4.5 stars Thought the ramen was very good. Didn't quite taste the yuzu element in the shoyu ramen. Maybe next time I'll get the shio (without soy sauce broth). Noodles were super good as well as the yuzu lemonade. Great spot. Already a 25 minute wait on a Sunday around noon. read more

Went to Afuri specifically to try their tsukemen, Yuzu Tsuyu. My husband and I ordered the exact same thing, and somehow mine came out wrong as the spicy Kara Tsuyu. Not the end of the world, but yeah... it was spicy enough to actually matter. If you're just "average tolerance," this isn't a joke level spice , it's "makes you cough" level if not careful. The setup is classic tsukemen: one bowl of noodles already loaded with braised pork bellies, veggies, egg, bamboo shoots, and a separate dipping broth. You get to choose hot or cold noodles, go cold. Seriously. The texture is way better, more bounce, more chew, and it just makes more sense since the broth isn't cold anyway. Feels more refreshing instead of heavy. Flavor-wise, this is where they nailed it. The Yuzu Tsuyu broth is bright, citrusy, slightly tangy with a clean umami backbone. Not greasy, not overwhelming, just sharp and refreshing. Honestly one of the best cold dipping noodles I've had. The Kara version is basically the same thing but dumped with chili, which for me ruined the balance, so I ended up stealing my husband's broth instead. I'm docking a star for the mix-up because... come on, same order, how do you mess that up? But the food itself? Strong. Like, strong enough that I'm already planning to come back and try their ramen and sushi. Perfect, definitely worth your time. read more

I've been to the Afuri in Tokyo, but didn't have the same expectations for this location for obvious reasons (this one is in the United States, different chefs, different ingredients and sources of ingredients etc etc.) However, this Afuri was delicious on its own style and we thoroughly enjoyed everything. The soft shell crab was amazing and I liked how they served it whole and not cut. The ramen was light and flavorful, and the noodles were different, but good. Even the drinks were yummy. Surprisingly, the dessert was good too, although the matcha could have been more carefully distributed on the lady fingers in the tiramisu. Menu is on the pricier end, but vibes and service were good. Would come again. read more

I recently came back from my Japan trip visiting many cities around Tokyo. One of the places I visited was Yokohama. I happen to go to a Afuri ramen in Land Mark Tower. I am sorry but the ramen in Costa Mesa is not the same. The ramen in Yokohama has a stronger umami broth. The broth in Costa Mesa was bland and lacked taste. As you know, 70% of a good ramen is the broth. The pork in Costa Mesa was hard and chewy. It was not tender as the one in Yokohama. I also could tell that the noodles were different and not the same as the one on Yokohama. The ramen in Costa Mesa is a little expensive. Wouldn't be so bad if the ramen was good but unfortunately it is not. Pictures posted is the ramen from Yokohama and the ramen from Costa Mesa. read more

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I was extremely excited to try this restaurant, until the waiter with the upper right arm tattoo sold me Spicy Tori Karaage Chicken. I wanted to order regular Tori Karaage Chicken, but the waiter said the regular was sold out and they only had spicy left. When the Spicy Tori Karaage Chicken arrived, it looks that the spice are the chili flakes and the spicy sauced added afterwards. This means they do have regular Tori Kaarage Chicken, just not adding the spicy sauce. The table on the right of us (order after us) was able to order regular Tori Karaage. Reason: I wanted regular Tori Kaarage so I could enjoy the refreshing Yuzu Shoyu Ramen soup base. Conclusion: Either the waiter was a liar on not having regular Tori Kaarage or the restaurant doesn't make fresh kaarage. Pick a fault read more

Afuri - Yuzu Shoyu Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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I had a party of two and we signed in on the waitlist machine right after we got there. Problem was the machine didn't even work when I questioned the waiter about it. There were two big parties waiting outside for 1 hour before us. They became pretty upset when the waiter explained to them they needed to sign in first. And when they insisted on getting seated due to a lack of clear notice, the waiter said to them he will let them this time but they still have to wait. At this point we decided to leave. This location is pretty disorganized and this is not what I expect from a chain restaurant. Very disappointing. read more

After an awkward encounter with the staff having no waitlist yet requesting us to wait 3 minutes to see if there was a party bigger than ours to have the table seating, we were disappointed further by the ramen. Yuzu Ratan was very citrusy yet it didn't taste like yuzu, more of spicy lemon. Incredibly salty, and stingy on the toppings with half of a boiled egg and only one thin slice of chasu that seemed reheated because it was cold. I will say that their noodles were well made and there was plenty. $18.50 for ramen of that standard is ridiculous. I recommend HiroNori, Ramen Nagi, I would go as far as saying Shin Sen Gumi... We wanted to give another ramen bowl a try yet we couldn't help, but overhear the table next to us also expressing their disappointment after ordering another bowl to give this place another chance. read more

A returning customer, except this time, we tried different dishes! Not only were their ramen delicious, their rice bowls and small plates like steak and sushi were superb as well! We love how the dishes came out all super fresh and hot and were all super tasty. The service was super smooth. My kids enjoy eating here. I'm sure they will be asking to come here again real soon! Good job Afuri!! PS: their yuzu beer is a must. Yums! read more

Only giving it 2 stars because of takeout portion size. I love their yuzu shio ramen and the portion size was good in person/when dining in. But I ordered twice on DoorDash and there is never enough soup!! They give a tiny container for soup when you do takeout. read more

Tried Afuri for the first time on a Friday evening. There was a short wait before we got seated at the bar. I would have preferred a table instead of the bar but we were not given a choice. The restaurant is small and only have limited seating. We ordered a couple of appetizers (cold tofu and gyoza) and a couple of ramen. The tofu was just average, not bad but also not great. The gyoza was nice and crispy - it looks like they made it themselves and not something bought frozen. The sauce for the gyoza was good - a mix of mayo and some sweet/spicy red sauce. There's a good kick with this sauce so if you're sensitive with spicy food, beware. I had the chasu men, it was pretty good - broth was tasty, noodles had a good firmness, and came with slices of chicken breast and pork chasu. My husband orders the tonkatsu shio which also had nice broth. However his ramen only had one piece of chasu meat, so we ordered extra chasu on the side. Service-wise, need some improvement. No one checked in if we needed anything. We had to ask for our water to be refilled multiple times. Also had to follow up a couple of times for the extra sauce that I requested. The first server I asked seems to have forgotten and never came back with it. All in all, good place to check out for some good ramen. The biggest challenge for this place is parking. If you're coming on a weekend, it'll be hard to find parking, very limited spots as there's a lot of restaurants in this location. read more

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shio ramen was so good! very light and flavorful. we also loved the sashimi plate and appetizers. would come back!

I was just taking a short break while eating, but the server came over and asked if we were finished and tried to take the food away. We had only been seated for about 20 minutes, and it made us feel extremely rushed. He take our of us plates and we are not done yet!! Very poor service and a disappointing experience. Also today is Mother's Day! read more

Afuri - Ramen Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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Amazing Yuzu Shio Ramen! Very light broth but flavorful which is not easy to find. Love their Yuzu Limeade Tori Karaage is tender, not oily ( you can tell is freshly made! Citrus Hamachi Roll is a nice freshing roll if you like citrus. The service is exceptional. Will definitely come back!!! read more

one of my favorite places i had eaten in japan and now it's finally in oc. the yuzu tsukemen is the same unique flavor i remember experiencing in japan, and the karaage appetizer is great too! read more

Afuri - yuzu tsukemen, yuzu shio ramen - Ramen Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

First time being here and the fact they just open on Monday for a soft opening I'm so impressed. I have never been to a soft opening with the staff being on point great service from server to bartender. Food was also not disappointing I would come back to try everything else on their menu. Thank you for a great experience!!! read more

Beautiful place with delicious food! I got the yuzu ratan ramen and it was so delicious :) 10/10 would come here again! It's not often I find ramen spots I really like or explore outside the usual but I'm glad I did. The service was good and I'm excited to try more from the menu! read more

Best yuzu ramen in oc!! Yuzu ratan with crispy ramen egg appetizer is delicious. Broth is light and flavorful. Friend had the tonkotsu shio ramen and it was nice and nutty. read more

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Had Afuri in Japan back in 2018 and fondly remembered the smoky grilled pork which is torched right before it is placed on the ramen to be served. Decided to check out the new Afuri in Costa Mesa for lunch. The restaurant is clean and modern. Decided to try the Yuzu Ratan ramen since I like spicy ramen in general. The highlight is definitely the noodle. Very thin and al-dente. That was pretty much it. While the grilled piece of pork was good, it lacked the smokiness that I remembered and there was only one thin slice. The server said that they are not allowed to torch the meat here. The broth had too much yuzu flavor which made it too sour. The broth, while red, was not very spicy. The gyoza was also good but pricy. As much as I wanted to like this place, I'm not sure that I would return. There are too many ramen restaurants in the OC. read more

Afuri - Yuzu Ratan ramen - Ramen Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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Been meaning to try Afuri for a few years. This one opened nearby and I tried it within their first few days of opening. I had the Yuzu Ratan ramen. Yuzu flavor was strong but not overpowering. Broth was excellent overall. Came with thin noodles which were a notch firmer than I'd like but no complaints. Only thing I would change is the addition of another piece of chashu to make it feel more substantial of a meal. Would be great if it came with two pieces by default. Staff was very friendly, the bartender was especially nice and helpful. I'll be back, next time for tonkotsu or tsukemen. read more

Afuri - Yuzu Ratan ramen - Ramen Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

The new AFURI in Costa Mesa is a total level-up for the OC ramen scene. We started with the Wagyu Skirt Steak appetizer, and it was easily the highlight of the starters--perfectly tender with a rich, melt-in-your-mouth marble that paired beautifully with the light char. To drink, we splurged on a bottle of Dassai Blue 35. If you're a sake fan, this is a must-try; it's incredibly smooth with these delicate notes of white peach and a crisp finish that cuts through the richness of the Wagyu perfectly. Finishing with their signature Yuzu Shio ramen made for a perfectly balanced meal. It's definitely more of an 'experience' than your average ramen shop! read more

Afuri - Blue 35 Sake - Ramen Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Tried this new ramen spot and it did not disappoint. The staff was super friendly and attentive, making the whole experience even better. We ordered the yuzu ramen, soft shell crab, chicken karaage, and broccolini -- everything was delicious. The ramen had a bright, flavorful broth, the crab and karaage were perfectly crispy, and even the broccolini was cooked just right. Great food, great service -- easy 5 stars. I'll definitely be back. read more

I ordered the yuzu shio. It was good but I wish they gave more meat and an entire egg instead of half an egg. My half of an egg had egg shells stuck on it. :( read more

The ramen was rich, flavorful, and perfectly cooked with a savory broth and fresh toppings. The cozy atmosphere and attentive service made it a place I'd gladly visit again. read more

if I could give 0 stars I would. It's not even all that . Customer service is terrible literally came in with my wife and kid and they skipped us and we waited for 45 min just for them to say they didn't add us on the list. Literally such a waste of time. I gave this spot a second chance and Jesus it tastes just like water no flavor nothing . Very horrible staff and food disgusting . read more

I am a big fan of the shoyu ramen but there is hardly any good ones in OC. Afuri fills that void and is the perfect spot if you are looking for just a simply but hearty bowl of noodles. One slurp of soup, you know this is the real deal from Japan! Remember to pair the ramen with an order of karraage tori. Ambrosial read more