Daikokuya is a long time staple of Little Tokyo, whenever I'm in town on business or vacation I…read moremake a point to visit. Their ramen noodles are always cooked perfectly (I like them a little firm) and their broths are super flavorful, their eggs cooked perfectly. I usually enjoy their spicy or black garlic broths which add extra kicks. Daikokuya can be busy throughout the day, but there servers and kitchen staff work hard to turn around orders and tables relatively quickly. Anytime is a good time for ramen from Daikokuya.

Daikokuya is a solid ramen franchise from the Bishamon group. I miss how close the Hacienda…read morelocation one back in the day, and now the closest one to me is the MPK location, but if any of my out of town, out of state, out of country friends are visiting and they have a hankering for ramen with a strong, but not super heavy kotteri flavor. The location isn't super big and it does get super busy with people putting their names on the wait list and people queueing busily outside (overflow of people waiting for many of the other restaurants along this part of the block too). Overall the ramen isn't bad, chashu is nice and fatty and tender. Ramen is rich and filling. It's nice that it already comes with an egg too and you don't have to add another one. Lots of other side dishes and combos too if someone in your party doesn't want ramen. However, with the increases in prices, the fact that there's many other options in LT, and the fact that there are other Daikokuya locations, it's an alright LT option.

Didn't sit inside as it was stuffy, so we sat outside which was warm but at least there was air…read more Our server was great and helpful. Vegan TanTan Tsukemen (5/5 stars) - it's not easy find a ramen place that has good vegetarian ramen let alone vegan, this one was delicious, very refreshing, and I'm glad I got the broth cold since it was so hot, the broth is a miso soy milk combo and it works super well in having flavor and creaminess Overall, great vegan ramen!

Ended up here because my Go-To spot was closed…read more The wait was like 20 mins and they have some specific rules laid out regarding the waitlist which was appreciated. The ambiance was romantic and dark, which you may like, but I felt it was bit too dingy. My favorite thing we ordered was the Gyoza. IT was truly the best one I've had. Also the Chicken/Pork Buns were really interesting. I'd recommend trying them but I don't know that I'd ever get them again. As for the Ramen, it was def passable. I'd stick to my usual spot down the street strictly for ramen. The service was actually really nice and quick. Was a good experience here.

Every time I come eat here, the employees are always so friendly and helpful! I usually get a…read moreHakata Ramen (consistently 10/10), but today I was craving some rice! Today, I got their Pork Cutlet Bowl; it features pork cutlet topped with mayo and tonkatsu (?) sauce, shredded cabbage, red ginger, and rice. For me, it was a decently good bowl. The flavor was good, but the pork was a little dry. Overall, not too bad!

My fav go-to ramen spot ALWAYS HITS for dinner. Hakata white is a great and delicious deal at the…read moresame time. It's not too heavy but still creamy for that rich ramen taste. I love how you can customize the broth type, noodle firmness, and garlic here! Besides ramen, they have a wide selection of appetizers and drinks to choose from so def bring your picky eaters here! Our server was delightful and she was so sweet! Seating is open and very chill, and they will always take care of you here :)

One of our must-go ramen shops whenever we visit LA! It was really hot in LA this time and we were…read morealready sweating like crazy but that didn't stop us from eating some good ramen! We usually order the same ramen but my husband and son decided to try something different this time. My husband ordered the Tonkotsu Ramen and my son ordered the Shio Ramen. Mine was, of course, delicious as always but I tried theirs too and they were both very tasty! Our only complaint was that it was also very warm inside the restaurant. We were hoping to cool down a little while we ate but unfortunately, that wish was not granted. LOL We still really enjoyed the food, though! And my husband definitely enjoyed his cold beer!

The ramen is flavorful and they are generous with the toppings, and they give give happy hour and…read morelunch specials. $18.99 for a big ramen bowl and a choice of appetizer.

Ramen- both Black devil and Mentaiko Tonkotsu ramens are tasty 5 out of 5. Their crafted thin…read morenoodles are al dente. Their cha-shu is soft and easy to chew and every bite has good taste. 5/5 Service- staff were knowledgeable with ramen dishes and they were friendly. Our orders came out fast after we ordered them. Parking- no parking lot available for this place, but there is a pay parking lot across from this place.

Food: 5/5 Service: 4.5/5…read moreAmbiance: 4/5 God Fire Ramen: 5/5 At this point I have fair share of experience eating ramen and hangs down this is my favorite. Regardless of what it will do to my stomach, I won't think twice about coming here and order their god fire ramen with level 2, I will try level 3 next time. The soup was thick and spicy. Noodle was cooked right. This time I also tried Mentaiko Tonkotsu. Soup base is made with bone broth and fish. It was something new to me. It has interesting taste I can taste a bit of fishiness in the broth. I like this one too. Highly recommended.

Really good food. I loved the Ikura Cold Udon and the Agedashi Eggplant!…read more The line was super fast. Will definitely come back and try more of the menu.

Would not recommend on a sweltering day because the AC is WEAK or perhaps nonexistent I couldn't…read moretell; also not sure if their ac was just broken that day. Food 3.5/5 - Atmosphere 2/5. We stopped by on a high 90s high humidity day in LA and had to wait a bit outside in the heat. Was so looking forwarding to stepping inside only to find out that it was only mildly better temperature wise. We had already waited and were seated so decided to stay but it made for a quick meal (maybe that's their tactic lol). I ordered the miso carbonara and it was good - not too salty - but the portions were tiny! I would say it's close to half the amount of the frozen udon blocks you get at the supermarket. Nice chew and flavor but almost like an appetizer for $17/$18. I do really like the food but would probably either not wait or grab another noodle place nearby. Feel really bad for the workers who have to work in such hot conditions.

We were looking for a place to eat for lunch and we haven't had ramen in a minute so we decided to…read morestop by before we head back home to Bakersfield. If you have not been to this ramen spot, you are missing out! I still remember that broth like it was yesterday..... so flavorful, so rich, delicious umami flavors. There's not a lot of seating here and there's also not a long line; however, weirdly when we visited people came exactly when another person was leaving. I don't know if it was just timed perfectly or what, but this place definitely stays busy. If you're not afraid of garlic then I would highly recommend the black garlic for sure and of course don't forget to order your extra egg for good luck! You have to pay for the parking area to get into the gated area, but it's not too bad. They won't let you in the gated area if there's no parking which is probably how they have consistent guests but also kind of timed perfectly. I mean, there are other restaurants nearby also that are as busy, but that's what I noticed when I came. I'm always in the area and there's too many delicious food spots in Southern California, but I would love to come back to this one. The staff was also really nice and gave us our space. Restrooms were okay, we came in the afternoon so it wasn't spotless, but it wasn't too bad either.

This was my first time trying this place out. 1. Staff were…read morefriendly and attentive. 2. Ramen Soup broth was amazingly tasty, best part was that it wasn't too salty. 3. Chicken Karaage was very good. I ordered the Black Garlic Ramen and Chicken Karaage. The Chiasu was tender and cut thick. I really enjoyed having lunch here. While I was there, people were coming in and out, and the place fills up. The manager/owner was Japanese and was very friendly.

Every time I come to little Tokyo, this is the place I go to eat. Amazing Ramen bowls, fresh…read moresushi, and great Japanese spirits from rice beer, to sake, to shochu. This is the place to eat in little Tokyo!

Little Tokyo Ramen Crawl: Maruya Some days you just get a…read morecraving. Not a specific one, not a "I need this exact dish" kind of craving -- just a deep, nagging need for a bowl of noodles. That's the mood that pulled me into Maruya in Little Tokyo, Los Angeles. I ordered the chashu tonkotsu, the classic go-to when you want to judge a ramen shop by its bones. And the verdict? It was... fine. Not bad, not memorable -- just okay. The kind of bowl that doesn't offend you but doesn't linger in your memory either. No standout richness in the broth, no chashu slice that made me pause mid-bite. Just noodles, doing their job. This is actually the second ramen spot I've tried in Little Tokyo, and I'll admit -- I'm starting to feel a little underwhelmed by the neighborhood's ramen scene so far. For a pocket of the city with so much culinary history packed into a few blocks, I expected to be a bit more wowed by now. Two tries in, and I'm still searching for that bowl that stops me in my tracks. What did stand out, though, was the service. The staff at Maruya were genuinely warm and helpful -- attentive without hovering, quick to check in, the kind of hospitality that makes you want to root for the place even when the food doesn't quite deliver. It's the kind of detail that softens an otherwise middling meal. So, Little Tokyo ramen crawl: two down, verdict still out. The people have been great. The noodles? I'm still waiting to be impressed. On to the next bowl.

* The Chashu Tsukemen was superb - the chashu melted in the mouth, the noodles were soft and…read morespringy, and the eggs were perfectly jammy; the broth was extremely rich, thick, smooth, and had hints of smoke * The Karaage Skewer was hot and fresh - the sauce was deliciously tangy and not overly sweet * Overall, an amazing spot with attentively quick service, welcoming atmosphere, and a must-try signature dish that is well-worth the visit

I thought Tsujita Artisan Noodle was really good, though I still don't feel like I've found my…read moreperfect ramen spot yet. I ordered the spicy tonkotsu and loved the flavor, especially the chashu. I'm usually a pork belly person, but the chashu was so flavorful that I genuinely think I'll start choosing it instead from now on. Everything came out piping hot, which normally sounds like a compliment, but it was almost too hot to comfortably eat. Weirdly, we actually enjoyed the leftovers even more reheated at home. I do wish I'd tried the thicker noodles, but paying an extra $3 just to switch noodle styles felt a little ridiculous. We also tried the gyoza, which were good, but I wish they had come with a more traditional soy-based dipping sauce instead of already being dressed in chili oil. I'd definitely come back, especially to try the dipping ramen. I'd never had tsukemen before, and it sounded so good that I was already regretting not ordering it by the end of the meal.

I came here for the 2nd time with my son. He is a regular customer since he lives near this place…read more Being a vegetarian I ordered a vegetarian Ramen. Service and ambience was good. I wish they added tofu(for protein) and vegetables to this meal. I enjoyed the robot delivering our meal

I've been coming to Kouraku for years and it's still one of my go-tos in Little Tokyo. It's got…read morethat old-school, no-frills Japanese diner feel, but the menu is huge -- ramen, fried rice, bento boxes, katsu, you name it. It's the kind of spot where everyone in your group can order something totally different and still be happy. The portions are generous and the prices are fair for the area. Nothing fancy, just consistently solid comfort food. If you're looking for a place with variety that doesn't take itself too seriously, this is it.