Looking for the best ramen places in Irvine? You’re in the right place. This extensive guide will help you choose your next favorite ramen place. We know how tricky it can be to find the best ramen places, and that’s why we saved you the trouble of trying to find top-rated locations by researching you. Here are the top 10 best places to eat ramen in Irvine that made it on the list:
1- HiroNori Craft Ramen
If you’re a fan of Ramen, then definitely check this place out! With 9 different locations in the states, HiroNori Craft Ramen has earned its spot on the 2019 Michelin Guide. How? you might ask, well in 2017 co-founders Nori Akasaka and Hiro Igarashi who grew up loving Ramen, opened HiroNori to serve excellent ramen & give their customers the best experience.
Check out the top 3 ramen on their menu! Tonkotsu Ramen, Shoyu Ramen, and their HiroNori Vegan Ramen.
Address: 2222 Michelson Dr #234 | Irvine, CA 92612
Contact: (949) 536-5800
Opening Hours: Monday – Sunday: 11:00 am – 09:00 pm
2- Kitakata Ramen Ban Nai
If you’re a not-so-basic person then this place is definitely for you! Ever heard of a place that ages their ramen? Well here at Kitakata Ramen Ban Nai they do! It makes the ramen chewier so better get your jaws ready before going.
Ps:- We strongly encourage you to try the green Chili shio with the fresh green peppers, for a beautiful fragrant yet tongue-tingling bite.
Address: 14370 Culver Dr. #C, Irvine, CA 92604
Contact: 949-932-0078
Opening Hours:
Mon -Thu: 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM, 5:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Fri: 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM, 5:00 PM – 10:00 PM
Saturday: 11:00 AM – 10:00 PM
Sun: 11:00 AM – 9:00 PM
3- Shin-Sen-Gumi Hakata Ramen & Udon
Shin-Sen-Gumi has become a very successful chain with over 15 restaurants in the US and one in Tokoyo. They are very focused on maintaining the quality in all their branches which is why they use a central kitchen system. They’re proud of their Hakata ramen, which is made with tonkotsu broth, noodles, and a variety of toppings, including chashu pork. The Spicy miso is their most popular topping, and it’s an original blend produced in their central kitchen.
If you’re looking for a quick trip to Tokoyo for some Ramen without having to go then Shin-Sen-Gumi is the place for you!
Address: Woodbury Town Center 6404 Irvine Blvd, Irvine, CA 92620
Contact: 949-596-7036
Opening Hours:
Mon-Thu 11:00am – 3:00pm 5:00pm-10:00pm
Fri: 11:00am – 3:00pm 5:00pm-11:00pm
Sat & Sun: 11:00am – Sat 11:00pm / Sun 10:00pm
4- Hokkaido Ramen Santouka
Hokkaido Ramen Santouka has a captivating back story, it first started when the owner pledged to his family that he was going to make delicious ramen. They started with only one item on their menu which was not brought to the public until his family finally approved years and years of trials later. This “item” the tonkatsu broth is now the main focus of the menu customers can choose between salt (shio), soy sauce (shoyu), fermented soybean paste (miso), and spicy miso (karamiso) to go with the broth.
Address: 14230 Culver Drive, Irvine, CA 92604
Contact: 949-596-7036
Opening Hours:
Monday – Sunday: 11:00 am – 8:00 pm
5- Kashiwa Ramen
Kashiwa is a spin-off of a restaurant in Japan called Hide-Chan Ramen which was opened in 1993 by Hideto after following his father’s footsteps and taking over his legacy “DARUMA RAMEN”. They now have six other restaurants in New York but this one chooses another method of cooking the ramen, instead of using the pork-bone broth and braised pork belly they specialize in “tori paitan” a chicken broth made in the same style as the pork-bone broth ramen. They order and import their customized soy sauce that has been exclusively manufactured by the Japanese traditional brewery in Fukuoka, Japan since 1856.
Address: 1420C Baker St, Costa Mesa, CA 92626, United States
Contact: +1 657-232-0223
Opening Hours:
Monday-Sunday: 11:30 am–9:30 pm
6- Mooji Ramen
This Taiwanese and Chinese spot has proven itself with the great reviews it has on Yelp. Earning 4.1 stars out of 105 reviews the restaurant can be considered a local favorite. Mooji Ramen is said to be airy and bright with a casual eatery atmosphere. The black tonkatsu ramen is one of their most popular and recommended items on the menu.
Address: 4250 Barranca Pkwy Suite Q, Irvine, CA 92604
Contact: +1 949-559-6631
Opening Hours:
Monday-Sunday: 11:00 am – 09:00 pm
7- J San Ramen
This family-run ramen shop provides freshly made Japanese-style ramen with traditional flavors. J San Ramen has a 4.2-star rating out of 1,555 reviews on Yelp and has great feedback about its ramen. It is said that their Tonkatsu ramen is super delicious, the pork is flavorful and melts in your mouth and the soup base is rich.
Address: 28201 Marguerite Parkway #11, Mission Viejo, California, 92692
Contact: (949) 503-2532
Opening Hours:
Monday-Sunday: 11:00 am – 09:00 pm
8- Marufuku Ramen
This place is all about authentic style Hakata ramen with the skinny noodles and chashu pork in a milky tonkotsu broth from pork bones that have been boiling for over 20+ hours. Marufuku Ramen is so good that it has been nicknamed by fans “The Royalty of Ramen ” in its San Francisco location.
Address: 8543 Irvine Center Drive, Irvine CA 92618
Contact: +1 949-418-7448
Opening Hours:
Monday-Sunday: 11:00 am – 09:00 pm
9- Silverlake Ramen
“Good Ramen. Good Day” is the slogan of this restaurant. Their environment is designed to mix street-inspired visual twists with rave-worthy flavors that satisfy every customer. Silverlake Ramen believes in traditional ingredients that make their ramen the best it can be. Wholesome, and fresh, with vegan options that serve modern foodies and their stomachs, without losing the authenticity of the food’s origins. They are known for serving up steaming bowls of silky noodles and the fans go crazy for their Tonkotsu Ramen with spicy, creamy pork broth.
Address: 511 Spectrum Center Dr, Irvine, CA 92618, USA
Contact: +1 949-932-0640
Opening Hours:
Monday-Sunday: 11:00 am – 10:00 pm
10- Yoshiharu Ramen
With 4.7 out of 731 reviews on Yelp, Yoshiharu Ramen‘s mission is to serve authentic Japanese ramen that is healthy, delicious, exciting, hearty, and affordable. To keep their restaurant authentic, their flagship ramen was crafted by their native Japanese head chef, who has over 12 years of industry experience.
Address: 3935 Portolas PKWY, Irvine CA
Contact: +1 657-660-5304
Opening Hours:
Sunday – Thursday: 11:30 am – 09:00 pm
Friday – Saturday: 11:30 am – 10:00 pm
Conclusion
After hours of reading and analyzing Yelp reviews alongside other food rating platforms, these are the top 10 places to eat delicious ramen in Irvine. Most of them come from a long history of operating outside of America and lucky for us came to grace us with authentic ramen. These slurp-worthy ramen restaurants worked hard to get to the success they are now and have earned their spot on this top 10 list.