There’s nothing more comforting than a piping hot bowl of ramen, especially in the fall and winter months. Lucky for us, Los Angeles ramen restaurants always uphold the highest standards of authenticity and creativity. Experience the best of this nourishing Japanese noodle dish at these veritable ramen institutions around L.A., from the old-school flavors at Daikokuya to the flavorful mazemen at Mogu Mogu. Read on to discover the best ramen in Los Angeles.
1. Daikokuya
Daikokuya has gained a loyal following of ramen lovers in L.A. simply because of their dedication to authentic, old-school dishes. Pull up a seat in Little Tokyo’s unpretentious ramen shop to savor these beautifully balanced soups prepared by talented chefs. Popular menu items include the signature Daikokuya Ramen, made with their famous tonkotsu soup base and topped with pork belly chashu; and the Spicy Miso Ramen, with a mild spicy miso, pork broth, and rich Kotteri flavor.
🍜 Learn more: Daikokuya
📍 Locations:
- Little Tokyo – 327 1st St and 321 1/4 1st St, Los Angeles, CA
- Sawtelle – 2208 Sawtelle Blvd, Los Angeles, CA
2. Mogu Mogu
Mogu Mogu specializes in mazemen, a special type of Japanese ramen made without broth. It’s prepared with thick and chewy noodles that make the perfect base for all sorts of toppings, textures, sauces, and seasonings. Try out the Deluxe Mazemen with two different preparations of pork, two different styles of egg, fish umami, seawood flakes, garlic, scallions, and chives.
🍜 Learn more: Mogu Mogu
📍 Locations:
- Sawtelle – 11555 W Olympic Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90064
- Costa Mesa – 2969 Fairview Rd, Costa Mesa, CA 92626
3. Ramen Nagi
Ramen Master Chef Satoshi Ikuta has expanded Ramen Nagi from its Tokyo fame into five popular shops around California. We’re lucky to enjoy the world-class chain right here in two LA shopping centers: Westfield Century City and The Shops at Santa Anita. Spice lovers are known to go straight for the Red King, a ramen dish incorporating a savory blend of garlic, chili oil, cayenne, miso-infused minced pork, and chashu.
🍜 Learn more: Ramen Nagi
📍 Location:
- Century City – 10250 Santa Monica Blvd Ste. #2850, Los Angeles, CA 90067
- Arcadia – 400 S Baldwin Ave Suite D2, Arcadia, CA 91007
4. Tsujita Annex
Tsujita Annex was created as a sister restaurant to Tsujita, another great ramen joint in L.A. with locations in the Arts District and Sawtelle. The Annex began just over a decade ago to specialize in Jiro-style ramen, which has a unique type of pork broth and large amounts of meat and beansprouts. A popular order is the Tsukumen dipping ramen, which serves broth and noodles separately.
🍜 Learn more: Tsujita Annex
📍 Location: Sawtelle – 2050 Sawtelle Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90025
5. Tonchin LA
Tonchin is a Tokyo institution dating back to 1992, and we’ve enjoyed having their first West Coast outpost here in L.A.’s Larchmont neighborhood since 2017. Their signature wavy, hand-kneaded noodles are prepared fresh daily, and taste amazing in a flavorful, dashi-based tonkotsu broth that’s a little lighter than traditional pork broths.
🍜 Reservations: Tonchin LA
📍 Location: Larchmont – 5665 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90038
6. HiroNori Craft Ramen
HiroNori runs fifteen locations around California, six of which are here in LA County. Their tonkotsu and shoyu ramen options are to die for, but this is also a popular spot among vegans because they serve amazing vegan ramen made with sesame miso broth. Despite being an expansive local chain, the attention to detail has remained, from the 24-hour process to make tonkotsu broth to the shoya imported from one of Japan’s oldest soy sauce factories.
🍜 Learn more: HiroNori
📍 Locations: Westchester, Torrance, Long Beach, Santa Fe Springs, Monterey Park, Pasadena, and more.
7. Jidaiya Ramen Dining
Jidaiya is that no-frills ramen shop in L.A. that we all crave from time to time. The humble interior is frankly a perfect setting to enjoy hearty, old-fashioned ramen dishes, especially the classic tonkotsu and the spicy miso. In addition to ramen, you’ll find a selection of rice bowls, bento boxes, and takoyaki to round out your table.
🍜 Learn more: Jidaiya Ramen Dining
📍 Location: Torrance – 18537 S Western Ave, Gardena, CA 90248
8. AFURI Ramen + Dumpling
AFURI presents a delightful ramen menu centered around their signature Yuzu Shio ramen, which consists of a delicate chicken broth, dry fish, dry konbu, and veggies. The broth has a distinct balance of yuzu and umami flavors, which is a welcome fresh complement to toppings like charcoal-grilled pork. Make sure you order a plate of crispy pork gyoza on the side.
🍜 Learn more: Afuri Ramen + Dumpling
📍 Location: Arts District – 688 Mateo St, Los Angeles, CA 90021
9. Silverlake Ramen
You’ll see Silverlake Ramen outposts all over Los Angeles, from K-Town to Long Beach. The menu absolutely delivers with appetizers including bao buns, handmade gyoza, and brightly-flavored bowls. When it comes to ramen, you can choose from options like spicy shoyu, classic ramen with creamy pork broth, and garlic truffle.
🍜 Learn more: Silverlake Ramen
📍 Locations: Koreatown, DTLA, Silver Lake, Manhattan Beach, Long Beach, and more.
10. Slurpin’ Ramen Bar
On your next visit to Koreatown, consider planning a visit to Slurpin’ Ramen Bar with locations on both 6th and 8th Streets. They specialize in Hankata-style ramen with a rich, creamy, and thick tonkotsu broth, but you can also order tsukemen or dipping ramen if that’s more your style.
🍜 Learn more: Slurpin’ Ramen Bar
📍 Locations:
- Koreatown – 3500 W 8th St, Los Angeles, CA 90005
- Koreatown – 3407 W 6th St Suite 110, Los Angeles, CA 90020
- Costa Mesa – 2918 Bristol St. Ste B5, Costa Mesa, CA 92626
- Buena Park – 7941 Beach Blvd. Unit G, Buena Park, CA 90620