GONZO! Ramen

I'm rating this restaurant based on my experience of ramen I've had in USA and not included Japan. Chicken karage - Surprisingly good. Very crunchy on the outside. Flavor is good too. Gonzo mania - I love yuzu. So when they said they have a beer with yuzu, I gotta try it. Disappointed because I barely taste any yuzu. The lager itself was fine. Nothing special without the yuzu. Tonkotsu ramen - The soup base was disappointing. Not rich nor creamy like the Osaka style. They also added red ginger which invaded the pork bone taste of the soup which may be why it's not as richly tonkotsu flavor. The noodle is just packaged ramen. I'm spoiled with self made ramen. The pork Cha shu was done very well. Nice touch on the charred, as well the equality of the pork is very good. Not too fatty. Black garlic ramen - if you do have to choose tonkotsu soup base, must get black garlic. And the sad thing is they don't put nearly enough but it enhanced the flavor of the soup and made it more delectable.

Found this place on tik tok and saw all the good reviews and wanted to try it out. We are big ramen eaters so we were excited to try it. Let me start off by saying if you plan on going for dinner time be prepared for parking to be absolutely horrible! We had to park half a mile away. Once you get there, be prepared to wait. It's a small place and very popular. Staff was friendly as they seat you as well. Now to the bad part... we got a variety of items... and the only thing we liked was the Edamame. They gave us the wrong ramen so we accidentally ate each other's ramen. The pork belly with rice was extremely salty, and the Gyoza was flavorless. Maybe we caught them on a bad day since it was soo busy! But unfortunately we won't be back, but I know they are going to do just fine. I just wanted to give my review of my experience. I know they will continue to thrive.

found this place to have lunch with my friends. The restaurant has a high rating, so we decided to come here. I liked the interior of the place, it's stylishly decorated and has a lot of interesting details. There are many tables inside and outside. The order was brought very quickly. I liked the miso, very tasty, but a bit oily broth for me. My friends were also happy with their food. It is also interesting that there are various delicious Japanese drinks and ice cream for sale. Overall we are satisfied with this place. I recommend that you definitely come here and try the food🩷

I work in the area, and somehow managed to forget to write a review for one of my favorite ramen places in the area! I have been coming to Gonzo since 2020 and love this place. The people who work here are all great, friendly, and helpful. As well as the owners, who are constantly doing an amazing job at running this place. I also tried their new addition to the restaurant, the bar that used to be Compass (now Gonzo). Very, very cool place. I'm excited to try more things when I can and hang out with friends here.

Really great staff that's friendly and accommodating. The noodles were cooked perfectly, even my 2 year old loved the kids meals. On top of that the chicken karaage was crispy, tender, and juicy. Definitely will return!

It was a cold and rainy Saturday night and we were craving hot broth. The line wasn’t too long and we were able to order pretty quickly. They also had a great craft beer selection to choose from. The ramen came out pretty fast considering the crowd and it was hot and super flavorful. It was great to go to a place with clearly marked vegan options for my girlfriend. The vibe is really cool and casual and it’s a great date night spot.

This Ramen spot was seriously delicious! I love the cozy vibes and Japanese decor. Totally reminds me of Tokyo. It was pretty busy when we arrived, and the staff was super helpful to get everyone a table inside with the rainy weather. Ordered the vegetable gyoza, the chicken karaage bowl, and the red spicy miso ramen. Every single item was so tasty! The chicken especially was so crunchy and juicy. Definitely recommend, 10 out of 10

GONZO! Ramen absolutely nailed it! We ordered the Black Gonzo Ramen and Miso Ramen, and both were phenomenal—packed with flavor, perfectly balanced, and deeply satisfying. The broth on each was rich and comforting, the noodles had the ideal bite, and the toppings were generous and fresh. The atmosphere is fun and vibrant, with a cool mix of Japanese street-style flair and Carlsbad beach-town energy. Service was quick and friendly, and you can tell the team there really cares about what they’re serving. If you’re in Carlsbad Village and craving a top-tier bowl of ramen, this spot is a must. We’ll definitely be back!

Best ramen I have ever had in my life. Great vibe and excellent service. Try the Miso. You won't be disappointed.

Here's what I ordered at GONZO! Black Garlic Oil Ramen **Setting:** Gonzo has a cool, authentic vibe with traditional Japanese decor, making for a cozy dining experience. **Service:** The service is impressively quick, with our ramen arriving promptly. **The Ramen:** The Black Garlic Oil Ramen stands out with its rich, smoky broth enhanced by black garlic oil. The egg noodles was tasty af and the toppings, including tender chashu and a soft-boiled egg, are spot-on. **Overall:** Gonzo's Black Garlic Oil Ramen is a must-try for its unique flavor and the restaurant's inviting atmosphere.

I love this place! It was sprinkling a little, so we ordered the Black Garlic ramen and karaage--both were delicious! The service is good, with a lot of self-serve elements. Honestly, we should be tipping ourselves! :) The ambiance is casual, and there's outdoor seating available too.

This was my first time here. My son and I got the same ramen. GONZO! BLACK $17.95 black garlic oil over tonkotsu ramen, bean sprouts, red ginger optional We loved it. Really flavorful and a clean broth. We also got the spicy edamame and pork gyoza. The pork gyoza was really good. But the spicy edamame were not to my liking. They were too salty. I had to wipe the salt off before I could eat them. And they had no spiciness to them. I probably wouldn't order them again. But overall, this was a nice little place to come and have a nice bowl of ramen. I would recommend this place to my family and friends.

The cutest ramen shop! They've decorated the space with lanterns, creating a lovely, authentic ramen shop vibe. The staff always make me feel welcome, and the food comes out quickly despite how busy it gets. I love their curry bowls and miso ramen. They also have a sister shop in the same plaza. When I visited Gonzo, they gave me a free coupon for game credits to use at their other store. It extended the awesome experience, and my friends and I had a great time!

I've been here many times and have tried other ramen spots but this has got to be the best ramen in north county. Everything on the menu is solid. I love the regular tonkotsu ramen, nigiri and takoyaki. They have a great selection of Japanese branded drinks and some alcoholic options too. Menu is reasonably priced for the area and great portions. When I come for lunch I am always usually able to find a table for 3-4 people. It can get busy though and parking can be a bit tough.

Fun atmosphere in here! The ramen wasn't the best we've had but for the area was pretty good! We ordered the black garlic tonkatsu to share. The spice level we ordered was alright. Next time I'd go for the super spicy.

Gonzo Ramen aka Gonzo Store is an interesting restaurant/store in downtown Carlsbad. This is the closest ramen restaurant to my hotel. Firstly parking is limited and shared among a few other businesses. I don't know what other options are available so plan accordingly. The restaurant interior is eclectic with japanese memorabilia and posters all around. My pictures will be better than my words. You step up to the counter to give your order to the service staff or use the terminal to make take-out orders. The staff at the counter was friendly and efficient thanks to the menu stuck to the wall beside the register. Anyways I ordered the agedashi tofu and the black ramen. Since I was the first customer my order arrived in under 10 minutes. The agedashi tofu was OK but the ponzu sauce had way too much lemon in it. The ramen itself was quite good with al dente noodles and tasty char siu pork slices. The broth however was a little too thin for tonkatsu broth. It was lacking in creaminess. However the black garlic added to the flavor. Also I feel that there was too much bean sprouts which altered the flavor. Perhaps blanching them or adding fresh corn might help. I will try some of the other appetizers and ramen dishes next time I am in town. One other thing was the outdoor seating which will help on the warmer days.

Ramen was an okay. Ramen eggs were the best part, followed by the broth--not too salty and full of flavor. Tonkotsu was much better than black garlic in terms of flavor. Noodles were slightly different and we enjoyed both. Chashu was super tough. And other toppings were nothing special. Ambiance was good. You pay first. 4/5 overall, but for what it's worth, we'd go somewhere else.

This is only about Gonzo as a music venue. I can imagine this is how some of the great little music venues started out. I mean who would think of a Ramen restaurant having live music. It's after the restaurant closes and then reopens for the band, so no food is sold during that time. But there is beer and wine and saki. If I was them I would expand on the selections of wine, maybe one more of white and one more of red. The acoustics were surprisingly good and I really enjoyed seeing Paul Collins and The Beat there last week. I felt like I was a teenager again.

We came here because of the reviews and it was good, but not gush-worthy. Finding the restaurant is like a little maze in the building since they have multiple ways to get to the 2nd floor where the restaurant is. There is enough parking in the area. We ordered the takoyaki balls, the Gonzo red and the Gonzo black ramen. We also got a side of the super spicy sauce. The takoyaki was excellent. We loved it. Between the Gonzo red and Gonzo black, the Gonzo black was our favorite. The super spicy sauce was very spicy by itself, but adding it to the ramen definitely added more flavor instead of just heat. I tried some of their beer, but I couldn't finish it. Portions are huge and we couldn't finish everything so we had another meal out of the leftovers. They also have a shop where you can buy Korean and Japanese snacks, goodies, etc. We enjoyed our trip here and will try to come back.

Came and got the Gonzo Red ramen, karaage, and Gonzo Mania beer. The Gonzo red (spicy miso) ramen came topped with half a soft boiled egg, chashu pork, spicy ground meat, sprouts, green onion, mushroom, and corn. The broth was flavorful and not too spicy but a nice flavorful heat, there were a lot of noodles so it was quite filling. The chashu was very tender and the egg nicely done. The other toppings went well with the dish as a whole. The sweetness of the corn was a nice contrast to the spiciness of the broth. You can get a hotter version with Carolina reaper chili if you like but that's in the realm of uncomfortable for me. The Karaage was executed very well, it had a nice thick crispy batter and was very juicy. The Gonzo Mania beer was a Japanese lagger with yuzu. It was very light and refreshing especially with the slight notes of yuzu. Its cool that they have their own beer, in the restaurant they come on tap but you can buy them in cans to go in the store around the corner. Its more of a fast casual kind of place, so you stand in line and order, then find a seat, they'll bring your order to you with the table number provided. They ask that you don't have one person save a seat while you stand in line, so it leaves the seating open in order of people that have ordered. Service was great and friendly as they checked up on us multiple times. There is a large parking lot around the plaza but it can get crowded as there are a bunch of eateries that share the parking.

Amazing and thoughtful service! The interior is so beautifully crafted and just FUN! There is so much to look at, you just feel joyful here! Gonzo Mania is actually one of my favorite Booze Bro beers so that's how I ended up trying GONZO! The ramen here is deliciously flavorful. A nicely seared chashu, flavorful broth, and a quality egg! If you're ever craving a quick ramen while up in Carlsbad - Gonzo is a great choice. Eating here is a fun experience with great service and environment!

Gonzo! Ramen is such a fun treat. They have a super yummy vegan ramen that I really enjoyed along with quite a few vegan small plates too (veggie bao, cucumber salad, edamame) They have pretty good happy hour prices for some of their beers and offer indoor and outdoor seating (with heaters when it's cold.) You order at the counter first and then find a place to eat. There's lots of shops around to visit before or after. Parking is a little funky in the lot, it didn't seem like there was much.

Mid food, but nice customer service. We sat on the tables in their patio area which was nice, until a dog came up next to me and put their paws on me while I was eating Chicken karage bowl: chicken was juicy on the inside but it could have been more crispy. As an Asian restaurant, they could serve better rice. The rice was wet and mushy. Ramen: my friend said it was mid and thought that there was too much going on, but not enough flavor in the broth. She ranked it slightly below ramen Nagi

Casual spot for great ramen! There's indoor and outdoor heated patio. You have to order at the register first before finding a table. It wasn't that difficult on a Saturday prime lunch hour as there were some sitting outside. However, the public parking lot is shared by many other businesses in the village plaza so finding a spot may take some time and luck. The black garlic ramen was better than I expected! Flavorful in both pork broth and the black garlic without feeling too greasy. The chashu here is quite big and has a good bite compared to most ramen spots in the Bay Area. This is a great spot I'd return to if I was in the area again, and also a really good spot for families visiting Legoland. Come here for real food and a different vibe!

I'm so glad we tried this place, my aunt said it's her favorite. I tried the black miso ramen with pork and I really enjoyed it just added a bit of chili oil and it was delicious. I do wish it had a bit more broth felt like I was jipped on broth. My grandma enjoyed her rice bowl with chicken karaage & we all did too. My aunt loves the vegan ramen with an added egg. I can't wait to bring my husband back to give it a try. Gentlemen working there were friendly & attentive! Even though you order at the front like cafe style. Plenty of seating outside and inside.

GONZO! Ramen was not our first choice for a dining destination when we arrived at the Village Faire in downtown Carlsbad. When our primary spot that was also on the second level of the complex looked less than satisfactory, we switched gears and walked over to the west end to join the line at this noodle shop. The decor was heavily inspired by music, in particular punk rock. It seemed like the place even hosted live acts at least once a month which was surprising for such an eatery. Laminated menu sheets were available to view while waiting to order. Appetizers, alcohol, rice bowls, and curry were listed on one side. Five types of ramen were featured on the other side with a set of toppings that you could add for a surcharge. I asked for the Tonkotsu ramen with extra noodles, and we also split the Chicken Karaage as an appetizer. A number was given to us to bring to our table which ended up being on the adjacent patio because the inside seating was at capacity. A server brought the two bowls of ramen out first before the appetizer. Mine consisted of thin egg noodles with pork and chicken broth, green onions, kikurage mushrooms, half of a soft boiled egg, two pieces of pork, and red ginger. The bowl had a sufficient amount of noodles so the extra portion was probably unnecessary. The broth was light and flavorful. Seven pieces of freshly fried chicken were on a plate with a lemon slice and a dollop of kewpie mayo. The crust was quite crunchy. The weather was pleasant to be dining al fresco unlike the heatwave conditions that had recently passed the area. There were about a dozen outside tables. For the price and quality of the food we purchased, I gave a four star rating for our dinner at GONZO! Ramen.

Tucked away in the back corner on the second floor you will find it because it is a quest to get great ramen. The broth is amazing and the ramen noodles are perfect.

Came back here again! Still a great food, cool ambiance and amazing service! I love it here! I am not from this area but I visited Japan and I am a ramen lover. This place it legit and will come definitely come back again!

This is not your grandma's Ramen place, unless she's into Japanese punk-rock aestetic, in which case -- Eff yeah, Grandma! You *get* that Ramen! Pros: Good price point Simple variety of choices, well executed Good vibes, music, and well lit Great space for indoor/outdoor eating Lots of beer and sparkling water options Bonus: cool swag, shirts and hoodies Staff grabbed us a table and checked in during meal. So thankful! Cons: May not be great for picky kids (fried chicken rice bowls w/o sauce and kids Ramen were will received by our kids tho) If you don't like rock music, f*** you. Smaller parking lot OVERALL: Far better than Legoland food, and worth the detour. Will go again next time we're in town.

Gotta admit, I went in with low expectations. Despite all the rave reviews, I thought GONZO! Ramen would be more hype. The name also frankly rubbed me the wrong way--it sounded like it was catering to a weird clientele. And entering the Carlsbad restaurant was a bit like going back in time. The walls are festooned with old Japanese posters, with a decidedly punkish/new wave feel to it. I might have been walking into a happening restaurant ca. 1984.. I also admit I blanched a bit at the prices. Everything has been going up, so I suppose I shouldn't be surprised, but I did think a basic tonkotsu ramen at $17 was pretty steep. Nevertheless, I paid over my money and waited... And when my ramen came, I was surprised. No, I was shocked. The tonkotsu broth was good. I mean really umami rich, just the right amount of salt and oil, and hitting you down to your bones good. In fact, it was the best tonkotsu broth I have had in the SD area. The chashu and other accompany add ins (egg, kikurage, green onions, pickled ginger) made this a really enjoyable dish. I take a bit off for the noodles. Although they were perfectly cooked--I mean just right--they were a kind that I think are suited for winter. G!R uses a thicker, chunkier ramen, when I think a thinner, lighter noodle would have suited better. But that is, I know, a matter of taste and I certainly would not be making that complaint if I had gone in on a cool December night instead of a hot August day. I have yet to try their other offerings, but one thing I would have really liked to have seen on the menu was tsukumen (noodles dipped in broth in a separate bowl). When done with cold noodles and accompanied by a cool, citrusy broth, it is a great summer treat. But overall, I was very impressed with GONZO! Ramen. 頑張って (Do your best)!

Still love it. We've been back a few times and they keep up the consistency. The ramen here is phenomenal. It was a great treat to take our out of town friend from Memphis, he was impressed with the quality. The service was fast, the space is clean, and the food is delicious. What more could you want? They have a wide wonderful assortment of beverages and some frozen desserts. We popped by the shop and it's had some major additions since the last time we stopped by. Go support a small family business and eat your heart out!

Cute fun place!!! Vibes r here. I like how they sometimes have live music. The vegan green ramen w gluten free noodles was pretty good! Def very different from traditional ramen but good soup. It had a light broth that tasted like black pepper and the noodles were like seaweed konjac like super bouncy. The service was good too!

The line is always out the door at this popular spot in downtown Carlsbad! The line moves fast and the food is worth the wait! I get the spicy ramen and always have to pair it with sake! I've tried many ramen spots and can say with certainty this is the best I've been to yet!

Ramen North county Carlsbad Strip mall parking Restrooms outside with code Reservations available Second floor of the mall Vegan options Indoor outdoor sitting Good for individual payments Order and pay before sitting Fast service

Immaculate vibes at this place. I've been a few times and tried different Ramen and they are all legit, especially the miso broth! They also have a vegetarian and kids options. I do think they are outgrowing their space and unfortunately you can wait a little while to be seated when it's busy, but once you've got your seat it's a super cozy space with vintage style and friendly energy.

I came to GONZO! Ramen after seeing their grand opening about a year ago. I really loved the One Piece aesthetic they had going on in their pictures so I put this in my list of ramen places to try in North County. This ramen shop is located inside the Carlsbad Village plaza, so there was plenty of parking around the perimeter of the village; depending where you would want to enter from. It was actually really easy to order, you grab a menu before heading in line & the cashier takes your order at the front. You get a number after paying and then you're free to choose wherever you'd like to sit. Since there were 4 of us, we grabbed a table by the windows & the ambiance was really cozy. The aesthetic kind of reminds me of a ramen shop in Japan, with the wooden counter tops and railings to distinguish between the cashier and kitchen area. I ordered the GONZO! Black which is my go-to at any ramen place to try black garlic oil over Tonkotsu ramen and it was deeelicious! 10/10 for how creamy and flavorful the broth was and it was a hefty bowl of soup, pork belly and vegetables :) I would say it's up there in one of my favorite ramen places in North County SD! My best friend got the GONZO! Red with spicy miso ramen broth and I'd have to say that was the best one. I was introduced by her to do the garlic oil on the side to add more into our broths & IT WAS A GAMECHANGER. I advise anyone to try this if you're up for trying new combinations. We got takoyaki and gyoza as the sides and they were great! I definitely see myself coming back again whenever I'm in the area, I'm really happy I finally got to try this ramen shop. Doesn't disappoint!

Food - Service - Ambiance - Highly recommended, if you love ramen, must try. Should be #1!

YUM!! My hubby and I are big ramen fans, and this place always hits the spot. The spicy ramen is spicyyyy, but so incredibly delicious. Definitely a Carlsbad favorite!

The ingredients were fresh and the broth was flavorful, but the dish was lukewarm when it was served, which I was disappointed about. You order at the front register then it's open seating throughout the restaurant. The food came out very fast which was nice and there was plenty of seating even with a line.

The ramen did the job but not the best ramen I've had. Super popular spot, cool vibes indoor and outside. They have heaters in case you get cold outside which is nice! Service was good and they were on it! Ultimately, the tonkotsu ramen was ok. The pork belly was good and I enjoyed the toppings. However the broth tasted like maruchan chicken ramen broth and was nothing special. I would've hoped for a richer, deeper flavor profile on the broth.

Reviews don't lie. This place was well worth the drive. Love the ambiance and the vibe is so welcoming. The ramen was delicious!!! Get the black garlic!!! Never had takoyaki before but I'm now Gonzo's biggest fan. A beautiful blend of chill but still traditional Japanese experience.

I'd been here a couple times before, but it's been years and this was the first visit since moving to North County. I forgot how good this place was. This place is located on the 2nd floor of a pretty busy plaza. Parking can get difficult at times. The inside is very trendy with hints of Japanese pop culture. It's a bit small but there are also a lot of great outdoor seating. This place has a good selection of food and drinks. It is counter service and the servers were fairly friendly and quick. The food came out at a reasonable time. I got the Gonzo Black and I really enjoyed it! The broth was really flavorful, the black garlic oil adds a lot. The pork chashu was so good. It was pretty fatty so it melts in your mouth pretty nicely. I tried some of the chicken karaage and that had a nice crisp to it while still being fairly juice. Overall, liked this place a lot and would definitely come back!

Tried this place due to its high reviews, ordered a vegan ramen with black garlic added and was surprised to see a black layer floating on top of broth. I couldn't finish my dish as it was seemingly oily and the noodles weren't tasty like other vegan noodles. For almost $20 I expected a bit more.

My husband and I FINALLY tried this place last night and it did not disappoint. I got the Tonkotsu Ramen, my husband got the Gonzo Black Ramen. Both were so rich, creamy, filling and delicious. Idk what you guys do with the meat...but DAMN LOL it's marinated and cooked absolutely perfectly and just melts in your mouth like butter in the best way. We also shared the Gyoza which was honestly the best gyoza I've ever had. The outside was so light and airy, and the filling was packed with so much flavor. The ambience was great, they had a huge variety of drinks both non-alcohol/alcohol. I opted for the Yuzu soda, sooo good. We will definitely be coming back soon, especially with this colder weather and rain lurking around the corner. Thank you for the warm and welcoming hospitality. You guys were great!

The vegan ramen here is delightful, served with plenty of fresh veggies and soft tofu! The soup isn't too salty like a lot of ramen places -- just flavorful enough to be satisfying. The service was fast. You order and pay when you walk in before getting seated, so there's no waiting for a bill when you're done eating. Finally, I love that GONZO is located in downtown Carlsbad. It's easy to enjoy dinner, then go for a nice evening walk afterward. Overall, I had a fantastic experience and will be back soon.

Probably the best Ramen I've had in North County so far. Quick service, indoor and outdoor seating topped off with filling and flavorful ramen. Come here on a cold night, sit outside and enjoy your ramen. Hard to top those vibes

Immerse yourself in the world of Japanese animation (anime) and comics (manga) as you dine on deliciously crafted ramen and curry. This fun little place just blocks from the beach is located in a small outdoor boutique mall sporting indoor and outdoor seating (with heating lamps) that can accommodate party sizes ranging from an intimate get-together to a special celebration. With a shared parking lot, it may be challenging to find a spot but there are also street parking available in the vicinity. During non-peak times, it seems pretty accessible. As you enter the shop, you'll be illuminated by the glow emitting from red lanterns hanging above and immersed in the sounds of other patrons, staff, and music blazing all around you. This simulates the settings commonly observed in Japanese street markets and engulfs you in all that is inspired by Japan. From posters highlighting musicians and anime to actual merchandise/collectables you can purchase, you'll be left admiring the shop before you place your order at the register upfront. Upon looking at their menu, you'll be confronted with a difficult choice. Ramen or curry. If you're like me, you'll likely want to order it all to give it all a try. However, this particular visit, we held steady and ordered the ramen but vowing to come back and try their curry next time we are back in town. Aside from what's on the menu, they also have a pretty extensive selection of beverages found in their fridge. Make sure you take a look and include your selections in your order! After placing our order, we received a number and were asked to seat ourselves. Once we were seated, we grabbed some waters using the self service water station and the staff were quick to bring us utensils to prepare us for the meal ahead. They were exceptional at ensuring we felt comfortable and made themselves available should we needed anything in particular. Great team here from the front office to the back kitchen! Most of us ordered the Gonzo Black but we also got a couple of the kids ramen for the little ones. Gonzo Black - great garlic taste, had a good mix of ingredients and portions of noodles and fixings, meat was tender, egg was perfectly cooked, and the soup was tasty and not too salty. Kid ramen - good amount of food and soup had perfect balance of richness. After the meal, the staff also provided us a few tokens for us to use at the store nearby (named the same, Gonzo) that hosts a couple wall lengths of mini claw machines and racks of merchandise (e.g., figurines, plushes, clothing, candies and snacks). The tokens can be redeemed for a few coins for you to have a go at the claw machine of your choice. I think the win rate is pretty slim but hey, it's a fun game to go with your food! One thing to keep in mind, the bathrooms are located within the mall (it's shared with all the tenants of the mall). Overall, the food is great and the atmosphere is truly unique and enjoyable. If you're into anime, Gonzo is going to ignite a bit of excitement for you, especially if you are nostalgic for some of the classics.

Randomly decided to check this restaurant out and it did not disappoint! We ordered the Gonzo black ramen, the chicken karaage, and the Gonzo Mania draft beer. The ramen noodles had a nice consistency, the meat was cooked well, and the broth was garlicy and flavorful. The Gonzo Mania beer had a light refreshing taste and paired well with the ramen. We came in the afternoon on a Sunday (around 3pm) and didn't have to wait long for our food. I can see this place being packed around dinnertime so definitely recommend coming in early before the dinner rush!

After seeing this spot continuously pop up on my FYP and reading all the raving reviews, I may have set my expectations a bit too high for GONZO! I opted for the GONZO! Red and my partner went with the GONZO! Black. We've both had our fair share of ramen and this wasn't exactly our favorite. While all the flavors were good and I liked the fact that they were generous with their toppings, the broth was way too thick for my liking. It had the consistency of a heavy stew rather than the usual ramen broth that I'm accustomed to. Maybe it we just caught them on an off day or are not used to this style of ramen, but it wasn't exactly our cup of tea. Not a bad bowl of ramen by any means, just not for us.

First time here. It did not disappoint! The ramen, and Curry Katsu was phenomenal. Wish the Edamame had more flavor on it. Customer service was amazing. They saw my disabled mom standing in line and immediately took her to be seated. Over all it's a 10/10.

A friend recommended this small ramen spot, and it definitely satisfied our hunger. The place is very casual--you order at the counter before sitting down, much like a food court setup. However, I have one complaint: I asked for spinach as a topping and received just four leaves for a dollar. Seriously?

The service and ambiance is an absolute vibe! When I visited I went alone, but the staff is so friendly I felt very welcomed. The ambiance and all the japanese decor is so cute! It felt like little tokyo in there or even perhaps almost like a studio ghibli movie. The way the service is designed is order and then sit down. It was incredibly busy when I showed up so I really appreciate that there are workers who advise where you should/can sit. It made the process very smooth. 4/5 stars because the bowl of ramen was delicious however I wish the broth itself was richer/more flavorful. Otherwise, still a very cute restaurant to go to when in the area-- I recommend :-)

A lot of really great ramen joints have terrible vegetarian/vegan ramen, so I'm always looking for a good version. The noodles are almost always good, but a lot of the broths are really bland. So I'm happy to report that Gonzo's vegan broth is good! It's mild, but still flavorful. And while not exactly rich, it does have plenty of oil that helps make it very satisfying. Solid A there. Where I found it a bit lacking was the toppings. You'll never find a chunk of plain, unseasoned meat on top of a ramen bowl, so why do so many places add plain tofu? I liked the variety of veggies, but they were cold, which makes them much less pleasant to eat. Still, it was overall pretty good. And the outdoor seating is great and dog friendly. Worth another visit.

I was craving ramen and found this place in Yelp. So glad we came here!! The great reviews are honest and truthful. Man, the ramen was amazing!! So much flavor and love how the ramen noodles were egg noodles. If you want extra protein, then I would order extra serving of the pork. Well worth it. I got the black garlic ramen and added corn. Sooooo delicious. I definitely recommend you try this place if you are a ramen lover.

Celebrated my anniversary at Gonzo and it was soooooo good! It's located in a cute plaza in Carlsbad and they have a gonzo store super close by as well with more Japanese goodies and claw machines! The inside of Gonzo is so beautiful, really reminds me of the night time city life of Japan! The walls were decorated in a lot of vintage pieces, my favorite is the one of Kingdom Hearts tucked in the corner booth. It's a self serve restaurant where you go up to the cashier to order your food, grab your drinks and pay at the cashier counter, and you can sit anywhere in their inside and outside areas. They have a water station next to the fridge of alcoholic drinks that you can get water from. The food tasted just as good as I hoped! The takoyaki was pretty crispy, adding a good texture. Not mushy like other places I've had in the states. The ramen had a very nice flavor. I like spicy ramen so I had the Gonzo red ramen and added black garlic, the black garlic oil made it so much better! Came with plenty of toppings and toppings I would usually get on my ramen too. Prices on the food are regular to what I'm used to so that was nice. Even though it's self serve, the employees were all very nice! They greet you as soon as you walk in and they were very helpful for us first timers walking in. After receiving the food, we got checked on and I think even the manager came by at the end of our meal to check on us which was very nice. I definitely want to come back! Gonzo ramen is a spot I'd love to come back to!

Parking: Big parking plaza but very busy place Atmosphere: Fast pace indoor outdoor dining. Service: I walked up and asked to reserve an outdoor seat while my wife was inside ordering and was respectfully advised the process of ordering first before a seat can be reserved. Very friendly staff and accommodating to add an extra item I wanted to try after our food was already brought out. Food: The Ramens were very flavorful and loaded with meat. Supports Military: Offers Military Discount Overall: Great dining experience and location. Food and service were on point. One thing about most ramen places I've had is that the broth is a bit salty and I thought the broth here was perfect.

This eye catching ramen restaurant has some cool decor, interesting Japanese style drinks, sake, Japanese beer. Service was prompt and professional. My order was Tonkatsu Ramen, Miso Ramen, and karaage chicken. The karaage chicken was delicious, super crispy and crunchy outside, soft and juicy inside, served with kewpie mayo garnished with shichimi. The Tonkastu Ramen had thin wheat noodles perfect al dente, the Miso Ramen had egg noodles cooked firm but soft, good toppings on both, broth was tasty, buttery, silky, and heavy, the Char siu was slightly fattier than I like but was cooked so it melted in my mouth, Char siu in the Miso Ramen was undercooked. We sat outdoor where they had adequate heaters to stay comfortable even though it was a chilly night. The broth and ramen style reminded me of ramen I experienced in Hokkaido, heavy, buttery, fatty and thick and fulfilling.