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

I've been around this area for so long but only just now am I trying Kashiwa Ramen! 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! read more

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Very attentive servers, our daughter likes curry, and enjoys without complaining it's little spicy for her. My wife had black garlic and she likes the taste, wavy noodle. read more

Small, legit ramen place somewhat hidden behind Target shopping center. I only tried its Tsukemen so far, which was good, but a bit on the salty side. This place offers warm or cold noodles with its tlukemen. I went with cold noodles as they contrasted well with the hot dipping broth. The noodles were nice, thick, and chewy, just the way I prefer. I can't remember what my wife ordered but she also said her ramen was good but salty. Place was quite busy but service was quick and efficient. You can mark your order on a piece of paper, or a staff member can just take your order. read more

This was my first time here, my girlfriends second. I got the swirl ramen (combination of chicken and pork broth) with pork and wavy noodles. I've never seen the swirl broth option and I was pleasantly surprised. The creaminess of the chicken and richness of the pork broth synergize quite well. My girlfriend got the spicy ramen with tonkotsu and wavy noodles. I'm not sure what the straight noodles would look like. We both really enjoyed our meals. The portions were generous and the service was great. Highly recommend! read more

Kashiwa Ramen - Swirl Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

I was sure I wrote a review already, Im here at least once a week and many times more. Massive lot and they always have lots of parking. Ebb and flow inside but I try and go early and get seated quick, but someday so do a lot of other folks. LOL I tend to find the order I like and stick with it, my ramen is consistently awesome every time. The pork is always very tender; the soup is hot and seasoned perfect. They have a 2nd "pink menu" full of all kinds of other options; my wife explores that one and is always happy. Im stuck on my ramen order. One day I might explore more. LOL The guy in charge is there most of the time and seems to know his regulars pretty well. The wait staff is always polite and very attentive. CM has some super ramen options, and this one is the #1 Tonkotsu option IMO. read more

Delicious ramen! The spicy miso ramen with pork is my favorite. It is rich and flavorful. There is usually a very small wait and the service is fast and efficient. It's a small intimate restaurant and is my go to ramen spot. Would recommend trying it out! read more

Kashiwa Ramen - Spicy Miso Ramen with Pork Cha-shu - Ramen Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Kashiwa Ramen is a casual ramen shop in a plaza with other stores and restaurants. There is ample parking. Came here with some friends on a Friday evening and it was busy but we were able to get a table easily. We all ordered different ramens. I ordered the Black Garlic Ramen with a mix of Chicken and Tonkotsu broth, pork meat, wavy noodles, green onions, and wood ear mushrooms. One of my friends ordered the Yuzu Shoyu Ramen and the other ordered the Malatang Ramen which is a winter special. Our food came out quickly. Portions seem to be on the smaller side. The Black Garlic Ramen had good flavor and was pretty garlicky. The noodles had some chew to them. It also came with half of an egg and three pieces of Chashu. I tried the broths of the other two. The Yuzu Shoyu was light in flavor but the yuzu comes through. The Malatang Ramen was very spicy, and my friend ordered the Mild version. Our server mentioned that people who order the Spicy version more often than not cannot finish it because it is too spicy. Overall, giving Kashiwa Ramen a 4/5. This is a solid place for ramen. Would recommend to others and would return. read more

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Saw this place on tiktok and decided to give it a try! This place looked delish and it ended up being delish :) Service was friendly and I liked that the restaurant had both bar and booth table seating... felt quite cozy, especially on a cold autumn night! The ordering process was smooth and I thought it was smart to have us order via paper + highlighter as we were able to customize our ramen to our liking, from the type of noodles to flavor to any add-ons. We ended up getting the black garlic ramen and spicy miso ramen: BLACK GARLIC RAMEN The taste of the broth itself presented a unique and beautifully layered assortment of flavors that made the entire experience much more mesmerizing than other ramen I've had. I opted for the wavy noodle option, and I believe that was the correct choice as it provided a nice and firm bouncy texture!! The pork chasu was roasted nicely and was tasty as well! -- 7/10 SPICY MISO RAMEN Awesome, but not great!! I think I've had better in the past, but this particular bowl did not stand out to me... it was perfectly spiced, but lacked the depth of flavor that the black garlic ramen provided. It almost tasted flat!! -- 6/10 Parking was easy to find. Overall, good solid ramen place. read more

Kashiwa Ramen - Black garlic ramen + spicy miso ramen + karage - Ramen Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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Kashiwa Ramen was such a great discovery for me. It was actually the first time I had ramen that I truly enjoyed. What I really appreciated is that they offer different broth options, not just pork like many ramen places. Since I don't usually eat pork, it's often hard for me to find ramen I can enjoy. I ordered the ramen with chicken broth and tofu, and it was absolutely delicious. The broth was clean, light, and flavorful without any overpowering smells or heavy taste. A really great spot if you're looking for a comforting bowl of ramen with more options than the usual pork broth. read more

Kashiwa Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Fast, courteous, and efficient service. Nice selection of appetizers, ramen, and rice bowls.

Excellent depth and flavor in each and every bite here. The broth for both malatang and black garlic ramen is really extraordinary today. Really enjoyed my fresh hot deliciousness of Authentic Hakata ramen from Japan today. Especially after the beautiful rain a nice salty flavorful bowl of spicy ramen hits all the high notes of my day. Come back and enjoy the taste of Costa Mesa with the OG Kashiwa Ramen soup noodles. You will fall in love all over again and again. read more

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Honestly surprised how many high ratings this place has. The food itself was alright, your standard ramen, nothing too unique. Being a foodie and having tried many places, I would probably not come back here for ramen as there's plenty of better options. The service itself was terrible. The server looked like she didn't even want to be there, and when asked a question, looked extremely bothered. Honestly the service really ruined my experience here, they need to find more friendly staff. The menu itself was pretty outdated and disorganized. One server told us the items on the wall were different than the menu, but another server said it was the same and to just mark it on the paper. Very confusing. You have the option to choose the firmness of the noodle, and I asked what the standard is. The staff said they didn't know, and just walked away. Yes, its a cute cozy restaurant with plenty of parking. But would not come back just for ramen. read more

Kashiwa Ramen - Black garlic oil with chicken as protein - Ramen Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Great ramen, nice service, the tonkatsu ramen was especially good. So glad we came here.

I can't believe I didn't know about Kashiwa Ramen! There are honestly so many ramen places in OC, it's hard to keep track at this point. I know a lot of people think of Little Tokyo, South Bay, or even Sawtelle when they are craving ramen in Southern California, but honestly I would put some of the best in OC up against any of those areas any day. Kashiwa Ramen is a good example of that. Tucked into an unassuming strip mall in Costa Mesa next to Rance's Chicago Pizza and Takumi Sushi, this little ramen outpost is serving up some delicious ramen in styles I've never even had before. We started with Takoyaki (5 for 6$50) and Crunchy Garlic Karaage ($7.50) as appetizers: the Takoyaki was pretty standard but the Karaage was very different because of the crunchy garlic sauce that was drizzled over it. The consistency of the fried garlic and the slightly spicy flavor of the sauce reminded me a little of a chili crisp, but much more garlicky. Not everyone's cup of tea, but if you like garlic it's one way to jazz up what would otherwise be a traditional style chicken Karaage. Both of us got the Basil Chicken Ramen ($16.50), which is a Winter Special. I can honestly say I have never had ramen like this before. A thick basil broth, with sliced Pomodorini tomatoes, topped with melted cheese... it's almost like a Pesto Pasta soup, but the other ingredients make it resemble something like a Neapolitan pizza in ramen form. Super rich and flavorful... it's not something you'll always be looking for when it comes to ramen, but definitely a nice change of pace from your typical Tonkotsu or Shio broths. Only my first time here and already I want to come back to try their Tsukemen and other broths! No reservations so make sure you time your visit correctly so you don't wait too long in line! read more

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Hands down the best ramen in town , we can argue about it over a beer here 3rd time this week says a lot.. read more

Kashiwa Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Finally found a place close to my job. Ramen is super flavorful. Was feeling a little under the weather and the broth was exactly what I needed. I love that the pork is thinning sliced and not all fatty like other places. I also got the gyoza and its probably the best I've had. This place will Definitely be in my weekly rotation. Its small but nice. Quiet and soothing. read more

Kashiwa Ramen - Chicken broth with pork and black garlic pil - Ramen Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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Cute spot in Costa Mesa and reasonably priced. The ambiance is a cute small sit down with great customer service. The food was made fresh and the menu is very simple. They have ramen and rice bowl combos which is perfect if you have kids who don't eat a lot. Two spicy ramens were not too spicy snd edible. The meat is super thick and flavorful. Both ramens were 5/5. Appetizer was the squid balls, not too much of a fan. It's good but not my cup of tea. 3.6/5. Chicken karrage bowl is good. 5/5. Overall this place is worth it and strongly recommend to try. read more

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Favorite ramen place !!! Will always recommend to people !! Spicy black garlic is the go too read more

Kashiwa Ramen - !! - Ramen Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Kashiwa is home and the owner and team are family. Family loves coming here. In fact, this is a 1 to 2 a week visit with the family. Menu is always updating. Be sure to check the walls for the latest and greatest. New French Fries and all the dips are scrumptious. It is also fun to catch Kashiwa at local festivals and Japanese events. I can't say enough to how much we love Kashiwa. If you are looking for similar experience come try and add your REVIEWS. read more

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Small ramen restaurant, very cozy, it's busy, but we were able to get a table instantly. Our waitress was very friendly, explained how ordering ramen worked. You fill out a form when it comes to broth, type of noodles, protein etc. The food was good, tons of flavors, and we did not wait too long for food to come out. Friendly atmosphere with the waitresses and chefs. Prices are reasonable as well, tons of parking in the lot is a plus! read more

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Kashiwa is a cozy little ramen place. Here, you order ramen by filling out a sheet of choices for type, broth, protein, noodles, taste, and toppings. The ramen prices were on the order form. The menu was more for reference. The ramen was pretty good. We also loved our server. She was friendly and super sweet whenever we ask for anything. Pro Tip: For taste, don't choose the lite option for broth, especially for miso. I made this mistake and the broth came out pretty plain and diluted with little flavor. My partner got normal and it was much better. * Karaage 4.5/5 - The fried chicken came out piping hot and fresh. The outside was crispy and scrumptious. The inside was super juicy. It was a bit light in flavor, though. You will want to dip it in the accompanying sauce which was a combination of sweet chili sauce and a sauce that looked like spicy mayo (but lighter and not as good). * Spicy Miso Ramen 5/5 - The normal spicy miso ramen had great flavor. It came with a half boiled egg, bean sprouts, corn, and butter on the side. The spiciness was between mild and medium. Get the wavy noodles. They're thicker than the straight noodles, so there's more of a bite. The chashu pork was thinly cut and had a charred flavor while still being tender. read more

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Cozy ramen shop with great food! The karage is has a light, crispy batter and the chicken is juicy. Got the black garlic ramen and would definitely recommend. Our waitress was wonderful and kind. I'd come back again! read more

Kashiwa Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

The karage was solid but i was left quite disappointed by how the spicy black garlic ramen was neither spicy nor garlicky read more

Kashiwa Ramen - Black garlic ramen - Ramen Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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We had a great time here. We came here with a large party and it was a great decision. We started with the gyoza, they were some of the best I have ever had. The skin is thin and crispy. The filling is plentiful and delicious. For my main I got the black garlic ramen - with tofu, pork broth, and wavy noodles. It came with a perfectly done hard-boiled egg. I usually like to add some kind of vegetable but this time I kept it simple. The black garlic is not too strong, very smooth, and a little sweet. The tofu is lightly crisped on the outside, a very nice touch! The decorum around the restaurant is super fun and really enjoyable to look at. I kept finding new things to be excited about during my meal. The service was attentive and friendly, everyone was happy to see us. read more

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TL;DR Great ambiance, solid menu with occasional seasonal experimental selections, and sometimes it's RAMEaNt to be. My friend has been here enough times to know the manager and we had the pleasure of speaking with him. We always enjoy the fries with the yuzu mayo/ curry mayo sauce and a good choice of ramen and other Japanese favorites like karaage and soboro bowl. read more

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The chicken ramen is very tasty. It reminded me the ramen that I had in Japan. The chicken broth is not so common in the US so I'm very happy to find it here. I felt the tsukemen is a bit salty at first but after putting lemon juice in it it's perfectly balanced read more

Kashiwa Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

First time visitor after completing Hoag5K Located next to Rance Pizza Open parking lot One main dining area with communal dining and tables in functional use of space Solo dining, family dining, date night, hang out with friends vibes Many decor and knick knacks and stickers along the walls and open kitchen to see the action History of the restaurant and how it came to be also seen on the wall Efficient serving and service, you are provided menus however small piece of paper and highlighter to indicate your order There are directions in the menu in how to order and yes to veggie vegetarian options however no gluten free options available Essentially step 1 is the type and then skip to step 2 and step 3 to customize it but ask because we didn't what we were doing until we asked! Happy hour yes Mon to Fri select times from opening to 4pm! Also note along the walls there are different specials also communicated that may not be in the menu so yes look around the walls! Order the black garlic but it came out incorrectly no worries it was fixed asap, cozy comfort in a bowl but not as overpowering in garlic as I like but the tofu was firm and charred and the noodles were ok The scallop chicken seafood broth one that i would get again definetly add the nori to off set the broth but it was earthy hearty flavorful a bit unique Certainly would come back to venture more and enjoy the simple collective Knick knacks and its environments and to try more goodies read more

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Costa Mesa has a lot of ramen restaurants, and it can be overwhelming to research which suits your cravings. Kashiwa Ramen is located in a Target shopping center, and the parking lot is larger than most plazas. The interior has interesting décor. It is also a sibling restaurant of Totto Ramen in New York (I had been there over a decade ago and was not impressed). The staff are nice and friendly. I ordered the spicy tonkotsu ramen and takoyaki. The takoyaki is crispy and tasty. The spicy tonkotsu ramen broth was flavourful without being too fatty. It was not spicy though, so I had to add additional spice to kick it up a notch. Overall, this is a solid ramen joint. read more

Kashiwa Ramen - Spicy tonkotsu ramen - Ramen Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Cute and cozy little ramen shop tucked away in Costa Mesa! Loved the casual and comfy atmosphere here. The walls were lined with cute Japanese decor, history, and menu items. Service was prompt and friendly. To order, you fill out a small sheet and select your ramen flavor, noodle shape, broth flavor level, and toppings. Fun way to get your order put in! We got the spicy black with pork, spicy black with chicken and chicken broth, spicy original, and karaage. Karaage was fried to perfection! Large pieces of chicken thigh with the perfectly crispy exterior, super juicy, and just the right amount of saltiness. For the ramens, we got spicy level two on all of them, and it was just right! Enough kick without feeling like my mouth was on fire the whole time. The black garlic broth was rich, with a deep garlicky flavor; I find that a lot of tonkatsu broths can be overly rich and heavy, but the broth here was rich while still being light enough to enjoy the entire bowl! The pork chasu was the star of the show; a generous portion of 4-5 slices, that had the perfect char. The pork really melted in the mouth as soon as I bit into it . The prices were super reasonable as well! Overall a great spot for some ramen that will leave you satisfied without putting you in a food coma, haha. read more

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Food was really good. Broth was nice, I added the green onions and woodear mushrooms. Since I ordered the miso, it came with corn and bean sprouts. The only thing I didn't particularly like was how many bean sprouts I got compared to other ingredients like the noodles because there were A LOT. Service was limited since you order on the paper already given to you on the table. However, staff were nice. The environment was great. Very small space but really nice decoration and music. read more

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Delicious unassuming ramen place! I opted for the Yuzu Shio ramen which came with very aromatic broth, tender chicken, and a pretty large portion of thin Hakata-style noodles. My bf got the Tsukemen with nice smoky pork and thicker noodles but his egg was slightly overcooked (mines was fine though) which he was not happy about. I liked the pickled bamboo sprouts that came with both of ours which was more on the savory side. I felt his Tsukemen broth was slightly on the fishier side but still enjoyable with my broth being slightly more balanced overall. A smaller issue but I thought the two ordering slips were kind of confusing because even though Yuzu ramen was listed as a "Special Ramen" on the menu, it was categorized as "Seasonal" on the pink slip vs. "Special" on the white slip. I would say this place was still worth checking out! read more

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As far as ramen spots go, i'm not a big fan of this place, would recommend going to other spots in OC. I ordered the pork paitan but ended up getting the chicken instead. Flavors were neutral and could see myself eating it as a "sick food" but not something I would personally go back to on a regular day. read more

Recently had a tasting of their Chicken Paitan Ramen on a cold, outdoor yelp event at the Santa Ana Zoo and I remembered how good it felt to have the savory chicken soup that warmed me from the inside-out. A few months later, I brought my wife with me to this store in Costa Mesa to experience this wonderful ramen. We went with the black garlic ramen with a mixture of their "swirl" broth (chicken and pork broth) and I chose my bowl as "level 2 spicy". (Their top level of spice was "3"). It was a perfect bowl of ramen as was warm and comforting, it had beautiful savory flavor, and the noodles were perfect. Before this place, I always had a preference for pork ramen broths, but they completely changed my mind. Consider trying their Paitan (chicken) ramen, or go for their "Swirl" broth (chicken and pork) and you wont be disappointed! It's perfect on a cold or rainy winter night! I also had chicken karaage and they do it nicely here. The Japanese Fried Chicken Karaage is easily one of the best versions of fried chicken in the world and it's also legit here. read more

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I tried a small sample of Kashiwa's chicken ramen at a Yelp event and was hooked. There are many ramen shops in OC but few, if any, that make a really good chicken ramen. Their shop is kind of hard to see from the street unless you're looking for it. The inside is casual and simple with a handful of tables. The menu is straightforward with limited options. You can customize your bowl of ramen the way you like it by checking off your selections on a piece of paper. I chose to try the Pork Ramen ($15) with wavy noodles and swirl broth (tonkotsu + chicken). The broth was just as flavorful as I remembered without being too salty. The pork was also tasty and they give a good amount of it. My take out order was ready quickly and they packaged everything well. The containers were sturdy and kept my food warm until I got home. This is going to be one of my go-to's for Japanese ramen now. Definitely check it out, especially for chicken ramen. read more

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This is one of the ramen place I kept coming back. Server in this restaurant are so nice and sweet. Soup broth was definitely well made, very authentic taste just like the ramen I had in Japan. I really suggest to get wavy noodles with firm. Pick the lite version if you like lower sodium. This is literally the 10 th time I visit this year and I will definitely kept coming for ramen ! read more

Kashiwa Ramen - Ramen with Swirl Broth, Chicken Cha-shu (Wavy noodle) - Ramen Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

IMO very good ramen. Ordered the swirl ( blk sesame oil and tonkatsu) rich broth, 3 slices of pork, flavored egg, wood ear and green onions. Also choice of wavy or straight ramen, add ons and slight mods to suit your taste buds. Also tried the Tan Tan. Went with not spicy, because everyone has their own idea of what is spicy, to be safe. Again, rich broth w a little kick. Wife said it was spicy I didn't. See what I mean. Good amount of ground pork and they threw in some chicken. Not sure if they were supposed to or not, but chicken was moist and tender. Ramen is well put together. Service fast and friendly. Ambiance was basic. I'll be adding Kashiwa to my ramen go to's. read more

I like the the place, overall aesthetic feels nice. The tsukemen is good but a bit salty than other tsukemens I have. Overall I give it a 4/5 read more

Kashiwa Ramen - Tsukemen - Ramen Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Best chicken ramen! Quality is always consistent, and I love that you can customize the hardness/softness of the noodles. I typically get the chicken broth with chicken chashu, egg, wood ear mushrooms, bamboo, and green onion with harder noodles, and it's perfect every time. Service isn't amazing, but the food arrives fairly quickly so I can't complain. read more

This ramen spot was pretty cool. Simple menu and you can build your own bowl. The spicy tonkotsu ramen was fantastic and very rich. The pork belly was tender and savory. I Ng or the wavy noodles and an extra egg that was perfectly soft boiled. Will be coming back! read more

Kashiwa Ramen - Spicy tonkotsu ramen - Ramen Near Me - Costa Mesa, California