Kotoya Ramen

Ok so I used to live right across Overland in 2021/2022 and this ramen spot was my fave then. A little local gem you could walk to. I preferred it to Tatsu, Jinya, etc. They're super quick, the ramen tastes the exact same every time and takeout and dining in tastes the same. When I finally got to visit Japan in spring 2024, this ramen was the baseline of what I was comparing other ramen to while there. I've had ramen in Osaka, Kyoto, and Tokyo and STILL this place is my favorite. I am not a food expert by any means and I am not Japanese but, to me, I can't see another ramen tasting better. We thought they shut down (they were operating under a different name for a while) and I was gutted I'd never be able to try them again to confirm that they were still my favorite. Luckily for me, they're back and I was able to try today and my assessment still stands: BEST RAMEN EVER. Wish I still lived near but just for this place. Please open one in OC

When they became a vegan ramen shop for a while, I was quite bummed. I'm so glad to know that they've brought back the old menu and even expanded. The service is quick and efficient. They're friendly but leave you to enjoy your meal. The restaurant is more of the type to eat a quick meal and leave. The broth is always thick and flavorful but without being too thick. The noodles are chewy and bouncy, always perfect. It's also nice that you get to select up to three toppings.

This is my favorite ramen shop on the west side. It's a small but efficient, unassuming shop with a casual atmosphere.I particularly love the black garlic ramen with bean sprouts, corn, and the soft boiled egg. This dish is unique and packed with umami flavor. I don't usually prefer tonkotsu broth but I love this one! I take any leftover broth to-go. That's how good it is!My husband is a fan of the spicy ramen (level 1) with bean sprouts, wood ear mushroom, and the soft boiled egg. This isn't my favorite kind of ramen but my husband loves it. He also loves Hakatta in Little Tokyo, for context.The texture of the ramen noodles (thick kind) is perfectly cooked so that you get a slight chew while slurping your noodles. It reminds me of how ramen is prepared in Japan! They are also generous with the toppings (bean sprouts and corn).You order and pay at the iPad before sitting down (no cash accepted). Grab yourself a cup of water on your way to find yourself a seat in one of the inside booths, inside counter top, or outdoor seats. Service is quick and efficient even though I've only ever seen one worker here!

I ordered the Spicy Ramen and the Black Garlic Ramen. Both ramen are delicious! The noodle are fresh and perfectly cooked and the broth are very tasty. The texture of noddle is excellent. I do highly recommend the Black garlic Ramen. The broth is very flavorful and one of a kind. It's a small restaurant with limited seatings. It's very clean and the service is nice

This place serves probably the best tasting spicy ramen I have ever had . Customer service is efficient, our food was served in 5 minutes. The restroom was clean. However, the place can get crowded very quickly because of how small the restaurant is and parking can be quite challenging (street parking only).Food (there is a reasonable amount of selection, but we only tried 1 dish: - Spicy Miso ramen (10/10): Like I mentioned earlier. This is probably the best spicy ramen I have ever tasted. Wow, the broth is savory and addicting, I actually finished my ramen down to the last drop of the broth ! Noodles were mildly chewy and tasted awesome! Their chasiu had very little fats, which was great! Finally, the portion served was very generous!Overall, I love the ramen here , the only I wish was better was the parking!TIPS: If you want iced water, you could do self service. it'll be to your right when you enter.

Efficient place! Order on a tablet outside, then find a seat, consume and leave. Quite small inside and every person must order a bowl of ramen. There were maybe 5 seats at the bar and two booths that can accommodate two people in the outside. Also a few seats outside as well. Very savory broth with excellent quality ingredients!

One girl was running this place. It was only myself dining in this afternoon. I don't see this place being crowded at least for lunch time. It is a small place of 10 seats inside and about three outdoor. You place an order on their touch screen at the entrance. Single serving of Noodle was not filling enough for a healthy eater like myself. You may need to select double serving or more toppings.

Was a wonderful experience. The ramen broth was the perfect temperature and the accompanying pork bowl was delicious! The service was swift and efficient, and although the space is smaller, it is very reminiscent of being back in Japan. Highly recommend for people who want a great bowl of ramen.

My favorite thing about Kotoya is how perfectly cooked their noodles are! Very chewy and al dente.I always go for the white garlic ramen which has a great creaminess to it. This time I got a side of spicy chili oil and it added the heat that I wanted. Just beware, even half of the amount that they give you adds a whoooole lot of spice.This time my pork had a little too much fat on it that wasn't a little more chewy then melt in your mouth, but that hasn't been a problem in the past. Really like this place! We were just confused because there was a photo posted about it closing down. Needless to say it's still up, but may have a new owner/menu??

Back and Better! We were so happy they were back, and a slightly newer menu, but still some of the same classics. the flavor profiles are even better. I got the spicy vegan ramen!! IT WAS SO DELICIOUS. Best vegan ramen i have ever had.