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    Ramen Nagi

    4.4 (717 reviews)
    ModerateRamen
    Closed 11:00 am - 2:30 pm, 5:00 PM - 9:00 PM

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    RAMEN NAGI ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Trendy
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - Ramen Nagi

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    Red King with 2 eggs and extra spice
    Monica N.

    We recently brought friends here who requested a good place to eat and of the list of choices we provided, they picked Ramen Nagi. My husband and I have been here several times before as it is both mine and my husband's favorite ramen eatery in San Diego. This is the best ramen in San Diego. After going on my own little ramen crawl around SD, this is the top of them all, bar none. If you really are craving something close to ramen in Japan, try this place. Everything is fantastic here but my favorite of all the ramen choices is the Red King (the spicy tonkotsu). The Black King is also good (squid ink) and has a nice umami punch to it with a good helping of garlic to seal the deal. The karage (fried chicken) is great as well. The texture is perfect and I think the sauce provided really added to the overall bite. The gyoza is also fantastic as well and they provide a dipping sauce that is not the standard dip but something better. If I recall, it is a lightly sweet pear-esque sauce with the consistency almost like apple sauce. It's very very good, don't knock it till you try it! The service is always quick and top-tier. They always have a jug of water with lemon slices and cups available to use at any time. Seating is both indoors and outdoors. Inside it can be a little cramped if you have a large group but outside has full tables next to the pond which is quite nice. This is not a traditional restaurant so there are a few things to keep in mind: 1) There are no reservations. 2) There is a dedicated queue outside and you need to wait in that to line to be seated. 3) They will not take you to be seated until your entire party is readily available so just be cognizant of that. 4) Everyone in your party will receive a red marker and a paper form to fill out your individual orders while you are in this line. If it is your first time, check the Chef Recommendation box at the top to make it easier. Sides are at the bottom (most ramen do not include an egg so if you want an egg make sure to mark it). 5) Your party may be seated at the same table as another party and share the space. If this is an issue for you, sit outside. 6) You get your receipt from your sever and pay at the register.

    Original King Ramen
    Francisco R.

    First time I tried this place I wasn't surprised and was irritated because of the long wait. But this second time around it was no line to get in, and the food was absolutely delicious. Ordered the original king ramen with an egg. Broth was so good, it reminded me of the one I had in Tokyo. The thin noodles are also my favorite. Spicy level at 1 for extra flavor. The gyoza on the other hand are decent and very small. I will definitely be coming back for more ramen.

    Chasu bowl
    Daniel D.

    My wife and I first had Ramen Nagi in the Bay Area and it set the bar for ramen in the US for us. Since they opened this location at UTC, it's been very popular with lines almost every evening and every weekend. It's located next to the speak easy at UTC and the line starts next to the fountain. There is plenty of outdoor seating but limited counter seating with a few tables inside. Decor is clean and service is quick. They give you a paper order sheet and you check what you want. The red ramen is the spicy option and it has a ton of flavor. If you decide to drink all of the broth like I did the first time, be practical to have to run to the bathroom. The karage is also crispy and delicious, but very heavy with the sauce. Chasu in the rice bowl was a bit dry due to its leanness. Overall it's a great place to eat at a reasonable pro

    Koi pond and some outside seating
    Vivi V.

    My husband and I were fans of Ramen Nagi ever since we tried them a few times in the Bay Area before this San Diego location opened. It's nice to find that the taste and quality is still the same as we remember. They no longer offer free mustard greens, but the bean sprouts and sesame seeds are still free. I enjoyed my original king ramen with light salt, no oil, extra heavy garlic, cabbage topping, kakuni, thick noodle firm. The karaage chicken was covered in a tasty honey soy sesame oil sauce, but way too oily for me to eat many. I liked the crisp and egg dipping sauce. Parking is 2 hours free at UTC mall. For lunch on Thursday about 1pm, we walked right in since the lunch rush was done.

    RAMEN NAGI
    Henri V.

    Ramen Nagi in the UTC Westfield shopping center always has a long line of people waiting to dine and waiting in line is not my thing, until one morning I saw no line. I walked inside and asked for a table. Some staffer told me to stand in line, I said there's no line and it they don't seat me now I was leaving. I was then seated anywhere I wanted. I sat outside in their patio next to the Koi pond. I already knew what I wanted and ordered the Veggie King Ramen. All week in La Jolla it was cloudy and cold that all I wanted to eat was a hot bowl of soup. I also ordered the chicken Karaage which incudes dipping sauces that minimized the dark meat chicken gamey taste, edamame, side boiled cabbage and ice green tea. The green tea was unsweetened and I preferred honey which they don't have :( Service staff weren't detail oriented, lots of items I ordered were missing and only brought over after I pointed it out. The hot bowl of ramen was presented and it looked good but kind of funny with two potato croquettes on each side, looked like ears lol. Those potato croquettes turned out to be pretty tasty with half of it dunked into the creamy mushroom miso broth. By the way, this soup is not considered vegan because it has dairy, which I was ok with. I asked why the kitchen not prepare this soup vegan by using coconut milk to be dairy free. But as staffers have zero control of the menu, all they can do is agree. The creamy mushroom miso broth is probably among the tastiest ramen broth. Sadly not much of it in the bowl, next time I would order it without noodles, which I didn't even eat, as I only wanted that rich hot broth, so delish! My first bowl of Ramen Nagi was at Century City in the Westfield shopping center and it always had a long line of people waiting. The staff asked me if I dined here before, I said no but dined at the Century City Ramen Nagi and that's why I was familiar with the menu and ordering technique. The outdoor patio dining next to the koi pond with my pup Fendi next to me, as I slurped the rich mushroom miso broth was an amazing ambiance and a pleasant positive experience. If I don't have to stand in line, is when I would return. For those who have more tolerance and patience Ramen Nagi is a Recommend.

    Karage
    Diana L.

    Customizable ramen with little forms to fill out, add extras. The dinner line can be long so plan accordingly (outdoor wait next to a koi pond, so don't be like Michael Scott.) Clean but small interior, good atmosphere. Service is pretty fast, staff is very attentive. Perfect portions but you can always get extra noodles if you're super hungry.

    Noodles
    Marie T.

    Definitely a favorite ramen spot for me. The line can sometimes look intimidating, but I feel like it moves pretty quickly. Menu is minimal, but that's perfect because I'm there for ramen. Broth is very flavorful, and I like how it can be customized based on one's preferences. Chasu is always perfect and tender. Their egg is soft boiled, with a slightly runny yolk which I enjoy. When I first came here, the noodles weren't my favorite as I preferred another shop's noodles, but they really grew on me. I hope they open more locations in San Diego, preferably one closer to me! Staff is nice. They do a good job explaining the process, so be sure to let them know if it's your first time. Tables are always clean, too. I'd definitely recommend this spot to all ramen lovers.

    Chris U.

    Second Review It's been a year since our last visit here. Six customers ahead of us right after 11AM opening on a Saturday. No wait time for our seats. We were offered / ordered their limited Wagyu slice beef as the main toppings so why not try it. Satisfied with our Ramen. Creamy and hot broth the way we like it. Perfect cooked eggs! - Original King - with Kakuni - Limited Wagyu Beef Slices. I think instead of potatoes, should have been with something else since you already have the noodles as starch. It's just my personal opinion. I cannot stop eating their seasoned bean sprouts even though it's peppery, it taste so good! Line gets long and busy so be prepared. Courteous and attentive staff!! Highly recommended if craving for Ramem while shopping at UTC La Jolla mall. Line gets long and busy so be prepared. Courteous and attentive staff!!

    Original King
    Jenner B.

    Rarely in the area and noticed a line at Ramen Nagi. That usually means good food. So the wifey and I decided to check them out. Simple menu and a tiny dining area. This did not deter us from checking them out. The service was top notch. Very attentive staff and service. The ramen was delicious. Nice broth and noodle texture was on point. My only complaint was they messed up on our order. We ordered kaarage chicken and tea. We did not receive that. Instead we received a gyoza that we did not order. They did adjust the receipt but I did kinda want to try the chicken. I love how they have condiments on the table. Nice touch. Overall, a nice experience. Just don't expect to have a lot of personal space. It is kind of cramped in there, unless you opt for the outside patio area.

    Karaage Chicken
    Sydni S.

    I've heard lots of hype surrounding Ramen Nagi and I've been putting it off because of the line, but I finally decided to visit today and it absolutely lived up to all of my expectations. I arrived at 5 pm (when they open) and the line was pretty long at that point but moved fast as they began seating people. I probably waited 15-20 minutes for patio seating, right next to the koi pond. Once seated, we ordered the Karaage to start which was so flavorful and tender. It was tossed in a subtly sweet sauce and served with lemon and a side sauce. For the ramen, I went with the red king, but swapped the chashu for pork belly. I find that pork belly can sometimes be chewy, but this was cooked to perfection. I am not exaggerating at all when I say it melts in your mouth. The broth was my favorite part, it was super rich and the perfect level of spicy. All the food we tried was truly 10/10. The only downside was it started raining towards the end of our meal and our table wasn't fully covered by umbrellas so we got a little damp, but the staff offered to move our table more under the covering which was very nice. And honestly if I'm being rained on, it doesn't hurt to have hot soup to keep me warm LOL. I will definitely be coming back rain or shine!

    Tableside condiments
    Helen D.

    Located in the Westfield UTC shopping center behind Din Tai Fung, this spot is a very small space with some additional outdoor seating. We did have to stand in line, but it moved quickly--less than 10 minutes--and they handed out paper menus to fill out while we waited. We were seated inside, and it was busy, with servers constantly on the move. We ordered the spicy tonkatsu at spice level 1. It was good, though still a bit too spicy for me. I did appreciate that they serve a whole egg rather than just half a boiled egg. I usually order black garlic tonkatsu, but unfortunately it wasn't available. The menu is limited, but we also enjoyed the gyoza and chicken karaage, and the table condiments were a nice touch. Overall, it was a satisfying meal and a great place to enjoy on a cold night.

    Iliana M.

    A perfect rainy day meal! The ramen and chicken karaage is so good! Came during lunch on a Saturday rainy day and probably waited about 15 minutes before getting seated. The space inside is pretty small! There is outdoor seating, but with the rain this wasn't a possibility. Service is very quick and efficient! You'll select what you want in your ramen ahead of time while you're in line which helps with the quick service! The food here is so good and it's some of the best ramen I've had!

    Hashbrowns!
    Bridget B.

    Ramen Nagi is the newest ramen addition to UTC mall and definitely the best i've had at the mall! It always has a line for good reason. The menu is quite small but that usually means the focus and quality on those items is better. I came here for a birthday and they gave us some veggie gyoza on the house! The veggie ramen was really good - noodles cooked well, creamy broth, fresh ingredients. though, it would be nice to have some tofu or other nutrient rich veggies in the ramen.

    Red King

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    Ramen Nagi Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Ramen Nagi

    Do they serve alcohol?

    They do not serve any alcohol at all.

    Does the UTC location accept cash?

    They are cashless.

    Do they have gluten-free options?

    None at all.

    Do they have takeout?

    No they don't. I wouldn't recommend take out either. Ramen quality degrades quickly, as in minutes. This is the kind of food you should eat hot and fresh. I've seen complaints about ramen shops, yet the diner got take out. Of course it wasn't good.… Read more

    Do they take reservations?

    No, they are walk-ins only

    Is there any outdoor seating?

    Yes and pet friendly.

    View All 8 Questions

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    Rakiraki Ramen & Tsukemen

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    4.5(1.2k reviews)
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    I've tried this ramen place at their location in San Francisco's Japantown, and I was so happy when…read moreI found out that they were coming to the Sky Deck in Del Mar! I ordered the Hakata Tonkotsu DX, and it was amazing. Super rich in flavor, and the pork was exquisitely cooked. The egg that I ordered with it was also the perfect jammy consistency. Super quick and convenient service with the tablet that they bring directly to your table to pay the check. I love coming to the Sky Deck because of all of its food options, but this one takes the cake for me!

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    4.3(213 reviews)
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    Kid friendly
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    Amazing weekday lunch special! $15 will get you a ramen, fried chicken or chashu rice, and a drink!…read moreMy coworker made this great pick for a workday lunch. I got the shoyu ramen, chashu rice, and a cold oolong tea. The ramen was fine in texture and al dente. The broth was flavorful, without being oversalted. I was very impressed by the chashu: it was carefully cooked and just melts in your mouth. Extra tender. The oolong tea really hit the spot too. The food came quickly, and service was good. I just came back from Japan last month, and this place in San Diego did not disappoint. I would definitely come back again to try their other items. Sorry no pictures this time, as I was famished. Parking lot was small, but we were able to find a space at 1pm on a Friday

    We tried the spicy ramen, tonkatsu ramen, curry, and while all were tasty and good, I'm not sure…read morethis would be at the top of our ramen list. The serving was a bit smaller than what we are used to when we order ramen but overall we enjoyed our dinner and our 9 year old gave it a 6/4 stars. Service was very nice once we were seated and the wait for the food was not bad. It is a really cute place, feels authentically Japanese inside, but also authentically small, so I recommend reservations for a larger group: we were a party of 7 on a Saturday evening around 5:30 with no reservation and we had a wait of around 40 minutes. Definitely worth trying at least once.

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    Harumama Ramen + Sushi - Little Italy

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    4.0(2.3k reviews)
    10.5 miLittle Italy
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    046/2026/FEB Decided…read moreto try this other location ! So lucky we got a table of 5 without reservation! This location has capacity of 56 diners only ! A stellar service from Matthew ! Food was great ! So famished that when food came didn't get to take picture! Crab Wontons had generous filling and very delicious as well!! Grilled Salmon served on a sizzling plate with rice and topped with furikake and teriyaki sauce!

    Would not come here. They did discontinue the chicken bao bao but they still have all the…read moreingredients. I go to ocean beach and La Jolla for the karrage bao bao. I called today @3:42 to the little Italy location and the woman in the phone was very combative and just rude. I went into harumama in both La Jolla AND ocean beach. They were so lovely there and made me the karrage chucken bao bao. I was told no, they don't have it; but they have the ingredients and can make it for me, at BOTH locations. I always get two or more orders of them. I have photos from two days ago from the other location. However at THIS little Italy location I was told "it's policy they cannot do the the karrage chicken on the bao bao and it's against policy". I did inform her Ive been going to both other locations they never have a problem and told me it wouldn't be one as they have the ingredients (still sell karage chicken, and still sell bao bao), & that they just took it off of the menu. This employee at the little Italy locations response was " yea that's the OCEAN beach one. WE are the little Italy location. WE have different owners" She was rude and my ask/request isn't out of question. I'll solely stick to the other two locations in La Jolla and ocean beach due to their service and clear higher abilities and comprehension skills. Both other locations happen to be further away, I'll just go there to avoid this horrible service I received at the little Italy location. As seen in the photo we are at the La Jolla location and were given exemplary service. The ladies were so nice and explained it would be no problem, and that their cooks had no issues doing it. So disappointed as I'm a creature of habit so once a restaurants employees disrespects me I'll never go again. I'm lucky there are two others still open to go to. Just not this one.

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    4.2(1.5k reviews)
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    This spot was gas once again I had to double back fasholy 2nd time around & yes this is the same…read morespot where you had to wait and put my name on the paper as everybody will too but the food is worth it!!! I ordered once again the same thing as last time which were the Spider Special Roll (Soft Shell Crab Tempura, Avocado, & Caviar). Lobster Dynamite Special Roll. (Lobster, Avocado, Caviar & Spicy Mayo W/ Green Soy Paper) Hakata Ramen (Sliced Pork 2pc, Fried Garlic, Green Onion, Dried Seaweed, And Red Ginger). Donburi (Over Rice) Salmon Teriyaki

    How have I not been here before! This not-so-hidden gem is probably one of the best sushi spots…read moreI've been to in San Diego. My friend and I met up for dinner and put our names down at 5:15pm. We were there 15 minutes before they opened. Although, we were eighth in line, we were seated first since no one else was around. Once we were seated, our server came around and took our order for drinks and appetizer. We started with seaweed salad, fried gyoza, and tuna carpaccio. The tuna carpaccio was delicious and I loved the garlic. I wanted to order everything on the menu, but was sold on the rolls. I ordered the spicy hamachi roll and the cherry blossom roll, which was recommended by the server. Both rolls were the freshest sushi I've had in a long time. The flavors were perfect and they weren't flashy rolls. They were classic rolls that showcased the fish so well. The service was incredible, everyone was so friendly and I really enjoyed the whole experience. I can't wait to come back, especially on a colder day to try their ramen!

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    Underbelly

    Underbelly

    3.9(3.1k reviews)
    10.5 miLittle Italy
    $$

    This is the BEST ramen spot to stop by, especially after a long flight. 8 minutes away from the…read moreairport! There are no parking lots, so please plan accordingly. You will be driving in San Diego downtown near Little Italy, where parking is limited, and parking meters are available. The underbelly ramen was $14 that consists of tonkotsu broth, soft-boiled egg, chashu belly, & adobo pulled pork + corn add-on. The drinks I tried were the $11 whisky highball made from toki, sparkling water, & lemon essence + the $12 calpikachu made from peach nectar, calpico, lemon, & vodka. 10/10 on the food. 10/10 on the drinks. Once you walk in, you order at the cash register & they will give you a # & ask where you prefer to sit. There are seats inside the restaurant, but if it's fully booked, there are available seats outside. Since San Diego has the best weather, sitting outside was lovely even during dinner hours. I would definitely come back anytime I visit this city.

    Some restaurants become part of your travel memories & Underbelly is absolutely one of those places…read morefor us. When we visited San Diego back in 2016, we ate at Underbelly twice because it was just that good. Returning this trip felt a little like revisiting an old friend. And I'm happy to report... it was every bit as awesome as we remembered! The best part? The staff affectionately called us "O.G.'s" when they heard we had been longtime fans, which immediately made us feel welcome & set the tone for a fun dining experience. We started with the kimchi because some traditions simply should not be broken. Tangy, punchy, spicy & full of flavor, it was the perfect opening act before the ramen arrived. I opted for the Tonkotsu Ramen: rich tonkotsu broth, soft boiled egg & chashu pork. The broth was deeply savory & comforting, the pork tender & flavorful, that perfectly soft egg tied everything together beautifully. It was exactly what ramen dreams are made of. Hubby went with the Underbelly Ramen, extra spicy: tonkotsu broth, soft boiled egg, chashu belly & adobo pulled pork. The extra spice brought serious heat & he was thrilled with every fiery bite! There is something incredibly satisfying about returning to a restaurant years later & finding that the magic is still there. Underbelly delivered the same bold flavors, cozy ramen comfort & cool Little Italy energy that made us fall in love with it the first time around. Not every restaurant earns a repeat visit nearly a decade later & even fewer live up to the memory. Underbelly absolutely did. We will be O.G.'s forever! NOM NOM NOM #YUM

    Photos
    Underbelly - Whiskey drink

    Whiskey drink

    Underbelly - Pork Belly Bao: Chashu Pork Belly, cucumbers, hoisin, pickled mustard seeds, scallions, and cilantro served on steamed buns. | $9

    Pork Belly Bao: Chashu Pork Belly, cucumbers, hoisin, pickled mustard seeds, scallions, and cilantro served on steamed buns. | $9

    Underbelly - Upper level looking out

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    Upper level looking out

    Ramen Nagi - ramen - Updated June 2026

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