It felt like one of those slow, cozy days where time doesn't rush you. I met up with my college friend after what felt like forever, and somehow we both landed on the same craving--ramen. No debate, no hesitation. Just ramen. I had tried this spot at another location before and remembered liking it, so it felt like a safe, comforting choice for a long overdue catch-up. We got there at that in-between hour... not quite lunch, not quite dinner. The kind of time where the restaurant feels like it's just exhaling. It was completely empty except for us, which honestly made everything feel a little more intimate--like the space was ours for the afternoon. We sat down and immediately slipped into conversation, picking up right where we left off after graduation. Life updates, little wins, quiet struggles... the kind of conversation that only comes easy with people who've known you for years. And in between all that, our mouths were busy. The ramen came out hot, comforting, and exactly what we needed. Rich broth, satisfying noodles--one of those meals where you don't even realize how hungry you were until you take the first bite. We kept pausing mid-sentence just to take another bite, then laughing because we couldn't decide what deserved more attention: the food or the conversation. Service was really attentive without being intrusive. They somehow knew when to check in and when to let us just exist in our little bubble. The music was soft, not overpowering, so we never had to raise our voices or repeat ourselves--something I appreciate more and more these days. We stayed longer than we probably planned, but it didn't feel rushed at all. Just two old friends, warm bowls of ramen, and a space that let us slow down for a bit. Definitely one of those simple meals that turns into a really good memory. read more

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Great vegetarian ramen options! Would rate 5 stars, but I don't care too much for the trivia host. I found how they enforced the game rules unnecessary and rude. Hard not to use your phone especially as a parent for over an hour. One quick glance and was told to put my phone away. read more

Unfortunately, I was underwhelmed by the tonkotsu shio ramen here. The broth was rich and flavorful, but the noodles were too thin. I personally prefer thicker noodles with a chewier texture. It came with one thin slice of meat and half an unmarinated egg. For $20, there are better, more satisfying bowls of ramen in the area. We came pretty late, and the staff were welcoming, so I did appreciate the good service here. read more

Afuri - Tonkotsu shio ramen - Ramen Near Me - Culver City, California

Sadly I am not a fan of this Afuri. I've been to the Afuri back home (Japan) and it is not the same quality. I know I shouldn't compare too hard between this place and the Afuri's in mainland Japan since this is stateside, but it's hard not to. We went in for lunch on a Friday and it was fairly busy once multiple groups came in. We had the yuzu shio ramen and takoyaki. The takoyaki was brought on a plate and they were very oddly shaped. It definitely was not in a ball shape - it came out like a deformed pyramid and the unfortunate thing was that half of the order didn't even have any octopus! The first two that were missing tako I was like fine, it was a mistake, but the third and fourth it made me realize this was just extreme carelessness and laziness. We tried to flag a server but no one was around, and there was no check back. Then came our actual ramen. The noodles were cooked decently but the broth lacked the real depth I know it should have. It was at best, mediocre. I am surprised at the high rating here on Yelp; maybe I came in on a wrong day. I will say the interior is very nicely done. I just wish the food tasted as good as it looked when presented. read more

Afuri - Yuzu Shio. - Ramen Near Me - Culver City, California

Came here to eat on a Saturday night and we were sat right away which was great! I originally requested the gluten free noodles, but was told after we ordered that they were out which I was really bummed about because I wish it was communicated more widely/all the staff knew. I ended up getting one of their traditional ramens which was very good, very unique with the yuzu flavor. My fiance also loved his noodles and the pork on both was so delicious. The servers were all very nice too! read more

Afuri - Yuzu Tsuyu Tsukemen. - Ramen Near Me - Culver City, California

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Everything was really good. I could have done without the ramen it was more of a soup vs ramen. read more

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This Afuri location is tucked away behind the Culver Steps. It serves ramen with a twist: bright and citrusy yuzu in most bowls. Unfortunately, I think it's not for me. I tried some karaage to start. It was two delicious hunks of meat, with a thick and crunchy shell containing a juicy and flavorful interior. It's also kind of hard to mess up fried chicken. For the main deal, I opted for the yuzu shoyu ramen. The bowl is put-together aesthetically, and it has flavorful components. I just couldn't get over this weird sensation coming from the yuzu. Perhaps I've grown too accustomed to rich and savory tonkotsu ramens... Afuri is clear about what it does and it definitely achieves its goal. Whether you'll like it or not is up to you. Nonetheless, I'm glad I tried it. read more

Afuri - Karaage - Ramen Near Me - Culver City, California

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Their chicken karaage and fried squid are solid appetizers. Yuzu shoyu ramen is unique but a one time thing as the citrus overpowered the broth. Their tonkotsu broth is pretty good and my preferred option. They are on the inKind app so you can get 20% cb and or use gift cards from Costco for addition savings. read more

I went here for dinner with a group of 4 on a Friday evening. No wait for a table and we sat outside on the patio. We ordered the crispy ramen egg to share, it comes with 2 eggs cut in half so a small portion for each person. The inside was yolk-y and it was flavorful. I ordered the yuzu-tsuyu tsukemen and my partner got the tonkotsu shio ramen. The food came out pretty quickly. I'm a big tsukemen fan and enjoyed the flavor of the dipping broth. I also like thicker noodles and felt like they were generous with the meat portion. The ramen comes with thin noodles which I wasn't a huge fan of, but my partner enjoyed. His only qualm was that he wished the portion was bigger. Total per person was ~$30 including tax and tip. Parking available in the lot underground or one of the other lots on Culver City. read more

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TL;DR: underrated spot for little to no wait whenever you're fixing for some ramen. Quick service and, although not my type of decor and lighting, still a fun and relaxed vibe Ordered: - Yuzu Tsuyu Tsukemen: the dipping sauce was a little heavy for my taste but overall a yummy bowl of noods. Yuzu flavor is really on the nose, so you've been warned. Will be back whenever in the area - cheers, Afuri! read more

Afuri - Ramen Near Me - Culver City, California

Noodles texture was nice. The kakuni was also pretty good, nice flavor. The dipping sauce was on the saltier side. I would have liked more yuzu fragrance. Overall still very enjoyable. read more

Afuri - Tsukemen - Ramen Near Me - Culver City, California

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Been coming to Afuri since opening and usually order Yuzu Tsukemen and just add something else in rotation. Today they served my tsukemen with unproportioned pork ratio. More like 80% big thick oily fat to 20% meat. (Just look at the photo) I asked to speak to the manager and he said they don't have control over the pig that they get and for him it looks delicious. He said it's really just a personal preference. He did give me another serving of the pork and he said that he removed the fat. I'm not coming back for awhile and you guys should be careful too. But if you don't mind having high cholesterol and plaque and heart attack then continue to patronize. Or maybe just don't order tsukemen. The chashu might be a better choice. Service is still good though read more

Afuri - Ramen Near Me - Culver City, California

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Afuri Izakaya is a chain of ramen restaurants based in Tokyo with locations throughout the globe and expanding in So Cal. I tried their Yuzu Shio during their 2nd year anniversary when they offered BOGO of any ramen! The Yuzu Shio ramen was good overall. A good decent serving per bowl, not too much or too little noodles per broth. I really liked the chicken broth and firmness of their noddles. Service was quick and friendly. Ambiance was a blend of a bar; ramen, izakaya establishment. $20.50 for a simple chicken ramen is on the pricy side IMO. You can get as good or better ramen in other places in LA. In the last year, 3 ramen shops appeared in downtown Culver City. I hope this competition brings down the price and brings promotions. They also offer sushi, nigiri, sashimi, rolls, donburi, alcoholic and non alcoholic beverages. Parking is available under the steps validated for an hour and reasonable cost per hour after. read more

Afuri - Yuzu Shio. - Ramen Near Me - Culver City, California

Another fake Japanese restaurant with a good story. The service was terrible, and the food was so-so. So many of these fake Japanese restaurants are popping up with mediocre food and service that doesn't even meet normal standards, let alone Janapese standarda. Maybe fake story of the brand as well. read more

Pretty good salmon bowl but quite pricey for $21. The salmon was fresh paired with a sticky vinegar rice, wasabi, and ginger. Immediately seated with no wait and clean tables with both inside and outside dining. read more

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One of my favorite Japanese restaurants in Culver City!!! We got the Brussel sprouts, Tori kaarage, pork dumplings, and yuzu shio ramen. I loved how all their dishes we ordered had a hint of yuzu. My favorites were the Tori Kaarage and the yuzu shio ramen. The broth and the chasu tasted sooo good on a rainy day. The service was quick and very helpful. We got all our food in less than 15min. The restaurant has a good amount of space and it's a nice sit down restaurant to catch up with friends. read more

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Okay food, terrible service. All Waiters are seems don't care at all. Wouldn't want to go back. read more

We came here on a whim on a random Wednesday night when we felt like ramen was going to be the perfect dinner - we were right! The restaurant was fairly empty when we arrived at 7:15pm, but was filling up significantly by 8pm. The service was quick and attentive; the food came out quickly with the appetizer coming out just a few minutes after we ordered it. The lighting in the restaurant was very blue and the music was pretty loud. Because the restaurant was mostly empty, we were able to hear ourselves talking for the most part. If the restaurant had been more crowded, it may have been too loud to have regular conversation. To start, we shared the Crispy Brussel Sprouts. Our waiter told us that it was a new addition to the menu that he had just tried and said it was really good. We have to agree - they were crispy and delicious. For our mains, one of us got the Tonkotsu Shio and the other got the Yuzu Shoyu. We both substituted the pork chashu for the chicken chashu and it was very good. One important thing to note: there were very few vegetarian/vegan options here. There was one ramen listed as vegan, but it had the spicy miso tare. So if you don't like spicy and don't eat meat, this might not be the spot for you. read more

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I had been to another Afuri location before, but the location in Culver City is definitely an elevated version! Their decor and menu items are definitely more upscale. After parking in the underground structure directly below the restaurant, we took the elevator to the ground floor where the restaurant was located. We had made a reservation for Saturday at opening and were seated right away. There were a few other parties, but it wasn't crowded at all. The first thing that caught our eye were their Chef's Spoons! They's only available on Fridays! Each is served in a soup spoon with sushi rice topped with uni, ikura, chives, and wasabi. They were good, but the price point was a little high for one bite. The portion size of the uni was also inconsistent. One spoon clearly had much more uni than the other. For my entree I got the Yuzu-Tsuyu Tsukemen that comes with a dipping sauce on the side. There's also braised kakuni pork, menma, greens, egg, chili sesame, scallion, kizami nori, and noodles. For the noodles, you can choose thin or thick. You can also choose if you want the noodles served cold or warm. Our server recommended getting them warm so they don't stick together as much. The pork was tender, and I enjoyed the flavor of it! I also enjoyed the taste of the dipping sauce. I tried some of the "Egg" Mazemen. With this dish, the sauce is mixed into the noodles. It comes with ikura, tobiko, wasabi tobiko, poached egg, cured egg yolk, yuzu, celery, chives, wasabi soy reduction, and noodles. I was a bit disappointed with this dish. It felt a little thrown together, and the ingredients didn't seem cohesive. The colored roe was fun visually, but it didn't really do much in terms of taste for the dish. I also felt like there was a little too much wasabi flavor, and the celery seemed like an odd choice. I wouldn't get this mazemen again. Get the tsukemen instead! read more

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Good vibes and good food! Very friendly staff. You won't be disappointed! Nice decor also! read more

The pot stickers and fried chicken were really good, and the ramen was just okay. Unfortunately, the service was terrible. Our cucumber salad never came, and after waiting 40 minutes for dessert, we finally had to cancel it. The waitress just wasn't attentive at all. The worst part was the bathroom ,the sink was completely filled with dirty water. Really disappointing overall. I can't see myself coming back. read more

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Normally, I'm not really a ramen person, but this place was really solid and took me by surprise! My friends and I came here around 3:30/4pm, so there was no line and we were seated right away. I ended up ordering the Yuzu Ratan (with a requested switch from thin to thick noodle) and my friends got the Yuzu Tsuyu. The Yuzu Ratan had a nice spice touch to it, where it wasn't under or overwhelming. The meat was tender and I think the portion was good. My friends' Yuzu Tsuyu was a pleasant surprise, since it was unique and I enjoyed the tanginess of it. I'd be back to try it fully as well, or another flavor. Service was lovely, and our orders came out great. The interior had a nice ambiance, and I thought it felt quite intimate with the candle and low lights. We were able to find street parking nearby, but they also do validation (for 1 hour). I'd be back again :D Thank you! read more

Afuri - Ramen Near Me - Culver City, California

Food was decent but didn't blow my mind. Kara had a nice spice. Asked for extra lemons for nice acidity. Yuzu shio ramen was actually very porky and quite nice. Wish the portions were bigger. Service was friendly and quick. read more

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We learned about this place from social media -- people were saying it's a popular spot in Japan. Since LA has a location, we thought why not give it a try. We had two of their signature ramen. Love the cocktail options they offer too. read more

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Came here for date night before a concert in DTLA and wow, we wanted to stay longer! We sat at the bar for happy hour and had such a good time. They have a pretty expansive HH Menu of small portions of a lot of their main dishes which was perfect for me. Drinks: I got the whiskey highball that was on the HH menu and it was citrusy and yummy. My husband got one of the Japanese beers on tap! Food: we got the cucumber salad, an assortment of hand rolls, the spicy pork tacos and ramen and we were so happy with everything! Super fresh, food came out quick and there was nothing left on our plates which we always take as a good sign. Dessert: THE CHEESECAKE. It's Basque style with a Yuzu lemon curd. Not too sweet or heavy and was the perfect cap to the meal. Service was also speedy and friendly, will for sure come back! read more

Afuri - Yuzu Cheesecake - Ramen Near Me - Culver City, California

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Just went here the other day with some colleagues and I've got to say they have some amazing ramen!! Great options for other people who don't eat pork as well which were also very tasty. If you are a real fan of ginger I recommend you get their ginger ale made with real ginger. Suuuuper good. Service was great, quick and very friendly. Even helped us take a really good photo. This place has plenty of seats inside and outside. I will definitely be coming back here for that tonkotsu chashu ramen!! read more

Afuri - Ramen Near Me - Culver City, California

6/24/2025 - AFURI ramen + dumpling is a Japanese restaurant, specializing Ramen. Afuri named after Mt. Afuri, which is a mountain in Japan, South of Tokyo. The Ramen broth is delicious, egg is outstanding, but the pork is not tender or soft - the overall rating is 5 stars. Hamachi Tartare is too salty at $24.75, not worth it (3 stars), although the presentation is very good. Melon Salad $15.00 is 4 stars, and the melon quality and ripen at the perfect time are very good, and excellent, respectively! Crispy Bok Choy $9.00 is 3 stars - look fo shishito pepper if the restaurant has it. When the bill comes, the suggested tips are 18%, 20% and 22%, respectively. The total bill ended at $87 - the service is average! read more

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Mixed feelings about this place - we ordered takeout and were impressed by the Yuzu flavors in their ramen. However, our dine in experience was just okay. The kind of noodle they used in their regular ramen was thin and appeared to be machine made to me (just my personal opinion here) , versus the kind of noodle they use in their Tsukemen, which was thicker and had the Al Dante firmness. Several dishes we order were extremely salty - to the extent that we had to return them and order something else; but unfortunately, the replacement dish was also salty! The atmosphere is very casual and family friendly. Price point is reasonable and service was very tentative. So I think we may come again to give them a second chance, but for now, high sodium warning! read more

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Was walking around Culver and craving ramen so gave this spot a try! I would rate closer to 4.3 but felt like this restaurant is very solid. Parking is very easy since there's a lot. They also validated. There's a lot of indoor and outdoor seating! We've only been here once and the review is solely based on the ramen. I appreciated that the ramen options are very unique. You really can't get something similar elsewhere. I asked the server questions about the ramen - because shio ramen is lighter, you can taste the Yuzu more. But it wasn't overpowering at all! I thought the Tonkotsu Shio was very good. Their charsiu is very interesting in a good way in that the marinade was different than typical charsiu but it was SO flavorful. read more

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A Japanese ramen spot that confidently does both rich, satisfying ramen AND fresh sushi all tied together with their signature yuzu infusion. Unnlike some of its competitors just steps away, Afuri has heated outdoor seating that's perfect if you're dining with your furry pals. read more

Afuri - Ramen Near Me - Culver City, California

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Lovely place! Went for my boyfriends birthday around 6 and it was fairly empty. Ordered the Okonomiyaki Fries, Broccoli, Pan Fried Gyoza and a Banana Dacquiri. Fries and Broccolini were banging, Gyoza fell apart a little but still good, and the Daquiri was also nice, maybe could've used more banana flavor. Our server was so sweet with amazing shoulder length hair. Highly reccomend! read more

Always awesome food and service in Culver City. Dine LA menu was amazing and our server Victoria was great!!! read more

Tried another Afuri before that left a good impression so decided to check this one out. We got a table right away with no reservation and asked for water but got a pitcher that was dusty. The ramen wasn't as good as I remembered and was pretty mid, so probably wouldn't come back again. read more

Afuri always has fantastic food and I order from here regularly from work. I've had their karaage, which I absolutely love from here, and their sushi. I tend to go for the karaage just for the dollar value but the sushi is also fantastic. read more

I loved the staff here! Everyone was so nice and welcoming when we went during Saturday lunchtime. Vicky was very sweet and answered all of our questions about the menu and place. She recommended the tonkotsu shio ramen and that's what we got. No regrets! I could see this place getting very busy during dinner time. It can also be a cute intimate date spot. The ambiance is close knight and the lighting makes it romantic. Would love to try this place again! read more

Afuri - Tonkotsu Shio. - Ramen Near Me - Culver City, California

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Great ramen spot in Culver City! We arrived around 1:30pm for a late lunch on Sunday and were seated right away. There was ample seating at the bar + regular booths/tables as well as outdoor seating, and the staff was accommodating by asking for our preference. We ordered the yuzu shio ramen and tonkotsu shio ramen. Our orders arrived pretty quickly, and we dug in as we were hungry and on a time crunch. The yuzu shio ramen is what they're known for, and it didn't disappoint - the broth was light yet packed with yuzu flavor, and the noodles were thin and al dente. Portions are on the smaller side but still reasonable. Overall, simple but tasty meal! The only con was that the seat at the booth was a little dirty with food pieces on the floor that was a little hard to avoid. P.S. they validate parking at the Culver Steps! read more

Afuri - Tonkotsu Shio & Yuzu Shio - Ramen Near Me - Culver City, California

Lovely restaurant with delicious food! The ambiance is super cozy and welcoming, our waiter was amazing in answering my million questions and guiding us towards the best option for our specific tastes. The food itself was delicious!!! One of the best ramens I've had. The hazelnut broth was so flavorful. I added a side of egg and tofu (which apparently they don't usually have but my waiter was kind enough to find me some). The crispy bokchoy was very good as well. We also tried a few of their cocktails which were all very well balanced and flavorful. Overall would highly recommend this place for anyone looking for a unique ramen experience. read more

Afuri - Hazelnut Tantanmen (v) - Ramen Near Me - Culver City, California

I'll admit my review may be a bit critical, since I'm familiar with the original AFURI in Tokyo--their Yuzu Shio ramen is my all-time favorite. I was genuinely excited when I heard AFURI had opened in my neighborhood. I don't pay much attention to interior design, as most Japanese restaurants in the U.S. tend to localize their spaces anyway. That said, I visited during the daytime and wasn't a fan of the dark, blue-toned bar lighting--it made the ramen look a bit off. As for the Yuzu Shio ramen itself, I only wish they had used mizuna instead of curly endive, as mizuna is what's traditionally used in the original Japanese version. read more

Afuri - Yuzu Shio ramen - Ramen Near Me - Culver City, California

I've been here twice and it really is a good place to grab some ramen and sushi. Happy hour everyday and trivia nights on Thursday I like the spicy hamachi roll, the poke salmon tacos, pork tacos, the meatballs and the tonkotsu miso ramen! All are solid! I order from the happy hour menu for the appetizers just to try them all at a cheaper price. So worth it The service is great too everyone is so welcoming! Lastly the ambiance is very smooth! They play a variety of music and everything feels welcoming read more

Afuri - Spicy Hamachi Roll. Poke Salmon Tacos. Tsukune. - Ramen Near Me - Culver City, California

A local neighborhood gem! Went for happy hour with some friends and needless to say, I walked away happy! Happy hour is only available if you sit at the bar, but my friends were sat right away with no wait which was nice! Bar tenders were quick to welcome us all and provide menus. Ordered a couple of items off their happy hour menu and was thoroughly impressed with all of it! Afuri is known for their matcha beer which was crisp and refreshing. I think it could use more matcha, but that's just a preference on my part. Hand roll and karaage skewer hit the spot. Still dreaming about how crunchy the outside of the chicken was, with tender chicken inside. read more

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