Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Torisoba Tonsho

    4.7 (198 reviews)
    ModerateRamen
    Open 11:30 am - 9:00 pm

    Order Torisoba Tonsho Takeout or Delivery

    Torisoba Tonsho Photos

    Business Info

    TORISOBA TONSHO ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Classy
    Outdoor seating
    Dogs allowed

    More like Torisoba Tonsho

    Recommended Reviews - Torisoba Tonsho

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Michael T.

    This place was pretty great. The interior is bright and clean with a large flavored water jug and open view kitchen. The servers were nice and accommodating and the menu is fairly simple. I ordered the original with no egg. The broth was creamy and full of chicken unami and the noodles were perfectly spring and chewy. The chicken was nicely cooked, if lacking a strong flavor, but was perfectly fine in broth. The overall result was warm and comfortable. A very pleasant bowl of ramen. Then, out of curiosity, I ordered the spicy garlic miso noodle refill. The idea of flavored noodle refills is unique and mine came with noodles, a spicy miso bomb, scallions, chicken chunks, and garlic chips. They recommended mixing the noodles like a mazemen, but it did not particularly taste very good due to how dry the components are. In the leftover broth, it completely transforms the flavor. The garlic chips add a nice crunch and hit of garlic. The miso bomb made the broth have a kick and amplified the warm unami of the chicken. Very pleasant experience. As a note, the parking situation is paid/validated parking at the rear of the restaurant. The entrance and exit are narrow alleyways connected to the main throughfare of the area. Parking is validated for 1 hour through QR code at the restaurant (or paid in the same manner). All in all, a very nice experience. Unfortunate for the parking situation, but if you could handle the narrow alleys, very much worth the experience.

    Truffle Oil and Pepper for the table
    Alison C.

    The unique thing about this spot is that they froth their soup so it has a bubbly look to it (see photos). Supposedly it helps make the broth creamier and stick to the noodles. It kinda works? The noodles looked pleasing and the food tasted great. Would come back again. Feels like a hole in wall spot. Luckily not busy during lunch on saturday, but would hate to deal with a crowd as the place is small and after your free one hour parking it's like $6.50 an hour in the lot. Didnt check street parking price. Parking (usual per LA) remains troublesome as if you park in their lot you have to turn into a tight alley and I wish this restaurant was more accessible. Seems great for regulars or people nearby who can walk here as you can earn reward points. I really like how they have a simple menu with not too many items, but they have honed down their base flavors and variations. You can slowly customize the dish throughout your experience with the truffle oil, pepper, can even request spicy chili oil, or getting extra noodles when you're done makes it a great dining experience. Staff is very sweet and friendly. -Karaage: Meaty, crunchy, and juicy. Has quality compared to what you'd find in stores -Original: super deep flavor chicken broth, can never go wrong with this. -Dandan: Great for spicy lovers, broth can be a little salty but still great. I love that they cut the chicken into small squares, also great quality -Lemon Butter: Creamy. Good to shake it up if you ever get tired of the original. I was worried it would be too buttery, but make sure you mix it well and it just adds more flavor. -Vegetarian: VERY interesting. I can't pin down what the flavor it is but it was the most unique. Had an almost acidic taste. It kind of reminded me of alcohol but someone also said it had a corn flavor which i agree with (there is corn in it). -Sparkling Ooling Tea: I don't usually get drinks at restaurants, but I would get this again. Sparkling tea is rare to me.

    Lemon butter ramen
    Angela C.

    Lovely spot for paitan ramen, with frothy white broth made from chicken that's simultaneously rich yet light and refreshing! ARRIVING / PARKING: Small parking lot behind the restaurant, one way so be careful entering. Pay by QR code and there's parking QR code at the front after you walk in. VIBE: Counter seating and smaller tables best for up to 4 people inside, bright and easy to chat. There may be a line for dinner but they seem to move fairly quickly and stay about 2-3 parties deep. FOOD/BEV: No alcohol license yet but theres non-alcoholic beer and yuzu juice etc. There's gyoza, fried rice, karaage and more but they're famous for their chicken paitan ramen! Our favorites are the ORIGINAL and LEMON BUTTER (can add egg as supplement). Their fried rice is excellent to whet the appetite too. Lovely light broth, a pile of green onions, semi firm thin noodles, white chicken meat. If you'd like to change up the flavors there is truffle oil on the table; couple drops go a long way, and there's also a black pepper grinder for fresh pepper flavor. Excellent, have been here a couple times already and look forward every time. There's a rewards program which is handy for discounts of promos too.

    Lemon butter ramen
    Kelly C.

    Free parking and delicious food, I'm not sure why this place isn't more popular!! My friend recommended this spot and I have not stopped talking about it with my friends. The butter ramen is so special with nice chewy noodles to top it off - I always get the lemon one which offers a nice kick. While the bowls look small, it's actually the perfect size where you find yourself getting full just at the very end. Services is great as well! I have tried the basil extra noodles and they weren't as good so I would stick with the original and lemon butter :)

    Lemon butter ramen with truffle oil
    Darianna C.

    This cute ramen shop was a bright oasis in a desert of eateries. Walked in on a cold, rainy afternoon after a visit at Cedars Sinai and needed some warm comforting food. The place is super clean, yet cozy and inviting. Staff is very kind and helpful. I ordered the lemon butter ramen and hubby got a miso Teri bowl. It was so good and a balm for the tummy. Delicious food, polite staff and a little haven to eat, relax and recharge. Would definitely come here again.

    Lemon butter ramen
    Dante H.

    I dropped into Torisoba Tonsho because the restaurant was known for their creamy chicken ramen broth which is pretty hard to find, since most places use a pork broth. There's a parking lot behind the restaurant with a really tight entrance and exit, but if your car fits, the restaurant provides 1 hour of free parking. The restaurant is very small, with 5 tables and a bar area, so expect to wait during peak dining hours. I ordered the lemon butter chicken ramen and my dad tried the original chicken ramen bowl with the Toriten bowl. We also shared some chicken gyoza as well, so they're definitely a chicken-based restaurant! I don't think I saw any beef or pork dishes. All the food was really good, but their ramen is the star menu item. The ramen broth was creamy and savory, and the ramen noodles had a nice bite and chew to them. It was a surprise to me as I didn't see them in the pictures, but each ramen bowl also comes with 2 thick pieces of chicken, hidden deep within the creamy confines of the broth. Honestly, I personally couldn't really tell the difference between the lemon butter and original ramen broths, there was maybe just the slightest hint of lemon flavor. The truffle oil they provide on each table is amazing! You can add as much or as little as you want, but if you love that earthy/umami truffle flavor, you'll definitely wanna put tons of itty-bitty spoonfuls of the stuff into your ramen bowl. I should have just poured it in with the amount I ended up adding! Definitely would come back if I'm ever in the area again.

    Karaage combo with original
    Angel C.

    Really delicious chicken soba/ramen noodles. The broth was so clean and light and the chicken was tender! I got the karaage combo for $23 which is a great deal! The karaage was SO good, I was really surprised by how much i liked it. The ramen with some truffle oil was also just perfect.

    LEMON BUTTER CHICKEN RAMEN W / SEASONED EGG
    Juliet G.

    This is an excellent spot for chicken ramen in the Melrose area. I visited on a weekday afternoon and was seated immediately. The staff were so kind and quick, and the environment was spotless with cute electronic music in the background. I was recommended the lemon butter flavor, which I can say truly reminded me of other delicious chicken ramen I've had in Japan. It was also slightly reminiscent of au gratin, because it was creamy and hearty. I added a bit of truffle oil and black pepper that were available at each seat, which brought the flavor of the broth to another level of umami. With the seasoned egg and lemon it had a unique flavor profile for ramen, very cozy and homey without being heavy, perfect for the upcoming season. I loved everything about Torisoba Tonsho, and I know you will too. You have to check them out if you're a ramen fan!

    The "flavored egg" was perfect.  It's cold, so let it sit in your broth to warm it up.
    Lopsie S.

    You know a place is good when they only have 3 things on the menu and everyone raves about it! This small, clean and classy casual place makes a chicken ramen. Normally that would not excite me. I stand corrected. This chicken ramen is AH-MAZZ-ZING!!! The clean chicken flavor is so direct, you wonder how anyone can call chicken 'plain.' This is what chicken broth should always be, but other broths only dream to be this good. It is not a clear broth, but a white broth, but it is not heavy at all! I don't know what magic they cast, but I will definitely be coming back for this again! My friend got the Lemon Butter ramen, which intrigued me, so of course I had to take a 'friend tax' and try a spoonful of it. The lemon and butter really work well with the broth base and gives it a refreshingly rich flavor that still is not heavy. I think I'll have that one next time... or should I try the 3rd ramen (Dan Dan ramen) that we didn't get to try? Hmmmmmm... I don't know.. On the table there is a tiny tureen of truffle oil. I know everyone goes gaga over truffle oil, myself included, but at least for these ramens I think even just a little oil overwhelms the light fresh flavor of the soup. SO, I just dropped a drop or two onto just the ladle/spoon holding some ramen noodles in it, and I got to enjoy the nice truffle infusion without committing my soup to it. For drinks, the cold brew kagoshima green tea was very nice, and refills are included. Since my friend has quit alcohol, it was nice to see Asahi No-Alcohol Beer. I'm an equal opportunity tax'er so I tried her beer and I have to say its a nice non-alcoholic beer. Very satisfying. they give you a little carafe of tap water with lemon and lime if you want water, but I have to say, you can still taste that distinct tap water flavor through the ice and lemon... considering how clean everything tasted, I was a little disappointed that the regular water wasn't filtered. I was completely full. My friend had gotten a combo that came with gyoza and she had to pack up some of it because she couldn't finish it. Oh, and I had added a ramen egg to my ramen because it does not come with it (not even a half of one). And the egg as an add-on is $3. It's totally not needed, but I love these flavored eggs, and the one here is special because it's not a soy sauce egg - that would clash and distract from the chicken broth. It is white, but flavored, with that custard like middle yolk. Despite being full, I had to try the vanilla ice cream with yuzu. After all, its only $2.50. I have to say, I'm glad it was small, because I barely had any room to fit that in my belly! Thru this all, the service was impeccable. They also use an electronic stamp card that can get you free appetizers or food if you redeem your stamps. And if it is your first time signing up, you get 3 stamps instead of the usual 1 stamp!

    Emily S.

    order everything! genuinely one of the best meals i've had recently. the original ramen was rich, yet smooth. the lemon butter ramen had a nice acidic touch to cut the richness that is the butter ramen. the chicken tempura was soft and perfectly crispy. gyoza wasn't anything too special but i appreciated its nice pan-fried flavor. the pickled veggie fried rice surprisingly had a spicy kick to it but was very hearty and i can see why our server said it was her favorite. lastly, the two scoops of ice cream with yuzu jelly and currant were extremely refreshing and necessary to combat the richness of the meal. would highly recommend !!! this is all coming from a girl who doesn't really prefer ramen in her food rotation

    Menu
    Emma S.

    Popped into Torisoba Tonsho last night with my sister and nephew for dinner. They had been a couple times before and wanted ti go one last time before they move back to San Diego. I'm always up to try something new so I said sure, let's go! I ordered the Lemon Butter Ramen with an egg and man was it delicious!! Made me think of a creamy chicken noodle soup. Upon the suggestion of the gentleman who brought us our food, we put a tiny bit of truffle oil and some black pepper in each of our bowls. Loved the elevated hole in the wall atmosphere of the inside I highly recommend this restaurant! You will not be disappointed!!

    Himson F.

    10/10 for this place. Visited there during a short trip staying closed by Beverly Hills. I feel like Tonkotsu is the most popular style in the US but for those who doesn't like pork flavor, tori paitan could be a good option because of the creamy consistency and the richness. We were so hungry so we ordered all 3 of their bowls (original, dan dan and lemon butter) and all of them were delicious! They are also offering a very affordable combo which you can pick some sides like gyoza and fried rice. The broth is well seasoned, slightly zesty and tasteful with tender pieces of chicken. Gyoza and fried rice were alright but still the bowls were unforgettable. Highly recommend! The service was friendly and the atmosphere was inviting. Easy street parking while we went there on weekdays after 2pm.

    Naomi W.

    What a unique ramen spot! Torisoba is serving up frothy chicken ramens which are delicious and comforting. I tried the original, lemon butter, as well as the Dan Dan ramens. Also tried multiple apps and sides and was not disappointed. Everything was so fresh and tasty. Staff was friendly and super helpful in making suggestions for us. Great spot if you are looking for a comforting meal.

    Chicken lemon butter white grape tea

    See all

    24 days ago

    absolutely 10/10 the lemon butter ramen and fried rice. the food is so fresh and service is amazing

    Business owner information

    Photo of Shin-Sen-Gumi Guest Relations T.

    Shin-Sen-Gumi Guest Relations T.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 month ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Shin-Sen-Gumi Guest Relations T.

    Shin-Sen-Gumi Guest Relations T.

    Helpful 11
    Thanks 6
    Love this 11
    Oh no 0

    25 days ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Shin-Sen-Gumi Guest Relations T.

    Shin-Sen-Gumi Guest Relations T.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 month ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Shin-Sen-Gumi Guest Relations T.

    Shin-Sen-Gumi Guest Relations T.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 month ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Shin-Sen-Gumi Guest Relations T.

    Shin-Sen-Gumi Guest Relations T.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Ada Y.
    201
    371
    1638

    2 days ago

    Delicious creamy yet light ramen. The noodles were cooked perfectly. It isn't overly salty or oily. Parking is a bit annoying but doable.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Shin-Sen-Gumi Guest Relations T.

    Shin-Sen-Gumi Guest Relations T.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Shin-Sen-Gumi Guest Relations T.

    Shin-Sen-Gumi Guest Relations T.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    3 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Shin-Sen-Gumi Guest Relations T.

    Shin-Sen-Gumi Guest Relations T.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Shin-Sen-Gumi Guest Relations T.

    Shin-Sen-Gumi Guest Relations T.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    4 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    3 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Shin-Sen-Gumi Guest Relations T.

    Shin-Sen-Gumi Guest Relations T.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Shin-Sen-Gumi Guest Relations T.

    Shin-Sen-Gumi Guest Relations T.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    1 month ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Shin-Sen-Gumi Guest Relations T.

    Shin-Sen-Gumi Guest Relations T.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Shin-Sen-Gumi Guest Relations T.

    Shin-Sen-Gumi Guest Relations T.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Yasmin L.
    152
    62
    35

    2 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Shin-Sen-Gumi Guest Relations T.

    Shin-Sen-Gumi Guest Relations T.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Shin-Sen-Gumi Guest Relations T.

    Shin-Sen-Gumi Guest Relations T.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 1
    Love this 2
    Oh no 3

    1 year ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Shin-Sen-Gumi Guest Relations T.

    Shin-Sen-Gumi Guest Relations T.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 months ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 4
    Oh no 0

    7 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Marc N.
    18
    612
    877

    7 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Max S.
    396
    150
    119

    6 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    1 month ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Shin-Sen-Gumi Guest Relations T.

    Shin-Sen-Gumi Guest Relations T.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 month ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Shin-Sen-Gumi Guest Relations T.

    Shin-Sen-Gumi Guest Relations T.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Page 1 of 5

    Torisoba Tonsho Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Torisoba Tonsho

    Someone in my party is allergic to seafood and seaweed, basically everything in the ocean. Does the broth have konbu in it?

    Hi Cindy, Thank you for your inquiry. Unfortunately, our ramen contains kombu and shellfish. The… Read more

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

    Daikokuya Little Tokyo - Daikoku Ramen

    Daikokuya Little Tokyo

    4.1(9.9k reviews)
    8.1 miLittle Tokyo, Downtown
    $$

    I'm really torn because the food was really good, but the service was seriously lacking. There were…read moresix of us, and all of us felt how rude they were. We ended up being sat next to the grill, I have a shellfish allergy so we asked to sit in their outdoor seating area (which had plenty of tables open) instead just so my allergies don't get triggered by all the vapors. As we walked to our outdoor table, my husband and friend heard three workers talking crap about me and complaining that I shouldn't even be eating there because everything had shellfish. Let's be honest it's not that hard to accommodate, plus we're giving you our business so what's the problem? Rude all the way through table service, then when we were all finished, we had barely just paid and we were finishing our drinks when the same three workers rushed into our table to clear everything out and pushed us out of our table. We're all a pretty chill group of people but every single one of us left saying what the actual f*ck was their problem?

    First time visit. I feel like this place always has a wait. Fortunately for us I don't feel like we…read morewaited very long. The service was amazing. It's a well oiled machine. Seating is available inside and out. The restaurant inside is small. Open kitchen. Very cool to see the process. Hands down I highly recommend ordering the Handmade gyoza . They were juicy and flavorful. For ramen I went with the Daikokuya Ramen combination with chashu pork rice bowl. The ramen broth was rich in flavor. I added spicy oil. The noodles were perfectly cooked. The chashu pork was delicious. I would definitely come back and order everything again.

    Photos
    Daikokuya Little Tokyo - Inside

    Inside

    Daikokuya Little Tokyo - Mixed poke

    Mixed poke

    Daikokuya Little Tokyo - Bishamon Sake

    See all

    Bishamon Sake

    Shin-Sen-Gumi Hakata Ramen - Little Tokyo - Shinsengumi ramen hakata style with side egg

    Shin-Sen-Gumi Hakata Ramen - Little Tokyo

    4.0(3.2k reviews)
    8.1 miLittle Tokyo, Downtown
    $$
    Casual dining
    30 years in business

    The food, service, efficiency and the specials during Dodgers Day and weekend is amazing…read more Pure ramen/izakaya comfort food and even if you don't get the Ramen, the curry donkatsu is delicious. I also love they have small and large size for these rice bowls ("donburi") dishes so you can mix and match. You can eat there by yourself, small group and even big groups. They can split the check 4 ways. Also love that it can be a place you eat when you are short for time (40 minutes) OR can just keep ordering drinks and food for 2 hours. Best value and Efficient. A constant in my Japanese comfort food rotation.

    Always busy, at least the times when my friends and I would go to dine here. It's a staple of…read moreLittle Tokyo and I have some fond memories of going here for almost a decade, especially with friends who are no longer here and those who have moved on. I remember going here during their grand opening ages ago, did their, back then, super cheap deal with unlimited noodle refill (even further discounted due to the special event day) and eating to the point of barely being able to sit up in the car without throwing up. I have a picture of my brother eating here in middle school with us and then later on in his early 20's. Crazy time lapse, and truly shows what a favorite this place is and it's place in the community. As with all businesses in Little Tokyo, parking can suck (not as bad as K-town, but you're either paying or super circling around). Service is super efficient, welcoming and polite, as with their other locations as well. It's not the biggest restaurant, but none of the Shinsengumis I've been to have been particularly large. With this location, from my first visit, and all the subsequent visits, I always get their Hakata ramen, firmer noodles, since the longer I eat and enjoy the food, they'll soften a bit, less soup oil and less saltiness. I get all of the toppings that it comes with and I always add in a poached egg. Love the strong pork flavor since they stew their broth for so long and the tenderness of the chashu (sometimes I order more). Prices have definitely gone up and a slightly altered upgraded version of this ramen is almost $30 if you're not careful enough. Times have changed but how good this place hasn't. There's more ramen options now than there were like 10 years ago, but Shinsengumi is always a classic.

    Photos
    Shin-Sen-Gumi Hakata Ramen - Little Tokyo - Rainbow (salad) ramen: cold noodles & julienned vegetables.

    Rainbow (salad) ramen: cold noodles & julienned vegetables.

    Shin-Sen-Gumi Hakata Ramen - Little Tokyo - Fried pork rice (my favorite)

    Fried pork rice (my favorite)

    Shin-Sen-Gumi Hakata Ramen - Little Tokyo - 12 piece gyoza for $5.15

    See all

    12 piece gyoza for $5.15

    Hachioji Craft Ramen - Hachioji Shoyu Ramen w/ Duck

    Hachioji Craft Ramen

    4.3(446 reviews)
    8.0 miLittle Tokyo, Downtown
    $$

    This was our first time dining here. After a short wait on a Saturday evening we were seated…read more Tables were very clean and comfortable and the service was really friendly. I ordered the Salmon Ikura Bowl and my guest had the Tonkotsu Yama. My order came with miso soup and a small salad, both of which were delicious. The salad had the perfect dressing - not overwhelming but flavorful. My tuna bowl was great. The tuna was perfectly tender and looked beautiful. My guest really enjoyed his Salmon Ikura Bowl. Many other nearby restaurants had really long lines and wait times. But I doubt their food was any better than what we had here. I highly recommend this restaurant.

    I developed a love of shoyu & shio ramen while in Japan and went to Hachioji on a recommendation…read morespecifically for the shoyu since it seems to be the hardest to find. We ordered a chicken karaage to start and it wasn't bad, nothing to write home about though. Since the pieces were large, it was slightly awkward to eat without any plates, and I was just catching the crumbs with my hand (didn't have the ramens at the time). Also got a yuzu beer to try and it was delicious, nice yuzu flavor with some tanginess. I had the shoyu with duck while my husband had the yama tonkotsu that came with fragrant black garlic oil. The tonkotsu is not one of those rich, milky, creamy ones and I personally like these lighter ones more. I also enjoyed the shoyu which had a pleasant depth of flavor, but it felt like it was relying too heavily on MSG for umami. Noodles came out chewy. Definitely not the best ramens I've had but are some of the better ones in LA. Our server was friendly, as were the rest of the staff. Service was quick. The restaurant decor feels straight out of Japan, an extra bit of fun. There's a $10 paid lot behind this block of buildings that's convenient for anything in this part of Little Tokyo.

    Photos
    Hachioji Craft Ramen - Interior

    Interior

    Hachioji Craft Ramen - Hachioji Bun Burger

    Hachioji Bun Burger

    Hachioji Craft Ramen - Sapporo Beer

    See all

    Sapporo Beer

    Marugame Monzo - Red Dragon Rice -with ground pork

    Marugame Monzo

    4.4(5.1k reviews)
    8.1 miLittle Tokyo, Downtown
    $$

    Aight, I eat pretty plain food most of the time and occasionally get Instagram baited into trying…read moreviral stuff, including Menchirashi's carbonara udon in Tokyo, which I enjoyed despite the sauce being fairly light. Marugame Monzo's sauce, however, is the opposite of Menchirashi's. The sauce is SUPER flavorful with a rich, creamy mouthfeel and a strong umami flavor from the bacon and miso. I added mentaiko since I did the same at Menchirashi and honestly, everything was fantastic. The udon itself is pretty much exactly like fresh udon in Japan. Perfectly bouncy, chewy, and satisfying. Staff were also wonderful and service was insanely fast. We probably waited less than 10 minutes for both our udon and tempura, and they consistently checked in to make sure everything was good. I can't wait to come back and try more of their menu, especially the uni cream udon. The only thing I didn't like was the shrimp tempura since it had a lot of batter and not a ton of shrimp, so it was on the greasy side. I did enjoy the soft boiled egg tempura though. The yolk exploded into the udon and somehow made the whole bowl even better hehe. There are plenty of tables inside with limited bar seating. If you're a 2 top you might be sharing a table real close with some neighbors (they put a divider). If there's a wait, write your name down on the clipboard outside!

    I can't believe I have never written a Yelp review for Marugame Monzo before! This is literally…read morewhat I get everytime I visited LA. My friend and I always said we need to try new restaurants but fail every time because we always ended up craving Marugame Monzo. They literally have the best cream udon in my opinion! They got the ratio RIGHHTTTT!! It's creamy but not crazy creamy that all you taste is heavy cream. I can taste the flavor from the protein!! The hand crafted udon noodles always cooked to perfection with the perfect texture. The noodles soaked up the sauce up so well!! I have tried different cream udon dishes here - the famous sea urchin cream udon, the carbonara udon, the mentai cream udon, the butter squid udon, etc... My fav would definitely be the mentai cream udon, as you get lots of yummy seafood (shrimps and scallops) in the sauce. The butter squid cream udon is also really good as well!! I like to pair my cream udon with a side of chicken karage!! I really like the batter that they use for the chicken! It's crunchy and airy and very well seasoned!! Service has always been amazing! You get seated fairly quickly and the staff are super attentive! They always check up on you to see how you are doing. The restaurant is small and they make the best of the space they have. I like the glass window/bar area where you can see the chef make the udon noodles!!

    Photos
    Marugame Monzo - Inside

    Inside

    Marugame Monzo - Agedashi Eggplant ($6)

    Agedashi Eggplant ($6)

    Marugame Monzo - Miso Carbonara ($17)

    See all

    Miso Carbonara ($17)

    Torisoba Tonsho - ramen - Updated May 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...