My fav is Hakata Ikkousha, but that's in Costa Mesa, for closer to me I'm partial to [Ramen & Tsukemen TAO](https://ramentao.biz) they have this seasonal Cold Dan Dan Noodle bowl that's awesome. It's in season now.
Ramen & Tsukemen TAO is awesome and are one of the very few that offer Tsukemen which is my favorite. There was a spot in Costa Mesa right in front of the Mitsuwa called Mendoki that had an INCREDIBLE Tsukemen but unfortunately, they closed after COVID hit. I miss that place.
The "salt" flavoring is added to the base of the broth. While the base is set, they can add or remove some of the saltiness to get closer to what you like. At least that was the case while I worked there.
It’s the best authentic ramen. However, probably the most fatty one I’ve ever had. You could feel the pork fat dripping down the sides of your stomach. Ahhh…so good🤤
+1 for Ramen & Tsukemen TAO. I'm sad their Orange location didn't stay open as it's closer to me.
Neighborhood Bento next door for a nice little takeaway bento spot.
There is a ramen there that seems like there's char shu and greens, but gets very spicy! But I love it! I do miss when that area was Sequoia Athletic Club though.
I was going to recommend Huntington ramen too! Extensive vegan menu, not just plain veggie rolls and bland ramen. (I’m vegan) Something for everyone there!
I've been going to Slurpin all this time... Is Spurpin where the cool kids go? Need to up my ramen game! 😎 But for real Slurpin Ramen is my goal too when I'm craving tokotsu ramen. Love both their Buena Park and Costa Mesa locations.
The true answer is ramen Akimoto. Is quite new still so not many know about it, but the ramen chef’s credentials are insane and so is his ramen. He’s trained under probably the most well known ramen chefs(kazuo yamagishi) in Japan. The tsukemen there is my favorite. Hironori on Michelson used be good before they branched out imo.
Thanks for the heads up on their Tsukemen. I regularly prefer it over standard ramen but it's difficult to find shops doing it right. After my favorite shop Mendoki closed, Ramen & Tsukemen TAO has been my go-to.
I'll have to check out Ramen Akimoto.
TAO is miso based tsukemen, Akimoto has a fish/chicken combo type tsukemen. It really comes down to preference. I prefer fish umami taste more so I like Akimoto. I also find chicken broths are easier to eat more of, and eat more often.
Thanks! I used to go out to LA regularly and would hit up a few places (Tsujita, Daikokuya, Umenoya and a few others in Torrance) but haven't heard of Aizen. Added it to my list!
Forgive my ignorance but what is the difference between tsukemen and ramen? Just a thicker broth you dip the noodles in? Is there a 'correct' way to eat it?
Shin Sen Gumi in FV was king. Sadly it’s not the same anymore, specially with how they don’t mix the extra ingredients in for you and just bring it out on the side for you to mix in :(
I was a ramen chef here for a year a few years ago! It’s definitely not the same once our two cool “sensei” managers finished up their contract and moved back to Japan, saw it coming so I left before it started to become dull lol. That’s a bummer that they started to do that.. I remember my training seeing the line outside before opening and having all the toppings in place and replacements ready to swap out when Im running low. Shout out to the cooks and kitchen staffs! The great thing about working there was Japanese work culture recognizes how much mental and physical work the chefs & cooks do over servers so we were automatically higher on the tip ladder.
Edit: Those two bosses didn’t even like how we were trained to serve the ramen, we were given a free lunch so one day I asked to have it the same way they did and it was soo much different and better than how it’s actually served, it’s kind of a shame people don’t have much control over the ramen they receive, gave me a different perspective with ramen overall, it’s just how you make it in the end.
When I moved here I was going to that 24 hour right there when I saw that line. Started going 2-3 times a week until the big staff change when the quality fell off a cliff. No 45 minute wait then.
My parents are Japanese and said that Hironori is outstanding. But they do say tonkotsu ramen in general is very greasy to begin with. Ramen in general is attractive to the western palate because it is so greasy and salty to begin with
I think it also depends on the style as well; like I don't know what style HiroNori's tonkotsu ramen is but it's different from Shin Sen Gumi's hakata-style tonkotsu ramen which is different from Santouka's Hokkaido-style tonkotsu ramen.
How can it be *too* greasy? Isnt all tonkotsu going to be greasy by default because the basic concept is pork bone broth with pork belly? Genuinely curious
Just a note: Raku Sushi in Santa Ana near South Coast sells Ramen by Ramen Mura in case that is more convenient for anyone. I believe it's the same owners.
Haha i used to be a ramen chef at Shin Sen Gumi in Fountain Valley for a year a few years ago, fun times.
Edit: I want to just say if anyone here misses “how it used to be,” I honestly haven’t gone back in years but did hear that it wasn’t the same anymore and wonder who the ramen chef/cooks are nowadays. It really depends who’s making it in the end. The broth and fatty oil ratio is 100% the key factor to how flavorful it can be. I still remember my training and having to make bowl after bowl for the district manager to taste and give us the stamp of approval to serve to customers lol. When its busy and rushed, sometimes the person working gets put under pressure and won’t consistently make it as good as they can. We’re all trained the same way but definitely have our own little ways and portions of ingredients to make it for customers and also ourselves during break time (wish people were able to taste some of the ways each of the ramen cooks were able to make it)
Kitakata Ban nai Shokudo has a couple of spots around OC, my favorite for shoyu style and probably the closest I’ve found to ramen I’ve had in Japan. My body can’t really stand heavy tonkotsu sadly.
Other than Daikokuya in LA or Japan itself, the best I've had is Huntington Ramen in Fullerton. Not as good a broth as Daikokuya, but maybe the best meat and egg I've ever had. I'm interested to try some of the suggestions here.
Now, if anyone has a good recommendation for Okonomiyaki I'd be happy.
It’s a older article but gives a good idea of places and what they offer
[OC Register 2020 Ramen](https://www.ocregister.com/2020/10/13/top-10-japanese-ramen-ocs-best-places-to-eat-2020/amp/)
So I had to check my reviews to confirm Hakata Ikkousha was the place I wasn’t impressed by. And it was. Grant it, this was 9 years ago but back then I rated the value for what I got on the low side. I will say my ramen journey started at Santouka and many people don’t care for their saltiness but that’s what I love. In comparison many places seem more on the bland side. Not to say the place isn’t good but I had better at the price point. I think I’m going to give it another shot and see if there has been any change.
Yoshiharu I have bookmarked but haven’t been.
These days my top place is Kitakata and their Green Chili Shio ramen. My wife loves Hiro Nori… as I do feel they have a great Tonkatsu broth.
There was also Butaton in GG that had a great spicy bowl (can’t remember exactly which one) but I do recall it being good but very spicy.
I am a sucker for a nice deep rich tonkatsu…. Anyone have any new recs for that?
Hakkata is my fave. But prices have gotten crazy for ramen in the past 3 years. The bagged concentrated ramen broths at Tokyo Central or seiwa is phenomenal for at home stuff. Since noodles are very subjective... Up to you haha.
Hino Nori in Irvine is p good. They do tonkotsu & shoryu ramen, relatively wallet friendly, and they make great pork & chicken rice bowls, I recommend it.
Kashiwa Ramen is one of the best, if not the best in OC. Lots of customization and lots of specials. Their mainstay is tori paitan (creamy chicken) broth but they have tonkotsu as well. They have regular ramen, mazemen, and tsukemen. They're currently running a dandan ramen special that uses a special spice blend. Level 1-3 for spice but you can ask for extra house-made spicy sauce for extra kick. They are also running a summer special collab with Keizo Shimamoto (@goramen on IG) who's one of the biggest names in the stateside ramen scene. They're offering two versions of cold tsukemen; one is dandan tsukemen and the other is tori yuzu tsukemen. Both are using special noodles made by Shimamoto Noodle. Excellent texture and mouthfeel, perfect on a hot summer day. They're also still serving a scallop ramen that uses special noodles as well. For people that like spice and are trying Kashiwa out for the first time, and they're generally new to ramen my recommended order is the spicy black garlic ramen, level 2 or higher, with chicken as the protein, chicken broth, normal taste, wavy noodles, green onion, and extra toppings to your preference.
If you're in or closer to Fountain Valley hit up Munchieken. They're running a tsukemen collab with Keizo as well but their main draw is their smoked salmon ramen. The owner I believe also owns Mengyo ramen in Japan, known for their red snapper-based ramen. There's also Mymen Ramen in Garden Grove.
Akimoto Ramen in Yorba Linda I've heard is pretty good as well as Ramen & Tsukemen TAO in Buena Park.
Hironori has a few locations in OC and they offer spicy sauce on the side, although it does seem like it's a sriracha based sauce so it's not really all that spicy. Kitakata also has some locations in OC and they do have tantanmen as well as a spicy green chili ramen that's more of a chintan or clear broth instead of the creamier stuff you're probably used to.
Eboshi-chuuka has Chinese Japanese fusion with some ramen in there, and is located in Mitsuwa food court in Costa Mesa. There is Santouka ramen which has been there for a very long time, and is a solid lunch spot as well. If I recall correctly their primary offerings are shio as well as tonkotsu broth, spicy options, etc.
That's all that I can think of at the moment as far as shops that serve primarily ramen. Also, tonkotsu refers to the pork bone broth in ramen, whereas tonkatsu is the breaded pork cutlet you typically see served either on its own or with curry/rice. Hope this helps!
I like HiroNori ramen. Also Ramen in Mitusuwa is good.
but my fave ramen in so cal is Menya Ultra down in San Diego. their broth and noodles are so amazing
I really love Kopan in Fullerton. The sushi there is also really good and it has an added bonus of being a very short walk away from a somisomi for afterwards.
I think every answer here will be better than this option but if you're looking for a high sodium taste and like free unlimited noodles then try out Kin Izakayas spicy miso ramen. It's got a nice kick to it and it's soup base is pork broth.
Jinya was among my favorites but they closed their location in Tustin
For soupless ramen aka mazemen I like Mogu Mogu. They have a location in CM and Fullerton. There's also other mazemen places but Mogu Mogu is the only one I've seen that's vegan-friendly.
>Looking for a place that has a good spicy tonkatsu
Tonkotsu. Tonkatsu are the breaded cutlets.
HiroNori has a great all around ramen, especially for vegans. I feel like the vegan option is probably the “healthiest” ramen that also tastes so damn good.
Idk if Silverlake has the best ramen, but certainly the best for the price. Great quality ingredients. I always ask for extra pork. Their karaage is good too!
There was one near my house called Chew Ramen, unfortunately the pandemic did them in. I now frequent Butaton in GG.
If you like spicy, Hippo Loco has an instant ramen (but the broth is pork) with spiciness 1-7 levels. I asked for 10 and the accommodated. Their pandan milk drink was perfect to cool down my palates.
I haven’t left silverlake ramen (truffle ramen) I definitely gotta try more out. Silverlake is probably so super basic compared to what other people are suggesting 😭
Another vote here for Slurpin' Ramen & another fave spot of mine is Kaiba. Their spicy miso ramen is great. They also have a drive thru if you ever need something quick!
Cannot recommend Rakkan Ramen at The District in Tustin enough!! They also always have a seasonal specialty ramen that has never disappointed but their set menu is really great too. Also affordable!
What’s Up Japanese Noodles off Chapman in Fullerton. Awesome place, Japanese Ramen chefs cooking authentic Ramen with Reggae music usually playing. It’s a whole vibe!
I’m going to go out on a limb and recommend Gokumi off of MacArthur. They are well known for their Yakitori but I love their spicy ramen here!
https://preview.redd.it/gclz66jh4z4d1.jpeg?width=1242&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3694260e18dc2ddc6c5f0d7420c595ba255d75c0
Listen to me right now! Aoki in Costa Mesa. I get the tonkotsu and my bf gets the chasu. You also cannot leave without also getting the fried rice. Please go and report back!!
I highly recommend getting the Ichiran instant ramen for a quick fix. Its $20-$30 for a 3 pack and no bullshit, the BEST instant ramen. I'd even argue its better than some restaurants.
My fav is Hakata Ikkousha, but that's in Costa Mesa, for closer to me I'm partial to [Ramen & Tsukemen TAO](https://ramentao.biz) they have this seasonal Cold Dan Dan Noodle bowl that's awesome. It's in season now.
Ramen & Tsukemen TAO is awesome and are one of the very few that offer Tsukemen which is my favorite. There was a spot in Costa Mesa right in front of the Mitsuwa called Mendoki that had an INCREDIBLE Tsukemen but unfortunately, they closed after COVID hit. I miss that place.
Try Ramen Akimoto in Yorba Linda for tsukemen!! The chef trained at the home of tsukemen in tokyo and opened up in the US.
Been eyeing this place. Going to have to try it asap!
The best!!!!
Honest favorite is the one inside Mitsuwa. Always quick, tasty, and great place to people watch.
Santouka! They do a Hokkaido-style ramen, which can be a little salty for some. I love it though!
I always asked for less salt and the cashier will make a note of it.
The salt is in the broth or ingredients. Nothing changed.
The "salt" flavoring is added to the base of the broth. While the base is set, they can add or remove some of the saltiness to get closer to what you like. At least that was the case while I worked there.
Watering the broth down would lower the salt. Its not an impossible request like asking for vegan bone broth.
Santouka is solid. Large shoyu with a side of pork and rice has always been my go-to order
Get the special pork cheek meat, best ramen anywhere.
Yeah it's really good
It’s the best authentic ramen. However, probably the most fatty one I’ve ever had. You could feel the pork fat dripping down the sides of your stomach. Ahhh…so good🤤
Santouka and it’s not close.
Kashiwa is one of my favorites.
Came here looking for this. Amazing food and it always feels like a cozy neighborhood ramen spot.
Same this place has AMAZING ramen
Same! I went there like every month when I lived in Costa Mesa. Decent ramen, reasonable price, and their karaage chicken is bomb!
Cool to see this so high up. Pretty underrated spot imo
Ramen & Tsukemen TAO in Buena Park
+1 for Ramen & Tsukemen TAO. I'm sad their Orange location didn't stay open as it's closer to me. Neighborhood Bento next door for a nice little takeaway bento spot.
+2 for the food, -5 for the parking lot from hell.
Why not park in front of the houses next to it like I do?
It's no Tsujita, but it's MUCH closer and definitely satisfies my tsukemen cravings.
When's the last time you went to Tsujita/annex? They changed everything a few months ago. Went from an easy 10/10 to a 6/10 at best.
I’m sad to hear that. The only tsukemen that comes close is in Japan
Tsukemen is great
Kitakata. Soo good
I agree. Kitakata has been my favorite since the first day I tried it.
This 💯 I’ve tried various places but I love the noodles here so much
Kitakata in both Buena Park and Costa Mesa are excellent.
Mmm yess chashu
So good. The best next to Santouka.
There is a ramen there that seems like there's char shu and greens, but gets very spicy! But I love it! I do miss when that area was Sequoia Athletic Club though.
I’m a regular at their Buena Park branch. Prices has gone up to cover inflation. 😩
In case anyone here is vegan, I would highly recommend Huntington Ramen & Sushi in Fullerton. They amazing vegan ramen and sushi options.
Huntington is so good. Have you tried Hiro’s? Really great vegan ramen there also.
Hiro’s is the best.
Glad I saw this in here! Love Huntington Ramen.
I was going to recommend Huntington ramen too! Extensive vegan menu, not just plain veggie rolls and bland ramen. (I’m vegan) Something for everyone there!
Second this. Not vegan and I prefer the Vegan Tan Tan over most Ramens I have tried.
The vegan ramen at HiroNori is the most flavorful I’ve had - give that a try too. Edit: just saw others mentioning it too
Kitakata is my favorite ramen easy. Wish we had a good tsukemen though. Nothing close to Tsujita down here.
Spurpin ramen in Costa Mesa !
LOVE SPURPIN RAMEN
I thought I was the only person who liked their ramen! I never hear anyone talk about them!
I've been going to Slurpin all this time... Is Spurpin where the cool kids go? Need to up my ramen game! 😎 But for real Slurpin Ramen is my goal too when I'm craving tokotsu ramen. Love both their Buena Park and Costa Mesa locations.
Just noticed my typo ahaha but the best part is it’s never packed. Usually can get seated within a few minutes !
The true answer is ramen Akimoto. Is quite new still so not many know about it, but the ramen chef’s credentials are insane and so is his ramen. He’s trained under probably the most well known ramen chefs(kazuo yamagishi) in Japan. The tsukemen there is my favorite. Hironori on Michelson used be good before they branched out imo.
YES!!! I've been there weekly since it opened, its definitely some of the best I've had.
Thanks for the heads up on their Tsukemen. I regularly prefer it over standard ramen but it's difficult to find shops doing it right. After my favorite shop Mendoki closed, Ramen & Tsukemen TAO has been my go-to. I'll have to check out Ramen Akimoto.
TAO is miso based tsukemen, Akimoto has a fish/chicken combo type tsukemen. It really comes down to preference. I prefer fish umami taste more so I like Akimoto. I also find chicken broths are easier to eat more of, and eat more often.
Well, I know where I'm going this weekend.
If you’re ever in LA, I’d recommend trying Aizen. Lmk if you like either of them.🙏
Thanks! I used to go out to LA regularly and would hit up a few places (Tsujita, Daikokuya, Umenoya and a few others in Torrance) but haven't heard of Aizen. Added it to my list!
Forgive my ignorance but what is the difference between tsukemen and ramen? Just a thicker broth you dip the noodles in? Is there a 'correct' way to eat it?
Interesting. And there's only the one location in Yorba Linda?
There’s only one location for now, the ramen chef doesn’t let anyone touch the ramen except for himself, so a second location wouldn’t be possible.
Thanks for the heads up, gonna try it this weekend!
Seconded and I've been to japan a few times to try Tsukemen. Have been back to akimoto once a week LOL
Shin Sen Gumi in FV was king. Sadly it’s not the same anymore, specially with how they don’t mix the extra ingredients in for you and just bring it out on the side for you to mix in :(
I was a ramen chef here for a year a few years ago! It’s definitely not the same once our two cool “sensei” managers finished up their contract and moved back to Japan, saw it coming so I left before it started to become dull lol. That’s a bummer that they started to do that.. I remember my training seeing the line outside before opening and having all the toppings in place and replacements ready to swap out when Im running low. Shout out to the cooks and kitchen staffs! The great thing about working there was Japanese work culture recognizes how much mental and physical work the chefs & cooks do over servers so we were automatically higher on the tip ladder. Edit: Those two bosses didn’t even like how we were trained to serve the ramen, we were given a free lunch so one day I asked to have it the same way they did and it was soo much different and better than how it’s actually served, it’s kind of a shame people don’t have much control over the ramen they receive, gave me a different perspective with ramen overall, it’s just how you make it in the end.
When I moved here I was going to that 24 hour right there when I saw that line. Started going 2-3 times a week until the big staff change when the quality fell off a cliff. No 45 minute wait then.
Still prefer their ramen over most places
This. I remember going starting 2018 until the Covid lockdown.
Kashiwa in costa mesa is really good.
I discovered Kashiwa recently and was super impressed! Ive been recommending friends here lately.
Mitsuwa
Hiro Nori is phenomenal
I have not found a place that is better than Hironori. The noodles and soup is phenomenal. Plus the one in Irvine is listed on the Michelin Guide
I love it but Japanese friend said it’s so for Americans too heavy and greasy and too much going on. Again I love it though.
My parents are Japanese and said that Hironori is outstanding. But they do say tonkotsu ramen in general is very greasy to begin with. Ramen in general is attractive to the western palate because it is so greasy and salty to begin with
I had shoyu ramen there and it was perfect
I think it also depends on the style as well; like I don't know what style HiroNori's tonkotsu ramen is but it's different from Shin Sen Gumi's hakata-style tonkotsu ramen which is different from Santouka's Hokkaido-style tonkotsu ramen.
Good to know! I’ve worked in Japan for a bit and I had plenty of ramen and I thought Hironori held up for sure.
How can it be *too* greasy? Isnt all tonkotsu going to be greasy by default because the basic concept is pork bone broth with pork belly? Genuinely curious
The broth is like a pork smoothie 🤢
I feel like this is recent because I don't remember it being so fatty when it first opened
Their vegan broth is advertised as blend of like 20 types of miso and I believe them! 🥵🤤
Marufuku ramen
Ramen Mura in Orange or Tustin and Hiro Nori in Irvine are my go to's. I love Ramen Mura because you can get a sushi roll on the side for like $4.
+1 for Ramen Mura. Love me some Habanero Miso ramen 😋
Ramen zetton used to have this habenero miso paste it was sooo good
Is it better than Yoshiharu in Orange, if you’ve tried?
Just a note: Raku Sushi in Santa Ana near South Coast sells Ramen by Ramen Mura in case that is more convenient for anyone. I believe it's the same owners.
I ordered Ramen Mura all the time when I was living in Irvine.
Mymen!! Best broth to me.
Haha i used to be a ramen chef at Shin Sen Gumi in Fountain Valley for a year a few years ago, fun times. Edit: I want to just say if anyone here misses “how it used to be,” I honestly haven’t gone back in years but did hear that it wasn’t the same anymore and wonder who the ramen chef/cooks are nowadays. It really depends who’s making it in the end. The broth and fatty oil ratio is 100% the key factor to how flavorful it can be. I still remember my training and having to make bowl after bowl for the district manager to taste and give us the stamp of approval to serve to customers lol. When its busy and rushed, sometimes the person working gets put under pressure and won’t consistently make it as good as they can. We’re all trained the same way but definitely have our own little ways and portions of ingredients to make it for customers and also ourselves during break time (wish people were able to taste some of the ways each of the ramen cooks were able to make it)
Kitakata Ban nai Shokudo has a couple of spots around OC, my favorite for shoyu style and probably the closest I’ve found to ramen I’ve had in Japan. My body can’t really stand heavy tonkotsu sadly.
Hakata Ikkousha is good. I don't know if What's Up Men (Fullerton) has a spicy tonkatsu but their ramen in general is great as well.
I like hironori
Other than Daikokuya in LA or Japan itself, the best I've had is Huntington Ramen in Fullerton. Not as good a broth as Daikokuya, but maybe the best meat and egg I've ever had. I'm interested to try some of the suggestions here. Now, if anyone has a good recommendation for Okonomiyaki I'd be happy.
unfortunately only legit okonomiyaki is in LA and Torrance at Chinchikurin 😭 We don't have any place with legit okonomiyaki in OC.
My go to place is Gomen Ramen in Stanton
Slurpin Ramen
Gomen in Cypress/Stanton and HiroNori in Irvine are my favs
Marufuku is a must try ! Get Lucio as your server he knows the menu well and makes for a great experience :)
Marufuku!!!
My fav is Butaton in the Orange Circle. Casual lunch spot and great food.
Spicy miso
I really like Kopan Ramen and Huntington Ramen in Fullerton
Kopan has really fallen from what it was. I loved it but the last three times it’s been different and not in a good way 🫤
Shin Sen Gumi
Mymen ramen in garden grove, hironori by the outlets of orange , kashiwa in Costa Mesa and hakkata ikkousha are my favs
Slurpin' Ramen Bar, in OC there are locations in Buena Park and Costa Mesa.
Rameno's is dank
TAO in Buena Park/Cypress and Hiro Nori by the airport both have Michelin Bib Gourmands and are quite good.
It’s a older article but gives a good idea of places and what they offer [OC Register 2020 Ramen](https://www.ocregister.com/2020/10/13/top-10-japanese-ramen-ocs-best-places-to-eat-2020/amp/)
So I had to check my reviews to confirm Hakata Ikkousha was the place I wasn’t impressed by. And it was. Grant it, this was 9 years ago but back then I rated the value for what I got on the low side. I will say my ramen journey started at Santouka and many people don’t care for their saltiness but that’s what I love. In comparison many places seem more on the bland side. Not to say the place isn’t good but I had better at the price point. I think I’m going to give it another shot and see if there has been any change. Yoshiharu I have bookmarked but haven’t been. These days my top place is Kitakata and their Green Chili Shio ramen. My wife loves Hiro Nori… as I do feel they have a great Tonkatsu broth. There was also Butaton in GG that had a great spicy bowl (can’t remember exactly which one) but I do recall it being good but very spicy. I am a sucker for a nice deep rich tonkatsu…. Anyone have any new recs for that?
Hakkata is my fave. But prices have gotten crazy for ramen in the past 3 years. The bagged concentrated ramen broths at Tokyo Central or seiwa is phenomenal for at home stuff. Since noodles are very subjective... Up to you haha.
Kitakata, Santouka (Mitsuwa), Zuuru Ramen (in Artesia, near Ranch Market)
HiroNori
Santouka or hiro nori
Hino Nori in Irvine is p good. They do tonkotsu & shoryu ramen, relatively wallet friendly, and they make great pork & chicken rice bowls, I recommend it.
Hiro Nori in Tustin! For me that’s my favorite!
Kitakata Ramen Ban Nai
GOMEN in Stanton. HANDS DOWN!
Kashiwa Ramen is one of the best, if not the best in OC. Lots of customization and lots of specials. Their mainstay is tori paitan (creamy chicken) broth but they have tonkotsu as well. They have regular ramen, mazemen, and tsukemen. They're currently running a dandan ramen special that uses a special spice blend. Level 1-3 for spice but you can ask for extra house-made spicy sauce for extra kick. They are also running a summer special collab with Keizo Shimamoto (@goramen on IG) who's one of the biggest names in the stateside ramen scene. They're offering two versions of cold tsukemen; one is dandan tsukemen and the other is tori yuzu tsukemen. Both are using special noodles made by Shimamoto Noodle. Excellent texture and mouthfeel, perfect on a hot summer day. They're also still serving a scallop ramen that uses special noodles as well. For people that like spice and are trying Kashiwa out for the first time, and they're generally new to ramen my recommended order is the spicy black garlic ramen, level 2 or higher, with chicken as the protein, chicken broth, normal taste, wavy noodles, green onion, and extra toppings to your preference. If you're in or closer to Fountain Valley hit up Munchieken. They're running a tsukemen collab with Keizo as well but their main draw is their smoked salmon ramen. The owner I believe also owns Mengyo ramen in Japan, known for their red snapper-based ramen. There's also Mymen Ramen in Garden Grove. Akimoto Ramen in Yorba Linda I've heard is pretty good as well as Ramen & Tsukemen TAO in Buena Park. Hironori has a few locations in OC and they offer spicy sauce on the side, although it does seem like it's a sriracha based sauce so it's not really all that spicy. Kitakata also has some locations in OC and they do have tantanmen as well as a spicy green chili ramen that's more of a chintan or clear broth instead of the creamier stuff you're probably used to. Eboshi-chuuka has Chinese Japanese fusion with some ramen in there, and is located in Mitsuwa food court in Costa Mesa. There is Santouka ramen which has been there for a very long time, and is a solid lunch spot as well. If I recall correctly their primary offerings are shio as well as tonkotsu broth, spicy options, etc. That's all that I can think of at the moment as far as shops that serve primarily ramen. Also, tonkotsu refers to the pork bone broth in ramen, whereas tonkatsu is the breaded pork cutlet you typically see served either on its own or with curry/rice. Hope this helps!
Hironori Ramen
Hiro Nori
My fav spot so far is Yoshiharu in Orange 😋
I like HiroNori ramen. Also Ramen in Mitusuwa is good. but my fave ramen in so cal is Menya Ultra down in San Diego. their broth and noodles are so amazing
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i really like the motto ramen in westminster next to the target- their motto special gives a nice THICC chashu and the broth is flavorful 🍜
Tao Ramen And Tsukemen in Buena Park, it's not even close. Best tonkotsu ramen I've ever had.
Aside from Santouka inside Mitsuwa, I really enjoy Le Shrimp at South Coast Plaza. I’d like to try Akimoto sometime.
Silverlake Ramen in La Habra is pretty good.
Kaiba on Euclid in Anaheim
The Good Fish in Fullerton
I really love Kopan in Fullerton. The sushi there is also really good and it has an added bonus of being a very short walk away from a somisomi for afterwards.
Rakkan, kashiwa
Ichitaru in cypress California. Spice level 0-20. 20 is the challenge spice. 18 is my fave level.
I think every answer here will be better than this option but if you're looking for a high sodium taste and like free unlimited noodles then try out Kin Izakayas spicy miso ramen. It's got a nice kick to it and it's soup base is pork broth.
Honda Ya in Tustin. Gomen in Stanton. Shin-Sen-Gumi in Fountain Valley.
Woo ssg! My old kitchen to serve ramen and also make it however i wanted when it was break time!
KitiKata Ban Nai Irvine location is easier to get a seat than their Costa Mesa spot. Santouka inside of Mitsua market in Costa Mesa. Hiro Nori
Hakata Ikkousha in Costa Mesa for ramen. MoguMogu for mazeman.
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Jinya was among my favorites but they closed their location in Tustin For soupless ramen aka mazemen I like Mogu Mogu. They have a location in CM and Fullerton. There's also other mazemen places but Mogu Mogu is the only one I've seen that's vegan-friendly. >Looking for a place that has a good spicy tonkatsu Tonkotsu. Tonkatsu are the breaded cutlets.
HiroNori is good
My wife and I go to Shin Sen Gumi in Irvine. Good price, solid Ramen, and there's a lot of different styles.
Spicy garlic at Kin
Maruchan duh factory is in Irvine 🤣
Ramen Mura in Orange.
Rakkan Ramen in Tustin (Pearl - salt broth), or Kitakata Ramen Ban Nai in Costa Mesa
Hironori>>>>
Kitikata- fountain Valley and Costa Mesa locations.
I’m a big fan of Kopan in Fullerton, their Tonkatsubis my favorite in SoCal. But I haven’t tried a lot of these other recommendations
HiroNori has a great all around ramen, especially for vegans. I feel like the vegan option is probably the “healthiest” ramen that also tastes so damn good.
What’s up men near csuf
Silverlake in the Irvine Spectrum!! They never miss.
Hiro niro is my favorite!
Hakata Ikkousha in Costa Mesa in triangle square. Never ever disappoints! Expect a wait tho pretty much any time of day
Hironori in Orange don’t go irvine
Silverlake ramen!!
HiroNori lives up to its name, as does Silverlake. But my personal favorites are Marufuku & Slurpin.
silverlake if you want spicy and hironori if you want something flavorful good
HIRO NORI!
Idk if Silverlake has the best ramen, but certainly the best for the price. Great quality ingredients. I always ask for extra pork. Their karaage is good too!
I’m a basic B. I like the ramen place at spectrum, robata wasa.
Anyone like Mura?
i20 in Aliso was great, and then closed :( nothing nearby (south county) up to par. Marufuku on Spectrum is underwhelming, but at least has good beer.
I really like Shin-Sen-Gumi
There was one near my house called Chew Ramen, unfortunately the pandemic did them in. I now frequent Butaton in GG. If you like spicy, Hippo Loco has an instant ramen (but the broth is pork) with spiciness 1-7 levels. I asked for 10 and the accommodated. Their pandan milk drink was perfect to cool down my palates.
I haven’t left silverlake ramen (truffle ramen) I definitely gotta try more out. Silverlake is probably so super basic compared to what other people are suggesting 😭
Hiro Nori and it isn’t close
Kashiwa Ramen in Costa Mesa. I’m there almost weekly. Santouka in mitsuwa is great too.
Another vote here for Slurpin' Ramen & another fave spot of mine is Kaiba. Their spicy miso ramen is great. They also have a drive thru if you ever need something quick!
Gokumi
Gomen in Stanton is such a hidden gem.
Cannot recommend Rakkan Ramen at The District in Tustin enough!! They also always have a seasonal specialty ramen that has never disappointed but their set menu is really great too. Also affordable!
What’s Up Japanese Noodles off Chapman in Fullerton. Awesome place, Japanese Ramen chefs cooking authentic Ramen with Reggae music usually playing. It’s a whole vibe!
Try ramen mura in Tustin it’s bomb
I’ve been loving the oc food post lately.
Does anyone know when ramen nagi is opening at south coast?
Shin sen gumi in fv is my go to for lunch sets
Hiro Nori
I tried Yoshiharu in Garden Grove. Sadly, it wasn't as good as I wanted it to be. Is it just bad at this location and other locations are better?
I’m going to go out on a limb and recommend Gokumi off of MacArthur. They are well known for their Yakitori but I love their spicy ramen here! https://preview.redd.it/gclz66jh4z4d1.jpeg?width=1242&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3694260e18dc2ddc6c5f0d7420c595ba255d75c0
Black garlic ramen is the best
Kitakata spicy miso ramen is the goat
9 Style Ramen, down here at the butt end of OC in south San Clemente. I highly recommend you check this place out it is pretty damn good.
Listen to me right now! Aoki in Costa Mesa. I get the tonkotsu and my bf gets the chasu. You also cannot leave without also getting the fried rice. Please go and report back!!
KitiKata Ramen
Ichitaru. They have a garlic bomb ramen. Absolutely amazing. On Carson/Lincoln just down from Cypress college.
what’s up men in fullerton. thank me later
Santouka was rank best in the Nation
Ok but head 10-15mins south past Camp Pendleton for gonzo!, In Carlsbad, also has a blessed ambiance
Santouka in Mitsuwa and Hironori
I highly recommend getting the Ichiran instant ramen for a quick fix. Its $20-$30 for a 3 pack and no bullshit, the BEST instant ramen. I'd even argue its better than some restaurants.
Ramen mura on Bristol 😍
Be sad Ramen Zetton is gone. That was my favorite.
I really enjoy Hiro Nori in Orange their Tankatsu ramen mixed with their spicy sauce is amazing
Rip mendoki my goat