kai ramen sherman oaks

This was an excellent meal. Merci the hostess who served me and took my order was very nice and attentive. The food itself, excellent. The salad that I got was sooo good. The dressing is some kind of sesame dressing and it was fabulous. Usually restaurants treat their salads as an afterthought and give you something basic with ranch, but not Kai ramen. The salad, wow. The ramen was also excellent. The broth was great and full of flavor and was nice and warm (temperature and heat wise, I got medium). The dish had a lot of different ingredients which kept it exciting throughout. Excellent experience, will be back again! (Parking lot fills up quick and is small, plan accordingly)

Great ramen overall. They offer both vegetarian and vegan options. I enjoyed the vegan tonkotsu, which was rich and creamy with a good amount of veggies. My partner had the black negi ramen and liked it too.

Enjoyed my meal here. Low key, small restaurant with just a handful of tables and counter space. Food was delicious and the servers were very patient, friendly and helpful.

very flavorful ramen. The staff was nice. Not great parking in a small area. good prices for large portions

I hadn’t been to a local ramen place before so we pulled up google maps and seen what was in the area. Immediately after getting there the parking was mid but not surprising giving it was located in a small plaza. The customer service was mid at best. The hostess smiled and was relatively polite but wasn’t actually interested in her job. I walked up to the door and decided to take a look at the menu before officially settling on this as our diner location, and the hostess aggressively attempted to rush me to be sat, without offering to answer my questions as I specifically said “oh I need a moment I’ve never been here, I want to look at the menu and be sure I can eat here”. For the record I wasn’t convinced but my dinner partner, insisted! So the food, I ordered the spicy chicken ramen (black Kai ramen or something) and he ordered the regular. I honestly wasn’t impressed. The flavor profile was ok, the presentation was nice which was a little deceptive as I assumed it would be delicious since it looked so nice! It was hot (temperature) and the perfect amount of hot (heat) but it just wasn’t that good. The broth wasn’t rich and flavorful rather more on the bland side. The ambience is quaint, very small space, but homey feel. I loved that the tables were small but big enough for my dining partner (6’6) but we were definitely sat at a family (4 top) table and not the standard 2 top. Overall I think I’ll try another ramen place to find “my local spot”. However, the price point was decent.

Love this place. It's a little small but cozy and warm. I visited here many times and kept coming back. Lots of local people and loyal customers. Always busy, wish means food is fresh.

Wow. Now THIS is ramen done right! I ordered the Volcano Ramen and it was amazing! So delicious, not too hot (just right amount of spice), and looked amazing when brought to us. Came here with a party of 4 right before the dinner rush (around 6pm on a Saturday night) and we were luckily able to get a table within 10 minutes of getting there. The service was excellent, we got seated, got our waters, and they were fast to get our orders to us. Definitely try the appetizers, but make sure you save room for the ramen because it is so delicious you’ll want to finish the whole bowl! I’ll definitely come back here again to try more of their ramen, hoping to be a regular here soon.

This was my very first time coming to this particular establishment and just wow, great ramen dishes. My company and I partially shared because both bowls were so good. You know a place is good, when it's still relatively early for dinner and there is already a line. Even the prices were decent considering the kind of food being served. The place is small but has some outside seating as well. The service was good but since it was dinner time we we a little rushed due to the high volume of patrons wanting to eat, Which is fair. All in all, it was worth it and I will be going back.

Awesome ramen spot that we stumbled on while staying in the area. They had table tops and sushi bar seating as well. We had a decent sized group and we didn't want to wait so we all just sat at the sushi bar. The ramen and the apps were delicious. The staff was nice as well. Definitely a spot im coming back when im in the area again.

Definitely not worth 5 stars. I'm not going to finish my food. I took maybe 5 bites and was over it. It was "to go", but I don't feel dine-in would be much better.

Ive been to Kai in North Hollywood multiple times & always enjoyed it - tried this location out yesterday and to my dismay there was a piece of meat in my vegan ramen. I was obviously disgusted & my partner ended up getting sick after the meal. If you're vegan/vegetarian be cautious coming here.

What a pleasant space to bring a date to! My lady and I ordered ramen which is very tasty! Come try this delicious spot it is very good and the service is excellent!

Thank you merci for your service helping me choosing the best Ramen and vegan and they have a lot of good options variety of different Ramen

I don't know how this place slipped through my research. Ever since bring back from Japan we are constantly on the hunt for authentic and delicious ramen, my friend recommended this place to us and I don't know how I didn't see this before. It has amazing reviews and a block away from my husband's office. Even though it was 100 degrees yesterday, we were craving ramen and really intrigued to try this place. So far this is in the top two ramen in LA for us, we really want to come back and try other types of ramen they provide but we really enjoyed it! Let me not forget to mention our server Sophie! She was so kind and helpful, she checked on us multiple times, she answered all our questions (we had a lot for being first timers here), and she did everything with a smile. Service was amazing, they were so so nice! This place has an authentic Japanese 'hole in the wall' feel to it, super easy to pop in and have some delicious ramen. They have a fantastic selection of ramen and sides. I highly recommend getting a combo with the gyoza and salad. Their gyoza is delicious and they do a black sesame salad dressing which I loved and haven't seen anywhere else before. Also do yourself a favor and order the spicy tuna crispy rice, I had one before I ate my ramen and one right after, it was perfect. The chicken ramen was light and the best I've had in LA, I added sprouts on the side. My husband got the white ramen, it was delicious, I really liked the broth, it was just a little garlic heavy for me but he is a garlic lover so it was perfect for him. I would love to try the classic and miso based one next time.

Yum! Yum! Yum! The BEST ramen in the valley!!!! Parking is horrendous but worth it. Just be a little patient.

Stumbled across this place looking for some food along Ventura Blvd. this seems to be a small hole in the wall ramen spot, and from my experience most hole in the wall places are the hidden gems. The customer service was absolutely amazing, the two servers were divine and seemed very enthusiastic with the people they were serving. I was recommended the white ramen, she described it to be very delicious. The white ramen was loaded with lots of flavor, and i got it a spice level medium. I've had my fair share of ramen, and I think this spot is definitely above average and competes with its neighboring places in the city. Overall, great experience and would highly recommend.

Im in town on business and a friend recommended this place. Its in a strip mall and parking can be difficult but well worth it!!! Its small but man can they make ramen. I had the Ramen Combo, goyza and house salad. The salad was excellent the dressing was rich and a had a great balance of sweet and acid (bottle this stuff and sell it) was a great way to start the meal, it was topped with fried shallots. The Goyza, was fried, myself included prefer mine fried on one side, but they were excellent. The star was the Ramen, i ordered an extra egg and this was spicy and it did not disappointed. The broth was rich and had lots of flavor. It came with ground beef, corn, green onions, egg and noodles. The noodles were excellent they had a nice chew to them, just how i love them, the corn was fresh (not canned) and had a great corn taste to them the green onions added a nice contrast to the meal. I love seasoned eggs i always get an extra egg and these did disappoint. Service was friendly from the time i walked in, when I arrived i was the only customer, but service continued to be friendly as more and more people arrived. Its a small place not very well decorated but who cares the food here is first rate ill be back when im back in town!!!

One of the most impressive ramen experiences I've ever had all in a very nondescript setting.

This is my first 5 star review in not only the Ramen category but among all food genres. I'm a stickler and my kids are picky. Tough to satisfy both palates with disparate criteria. Let's start with the star of the show - the ramen. My volcano ramen was spiced just right with crispy popcorn chicken, a delightful broth with the right amount of oil to enhance the mouth feel and unleash the full panoply of flavors. The noodles were perfectly just al dente. The kids ramen was equally well crafted and immediately devoured without talking or complaints (rare). The fried rice was beautiful and restrained. The spicy chicken and spicy tuna was destroyed by one of the girls; footnote - the spicy chicken dipping sauce was incredible. The salad was delicate and creative with a tasty sesame dressing. The food came out quickly and the server was attentive and on point. Overall, the best ramen experience in Sherman oaks / studio city rivaling little Tokyo and the ramen we had in Tokyo proper.

One of the best ramen places in Los Angeles! Always delicious always hits the spot. The classic spicy ramen a perfect summer lunch

Great Ramen restaurant! This is our new local favorite Ramen place now. If you live in the Encino, Sherman Oaks, Studio City area, come try it! Small dining area but worth it.

I so badly wanted to like this. Disclaimer - this was a delivery order. Mediocre ramen and forgettable. The broth was ok. The meat was dry and flavorless. I also ordered gyoza which were good but the sauce was horrible and vinegary. Also bummed it showed up less than hot. I had a hard time getting the noodles to come apart because the broth was just warm. (I know it was delivery but I was only 1 mile away). Maybe it's better in person?

Nothing wrong with the food at all and very good service. The problem with this restaurant is when I ordered my Ramen and they asked me if I would like it spicy. I told him yes.. only to find out I was charged $.75 more for a spicy Ramen. I will never go back to this place again because of that. I think it's total BS and they don't need my business.

We just moved to the area and were no unpacked yet to be able to cook dinner for ourselves. We ordered Kai Ramen over the phone for take out. On a Sunday night around 6:30 pm, I was only a 15-20 minutes wait and they didn't seem too busy inside either. We ended ordering the spicy miso ramen and the tsukemen dipping ramen. The spicy miso had a rich flavorful broth with tender thin noodles and an assortment of topping. The broth portion was significant so I was able to make my own noodles the next night and eat ramen again. The heat was the right amount to tickle your tongue and it was really tasty. The tsukemen was also really flavorful, but in a different way. It had a generous portion of tender pork with a slightly sweet broth. The noodles had a nice chew to it since they were a little thicker, which I also enjoyed. Although we ordered take out, they had great service. The price is very reasonable for ramen in the area and it tasted great. They have a nice selection of other items, that I'll try next time I visit. It's a small shopping center, so there is a parking lot for convenience, but it's a one way lot and can be pretty busy from the other businesses.

Delicious! If you haven't tried must try! The noodles were cooked to perfection and the flavor was on point. Not very spicy but enough to make you feel that sweat. The service was on point. Showed up during lunch hour and was seated. The waiter was attentive and got us our order fast and correct! The restaurant was going under some maintenance so their air conditioning wasn't working but it was okay, the manager (I assume ) apologized and offered us to sit outside (I prefer inside) then eventually they fixed the AC and it all worked out, the price was decent and doable wasn't overly pricy. Will return to try other food. I also had the pork bowl forgot to take a photo. That was also good if you enjoy rice and ground pork. Parking situation sort of sucks tho, the street gets congested and so does the parking lot.

Went Friday night around 6pm and there was no wait. Takoyaki was delish. Had the shoyu tonkotsu ramen, spicy. The dish was delish, wished it was a bit more spicy. Excellent service! I would go again.

I tried the spicy miso tonkotsu ramen. I was starving and didn't realize I ordered it with ground pork lol. It was really good! It was spicier than I'm used to but the taste was great. The portion was very big so I ended up taking half of it home- it was super filling and rich/flavorful. The only thing is that parking in this plaza is so bad- I got lucky and found a spot in an otherwise very full parking lot. Service was great and the ambiance was too- it's a tiny spot so come early to get a seat inside.

Food tasted great! Had the miso spicy tonkotsu ramen and large order of takoyaki. To drink was a hot green tea. Everything was so great I forgot to take a photo haha! Great ambiance. Love the music playing. Service was amazing! Very chill! Sophie and Mercy were very attentive and hard working tending to their tables and to go orders.

Been coming here for quite a few years now and my previous review needed to be updated. The ramen here is beyond delicious, it has gone up in price over the years but if it's keeps tasting this good it's definitely worth it. My favorite still is the volcano ramen but I substitute the noodles for the spinach ones and wow, always amazing. The spicy tuna crispy rice is so good too. Very flavorful and fresh, also it's spicy with that added jalapeño. It's always busy here so come with time, even if you order beforehand, you will wait a bit. Regardless, the waiters try to attend to you but they're always busy running up and down, so definitely be mindful that they're working hard. If you've thought about stopping by, do so! This is honestly one of the best ramen places in the valley.

Dear Me, We can definitely come back here if we get a chance. I know we like spicy ramen, but resist! Instead order the classic no spice. Don't get tempted with the fancy alternatives. Their pork broth is sooo good. We stole a lot from our kiddo's kids ramen. Chashu was super good as well. Service was awesome. Oh! Get the gyoza combo Man, that broth tho. Lol. P.s. we tried bomb and black.

Their ramen has so much flavor. My favorite one is the White Ramen. Today I got the White Ramen with the salad and chicken chashu. Never disappoints.

I love coming here for lunch. I normally get the classic, without scallions and mushrooms but the broth and the noodles are sooo yummy. Very flavorful. Highly recommend. Definitely a go to if you're in the area. It's reasonably priced.

Been here twice for the tsukemen and it's THE BEST!! Their noodles are so chewy and bouncy. The broth is also perfectly seasoned and pairs well when you squeeze lime on the noodles. I was really impressed with the pork. Had an excellent sear and def tasted hints of ginger for added freshness. And they give you three slices!! By far my favorite ramen shop in LA

Food tasted delicious. I went two times and both times it was consistent. Service was great they tend to you right away. Best time to go is mid day night time is busy.

Got baited by the high rating, ramen isn't that flavorful. If you got nowhere else to go for ramen, this place would work.

As always, my favorite. Ambiance is nice, seating is clean. The servers were tentative to what we needed and the food as delicious as always. Excellent portions for a reasonable price, never found any better ramen anywhere else in California. The other dishes were just as great, might add those to my regular order. I'll be back

I came here on a cold night and ordered the Sukiyaki Beef Bowl and Potato Croquette as well. The beef bowl came with meat, veggies, rice, and eggs and certainly warmed me up. Between a few bites, I would try out the potato croquette dish which also had a nice sauce to along with it and corn. This lasted for about two meals and hit the spot each time! I have also ordered the Chicken Ramen before, which contains "salt, base, yellow noodle, chicken meat, flavored egg, scallion, baby bokchoi, crispy onion, and flavored sprouts along with chicken broth". This was yet another unbelievable dish for a cold evening!

Kai Ramen is a small informal place in a strip mall that serves not only ramen but curry, gyoza, and numerous other dishes. They have vegan, vegetarian and non-vegetarian options. I got Bomb Ramen, which was quite good. Their Agedashi Tofu appetizer, served with bonito flake and dashi, was particularly great. No photo of this, unfortunately. I tried a couple of spoonfuls of their curry with fried chicken, and that was flavorful as well. The interior fan in the kitchen is rather loud. Otherwise, everything was very pleasant. They have a small amount of outside seating with heaters as well. The customer service, even when crowded, was good.

I must have came on an off night because the only reason I have to take away a star is that they just forgot everything ordered. I had the volcano ramen with the crispy chicken on the side. Always get the chicken on the side so it won't be soggy. I requested that they use the spinach noodle with a side of the black oil, pickles and garlic. Needless to say they forgot the spinach noodle sub, the garlic , the pickles and no more hot green tea. We also ordered the sesame chicken and asked for a side of the spicy chicken sauce. The food was exceptional minus the issue with the service. The waitress was very sweet, I know she was having a very off night which is why I'm only deducting one star. In her defense she did offer me a free soda. That takes the place of the hot tea I paid for and was only able to drink one like warm cup of. This is a sit order and go kind of spot so don't think of a big ambiance. The best place I like sitting is at the bar, it just feels right with ramen. I will be back again, it's a great ramen place you really can't go wrong.

Came on a cold night near closing time -- read a lot of great things, and lo and behold, the place was still almost completely packed. Luckily there were two tables available at that time, but a quick glance at the waiting list showed how busy it was earlier that day. As expected, the regular ramen noodles themselves were solid. The soup was amazing and the meat was flavorful. Friendly staff and the food came relatively quickly. The bomb ramen wasn't nearly as good as some of the spicy ramens I've had at other places as the flavor was a little too strong, though the egg was delicious. All in all a great ramen place.

Respectfully, This place is disgusting. I have NEVER had to send back food for my order at a ramen place, but I have for this establishment. I'm not sure about the inhouse "service" because I door dashed the order. Let me just tell you....ive never been so sickened in my life. The pork buns came stale AF and reeked of poop . I'm not even joking, I threw up upon smelling it. I also ordered their traditional pork ramen and the ramen smelled like crap too. Wtf is up with this place???!!!! The ramen tasted watered down and smelled worse than a sewer. This is my first and LAST time ever ordering from this place. I threw all the food pictured out! Nasty nasty nasty food...and low quality food.

Consistently excellent. Love the volcano ramen, but everything there is excellent. Service is good. Zero atmosphere; it's all about the food, which is proven by the long waits for seating most nights.

Finding a ramen spot with this many positive reviews in the valley, I figured we had to give it a shot. Came for lunch on a weekday and it wasn't too busy or crazy to get in. The parking was actually much easier then we ever would have anticipated. One bonus is they have a parking lot (I hate street parking on busy roads). When we got into the lot we did worry for a second as it looked pretty full however they had a gentleman outside guiding cars in the lot who was super helpful. Not sure if he was security or like a glorified valet guy (free though) but he granted us the 20 minute parking spot right in front of this establishment so we had no complaints and gladly parked. Not sure if parking here is always this easy but we were off to a good start. As others have noted the service is really stellar here. The main hostess/server lady working the front and tables was so welcoming and kind. While most of the tables were taken the ramen bar was pretty much open so we sat almost immediately (again weekday vs weekend). The waitress was beyond friendly and kind from start to finish. Also everyone else that worked there was nice and helpful. Good vibes definitely. The menu was large with a nice variety of ramen and appetizers. Reasonable lunch specials too for some ramen with a side salad or rice, etc. I felt that the pricing was all really fair and only like one $. The ramen I opted for was just their classic tonkotsu ramen with pork belly. I wanted to go with something safe since it was my first time here, my friend did the same and went with a veggie broth. The ramen in my opinion was just "fine". Misses: The broth wasn't as flavorful or rich as I've had at other spots. Also the pork belly was just average, didn't have the fatty-ness or a nice char, instead it was middle of the road "meh" (shrug). Pros: the noodles were cooked to perfection and I was surprised how much I liked the smaller noodles that came with the classic bowl. Also their egg had yummy flavor and was cooked well. I finished my dish so I was satisfied but it wasn't a "wow" ramen dish or anything better then average. My friend felt the same, not bad by any means but not particularly memorable. As far as a meal goes this ramen spot would land more of a 3.5 rating for me. But as we know, I'm a sucker for really good or at least friendly service. For that reason I have to give them 4 stars. They are clearly doing something right to have so many wonderful reviews that maybe I should have just gone with a more complex ramen dish...I don't know. This spot can definitely satisfy your ramen needs but it was more the service and price point that would have me considering coming back. I do think there are way better ramen spots in the area but if you've exhausted those efforts and run across this spot it is worth a try.

Located in small shipping center, the locale is small with only a few tables inside and outside. I sat at the bar to avoid the wait and escape the cold. For an app, we ordered the sesame fried chicken which was very crispy, just how I like it and it balanced nicely with the mustard sauce. For ramen, I ordered the Bomb Ramen with no onions and it had a mild spicy kick to it. If you don't like any spice, this may not be for you. The broth was so flavorful and the noodles were perfectly cooked. Would def recommend!

I love the chicken ramen with the creamy vegan broth! I never been somewhere that they put bok Chou in the soup and that's my favorite veggie! They also put crispy onion on top. Adds So much flavor. The chicken wasn't white meat so it was delicious with a slight sauté to it. The veggie egg rolls are great. The offer Thai tea. I did not try it yet but I like that. I'll be back Quick reviews, just for you Quick reviews just for you

What a hidden gem this place is. Packed with people. If you have time to wait your turn, it's worth it!

My boyfriend and I came here together as our first date and now we still come here together years later. I love the family style restaurant and the staff are so friendly, they had given me the best service for every visit and the cooks make the food so delicious. This place is my comfort zone and I love thanking the staff in Spanish, English and Japanese and they're so welcoming. I always order the same items and sometimes I order the veggie spring rolls. best ramen in the Valley!!!!!!!

Tonkotsu Classic Very flavorful and tasty! Definitely will return to this place in the fall.

Delicious ramen. I tried the karake chicken ramen with extra spicy broth and extra egg. The broth was orange. That's how I knew it was going to kick and it sure did. I recommend trying the place. You won't be disappointed.

Came here cuz we were craving some ramen. The appetizer I'd say are really solid. I really enjoyed both the takoyakis and tuna crispy rice. I got the volcano ramen and thought it was just okay, not bad but I've had better. The noodles seemed a tad doughier than the ones I've had before and soup was pretty average. Would I come again? Maybe, it's not bad but would really only get if I was craving ramen now and in Sherman oaks lmao. Side note - service was top tier tho

When I tried ramen for the first time in my life (not here) I was disappointed and gave it a try few more times without any success. I thought I was influenced by anime and expected too much from this dish. But when my friend made me try Kai Ramen I said that's it! This is probably how Naruto feels when he eats it! It may sound funny but I fall in love with this place as Naruto did with Ichiraku Ramen Oh and important thing - service is BRILLIANT. But I just think I deserve some loyalty discounts lol

Delicious place to get ramen! Staff was so friendly and attentive. The food was really yummy! Many options for vegetarians like myself. I really enjoyed everything- the salad, spring rolls, and creamy ramen. Would definitely come back again!

BEST RAMEN I HAVE EVER HAD! I'm obsessed with the chicken ramen. Flavorful, great ingredients, always fresh. Polite and nice service. Cute little spot. Parking lot is a nightmare though!

This used to be our go to spot for ramen, but the last time we dined in the spicy chicken ramen was so spicy I couldn't eat it. Tonight ordered from uber eats and not only did they forget items in my order, the broth on my spicy chicken was so unbearably spicy that I dumped hot water and lemon in it and I still couldn't eat it! My lips even started burning! Sad but we won't be going back.

I have been to many ramen places - even ones in Japan. This place is still my favorite. Spicy chicken ramen is my usual. Small shop, but good service. The chicken or calamari appetizers are delicious here.

Amaaazing ramen! My daughter was craving Ramen, so we stopped by Kai for the first time, and we were not disappointed. They really put quality ingredients in their Ramen, which makes it far surpass many other Ramin joints in town !

I come for the food and I stay for the service! Absolutely love this place. It has something for whatever my mood is and the dishes always hit. The service is amazing too.