Best Ramen in Los Angeles 2021

Takeout has taken over our lives lately, so I’ve had a lot of time to research this savory bowl of comfort. Here is the best ramen in Los Angeles 2021 edition, categorized by what kind of ramen you are most slurping for!

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The OG Ramen

Daikokuya in Little Tokyo is considered one of the first ramen shops in Los Angeles. Its reach has spread to 4 more locations in the last 18 years!

Why it’s special: It’s no-frills and cash only at the Little Tokyo location, but the special sauce speaks for itself. The broth is marinated for a full day with soy sauce and pork bones, while the eggs are soaked in a secret sauce the night before.

Must Order: Get the Daikoku Ramen in that famed soup base! Ask for the richer kotteri flavor, which adds a little back fat marinade to the mix.

Cost: Ramen and Rice bowls range from $11.50-$23.50, and the Daikoku Ramen is $13.50.

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The Universal Noodle

These noods will have you going nuts! Ramen Nagi from Master Chef Satoshi Ikuta is known for its handmade noodles and inventive broths. There are over 40 locations worldwide, but Ramen Nagi Century City is the first in Southern California.

Why it’s Special: The flavors here are steeped in tradition but are not afraid to challenge it. The Nagi sauce at the bottom of each bowl makes each dish unforgettable. Plus, you can choose to customize it any way you want or just trust the chef.

Must Order: The Limited King is a rotating ramen flavor like Truffle or Barbecue Brisket that has that has a specialty feel. The Original King in a tonkotsu broth is a great place to start, while the Green King in a pesto base is unlike anywhere else. Also, be sure to order the appetizers like Chicken Karage and Dumplings.

Cost: Prices begin at $14.50 per bowl before extras.

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The New Kid on the Block

Saikai Ramen Bar in Koreatown comes from the husband and wife duo behind The Ramen Joint (Westchester): Chef Jimin Kim and Sandy Han.

Why it’s Special: The food here is a fusion of traditional Japanese cooking and the couple’s Korean heritage, with a dash of Los Angeles in the mix. The restaurant gives off an alt-rock strip-mall-chic vibe that you might not expect when you first peer through the glass door but makes you feel cool and comforted all at the same time.

Must Order: The signature dish is the Mazemen: a brothless ramen that’s hard to come by in Los Angeles. It’s made with hand-massaged temomi noodles, spicy ground pork belly, seasoned seaweed, fish powder, cucumber, green onion, and seasoned raw egg yolk. A small bowl of rice is served at the end to help cut the flavors that are tripping off your tongue.

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Also not to be missed is the Shoyu Tonkotsu: a 24-hour house-made pork bone broth with house-made shoyu, pork chashu, bamboo shoot, wood ear mushroom, green onion, and wild perilla seeds.

Lastly, savor some of the urban sprawl of the city with dishes like the LA Corn Fritters. They taste of a classic elote, with jalapeno, green and red onion, crema, cotija, and cilantro.

Cost: Small plates start at $4, and Ramen ranges from $10.75-$13.85.

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The King of Tsukemen

Tsujita LA got its start in West Los Angeles back in 2010 by harnessing its Tokyo popularity to launch the US flagship. They are known for the widely popular Tsukemen style ramen as well as the traditional Tonkontsu pork broth. They’ve now expanded to 5 locations, including a sushi restaurant.

Why it’s Special: The Tsukemen style ramen, which is essentially thicker cold noodles served separately alongside a hot seafood and pork broth, is what keeps people coming back.

Must Order: The Tsukemen, of course! Although I enjoyed their Spicy Ramen better (but I don’t like dipping the noodles myself…major mess!).

Cost: Small bites like Pork Buns begin at $3.75, and the Ramen averages between $12 and $16 a bowl.

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The Top Tatsunoya

Ramen Tatsunoya in Pasadena and Silverlake specializes in pork-based Tonkotsu Ramen and prides itself on its pure ingredients.

Why It’s Special: The pork-based Tonkotsu Ramen comes straight from Kurume City in Fukuoka, the birthplace of the Tonkotsu style. The broth is simmered over 15 hours with just pork skull and water at high temperatures to “achieve maximum umami.” And the noodles are produced exclusively for them and can only be found in Japan.

What to Order: First-timers should try their original Jun style, a lighter broth, before moving to the Koku rich signature bowl with house-made umami paste.

Cost: The average price is about $15 a bowl.

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The Risk Taker

Tomonori Takahashi founded Jinya Ramen in Studio City back in 2010 to recreate the flavor he felt was missing on the budding ramen scene. The restaurant has now expanded to 7 locations in Southern California, with more nationwide.

Why It’s Special: Jinya Ramen is about the balance between the broth and the handmade noodles. They are made using only Fiji Water and then meticulously aged.

What to Order: I call Jinya a risk-taker because their menu is constantly evolving with seasonal Ramen Chef Specials. They offer a Spicy Creamy Vegan Ramen; a Slurp Up Cilantro; and my favorite, the Lobster Me Happy.

Cost: Ramen and Rice Bowls range from $14 to $18.

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The Regional Ramen

Silverlake Ramen was born in Los Angeles and has over 7 locations in Southern California (including Ramen of York in Highland Park) along with several others nationwide. They even offer a take-out-only location to avoid the crushing lines.

Why It’s Special: Their rich 16-hour Tonkotsu Pork Broth is highly addictive, AND they also offer Mazemen with cold noodles; and a dripping Tsukemen. If you’re looking to try all the styles of ramen and can only get to one restaurant, then this is it!

What to Order: The Blaze Spicy Tonkotsu will have you smiling and crying all at once.

Cost: The average price is around $12 for a Ramen Bowl.

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The Ramen Bot

I’m not sure if this is the future or the demise of restaurants; but Kotsu Ramen & Gyoza in La Cañada Flintridge has decreased the human experience by 50%. You order your ramen at a kiosk similar to an experience in late-night Tokyo; only this place closes at 9 p.m., and chances are you have your kids with you 🙂

Why It’s Special: If you need your ramen in a hurry while you’re finishing your shopping next door, you can punch in your order and have it ready before you can say gyoza.

What to Order: The 12-hour Tonkotsu Ramen with a size of sizzling Gyoza Dumplings is available for dine-in or take-out.

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