Daikokuya

Stopped in here on a whim - have been to a different location once.It was good - service was fast. The gyoza wasn't my favorite, it was loosely packed and wanted it to be a bit crispier. The ramen broth was tasty, but I wanted deeper flavor, and wanted the egg to be gooier. The pork was tender and tasty.

Starting off I'd like to say that the service was fast, maybe too fast. So much so that I was asked to get out of my seat & adjust to the counter / bar so that another party of 2 (while there was no large waitlist) can be assisted while I wait for my friend to come back from the restroom.I'll admit I was really excited to eat here per the recommendation from my friend, but let's give some context.Food: Fine (nothing worth noting that stands to elevate the Japanese cuisine that other establishments nearby offer).Service: I can understand the pressure of having to fit as many guests as needed, but rushing my dining experience by passing the bill while I'm nearly halfway through my poke bowl. (Uncalled for)Now I'm not sure if the person who asked if I wouldn't mind getting off my seat thought that was a good idea, but let's be for real now, no.I'm leaving wondering if I was discriminated against (probably not), but to anyone wondering if this place is worth your time, if you'll let me provide some input... no. (I'd provide pictures if I could, but I'll be honest I didn't take any because nothing was worth taking a picture of)

Soup was hot and rich! Flavor was on point. Portion was perfect. So comforting and satisfying. Service: went during not too busy hours. Staff was friendly and attentive. Ambiance: small place but right outside of the free parking lot in the area. Good for hanging out with friends

Food 4..2Service at 4.5 Small spot with 6 or so tables and some bar seating. The spot looks pretty cool, resembling the streets of Tokyo, where you stop by a shop for a quick bite.I got the spicy miso ramen combo with chicken fried rice on the side. The portion of ramen was huge and tasted pretty good. The fried rice was one of the best I've had- very flavorful and very delicious. If you sit at the bar, you can see the kitchen through these windows of sorts and you can watch the chefs make fresh noodles and then pour the hot broth. Kind of a cool ambiance. The service was pretty solid, as the waitresses were friendly, smiling and brought the food as soon as it came out. All in all, Daikokuya is a spot worth visiting.

This restaurant in particular is a great restaurant to get late night ramen. This place closes at 1 am every day. My group and I came around 12. There was still quite a lot of people at this time, but we were able to get seated without waiting. I got the spicy miso ramen. It came out relatively fast. It was really hot and comforting considering it was really cold outside. The broth provided a kick. Didn't expect it to be that spicy but still good! It was just a little bit too salty for my taste. The egg was cooked perfectly. The ramen was al dente. I had some leftovers at the end and I was able to make another noodle dish with the soup.I love the layout of the restaurant. It's small, but has a cozy feel. The decorations make it feel like a ramen restaurant that you can find in Japan. Overall, had a good experience here!

Today was a miss.We've been to Daikokuya many times and have always enjoyed their ramen, but today was disappointing--both the food and service fell short.We arrived at 10:55 AM, expecting them to be open since both their website and Google listed 10:00 AM as their opening time. However, the door was locked. We waited, assuming they might open at 11:00 AM. At 11:02, a Japanese lady with purple hair finally opened the door but didn't acknowledge us, greet us, or say anything at all. When we walked in, she just told us we could sit wherever we liked, which felt unwelcoming.As for the food, the broth lacked flavor--it wasn't salty enough. In the past, we've had issues with it being too salty, but this time it swung too far the other way. The noodles were slightly overcooked, the egg was cold and had a dirty fridge-like smell, and overall, the dish just didn't meet the standard we've come to expect.Another issue was the music. Typically, we love how they play Japanese Showa-era music--it really adds to their theme and decor. Today, they were playing Southern All Stars ("サザンオールスターズ"), which I love, but the kitchen was playing different non- Japanese music that clashed with what was playing in the dining area. It was distracting and unpleasant.We've had so many great experiences here before, but sadly, this visit didn't live up to our expectations.

Came here on a Saturday around 10:45 pm. We joined the Yelp waitlist beforehand but still waited when we arrived. There was free street parking at the hour we arrived and luckily parked right in front. The inside is small and slightly cramped but not claustrophobic because of the high ceilings. The ambiance is really fun and unique, it's designed to look like you're eating in the alleys of a Japanese city. I decided to get the homemade gyoza, shiso age, and the Daikoku ramen. My boyfriend got the spicy miso ramen. The service throughout was friendly and quick. Our food was ready within minutes. We were sat bar style facing into the kitchen so we could also see them make the food. First we had the gyoza. They were good, nothing too special. The flavor was fine but it was crispy which I enjoyed. The dipping sauce was a tad sweet and savory. There were a lot of green onions which I liked and added the remainder to the ramen. The shiso age was good. The tempura batter was already getting soggy even though we had immediately gotten it and the inside was still piping hot. The flavor was pretty good but I think the tempura batter could be better to be crispy longer. The ramen was okay. The broth was diluted with water and wasn't super thick. It was still salty, just not very umami. I also can tell it's added water because when I took the leftovers home, it didn't congeal in the fridge and stayed liquidy. It was a huge portion. The noodles were cooked well and the egg was perfect. There was a decent amount of meat that was savory, but it wasn't the best ramen I've ever had. The spicy miso was just okay too for the same reasons. Maybe I should have opted for the richer Kotteri flavor with broth made of the back fat. Overall a little bit disappointed in the food that we ordered and not dying to come back, but it is definitely convenient that it closes so late. The ambiance is also fun and they do have alcohol as well. If I do come back, I would try a Kotteri ramen or some of their rice dishes.

Food: 4.5/5Service: 4/5Value 4.3/5As somewhat of a ramen hater, I actually really enjoyed Dakokuya. One thing that sticks out to me is that I don't really like paying $20 for a bowl of ramen, but having the combo option make it a much better value option for me, especially because you can take the leftovers home and make it another meal.In terms of the food, everything was delicious. The salad that they gave prior to the meal was loaded with veggies and the perfect amount of dressing. The sashimi bowl tasted fresh with sushi rice and left me with no complaints, just contemplating whether I should order another one. The spicy miso ramen was quite spicy and it definitely builds with every bite, so just a cautionary tale to other readers. It was optimal for me but was definitely too spicy for my friends eating with me. If it's your first time, I recommend getting their best seller, Daikoku ramen, unless you're feeling adventurous like me!

Underwhelming bowl of ramen but excellent ambiance that imitates the back streets of inner city life in Japan. The warm lit lighting and low lighting features other elements from garages, street decor/lanterns/signs. Their indoor seating is very traditionally compact, and has a Yelp waitlist which I'd recommend. The service here was very good, quick, and helpful! I enjoyed the dinner experience just felt as if the appetizers could have been a bit crispier, and thought their ramen was more on the watery side. The broth was definitely salty enough but didn't quite have strong flavor you'd want with a ramen bowl. There was not a lot of meat in the bowls but did have a good amount of other ingredients, green onions especially.The price was decent, but definitely would not return for the food. It's not bad by any means just had left some umami and crispy bites from appetizers to be desired. Love the ambiance and would recommend for a late bowl of ramen for nightlife ambiance but not exactly highest quality of food.

Saturday brunch at 11:39 am - daikoku ramen, spicy miso ramen Service: great service, attentive and sincere Ambiance: lovely , chill , homey Price: ok Food Quality: excellent Very positive dining experience