Top 10 Ramen Restaurants In San Diego, California

1. Menya Ultra

As one of the most popular ramen restaurants in San Diego, Menya Ultra Ramen specialises in creating the perfect ramen bowl for you. The noodles are prepared fresh every day from the best quality wheat so that they are as natural and healthy for you as can be. With a creamy and delicious broth with boiled eggs marinated in, your ramen experience is bound to be perfect. Guests highly recommended the negi miso ramen and spicy miso ramen. This is primarily a take-out and delivery place but it does have informal seating if you wish to eat at the location itself.

Menya Ultra

Address: 8199 Clairemont Mesa Blvd # M, San Diego, CA 92111, United States

Website: Menya Ultra

Opening hours: 11am - 2pm, 4:30pm - 7:30pm (daily)

2. Santouka Ramen

If you are a lover of ramen, there is no way you haven’t heard of the world-famous Santouka Ramen. This place is known for making some of the best ramen broth you will ever have in San Diego. You can choose what kind of meat you can add to the bowl but guests highly recommend the pork cheek, also known as toroniku chashu. Unfortunately, they do not have any take-away options but the ambience is lovely to dine in with a classic Japanese vibe. The decor and seating is quite informal and it is arranged in a cafeteria-style which means it is a self-service restaurant.

Santouka Ramen

Address: 4240 Kearny Mesa Rd, San Diego, CA 92111, United States

Website: Santouka Ramen

Opening hours: 11am - 8:30pm (daily)

3. Izakaya Masa

An Izayaka is a special type of restaurant in Japan that is frequented by the working public as an after-work drinking establishment. It serves classic Japanese pub snacks, similar to the idea of Spanish tapas restaurants, that you can enjoy along with some delicious cocktails and alcoholic beverages with your friends. Try the special soju cocktails here, along with their signature pork stew ramen, lobster roll, and octopus sushi. The ambience here is very reminiscent of small streetside restaurants in Tokyo, with single-person tables lining the wall, dark wood furniture, and a cosy and intimate vibe lent by cute Japanese-style decor on the walls.

Izakaya Masa

Address: 928 Fort Stockton Dr, San Diego, CA 92103, United States

Website: Izakaya Masa

Opening hours: Tue - Sun: 6pm - 1am (closed on Mon)

4. Nishiki Ramen

If you are a vegetarian or a vegan, this is one of the best places for dining in San Diego, as it has plenty of options for such needs. This restaurant serves authentic Japanese ramen that is extremely popular amongst the locals and they are very good at the broth consistency, which is considered the most important aspect of ramen. Try the speciality of the restaurant, the Nishiki Ramen with the tonkotsu broth, which is made of pork. The restaurant is arranged in a cafeteria-style with self-service trays and you have to struggle to find a place during crowded hours.

Nishiki Ramen

Address: 1040 University Ave ste b-111, San Diego, CA 92103, United States

Website: Nishiki Ramen

Opening hours: Tue - Fri: 11am - 3pm, 5pm - 9pm; Sat - Sun: 11am - 9pm (closed on Mon)

5. RakiRaki Ramen & Tsukemen

If you are a fan of the tsukemen or dipping noodles, yakitori, or fusion varieties such as the ramen burger, then this is the ultimate place for you. An informal yet stylish fine dining establishment, it brings the best of Japan to San Diego. One unique feature that you might enjoy if you are an introvert is the solo tables lining the chef’s station. Here, you can sit in peace as you read a book or work on your laptop waiting for the ramen to arrive.

RakiRaki Ramen & Tsukemen

Address: 4646 Convoy St #102-A, San Diego, CA 92111, United States

Website: RakiRaki Ramen & Tsukemen

Opening hours: 11am - 1am (daily)

6. Yakyudori

Yakyudori is another popular ramen place with a lovely minimalistic and practical ambience, similar to the Japanese idea of minimalism and simplicity. As you walk in, you will be greeted with free barley tea with rice complimentary on the house. Guests thoroughly enjoy the ramen here and recommend the veggie ramen and the grilled garlic for vegetarians. You can also opt for the pork shiso and the takoyaki, which is extremely flavourful and as good as something you might get in Japan.

Yakyudori

Address: 1611 4898 Convoy St #101, San Diego, CA 92111, United States

Website: Yakyudori

Opening hours: Sun - Thu: 11am - 11:30pm; Fri - Sat: 11am - 2:30am

7. BESHOCK Ramen

BESHOCK is one of the most popular fine dining restaurants in San Diego, offering a beautiful Japanese-style decor with earthy wooden furniture and Japanese chandeliers lending a very serene feel to the ambience. It offers not only traditional cuisine but also fusion and global cuisine and the ramen here is prepared in both the traditional way and with their own unique twist on it. You can also opt for some other treats such as sake or sushi rolls or the special bowls they have.

BESHOCK Ramen

Address: 1288 Market St, San Diego, CA 92101, United States

Website: BESHOCK Ramen

Opening hours: Sun - Thu: 11:30am - 9:30pm; Fri: 11:30am - 10:30pm

8. Ramen Ryoma

Prepared fresh from the finest ingredients and hand-massaged to give the ramen its appropriate shape, few restaurants do ramen better than Ramen Ryoma. Serving delicious food for a long time in San Diego, this place has become a local favourite over time. Guests recommend the killer spicy ramen and takoyaki, which is prepared in a crunchy way. The service staff is extremely polite and prompt with your order and are willing to customise your order according to your spice tolerance. Try the miso and shio as well, along with some crispy calamari.

Ramen Ryoma

Address: 9119 Clairemont Mesa Blvd, San Diego, CA 92123, United States

Website: Ramen Ryoma

Opening hours: Mon - Thu: 11am - 2:30pm, 5pm - 10pm; Fri: 11am - 10pm; Sat - Sun: 12pm - 10pm

9. Tajima Japanese Restaurant

When it comes to fusion Japanese restaurants incorporating global cuisine, Tajima is a top contender. With a lovely ambience and great selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, you are sure to have a wonderful time here. Try the coconut ramen that is prepared with coconut milk and the pork chashu bowl. The menu has a good spread and is easily customisable if you wish to lower the spice or replace meat with a vegan or vegetarian option. If you enjoy fusion, you can also opt for the Mexican ramen they serve here prepared with Mexican spices.

Tajima Japanese Restaurant

Address: 4681 Convoy St, San Diego, CA 92111, United States

Website: Tajima Japanese Restaurant

Opening hours: 11:30am - 9pm (daily)

10. Hachi Ramen

This sophisticated fine dining Japanese restaurant is perfect for when you wish to celebrate a special occasion with Japanese food or you wish to treat yourself but want to go for something more upscale than the typical cafeteria-style eateries. Serving a wide variety of ramen in different broths and with different meats and toppings, this place truly does ramen better than most. The waitstaff is very polite and helpful and brings out your orders promptly. All in all, you are sure to have a great time here.

Hachi Ramen

Address: 2505 Fifth Ave, San Diego, CA 92103, United States

Website: Hachi Ramen

Opening hours: 11:30pm - 9pm (daily)

Are you a hopeless ramen-tic?

The food scene in San Diego rivals most of the best cities in all of America. Even if you wish to eat ramen noodles, you are sure to find a unique and delicious twist on this classic American favourite that makes it professional. So forget about the stereotype that ramen is only for broke students and college kids and experience the gastronomical inventions these restaurants have to offer!