northridge and Woodland Hills. With Maru, you don't have to worry if the dishes won't taste the same because they do. They are so consistent. Their ramen is so good. I tried Tsukemen (dipping ramen) for the first time from them and that's all I get now. The dipping sauce they put with it is so savory and packed with flavor and has some so be warned. It's not crazy spicy, I would rate it a 3/5 spice level. The Karaage bowl is good as well. My fiancé loves it. I tried some and it's really good. It's perfectly fried and flavorful. read more

Really enjoyed our meal here! The staff was super friendly and welcoming. We started with the shrimp pop appetizer, which was delicious and crispy. For the main, we had the Kuromayu ramen and absolutely loved the broth, so flavorful. Can't wait to come back and try a different ramen next time! read more

Maru Ramen - Northridge - Ramen Near Me - Northridge, California

Maru isn't just a ramen spot--it's basically the holy grail of noodles in the valley. Walk in and you're immediately hit with that cozy, soul-hugging vibe that makes you feel like you're about to star in your own anime food montage. The bowls come out steaming like little cauldrons of happiness, loaded with broth so rich it should be paying taxes. The noodles? Perfectly chewy, like they trained in a dojo before landing in your bowl. And the staff? They treat you like family, but the good kind of family--the one that remembers your birthday and actually shares their fries. If you haven't been to Maru, you're doing life wrong. Seriously, treat yourself--come slurp, laugh, and let your taste buds do a victory dance. Every spoonful feels like a plot twist in the best kind of food adventure, the kind where the hero is you and your sidekick is a perfectly soft-boiled egg. By the time you leave, you'll be plotting your return like it's the next big Marvel movie. Trust me, one trip to Maru and you'll be bragging to all your friends, "Yeah, I know a place," like you just unlocked a secret level in life. Anyway can't wait to come back. My daughter is recovering from leukemia and Maru brings her a lot of joy. read more

Maru Ramen - Northridge - My kid loves this place! Tia and the girls at Mari always make her feel at home. - Ramen Near Me - Northridge, California

Delicious spicy ramen! Came here with a friend and we both enjoyed what we ordered. Friendly staff, quick service, and great ambiance. read more

Maru Ramen - Northridge - Ramen Near Me - Northridge, California

This ramen was really yummy. The edamame had the perfect amount of salt and it was generous portion. The broth is incredibly creamy. The pork surprised us by being slightly sweet and it was a great additional flavor to the ramen. We can't wait to come back! PS $16.45 for ramen nowadays is perfect. read more

Maru Ramen - Northridge - Kuromayu Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Northridge, California

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Stopped by on a Sunday afternoon & stumbled upon this gem. Amazing ramen & gyozas! Friendly staff & great ambiance. read more

The chasu bowl is a big hit, highly recommend! Savannah was very nice and attentive to us. read more

Maru Ramen - Northridge - Chashu Bowl - Ramen Near Me - Northridge, California