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    Wadaya

    4.6 (1k reviews)
    ModerateRamen, Noodles, Soup
    Closed 11:30 am - 2:45 pm, 5:00 PM - 9:30 PM
    Updated 2 weeks ago

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    WADAYA ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Trendy
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Wadaya

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    Reviews With Photos - Wadaya

    Richard L.

    The Ramen is very tasty! One thing is I like my soft boiled egg hot. It can get very busy and there can be a wait outside, but it usually moves pretty fast. I would like it if they had a bar and wine on the menu, but they don't. This place is definitely worth a try if you'd like very good flavored broth and good Ramen.

    Deluxe Mazemen
    Jasmine F.

    Tried Wadaya during their 1 year anniversary deal! We got there a little before they reopened for the evening and there was already a line forming so I'm glad we showed up early. I ordered the Deluxe Mazemen, my boyfriend got the Curry Mazemen, and we shared the Spicy Wontons. Both mazemens were super flavorful and I loved the thick, chewy noodles. Between the two I actually preferred my boyfriend's mazemen. The highlight of the meal for me was definitely the spicy wontons. They were packed with flavor and had just the right amount of heat. By the end we were so full but somehow managed to finish our bowls clean. The service was great and friendly. However the interior is a bit small and can fill up quickly during busy hours.

    Deluxe
    Liz H.

    WADAYA near Sawtelle is such a hidden gem! The ramen was rich, flavorful, and comforting without feeling too heavy. The noodles had a great texture, the portions were generous, and the service was friendly. Definitely coming back to try their famous mazemen!

    Deluxe Mazemen
    Justin H.

    Just wanted to first put out that service is very nice and fast. The review rating is mostly for their food. Maybe it was an off-day, but their food fell short to my expectations. The LA takoyaki was not crispy at all even though the waiter said LA takoyaki was compared to the osaka takoyaki. The noodles of the Mazemen was too al dente for my liking, and the broth/flavoring was lacking the umami. Also, the broth was not thick enough to hold onto the noodles properly. Their boiled egg was very good and well cooked though. Overall, I'm not sure I'll try this place again, but seeing the other reviews, it might've just been an off-day.

    Tokyo Mazemen
    Kristy H.

    I'm a huge fan of Wadaya and have been since it was Mogu Mogu back in the day. This was the first place I tried Mazemen, and I highly recommend the Tokyo if you like spicy and the Kyoto if you don't. The noodles are flavored so well and are very rich, so I'd also recommend adding the vinegar they provide if you want to cut that umami flavor a bit. Such good mazemen though! Parking can be found on the street in the neighborhood. Otherwise, you can park at the garage next to the Marshalls and get parking validated. It's a bit of a walk that way though!

    Deluxe Mazemen
    Jin H.

    Was visiting UCLA and saw this was nearby. I always love a good mazemen, I think they rebranded from MoguMogu? The menu and taste is pretty much the same as I remember. I was feeling hungry so I got the deluxe, which comes with an extra boiled egg and chashu, wish there was a little bit more going on for the price but it still tasted amazing! I came with my vegetarian friend and he got the vegan mazemen, which looked really good for a vegan dish. Noodles weren't overcooked, flavor wasn't too salty or bland, and I love the amount of chives and green onion they give you. I always love when mazemen places give you a little rice at the end to scoop up all the remaining sauce, sometimes I enjoy it even more than the noodles lol. If you're in the area, would definitely recommend Wadaya!

    Deluxe Mazemen, Takoyaki LA style (4 pc)
    Ashley F.

    Ordered the deluxe mazemen, it was so good and flavorful! Service was also very attentive, they explained that you first mix the bowl and eat half of it, then you add their house vinegar and eat the rest of the noodles. Afterwards, they give you a small bowl of rice to mix it with the sauce, which was my dad's favorite part!

    Vinegar umami!
    Jennifer B.

    I had no idea what a mazemen was so when this place popped up on social media I was scrolling on, my curiosity got the best of me! Dragged Bestie with me (we were due for a catch up anyway) and found ourselves here on a random Sunday opening hour. We arrived a few minutes early which was a good thing because we scored one of two of their reserved private spots. [[HIGHLIGHT]]It's a small and simple place but well decorated. On one wall are instructions how to properly eat mazemen. That came in pretty handy for me, being a first timer and all![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I took time to screen through their menu before coming through and knew I was going to end up with the Kyoto, but deciding on the apps were a little bit challenging. I eyed practically all of them, but practicality got the best of us and ended up with three. IKAGESO: Deep fried squid legs made to order! Battered crispy on the outside and great chew on the inside. Seasoning was perfect, didn't even need the dip. It did add to the taste, ditto adding a splash of lemon juice. Yum! CHICKEN KARAAGE: I've had my share of this from tons of other places. What makes it unique here is the sauce that topped it. There's a bit of a kick to it, but just to add flavor, not for heat. Each bite was crispy on the outside but tender and juicy on the inside. The mayo dip also helped elevate its overall flavor. Yum also! BAO BUNS: One was supposed to be spicy, and the other not so. We asked our server if we can have both not spicy and it was not a problem at all. The buns were so soft and fluffy and held the pork bellies so well. Add with whatever flavor concoction they made to pull all the elements together, and WOW. We almost ordered a second batch! KYOTO MAZEMEN: This bowl was put together so nicely, and it was a delight to look at! I stared at it for a minute since it was so nicely put together. So I followed the instructions down to the tee: took a picture first then took my time to mix it all together. Everything came together so well, and the poached egg added richness to the overall flavor. Noodles were a perfect above-al dente. There was an explosion of flavors with each bite! Halfway through, I added the umami vinegar (as instructed) and true to their word, added even more flavor. Once I was down to my last few bites, they gave a small portion of white rice to mix even more and bring some subtlety at the end. That's not a bad thing AT ALL. Total verdict: awesome first mazemen run! Bestie had a bowl of wonton soup. I got a taste of that and that was good as well. All washed down by yuzu lemonade which was well-blended cool and refreshing. FOOD: 5. SERVICE: 4. Friendly staff and service with a smile! VALUE: 4. PARKING: Private lot, 2 spots allotted for them. Street parking also available. OVERALL: 4.25. Totally worth the drive. Will keep them in mind should I be in the area again. Might go for a regular ramen then.

    Thanh T.

    We found street parking easily right around the corner and lucked out with no wait for a table. [[HIGHLIGHT]]It's smaller inside so it can fill up fast.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Service was a bit slow, you really had to flag someone down if you needed anything, even to order finally. We all pretty much ordered the deluxe mazeman. Portions were plentiful and the flavors were solid. Not the best I've ever had but it definitely hits the spot. The fried apps were delicious. Overall a decent place to pop into for lunch.

    Matcha
    Jessica M.

    Really delicious Ramen noodles here! The noodles were so flavorful and fullfilling. All the ingredients blended together so well. Staff working here is very freindly and answers any questions. The Matcha drink was also very good.

    Vegan Tokyo Mazemen
    Colleen L.

    [[HIGHLIGHT]]Tuesday lunch 12 noon uncrowded.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Instant acknowledgement upon entering. A bottle of water was set on the table. [[HIGHLIGHT]]By 12:30 pm the tables were filled.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] They quickly accommodated a party of 6. The food was delivered in a timely manner. Ordered edamame & Vegan Tokyo Mazeman. This was a first time having this latter novelty dish. The assortment of vegetables were visually appealing & intriguing. It came with a side of chili oil which I am a fan of. Initially I thought I put a bit too much chili oil on top. Uh oh, oil slick noodles? Next time I would apply it sparingly. By the time I mixed it all up & ate it, only a small amount of food remained. Just enough towards the bottom. Magically with impeccable timing a bowl filled with a rice ball was brought to the table. Added that inside the bowl. Mixed it up & oh what a very pleasant deconstructed flavor bomb ending.

    Tokyo bowl

    My goodness!! I discovered this restaurant from yelp and was appealed by the great reviews. I ate here with a bigger group and the staff were very friendly and helpful. I tried Mazemen for the first time and IT WAS SO GOOD. They weren't lying about the strong umami flavor! Also the noodle were perfect; bouncy and chewy. Honestly everyone at the table loved their food. This place felt different from many Japanese restaurants I have tried . #flavor explosion

    Tokyo Mazemen
    Elly P.

    Off the beaten path treasure! Food: - my goto is the Tokyo! Strong umami flavors throughout and QQ noodle consistency, poached egg adds another note of flavor - Don't forget to ask for the rice at the end to soak up all the juices!

    The view from outside Wadaya by Sawtelle on a Friday evening. The place is packed, waiting outside

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    Business owner information

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    Tomohiro W.

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    3 days ago

    This is still my favorite spot to get Mazamen ramen. The noodles are perfectly chewy and flavorful.

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    Page 1 of 26

    Wadaya Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Wadaya

    Are they doing dine in?

    Yes

    How does one book a reservation at this place? Is it possible to reserve in advance?

    no sadly not

    Is it hard to get parking?

    Plenty of street parking and small parking next to it. Never had trouble finding parking when I go here!

    Do they offer gluten free noodles?

    They do!

    Can you order extra noodles?

    Hi yes we do offer extra noodle option for both Mazemen and Ramen!

    Do they have a non-spicy minced pork option for the mazemen?

    Hi Rafaela, great question! Unfortunately we do not have a non-spicy minced pork but we do have Kyoto Mazemen which is with soy marinated pork chashu instead of the spicy minced pork for customers who doesn’t want anything spicy.… 

    Do they offer delivery? Will they?!

    I believe they did.

    View All 8 Questions

    Hachioji Craft Ramen

    Hachioji Craft Ramen

    4.3
    (452 reviews)
    11.8 mi
    $$

    This was our first time dining here. After a short wait on a Saturday evening we were seated…read more Tables were very clean and comfortable and the service was really friendly. I ordered the Salmon Ikura Bowl and my guest had the Tonkotsu Yama. My order came with miso soup and a small salad, both of which were delicious. The salad had the perfect dressing - not overwhelming but flavorful. My tuna bowl was great. The tuna was perfectly tender and looked beautiful. My guest really enjoyed his Salmon Ikura Bowl. Many other nearby restaurants had really long lines and wait times. But I doubt their food was any better than what we had here. I highly recommend this restaurant.

    I developed a love of shoyu & shio ramen while in Japan and went to Hachioji on a recommendation…read morespecifically for the shoyu since it seems to be the hardest to find. We ordered a chicken karaage to start and it wasn't bad, nothing to write home about though. Since the pieces were large, it was slightly awkward to eat without any plates, and I was just catching the crumbs with my hand (didn't have the ramens at the time). Also got a yuzu beer to try and it was delicious, nice yuzu flavor with some tanginess. I had the shoyu with duck while my husband had the yama tonkotsu that came with fragrant black garlic oil. The tonkotsu is not one of those rich, milky, creamy ones and I personally like these lighter ones more. I also enjoyed the shoyu which had a pleasant depth of flavor, but it felt like it was relying too heavily on MSG for umami. Noodles came out chewy. Definitely not the best ramens I've had but are some of the better ones in LA. Our server was friendly, as were the rest of the staff. Service was quick. The restaurant decor feels straight out of Japan, an extra bit of fun. There's a $10 paid lot behind this block of buildings that's convenient for anything in this part of Little Tokyo.

    Photos
    Interior
    Interior
    Hachioji Bun Burger
    Hachioji Bun Burger
    Sapporo Beer

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    Sapporo Beer
    Marugame Monzo

    Marugame Monzo

    4.4
    (5.2k reviews)
    11.8 mi
    $$

    My friend and I came on a Friday afternoon for lunch and were seated quite quickly outside. I…read moreordered the Uni udon and she got the shrimp tempura udon. We split the eggplant tempura, Agedashi tofu, yuzu lemonade. The udon had a bouncy texture and the normal broth was clear. The Uni udon was creamy and not at all overpowering. I was surprisingly felt lighter than I thought I would after finishing such a creamy dish. I can only speak of the outside environment since I never went inside. It can be a bit hard to wave someone down since they're so busy. We sat near the doorway and there were plenty of people waiting after we sat down but there was a nice waiting area so it wasn't so cramp.

    Finally made it to Marugame Monzo and it definitely lived up to the hype! The uni udon was the…read morehighlight of the meal--rich, creamy, and absolutely worth ordering if you're a fan of uni. We also tried the seafood tomato udon, veggie udon, miso carbonara udon, and the fried chicken skin, and everything was delicious. Each dish had its own unique flavor, and you can really tell they put a lot of care into making their noodles. We came on a Saturday for lunch, so we expected a long wait, but it was actually very reasonable and totally bearable. Service was efficient, and once seated, the food came out pretty quickly. Overall, a great spot for fresh handmade udon, and I'll definitely be back to try more items on the menu!

    Photos
    Inside
    Inside
    Fried chicken skin
    Fried chicken skin
    Agedashi Eggplant ($6)

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    Agedashi Eggplant ($6)

    Wadaya - ramen - Updated July 2026

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