We had a craving for ramen while on vacation in Monterey, and Toribashi came thru for us! This restaurant was located in a downtown area, so there wasn't a dedicated parking lot, but it was fairly easy to find street parking. I ordered the Shoyu Ramen which was flavorful with a rich broth. I also know my kids thoroughly enjoyed themselves because there was nothing left in their bowls :) Thank you, Toribashi! read more

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Welp.. We finally had the chance to return to Monterey.. As we were squeezed for time, we chose to come to Toribashi tonight. Parking was only mildly challenging, as a space opened up after only a single lap around the block. Inside here, you'll find a busy place with a few tables and individual bar-style (partitioned!) paired seating along the walls adjacent to the kitchen in the middle part of the restaurant. Order up at the self-serve order kiosks, tap in your table/counter number, and they bring out your order in a couple of minutes. We had six of us in our party, and most of us kept it simple by ordering the default Tonkatsu Ramen with different customizable options. Most all of the ingredients in this order were on point - The Chasu Pork Belly was tender, thick and delicious, ramen noodles nothing special, but generally stil on point, as were the bamboo shoots. However, the co-star/centerpiece of the Tonkatsu Ramen other than the Chasu Pork slab should be the broth, but sadly the broth was far far TOO salty which overpowered the other flavors in the broth. Chasu Pork 4.8/5, Tonkatsu Ramen 3.1/5. Service was good as everyone was hustling hard in the kitchen, along with attentive bussers/waitstaff to quickly turn tables. They take good care in wiping down the tables here. If I return, I'll just get the Paitan Ramen like I did in years past, as that seemed less salty. Then again the Paitan soup base begins with the same chicken+pork soup base as the Tonkatsu Ramen. I hope Toribashi will step back up to their former glory. read more

It's edible means 2 stars right? I've eaten good Japanese ramen all over the SF Bay Area. This however, is just a sad imitation. What's sadder still is that this is the only ramen joint in Monterey. read more

Still waiting. So, 7 years ago I wrote a review of Toribashi and today I'm bummed to say not much has changed or has been improved on. Seemed like an average flow of people, nothing seemed stressed. Ordered from the kiosk and sat down. Our ramen arrived and I quickly tasted my broth... good. My wife's broth looked clear almost water like. I asked if I could taste it. "It's weak " I said. It went back to the kitchen. They forgot to add the miso, for the miso broth. It was brought back at nearly room temp. Not nearly hot enough but my ate it as I was nearly done with mine. I'm guessing the cook just stirred cold miso into the already warm stock. Lazy and cheap. Those are two terrible missteps. That's not bad timing it's bad management. Last words...yeah I'm done. read more

Toribashi - Easy to say when you're the only game in town. - Ramen Near Me - Monterey, California

Service is amazing! Jeffrey is very attentive and helped us with any questions we had! The paitan ramen is the most delicious out of the two we got! We actually switched the broths out because I loved it that much. (Strong garlic flavor!!) The chicken karaage is amazing our fave item on the menu! A nice cute spot for a ramen date. read more

Toribashi - Paitan Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Monterey, California

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The vegan miso Raman was amazing. The open got vegan was very nice to see. The service was good and fast . I liked the seating

Food was made really fast, had an amazing flavor and was fresh. Clean spot. They make it easy for you to order with an iPad if you're not big on human interaction. read more

Good spot but they forgot my buddy's order, was waiting for for a min. My ramen got cold and everything

The food was VERY good. Very tasty BUT feel like they need a better system during the lunch rush. Felt very chaotic when you order separately but sitting with a group. I'm pretty sure it was part of the reason my food was delayed about 15 minutes getting to me since the "waiter/busboy" changed my order number. Felt like it was complicated more than needed. Anyway, went with a group of 6 and we all very much enjoyed our food so that was good. read more

Toribashi - Beef bowl - Ramen Near Me - Monterey, California

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Wanted some ramen on a cold evening, and the spicy pork ramen did not disappoint. Ordering is easy and simple from a kiosk, and there are options for bar-like and table seating. I enjoyed the bar seating, with partitioned booths. The ramen was delivered quickly and so delicious. The broth was so rich in flavor and the pork tasted so good too. Definitely recommend! read more

Toribashi - Spicy Tonkotsu Spicy Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Monterey, California

Love coming here for some comforting ramen. Place gets super busy around 7 like line out of the door, be sure to come when they open for dinner. The edemame is good too! read more

Toribashi - Miso Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Monterey, California

Very bland ramen. Now, if I had to pick the spicy tonkotsu did better than tonkotsu, however, the tonkotsu broth is just not there. Flavors are bland in the tonkotsu and our friend's orders: chicken noodle bowl and spicy shio ramen, too. It's like they left out salt in all of these. The positives are a large portion size and generous amount of veggies. 2 thin slices of meat is not worth the price of $18. Chicken karaage was also not tender just very tough and not well breaded. Come here if you have a craving for flavorless ramen, otherwise, if you're visiting from out of town then please go elsewhere. read more

Toribashi - Tonkotsu ramen - Ramen Near Me - Monterey, California

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Located in downtown Monterey, this small ramen shop has lots of seating for groups and individuals. There is street parking right outside, 90 min limit. You order via a tablet and they'll bring the food out to you. The staff were very helpful and nice. Pork tonkotsu ramen - 3/5 - nice portion, noodles were bouncy, not too much flavor Gyoza - 3/5 - thin wrapper which makes it crispy Salmon poke - 3/5 - sweeter than I'm used to but love the various vegetables included, very large portion read more

Toribashi - Tonkotsu Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Monterey, California

Tablet ordering went well, order a drink or you can grab a cup of hot or cold water on your way to your seat. We ordered the tonkotsu and curry ramen, both had very little flavor and the broth was barely above room temp. Most of the ingredients were cold and tasted off. Though the noodles were decent. I don't think I'd waste our time coming back, though I thoroughly hope it was just an off day for them. read more

Toribashi - Tonkotsu ramen - Ramen Near Me - Monterey, California

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Mediocre food, not impressed and will never go back. Two working order stations would have helped wait time. Nice staff though.

On a damp chilly day this is a lovely spot for some ramen. (It's probably lovely other times I just gravitate towards soup and noodles when it's dreary). Order at the kiosk, including subs (yes you can get chicken, or tofu or vegan broth). Then grab a seat and wait until the yumminess is ready. Staff were friendly. Portions are large so if you want to save some for later, ask for your takeout bowl up front so you don't waste a dish. read more

It was very easy to order online, it's my first time there and I was very satisfied with the customer service, plus the Tonkotsu Ramen tastes delicious. read more

It's a good place for convenience. The food is OK.. nothing significant. The establishment has awkward seating arrangements lol a bit tight. The music was weird so it kind of threw me off while eating. Would I come back? Probably not. If anything, it would've been better if we took it to-go. read more

Toribashi - Ramen Near Me - Monterey, California

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My daughter and I went to Japan last year and when we saw the interior of Toribashi it immediately reminded us of ramen places we went to in Japan. Simple decor and open window to the street keeps it casual and welcoming. My daughter and I had miso with tofu, tonkotsu with pork and garlic edamame. The edamame is very garlicky. We prefer just salted, but if you like garlic, it's tasty. We both enjoyed the broth. The miso could have more flavor but the tonkotsu was tasty. The chasu pork wasn't too fatty which I appreciated. It was more similar to Japanese chasu than most places I've tried. The shoyu eggs were delicious. One of the better ones I've had. Would have been 5 stars, but as other reviews mentioned the noodles are a bit reminiscent of top ramen. I had a clump in my bowl that was all stuck together. Overall, would highly recommend. Price point is average for the area and Monterey is not cheap in general. read more

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The ramen was so amazing here. Last we came to Monterey we wanted to come and try but didn't make it in. We had to come and try and boy it did it not disappoint! The tonkatsu soup is what we ordered and it was so delicious! Also tried the chicken karaage and that was also so good. We will always stop here going forward. Loved it!!! read more

Toribashi - Ramen Near Me - Monterey, California

This is a self serve restaurant. You order your food at the counter and select a table number for them to bring your food. There is a water station you can grab free water from. The ambiance is simple and this is the only ramen in this area. There is street parking and no private parking lot. The reason why I am giving this such a low rating is that the ramen was really bland and lacked flavor. The ramen is about 17-18 dollars and I don't think it was worth the price itself. read more

Toribashi - Tonkatsu Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Monterey, California

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This is my second time here. I got the Paitan Ramen the first time and it was super flavorful and had a medley of toppings which made each spoonful the perfect bite. This time I tried their Shio Ramen. The broth is rich and the veggies added a nice crunch, but the pork was more on the bland side and was tough. I'd come back to try the other menu items as I love their broth but I'd stick to the ground meats for enhanced flavor. The garlic edamame did have a lot of sauce (as some other reviews mention) but I like it when my edamame has a burst of flavor. Ample seating and even has a section for solo dine-in goers (a long table against the wall sectioned off by dividers) which I think is pretty neat! Very quick service (food was delivered to our table within five minutes of ordering)! There are kiosks to order yourself and you don't really interact with the workers there except for when food is brought out. read more

Toribashi - Shio Ramen Garlic Edamame Tonkotsu-Spicy Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Monterey, California

This is my husband's go to spot. Absolutely loves this place. The ramen is good and there is a lot of it! I would pair it with the karage and get one of their unique drinks read more

Toribashi - Mango Cream Soda - Ramen Near Me - Monterey, California

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They had Orion beer 5/5!!! Spicy Veggie Ramen: 3/5. Noodles weren't my favorite. Broth was overly salty and bland. I added some hot water to tone it down. Spice was okay. They charge .75 for their spicy sauce. Extra egg on side 4/5, 2.50 extra. That was a flavorful and delicious egg that I added to my ramen. Tan Tan Ramen: 3/5. It was okay, would have tasted better if it was spicer. read more

Toribashi - Vegetarian shio spicy ramen and Tan-Tan Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Monterey, California

The ramen was served cold to us. I asked for the ramen to be placed in a microwave just to have hot broth, and they told me they cannot do that. I understood, but did not want to eat cold ramen, and told them the broth was really cold. They just apologized and did not try to remake it, or offer anything else. The ramen itself tasted like instant ramen from a packet. It was very over priced for the quality. I have never went back, it did not give me a reason to. The pot stickers tasted frozen from Costco and thrown into an oil pan. There was no authentic taste from the food. read more

Shio-Spicy Ramen and Spicy Tonkatsu were fire! Served within 10 minutes of ordering. Very welcoming little spot! Definitely coming back! read more

Toribashi - Shio-Spicy Ramen Chicken Karaage Ika Geso Karaage - Ramen Near Me - Monterey, California

10 out of 10 Ramen would recommend definitely go. Got the extra egg extra pork. Service was very fast. Incredible flavor in the broth. read more

Toribashi - Tonkotsu Ramen with extra egg extra pork. 10 out of 10 would recommend. - Ramen Near Me - Monterey, California

We have been wanting to try on our many visits to Monterey. They have a sign stating the best ramen in Monterey. Well if this is the best, I'd hate to try the worst. Very bland and one slice of protein, but the protein did have ok flavor. Will not come back read more

Overall it was decent, not special. Had the spicy vegetarian ramen. Too much spice, rest of broth tasted rather bland. Ordered the garlic edamame and it came out drenched in sauce - the edamame themselves were on the blander/older side. Location is was good - on the main strip. Decor was what you'd find for a hip-ish ramen bar tables with a few tables up front. Service was decent - server came around often to check, it was a relatively slow afternoon. read more

Toribashi - Vegetarian Miso Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Monterey, California

yum! nice searing area inside with good view of street. food was very good and you order on an ipad so it comes out very fast. the fried squid was my favorite. read more

Toribashi - Tuna Poke Bowl - Ramen Near Me - Monterey, California

Good food, fast service. Everything included in our order for Takeaway, including chopsticks and spoons, etc. all four of us liked our food and had good proportions especially my rice bowl. However, I don't like their ordering system. I had to fill out the online form twice for pick up very annoying. read more

Fulfills the axiom - the more humble the frontage, the better the food. Very quick service with helpful staff, and the ability to customize the order from the tablet is great with picky eating kids. Drinks have enough selection and the cold sake is excellent. We were impressed with the Tonkatsu and Miso ramen - there's a pepperyness with the latter that is great - and the Oyster Fry. Those were so soft, tender, and full of flavour. Very much recommend this place over pretty much everything else in town. read more

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I ordered Tonkutsu Ramen and shoyu Ramen, and calamari. I tried so many Japanese soup, Tonkatsu is my Favorite, their soup is best among all Japanese soup in Monterey County. I wish they add sushi I hope they also open a restaurant in other cities like Seaside or Salinas. read more

It was a rainy night. We wanted a simple not heavy meal. We thought to try this Ramen noodles restaurant where the price is also reasonable. The service is self ordering. The program is easy to follow for me as a first time customer and efficient. The food is delicious and not greasy both hot both noodles and cold noodles with braise chicken. The hot broth noodle is excellent on a rainy day. Both noodle dishes are good value and delicious meal. The place is clean and table are clean soon as the customer left. All in all the operations is efficient and comfortable. read more

Yesterday we found this place by accident and so glad we did the ramen/food sooooo gooood and the service the guy sorry didn't get his name so nice the place is small but it worked we ordered and food came out fast we had 2 kids and that loved it for sure if I'm back in Monterey i will come back should open another location in LA read more

It was amazing ramen house in Monterey. I went to Toribashi with my husband, and we surprised that quick serving time! You feel Japan atmosphere in the house. read more

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Great fast food, fantastic flavors. Recommend if you are in the area. Fast service in a small space.

Stopped by while walking around old Monterey and had the spicy miso ramen! The ramen was delicious, the broth was very flavorful and the noodles were just right! We initially ordered to go because we had our double stroller and we were weary of asking to sit inside since so many places were not kid friendly but then we saw a little table outside and asked if we could sit out there and they were so quick to sit us and bring us our food! We got to enjoy a nice dinner! Will definitely go back if I'm in Monterey again! read more

We had two different ramen bowls as well as Teriyaki Chicken. Everything was fresh and delicious.

Delicious ramen. So glad they have vegetarian options for my wife. Large portions. Customer service was great! They waited patiently for the couple in the window seat to finish and reserved the spot tor us when I inquired. Great job! Will return. read more

Toribashi - Ramen Near Me - Monterey, California