A Legendary Slurp - Gone But Never Forgotten It is a true…read moretragedy for the Orange County food scene that Hakata Ikkousha in Costa Mesa has closed its doors. This wasn't just a "ramen joint"--it was a masterclass in authentic Fukuoka-style soul food. The Broth: Liquid Gold The standout was always their Signature Tonkotsu broth. You could literally taste the 30+ hours of labor that went into it. It had that distinct "frothy" texture (the bubble of the bone marrow) that you only find in high-end Hakata shops. It was rich, creamy, and carried a deep umami funk without ever being overly greasy. The Hits * Black Tonkotsu: The roasted garlic oil (mayu) added a smoky, dark complexity that ruined all other garlic ramens for me. * God Fire: For those who like to sweat, this offered the perfect balance of heat without sacrificing the integrity of the pork flavor. * The Karaage: Genuinely some of the best fried chicken in the area. Massive, juicy thigh meat with a shattering, thin crust and that addictive spicy mayo on the side. * Customization: I loved that they let you pick your noodle firmness. "Hard" was the only way to go to ensure that perfect snap with every bite. The Atmosphere The Costa Mesa location always had a great energy--functional, clean, and unpretentious. The staff were always efficient, greeting everyone with a loud "Irasshaimase!" that made the experience feel truly authentic. It's heartbreaking to see such a high-caliber spot leave the neighborhood. If you were lucky enough to eat here, you know we lost a heavy hitter. To the team at Ikkousha: thank you for the memories and the best bowls in the city. You'll be sorely missed! Note: For those still craving that specific broth, their Torrance locations are still holding it down--definitely worth the drive to keep the dream alive. Come back to OC! !

I'm heartbroken to find out that my favorite ramen spot has closed down. I wish I had known so I…read morecould have gone back one last time. The Black Devil and God Fire were my favorites. Both had such a rich, deep flavor. I haven't had a broth as good. The chicken karaage was also slept on. It came with just salt and mayo, and it was simple, juicy, and crispy. One day, I'll go to the Torrance location and try Hakata again. Until then...

This place has quickly become one of my go to spots at South Coast Plaza ever since they've opened!…read moreThey offer four different tonkotsu ramen bases, with further customization available from like oil richness, veggies, salt, and more, to tailor your ramen to your desired flavor!! Even with the unlimited customization options, they also offer limited-time ramen bases as well , like a pumpkin ramen, crab ramen, or even a curry ramen just recently. These limited-time ramen flavors are always so creative AND tasty, so the announcement of a new limited-ramen always gets me rushing over to try it!! The ambiance is excellent as well, and the addition of the patio provides a nice and private scenic breeze, with extra bonus points in practicality for providing a nice space for pet owners like myself when I have my dog with me! Not only is the food and ambiance great, but the service is spectacular as well. The servers are attentive friendly and quick, so I'm never waiting long! Extra special shout out to servers Bao and Kenny!!! Both Bao and Kenny have been my server time and time again, and both of them provide beyond exceptional service at lightning speed!! The managers too have been so wonderful to me as well, with Nike, Brandon, Britt and Chuong facilitating such wonderful dining experiences every time I visit!! I can't recommend this place enough to all of my friends. With their continuous dedication to quality, quickness, and care, I've found myself coming back again and again

Although there was a line, it moved quickly and we were able to be seated pretty fast (Friday night…read morearound 8pm) They are very efficient, explaining the menu and letting you pick your order while in line so immediately when you get seated, you can hand your server your order. I got the veggie king with an ramen egg and the thick noodles. Super delicious and flavorful although the "normal spicy -1" was not spicy at all. Also interesting choice to add hash browns to the ramen. I actually loved that addition even though I wouldn't have thought it would work. It came piping hot though and I burnt my tongue. My only wish is that they would add tofu or some sort of vegetarian protein to the veggie ramen.

Very good quality noodles. Not too many soup options but you really don't need a lot when all the…read morebroths are good. The tan tan had really good broth and noodles. Green onions perfect! The meat in this bowl isn't as good and they should just keep it the same as the sliced. The kitakata ramen is basic but very nice. Balanced broth. The chicken karrage was really good!

have been here a few times and the green chili ramen is the star of the show. the broth is…read moreflavorful and light, while still being rich and porky at the same time. however, on our most recent visit, we tried the tsukemen and it was pretty horrible. the broth is so waterful and flavorless. the noodles they use are the same as the ramen noodles. they literally just deconstructed ramen and called it tsukemen. would recommend only ordering their ramens when dining at this establishment and skipping the tsukemen.

This is one of my two favorite ramen spots in CM and I could go here every single day…read more The parking lot is spread out and there is plenty, these guys have the better end of parking as it gets tricky on the other side. Friendly staff and everyone always seems happy. I typically go early and dont have to wait. I flip flop between the Koku and Jun. The Koku is more fatty if Im understanding correctly. They have a house spice at the table that is AMAZING, I took a bottle and enjoy it on EVERYTHING. I like to add a seasoned egg and that is complete for me. My wife has got the Tatsonoya Roll and I have to say they are pretty amazing too. I really appreciate the Chashu they make, its honestly the thickest out there but is still VERY tender. Fall apart tender and thick seems to be tricky and they have it down. Im gonna finish up this review and head on over for some excellent ramen right now.

Favorite ramen in the area…read more Jun tonkotsu, has a lighter broth, lighter in flavor. Koku tonkotsu is more popular and richer in flavor. If you love spicy they heave a spicy miso. And if you like curry you must try the curry tonkatsu- it is excellent!

I have no words to describe the incredible lunch experience we had at Meiji Seimen. It's in an…read moreunassuming strip mall and a true local, hole in the wall restaurant with only a few tables and always a long wait. I recommend checking the current wait time and getting on the Yelp waitlist before heading over. Staff was all so friendly and accomodating and as soon as they noticed I had a purse with me, provided me with a bag hook I could borrow while we dined! That seems like such a small thing but it was truly so considerate and I appreciated it so much!! My fiancé and I shared their delicious fried chicken appetizer (this is a must get - incredibly crispy large pieces and perfect ratio of meat to batter), he got the pork katsu curry udon set which he loved and said was so flavorful, and I got the tempura udon with extra fish cake. The broth was so light and perfect! Absolutely delicious. This is now on our date night rotation. Thank you for the amazing meal and service!

First time here and thoroughly enjoyed it. Came on a Friday evening and the place was crowded. A…read morequick 5 min wait so not bad at all. I have always been a fan of soba and this place gives you a decent portion. We each got one soba and shared a few other dishes. The good came out relatively fast and it was delicious. We also got a sparking sake - which was a little sweet for my taste and pretty low abv. Chicken karaage - big pieces and crispy. Pork cutlet - crispy and juicy. Soba with tempura - nice portion. Flavorful broth and the tempura was light. Overall I would come back here

Randomly decided to try this place with the wife last night…read more I remembered there being a spot called mogu mogu here prior and confirmed with the waitress that it's the same menu! Spicy miso ramen: 9/10 Actually one of the better ramens I've had lately. The broth is creamier and isn't overpowering with chicken/beef flavor. The chashu was nice and tender as well. I really liked that their noodles were al dente and not too soft Deluxe mazemen: 8/10 Taking my first bite, I was instantly greeted with an explosion of umami. There's a LOT of flavor packed in this bowl and the noodles used are actually a bit thicker which is right up my alley. My only drawback on this dish was that I wished it came with some sort of veggies to cut through all the flavor. They also give you a small serving of rice at the end for you to mix into the bottom which was a nice addition Kurobota sausage: 7.5/10 We've recently been on a kurobota craze. Don't get me wrong, these were great but we've only had them charred and grilled before so I was taken aback when I saw that these were only steamed. Flavor was spot on but I'm a sucker for a nice char or crisp to my meat Overall, loved the service and small restaurant vibe of this spot. We were seated very quickly and the food came out even faster. Definitely come try this spot, I know we'll be back

Never had Mazemen before which is basically broth-less ramen with various of toppings. We were on…read morethe way to Kitakata, but after finding this place on Yelp, we had to check out the hype. The interior is cozy and small with authentic Japanese decorations/setup. Kinda felt like we were eating in Kyoto or something, lol. The lady who served us was friendly and gave us good recommendations. I think she was handling the whole operation to be honest. To start it off, we ordered their specialty chicken karaage and it was very delicious. It has a nice crispy and crunchy texture. The batter on the chicken was good and once you bite it, the meat is juicy and tender. Doesn't really need dipping since it's so good. As for the Mazemen, we ordered the Deluxe and Veggie one, both is a 5/5. Very flavorful and it tastes just like ramen, but without the soup. The presentation of the dish looks like a work of art. Very picture pretty. I ate that shit up within ten minutes. After that they give you a scoop of rice so you can mix it up with the leftover sauce. Lots of umami for sure. Definitely will come back again to try the other flavors. People, trust me and come through!

You literally won't regret coming here !!! Top tier ramen !! Spicy black garlic is what we get and…read morehave never been disappointed!

I've been around this area for so long but only just now am I trying Kashiwa Ramen!…read more Going inside, the seating area is not large, and off the bat, I couldn't get seated with my family because the 2 high chairs they have available were already taken by another family. Thankfully, they had a booster seat available to have our child sit on. We ordered a miso ramen, a spicy black garlic ramen and a gyoza for our appetizer. The person taking our order was patient with us as we ordered even as we were dealing with our toddler. Our requests were accommodated respectfully and to the best they could! Upon first glance, the gyoza looked good, like it was a family recipe and made from scratch! The spicy garlic ramen had thick, and a tasty looking broth and the portion sizes for the ramen looked like decent enough for the price. The taste for the gyoza was good, but the spicy black garlic ramen definitely stole the show! The broth was the perfect level of savory with a delicious blend of garlic that wasn't overpowering along with the pork broth. The chashu was incredibly tender and flavorful and the ramen was cooked perfectly - *chefs kiss*, amazing! Another reason that helped me decide on eating here was that there is a student discount for OCC students! Definitely cool that the local business is supporting local students! I had a great experience eating here with my family - the food was delicious, the staff was helpful and it was joy!

Fire ramen rush Phide love phimaliy love vegetarian option good eats good peeps thanksread more

I was in the mood for ramen, & my roommate recommended this spot. I got the Chaschu special and it…read morewas so flavorful! The meat was super tender. We also ordered the fried rice, which was okay. The garlic edamame was also really good. Service was excellent! Very attentive servers & friendly. It was a bit cold in the restaurant, but with the hot broth of the ramen it warmed me up for a bit haha. The music was a vibe inside too. I would definitely come back.

This has always been one of my favorite ramen spots since high school. That said, I do feel that…read morethe East Coast offers slightly better quality and flavor compared to what we have here in California. Overall, I'm really enjoying the meal. If you're looking for a quick, comforting bite and something that really warms and revives you. This is a great choice for ramen . Just a heads up: the food court can get very busy on weekends.

I don't say this lightly--this was one of the best bowls of ramen I've had in a long time. The…read morespicy kimchi ramen at Santouka Ramen absolutely delivers. The broth is rich, creamy, and packed with flavor, with just the right amount of spice to give it a kick without overpowering everything else. The kimchi adds a perfect tangy depth that balances the saltiness of the broth really well. Noodles were cooked perfectly--springy and held onto the broth exactly how you want. Portion size was solid, and every bite felt consistent from start to finish. You can tell they care about quality and execution here. Service was quick and efficient, and the overall vibe is clean, simple, and focused on the food--which honestly is all you need when the ramen is this good. If you're anywhere nearby and craving ramen, this is 100% worth it. I'll definitely be back.

Solid Ramen spot , Nice ambiance with efficient service ,…read morenice and clean .Servers were on point, especially Char who was polite and friendly. Food was good and loved the appetizers and mochi ice cream, Plenty of parking in a safe neighborhood.

Wow, absolutely delicious experience. Came here for a solo lunch date and had a wait of about 15…read moreminutes during the week. I didn't know much about this place before trying it but was reassured by the queue of people waiting. Great price points for absolutely delicious food. Although I enjoy ramen, I was in the food for spicy tuna, I tried a large bowl with two generous portions of incredibly fresh and delicious spicy tuna. This almost reminded me of a tuna tartare because of how finely the mince on the tuna was, I was surprised I liked it as much as I did as I was experience larger tuna chucks like poke, I'm so glad they made the decision to prepare the tuna this way. Along with the generous portion of rice and salad with the bowl, this was a perfect lunch option. I also treated myself to the crispy chicken kaarage, a definite treat. Freshly made and delicious option. Overall, I will absolutely be back, even the infused water was memorable. Service was great, friendly and knowledgeable. There is an optional service charge that the service make sure you are aware about.