Shin-Sen-Gumi Hakata Ramen & Udon - Irvine

I think their grilled dishes are better than their ramen.Without hesitation, I ordered the Overload Ramen Combo, which came with generous portions of meat! The two meat slices on top of the ramen broth were alright. However, the pork belly, pork cutlet, and pork spare rib included in the combo were incredibly satisfying. The pork belly, in particular, was a perfect 30/70 fat to lean ratio, tender and juicy.Since they were having a collaboration promotion for Okonomiyaki (Japanese savory pancake), I decided to try it out.The Naruto collaboration with Otafuku seasoning brings to mind the 1983 Kinnikuman (キン肉マン) Japanese manga promotion for Yoshinoya's beef rice bowl.The promotional dish was the Hakata Modan Yaki, and it came with a Naruto sticker as a souvenir. The lightly pan-fried ramen had a texture that was soft yet slightly crispy, but the sauce was overly rich and salty.The chicken karaage and the soft-boiled flavored egg were alright, but in terms of both texture and sauce, other places like Little Ferry Sushi and Meiji Seimen do it better.我覺得它們的燒烤比它們的拉麵表現更好。毫不猶豫點了料多量大的超載拉麵套餐！麵湯上漂浮的這兩塊肉片還好，但套餐所附的燉肉，炸排和炸骨很過癮。尤其是燉肉三分肥七分瘦軟嫩多汁。正好遇上聯名促銷御好燒，就點了份吃吃看。這個火影忍者促銷調味料品牌Otafuku，讓我想起1983年日漫金肉人（キン肉マン）促銷吉野家牛丼。促銷餐品是日式拉麵煎餅，並附送一張火影忍者貼紙紀念品。略微煎過的拉麵口感軟中帶脆，可惜醬味過重過鹹。炸雞和溏心蛋還可以。但無論口感和醬料，其他家像Little Ferry Sushi和明治製麵的比它更好吃。

With locations throughout Orange and Los Angeles counties, Shin-Sen-Gumi has been a mainstay at Woodbury Town Center where many of its former neighbors have unfortunately gone out of business. The staff is always very welcoming and efficient with seating and orders. The menu offers everything from cold/hot/fried appetizers, udon and ramen to rice dishes. On our recent visit, I tried the Spicy DanDan Men off their seasonal menu. It's described as a "Hakata Tonkotsu Ramen w/ rich spicy sesame miso flavor, topped w/ seasoned ground pork & beef, shredded chili pepper, cilantro and green onion." The broth was flavorful but IMO not spicy enough (although admittedly my heat tolerance is high). I wasn't given the option to customize the ramen set-up so the noodles weren't to my liking and I felt like they skimped on the pork & beef inclusion. Overall it wasn't my best choice of ramen but I know they have better options on their menu. I also supplemented my meal with a Soboro Bowl which is always a favorite. I also recommend trying the Nan Kara (deep fried chicken cartilage) if you have the palate for it. The Shin-Sen-Gumi Restaurant Group was first established in 1992, so you can expect this restaurant to continue operating well into the future!

I have been a semi-frequent customer for years, but unfortunately the price has kept going up while the portions are getting smaller and I think I've finally hit a point where the food isn't worth the price. I paid $55 last night for curry udon, chicken katsu, and a large beef and rice bowl.. it's good food, but it's just not worth that much money. The regular size udon now goes for the price that XL used to be pre-covid when this location was super popular.

Shin-Sen-Gumi is one of my favorite comfort spots for ramen, and it's a place my family and I love to visit often. The ramen here is incredible--rich, flavorful, and so satisfying. One of the best things about this place is how customizable everything is! You can choose your noodle texture, whether you like them soft or al dente, and even adjust the oil level and how fatty you want your broth. I've never seen this level of customization at other ramen spots, and it makes the experience so much better.The noodles taste fresh, and you can really tell the quality is top-notch. The staff is quick and attentive, and the drinks are great too. There's plenty of seating, and I've never had to wait too long, which is a big plus.Overall, it's affordable, delicious comfort food that I highly recommend. If you're craving ramen, this place is a must-visit!

Likes:+ The Ultimate Curry Udon comes with a boatload of meat. Mm! Sure met my protein needs.+ The Takowasa was exotic! The raw octopus is marinated in wasabi. Sure to spike the senses. Brace yourself!+ Anime music . Sugoi!+ Beautiful interior decor.+ Staff shout back and forth in Japanese to add to the cultural Japanese ambience. Arigatougozaimashita!. Ample but crowded parking. . Plenty of seating but crowded. Non-likes:- Very slow service. Took them almost 5 min to seat me.Then they took an extra 15 min to take my order, even though almost half the seating was open. - The waiter kicked my chair twice while walking by without apologizing. Must be very hectic. He still seemed very nice though. - The only vegetable that comes with the #21 is green onions. Need more vegetables to come with the order at the same price.- The staff rarely check on you. - Their music playlist has ads.- A little expensive.I had:$28.50 Ultimate Curry Udon +$2.95 Cod Roe Topping +$4.95 Takowasa + tax= $39.21

This place is a MUST if you love ramen! Their ramen bowls are customizable to perfectly please your palate. They offer optional add-ons including meat, more ramen, and other popular Japanese toppings such as rice cake and seaweed. Great service and warm welcome when you are walked to your table. Fun atmosphere and suitable for friend meetups, families, or just solo. I will be back soon!

Tried the Hakata Ramen with a soft egg and assorted tempura. The broth was flavorful- wish it was served a little hotter - the noodles were on the thin aside and there wasn't enough for the price. Frankly, Santouka at the Mitsua food court is much tastier with lots of noodles and more value for the money but this place did have a cute atmosphere with the employees shouting a warmwelcome when you come in. It was good - but not $70 good for 3 bowls of soup and a side of 5 piece veggie / shrimp tempura. The shrimp had a little bit of a fishy aftertaste and I suspect it just wasn't super fresh. I'm a total ramen lover and this wasn't it for the price, portion and flavor.

Just absolutely the best ramen in Orange County. I love the way their Hakata Ramen starts with a pretty plain base then you can add toppings as you wish. It makes the experience customizable and cheaper than other ramen spots for those who don't like a lot of toppings.Every time I've come here, my order has been taken and my food brought out within 20 minutes. Just the best!

I saw another reviewer comment that it's more quantity than quality here, and I couldn't agree more. We got the standard ramen with bamboo and corn and the Ultimate Curry Udon, which has shrimp tempura, pork cutlet, and beef.The ramen was decent - nothing off-putting but nothing that stands out either. The Curry Udon was HUUUGE and felt very heavy overall. Granted, all the meats they added were of good quality. And the curry flavor was pretty tasty.We left the restaurant feeling pretty bloated, like how we would after eating a giant hamburger. That's not how I usually feel after Japanese food. Since we live right across Woodbury center, we'll probably give this Shen Sen Gumi location another visit. Maybe some of their other menu items will blow me away. But for now, this spot feels astoundingly average.

Came in to get takeout so I could eat it outside. I had to order and pay from a self-service kiosk near the right door. The machine to print the receipt wasn't working, but my food came with the receipt. The photo of the Overload Ramen Combo looked like there was a mixture of meat, so I got that. Turned out it was just a regular bowl of pork ramen with 3 extra meats on the side. The pork spare rib was really dry and hard. Pork cutlet was also kind of hard. But the pork belly was extremely tender and juicy. The ramen was tasty, and the Calpico was sweet and refreshing. Food was very filling, but I wish there were more veggies in the dish instead of just noodles and meat.