Daikokuya Annex
Restaurant · Historic Core
321 1/4, 321 1st St, Los Angeles, CA 90012
Highlights
Offers popular tonkotsu ramen, gyozas, and customizable onigiri.
Offers popular tonkotsu ramen, gyozas, and customizable onigiri.
"Daikokuya is a bit of a chain these days, but a visit to the original Little Tokyo location for one of their traditional bowls is a pilgrimage every ramen disciple must take. The lines can get long—this isn’t necessarily a “quick lunch”—but Daikokuya’s tonkotsu repays you for your time with tender pork belly chashu, a jammy soft-boiled egg, and a generous sprinkling of green onions. All of that pork fat-infused broth might put you to sleep afterward, so hit the office coffee machine on the way to your desk." - brant cox, sylvio martins, cathy park
"You can't miss this spot due to the constant swarm of hungry patrons waiting under the yellow awning. The ramen here never disappoints, whether it's the ever popular Tonkotsu ramen, the perfectly spicy miso ramen, or the extra fatty and savory Koterri ramen. If you're looking for the perfect lunch combo, add a bowl of Tuna sashimi, and they'll throw in a cabbage salad with their signature Kewpie dressing. The atmosphere offers little frills, but that only adds to the charm of this Little Tokyo gem. Come during off hours to avoid long waits. Cash Only." - Sandwich Video
"Daikokuya is the mother of LA ramen and the main reason we transitioned from that sad, microwaveable version in our dorm room to the real thing. With five locations across the city, Daikokuya is definitely a bit of a chain these days, but a visit to the original Little Tokyo shop for one of their traditional bowls is a pilgrimage every ramen disciple must take. The lines can get long, but the old-school, no-frills space is the exact setting where you want to be housing a bowl of noodles." - brant cox, sylvio martins, garrett snyder, cathy park
"You’ll deal with the crazy wait here because the ramen is worth it, and because it’s just a quick drive away from USC. It’s also open until midnight, so go for a late-night noodle study break or to avoid the long waits." - katherine lewin
"Daikokuya is a small chain these days, and sometimes there's a bit of a line, but the mother of LA ramen spots is still worth a late-night visit. The interior of the Sawtelle location is designed to look like a Tokyo alleyway, which sometimes disorients us like a Las Vegas casino. You'll lose all sense of time and space at this ramen spot, regardless of how coherent you are. But what really matters are Daikokuya's pork-fat infused ramen, pan-fried gyoza, and super crispy chicken karaage. Open until 1am." - brant cox, arden shore, nikko duren, sylvio martins, garrett snyder
