Ujin Photos
Business Info
Ujin Popular Dishes
UJIN ATMOSPHERE
What's the vibe?
You might also consider
More like Ujin
Recommended Reviews - Ujin
Start your review...
Reviews With Photos
Waiter Felix was on his first day and did a great job handling our large party of six. We ordered Agedashi Tofu, Karaage (deep fried boneless chicken), and Miso ramen with wagyu beef and Spicy mushroom ramen. We all loved the food. Ramen was fresh and made in house. Very smooth. Liked the toppings that came with ramen. We then ordered one of each dessert: matcha mochi ice cream, matcha cheesecake, various other daifuku mochi, matcha mont blanc cake, fried red bean and cream cheese ball. Indoor and outdoor seating available. Modern Japanese decor. Will definitely return.
Ujin is located in a plaza so there is free parking. They have a pretty simple menu. The ambiance is very cozy, music isn't too loud. I ordered the Ujin classic shio ramen with wagyu and it was pretty good. It has a sweet and savory fish based soup. The only critique is that the ramen can be presented more aesthetically. The service was a bit on the slower side since it's only 1 person taking orders. However, they are very sweet and went out of their way to figure out how to email me a copy of my receipt when I requested.
We dined here over the weekend and it was delicious. My husband ordered the classic Ujin ramen and I did the Spicy mushroom with Wagyu. Both ramen were so good! We are definitely coming back. This is one of the best if not the best Ramen places we've tried in San Diego. Service was a little slow but the waitress was very friendly.
Visited Ujin on a Saturday afternoon and had a nice experience overall. Parking was pretty easy, which is always a plus for a weekend. The restaurant has a really nice aesthetic and gives off a quality vibe as soon as you walk in. I know they're known for their ramen, but we all ended up going for rice bowls instead. Everything we ordered tasted really good, and we also enjoyed the appetizers. The agedashi tofu stood out to me--it had a unique shape and was super enjoyable. Definitely glad I got to try this spot with my family. That said, I probably wouldn't come back specifically for the rice bowls since it's something I feel like I could recreate at home with ingredients from an Asian market. However, I would be interested in coming back to try their ramen next time. Overall, a solid spot worth trying!
Came here on a Saturday night with a group of 6 people and even though it's small they were able to seat us in about 10 mins! Unfortunately it was pretty busy and they only had one server for the entire restaurant, so we never got waters refilled, had to wave the server down for minutes before getting the check, and then waited 10+ mins to get a receipt they definitely were understaffed for the number of people that were there and it really impacted to experience. Also, I was really looking forward to the egg included in their classic ujin ramen, but all our bowls came out with no eggs... when we asked it was because they ran out!! At 6pm:( and no discount offered for each $2 egg they just tried to serve without them and not say anything:( Not sure what is going on with service and stocking up their eggs here, but the ramen broth itself was actually very tasty, which is why it's disappointing to give 3 stars. Not sure I'd come back given the experience though.
Ended up here with a group of 12. After a late-weeknight dance practice, the plan was to go to dinner to celebrate one of our dancer's birthdays, but practice ended later than planned and the restaurant we tried to go to next door which had advertised it was open until 9:30, told us they were closed. Ujin looked closed as well with all of their outdoor furniture stacked, and one party inside paying their check and making their way out, but one of us decided to ask if they were open and could take a party of 13. They happily accepted and welcomed us in, we fit perfectly at the large table in the center. Our server Liang was extremely warm, friendly, welcoming, and took our orders. The food did take a little while and understandably was coming out in waves, but it wouldn't be realistic for all the dishes for a party this size to be ready at the same time. We could see the staff behind the bar cooking and it seemed like they weren't stressed or rushed, but like they were focused and content. The presentation of each dish was fantastic and beautiful. Everyone said how much they enjoyed their dishes, from presentation to quality to freshness and flavor. The server even allowed us to split the check into several parties and was patient the entire time. there was a slight mix-up where a beer that nobody ordered or received ended up on the check, and when we tried to communicate that we only ordered 3 beers, not 4, she seemed confused. We ended up just paying for the extra beer rather than trying to sort it out as we knew everyone was tired and ready to go home. Would definitely return!
Wow. I was blown away by the ramen here at Ujin. I ordered the Classic Tokyo Shoyu Ramen and it did not disappoint. The broth alone was so flavorful and I'll be honest - I typically like to add chili oil or spice to my soup dishes, but this ramen needed no additions. It was delicious all on its own. Also, the noodles were made so well. I appreciated the vibe of the restaurant as well. Not overly crowded and good for groups. We had a group of 5 and found a table right away on a Friday night.
Nice little Japanese/Ramen spot slightly tucked away in University City/away from all the mall traffic. I wish I took a picture of the interior because it was very sleek and clean looking! From every angle of the restaurant you can see the kitchen and people cooking noodles/slicing their meats which was cool. I ordered the tonkatsu ramen with beef belly (10/10); chicken karaage (10/10 + huge portions!); & shared the beef belly bowl which came with rice and an egg (10/10/). Because this place is newer, service is a little bit slow, but I'm sure they'll pick up the pace with time. Definitely coming back!
RAMEN (3.8 stars) If you are looking for your typical big ramen bowl polluted with a bunch of decorated flavors, this is not that kind of place. - FOOD: (first time) amazing. (second time) meh. - PRICE: paying for quality not quantity - SERVICE: (first time) excellent - I think (second time) uhm mediocre. - AMBIANCE: modern and really nice My confusion of inconsistency has come down to the service not servicing correctly. First time coming here left me wow'ed and set the bar for my ramen experience. Second time coming here left me disappointed and not wanting to come back. Same order (as I thought), different days (a week apart), and a perceived thought of the execution being inconsistent . I also question the staff's ability to handle details. The restaurant IS NOT BUSY and there are about 4-5 staff and if service is inconsistent and not pay attention to details, it now makes me question the execution on the food. :: FIRST TIME :: That cliche saying you don't forget your first time! Service was excellent - attentive and everything came out in timely fashion. Went for the most expensive ramen and a ramen soup base I have never tried and it left me on cloud nine. What I "thought" I ordered.... "Classic Shio Ramen with Wagyu" this entire time BUT come to think about it after reviewing the menu (now), it sounds like they gave me "Classic Miso Ramen" (hence the toppings) in my bowl OR they gave me Shio Ramen with the toppings of the Miso bowl. IF this is truly the MISO RAMEN then it was superb! CLASSIC MISO RAMEN W/ WAGYU )26) - Presentation was basic but very presentable. Portion was on the smaller side but I am okay with that because I'm here for quality not quantity. The soup base was so delicious, it was very clean yet rich - not polluted with many ingredients. They added a hint of chili oil and it added this hint of warmth and heat to the broth that wasn't overpowering. The noodles were very fresh, thin, and the texture is how I like them - not overly chewy and not overly soft (many ramen noodles at other restaurants are chewier) and easily consumable without feeling full quickly. My bowl had shredded bamboo shoots, wood ear mushrooms, half of a soft boiled soy egg, and seaweed on the side of the bowl for decoration (I keep it as decoration as I hate seaweed in my ramen). And to top of an amazing bowl of ramen, the thinly sliced cuts of wagyu. The wagyu were grilled and placed into the bowl fully cooked. They were so tender! No charred ends but it carried some smokey flavor - yum! HIGHLY RECOMMEND MATCHA MOCHI ICE CREAM ($3) - Exactly what it is. Not sure why they didn't clump this item under the mochi ice cream that lists chocolate/vanilla/strawberry, they could have just append matcha to the list instead of creating an entire desert line for this. :: SECOND TIME :: First time set the bar too high. Order: Ginger Ale ($2), Edamame with Truffle Paste, and Shio Ramen w/ Wagyu (again). I had to ask for my Ginger Ale after my meal was about done (ramen + appetizer) because it never came out. Edamame was an appetizer which came AFTER the ramen bowl was about done. The table over had the same issue, they finished their bowls of ramen and waiting on their appetizer. Staff, were preparing their own dinner and eating. SINCE, I thought that amazing bowl was Shio, I reordered. And well if this is the true Shio Ramen - it's disappointing to me (I'm glad I didn't get it the first time). It was a let down. And so was the service. CLASSIC SHIO RAMEN W/ WAGYU ($26) - Presentation was basic but very presentable. Portion was on the smaller side but I am okay with that because I'm here for quality not quantity. But Why does this bowl look completely different than the last time I was under the impression I ordered this same exact bowl? The ramen toppings were half soft boiled soy egg, ALOT of bonita flakes, and the typical seaweed decoration. The broth literally tasted like FISH, that is all I could taste. It was way too fishy for my liking - even me immediately taking out the bonita flakes and seaweed. Also, the wagyu looked more like BEEF BELLY (not Wagyu) and it was extra fatty and appearance and texture were not like the Waguy I ordered before. If you are not a fishy person, don't order this. EDAMAME WITH TRUFFLE PASTE ($9) - Although this came AFTER the main meal, this was the most enjoyable thing out of the order. Truffle paste is way better than truffle oil, very flavorful but less artificial tasting. HIGHLY RECOMMEND Ginger Ale ($2) - It's nice to see soda in a can being sold cheaply! Please, keep it that way. I'd love to come back if they can make whatever ramen they gave me the first time the same exact way. Until then....
2 years ago
Soft opening but taste was not soft. One of the best ramen and exceptionally good. Many non- pork broth options. Clean soup base by fish, mushroom and seaweed. Portion might be little small and price is little more than others. Service is kind and nice but they need to speed up. Clean and tasteful interior. High-quality and new version of ramens, if you are looking for, this is the place. read more
2 years ago
Very tasty ramen. I had the classic Tokyo Shoyo ramen! Delicious! Nice place, fast service and plenty of parking. read more
7 months ago
8 months ago
1 year ago
Ordered ramen, rice with beef and egg, karaage, gyoza, cucumber salad, and draft Suntory. Just a heads up - this isn't an authentic Japanese restaurant but a Chinese establishment with a Japanese menu. Having lived in Japan for 10 years, I could tell the difference immediately. The cucumber salad had Chinese seasonings and the gyoza tasted heavily of star anise, which isn't how Japanese gyoza should taste. The draft Suntory beer was also off. When we brought up our concerns, the staff offered no solution or accommodation. We ended up leaving two-thirds of our beer unfinished. The service became even worse after our complaint - staff started speaking only in Chinese among themselves, which felt unprofessional. With so many good ramen places in UTC, I'd recommend trying elsewhere for authentic Japanese food. read more
1 year ago
pleasantly surprised! i really enjoyed the shoyu ramen, the both was light and flavorful, they give a lot of meat and half an egg. i personally prefer thicker noodles so ill opt for the thick noodle next time. the karaage was solid as well, reminds me a lot of ramen nagi's. my friend got the tonkotsu which was also good, still felt on the lighter side for a tonkatsu so it won't make you feel too heavy after eating read more
1 year ago
Nice, modern decor. love the big table so can accommodate a big group - great for team lunch. i love the ramen - soup is tasty and clear, broth better than Menya. i love the pork - it has a grill taste, it is leaner than the usual charsu but still retain the nice taste that comes with the fatty meat. will definitely come back for more read more
1 year ago
Best ramen I had in Sd!!!!!!!! The soup is very light as compared to other ramen. The shashu in the ramen is also very juicy. read more
11 months ago
the food was ok! clean and simple, not overly done like other american ramen places. the interior was clean and pretty. the service was a bit weird though, the lady server charged us for soda we clearly did not order, then was like "you didn't order a sprite?"... and she handed back the money in cash.... also we had to flag her down to order and didn't refill our waters. otherwise the food was fine. not sure if i would come back read more
I was missing Japan, Tokyo food and everything Japanese so much that I wanted to try out something in San Diego that would not suck. This place did not disappoint. The broth was delicious, chashu was exemplary, and the main cook/Ramen master exuded a strange but assuring confidence in everything he was doing. He seems to be one of the only Japanese individuals in the open kitchen as I did hear others speak Chinese. This is often a sign in the US that the Ramen is not going to be as good because that means the institution is posing as a Japanese institution but in reality they are not. In this case this theory of mine did not work out, and I was very impressed by the simple bowl of Tokyo style shoyou Ramen that I was served. They even gave me this cute coaster that I took with me as a token. Definitely will visit again and try out the other items in their menu. The Ramen seemed a little bit expensive but just a little bit. But that seems to be the norm in Southern California these days - things being so expensive for no reason read more
1 year ago
1 year ago
1 year ago
This place has exceptional style and absolutely delicious food. University city has lots of good spots for ramen and this is definitely one of the best. The service is great and the plating is beautiful. Highly recommend dining experience! read more
1 year ago
10 months ago
11 months ago
2 years ago
Outstanding! I had the classic Tokyo Shoyu. Definitely a contender for best San Diego ramen. I anticipate soon this place to have long lines for seats. I love HiroNori Craft in Hillcrest and this might be even better. I can't wait to go back and try the other dishes. It's nice decor and space. Nice staff. read more
1 year ago
Very good and refreshing. Perfect amount of oil/salt and the generous meat portions. Shoyu broth is very light, almost has a buttery taste to it. The appetizers (not shown) are delicious as well, especially the karage and pork bun. read more
2 years ago
2 years ago
1 year ago
I went here with my partner the other night and I loved the space. I feel like I was transported back to Japan as we have recently traveled there. I got the classic ramen and I appreciate the amount of protein in the dish. I don't think the chicken was necessary as it wasn't seasoned or charred or grilled to perfection like the pork. The pork was one of the best pork in ramen I've ever had in San Diego. I enjoyed the jammy egg in the dish as well. My partner got the spicy mushroom ramen and said the thicker noodles were delicious. The broth was heavier and the spice was not too spicy. The chicken karrage was nice and crispy and lighter in oil than other ramen places which was refreshing. We also enjoyed the experience of being at the bar high top which had a view of the whole kitchen. I always enjoy being part of the cooking experience. For drinks, go with the Kyoto IPA. It is imported from Kyoto and an ancient recipe. I would recommend Ujin to all ramen lovers. read more
2 years ago
The best soup base of ramen in SD. Both shio ramen and shoyu ramens we ordered are flavorful and came with chicken & pork chashu. read more
2 years ago
I Try The Classic Tokyo shoyu ramen and Ujin classic shio ramen it was great !!! Highly recommend read more
1 year ago
2 years ago
1 year ago
1 year ago
I'm gonna go ahead and say that this is EASILY the best ramen in San Diego. My wife and brother in law are from Japan and they said it's even hard to find ramen this good in Tokyo. Starting with the appetizers, the chicken karaage was very tender and crispy on the outside. Comes covered in a sweet and savory sauce, which is good, but I think it would be better without it. Might get it with sauce on the side next time. The beef gyoza (which is kind of a rare flavor) was super flavorful. You kind of get used to the regular gyoza, but this one stood out to us. Shoyu ramen was delicious, great dashi broth with a refined flavor. The shio ramen was also amazing. The broth had lots of nice touches on top of a great base. The soup had lots of freshly shaved katsuobushi flakes (bonito flakes), and I knew it was freshly shaved because I saw them shaving with their machine. The soup also has yuzu in it which is a nice counter balance. The chashu pork belly and wagyu were top quality. I think it might be the best chashu I've had. The noodles were fresh and had the perfect texture. I think they make them at the restaurant because they have all the equipment there which you can view through a window. Most restaurants don't pay this much attention to detail. The service was extremely fast--we got the appetizers after a few minutes and everything else under 10min. The restaurant is very clean and stylish as well as. I like the open kitchen area. I think I've said everything I can think of! read more
1 year ago
2 years ago
1 year ago
1 year ago
1 year ago
2 years ago
would 100% recommend this spot for anyone looking for casual ramen in la jolla. got the classic tokyo shoyu ramen and was super delicious (loved the broth and pork was so flavorful). fair price ~$17-18. there is only 1 person serving but once we place our order the food came out quick! read more
2 years ago
2 years ago
2 years ago
2 years ago
2 years ago
More info about Ujin
Ask the Community - Ujin
Is the Tsukemen available yet?
You might also consider
Why does Yelp recommend reviews?
4 reviews that are not currently recommended
The reviews below are not factored into the business's overall star rating.
7 months ago
10 months ago
1 year ago
Ujin - ramen - Updated August 2026
Best of San Diego
People found Ujin by searching for…
Trending Searches in San Diego, CA
Browse Articles
Browse Nearby
BEST of San Diego, California Coffee near Ujin
BEST of San Diego, California Restaurants near Ujin
BEST of San Diego, California Sushi near Ujin
BEST of San Diego, California Desserts near Ujin
BEST of San Diego, California Things to Do near Ujin
BEST of San Diego, California Parking near Ujin
BEST of San Diego, California Pho near Ujin
BEST of San Diego, California Udon near Ujin
Browse Brands
Related Searches in San Diego, CA
Authentic Izakaya Dining Experiences in San Diego, California
Best Dim Sum Places to Try in San Diego, California
Best Korean BBQ All You Can Eat Deals in San Diego, California
Best Korean Fried Chicken Spots Around San Diego, California
Best Places for Brunch in San Diego, California
Best Places for Poke in San Diego, California
Best Places to Enjoy Curry in San Diego, California
Best Shabu Dining Options in San Diego, California
Best Vegan Restaurants to Try in San Diego, California
Delicious Dumplings Available in San Diego, California
Delicious Onigiri Options to Try in San Diego, California
Delicious Soup Spots to Try in San Diego, California
Discover Authentic Filipino Food in San Diego, California
Discover Authentic Indian Food in San Diego, California
Discover Delicious Noodle Soup Options in San Diego, California
Discover Top Asian Food Options in San Diego, California
Discover Top Mediterranean Food in San Diego, California
Discover Top-Rated Kimbap Places in San Diego, California
Discover the Best Boba Drinks in San Diego, California
Discover the Best Sushi Spots in San Diego, California
Enjoy Authentic Peking Duck Specialties in San Diego, California
Enjoy Authentic Tempura Dishes in San Diego, California
Experience Authentic Omakase Dining in San Diego, California
Explore Delicious Vegetarian Food in San Diego, California
Explore Popular Fried Rice Recipes in San Diego, California
Explore Top Taiwanese Food Choices Around San Diego, California
Explore Vietnamese Food and Culture in San Diego, California
Find Bento Boxes Available in San Diego, California
Find Delicious Rice Bowl Options in San Diego, California
Find the Best Teriyaki Dishes in San Diego, California
Find the Best Tonkatsu Dishes in San Diego, California
Fresh Oysters Served in San Diego, California
Fresh Sashimi Options in San Diego, California
Get Authentic Miso Soup in San Diego, California
Highly Rated Japanese Restaurant Locations in San Diego, California
Order Delicious Korean Soup in San Diego, California
Order Fresh and Tasty Salad Options in San Diego, California
Refreshing Milk Tea Options in San Diego, California
Savor Authentic Yakitori in San Diego, California
Savor Delicious Udon in San Diego, California
Savor Japanese Curry Dishes in San Diego, California
Taste Delicious Hawaiian Food in San Diego, California
Taste Delicious Korean Food Options in San Diego, California
Taste Delicious Popcorn Chicken in San Diego, California
Top Gluten Free Restaurants in San Diego, California
Top Pho Restaurants to Try in San Diego, California
Top Rated Seafood Dishes in San Diego, California
Top-Rated Soup Dumplings in San Diego, California to Try
