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    Monsta Ramen

    4.5 (270 reviews)
    Open 11:30 am - 9:30 pm

    Monsta Ramen Photos

    Business Info

    MONSTA RAMEN ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Monsta Ramen

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    Black garlic ramen
    Winny T.

    I can appreciate a good ramen bowl that is very well priced in this economy. This spot advocates for low price and good quality and that is exactly what you get. A bowl of ramen is about $13 or so and that's rare to come by nowadays. I got the black garlic ramen and it was delicious. The portion is pretty much equivalent to your average bowl of ramen. The broth was flavorful and you can definitely taste the garlic. The noodles were chewy and the chashu was mostly lean with a little bit of fat. The egg also tastes like it's been steeped in alcohol which is a plus. I wouldn't say it's the best black garlic ramen I've had but for the price I could say it's definitely worth it for what they give you. The service was also very nice. We were told to sit anywhere we'd like and water was given immediately. It's a great spot for anyone wanting a hearty and reasonably priced meal.

    Black Garlic Ramen
    Christine B.

    This cozy restaurant was what we needed on a cold evening for an affordable bowl of ramen! The server was really kind, & helped us answer questions we had about the menu. The food was priced well & comes out very quickly. * Soy Garlic Chicken Karaage - 8/10 (the chicken itself was pretty juicy. we just thought the breading was too soggy. the sauce did have a yummy soy garlic flavor) * Black Garlic Ramen - 7.5/10 (it was good for the price but the soup was very oily. the soft egg was cooked well & delicious, but we wish they didn't just give a half an egg. the chashu was tender & had a great amount of fattiness. we appreciate the addition of the corn & bamboo shoots. the noodles were just your average ramen noodle, & lacking bounciness. overall, great for the price but average for a ramen)

    Samantha G.

    This place is pretty cool because they always have specials/happy hour. The pricing is very reasonable. If you're looking for something affordable this place is it. Plenty of shareable appetizers. I got the spicy ramen and edamame. Only thing is it is freezing in the restaurant but other than that I enjoyed this place. Service was great and they were able to answer all of my questions.

    Gyoza & Kurabata Sausages
    Chun M.

    "Scary good prices & quality" is their tagline and Monsta Ramen lives up to it. I was poking around for good ramen places and there were a lot with $18-$20 bowls, but then when Monsta popped up, it was a revelation. $13 regular with a daily Tonkatsu ramen special of $10?? I was sold. We came to this strip mall early for dinner since we were still on East Coast time and Monsta was pretty empty, but by 6pm, it had filled up. Ordering off the QR code menu was a snap, though our very nice server would have readily taken the order. Just over the half glass frosted partition next to our table was the open kitchen where the ramen artisans were slinging their craft. Dishes are prepared fast & served hot. First, our appetizers of Gyoza (5 for $4) & Kurabata Sausages (3 for $3) hit the table and we dived in. Gyoza were crispy crunchy and the sausages had a good snap. The wife's Black Garlic Ramen came out steaming and the garlic aroma was wafting. She said the chew on the ramen noodles was perfect. The cutlet of my Pork Katsu Curry Rice was crispy panko crusted, tender on the inside and perfectly seasoned. The dish looked like a beach scene with the rice beach on an ocean of curry sauce. The curry was all the more tasty with bits of onion & minced pork added for flavor & texture. All told, the bill was $33 and with tax & tip was $42, an amazing value for some awesome food. They really lived up to their motto and no wonder customers come back again & again. Later, I was checking out their Facebook page and the way they care about preparing their food is amazing!

    Curry pork chop
    Fiona N.

    Honestly, the food was really mid. But if u consider the price then it's not that bad. $12 for curry ramen, $12 for pork chop curry and $12 for pork chop rice plate is hard to find in SD. There's several daily lunch specials. We tried $4 gyozas, they were deep Fried not pan fried. Service was good. The server was helpful and the food was quick.

    Black Garlic Ramen
    Tracy L.

    QUICK TAKE// Felt the black garlic ramen wasn't as standout as other black garlic ramens out there. Overall wasn't the most impressed and will not be coming back. FOOD// I came in here on a whim to try a quick ramen spot during lunch. I was tempted to try their very cheap $10 tonkatsu ramen, but instead went for the BLACK GARLIC RAMEN. I thought this one was tasty enough, but not as tasty as Nishiki ramen's. It honestly wasn't bad, but didn't blow my mind either. SERVICE// Very attentive and quick given lunch hour. VIBES// small clean space, nothing particularly standout.

    All day specials
    Myphuong L.

    Not only is the food here good but it's affordable. You can also find all day specials of $10 tonkatsu ramen or even lunch specials on the $10 menu. Parking here is a paid lot but the first 2 hours are free. Food came out quick. They have spices on the table if you want it spicer. We ordered: -Takoyaki ($6) - decent because it wasn't too much batter. -Soy garlic chicken karaage ($10) - two words, crunch and crispy. -Black garlic ramen ($13) - nice Al dente bouncy noodles, needed more garlic flavor. -Pork cutlet curry rice ($13) - the curry flavor was savory and sweet with a thick gravy consistency. We added more spice from the table and it came out to our liking. This little place deserves more attention. Will definitely come back again.

    Inside
    Joyce L.

    Extremely reasonably priced ramen for this day and age, but also fairly basic in terms of taste, quality, and quantity so not really as amazing of a deal as one might presume upon first glance at the menu. Regardless, Monsta hit the spot while barely making a dent in my wallet (pro tip: check out the all-day specials for even greater savings)! My vegetarian girlfriend enjoyed her Veggie Miso Ramen (house made miso soup base, tofu, and bok choy) while I was similarly satisfied with my Tonkotsu Ramen (house made tonkotsu base, chashu, and half a soft boiled egg), both of which came with naruto, wood ear, corn, green onion, and seaweed. We ordered via QR code, but table service was available as well. Our server checked on us several times, which we appreciated. The restaurant space was simple and clean, and only lightly populated during our midweek lunchtime visit. Parking was plentiful in the shared plaza lot - I imagine this isn't always the case, however!

    Michelle M.

    A great spot for a quick bite. This was seat yourself and you can either order on your phone or order with a server. The food is then brought out to you. There are many ramen options and appetizers. Everything was delicious but I only got a picture of the spicy ramen!

    Sami L.

    Cool new ramen spot. Nothing out of the ordinary, but seems like it is consistent and reliable so definitely worth a few visits! The curry ramen had great taste, and I love the idea. The appetizer was okay, but I'm not much of a fried foodie. Service was exceptional and friendly. Fast service, clean service and they no doubtedly deserve five stars on service.

    Menu
    Kimi D.

    First time here and was recommended by a family member! Honestly everything was a 5/5! Food We ordered 2 of the all day tonkotsu specials, 1 Gyoza (5pcs), 1 hot&creamy skewer (comes with 2 skewers), and 1 potato shrimp (4pcs). - the tonkotsu ramen was exceptional, definitely recommend, especially for the price and quality! 5/5 - the skewer was really tasty, as it is deep fried and glazed with their creamy and spicy sauce. The sauce packs some heat so be wary if you're sensitive to spice. I really liked it! 5/5 - the potato shrimp was very interesting but also fun to eat! It's like a fried shrimp tempura with some crunchies. 5/5 Service Food came out in less than 10 minutes, apps first of course, and then our ramen (: Ambiance Super casual and also there was no wait on a Tuesday night! I enjoyed my time there In total paid less then $45 and tipped of course! Well worth the money, time, and parking! Would go again

    Sapporo on draft
    Dung N.

    Another ramen spot opened up, so we checked them out back in April. We got the shrimp spring roll, tako yaki, pork katsu curry, and the spicy black garlic ramen! He also go a glass of Sappor beer on draft. Food and service was really quick! We got our food within 5 minutes! The apps were good! The curry had a good ratio of rice to protein. The ramen was also very flavorful, since I love garlic and spices. Worth a try if you're in the area!

    Pork katsu curry
    Charlene L.

    Wow! I finally got to try this place after seeing this place open last year and I should've come sooner. The prices are super reasonable and the food was good. We ordered tons of food and so we took home leftovers. The interior was simple and clean. You seat yourself and there were tons of tables. I like how you can order on the QR code provided or with the waitress. Our waitress was really nice and helpful. She checked in with us to make sure everything was good but wasn't overbearing. We tried the tonkatsu ramen with black garlic oil and spicy sauce on the side, the pork cutlet curry, sausages, potato croquette, cabbage salad, takoyaki, and monsta lemonade. The tonkotsu ramen was pretty good. The broth was good but the black garlic sauce really leveled it up and added the perfect level of savory and umami. It came on the side and was a generous amount so you could choose how much you wanted to use. The curry was good and there was a generous amount of curry. The sausage, potato croquette, and takoyaki were fresh and crispy. The monsta lemonade tasted like raspberry and was yummy. Overall, I had a great experience and I think this will become one of my go to spots for ramen.

    Pork cutlet curry

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    I'm a pescatarian so don't get much ramen however, this has some of the best vegan ramen broth I've found. Very flavorful.

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    Ask the Community - Monsta Ramen

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    Monsta Ramen - japacurry - Updated May 2026

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