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The Best Ramen Restaurants in Las Angeles

The history of ramen features cameos from The Yakuza crime syndicate, the U.S. Army, and a businessman who turned a simple idea into a worldwide convenience food.

Ramen is so much more than a cheap and filling meal. Ramen is a cultural and historic artifact whose evolution continues today.

Since ramen was first introduced in Japan in the late 19^th century, this everyday dish has become ubiquitous around the world.

The quality of the ramen bowls enhances the entire ramen experience. For instance, Japan House Los Angeles, offers a new perspective on ramen and allows visitors to experience ramen with five senses.

At Japan House, they offer an exploration of how a common street food brought to Japan from China in the mid-1800s evolved to become one of Japan’s most beloved dishes, and a complex culinary artform.

Most of what is on offer in Los Angeles are wheat noodle dishes, showcasing the diversity of styles, flavors, ingredients, and styles of ramen and ramen bowl available in Japan.

One of the many captivating bowls on display is by leading postwar Japanese pop artist Keiichi Tanaami who recalls a shocking moment in college when a spider fell into his bowl of ramen and drowned in the hot soup.

Los Angeles has a long history of great ramen, but only in the past few years has the scene hit its stride. From rich Tonkotsu to Shoyu, Shio, and everything in between.

It is always worth the visit to any of the restaurants that offer ramen because the meals are delicious. More so, the staff is welcoming and friendly.

1. Kai Ramen Sherman Oaks

A surprisingly great ramen shop all the way in Sherman Oaks, Kai also has outlets in SGV, Koreatown, and West Hollywood. The Tsukemen is a solid draw here, with rich dipping broth. The red ramen bowl comes with thick pork belly slices and a good dose of spice for an extra kick.

2. Ramen Tatsunoya

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This Japanese transplant regularly fields long lines in the heart of Pasadena. Though the Tonkotsu bowl is the standard thing to order, try varying the flavors with a dose of spice and extra Chashu pork.

3. Ramen Nagi

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This recent transplant from Northern California serves spectacular tonkotsu ramen with a deeply flavored broth and a fully customizable bowl from the noodles to the tare to the toppings.

The waits here are already at least 20 minutes and upwards of an hour during prime 4hours. But it’s worth the wait.

4. Iki Ramen

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This versatile ramen shop tucked into a sleepy Koreatown strip mall prepares everything from a classic Shoyu bowl to a Tokyo-style yuzu Shio.

This could also be found in a popular Japanese chain like Afuri. But the bowls don’t stop there, with everything from burnt garlic Tonkotsu to a wagyu beef ramen, which means there’s really something for everyone here.

In addition to the ramen menu, there’s a wide selection of izakaya fare, from sushi rolls to fried shishito.

5. Ramen Hood

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One of Los Angele’s most creative ramen shops has held court at Grand Central Market for years from Top Chef winner Ilan Hall.

The big thing to know is that instead of pork or chicken or any meat, the broth is sunflower seed-based, which means vegans can enjoy the pleasures of ramen.

Hall takes umami-rich ingredients like konbu and shiitake mushrooms, then combine roasted sunflower seeds and white miso for a rich broth that’s virtually as good as a classic broth.

There’s even a vegan “egg” for a complete experience.

6. Orochon Ramen

One of the oldest running ramen shops in Los Angeles. Orochon is famous for its incredibly spicy ramen competition that gives a special designation for people who can finish it within 30 minutes.

The other not-as-spicy bowls are great too for a taste of ramen that would have felt just right in the early 2000s.

7. Menya Tigre

Curry ramen isn’t really a thing, but at Menya Tigre, the innovation is palpable. Japanese-style curry goes into a rich, porky broth along with hefty noodles.

Menya Tigre might not be the most popular ramen spot on Sawtelle, but it’s worth trying when Tonkotsu starts to feel a little bit boring if by any chance you are a regular local.

8. Killer Noodle

This tantanmen ramen shop to Sawtelle comes from the prolific Tsujita group, which already has two standout noodle restaurants on the block.

But what’s different about Killer Noodle is its clear homage to the spicy Chinese-inflected tantanmen, with sesame and pepper-laden noodles that come in either soups or “dry” style platters. The waits can be very long during the prime house, so plan accordingly.

9. Tsujita Annex

This all-ramen restaurant is right across the street from its sister, and its signature bowl uses thick noodles and a dense broth that’s chock full of garlic and pork back fat.

The dip-able tsukemen, tinged with a vinegary kick, is a better option of course with flat noodles that work best for slurping with gusto.

10. Tsujita LA

Both the standard ramen and tsukemen are the two best offerings in Los Angeles in either category.

The broth and noodles are nearly perfect (one might argue a tad salty), while the tsukemen might even be better than the ramen, with a heavy dose of fish-oriented umami to round it out.

The waits can be long here but worth the wait as the food is extremely delicious.

Most of the ramen dishes found in Los Angeles are common in other ramen restaurants in the world. What is unique about them all is the good services offered and the welcoming staff. 

Although some outlets have long waits, there is always a wave of patience that gives everyone in the line a sense of waiting.

However, the restaurants that offer booking services are few but it’s good to look out for those to allow one an opportunity to wait for less.

This information is always available on all the restaurant’s websites and so the advice is given that one needs to check before they plan a visit to avoid disappointments.