Best Ramen in Los Angeles: Styles, Areas and How to Order

The best ramen in Los Angeles depends on the broth you like, and the city has a bowl for most tastes. Los Angeles has a large Japanese American community and a long ramen history, and two areas are the usual starting points: Sawtelle on the west side and Little Tokyo downtown.

Start with the house bowl of tonkotsu or shoyu, add a seasoned egg, and slurp while the noodles are hot. A short menu of six or eight bowls usually means the shop cares about its broth.

What are the main styles of ramen?

Ramen is described by its broth and its seasoning. Tonkotsu is a cloudy, rich pork bone broth. Shoyu is a clear broth seasoned with soy sauce. Shio is seasoned with salt and tends to be lighter. Miso broth is deeper and more savory. There is also tori paitan, a creamy broth made from chicken.

Noodles vary as well, from thin and straight in Hakata-style tonkotsu to thick and wavy in miso ramen. When a shop lists "kaedama", that is a refill of noodles, ordered after the first serving.

What makes the best ramen in Los Angeles?

It is rarely one thing. A good bowl starts with a broth that tastes of what it is made from, whether that is pork bones simmered for hours or a clear chicken and soy base. The noodles should have spring and finish at the same time as the broth, and the toppings (chashu pork, a seasoned egg, scallion, bamboo shoots, nori) should add contrast, not bury the soup.

Los Angeles has an advantage in the number of shops. The same city has long-running Japanese American cafes, ramen chains from Japan and newer shops that put a local spin on the bowl, so it is easy to compare. A sensible plan is to eat one tonkotsu and one lighter bowl in the same area and decide which you prefer.

Tonkotsu vs shoyu: which should you try first?

If you want a rich bowl, start with tonkotsu. It is hearty, coats the noodles, and is the style that most people connect with a classic ramen shop. If you want a lighter bowl that lets the noodles and toppings show through, start with shoyu or shio.

Many shops let you choose the firmness of the noodles, the richness of the broth and the heat. A first order of "regular" across the board gives you the kitchen's own idea of the dish, and you can adjust next time.

Where is ramen in Sawtelle?

Sawtelle Japantown, along Sawtelle Boulevard on the west side, is one of the dense ramen areas in the city. Look for a chicken-based tori paitan broth, which is creamy without being as heavy as tonkotsu. Other shops nearby offer tonkotsu, miso and spicy versions, so it is easy to compare two bowls in one visit.

Parking is limited on busy evenings and shops can have waits, so go early or on a weekday. Some places stop serving when the broth runs out.

What about ramen in Little Tokyo?

Little Tokyo, near downtown, is the older Japanese American center of the city, and its ramen shops have been feeding office workers and visitors for decades. Long-running shops sit beside newer ones, and some offer vegan ramen. The area is walkable, with shops, markets and sweets close together, so ramen fits easily into an afternoon.

Weekday lunch is the easiest time to go. Some shops close between lunch and dinner.

How to order a good bowl of ramen

Look at the short list of bowls on the menu. A shop with six or eight items usually focuses on its broth. Order the house bowl first, add a seasoned egg if you like, and ask for extra noodles only when you have finished the first serving, since noodles soften in the broth.

Slurping is normal and keeps the noodles at the right temperature. Drink the broth with the spoon, and eat the noodles quickly, because they continue to cook in the heat.

Which toppings are worth adding?

A seasoned soft-boiled egg (ajitama) is the usual first add-on. Extra chashu, a spoonful of garlic or a drizzle of chile oil can change a bowl, and so can corn or butter in a miso ramen. Add one thing at a time, so you can tell what each does.

If you want a lighter meal, ask about vegetable or vegan toppings. A few shops offer a vegan broth, and others will leave the egg or the meat off a bowl.

What else should you know about Los Angeles ramen?

Ramen sits among many noodle options in Los Angeles. Korean noodles and Chinese noodle soups are nearby in other neighborhoods, and Japanese comfort food like curry, donburi and gyoza fills out the menu at many ramen shops. Korean and Chinese noodle soups are worth a visit too, each in its own neighborhood.

To eat further up the coast, read the California Central Coast food guide, and for fresh produce to take home see the farmers market guide. The whole country is on the US guides page.

A good bowl deserves a note while the broth is still on your tongue. In the Mosey app you can rate each ramen by dish and gather the shops you would go back to into a single list.