Hands down, one of my favorite ramen spots for a quick, budget-friendly bite! I've introduced this place to so many people and have never gotten a complaint. The food is consistently 10/10, and service is fast. There may be a short wait for a table sometimes, but usually only 5-10 minutes. Parking can be a little tough since there are so many food and boba shops nearby. I recommend parking on the other side and walking over. I came with a group of friends, and we all had a great experience. Ordering and paying through the QR code is super convenient, especially if you have Toast Rewards! We ordered the Soy Garlic Karaage, Orange Chicken Karaage, Edamame Stick, Potato Croquette, Teriyaki Skewer, and Spicy Mayo Skewer with sauce on the side. Everything was delicious! The karaage was juicy, tender, and crispy, with both sauces offering great flavor. The Edamame Stick was crunchy, soft on the inside and went well with the sauce. The Potato Croquette is my favorite. It's so crunchy, soft, the sauce is incredible and it goes well with everything. For entrees, we had the Beef Ramen, Gyudon, Black Garlic Ramen, Curry Rice, and Curry Ramen. I'm a big curry fan, so I loved both the Curry Rice and Curry Ramen. Everything was flavorful and well-balanced. The ramen broth is light, not overly salty, and very satisfying. The table hot sauce adds a nice kick too! It's a small but cozy restaurant with beautiful wood accents. Definitely a hidden gem that deserves more recognition. I'll absolutely be back again and highly recommend it for friends, family, or a casual date! read more

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Wow, a spot that's actually affordable with good food. Finally made it around to try Monsta Ramen. Ironically, I did not order ramen but got the curry chicken katsu, and it was simple yet tasty. I love the convenience of being able to order at the table without a server. Not only that, each person at the table can order and get their own bill. Tech when it's working is great. Went right at opening, and parking was easy (free for the first 90 minutes, I think), and we were seated right away. I noticed they also had a takeout station you could easily order from too. read more

Monsta Ramen - Katsu curry - Japanese Curry Near Me - San Diego, California

This restaurant markets "scary good price & quality" which is true! Nowadays, so many ramen and curry restaurants are at least $16 but at this place the average entree is $13. In my opinion, their ramen is just average compared to other ramen places nearby. I would skip on the ramen and order their curry! I really love their curry! It has a great flavor and like the radish and pickle that comes with it that gives it a nice balance. I've had it with chicken cutlet, pork cutlet, sausage and chicken karaage and all were good! Next time I want to try their rice bowls which sounds delicious. I also like their shrimp roll because it's nice and crispy! It's easy to order here because you can order at your table using a QR code or wait for the server. It's also easy to pay as well doing the same. Every time I've come here, the service is quick and efficient. read more

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I'm giving this place 4 stars because they advertised affordable and quality ramen and their ramen is definitely reasonably priced. They had lunch specials for $10.50 and $13 for regular menu ramen. Can't beat this price anywhere these days. So we had to try this place and it lives up to what they advertise. I ordered the lunch special tonkatsu ramen for $10.50 and my son ordered the black garlic ramen for $13. They both came with half of a jammy egg which I appreciated cuz many times the egg cost extra. The tonkatsu ramen broth wasn't as rich as other places but the black garlic ramen was tasty. Is this the best ramen I've ever had ? No. But if you're on a budget and want to satisfy your ramen cravings, try this place out. Service was friendly and the food came out very quickly. read more

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Wow this place serves up delicious ramen at decent prices. Parking is a bit difficult but doable. The place is clean and the staff are super friendly and patient. Spice level is legit. I came with a party of seven and we all left full without breaking the bank. Their dumplings are good too! I'll be back soon. read more

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Have been consistently going here for a bit now, and I still think the food is great for the price! Very affordable menu items that are like more often than not less than $20. Service is always quick and easy. The place itself looks very cozy, and the music is super chill. Will keep coming again! read more

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Quick dinner because the husband wanted ramen, while parking was a pain it didn't deter us from making our way to Monsta Ramen! The restaurant is small and tucked away in a small shopping center. 2 hours of parking is complimentary since many of the lots on Convoy are now paid lots which is such a bummer. We were seated quickly and given the option to order through the server or scan the QR code for quick order and pay situations. We opted to go with the QR code which was so easy to be able to order, pay and leave as soon as we were done with our meal. We ordered the black garlic ramen and miso ramen. Both were good, I really enjoyed the flavors of the miso ramen. I like how the broth was light but still carried a bold miso flavor, and the ramen eggs were cooked perfectly! read more

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I was pleasantly surprised that the low pricing was not reflected in the quality of the food. We had the pork cutlet plate + a side of curry, spicy black garlic ramen and a chashu ajitima bowl. Everything was tasty and service was so friendly and fast. What I liked most: well made miso soup, the minced pork and garlic in the curry, perfectly cooked soft boiled eggs and very resonable pricing. What could have been better: the cabbage dressing was a tad sweeter than I like and location was a little inconvenient (parking was hard to come by) We'll be back for sure! read more

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Pros: Service was great, plenty of parking and the food is on the cheaper side in comparison to other ramen shops. The garlic soy fried chicken was pretty good! Cons: mediocre ramen, I got the black garlic ramen but it tasted diluted and lukewarm. Id describe it as the fast food of ramens (casual and perhaps lower quality) read more

Monsta Ramen - Black garlic ramen. It's just ok, bit diluted - Japanese Curry Near Me - San Diego, California

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This is one of the cheapest places to get a meal in all of San Diego- you can even get a bowl of ramen for like $13. It's a fairly small storefront- can seat maybe a dozen small tables and I've never seen more than 2 staff working at once. With that said, the girl working when I ate here last was very friendly and helpful and made sure our waters were filled. The food is good- nothing to write home about compared to all the other options here on convoy but one of the best affordable places to go. read more

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Very yummy food! QR code ordering or in person. Staff was friendly. It was nice and clean inside. read more

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Curry here is so good and huge portions that I came back. I had the chicken cutlet with curry. Then I ordered Gyudonjidon and teriyaki skewers to go. The prices and decent. As for ramen I highly recommend ordering ramen curry. It's not on the menu you have to tell them. I've also had their potato croquettes it's very good it's like a fried mashed potato patty. I highly recommend this for appetizers. The parking is complimentary for 120 minutes. read more

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This review is for the curry rice only. We ordered the chicken cutlet curry rive and the portion and price was very reasonable at $13. The inside wasn't busy on a Saturday afternoon. The food came out pretty fast and had good flavor. The parking lot here is quite big and is complementary for the first two hours which is a huge plus for the Convoy area. read more

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Monsta Ramen is my go to spot for Japanese curry! When you enter, it's open seating and there's plenty of to choose from. The staff are friendly and can answer any questions/make adjustments to your order if needed. I always get the chicken cutlet curry with added spices on the side. The chicken cutlet (chicken katsu) is crispy, moist, and fresh. The curry is seasoned well and has beef in it as well. The quality of the food and service is always consistent! They used to serve Hi-Chew at the end of your meal and I noticed recently they don't do it anymore. If possible, please bring that back :) I'm so glad I found this spot last year! read more

Monsta Ramen - Chicken cutlet curry - Japanese Curry Near Me - San Diego, California

This cozy restaurant was what we needed on a cold evening for an affordable bowl of ramen! The server was really kind, & helped us answer questions we had about the menu. The food was priced well & comes out very quickly. * Soy Garlic Chicken Karaage - 8/10 (the chicken itself was pretty juicy. we just thought the breading was too soggy. the sauce did have a yummy soy garlic flavor) * Black Garlic Ramen - 7.5/10 (it was good for the price but the soup was very oily. the soft egg was cooked well & delicious, but we wish they didn't just give a half an egg. the chashu was tender & had a great amount of fattiness. we appreciate the addition of the corn & bamboo shoots. the noodles were just your average ramen noodle, & lacking bounciness. overall, great for the price but average for a ramen) read more

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"Scary good prices & quality" is their tagline and Monsta Ramen lives up to it. I was poking around for good ramen places and there were a lot with $18-$20 bowls, but then when Monsta popped up, it was a revelation. $13 regular with a daily Tonkatsu ramen special of $10?? I was sold. We came to this strip mall early for dinner since we were still on East Coast time and Monsta was pretty empty, but by 6pm, it had filled up. Ordering off the QR code menu was a snap, though our very nice server would have readily taken the order. Just over the half glass frosted partition next to our table was the open kitchen where the ramen artisans were slinging their craft. Dishes are prepared fast & served hot. First, our appetizers of Gyoza (5 for $4) & Kurabata Sausages (3 for $3) hit the table and we dived in. Gyoza were crispy crunchy and the sausages had a good snap. The wife's Black Garlic Ramen came out steaming and the garlic aroma was wafting. She said the chew on the ramen noodles was perfect. The cutlet of my Pork Katsu Curry Rice was crispy panko crusted, tender on the inside and perfectly seasoned. The dish looked like a beach scene with the rice beach on an ocean of curry sauce. The curry was all the more tasty with bits of onion & minced pork added for flavor & texture. All told, the bill was $33 and with tax & tip was $42, an amazing value for some awesome food. They really lived up to their motto and no wonder customers come back again & again. Later, I was checking out their Facebook page and the way they care about preparing their food is amazing! read more

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I can appreciate a good ramen bowl that is very well priced in this economy. This spot advocates for low price and good quality and that is exactly what you get. A bowl of ramen is about $13 or so and that's rare to come by nowadays. I got the black garlic ramen and it was delicious. The portion is pretty much equivalent to your average bowl of ramen. The broth was flavorful and you can definitely taste the garlic. The noodles were chewy and the chashu was mostly lean with a little bit of fat. The egg also tastes like it's been steeped in alcohol which is a plus. I wouldn't say it's the best black garlic ramen I've had but for the price I could say it's definitely worth it for what they give you. The service was also very nice. We were told to sit anywhere we'd like and water was given immediately. It's a great spot for anyone wanting a hearty and reasonably priced meal. read more

Monsta Ramen - Black garlic ramen - Japanese Curry Near Me - San Diego, California

Honestly, the food was really mid. But if u consider the price then it's not that bad. $12 for curry ramen, $12 for pork chop curry and $12 for pork chop rice plate is hard to find in SD. There's several daily lunch specials. We tried $4 gyozas, they were deep Fried not pan fried. Service was good. The server was helpful and the food was quick. read more

Monsta Ramen - Curry pork chop - Japanese Curry Near Me - San Diego, California

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Ordered the tonkatsu curry that had a generous amount of curry and rice. The pork cutlet itself was thick and tender with a crispy breading. Frank(If I remember correctly, brother with the wavy hair) was attentive. Would return for lunch. read more

Monsta Ramen - Japanese Curry Near Me - San Diego, California

Not only is the food here good but it's affordable. You can also find all day specials of $10 tonkatsu ramen or even lunch specials on the $10 menu. Parking here is a paid lot but the first 2 hours are free. Food came out quick. They have spices on the table if you want it spicer. We ordered: -Takoyaki ($6) - decent because it wasn't too much batter. -Soy garlic chicken karaage ($10) - two words, crunch and crispy. -Black garlic ramen ($13) - nice Al dente bouncy noodles, needed more garlic flavor. -Pork cutlet curry rice ($13) - the curry flavor was savory and sweet with a thick gravy consistency. We added more spice from the table and it came out to our liking. This little place deserves more attention. Will definitely come back again. read more

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QUICK TAKE// Felt the black garlic ramen wasn't as standout as other black garlic ramens out there. Overall wasn't the most impressed and will not be coming back. FOOD// I came in here on a whim to try a quick ramen spot during lunch. I was tempted to try their very cheap $10 tonkatsu ramen, but instead went for the BLACK GARLIC RAMEN. I thought this one was tasty enough, but not as tasty as Nishiki ramen's. It honestly wasn't bad, but didn't blow my mind either. SERVICE// Very attentive and quick given lunch hour. VIBES// small clean space, nothing particularly standout. read more

Monsta Ramen - Black Garlic Ramen - Japanese Curry Near Me - San Diego, California

Extremely reasonably priced ramen for this day and age, but also fairly basic in terms of taste, quality, and quantity so not really as amazing of a deal as one might presume upon first glance at the menu. Regardless, Monsta hit the spot while barely making a dent in my wallet (pro tip: check out the all-day specials for even greater savings)! My vegetarian girlfriend enjoyed her Veggie Miso Ramen (house made miso soup base, tofu, and bok choy) while I was similarly satisfied with my Tonkotsu Ramen (house made tonkotsu base, chashu, and half a soft boiled egg), both of which came with naruto, wood ear, corn, green onion, and seaweed. We ordered via QR code, but table service was available as well. Our server checked on us several times, which we appreciated. The restaurant space was simple and clean, and only lightly populated during our midweek lunchtime visit. Parking was plentiful in the shared plaza lot - I imagine this isn't always the case, however! read more

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We've been here a bunch of times and I highly recommend it if you're looking for a good, affordable meal! I love the pricing and the food is always great!! Something about the vibe in there is fun to dine in and the service is always fast and friendly! We've gotten ramen, chicken curry rice plate, gyudon plate and they've all always been great read more

Cool new ramen spot. Nothing out of the ordinary, but seems like it is consistent and reliable so definitely worth a few visits! The curry ramen had great taste, and I love the idea. The appetizer was okay, but I'm not much of a fried foodie. Service was exceptional and friendly. Fast service, clean service and they no doubtedly deserve five stars on service. read more

Monsta Ramen - Japanese Curry Near Me - San Diego, California

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This place is pretty cool because they always have specials/happy hour. The pricing is very reasonable. If you're looking for something affordable this place is it. Plenty of shareable appetizers. I got the spicy ramen and edamame. Only thing is it is freezing in the restaurant but other than that I enjoyed this place. Service was great and they were able to answer all of my questions. read more

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Another ramen spot opened up, so we checked them out back in April. We got the shrimp spring roll, tako yaki, pork katsu curry, and the spicy black garlic ramen! He also go a glass of Sappor beer on draft. Food and service was really quick! We got our food within 5 minutes! The apps were good! The curry had a good ratio of rice to protein. The ramen was also very flavorful, since I love garlic and spices. Worth a try if you're in the area! read more

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Wow! I finally got to try this place after seeing this place open last year and I should've come sooner. The prices are super reasonable and the food was good. We ordered tons of food and so we took home leftovers. The interior was simple and clean. You seat yourself and there were tons of tables. I like how you can order on the QR code provided or with the waitress. Our waitress was really nice and helpful. She checked in with us to make sure everything was good but wasn't overbearing. We tried the tonkatsu ramen with black garlic oil and spicy sauce on the side, the pork cutlet curry, sausages, potato croquette, cabbage salad, takoyaki, and monsta lemonade. The tonkotsu ramen was pretty good. The broth was good but the black garlic sauce really leveled it up and added the perfect level of savory and umami. It came on the side and was a generous amount so you could choose how much you wanted to use. The curry was good and there was a generous amount of curry. The sausage, potato croquette, and takoyaki were fresh and crispy. The monsta lemonade tasted like raspberry and was yummy. Overall, I had a great experience and I think this will become one of my go to spots for ramen. read more

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First time here and was recommended by a family member! Honestly everything was a 5/5! Food We ordered 2 of the all day tonkotsu specials, 1 Gyoza (5pcs), 1 hot&creamy skewer (comes with 2 skewers), and 1 potato shrimp (4pcs). - the tonkotsu ramen was exceptional, definitely recommend, especially for the price and quality! 5/5 - the skewer was really tasty, as it is deep fried and glazed with their creamy and spicy sauce. The sauce packs some heat so be wary if you're sensitive to spice. I really liked it! 5/5 - the potato shrimp was very interesting but also fun to eat! It's like a fried shrimp tempura with some crunchies. 5/5 Service Food came out in less than 10 minutes, apps first of course, and then our ramen (: Ambiance Super casual and also there was no wait on a Tuesday night! I enjoyed my time there In total paid less then $45 and tipped of course! Well worth the money, time, and parking! Would go again read more

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Weekday lunch with coworkers, only ones dining in. But why? The food, pork cutlet and chicken karaage with curry and rice, were delicious, and portions were decently sized. Compared to Coco Ichibanya, there's a milder flavor to the curry, and it does not have any spicy level. Can't beat their price too! Workers were attentive, bringing out the freshly made food in a timely manner and checking on us regularly. Clean and quiet dining room to enjoy a conversation. read more

I love the cute icon for the place it's sooo adorable and the reason why I wanted to come here since January 2024! My friend mentioned that it is an affordable priced restaurant and I would agree. The woman working there was super lovely and supplied us with nice ice cold water. The food also came out in a timely manner. I ordered the ($12 or 13, I can't remember but one of those!) Pork Cutlet Curry Plate, it comes with a large portion of rice and a few pieces of pickled cucumber and ginger (I believe). The pork cutlet was beautifully fried and cooked, it was somehow juicy and didn't contain lots of fat like some other places had. The curry was nicely seasoned and not overly salty at all. They gave a large amount that paired really well. On the table they had a thick spicy sauce that we could add on the plate. It was strong spice but also had some notes of tomato-- in my opinion at least. Quite filling and the perfect amount, you could share this between two people as well. read more

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Very cheap! Considering the price, this place is great! The ramen is yummy and you really can't beat the value. The spot is causal, and it was easy to walk in and grab a seat. The food came out fast. You can order on the QR code for a discount. read more

Great service. Our girl was pretty helpful and pleasant. I ordered the tonkotsu, with noodles on the side. I love the broth, however it wasn't hot at all. Not sure what happened. I even made it a point to mention i like my ramen HOT ... my friend told me hers was hot though... I did finish it nonetheless. I ordered the chicken skewers, no sauce... thought it was going to be grilled, just as shown on menu.. however, when it came out, it was breaded. It was cool but i woulda preferred it grilled. read more

A great spot for a quick bite. This was seat yourself and you can either order on your phone or order with a server. The food is then brought out to you. There are many ramen options and appetizers. Everything was delicious but I only got a picture of the spicy ramen! read more

Monsta Ramen - Japanese Curry Near Me - San Diego, California

Hands down the best curry I've ever tried that is not home made. We came for ramen but the restaurant smelled so good that we both tried a curry rice plate. Prices are awesome, service was great, provided by Eric. There's plenty of seating with some soft background music. High recommend. read more

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um $10 ramen, $11 with tax included in this economy!! SOLID ramen with great portions and broth was so hearty and delicious. Wanted to sip all the broth. Egg was runny, nice chasu. Cannot complain plus their prices are so reasonable! It is also nice they have a spicy paste to add into your ramen on the table to switch up the flavors and up the spice. Not to mention friendly workers and speedy service. Was able to accommodate party of 7 well and plenty of seating. read more

Monsta Ramen - Ramen - Japanese Curry Near Me - San Diego, California

Came for dinner the food is always good I get the curry plate with the pork cutlet and white rice the curry is very flavorful and the pork is crispy & cooked perfectly, service is friendly and helpful and it's a great place for a quick lunch or dinner which is always great as well when your hungry! read more

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Monsta Ramen in San Diego was honestly a great experience from start to finish. The food was really good, and you can tell it's made fresh. The water was super cold and refreshing, which was perfect with ramen. What a perfect meal for a cloudy day. Here's what i ordered: I ordered the spicy black garlic ramen, and even though it's labeled spicy, it wasn't spicy at all, still very flavorful and delicious. I also tried the black garlic ramen, and it was rich, savory, and satisfying. The environment was clean and welcoming with plenty of seating. There was no wait time at all, we walked in, seated ourselves wherever we wanted, and were served quickly. The staff was friendly, fast, and made the whole experience easy and comfortable. The restroom was an all-gender restroom with one stall, and it was well-maintained and clean. Parking was also super easy, there's a lot of parking available, which made getting in and out stress-free. Definitely a spot I'd come back to. read more

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The perfect casual ramen spot! Monsta ramen is delicious and the value is insane. I love the options they have and the prices can't be beat. If you are looking for a solid bowl of ramen, Monsta is the place to go. There is a QR code where you place you order which makes ordering and checking out super convenient. I ordered the spicy miso ramen and it came out in 10-15 minutes. The ramen was delicious and the perfect spice level. The noodles were a good texture and not overcooked. The highlight for me was the perfectly cooked ramen egg. It was jammy and full of flavor! There was also chili sauce at the table if you wanted to add extra heat to your ramen. The service here is awesome. Our waitress was super sweet and helpful. She told us about the specials of the day and made sure we were well taken care of. Overall I love monsta if I'm in the mood for some quick ramen or just want some delicious food that's a good value. 10/10 read more

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Me and my buddy went to this place the other day, his recommendation, and I gotta say it didn't disappoint. I ordered the gyoza appetizer with the orange chicken entree and I gotta say they tasted great, they had good service to, the waiter was always nearby asking if we needed anything, and the prices are very affordable, only around 15 bucks for the entire meal! It has a very homey vibe so it's a perfect place to come with a friend to just hang out, overall no complaints about the experience, nice affordable place to go read more

TBH, this place wasn't our first choice; HOWEVER, was a clutch find on a busy Friday night where it appeared to be a wait everywhere else. We were hangry and Monsta Ramen welcomed us with open arms :-) I was teetering on ramen or curry and our super friendly server swayed us to order the curry. One pork cutlet curry rice, one chicken cutlet curry rice, and one crunchy soy garlic chicken karaage appetizer later we were re-engergized and enjoyed the tasty meal. read more