Very delicious mazemen small restaurant with easy parking. 8ish tables and bar seating. It was very…read morebusy on Saturday afternoon. Service was wonderful and the servers were very knowledgeable and helpful. Got the popular karaage and it was so delicious. Small app with 5 pieces and a spicy mayo and their house made sweet chili sauce. Saitama and Kyoto were amazing and so flavorful. I think the saitama had more flavor to it than the Kyoto but both were so yummy. Great spot to go for lunch

We have a party of 9 people from my company and we are always pressed for time so we called ahead…read moreand placed our orders ahead of time so that food came out right away. Service did not disappoint. It was fantastic. The food is spectacular. I had the Saitama (ground chicken) and it was so darn good. They give you a nice bit of rice, which is actually the perfect amount, to finish up the sauce at the bottom of your bowl. Their vinegar is infused with umami or something. It was good to mix the Mazeman with. I recommend this place. My only complaint is that auto-gratuity was 19.39%. That's honestly on the ridiculous side of things. We realized that they include sales tax into their gratuity. Sales tax is the responsibility of the business, not the customer. Please re-adjust your setup so that gratuity does not factor in sales tax. We'd love to come back and be a regular, but that gratuity setup is not a bright spot.

Our whole family absolutely loved Meiji Seimen Costa Mesa! The adults loved it, the kids loved it,…read moreand we're already talking about coming back. Their noodles are made in-house, with a wonderfully chewy texture, and their Kansai-style broth is made with Hokkaido kelp and bonito flakes. Here's what we ordered: Sesame Tofu Silky, smooth, and creamy with a rich sesame flavor. A light and delicious way to start the meal. Fried Squid Leg Crispy on the outside and wonderfully chewy inside. So addictive and perfect for sharing! Kakuni - Braised Pork Belly Tender, juicy pork belly with a savory-sweet Japanese flavor. It practically melts in your mouth. Cheese Curry Udon One of our favorites! Thick, chewy udon covered in rich Japanese curry and creamy melted cheese. Warm, comforting, and SO satisfying. Shabu Shabu Udon Tender slices of beef with chewy homemade udon in a warm, savory broth. Simple, comforting, and delicious. Tempura Zaru Soba Refreshing cold soba noodles served with crispy tempura. I love the combination of cool, chewy noodles and hot, crunchy tempura. Nabeyaki Udon A steaming bowl of comfort food! The flavorful broth and chewy udon make this such a cozy and satisfying dish. Suki Beef Curry Bowl Savory-sweet sukiyaki-style beef with rich curry over rice. Every bite is packed with flavor! Katsu Bowl Crispy, tender katsu served over rice--simple, hearty, and definitely kid-approved! Honestly, we ordered so many different things and there wasn't much left on the table! This is definitely a great family-friendly spot. Free Parking!

We had a great first visit to Meiji Seimen. We got there about ten minutes early, but still were #6…read moreon the wait list, after a party of 6. We got seated about 15 minutes after the store opened. As I expected, the space was cozy and noisy, a little much for my mother, who is sensitive to ambient noise. The music was all Japanese pop music! I ordered the inaka soba. Our server helpfully advised me that it was conventional soba--rather than a broth, it came in a sweet-savory sauce. I never tried inaka soba before (not even in rural Japan), so I had to try it. The first surprise was the noodles. They were thinner than what I normally get, but clearly freshly made. They were chewy and hearty. Both my mom and I were surprised by the shiitake mushrooms because they were simmered in a sweet bath. I couldn't place the taste. Maybe mirin with less salt or soy sauce than usual? Overall, the mix of grated daikon, sesame seeds, finely shredded nori, dried bonito flakes, green onions, and egg was a nice classical Japanese mix of flavors, and the wasabi added a nice spike. As our server said, it was a sweet-savory sauce that wasn't too sweet. The experience was kind of like the mazemen that is trending right now. I wanted to mix it all while it was hot, and ended up eating it quickly before my spouse and mom finished their food. My mom kept commenting on how good the broth was. It was light, without the heavy soy sauce or sugar flavors that you find in some places. The udon noodles were first rate. Fresh and chewy. I could see why people were lining up outside for them. My mom got nabeyaki udon, which included chicken, egg, fish cake, and green onion. My spouse had sansai udon. The sansai tasted like it might have been gotten fresh from California, even though that is unlikely. I never had sansai like that in the US before. It turns out the noise was not a problem as we ate because we just chowed down silently, commenting on the food every now and then. It's not a place to linger over conversation with friends anyway, because they limit you to 90 minutes at your table. One big bonus for Meiji Seimen: parking is easy. Some minor things. I was a little disappointed that they wanted you to use your cell phone to look at the menu. The print on the phone was tiny, and I couldn't zoom in. It got slightly bigger when I rotated my phone, but then you see less of the menu at once. They did have old print menus on hand, which were easier to see. The space was very small, and because they were so busy the staff were always walking through with trays of food in the narrow space between tables. We are small people and don't need a walker, but I wonder how the experience might be for people who need more space to walk. And then there was the noise level. It's rare that I want to visit a place again right away, but I'm eager to try the other dishes Meiji Seimen has to offer!

Food is Chinese and we ordered the garlic chicken wings, spicy sausage fried rice, bao buns,…read moredumpling noodle soup. All were yummy and the value wasn't that bad for what you get. Flavors were good and tasty. The service was good being that there are only 2 waitstaff. On top of things! The place was nice and clean and we do go back here once in a while when cravings kick in. Verdict- yes!

Always awesome …read more.. Massive lot that usually has lots of room, big place with lots of seating. I tend to go at lunch time early so always lots of options. At times the local hotels will have conference and then things can fill up fast. Service is great, they watch the tables and think ahead for what you need. Im addicted to a specific soup here but keep looking at all the amazing options, I still walk in and order what I ordered last time. Clean place, great staff, awesome food. This is a weekly lunch go to for sure many times Ill hit them 2 or more because they are that good.

My fiancé absolutely loved his soup from Shrimp Noodle Bar, especially paired with their crispy…read morefried wings. He definitely enjoyed every bite! I had the Wonton Chicken & Prawn Soup, and I ordered it without noodles. It was exactly what I was looking for--flavorful, comforting, and the serving size was perfect. The wontons, chicken, and prawns were delicious, and the broth was light yet satisfying. Overall, we really enjoyed our soups and the whole experience. Sometimes a simple bowl of soup hits the spot perfectly! We'll definitely be back!

There are plenty of parking spaces. Located in the Collage at South Coast Plaza. I got their…read moreBraised Scallion Soy Chicken Dry Noodle, and it was okay. The chicken didn't have much flavor, and the noodles were okay. It tasted bland to me. Recommendation(s): - None Service: 5/5 Tip(s): - Plenty of parking spaces - Located in Collage at South Coast Plaza

The ramen is legit and the karaage!! It's hard to find karaage done right like the way they make…read moreit. I went to Kitakata closer to where I live and their ramen was disappointing. So not all have the same level of quality. This location was good though.

Service was great when we sat down. There was a bit of a wait if you show up around 6-7pm. Pretty…read moresmall seating inside. Was recommended to come here from a few people. There ramen is made fresh in house. The flavors of the broth weren't my favorite. I've had better ramen before.

A Legendary Slurp - Gone But Never Forgotten It is a true…read moretragedy for the Orange County food scene that Hakata Ikkousha in Costa Mesa has closed its doors. This wasn't just a "ramen joint"--it was a masterclass in authentic Fukuoka-style soul food. The Broth: Liquid Gold The standout was always their Signature Tonkotsu broth. You could literally taste the 30+ hours of labor that went into it. It had that distinct "frothy" texture (the bubble of the bone marrow) that you only find in high-end Hakata shops. It was rich, creamy, and carried a deep umami funk without ever being overly greasy. The Hits * Black Tonkotsu: The roasted garlic oil (mayu) added a smoky, dark complexity that ruined all other garlic ramens for me. * God Fire: For those who like to sweat, this offered the perfect balance of heat without sacrificing the integrity of the pork flavor. * The Karaage: Genuinely some of the best fried chicken in the area. Massive, juicy thigh meat with a shattering, thin crust and that addictive spicy mayo on the side. * Customization: I loved that they let you pick your noodle firmness. "Hard" was the only way to go to ensure that perfect snap with every bite. The Atmosphere The Costa Mesa location always had a great energy--functional, clean, and unpretentious. The staff were always efficient, greeting everyone with a loud "Irasshaimase!" that made the experience feel truly authentic. It's heartbreaking to see such a high-caliber spot leave the neighborhood. If you were lucky enough to eat here, you know we lost a heavy hitter. To the team at Ikkousha: thank you for the memories and the best bowls in the city. You'll be sorely missed! Note: For those still craving that specific broth, their Torrance locations are still holding it down--definitely worth the drive to keep the dream alive. Come back to OC! !

I was completely unaware 10/26/25 was the last day this location was open so I feel very blind…read moresighted T-T The only location left is Torrance and I hope it stays open! Favorite ramen spot ever!! The Black Devil Level 2 Spice will be missed.

I LOVE Marugame Udon! It is my comfort food when I need a cozy meal. I got the large bolognese bowl…read morewith tempura egg and tempura sweet potato. All were amaaaazing! The service is also top tier. Everyone is so kind and they are really working hard to make sure that everyone gets a table and every table is clean while it's busy. We went on a Saturday so it was super busy but we were still able to get a clean table quickly. They also made sure everything was stocked well (utensils, tempura, food). My only bummer is that the location in Aliso Viejo gave me more cheese and meat in my bowl vs this costa mesa one. Other than that, it was a fantastic experience!

Fast service and quick on the go, great place for hearty and relatively affordable meal…read more Hubby and I came here for dinner, line wasn't too long but goes fast since you order what you want in the udon. I got the hot kake udon and a croquette ($11). Seating and self serve got a seat quickly, they also have green onion and tempura flakes in the back side of restaurant. Udon was a bit too Al dente for me but the broth wasn't too salty, croquette was good but could have been fresher. Overall solid for an easy casual lunch and dinner at south coast!

Ramen is a local neighborhood spot located in the shopping center with the Target and Sprouts just…read morearound the corner. Walking in, the restaurant is cozy and seating was compact and clean. We were able to get seated and got accommodated with high chair for our little one shortly. Not long after, we got our order taken and we got a tonkotsu ramen and a spicy garlic ramen, edamame, fries and a Sapporo draft. Overall, a delicious bowl of ramen. Great texture and fresh ingredients.

Costa Mesa has many options for ramen, but Kashiwa stands out above the rest! The best tasting…read moreramen around, with amazing staff!

I'm Chinese, but had never had Yunnan food before, so thought of giving it a try…read more I walked in and was immediately sat. It's a QR scan to see the menu and place your order through your phone. The food came out so quick. Less than 2 minutes and everything was in front of me and tasted fresh. The service is extremely fast. I got the classic Roodle and as soon as I put all the ingredients into the broth, they swung by and collected empty dishes immediately. The portion was large and ingredients fresh. I enjoyed the variety and the amount of rice noodle. The broth was salty and refreshing. They have some side sauces to adjust the flavor, but I found myself not needing it. The dish reminded me of a form of hot pot but a soup version. Loved it! I highly recommend and will be returning!

I decided to give this place a try because I heard their noodles were very authentic, and as…read moresomeone who loves noodles, I was excited to try it. I ordered their most popular dish, the A1 set, but honestly, it didn't really live up to the hype for me. The broth tasted pretty underseasoned overall. From what I understood, you're supposed to mix all the toppings into the soup with the noodles, but even after doing that, I still felt like the flavor was lacking. Yes, they provide seasoning on the side, but personally, I wish the broth already had enough flavor on its own without needing to adjust it myself. Would I come back? Probably not. Nothing really stood out to me enough to return, and it felt more like a one-time experience. Overall, everything was just okay.

Love this place! Poke Nachos, Poke Nachos, Poke Nachos- I'm doing it for the algorithm and the…read moresearch. Yes they have it here. Yes they have the version you want the one with wonton chips. It is thoughtfully created each layer of chips is sauced and finished, then repeat. It's been over a month since i have had it and I swear i think about it at least every week. Wonton Chips, salmon tuna, and house made sauces that is all I have to say. Go getchu some!

Was really looking forward to trying Ai Pono Cafe after seeing some foodie content on IG so made my…read moreway over on the weekend. The place was buzzin on Saturday afternoon which I immediately took as a good sign. It was an extremely hot day (cue Cali heat wave) and standing inside the restaurant didn't help. No AC and hot open kitchen made for a sweaty time. Ordered an Ai Pono Poke bowl and Roots plate to-go. Our total was $38 between the two items. Got home in about 25 mins and immediately dug in. For a $16 poke bowl, I guess I was expecting a bit more fish. Also, the rice had a sour ish taste (according to me). The Roots plate quantity was solid but the short rib was very chewy. Definitely a preference thing but chewy short rib is not my jam. The flavors were good though. There wasn't much of a service aspect to our experience cause we took our meal to go. Unfortunately was a bit disappointed as the food didn't hit the mark but very open to trying again in the future.