Japanese food is one of the reasons we love going to Japan, so being able to eat good Japanese food without having to fly to Japan is great! This restaurant is located in a small shopping center near UTC surrounded by a few different apartment complexes. Parking is limited and the parking spaces are small, but we've never had issues finding parking. The restaurant is located in the corner next to a Thai restaurant. There are roughly 5 small tables, 1 larger community table, and a handful of bar seating on the inside with a few small tables outside. Our server seated us right away and took our order after about 5 minutes. She was nice and tried to be attentive, but it became busy as the night went on, so we barely saw our server. The food took about 25 minutes to come out and our ramen came out way before the appetizer. As for the flavor of the ramen, the Shoyu had good soy and truffle flavor and was not too salty. We asked for firm noodles and the noodles came out medium, not soft or firm. The pork, chicken, and egg were well cooked, tender, and flavorful. The spicy pork ramen was NOT spicy at all, but had decent pork and mushroom flavor. The noodles were thicker and more firm than the shoyu, granted we asked for firm noodles as well. The karage looked really good, but the batter was inconsistent with areas of no batter. The sauce was interesting and way too salty. I had to drink several glasses of water after our meal because my kidneys were screaming hypernatremia. Would I recommend this place if you lived in the area and had not other options? Uhhh they need to fix a few things first before I can do that. UTC has way better options, so they have to step up their game a bit. Also, some of these 5 star reviews look super sketchy, so beware. read more

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After being under construction for what felt like forever was very excited to try Ujin! In my opinion this is one of the best if not the best ramen spot in San Diego. The restaurant is beautiful, classic wood and Japanese style. I elected for the shoyu ramen which was well balanced, rich, and noodles were the perfect texture. The chasu and chicken slice were about as good as can be, much better than other ramen places. The karage was also solid, crispy and fresh. Service was friendly, a little slow but all good. Will definitely be back as a regular. Absolutely worth a try and deserve a higher rating! read more

Ujin - Shoyu Ramen - Ramen Near Me - San Diego, California

Pretty good spot for ramen! Parking lot is spacious and there was no wait when we went. The decor makes it look very luxurious and modern for a ramen shop that I almost missed it even though I parked directly in front. tonkotsu ramen - pretty good, just wish it came with chashu instead of minced pork shoyu ramen - this one my friend got and I only tried the broth (it has truffle) and it was good! pork buns - really yummy this was my favorite thing we ate karaage - good large pieces of chicken, the sauce they drizzle on top is too salty however I'm usually not a shio or shoyu ramen person but I would come back to try the other ramens. read more

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Tried out Ujin as it recently opened up in the La Jolla Towne Centre plaza. The interior is very opulently decorated and feels very modern and new. We ordered two different ramens, spicy mushroom and pork (4.5/5) and the Tokyo shoyu ramen (3/5). The Tokyo shoyu ramen comes with thinner noodles and a unique truffle infused broth. While the first few sips were tasty, I realized I did not really enjoy the truffle flavor after the novelty wore off. My husband enjoyed his bowl of ramen and I specifically enjoyed the thicker noodles that come with the mushroom pork ramen (4/5). While it is labeled spicy, we barely felt any kick. For appetizers we got the chicken karaage (3/5) while the chicken is extremely soft and juicy, I'm not a fan of the sauce the chicken is drenched in. I can't quite place why I don't like it, it's got a sweetness and also a savory kind of funk. I forgot to take a photo of the pork buns but those were amazing, perfect portion of pork belly, great sauce, amazing (5/5). We wanted to try the dipping ramen that was listed on the menu but they did not have that available yet. The service was a little slow with only one waitress taking orders and seating people, hoping that it's just because this is their soft opening. Overall 4/5 experience. read more

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the ramen is very underwhelming, broth did not have flavor and the bowl was lukewarm when served. noodles itself were okay

I had high expectations for the restaurant, but unfortunately it fell short. First, we were handed the menus, and were not told that anything had ran out or was not being offered at that time. I was really excited to try the Spicy Mushroom Pork Ramen ($17.95), but when I tried to order it, that's when the waitress finally said that they were out. I decided to get the Ujin Classic Shio Ramen with Sliced Beef ($18.95). It ended up being quite salty, and my egg was hard boiled. In fact, all of the eggs for our group came out hard boiled, instead of soft boiled. Additionally, my friend had also ordered the Shio Ramen which automatically comes with thin flour noodles. He asked if he can add an extra portion of thick flour noodles on the side, since he wanted to try both types of noodles. When his order came, it didn't have an extra side of noodles. Then, after reminding the waitress, she brought an extra side, but it was the thin noodles. With that being said, my friends and I did enjoy the pork buns ($9 for 2 pieces) and the karaage ($9 for 5 pieces). I also tried a bite of the Classic Tokyo Shoyu Ramen ($17.95), and I liked it more than my Shio Ramen. read more

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Ujin is a new ramen shop that just opened at the Renaissance Towne Center in UTC. The suite was located near one of the internal corners that have notoriously tight parking spaces in front of the businesses. The owners selected a name in Ujin that has Korean origins ("blessing"). There was a room behind an internal window where you could view the flour noodles being freshly made and prepared in thick and thin batches. Several two-top tables were set up on the outdoor front patio. Inside seating featured a bar that wrapped around the kitchen preparation area, a communal table in the middle of the dining room, and then more small tables along the back wall. I sat at the communal table which had twelve spots. The one page menu listed four types of ramen, dipping noodles (tsukemen), two rice bowls, and five appetizers. Two of the ramen choices were designated as spicy. I chose the first listing which was the Classic Tokyo Shoyu Ramen. The soup base consisted of chicken, truffle, and porcini. It was very light and not salty which made it easy to fully consume. The noodles were the thin variety and cooked well. The toppings were chashu pork, chicken breast, bamboo shoots, shiso, half of a soft boiled egg, and truffle paste. Common items like bean sprouts, corn, green onions, mushrooms, and nori were not a part of my bowl, however some of them were available in the other three ramen styles. The two meats were sliced thin and came as four total pieces. I liked the modern interior decor which included a tall Mercury statue in one corner. The soft opening period will continue for about two more weeks into the new year. My initial impression of Ujin was favorable with a four star rating for my lunch earlier today. read more

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FOOD: Ordered their Ujin Classic Shio ramen with WAGYU. It was my first time having Wagyu in ramen and boy it did not disappoint! The broth was flavorful and the meat itself was soft and had a little kick of sweetness to it. SERVICE: Our server/host was great. It was easy to get her to come to our table since the place is small. I think the one thing they could work on is asking how we were doing and if we needed anything else. AMBIANCE: The restaurant is really nice, elevated, and inviting. Their bathroom is really nice too. I love how everything is updated and brand new. PARKING: It can be tough since the restaurant is located in a small shopping center. read more

Ujin - Ramen Near Me - San Diego, California

my favorite ramen thus far in SD! loved both of the ramen we tried, so flavorful & clean. you can tell each bowl is made to order. read more

Ujin - so good - Ramen Near Me - San Diego, California

I like their shio ramen it's very light but the beef belly kinda reminds me of the shabu or hot pot, I will take the chasuu pork next time, the truffle edamame is really good, my wife still like the spicy garlic edamame which they don't have in the menu. The karaage was our least favorite and we are a fan of karaage. My wife and son in law both have the tonkatsu while my daughter and I have the shio. The server was quick to take our order and she have our order out and serve to us quick also, not a lot of people here and I noticed the big statue inside the restaurant, it's really quiet here and we were able to talk until our grandson started getting a little bit hungry that he started crying which made the room not peaceful but my daughter took care of him right away. My wife wanted to come back try other food because she really like my soup. read more

Visited during their soft opening according to the sign on the door. There are plenty of parking spaces available and have a pretty large seating area for a ramen shop. The impression you get as soon as you enter is "wow". You could tell they spent a lot of time in their interior design. Each plate, table and even the carafe didn't present to be cheap. But the winged golden statue kind of got in the way and blocked the entrance to one of the table which was a waste. Even the server had a hard time going around it and apologized each time she tried to get to our table. The pork bun came with zucchini which I felt didn't really go well with it so I just took it out (just grilled and didn't taste like it was seasoned). The sauce on the meat was also a bit too sweet. It was presented really well, coming in two different plates (1 order comes with 2 pieces). The Spicy Mushroom Pork Ramen was probably at a level 1 spiciness. My 5 year old nephew would probably be able to eat it for comparison. It comes with thick noodles which was cooked perfectly. But the soup was a bit too light in flavor and not "spicy" if you are searching for a ramen with a spicy kick. The Ujin Classic Shio Ramen came with thin noodles which was also cooked perfectly. The soup comes with yuzu and you can clearly taste it, which I love. You can see the yuzu zest in the broth. It did taste like a watered down/very light Tsukemen broth. I wish the broth were a bit more heavy in my personal opinion but if you don't like the thick heavy ramen style and are more of the lighter side you would enjoy it here. The noodles alone were great. read more

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I normally do leave a review on a first time visit to a new restaurant, but tonight's experience was outstanding. I was kindly greeted at the door and promptly seated. A short time later I staff member arrived to greet me and asked if I'd like to order a drink. They actually have real Japanese beers made in Japan! (Many Japanese beers are private labeled, made in North America). Everything is made fresh with pride. Kind and friendly staff, great food, freshly sliced meats, clean environment, clean restrooms, parking in front, table and counter dining, beer and wine, NO melamine bowls or plates, clean glassware, staff wearing gloves, A Grade from Health Dept. Everything was great except for one minor thing. There wasn't hot water in the restroom to wash hand. read more

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Ujin is a brand new ramen restaurant in La Jolla village. The place is new and clean and the decor is really nice. You can see right into the kitchen and the noodle making prep areas. The service is good and friendly. The chicken karaage was good. The gyoza (forgot the picture) was just ok. The shio ramen was great. The noodles were delicious, the broth was rich (for just a salt broth). The beef was very tender and well seasoned. Coworkers got the shoyu ramen and nobody complained. read more

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We came here around 6:45pm on a Sunday and it wasn't too busy. It was a combination of the food and the service that made me give less stars. Original Shoyu Ramen - 6.7/10, both my friend and I got this and we both agreed that it tasted better without the truffle, the meat was super tender but the noodles were a bit overcooked Chicken Karaage - 7.5/10, not the usual Chicken Karaage we were used to but the flavor was great and the meat was tender As for the service I'm sure it was still being worked on since it was a soft opening. What happened was we both ordered the same thing, however only 1 ramen was brought out and I let my friend have it. The Chicken Karaage came out next and the man that brought it out kind of gave me a weird side eye that was like a "Why didn't you order anything" kind of look. This was when we were both confused, and a few minutes later the younger waitress came over and said "We have the mushroom pork ramen still available or did you want the same one as that one?" Now we were really confused because I had clearly ordered the same one in the beginning. I told her I wanted the same one and I assumed that's when she put in the order for me. I then waived the waitress that took my order over and she looked really confused that I didn't have my ramen, they were clearly supposed to come out together. They need to work on their communication as it was clear my order was either forgotten or not placed and instead of checking up on if I ordered something they just assumed I didn't order anything and I was treated weirdly. Other than that it was okay, probably wouldn't come back again though. read more

Ujin - Ramen Near Me - San Diego, California

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The food was good. However, the service left much to be desired. They were extremely busy and there was only one server covering the whole floor and it was really hard to get her attention. It made it hard to get more water or the check or to ask questions about our order. The food itself was quite delicious. The broth I got with my Takatsu Ramen was quite good. I was slightly disappointed, however, that they ran out of eggs, which is usually my favorite part of Ramen. I was not informed of this prior to ordering. The restaurant was extremely well decorated. There was, however, a big statue with an angel wing that blocked my view of half of our table. read more

Ujin - Tonkatsu Ramen - Ramen Near Me - San Diego, California

The beef and scallop skewers are quite good. But they only serve Japanese alcoholic drinks, and when I asked for a glass of red wine, they said they don't have any. read more

I've been enjoying ramen at Ujin since they opened over a year ago, and I go there quite often, However, my visit today raised a serious concern regarding kitchen hygiene and food handling and safety. While seated with a clear view of the open kitchen, I observed a cook drop edamame onto the floor. He then picked the edamame up (from the floor) and placed it back into the bag, returning the bag to the refrigerator. I immediately informed the server of what I had seen, and the server relayed the message to the cook. There was no immediate action taken. I then asked the server to have the cook discard the bag entirely. The cook eventually threw the bag into the trash. However, moments later, I observed him retrieve the same bag from the trash and place it on a shelf inside the kitchen. This sequence of events was deeply concerning. Food safety and contamination protocols are fundamental in any restaurant, especially one with an open kitchen visible to guests. I am sharing this as constructive feedback. Proper training in kitchen hygiene, food handling, and contamination prevention should be mandatory for the entire team. I hope ownership and management address this promptly so customers can dine with confidence. read more

I thought this place would be gimmicky and pandering to non-Japanese tastes, but this place was great! Service was fast and everything came out hot and fresh. I got the shio ramen with chicken and chashu which was strangely delicious with the fishy broth paired with the yuzu zest. We went later that same week to try the shoyu ramen and tonkotsu, which we also really liked. We got the karaage and gyoza. Karaage was huge with sauce already on it, but it was still delicious. Gyoza was super beefy and not my favorite, but still paired really well with the suntory draft beer. We also appreciate the actual options our non-red meat eating friends had compared to the ramen at utc. I love seeing them make the ramen at the counter and the seating was very intimate. Service was as expected. Sit, order, eat, pay, leave. Anything more than that is really not necessary. I actually appreciate not having to look up with a mouth full of noodles to respond to "so how's the food tasting?". Lock-in, eat, enjoy. Excellent experience and will definitely go again. read more

This place is super close to UTC so we hopped on over after shopping. It's in a lot so good amount of parking available. Comparable prices to other popular ramen spots. What we ordered: Shio ramen with Wagyu ($22.95): 3 for the soup and 3.5 including the Wagyu Tonkatsu ramen ($18.95): overall 4 which is what my review is based on. Creamy, slightly salty but very flavorful and paired really well with the chashu pork which was cooked just right for my taste. It was nice and thick too. Opted to get only chashu and remove the chicken breast. The eggs were nicely done as well and the waitress kept coming to refill our water which was great. It's a very clean restaurant with a soothing atmosphere and was a nice relaxing space on a weeknight. I'm not a huge ramen person but enjoyed the meal. read more

Ujin - Shio ramen with wagyu - Ramen Near Me - San Diego, California

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Great vibes and tasty food! We ordered the tokyo shoyu ramen, pork buns, and gyoza. Normally I always order tonkotsu ramen but I believe shoyu is their specialty here. It has a very clean taste with a lot of truffle. I wasn't a big fan of the chicken that it came with but the chashu was very tender and well seasoned. The egg was also marinated well with a jammy yolk. The pork buns was probably our favorite though! Very tender and juicy pork that's cut by the pickles in the bun. The gyoza also had a nice crispy texture and was packed with meat and chives. The service was also pretty fast except at the end it took awhile to get our check(we were waiting for a good 10 minutes even though we were the only ones in the restaurant at the time) read more

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I love this place. If am am anywhere near and any level of hungry this is where I go. Super happy with the classic ramen!

I've been here twice since it opened and it doesn't disappoint. This ramen is very reminiscent of Japan and I like that they venture away from the traditional tonkotsu ramen everyone else is accustomed too. There hasn't been a wait the times that I've come and there is ample indoor and outdoor seating. The broth is packed with umami flavors and a strong burst of truffle. The protein is always cooked to perfection and the noodles are al dente and presented beautifully. I wish they had more toppings, but everything else about this ramen is perfection. read more

Ujin - Ramen Near Me - San Diego, California

Remember, everyone's different and we're all allowed to have their own opinions. How did "I" feel about everything? I listed it: 1. The noodles ratio to the meat and chicken not balanced. 2. The chicken was very fresh but I tasted it more than the actual flavor of a whole ramen soup that's mixed together. 3. The meat tasted like it was from a BBQ gathering from outdoors and you can really taste the way the meat is charred/grilled-like so that was really good! 4. Ambience was great. Though, minus the fact that I was surrounded mostly by couples but I expected that. 5. The noodles taste like Philippines pancit Bato noodles but more to a taste that makes the noodles cooked to have a much harder texture. 6. The quality of their ramen is a little bit toooo fancy for me but this place is located in LJ so naturally, the top-notch quality is expected. 7. I was wanting just some basic plum wine but they instead have sparking plum wine. read more

Ujin - Classic Tokyo Shoyu Ramen, CHOYA Sparkling Plum Wine, & Cucumber Salad w/ Signature Ujin Yuzu Sesame Chili Sauce - Ramen Near Me - San Diego, California

My favorite ramen spot. My daughter's favorite rice bowl location. Close to UTC but not in the mall. read more

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The ramen here is really good. Like really, really good. The problem is that there's only one server and during the times I visited, they can't handle all the traffic coming through the restaurant. It took over 20 minutes to order last time I was there. I can't wait to return because the truffle broth is really exceptional but I really hope that they have fixed their staffing problem by the time I return. read more

Ujin - Ramen Near Me - San Diego, California

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Coming from the experiences I had with ramen in Japan, this is the closest I've gotten to the same taste. Uzu, truffle, light broths, etc. I can see why the lack of side veggies and condiments on the ramen like many american restaurants would turn away many, but the flavor is definitely authentic. The service is quick and the ambiance is peaceful. Maybe some more options and serving size options would be nice. read more

Ujin - Ramen Near Me - San Diego, California

Best ramen in San Diego, the broth was exceptional. Ujin will have you put the bowl to your mouth and wish you could lick the bowl. The broth was light and Smokey. The noodles were chewy and paired perfectly with the broth. Exceptional. read more

Ujin - Ujin classic (Chasu + Chicken) - Ramen Near Me - San Diego, California

Ramen was good as their soup and noodles are made at that shop. Need a little more green in the ramen like scallions. Waigu was not what I had expected as it appears like thinly cut beef. Waigu eggs and rice was the worse. Rice wad not fully cooked (hard rice). read more

Looking for a new place and end up in here. Surprisingly no people before us but the place has a nice vibe with the huge golden demon inside. Maybe it was too early for dinner but anyways, menu was short and easy to read. Food was amazing that we finish everything. Service was great as well and one more thing I notice is the pricing. Maybe their target is the young generation with mostly affordable price range. I got a wagyu rice bowl for $17. read more

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A hit and a miss. The Tokyo shoyu ramen has a nice and gentle broth. I think people saying it wasn't flavorful are more used to tonkotsu style broth, but I prefer the light and warming flavor of shoyu. The noodles were perfectly cooked, and the meat was tender and flavorful. The beef rice bowl was mid though. The meat had a nice roasted wok flavor but was still overall bland. The rice was also a little soft. I really wish they could've added some pickle or vegetable on the side because despite the rice being more on the wet side, the rest of the meal was pretty dry. The plaza this restaurant is located in has very tight parking, so keep that in mind. A lot of the spots are also limited to 30 min but I don't think they're too strict on that. read more

Ujin - Beef rice bowl - Ramen Near Me - San Diego, California

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I'm always looking to try something new but I could eat the wagyu beef rice bowl here at least once a week. It's such a delicious and satisfying meal, especially when paired with some good appetizers like the cucumber salad and gyoza. read more

Ujin - Wagyu beef bowl with extra egg and cucumber salad - Ramen Near Me - San Diego, California

Awesome little spot that just opened up. Really nice modern but cozy Japanese ramen shop vibes. Delicious food, nice service. Open kitchen is a really nice touch and fun to watch. read more

Ujin - Classic Shoyu for the win! The only chashu that I've ever really enjoyed. - Ramen Near Me - San Diego, California

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Love the decor and atmosphere of this place! The broth is super clean and not heavy at all. I really appreciated the texture of the ramen noodles as well-- firm and flavorful. I was not a huge fan of the cut of pork they use, it tasted on the tougher side and was slightly too salty. I would also say skip the chicken karage appetizer, the pieces they use are large and it's not crisp. The service here is great! read more

Ujin - Chicken karage - Ramen Near Me - San Diego, California

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So happy this ramen place opened in our community. The inside is super nice and has an elevated design. The ramen was also delicious. The noodles are super fresh and the broth is so tasty. They are definitely still working out some stuff regarding service but the staff were all super friendly and nice. Would definitely go back though. read more

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This ramen is definitely comparable to ramen in Japan! I go a few times a year and it brought me back. I was so surprised to walk into an empty restaurant, but it was a Monday afternoon. Got the Ujin Shio, Tonkatsu, and Wagyu beef bowl. Both ramens are top notch and absolutely highly recommend. Thin noodle fan forever. Skip the beef bowl. read more

Ujin, a new Japanese restaurant in the Renaissance town center plaza! It's beautifully decorated, honestly, quite over the top. Even from the outside of the restaurant, it is very distinctive and obvious it's a Japanese restaurant. Based on the decoration, we thought it's a high end sushi place, but actually, it's a ramen place! When we walked in, the inside is even more beautiful. It has a large table in the middle and decorated in gold color and has a giant person with wings in the restaurant! The service was simple but sufficient. The hostess is also the waitress. She worked hard and served the tables quickly. The menu is very simple. A few options of ramen, rice bowls, and appetizers. I truly enjoy the simple menu because it's easy to pick what you want, and the restaurant can just focus on the things they do well. We ordered Karage, Classic Tokyo Shoyu ramen, and Ujin Shio ramen. The Karage here is slightly different than other. It comes in large pieces and has honey glaze sauce. Personally, I like the simple no sauce kind of the karage. Overall, the ramen here has excellent flavors. Not your typical tonkotsu ramen. Both of the ramen we ordered were really good. I would totally come back and try both again. The Classic Tokyo Shoyu ramen has light truffle flavor, which incorporated excellently into the ramen. It really elevated the layers of flavor. The chicken and pork chashu were excellently cooked as well. I was really impressed. The Ujin Shio ramen with sliced beef has stronger flavors, but I loved the touch of yuzu that balanced the heavier flavors. I was also very surprised by the interesting ramen flavors. The ramen itself was well cooked. I really enjoyed the ramen here. I will come back again for sure. read more

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Note: Ujin is currently in their soft open with no specific timeline on a grand opening. Some menu items are still missing (like the tsukemen) I went with a friend and ordered shoyu ramen with thick noodles and the karaage as an appetizer. The restaurant was pretty empty, maybe only 30% full. There's a lot of counter seating and a large communal high top in the middle of the restaurant with two tops along the wall. Karaage: (2/5) the chicken is juicy and seasoned. This is not your typical karaage - it's fried chicken that's been dipped in some sauce after so the batter isn't max crispy anymore. The flavoring was also interesting, we tasted vinegar? Teriyaki? Something sweet and acidic at the same time with a lot of pepper. I prefer a traditional karaage especially at a ramen spot. Shoyu: (3/5) we got this because it was recommended and the tsukemen wasn't available yet. The portion is HUGE which was really nice. Egg could have been better quality, the flavor was good but the egg itself was small and the yolk was pale even when it had been sitting in soy sauce/etc. Chashu was good and the ramen also came with a slice of chicken as well, so it's filling for being a noodle bowl! Parking is plentiful and staff were kind. My plan would be to not put this at the top of my list for ramen spots but to come back when the grand opening happens and I can try their tsukemen! Hopefully can amend my review then too read more

Ujin - Karaage 5 piece - Ramen Near Me - San Diego, California

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This place is horrible! The food and customer service is the worst The asian female waitress/ hostess has a bad attitude and serves drinks without opening bottles. You have to track her down to open and request napkins. Shouldn't bottle opening and napkins be standard service for waitstaff? I am not Aaian. Maybe if you are Asian, service better. The food is less than desirable as well. Greasy and no flavor. There are much better options in UTC. Find them and go there! Cannot recommend. read more

The ramen was excellent. Usually ramens are way too salty for me and cause stomach upset. This one is very similar to authentic Okinawan ramen especially the pork flavor. They were very generous with portion I had so much noodles I put half of it in a box and enjoyed it later at home. The egg was soft boiled. This was the classic it comes with chicken and pork. The waitress was nice and food came out so fast it surprised us. Although it was only us and one other couple cause we came for early dinner. By time we left it was packed so I guess this new place has some regulars already. We live in apartments nearby so glad to have a ramen place in walking distance. Ambiance is comfortable modern. read more

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The food was delicious, the broth was clean and light. It was super flavorful and the chasu had a nice smokiness to it read more

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