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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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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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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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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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

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

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

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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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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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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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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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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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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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

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

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

I've been to Afuri in arts district and culver, The food is always really good and they bring out your order fast. Culver is bigger and perfect for bigger groups, especially to walk around after your meal. I have had less luck getting good service, it was impossible to track our waiter down we waited an hour to get checked on for the bill. Arts district feels more homey, artsy, and a better option for smaller/intimate groups read more

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

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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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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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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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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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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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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

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

Tldr: Solid yuzu tsukemen, with delicious bouncy noodles, though not quite the flavor you'd get in their Japan stores (naturally) I was craving some Afuri yuzu ramen, which I was obsessed with in Tokyo. So I was thrilled to see they have a branch in LA! They have a much more varied menu, with sushi, chirashisushi, etc The yuzu flavor is not as strong as what I'd like but the chashu pork was fatty and had a lovely char. I like how they dice it rather than having big slices. We also got some pan fried gyoza. They had super think wrappers and were piping hot. Flavor wise nothing too exciting, but the crispy bottom was great. read more

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

This place is amazing. Not sure the name of the chef this Friday morning but he was super positive and made the experience great. Culture between the workers here also just generally seems great, and the food is even greater. read more

Afuri - Cheesecake - 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

Good experience. We thought it was going to be cold but instead it was a sunny day so we sat outside and tried their cold dipping noodle. Pretty good and I really enjoyed the brussel sprouts. Service was good too read more

Service is good, seating is spacious and clean, with outdoor seating. The food is ok. read more

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Afuri has the best food. One of my favorite dishes is the Spicy Tori Karaage and their tempura roll. Victoria was our waiter and she did such an amazing job at keeping us happy. We will definitely continue to come back!! read more

Loved it here! Came in for a DineLA week and was thoroughly impressed. Started with the ramen eggs and crispy bok choi - both of which were unique and delicious. Had the special duck and chicken soup with a soba-type noodle which was flavorful and filling but not to much. I had the cherries cocktail which tasted just like cherry pie filling - in the best way! Our server was great and we were seated promptly. Note that they will only seat you for a reservation when your whole party is present. Would absolutely come back! read more

Afuri - Duck Special Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Culver City, California

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The food was excellent. Noisy ambience but not so loud that made conversation impossible

I'm stunned with good reviews. I am not sure what its for. While service was good which is the only reason I'm not giving 1 star, food was Abysmal. I have no other words to describe it. My mom and I went with lot of expectations. We ordered chicken chasu and pork chasu ramen. Both of our broths were underwhelming and tasted burned. We also got yellow tuna roll, one of the worst rolls ever. I was tasteless and the rice didn't taste fresh. We tasted Avocado more than anything. The only thing that was half decent was the soft shell crab roll but you get something that's an appetizer size and you'll pay entree price. Ippodo ramen across the street is so delicious, there's no reason for us to ever go back here. read more

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Looking for some tasty soup and noodles after too many cocktails the night before and Afuri hit the spot! In addition to the spicy Tankatsu Tantamen with ramen, the Buta Gyoza and the soft shell crab roll were a pleasant surprise. I would skip the spicy karage, a bit too much sauce. read more

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This place is hard to find (it's behind salt and straw) but once you find this spot, you'll appreciate that's it's away from the traffic and the noise. I came here with some of my girlfriends for some ramen. They have plenty of gluten free options without compromising the taste. The hotate carpaccio is and the fruit salad is a must! I can't remember which ramen I got but with a little hot sauce it was good! Service was great! Plenty of parking on the street and the small garage available. I came on a Sunday so it was free street parking(it secretly gives me joy) Go try this spot. You won't regret it! read more

Afuri - Ramen Near Me - Culver City, California

Yuzu Shio is my favorite. All others are great too. We're here a lot. It's great. My kids love it. Easily top 5 best ramen in all of LA.