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Nikka Ramen

4.4 (888 reviews)
ModerateRamen, Poke
Open • 11:30 am - 2:30 pm, 5:00 PM - 9:30 PM
Updated over 3 months ago

Order Nikka Ramen Takeout or Delivery

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NIKKA RAMEN ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Moderate noise
Trendy
Casual
Dogs allowed

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Recommended Reviews - Nikka Ramen

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Reviews With Photos

Black Garlic "Kuro"
Bethany W.

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!

Sushant Z.

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.

Curry Ramen
Bryan T.

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

Sushi menu
Lily Z.

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.

Constance L.

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!

Shiro tonkatsu ramen
Deb W.

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.

Small Chashu bowl
Claudia B.

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.

Pork Small Chashu Bowl
Shawn N.

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

Noelle C.

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!

TONKOTSU BLACK GARLIC "KURO" RAMEN with spinach. This bowl is with pork belly.
Skmo P.

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.

Poke Bowl
TheFoodieReviewer C.

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!!

Insta/Beli/Yelp/TikTok: @amei_eats
Alex M.

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

Tiffany K.

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!!

Tonkotsu

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1 month ago

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3 months ago

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5 months ago

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7 days ago

Insane food. Super delicious and great service would go back. Ambiance pleasant too!

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3 months ago

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11 months ago

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1 year ago

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1 month ago

Got the coral garlic bowl within noodles - very good. Quick service. Very nice rich broth and the pork shoulder was excellent.

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4 months ago

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4 months ago

My family loves Nikka Ramen. We love the Ramen and all of the food. My kids even love Nikka Ramen.

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4 months ago

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1 month ago

Food was amazing! My server Elijah was knowledgeable, funny, and the food arrived perfectly on time. Definitely would come back!

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Ask the Community - Nikka Ramen

Can I bring my dog if I sit outside?

Yes

Is there outdoor dining?

Yes there is!

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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Uniboil - Stewed beef noodle

Uniboil

(306 reviews)

$$

We were passing the area when we decided we needed some lunch. I found this place on yelp and…read moredecided to give it a try. It was an open layout that had plenty of seating inside the restaurant. The decor was moder, but not overdone. We were greeting and pointed to a table but that was it. We realized there was a QR code on the table and we could order our food on there. It took a little while to get our food even though no one else was there. I found it really odd to not even be told to use the QR code to order or be informed of anything. Stewed beef noodles with Ramen- 9/10 My husband ordered this and I tried some. The broth was delicious. Rich and flavorful but not overbearing. The noodles were cooked perfectly and the meat was tender. The bok choy was a needed touch. My husband ate the whole bowl and wanted a second because was so good. Certified Angus Beef hot pot- 8/10 I ordered this with the tom yum broth. I didn't know it was a creamy version of the broth until it was served. I'm not mad about it but it wasn't in the description in case others are dairy sensitive. The broth was flavorful and really delicious. I will say that the beef was tough and it a typical cut that overcooked very quickly in the broth. I'm not positive it was Angus beef grade. I just now realized it was missing the lotus root but gave me zucchini instead. I was also missing my quail eggs. If I didn't read the description to know I was supposed to have them, I would've missed that too. Overall, the food was delicious but the service was 1 star for sure. We were never checked on and the waiter only appeared if we pushed the call button. If you can overlook the lack of customer service, the food is really delicious.

For our monthly house dinner, we stumbled upon Uniboil and were knocked out of the park! Their…read morevermicelli was absolutely delicious when paired with the spicy broth and beef! It also my first time having lotus fruit and now it's a must have for any broth/hot pot! It was a very relaxing restaurant to enjoy conversations with friends! It was incredibly easy to order food using their QR code menu on the table and the servers were very attentive if someone needed a refill on water or if we needed extra utensils! I'm looking forward to the rainy season when I can really leverage their Hong Kong-style hot pot!

Noodle City - Menu item #35 - BUN THIT NUONG CHA GIO - (Rice Vermicelli with charbroiled grilled pork and egg roll)

Noodle City

(628 reviews)

$

It was a cold and rainy day, so chicken soup sounded perfect…read more I found this little restaurant close to our hotel. I had the chicken pho. It was full of white meat chicken, yummy rice noodles, and savory broth. Absolutely delicious and warming. Hubby had the shrimp pho. He was very pleased. He had a large bowl and slurped down every drop. Loved this little gem of a restaurant, and hope to return.

My girlfriend and I visited Noodle City since our regular pho spot was temporarily closed…read more I ordered the pho super bowl with everything except rare steak (flank, tripe, tendon, and meatballs. Personal preference but, I believe it is a crime to not have brisket when serving pho. The only options left were dry, tougher cuts that felt very mediocre. Regarding the broth, it was overwhelmingly bland. It was extremely clear and had minimal fat. Again personal preference but, it seems they had extracted all of the fat after simmering the beef and that left the broth so lackluster. We also got the Thai tea and my girlfriend thought it was delicious. Regarding the ambiance, I think Noodle City tries their best making use of their limited space. However, it wasn't very clean: the spoons were a bit dirty, it seemed like the floor isn't cleaned often, and the utensil/condiment holder on our table was a mess with the chopsticks about to fall off the table. As for the service, they had plenty on their hands tonight as a ~12 top came in shortly after us and they a line out the door until right before we left. They checked in multiple times, however, we did have to mention our thai tea was forgotten and got it AFTER our pho came out. It also seemed like there was an altercation with a male server and the party of 12: orders were confused and he yelled "well figure it out". Overall, I've been to Noodle City for ~3 years and I think they have GREAT rice dishes. However, their pho is pretty mediocre, service is often fast but not friendly, and prices are always CHEAP.

Nikka Japanese Market

Nikka Japanese Market

(56 reviews)

$$

Nikka Japanese Market is truly a gem in Goleta and the surrounding Santa Barbara area. A perfect,…read morecute shop featuring groceries and other Japanese goods, it is magical! I must mention their prices are also super fair and you can get a great deal on high quality items!! I am not from here, but I am a frequent visitor. I have always had a difficult time sourcing Asian grocery items until I discovered this spot. Their store holds so many surprises within its aisles. From dozens of varieties of soy sauce to specialty frozen foods and ceremonial fruits, Nikka has it all! I was looking for ingredients to make Lu Rou fan, a Taiwanese traditional braised pork, and was struggling to find the ingredients elsewhere. I came in looking for 2 types of soy sauce, shiitake mushrooms, and vegetables. They had it all! A very wonderful, kind woman assisted me and pointed me to exactly what I needed. We also had a sweet conversation about taiyaki, which I was also able to buy from here. I'm so sad I didn't get her name! If you are reading this, thank you for the help!! I have been back a few times since my first visit and each time I go it is awesome! If you are looking for specialty items or just want a new place to get groceries, stop here!!! :)

I would not have survived my time in Santa Barbara without this shop! Such a good selection of holy…read moregrail items for asian cooking, and the staff are beyond friendly on top of that.

Nikka Ramen - ramen - Updated May 2026

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