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Recommended Reviews - GONZO!
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We waited in line to order and were given a number to take to a table of our choosing. The food was ready fairly quickly. I ordered the Gonzo Ramen with the Carolina Reaper spice. The soup was served barely warm and it was not as spicy as I thought it would be but it had good flavor. Love the Japanese decor.
This place was bomb! The guy behind the counter was helpful with a couple of menu questions, was friendly, and the food came out hot and fast! Definitely a place to try!
I absolutely loved the food here. On vacation and my boyfriend wanted ramen so we stopped in. So many good choices. The employee guided us through some options and how to order and was very knowledgeable. He got a ramen(really happy with it, fresh vegetables, great broth, and pork)while I chose their pork katsu curry. I grew up in Hawaii and I missed this dish so much and they did not disappoint! The restaurant itself offers indoor and outside seating and they have tons of different cool drinks to try.
I recently tried Gonzo with my boyfriend, and overall it was a good experience! The restaurant has a fun atmosphere with unique decor, and the staff was friendly and attentive. The food came out quickly, and everything looked fresh and well prepared. I'm a pretty picky eater, so ramen just wasn't really for me, which definitely affected my experience. My boyfriend, on the other hand, absolutely loved his meal and would definitely come back. Even though it wasn't my favorite personally, I could tell the quality was there, and I can understand why so many people enjoy this place.
Liked the look of this place as soon as I came in the decor was like china town feel They to our order right away and made sure we had everything we needed The food was exellent for all of you ramen lovers and the presentation was exemplary I also had a hazy ipa enjoy....
The ramen here was SO good! Definitely recommend stopping by Gonzo's! The service was great and there was indoor and outdoor seating.
Offering a menu of ramen and rice bowls, GONZO! freshly prepared my pickup order very quickly after I ordered in person. AMBIANCE The indoor space pays homage to Japan with paper lanterns, anime figurines. There's also plenty of covered outdoor seats. FOOD 5/5 Chicken Karaage: freshly fried, crisp, flavorful served w a lemon wedge and mayo
Super cute ramen spot! It's inside a shopping plaza that has lots of little shops and restaurants you can visit! The service was super quick even though the line looked a bit long! You order first then they seat you! The system works very well so you don't have to worry about keeping an eye out for a table while waiting in line. The food was delicious! I tried their tonkotsu ramen and asked them to make it spicy! They offered two different spice levels and I went with the lowest one!
GONZO! is located in one of my favorite little areas of Carlsbad. There was a line to order, but I liked how they get a table ready for you so you have somewhere to sit down after you do order. While we both really enjoyed our ramen from here, it was also, I'm sad to say, not very memorable. The chashu pieces were very good, but the broths were really lacking in flavor (especially the black garlic). I would be happy to come back and eat here again, but it's one of those places that I would forget about if I didn't have pictures, ya know?
Really loved this ramen spot! The restaurant itself is very unique and has a lot of Asian snacks and merchandise. The ramen was delicious and the portions were generous!
We have seen this place before and finally got a chance to come. We all got a ramen and gyoza. The Gyoza was half chicken and half pork and it was delicious. My ramen was the spicy tonkotsu and it had great flavor without being too spicey. The vibe here is awesome and the decor is pretty dope. The service was amazing and they even had the entire staff come out to sing happy birthday to me. Seriously, these guys went above and beyond to make our experience special and we cannot wait to come back.
A fantastic experience. Gonzo kept showing up on my yelp feed when I was searching for some eats after a long day at Legoland. So we made the trip there. It's a lovely decor, massive size and quite busy at 8pm at night on a weekday. It's a great place to hang with friends. I really like how they do seating. You queue up for an order at cashier first and the staff then finds you a suitable place to sit. Lots of art and posters on the wall to look at while waiting for the ramen to come out. The service was quick and efficient. The ramen was legit good. Was skeptical of the name, but he food was good. They also have a full bar/lounge area and al fresco dining on the patio outside. It's a great spot, next time I'm in town, I'll definitely check it out. Really liked the downtown area at night. Seems lively and a good place to hang. The tonkatsu was really yummy, rice broth, I drank the whole bowl. Great char siu, good flavor.
This is by far my favorite ramen in north county. I was excited when it first opened because the reviews were fantastic. They didn't lie. I've been quite a bit over the years so I'm surprised I haven't reviewed yet. I've actually been craving it for a while now but don't get to down to the village that often. I was visiting a friend last night and knew what I wanted after. The parking last night was awful. They have changed a lot of spots to 20 minutes in the parking lot for the mall. It was more like a summer night down there than March so we had to park a few blocks away. There was no line when we ordered and there was plenty of seating. We sat outside in the covered area. It was a bit breezy due to the Santa Ana's but it was still pleasant. I got the black garlic, one friend got the spicy red and another just got the plain tonkasu. We all enjoyed our ramen. The staff checked regularly to make sure we were enjoying our meal and to see if we needed anything. Will definitely be back the next time I crave ramen
1 year ago
My boyfriend and I love coming here. They always have a good selection of beer/drinks. I also love that sometimes they have spam masubi. We got the tonkotsu ramen and the gonzo black. Both are very good. Parking is good here as there is a lot and always nice you can walk down to the beach after a great meal. read more
Excellent ramen (some of the best we've had outside of Japan!) with a gluten free noodle option! The food comes out super quick and the bar staff in particular in their expanded bar area are really nice and friendly! The bar area is also great for sports and this has become a go to spot for us for Sunday night football. read more
Hmm wow this place is a little gem! Ramen for me 5/5 I got the black garlic Tonkutsu Service was fine! You order in line and pay first, you get a number and pick a table and they bring it to you. Ambiance is also great! 5/5 for simple dining. Well, they also have a GONZO arcade shop that sells these heavenly frozen yogurt ice cream cones I think it's from Japan. Out of this world, I wish I didn't have to share it with the kids.....LOL I GOT strawberry flavor ... so so good, pillow feel to the cream. read more
2 months ago
3 months ago
Great location in Carlsbad. Some lot for parking. Gets crowded very quickly Order at register. Take a seat. They bring food out to you. The ramen was perfect. The broth was tasty. The chashu was soft and fatty. I prefer the noodles to be more al dente, these were cooked past al dente. But was still good. Staff was attentive and cleared tables asap. Everyone was very nice. read more
How'd we end up here? Approaching the restaurant, walking across the parking lot, GONZO. It's lit signage on both angles, you can't miss it. Walk up past the outdoor seating and you'll find the entrance. You'll walk up and grab a menu then place your order at the counter. Pro Tip: Id be failing you if I didn't recommend you walk over and find a drink from the self service fridge before you head to the register. Check out the wall of records and other merch. A place this well curated, so unique and authentic, it almost feels like a foreshadowing of the flavor you're about to experience from your meal. Seating Arrangements? Go and wrap up at the register and find yourself a seat. Our party of 4 arrived a bit after 8pm on this Sunday evening and seating was easy. We had an options for a booth inside, but my daughter wanted to enjoy the ocean side atmosphere that the outdoor seating offered. Plenty of seating outside and space heaters so it's cozy. Worth the wait? Hangout and before you know it, they'll bring out what will be one of the favorite things you've eaten for the day. Highlight of the meal? Ramen! The noodles. If you've had ramen before, and in Japan, I'd say Gonzo's ramen has been the closest to noodle in Tokyo in texture and bite that I've had in the past 4 years of enjoying ramen in Paris France, NYC, Portland, Seattle, Miami, Chicago, SF, Los Angeles, and Orange County. I'm compelled to go back tomorrow and have another bowl to see if this was just luck or some side effect of the recent full moon? Long story short, sure the prices are a bit higher than the average bowl of ramen, but go to Gonzo! Ramen and order with confidence, the ownership, chef and staff serve up Five stars in flavor, quality and experience that feels authentic without any doubt. Do-try the ramen, Do-try the Spicy Garlic Oil then pat yourself on the back, hi five a friend, you did good. read more
2 years ago
***4.5/5 stars, but rounded up*** We walked up to a long line out the door, but chose to wait because of all the hype of Yelp Top 100. But we were pleasantly surprised at how quick the line moved, and before we knew it we were at the front. You have the option to sit inside, outside, or first available; we chose the inside and were assigned one at checkout. The lanterns hanging from the ceiling gave a warm glow that was both cozy and inviting. The scent was incredible, padding our already high expectations. The walls were covered in Japanese posters, ones visually stimulating and having our eyes dart wall to wall. We ordered the Gonzo! Black and Tonkantsu Ramen (side of Go Super Spicy). The Black broth was a flavor bomb! Potent garlic flavor without being overpowering. The Tonkatsu broth was deep umami and creamy from the pork fat, but was not heavy at all! Both were perfectly balanced. The egg noodles paired well and had a nice chew of typical ramen noodles. The chashu pork was surprisingly tender and could be cut without much effort. We settled with tap water, but the alcohol (draft beer and sake/nigori) was surprisingly priced appropriately; cannot say the same for the canned soda, bottled tea and water sadly. The service was excellent! Both the cashier and hostess kept apologizing for the wait, despite it not being too much and we really didn't mind. We got our food in a timely manner, and every employee we spoke to was very nice. The parking situation is a bit troublesome even with a lot right in the plaza. *** While eating we saw some servers hand gachapon cards to nearly all tables. We were excited to receive one eventually, as they seemed to pass them out to people finishing their meals. They Never Came. Our empty bowls were bussed from the table, still nothing. We left disappointed, wishing we never found out, and wondering if we had done something wrong to be excluded*** read more
Business owner information
Mika M.
Krypton, thank you for a great review! Ok, it’s 100% you were not…
This ramen spot was amazing! I can see why it is so highly rated. The service is great, and it's open seating which I was not expecting. We heard it gets super busy, so we went around 5:30, and we were able to get a table before the huge rush came in. There is lots of indoor and outdoor seating though, so it is pretty accomodating to the crowd. There were four of us so we got to try a few different things. To start, we got their draft beer. Not sure what it was but it was pretty light and paired great with the food! My friend and I both got the Miso Ramen, which was amazing. The broth was perfect, and the port was so tender I could pull it apart with my chopsticks. The noodle to broth ratio was great, it wasn't too heavy. My other friend got the Tonkatsu Ramen, which she also said was delicious! It's similar to the Miso Ramen and also had a really great flavor profile. Our final friend got the Pork Chashu Bowl, which he said was really great, just a little heavy. The pork was super tender and everything paired really well together. Overall such a great Carlsbad spot, will definitely be returning! :) read more
Great little ramen place with plenty of outdoor seating. I ordered the Gonzo red and was not disappointed - it was legit delicious. The chashu was practically melt in your mouth, and the broth had such a rich complex flavor. Would definitely get again. The spicy karaage was tasty as well and delivered hot from the fryer. Didn't get to taste the takoyaki but child seemed to like it. Order at the counter inside and then take your number to the table. Don't forget to browse the case for a cold drink read more
1 year ago
Ramen is good. Got the gonzo black. Pork chashu had some dry/tough parts and the broth was a little salty but it's one of the only places in the area to satisfy a soup craving read more
2 months ago
Affordable ramen spot, great service, clean, and has a decent amount of seating. Great ambiance, felt like I was back in Japan! read more
One of the best ramen spots in the Oceanside/Carlsbad area! The perfect blend of hospitality and high quality food. LOCATION: Located in downtown Carlsbad, Gonzo is located in a huge two story shopping food plaza that's hard to miss. Parking it's limited as there is street parking as well, could get busier at dinner time and weekends. Hard to miss with its light and neon sign SERVICE: I got to meet Jeff, Jamie, and the wife all owners of Gonzo and they are hospitable and welcoming people! It's always nice to see a family running a great food place like this! Service was top notch and Jeff even helped me get a child seat. Plenty of seating and nice warmers during the cold beach days. The environment inside felt like you were in an alleyway in Japan, tons of light, everything tight, and tons of Japanese decorations. There is a token shop for playing games like in Japan that you can redeem if you buy food. FOOD: no complaints here, the broth was thick and not too salty and noodles and pork belly were tender and flavorful. One of the best I've tasted forsure! Highly recommend checking this place out if you are in the Carlsbad Oceanside area!! read more
Good ramen dishes. The noodle texture and mouth feel was amazing. Best of all to me was the egg. Super flavorful and cooked to perfection. The kaarage bowl was meh. Flavor was good but the Chicken was on the hard side and the meat itself not tender. A bit of a let down. The spam musubi was really good. Gyozas were crispy and light, a tad oily though. Food came fast, easy to order. read more
29 days ago
2 years ago
This was my first time here. My son and I got the same ramen. GONZO! BLACK $17.95 black garlic oil over tonkotsu ramen, bean sprouts, red ginger optional We loved it. Really flavorful and a clean broth. We also got the spicy edamame and pork gyoza. The pork gyoza was really good. But the spicy edamame were not to my liking. They were too salty. I had to wipe the salt off before I could eat them. And they had no spiciness to them. I probably wouldn't order them again. But overall, this was a nice little place to come and have a nice bowl of ramen. I would recommend this place to my family and friends. read more
2 years ago
Arguably the best ramen in North County San Diego? I will let you decide for yourself when you dine here. As for me? I think it's the best. Atmosphere meets delectable flavor. Although I have been several times, I came here today with a friend and after today's experience, I knew I had to leave a review. The atmosphere when you walk in is very reminiscent of the quaint ramen shops in Tokyo that you would find meandering about the city. I love the lanterns and art on the walls. Totally immersive. It order at the counter style and they deliver food to your table. There is a "to-go kiosk as well as PLENTY of outdoor seating for those warm Southern California days. The location is just a few blocks from the beach. I ordered the black out Ramen, spicy edamame, and my friend had the Red Ramen (on the spicy side but more of a flavorful kick). The pork in my Black Ramen was buttery soft melt in your mouth goodness. The noodles were the perfect texture. The garlic broth - heavenly. Service was super friendly and wait staff kept an eye on our table and removed plates swiftly when we were finished. Highly recommend whenever you are in Carlsbad. read more
7 months ago
8 months ago
8 months ago
Feels like you're being transported straight to Japan (never been, but still...makes me feel like I have, okay). Perfect for a little escapism and the food really hits when you're craving something cozy and comforting. I usually get the chicken katsu curry (from O'ahu and tastes just like the kind made at home). My kids love all the anime decor and, personally, I appreciate the heavy nods to bands like the dead boys, being an elder/former punk rock teen (I saw they host shows too?! So cool). Anyway, definitely a regular in the family meal rotations and a must try here. read more
The cutest ramen shop! They've decorated the space with lanterns, creating a lovely, authentic ramen shop vibe. The staff always make me feel welcome, and the food comes out quickly despite how busy it gets. I love their curry bowls and miso ramen. They also have a sister shop in the same plaza. When I visited Gonzo, they gave me a free coupon for game credits to use at their other store. It extended the awesome experience, and my friends and I had a great time! read more
First time coming up to Oceanside and my bf and I decided for ramen while it was raining and man I'm glad we found Gonzo Ramen. The ramen was really good. It may be simple or whatever to some but for me it easily became one of my top 3 Ramen spots. It was so good I didn't even talk to my bf while eating. 10/10 would recommend this spot. I love the ambience here and the service. If you're around Oceanside and want to try a new ramen spot, I'll highly recommend this place They have a few seats inside But! They have more seat outdoors and they have heaters if you're cold. read more
8 months ago
Here's what I ordered at GONZO! Black Garlic Oil Ramen **Setting:** Gonzo has a cool, authentic vibe with traditional Japanese decor, making for a cozy dining experience. **Service:** The service is impressively quick, with our ramen arriving promptly. **The Ramen:** The Black Garlic Oil Ramen stands out with its rich, smoky broth enhanced by black garlic oil. The egg noodles was tasty af and the toppings, including tender chashu and a soft-boiled egg, are spot-on. **Overall:** Gonzo's Black Garlic Oil Ramen is a must-try for its unique flavor and the restaurant's inviting atmosphere. read more
The interior is so amazing and there is plenty of seating inside and outside on the patio! Food came out pretty quick and super tasty. Very generous portions and ingredients. My only note was that my ramen was not spicy at all. Lots of parking, you'll have to walk through the little plaza and up the stairs. Overall, a great ramen spot! read more
I love this place! It was sprinkling a little, so we ordered the Black Garlic ramen and karaage--both were delicious! The service is good, with a lot of self-serve elements. Honestly, we should be tipping ourselves! :) The ambiance is casual, and there's outdoor seating available too. read more
Another amazing yelp find. On my weekend trip to Carlsbad we were looking for a place to eat and this place came up as the number 2 Ramen place in the US. Had to give this place a try my husband loves Ramen and so he got his Ramen black. My daughter loves her spicy noodles so she got the Ramen red. We also got the miso and the regular Tonkatsu. Overall, this place is very cute. The food is delicious. I wouldn't say it's the best but it is pretty delicious. The service was fast but then again we were there as soon as they opened place was clean and yes, we would come back again. If you've never had Ramen, get the tongKatsu since the broth is very mild. read more
3 months ago
4 months ago
10 months ago
Another great Ramen in Carlsbad, CA. Ordered a couple ramen. Great food and great service. Will definitely come back for more. read more
9 months ago
This is only about Gonzo as a music venue. I can imagine this is how some of the great little music venues started out. I mean who would think of a Ramen restaurant having live music. It's after the restaurant closes and then reopens for the band, so no food is sold during that time. But there is beer and wine and saki. If I was them I would expand on the selections of wine, maybe one more of white and one more of red. The acoustics were surprisingly good and I really enjoyed seeing Paul Collins and The Beat there last week. I felt like I was a teenager again. read more
3 months ago
3 months ago
I've been here many times and have tried other ramen spots but this has got to be the best ramen in north county. Everything on the menu is solid. I love the regular tonkotsu ramen, nigiri and takoyaki. They have a great selection of Japanese branded drinks and some alcoholic options too. Menu is reasonably priced for the area and great portions. When I come for lunch I am always usually able to find a table for 3-4 people. It can get busy though and parking can be a bit tough. read more
10 months ago
Casual sit down ramen shop with indoor and outdoor seating and adorned with lanterns. Ordered the miso and tonkatsu ramen and a side of takoyaki. The broth was creamy, deep in flavor, and not too heavy. I also loved that chashu pork was a thick cut with a bit of chew mixed with the melty fat. So good. The only somewhat disappointing thing was the takoyaki which had disproportionate batter to octopus ratio. Wish there was more octopus! Ramen however was top notch. read more
10 months ago
Free parking. Stand in line to order, a number is given to you, find a table to sit and food is brought to your table. They clear the table after you leave. Seating available indoors and outdoors with heaters. Restrooms are extremely hard to find, no signs anywhere. Located outside by the staircase across from sushi on right, on the same level as the restaurant. Need code to get in. By the time I finally found the restroom and came back, my order had arrived. Separate gonzo knick knack store in the same plaza. Self serve water station. Also sells novelties, chips, candies, etc while you wait in line to order. Tried the gonzo black. Has garlic oil. The soup was very oily and heavy. There was a layer of oil that floated on top which I mixed into the soup. You can add spice for an extra $1. Came with half an egg and a nice piece of chashu pork. You can add extra toppings for an additional charge. They have a freezer with packaged desserts and ice cream if you want to end (or start) your meal with a sugary treat. Cute Japanese decor and place but soup was too heavy for me. read more
More info about GONZO!
300 Carlsbad Village Dr
Ste 201A
Carlsbad, CA 92008
Directions
(760) 672-5111
Call Now
Visit Website
https://www.gonzojapan.com
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Ask the Community - GONZO!
Are they open on New Year's Day and Eve?
Hi Alice, Yes, we will be open on both New Year's Eve and New Year's Day! Please check our Yelp page…
Is it a pet friendly establishment?
They have outdoor seating where you can bring your dog. Indoors is fairly small, not sure if they allow dogs inside.
What's the largest party they can accommodate for? Looking to celebrate a birthday dinner with ~10+ people.
Gonzos has very limited seating inside, but outside they do have picnic tables that can probably have or hold large parties. I would strongly recommend calling first and have them advise if they can accommodate that.
For anyone that has been to Japan, how close to authentic is this? Or are they an American version of ramen?
It's legit! 2nd Gen Japanese here and trust me this is on point. Plus the owner is Japanese from Japan.
Is it fair to say you have gluten free noodles but no possibility of a gluten free broth? Hoping I'm…
We offer gluten free noodles (shirataki noodles) but not gluten free broth. After we tried doing gluten free broth, we realized that we can make gluten free ramen but cannot guarantee our ramen is 100% gluten free due to chance of cross contact from…
What kind of noodles do they serve? It was really good!
Regular ramen was egg ramen noodles, they have a gluten free shirataki noodle made of konjac
Is this place have seating for large families with young children?
Yes we are able to accommodate large families with children.
Do you have gluten free ramen and broth?
We offer gluten free noodles made out of shirataki (konyac yams). Although, our broth contains a small portion of wheat.
Does Gonzo have happy hour and if so, what days/times?
Daily Happy Hour from 2pm - 6pm $3 Sapporo Draft Beer 16oz $5 Sapporo Draft Beer 32oz $1 off gyoza $1 off edamame
Why does Yelp recommend reviews?
66 reviews that are not currently recommended
The reviews below are not factored into the business's overall star rating.
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