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Another amazing experience at Nikka! We were seated right away and our server immediately greeted us and made sure we knew they temporarily stopped serving sushi. That was no problem for us because we were craving a chashu bowl and some chicken karaage! This was different from other chashu bowls I've had. This one was more balanced with fibrous ingredients like apples and lettuce. It was amazing regardless! I can't wait to come back again!
Stopped in for a quick dinner. I ordered the small half and half (salmon and ahi tuna) bowl. It was great! The fish was fresh, and it was loaded with toppings! I've never had apple in my poke bowl, but it was a nice addition. For a small bowl, it was very filling. I really enjoyed it! My family also enjoyed their meal. Service was very friendly and fast!
We we bought our dog and they bring out a doggy water bowl right away Service was nice who was great next time you come to Santa Barbara or UCSB will come here for sure
Tonkotsu ramen with pork shoulder and Yuzu Shoyu with pork belly. The broths for both are really good, service is fast and staff are very friendly! They don't come with an egg though, so you'd have to order on the side.
Get the classic standard ramen on the menu Ramen broth is brewed over a day They legit have a guy whose only job is to worry about the broth This is like sixteen dollars you may think that is pricey But for it to be the best ramen in Santa Barbara so that's what you are getting You are going to get the best ramen in the county The sushi for appetizers is amazing too so don't be afraid to do that The pork is really good too
Yea this place is a solid ramen spot. Always get the Kuro ramen with the tasty short rib beef and I add a jammy egg. The broth is thick and rich. The noodles were chewy. The egg was perfectly cooked, marinated and jammy.
A solid ramen place in Goleta! We came for lunch and they tried their best to make a big table for our group with 3 kids. Inside is spacious, bright, and clean. My Kuro ramen was really flavorful and filled to the bowl brim. I had a ton of toppings and pork shoulder (which was super tender and flavorful)!! The thick noodles were well cooked and went well with the broth. Everyone else's bowls were big and packed with meat/noodles/toppings/etc. Price is decent for what you get too! Overall, this is a great place to fulfill your ramen cravings if you're in the area!
Genuinely some of the best food I've had in Santa Barbara, and the staff is so friendly and attentive too!! I got the spicy tonkotsu ramen with thick noodles and it was perfect. So rich, flavorful, and savory with a hefty amount of toppings for every bite! The chashu bowl was also perfect -- smoky, caramelized pieces of pork belly on fluffy rice. Seriously so satisfying. This is for sure going to be a go-to stop whenever I'm in town!
Located in a small shopping center, nice little eatery, I stopped in for dinner. I had the small Chashu bowl, it was perfect and filling. The apple salad gave it a bit of sweetness to balance the saltiness.
Nikka Ramen was one of the first place in the Santa Barbara/Goleta area to start serving authentic ramen. My goto here is the shoyu ramen. Normally, it is savory, clean tasting, and I liked the thick noodles more than the thin noodles in the tonkotsu ramen. I don't know what happened today. It was super salty, one dimensional, and lacked the deep chicken flavor of their normal shoyu ramen. I am hoping that this is a one time thing and not because they cut corners and ruin a good product.
Service was not as good this visit. The main room was almost full and the server just told us to go find a seat in the other room. He didn't lead us or point into any direction, nothing. We just sat wherever and luckily a server came over without having to wait too long to order. I tried the tonkatsu ramen with the pork belly this time. I do NOT recommend the pork belly. For some reason they crisp up each of the just 2 slices of pork belly to the point where each slice is over cooked. It was tough to eat. Stick with the pork shoulder. Tried the chicken karage I don't recommend either. It was chicken thigh cut into small pieces and over fried until it was dry and tough to eat. I wondered why they served with a vinegar sauce and not the typical mayo. I understood when I ate a piece as the chicken was way too salty. This visit I would give just 2 stars, but 3 averages out my two visits.
Great ramen and Japanese food overall. Negatives: -price, the prices are a little higher which is common in Santa Barbara area. They do offer smaller sizes for the rice bowls, which still give you great value to portion size. Additionally the other ramen place in this area is more expensive and unjustified. For the portion sizes I wouldn't count this against them. Though for those more sensitive with money, I will leave this here. Positives: -taste, the ramen is excellent. I would say I like it almost as much as ramen nagi. I got the spicy tonkatsu ramen. What stood out for me were the thick noodles. These noodles are preferred as they are very good at holding on to the broth. The pork shoulder was very tender and the protein portion was very generous. We also got a small pork belly bowl, and the small poke bowl. They were both good, my wife loved the pork belly bowl, the pork was crispy and had tons of flavor. The bun sampler was also great. -service, quick and responsive -ambiance, modern and had a Japanese charm Overall 5/5 Next time we visit Santa Barbara we'll be looking to go here again
2 months ago
After work, I decided to stop by Nikka Ramen for some lunch. It was a weekday around 1:30pm so it wasn't too busy and I was seated right away. I knew I wanted a rice bowl but wasn't sure what I wanted on top. When I saw the half and half option with tuna and salmon, it was the perfect combination! The order only took a few minutes before coming out. It was delicious and very filling. There was a good combination of textures and flavors that made it a well rounded bowl. I had an efficient but delicious lunch experience at Nikka Ramen. I'd definitely come back! read more
Cute place. I loved the California Roll, the crab salad in the roll was delicious. I got Veggie Ramen. It was good. Very creamy. Tofu was nice . Husband got spicy ramen. He liked the ramen but he also like the tofu more than the chicken. It was very busy and they had tons of delivery pick ups. I didn't get a dessert but they had trendy desserts like the peach ice cream. All if the servers were very helpful and nice. read more
3 months ago
Came here on a trip to Santa Barbara and I gotta say I would come back just to dine here once again! Food was delish. Service was great and friendly. Ambience was pleasant with lovely couples coming to dine. I'd recommend anyone to come and eat here. My only request if you choose to come the must have are the dumpling trio and burrito ramen. I can't explain how delicious both are. read more
Another amazing experience at Nikka! We were seated right away and our server immediately greeted us and made sure we knew they temporarily stopped serving sushi. That was no problem for us because we were craving a chashu bowl and some chicken karaage! This was different from other chashu bowls I've had. This one was more balanced with fibrous ingredients like apples and lettuce. It was amazing regardless! I can't wait to come back again! read more
Stopped in for a quick dinner. I ordered the small half and half (salmon and ahi tuna) bowl. It was great! The fish was fresh, and it was loaded with toppings! I've never had apple in my poke bowl, but it was a nice addition. For a small bowl, it was very filling. I really enjoyed it! My family also enjoyed their meal. Service was very friendly and fast! read more
3 months ago
We we bought our dog and they bring out a doggy water bowl right away Service was nice who was great next time you come to Santa Barbara or UCSB will come here for sure read more
3 months ago
Tonkotsu ramen with pork shoulder and Yuzu Shoyu with pork belly. The broths for both are really good, service is fast and staff are very friendly! They don't come with an egg though, so you'd have to order on the side. read more
16 days ago
Get the classic standard ramen on the menu Ramen broth is brewed over a day They legit have a guy whose only job is to worry about the broth This is like sixteen dollars you may think that is pricey But for it to be the best ramen in Santa Barbara so that's what you are getting You are going to get the best ramen in the county The sushi for appetizers is amazing too so don't be afraid to do that The pork is really good too read more
6 days ago
5 months ago
Yea this place is a solid ramen spot. Always get the Kuro ramen with the tasty short rib beef and I add a jammy egg. The broth is thick and rich. The noodles were chewy. The egg was perfectly cooked, marinated and jammy. read more
5 months ago
A solid ramen place in Goleta! We came for lunch and they tried their best to make a big table for our group with 3 kids. Inside is spacious, bright, and clean. My Kuro ramen was really flavorful and filled to the bowl brim. I had a ton of toppings and pork shoulder (which was super tender and flavorful)!! The thick noodles were well cooked and went well with the broth. Everyone else's bowls were big and packed with meat/noodles/toppings/etc. Price is decent for what you get too! Overall, this is a great place to fulfill your ramen cravings if you're in the area! read more
1 year ago
Genuinely some of the best food I've had in Santa Barbara, and the staff is so friendly and attentive too!! I got the spicy tonkotsu ramen with thick noodles and it was perfect. So rich, flavorful, and savory with a hefty amount of toppings for every bite! The chashu bowl was also perfect -- smoky, caramelized pieces of pork belly on fluffy rice. Seriously so satisfying. This is for sure going to be a go-to stop whenever I'm in town! read more
20 days ago
6 months ago
Located in a small shopping center, nice little eatery, I stopped in for dinner. I had the small Chashu bowl, it was perfect and filling. The apple salad gave it a bit of sweetness to balance the saltiness. read more
Nikka Ramen was one of the first place in the Santa Barbara/Goleta area to start serving authentic ramen. My goto here is the shoyu ramen. Normally, it is savory, clean tasting, and I liked the thick noodles more than the thin noodles in the tonkotsu ramen. I don't know what happened today. It was super salty, one dimensional, and lacked the deep chicken flavor of their normal shoyu ramen. I am hoping that this is a one time thing and not because they cut corners and ruin a good product. read more
Service was not as good this visit. The main room was almost full and the server just told us to go find a seat in the other room. He didn't lead us or point into any direction, nothing. We just sat wherever and luckily a server came over without having to wait too long to order. I tried the tonkatsu ramen with the pork belly this time. I do NOT recommend the pork belly. For some reason they crisp up each of the just 2 slices of pork belly to the point where each slice is over cooked. It was tough to eat. Stick with the pork shoulder. Tried the chicken karage I don't recommend either. It was chicken thigh cut into small pieces and over fried until it was dry and tough to eat. I wondered why they served with a vinegar sauce and not the typical mayo. I understood when I ate a piece as the chicken was way too salty. This visit I would give just 2 stars, but 3 averages out my two visits. read more
Great ramen and Japanese food overall. Negatives: -price, the prices are a little higher which is common in Santa Barbara area. They do offer smaller sizes for the rice bowls, which still give you great value to portion size. Additionally the other ramen place in this area is more expensive and unjustified. For the portion sizes I wouldn't count this against them. Though for those more sensitive with money, I will leave this here. Positives: -taste, the ramen is excellent. I would say I like it almost as much as ramen nagi. I got the spicy tonkatsu ramen. What stood out for me were the thick noodles. These noodles are preferred as they are very good at holding on to the broth. The pork shoulder was very tender and the protein portion was very generous. We also got a small pork belly bowl, and the small poke bowl. They were both good, my wife loved the pork belly bowl, the pork was crispy and had tons of flavor. The bun sampler was also great. -service, quick and responsive -ambiance, modern and had a Japanese charm Overall 5/5 Next time we visit Santa Barbara we'll be looking to go here again read more
8 months ago
Had an awesome meal at Nikka Ramen with my dad during a weekend trip to Santa Barbara. This has been one of our go to ramen spots for years, and it never disappoints. The tonkotsu ramen is the star. I always get the Kuro with the black garlic oil, which is hands down my favorite. The broth is incredibly thick, rich, and full of flavor. You can really tell the quality of the pork and the care that goes into the broth every single time. My dad usually goes for the classic tonkotsu with garlic, and it is just as solid and comforting. I always add extra pork, corn, scallions, a little spice, and extra black garlic oil. That black garlic oil takes it to another level with this smooth, garlicky, creamy depth that is unreal. Portions are generous for the price, which makes it even better. Service was excellent. Our server was friendly, attentive, and quick, from taking our order to refilling our drinks. We felt taken care of the whole time. If you are in the Santa Barbara area and looking for a reliable, high-quality ramen spot with amazing broth and great service, this place is an easy recommendation. read more
ONE OF THE BEST RAMENS I HAVE EVER HADDDD!!! so flavorful and delicious and hit the spot on a cold night! I LOVE ramen and this place was SOOO quick and SOOO yummy and fresh! I could have drinkin the broth on its own! love this place and want to go back ASAPPPP!! I had the veggie ramen by the way with a side of chili oil! read more
Overall: A // 5 stars Obviously, Nikka Ramen is known for their ramen in which their broths are carefully cooked through the night to develop an intensely rich Tonkotsu. However, what I realized during my time in Santa Barbara was that there are some hidden gems on their menu that are even more show stopping than their ramen, like their Poke Salad. Recently, when I came back for a weekend getaway, I noticed they had upgraded their menu with an entire sushi section with some truly unbeatable prices on special cuts. Highly recommend Nikka Ramen as a chill spot to grab some really good food at some really competitive prices. Sunday night at 8p had no line too!! (Poke Salad: S) - This remains one of my favorite salads in Santa Barbara. At the same price as a regular fast casual poke place, this bowl is just a harmonious medley of fresh and vibrant flavors; we have a salad filled with corn, apples, and the sesame dressing for some sweet and umami; there's marinated salmon on top of a bed of rice for saline and comfort. This dish is just so well thought out, that you can clearly taste that they took every opportunity they could to elevate the flavor profile and make it that much more special. (Uni Sashimi: A) - Incredibly generous serving of uni for only $24 with maintained freshness; this is cheaper than when I went to the fish market downtown or the fisherman's wharf to buy uni directly, and it comes fully cleaned and plated too! This is definitely the place to have Santa Barbara uni. Food: +1 Presentation: E Price: +2 Atmosphere: E Service: E Menu: +1 Overall: 5 stars Insta/Beli/Yelp/TikTok: @amei_eats read more
9 months ago
We were welcomed at the door and seated immediately to a busy a delightful dining room. Even with all their well tasty dishes, the TONKOTSU RAMEN ORIGINAL BLACK GARLIC "KURO" stood out to me. You have a choice of noodle thickness and cut of meat. I chose think and the pork shoulder. The ramen also comes with a nice complement of vegetables too. The ramen was served not long after ordering, it was surprisingly quick. The taste and smoothness of the broth was just right. Not too heavy and a depth of flavor. The noodles had just the right bite that added to my enjoyment. The ramen is a generous portion with a great amount of meat that filled the bowl. I know everyone will enjoy their meal as much as I did, maybe more. read more
10 months ago
The Tonkatsu was so good! A lot of flavor and they are very generous with the amount of protein they give. The Poke bowl with salmon and tuna was fresh (and I'm picky) and the additional of diced apples and corn was an interesting ingredient, but it added a nice touch of flavor!! The small was the perfect size! Super friendly staff and clean restaurant is a definite plus!! Come check out Nikka Ramen if you're in the Santa Barbara area!! It's worth some ramen, especially on a chilly day!! read more
5 months ago
1 year ago
This is one of the spots I absolutely NEED to stop by whenever I'm in sb!!! The interior is pretty clean and spacious and the service is good. Also, the portions are huge. Spicy tuna crispy rice- 9/10 soooo yummy and there's so much spicy tuna on there!! For some reason ramen places have the best spicy tuna crispy rice like even better than sushi restaurants sometimes. Spicy ramen with thick noodles- 7.5/10 also delicious!! I think this is absolutely the best ramen I've ever had in Santa Barbara. I don't love it as much as I used to since moving back to Orange County, but I still think it's very solid ramen and is super tasty nonetheless. I also added broccolini to mine, and was expecting fried or roasted ones, but it was just steamed which threw me off a bit since it was really tough. Overall, I think it's great and nostalgic and I will definitely be visiting every time I visit sb!! read more
5 months ago
4 months ago
The broth is out of this world , incredibly tasty . Burrito is huge portion sizes are generous and the service is great . This is my favorite meal and I order it every time read more
This ramen was really tasty! I definitely would recommend this place if you're craving ramen in the area! This is a cute little ramen shop. I got my food pretty quickly and the service here is great. I really enjoyed the broth, very rich which is what I prefer. The pork belly was nice an tasty, great texture, the cuts were a lot thicker than what I was expecting. I liked the thick noodles they offer here too. read more
9 months ago
Best ramen I have ever had hands down I've had so much ramen recently and nothing compares to Nikka You need to go like seriously The pork shoulder was so insanely good and the portions are insane! I had to summon all my energy to finish my bowl and oh my how it was worth it I wish I lived in Santa Barbara so I could go here everyday! Thank you Nikka for changing my life read more
1 year ago
What a pleasant and satisfying spot for when you're craving Japanese food in Goleta! Nikka Ramen is apart of a local establishment group that provides delicious and high quality food in the area! Whether you are craving ramen, sushi, or something new, they have exactly what you need. My boyfriend and I headed here for dinner around 6 pm and the place was quite busy! The restaurant can seat about 50 people I'd say, and it was full! We didn't have to wait though, since it was just us two, and we're seated and assured quick. The staff were very nice and helpful! We began the meal with the chashu pork buns and both got their spicy tonkotsu ramen for our main course. The pork buns were ok. The chashu was great and super tender, but the bao was soggy and the dish was overall quite sweet. We didn't prefer the addition of caramelized onions in this dish. Next time we would pass on this. The ramen was the star of the show. You have the choice of thin traditional noodles of thick craft noodles, and either pork belly or pork shoulder. I got thin noodles and pork belly, while my boyfriend got thick noodles and pork shoulder. 24 hour cooked broth, fresh noodles, tender meat, what else could you ask for? The broth was incredibly rich and flavorful, creamy almost. It perfectly coated the noodles. The noodles themselves were nice and chewy! The pork belly was greatly cooked, the fat melts in your mouth while the meat is bit through like butter. I loved it!! My boyfriend loved the thick noodles. They're the thickness of chow mein, but taste like a traditional ramen noodle. The pork should was super tender as well and flavorful. This ramen was nicely spicy, just enough to enhance the eating experience! So so good! Nikka Ramen is great! It has always been reliable and the ramen is so great. You have to stop by if you haven't already!!! read more
1 year ago
Always such a treat to visit Nikka Ramen. Decided to try something new for me today. Tsekumen w/chicken. Sooo delish! Perfect for a warm day. Service was great. Seated quickly, service was quick and food came out lighting fast. read more
1 year ago
Overall the meal was super delicious!!! The small bowl was super filling my choice of meat was pork. Staff were super friendly. When I got there it wasn't too loud but quickly got packed and for a good reason. The sauce in the bowl was delicious and I could not put down the pork. Rice stuck together and I would definitely go back on a hungrier day and grab a larger bowl. read more
4 months ago
1 year ago
We decided to give this place a try based on the Yelp reviews, but unfortunately, it turned out to be a very disappointing experience. It was overrated. We arrived around 7:00 PM, and the restaurant was getting busy, which gave us hope that the food would be good. Sadly, that wasn't the case. We ordered their spicy ramen -- but the broth was overwhelmingly salty and greasy. None of us were able to finish our portions. We ended up spending nearly $200, not including gratuity, for 7 people and it felt like a complete waste. Definitely not the dining experience we were expecting. read more
About 10 minutes from the UCSB campus, this place did not disappoint. Staff was really friendly and we were seated right away. Prices are reasonable and portions were very generous. Here is what we had: *Gyoza - standard crispy pot stickers *Side salad - this was a stunner! Came with fresh apples, corn, tomato's, avocado and more. Dressing was perfection! *spam Musubi - it's a Musubi, need I say more? *Tonkatsu - creamy fatty broth perfection. Good flavor and had a good ratio of meat to noodles. *pork belly bowl - tender well-seasoned meat with all the fixings. read more
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Ask the Community - Nikka Ramen
Hiyashi chuka good?
Has anybody taken a photo, let alone actually tried, the elusive ramen burrito?
Yes
Do they have gluten free options?
We do have some Gluten Free Options I would call the restaurant when we open at 5:00 PM
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