No two bowls of ramen noodle soup are alike. Even when two competing restaurants claim lineage to the exact same Japanese village known for a specific type of tonkotsu or shoyu or shio or whatever, each kitchen ultimately prides itself on its own unique marriage of broth, noodles and fillings (namely pork). While one restaurant’s pork-bone soup is as light and clear as a French consommé, another’s will be thick and creamy. One restaurant’s noodles might be thin and straight while others are fat and squiggly. The possibilities are genuinely infinite, and these are the 10 best ramen shops in Orange County. All of these places will prep your soup for takeout or delivery, with the broth and noodles packaged separately to be reheated (if necessary) and combined at the last minute at home.
1. HiroNori
Opened by one of the original chefs from Silverlake Ramen (at the original in Los Angeles), this place has rocked the local ramen scene. The dining room is small, with seating for only about 35 people crammed in like sardines. The wait for a table can sometimes be untenable, but if you stick it out your patience will be rewarded. You can slurp a pork-bone tonkotsu or a soy-based shoyu broth here (or even a vegan version), but the true star is the former. This is an ultra-fatty broth infused with so much pork knuckle collagen that the soup is almost white, like cream. And the chashu (slow-roasted pork belly) is incredible. The pork is heavily charred around the edges, as if it caught fire and smoldered for a few minutes before coming out of the oven. 2222 Michelson Drive, Irvine, 949-536-5800, hironoricraftramen.com
2. Ramen & Tsukemen TAO
Chef/owner Toshimasa Sano worked at the legendary Tsujita Ramen in Tokyo for 10 years before coming to Southern California to continue his passion. Now in Buena Park with a ramen shop of his own, he’s focused primarily on miso ramen (and also tsukemen, or dipping ramen, served with cold noodles on the side). He makes two core variations of the miso: one red, one white, both of which simmer for two days. White is the preferred miso soup style in Hokkaido, while red is more popular in Tokyo. It’s the red miso ramen here that really stands out — a rich, creamy, intensely flavored soup infused with pork fat and topped with several slices of decadent chashu, steamed mushrooms, chives and a ball of red chili-intensive miso paste. 10488 Valley View St., Buena Park, 714-699-1078, ramentao.com
3. Kitakata Ramen Ban Nai
The original Ban Nai opened in Kitakata, Japan, in 1958. They now have about 60 locations, including four in OC. Their highly refined pork broth — almost like a French consommé — is uniquely light and refreshing. They serve a green chili shio version that gets a boost from fresh green peppers, giving it a wonderful floral yet tongue-searing kick. The noodles are extra thick, hand-crimped and slightly softer than usual. 891 Baker St., Costa Mesa, 714-557-2947; 14370 Culver Drive, Irvine, 949-932-0078; 7550 Orangethorpe Ave., Buena Park, 714-752-6878; 18884 Brookhurst St., Fountain Valley, 714-884-3124, ramenbannai.com
4. Yoshiharu Ramen
This indie noodle shop began in Orange and has since expanded to Buena Park and over the county line into Whittier and Chino. Their rightful claim to fame is an ultra-creamy tonkotsu (pork-bone) broth that is boiled for 10 hours. My favorite variation here is the tonkotsu black, which gets its color and intense flavor from a heavy glug of black garlic oil. The chashu is superb, but they dole it out sparingly, so you might want to order extra meat on the side. 1891 N. Tustin St., Orange, 714-998-1940; The Source, 6970 Beach Blvd., Buena Park, 714-670-6567, yoshiharuramen.com
5. i20 Ramen
You’ll want to zero in on the yuzu here. Although you might find similar variations of yuzu ramen elsewhere, no other Japanese noodle shop in O.C. comes anywhere close to matching i20’s truly spectacular yuzu broth. It is bright and citrusy and unusually exhilarating, which is an added bonus when the weather outside is telling you it’s too dang hot for a giant bowl of soup. It’s never too hot for yuzu, particularly when it’s topped with a perfect soft-poached egg and some of the best chashu in the county. 26705 Aliso Creek Road, Aliso Viejo, 949-273-3583, i20ramen.com
6. Silverlake Ramen
The original Silverlake Ramen in L.A. played a hand in elevating ramen’s profile in Southern California when it opened nearly 20 years ago. And just before the pandemic hit, this brand had been on quite a roll, opening Japanese noodle shops at lightening speed in Long Beach, Santa Monica, downtown L.A., Oxnard and even as far away as Georgia and North Carolina. The first O.C. branch quietly opened in July at the Irvine Spectrum. The collagen-rich tonkotsu broth is velvety and heady, a case study in the infinite nuances that can be extracted from pork bones when left to simmer for 16 hours. They give you just a single slice of chashu, but it is so insanely fatty that might be all you need. 511 Spectrum Center Drive, Irvine (near the Javier’s/Cheesecake Factory entrance; mask required for entry), 949-932-0295, silverlakeramen.com
7. Kashiwa Ramen
Kashiwa is an offshoot of Hide-Chan Ramen in Hakata, Japan, which also operates six restaurants in New York. But this one’s different. While those others focus on tonkotsu ramen made with pork-bone broth and braised pork belly chashu, this spot specializes instead on tori paitan, a chicken broth made in the style of tonkotsu. Infused with serious amounts of chicken collagen, it is as unctuous as the best pork broths out there. The chashu, too, is made with chicken. They call it chicken belly, a play on pork belly, but it’s really just chicken breasts steamed in a sous vide machine until it becomes the most tender and juicy chicken breast you can imagine. Their chili paste adds a deliciously complex umami and mysterious depth. Level two spice is pretty hot. Level three will make your teeth fall out. 1420 Baker St., Costa Mesa, 657-232-0223, thekashiwaramen.com
8. Hokkaido Ramen Santouka
Santouka is a prolific chain based in Asahikawa, on Japan’s northern island of Hokkaido. They’ve got dozens of units around the world, with eight California branches partnered with Mitsuwa Markets, including two in O.C. Before the pandemic, they accepted cash only and didn’t do takeout. Silver lining: They now offer takeout and accept credit cards. My favorite bowl here is the spicy miso ramen, a white (clear) shio (salt-based) broth blended with miso paste and three types of dried chilies. The chashu is fantastic. The noodles are semi-thick, semi-soft and heavily crimped. 665 Paularino Ave., Costa Mesa, 714-434-1101; 14230 Culver Drive, Irvine, 949-733-1101, santouka.co.jp/en
9. Butaton
The tonkotsu broth here is straightforward and fairly light, not heavy or rich like some of the others on this list. And when mixed with their spicy miso paste it becomes something truly special. The real reason you’re here, though, is the chashu, which is as good as it gets. The noodles are extra thin and perfectly toothsome. 10130 Garden Grove Blvd., Garden Grove, 714-537-7098, butatonramen.com
10. Ramain39
The ace up the sleeve at this izakaya (Japanese pub) is their tonkotsu-inspired tsukemen, a dipping ramen where the noodles and toppings are served alongside — not already soaking in — the broth. You can dump everything into the bowl or you can attack it more like shabu, dipping only a mouthful of noodles at a time into the broth, which is served over a tabletop stove when dining in. The broth is opulent and textural, a classic tonkotsu base that’s been thickened with finely shredded chashu and corn, which results in a stew that’s almost like chili. 18583 Beach Blvd., Huntington Beach, 657-329-1189, ramain39.com
Best Places to Eat in Orange County in 2020
- Where to eat in Orange County in 2020: A guide to the best places
- Top 5 hot new restaurants
- 5 takeout splurges when you want to celebrate
- Top 5 Italian restaurants
- 10 options for family-style takeout
- Top 5 pizzas
- Top 10 Chinese restaurants
- 20 great patios to have date night al fresco
- Top 5 Thai restaurants
- 5 picks for late-night takeout
- Restaurant of the Year
- Sign up for The Eat Index: OC newsletter
