Kitakata Ramen Ban Nai - Irvine

The pros: the textures of the food here is amazing. The cucumber salad has a lovely crunch, the noodles are springy, the chashu is soft, and the karage is soft and juicy. Whoever designed this menu was definitely a texture eater. In addition, the sauces that come with the sides like karage are pretty good. The cons: oh man, where do I start. - the cucumber salad is the worst cucumber salad I have ever had the displeasure of eating. It tastes as if someone sliced up a raw cucumber, sprinkled some chili powder on top of it, poured a bit of sauce over it, and served it up. No marinating, nothing. - the Tonkatsu Ramen broth is extremely, extremely salty. Not very rich, which is nice, but sooooo salty. It was impossible to drink the broth. - You aren't allowed to replace/trade items (e.g. corn, seaweed, egg, green onion, etc) in your Ramen, even if the item you want to replace it with is cheaper than the original item. They only allow you to remove items. If you want something else thats not in the original ramen, you have to add money. No exceptions for allergies or anything. - The karage was incredibly bland. The only way to get any sort of taste was to dipped it in the sauce. The sauce was good, but sometimes, you just want karage on its own, y'know? - While the texture of the ramen was amazing, the fact that the taste was lacking meant I ate a lot slower, which, in turn, meant the noodles got soggy and lost the nice texture. It was a vicious cycle. Overall, this place is great for people that care more about texture than taste, but you gotta eat fast, or you'll lose that too.

I've tried dozens of ramen places all over the west coast, but I keep coming back to Kitakata. The noodle texture and the consistency are the main reasons. The noodles are firm and just how I prefer. The broth is savory and full of flavor. The service is always on point. The seasonal mapo tofu ramen is delicious as it combines two of my well liked dishes. Not too salty. The large portion is perfect for my large appetite.

Enjoyed both the started and the main course! The treatment from the waiter was good 👍🏻 and the service once inside was fast. Only issue is that they were full and made us wait for 20 minutes outside under the warm California weather. Also… for that price I would expect more food!

Super nice place relaxing they dont rush you like the costa mesa location ask for Olivia she is super sweet! Delicious and my go to for Ramen. Only bad thing no cash accepted I really hope they reconsider accepting cash before that I was there monthly.

This is one of my all-time favorite restaurants in Irvine. The clear broth and chewy noodles are absolutely fantastic. Their summer special, Hiyashi Ramen, is also refreshing and pairs perfectly with all the fresh vegetables. If I ever move back to Korea, I would seriously consider coming back to Irvine just to have this ramen again.👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

There has definitely been a change in the flavor of the soup since they opened. Despite that, we still enjoy the texture of their ramen because we love the noodles. The taste of their soup is okay, but I am obsessed with the kids menu that they offer! I was pleased with the portion of the kid's ramen and you get a side of karage (fried chicken), edamame, a side of ramen toppings, and rice with the seaweed as well. I recently went back couple of times to eat here. And the soup flavor got way better!! The soup and noodles are delious!

Clean and delicious. Was seated quickly, ordered green chili ramen. Broth and noodles were tasty and will be back to sample other items. I like the open kitchen. Recommended ramen spot.

I had just finished work in Irvine and was craving ramen, so I looked up some options. Most of the results were Hakata ramen, but I wasn’t in the mood for something so rich. Among all the choices, the one that caught my eye was this Kitakata ramen. Kitakata ramen originates from Kitakata City in Fukushima Prefecture and is known as one of Japan’s three great ramen styles (Sapporo, Kitakata, and Hakata). The soup is typically soy sauce-based, made with pork bones, dried sardines, and chicken stock, giving it a light yet flavorful taste. The noodles are thick and wavy, with a chewy texture that holds the broth well. In Kitakata, there is a culture of “morning ramen”, where many ramen shops open early in the morning. I believe this contributes to the unique style of Kitakata ramen. Being pregnant and extremely picky about food right now, this ramen was a perfect match for my cravings.The matcha cheesecake for dessert was also delicious. Finding this kind of ramen in the U.S. is rare, and as a Japanese person, I was deeply satisfied. I will definitely be coming back.

Food for the soul. This is a favorite ramen place my kids love! Love the chewy texture of the ramen noodles. Broth are always consistent in flavor. We also always order the furikake fries & chicken karaage. Crispy and delicious! We brought family & friends and they love the ramen! Staff are very friendly.

We were craving noodle soup and Sup had too long of a wait so we wandered over a few doors down to this place for a warm bowl of ramen. It's a quaint spot with Japanese decor that makes you feel like you could be in Japan. We were seated right away on a Monday evening and the waitress was quick to take our order. Kitakata style ramen is different than others in that the broth is lighter and the noodles are wavy and more slippery. You can request your broth to be more/less salty and noodles more/less firm. They had a seasonal mapo tofu ramen that looked interesting but I played it safe with the Mixed Boiled Vegetable Shio Ramen ($16.25). Their chashu is tender and seasoned very well. The veggies added a nice contrast to the salty chashu and broth. We also shared a 10 piece order of their Juicy Fried Chicken ($16.10). Their chicken pieces are big so it was a lot of food, but the chicken was so crispy and tasty. Kitakata ramen is not as common as other ramen styles so it might not be what you're used to but it's worth trying.

Overall a 3.75 star experience. This was my favorite goto location. But ordered my usual - - Toppings: spicy green onions but asked for not that spicy, bean sprouts and napa (all done to perfection) - Ordered their small 5pc karaage appetizer, it was perfection, love how thin and crispy the batter is, their sesame sauce with fresh wedge of lemon really is superb! - Ordered a full order of white rice $3.75 - good portion but kinda pricey. It was not freshly made. It tasted like day old rice or it had been sitting in the rice cooker all day. For the price, pls give me freshly cooked rice! - They obliged me with a free pork bone broth soup. It really did taste like pork bones in hot water. Zero seasoning. It needed something, so I put in some soy sauce, chili oil, a few veggies, and it kinda made it better, but the strong pork bone broth was overwhelming. Not gonna get it next time unless I have some garlic salt seasoning with me or something. Service was pretty solid. They opened at 5pm but alot of the tables were already full, and luckily I was able to get a table. It was busy and crowded with a line waiting. My waitress got me everything I wanted. She was great!

The Aburi chasu bowl with tender seared toro is my top fave dish here. I love that it comes in small and large sizes, so I am not forced to eat the large when I just want something light. I paired this with a bowl of tonkotsu ramen broth (only). Not on the menu but they were gracious enough to grant my request for a reasonable price. My hubs opted for the Furikake fries and the 5-pc Nanban which he truly enjoyed.

A Japanese friend of a friend recommended this place to us when we were visiting Irvine. We are a family of ramen enthusiasts and this place didn't disappoint. We got the tsukemen, spicy ramen and tonkotsu ramen. We also got the gyoza, takoyaki and cucumber salad. We joined the Yelp waitlist on the way there and it worked well. This place mainly seats groups of 4 and under. If you have a big group, there is a big table that can seat 8. There are also counter seats. We really liked the spicy and tonkotsu ramen. The tsukemen was good but we've had better ones. I love their noodles, it was perfect thickness and texture. Service was friendly and quick. If you're in the area, give it a try. It's definitely a hidden gem!

Sorry for being one of those obnoxious vegans when coming to a ramen establishment.. but since they do offer vegetarian friendly foods-- it's been an upgrade since trying them a couple years back-- less msg and much more flavor in their broth. I'm sure msg is still present but the previous time, I could feel the inner mummy manifesting from how arid this Magic ingredient performs. I did really want to try their new Mapo tofu noodle.. maybe when I decide to take a cheat day from the vegetarian lifestyle. But those furikake fries were addictive.. and yes I did gosh darn finish every last string of them fried taters. I'd recommend getting on the waitlist before you arrive so you don't have to gawk at my noodle while you wait.

Kitakata Ramen: 8/10 Service: 8/10 server was friendly and attentive, always made sure drinks were refilled. Aesthetic & Ambiance: 7/10 cute quaint little ramen shop, not a lot of seating. Came here on a Wednesday for lunch so ambiance was a bit more quiet and slow. Pan fried Gyoza: 8/10 fried well without being heavily oiled, and the filling was a flavorful mixture of pork and seasonings. Chashu Ramen: 8/10 chashu pork was tender and flavorful, plenty of noodles and the broth was very tasty.

I love this ramen spot. The broth is lift and fluffy the noodles are perfect, it's just so good. The chashu app plate is one of my favorite bites. I was sad to find out the boiled gyoza with yuzu sauce are no longer since I moved away. This with always be a spot I stop at when in town.

Amazing late night find and the perfect comfort food as the weather gets colder. Lots of parking since it's in a large plaza with grocery stores, restaurants, etc. My group ordered the Shio Green Chili Ramen, Umakara Tan Tan Ramen (oopsies on the phone camera shadow) and the Tsukemen. Soups are robust in flavor and so well balanced, and I never thought to add or make any adjustments because it was already great. Price is worth it since portions are large. We came towards the end of the night and service was kind and fast. Will definitely be coming back to try their rice bowls and maybe lunch sets

Kitakata definitely stands out among other ramen places! Their ramen noodles are so deliciously chewy. Once you have one bite, you understand why there is always a long wait here. I will definitely crave their ramen again. The broth of my Kitakata ramen was flavorful yet light enough that I finished all of it, which I normally never do. They also have gluten-free noodles for our friend. Instead of kaarage chicken, they have juicy fried chicken on their menu. The pieces are larger than kaarage at other restaurants and it really is so juicy inside yet crunchy outside. It comes with a delicious creamy dipping sauce. I love the kids menu here! It comes with a bowl of their ramen noodles with the pork, corn and green onion on the side. It also comes with edamame, a rice ball, and some fried chicken. A very well-rounded meal and all of which my son loved.

Came here as we do love their wavy firm noodle texture. I always get their green chili shio ramen and it never fails to hit the spot. Service is decent, was truthfully a little slow but accurate which is more important. It is a cozy spot (small), but it gets the job done. My only gripe is their yelp waitlist doesn't permit signing up from afar, which is what other restaurants do and I think makes it more comfortable to wait because you can time your arrival with the waitlist. On a Friday evening we had about a 45 minute wait which I guess isn't too bad.

Every time I order Kitakata Ban Nai for takeout, the portions get smaller. The broth has been noticeably watered down ever since COVID. What used to be rich and flavorful now tastes thin and diluted. They offer a "large portion" option, but all it actually gives you is extra noodles--no additional broth, no extra toppings, no improvement in value. This place used to be great. Now it's honestly embarrassing compared to what it once was.

First time at this restaurant , surprisingly good! Broth is not too salty like other places, very tasty

We've been going to KitaKata Ramen Ban Nai in Irvine for a few years now. The kids love to come here and it's never a place nobody wants to dine at, so they're an easy choice to satisfy every picky eater in this household. We always join the Yelp waitlist and then head over. Sometimes our table is ready way before it's even the estimated time, so be cautious of that if you jump on it before you even start driving. The wait can be long even if there aren't a lot of people there because the space is small. Once seated, service is very quick. You'll be greeted and asked for your drink order right away. Food is also fast but don't let that fool you. It's always make to order and fresh. Kitakata, although it is a ramen joint, is not the typical ramen place you've come to know that only serves a tonkatsu broth. They have a handful of broth flavors to choose from. What we order; 1) Spicy miso 2) Juicy fried chicken - the chicken here is SO good and SO juicy. It is a must have for this family. 3) Ban Nai bowl - this is diced pork over rice, leaner meat than the chashu bowl, milder in flavor but still good. 4) Umakara Tan Tan ramen - this is a very flavorful broth with a kick to it (spice). 5) Chashu - extra pieces 6) Limited time offer; Hiyashi - chilled ramen salad. I love this one so much. I wish it was year round. It was so good I had to order another to-go for my lunch. This is served with a soy sauce, rice vinegar and sesame oil dressing, over ramen noodles, veggies and chashu pork. 6) limited time offer; Mazemen deluxe. Comes with seasoned egg, chashu pork, dried seaweed sheets over ramen noodles. 7) Aburi chashu bowl - served over rice and red ginger 8) pan fried gyoza as an appetizer 9) boiled mixed veggies or cabbage - when I want more veggies and add it to my ramen. 10) shoyu ramen 11) Limited time offer; deluxe wonton with ramen soup I wish they would have these "seasonal" items on their menu year round. They're so good and it adds to our list of rotated foods in my family. Please think about it (Owners - if you're reading this. Please make it happen). Overall, we have always had a very pleasant experience at KitaKata. The kids eat very well, the service is quick and attentive, and they now have a points program for their diners. Looking forward to having more ramen with them during this sweater weather.

I haven't been here in a while, and stopped by recently to grab some ramen. It looks like they have a few seasonal items right now, and have updated their menu. I got the hot and sour deluxe ramen, fried chicken kaarage, and chashu bun. The fried chicken is still absolutely delicious and super crunchy. The chashu bun is soo flavorful and well balanced. The seasonal ramen itself was okay. I probably should've asked for firmer noodles, but even then, the brough, which is resembles hot and sour soup felt and tasted weird with the noodles. The noodles tasted extra soft in that soup. The flavor of the hot and sour soup was good, and I liked that there were also mushrooms in it. It was nice to try something new, but I think I'll probably stick to one of their classic ramens like the green chili or cold tsukemen next time. The servers here were super friendly, and checked up on our table multiple times. This place is cashless, and you pay and tip with their handheld card reader. The restaurant itself is large and spacious, with Japanese decor. There's a lot a decent sized parking lot for the plaza.

I have been to this particular Kitakata Ramen location a few times so far and enjoyed the consistency in food quality. It's too bad there seems to be wide fluctuations in the consistency of customer service quality. My last visit was during a Wednesday evening dinner time. The floor had at least 4 servers running around and the tables were mostly occupied. We were seated at a counter area even though plenty of table booths were available with some having only 2 people sitting in it. It took our server well over 15 minutes to take our order and another 20 minutes for the food to arrive, and additional 30+ minutes of us actually just sitting there and waiting for someone to check us out. At some point, our water ran out, and we needed other items like napkins but not one person stopped by to ask if we needed anything or the food tasted okay or not. By the time I was so fed up waiting for someone to let us just make the payment and leave, a random server who wasn't helping our table finally asked if we needed anything. I told him we have been waiting for someone to take our payment so we could finally pack our food to go and leave. He apologized for nobody helping sooner despite him being one of many who walked right past us several times for 30 minutes and counting. Apparently, our server went on a break and told nobody to check us out or anything. I would give it a 4 for food and 1 for the service. Hence the 2/5 rating. If you have all evening long to sit there and wait for everything, this place is a good one to come eat. The noodles and karaage are made just right and the food is otherwise decent.

I joined a couple of friends for lunch here last week. It took me longer than I expected to find the place, so I was the last to arrive at the table. The others knew what they wanted to order, but the server hovered over me as I quickly glanced at the menu. I chose the Kitakata Ramen, figuring it was probably the best choice as their namesake ramen. I should have paid attention when my friend asked if I wanted to add anything to my order. I declined and was disappointed that the bowl only contained chashu and a few bamboo shoots (I requested no green onions). Apparently, the Kitakata is more of an a la carte ramen that needed the additional egg or vegetables to complete the dish. If I ever come back, I would order the Tonkotsu Ramen. The others ordered the Hiyashi and the Tsukemen, which both looked better than my ramen. one of the servers was willing to take our group photo. The restaurant is located in a busy shopping center with several eateries, so parking is abundant, but not many open spaces for a weekday lunch. It is also cashless, so be prepared to pay by card.

Even though it's a hot day, I was craving some Ramen. I went with the large Tonkatsu lunch special with the fried chicken. I really liked the chicken, it was perfectly cooked and had a nice flavor. I'll have to get a full order on a future visit. The Ramen was also delicious. I loved the noodles. I might see if they have a spicier version next time. This Ramen wo sure hit the spot on a cold day or if you're not feeling well. The service was excellent, everyone was nice.

Kitakata is a staple in our Irvine rotation! We never go to another ramen place. The noodles are always perfect, the soup is flavorful, and the prices are great! The seasonal mazemen was surprisingly good! Our go to is usually MOGU MOGU, but this was an amazing alternative. Overall, Kitakata is an awesome restaurant. Highly recommend!

This ramen spot has been a classic since I was a UCI student back in the old days. The flavor of the broth is so rich, and the smoothness of the noodles are unmatched anywhere else. I love their house made noodles! Their portions are huge, and I'm always so stuffed after. Service could be improved as it took awhile for a server to take our order or even get us water. We even tried flagging people down or making eye contact, but they were always not looking or somehow not very observant of the general area. Restaurant is very cozy with cute Japanese decor. It is a lot more spacious than the Costa Mesa location

Saturday dinner, pretty packed inside but no wait. Ordered the regular and a kids meal. Their noodles are thick and wavy with some chew. It was on the softer side. Soup is rich and sumptuous but not oily. Different than tonkotsu and a nice change than what you find at most ramen joints. Kids meal was great value with noodles, toppings, rice, fried chicken, edamame for all under 10 bucks Would recommend on a cold day.

Service was the best! Very attentive staff! We ordered the pork appetizer. One of the best things I've ever had in my mouth. Then the cucumber salad. I think I like Persian cucumbers better but these had good flavor. I would not order it again as it is too big of a portion for me and doesn't stay overnight without getting spongy. Next we ordered pork light broth ramen and a small two piece fried chicken rice bowl. Both were delicious. We ordered curry to go.

This is our favorite ramen restaurant in Orange County. The noodles are here amazing. I love the miso ramen. My family prefers the shoyu ramen.

this place is a really unique ramen restaurant, for a variety of reasons. their chashu pork was absolutely amazing, perfectly seasoned and melts in your mouth. definitely my favorite chashu from any ramen place i've been to. the noodles were really unique because they were not the typical ramen noodles, but less curly and looked more rice-like. i did not quite like this difference but it might be someone's cup of tea; i felt like it was ramen broth with not ramen noodles, however the noodles were very unique and set this place apart from other ramen restaurants. the broth was rich in flavor abut nothing exceptional, but nothing bad. i would recommend, but i wouldn't rave about it.

This was great for a weekday lunch! I came alone and was seated almost immediately at the bar. The service was quick and friendly, and surprisingly comfortable for solo dining. I've been to the Costa Mesa location, and was so happy to find that the quality is just as great! I had the seasonal special spicy boiled gyoza, full body flavor with garlic and chili oil, and I had the green shio ramen woth a seasoned egg. It was overall light and filling, will definitely return.

For some unknown reason my kids love this joint. They call it heritage ramen and would want to come here every week, if not every day! I love the food here, although not a big fan of pork. Chicken karage has been consistent, so is service. Ambiance is family friendly

I went on 1/8/26 and there was no wait, when we walked in immediately sat at a table for two and scanned there menu to order. The wifi was kinda super slow and i asked for physical menu but they only had too which was not a big problem so we just decided for it to load. We got a kikakata ramen and a chashu ramen which always hits in my opinion. we also got the juicy fried chicken and it's my favorite appetizer. The chicken is juicy and flavorful. One thing I noticed tho today was there was one girl taking everyone's order, also bringing out drinks, and seating everyone done. I noticed it and asked if she was the only server working today and she said there is one person hosting, severing, and running. Either way she still had amazing service I took a peak at her name tag and her name is Haery I believe. She was really apologetic about everything but the tables sitting next to me were very understanding. I think she should get a bonus or a raise or smth for this cause she was super nice even though she was running around a lot.

One of my go to ramen spots in Irvine! The restaurant is located in the Heritage Plaza (Culver and Walnut). Parking is manageable but it does get crowded during meal times. The Green Chili Shio Ramen is what I typically get here since I feel like it's one of the more uniquely ones but their others options are delicious as well. Gyoza is a must to try since it is hand made and really well cooked! They also offer a kids meal which is always appreciated as a mom! Their meal offers variety (ramen, toppings: such as corn, chashu, green onions, edamame, and a cute rice ball). For the price I think it's worth it for sure! The insides of the restaurant isn't super big but they do have a decent amount of seating. There is also yelp waitlist if they have it on. A must try!

The green chili shio ramen is what I constantly return to Kita Kata for. I'm not the biggest fan of japanese ramen, BUT THIS ONE at kita kata... just hits unlike any other. It's a clear broth so its more refreshing and clean tasting than the typical jap ramen. Its SO. GOOD. And the noodles!???!!!!! Better than menya and silverlake combined imo. Usually the pork is melt in your mouth too but this times was not quite up to par. The tan tan ramen here is mid.. skip the peanut sauce thing. The other classic miso ones here are pretty good though. Can't go wrong with those! I also always get the shishito peppers appetizer too haha. So good.

Twas a cold night and two bellies were growling. I wonder what could fend off such a beast? We looked and quickly identified that ramen was the way to go. Upon walking in, we were happily greeted by the host up front and the dudes in the back. Love Japanese establishments. lol It's been a while since I have had a good bowl of ramen. My collective memory can only serve the little details of this dish. One aspect that I always recollect is the broth. I am looking for something light, with good flavors, and a little kick. On a cold evening, this will warm not only the stomach but the soul. Kitakata delivered on all cylinders. I ordered the Mixed Boil Veggie Ramen while she selected the Kitakata Ramen. We both sampled one another's and love both. The establishment is clean, staff super friendly, and meal was delicious. I head this place can get packed so be mindful of peak hours (lunch/dinner). This location also has plenty of parking which is always a good thing. Will love to visit this place again on a cold night. Its magical.

Good thing we can signup for the waitlist from afar! It wasn't too busy at all for dinner when we came in. We sat by the bar area and service is friendly and quick. My bf enjoys this place a lot and he would talk about their green onion ramen, which I finally got to try. I also added a side of corn and it was great they were pretty generous with the corn. One thing I did notice, or I may have missed it, but they didn't have a tonkatsu ramen broth? I thought that was usually a staple, so I was surprised they didn't have that here. Anyways, first time trying out the green onion ramen, I was surprised by the noodles here! They were extremely soft and chewy, and they were a fun squiggly shape. It didn't feel that heavy at all. The chashu was definitely very soft and melts in your mouth. I wish they offered more pieces since they were kind of small. The ramen also is pretty spicy, it creeps up on you, but it's a nice kick. Overall, the ramen was delicious! Wish it would come with more items in the ramen for a worth price value.

A coworker took me here for lunch since she recommended it for ramen and I haven't really been exploring the ramen scene around the area. I always pass by here being in the plaza for Daiso and Sup so was happy to finally give it a try. She recommended me to try the kitakata ramen and honestly it didn't disappoint! It was a very simple dish just ramen, broth, chashu, and bamboo shoots. The noodles were interesting because they were a lot wavier than ones I'm used to but I liked the texture of it. The soup was nice and light which I really enjoyed. The chashu though!! It was salted enough but also so tender and flavorful I was surprised! I reaaally enjoyed the chashu and would definitely recommend it to a friend to try. My coworker got their tan tan noodle and I got to try her broth. I'm definitely getting that next time. I enjoyed the chili oil flavor it gave as it felt gingery and sweet, and not just a pure hot oil. Overall was pleased with the meal and would love to come back! Service was on, bare minimum I'd say and I went during a not so busy time.

Had been craving ramen for a while and finally gave in! My husband and I usually go to the Costa Mesa location, but we have been to this one only once before, a few years ago when they first opened (with only outside seating and cashless payments). Nonetheless, we were greeted with the friendly traditional, "Irrashaimase" from the kitchen. It was a full house inside, so we joined the waitlist (less than 5 mins, yay!). Went with my "go to", Spicy Miso Ramen and side of karaage (Juicy Fried Chicken). Consistency is key...and their broth needed absolutely no additional side condiments for my taste. My husband had the Umakara Tan Tan Ramen and enjoyed it just as much. When I happened to look up trying to stretch my full belly, I saw cool wall art staring back at me...LOL! Note: Cashless (surprising, but I guess business owners reserve the right). Happy eating till next time...

It's been a minute, Kitakata, and I missed you! Kitakata was one of the first ramen spots I loved when I moved here, and their pork was so good and tender. This time, I got their Kitakata Miso Ramen, which was pretty good. However, I wasn't a massive fan of the texture of their noodles, which were squiggly cut noodles. I added an egg on top, which was great. The pan-fried gyoza was crispy and juicy, how you want your gyoza cooked! The chicken kaarage was my favorite part of the meal and it was crisp to perfection. The house dipping sauce was also excellent which is a mix between chicken broth and mayo according to the server. It's in a popular food center so parking is scarce!

Compared to Japan, the noodles and soup seemed slightly different, but it was very tasty. The portion size was substantial, and it was quite satisfying.

The food was good, but the service was poor. The server name Justin, dropped the bill while I was still eating without asking if I was finished. When I tried to get help to pay, the staff were chatting with the kitchen and ignored me. I also asked to check and redeem my rewards, but he rushed me to pay and said it would show up after. I requested to use my phone number since I used a different card, but nothing happened. Overall, the service felt rushed and inattentive.

My go-to local place in Irvine for ramen. The limited cold ramen dish "Hiyashi" is FANTASTIC and I wish it was always available. Takoyaki is also one of my favorite items here.

I like how this spot keeps interesting by adding new items every now and then. I must say that the portions are too big. The noodles are delightful and taste homemade but it really is too much. We like the gyoza and how they added a kids meal. Our server was also very nice. As far as ambiance goes, its sit down but also quick - so if you want to go in and out you can. Or if you want to hang out a bit and have a drink that works too.

This shit bomb af, people are very nice, quick service, glad we got seated after a rush.

The best, most authentic ramen my native Japanese mom and I have ever tried in the United States!! The noodles are fantastic and homemade, totally Japanese-style, and the soup broths are top-notch and the real deal. The char siu tastes super meticulously prepared and is nothing short of spectacular. The gyoza tastes just like in Japan, especially with the ponzu sauce (shoyu vinegar). The juicy chicken karaage is phenomenally done and I can't imagine a more succulent way of eating chicken. The lemon wedge and creamy sauce that comes with the juicy chicken karaage is an awesome touch reminiscent of the Japanese attention to detail. Coming with a smaller group, like maybe 2 people or less, makes seating way faster as the counter seats factor in with greater probability as well as the table seats. The staff is very efficient, hard working, and friendly, which is greatly appreciated. The pricing is quite reasonable and there are quite a few items on their menu to choose from, and mostly all of them look quite delicious. The vibe inside is clean with relaxing yet inspiring Japanese decor, and the staff move effectively without hurrying customers too much. I'm so glad we live nearby and it's in the same shopping complex as the Irvine Mitsuwa Marketplace so it's a great place to grab some REAL ramen!!

AMAZING ramen place in irvine. I had the Kitakata Ramen and its soup was very thin and flavorful, the ramen noodle itself had a unique texture i loved, and the meat was amazing! My friend had a seasonal menu item (wonton noodle soup) and she loved it as-well! Food came super quickly and their staff members Kaylynn and Olivia were the sweetest ever!!

Amazing ramen spot! I totally underestimated how generous they are with the meat. The broth was rich and flavorful, the noodles had a great chew, and every bite felt super satisfying.

An excellent alternative to the classic tonkotsu ramen broth that is all the rage in other ramen shops. The ship and shoyu ramen are standout and a welcome break from the usual fare. A small restaurant that doesn't have too much space for strollers, but will do their best to accommodate you. We were able to squeeze in our baby's stroller in the corner and have ourselves an enjoyable meal. The chashu is delicious, the ramen is handmade and lighter, flatter, thinner, and a fun texture.

I've been going to Kitakata since pre Covid (across multiple locations) and it has consistently stayed my favorite ramen restaurant. The noodles have a unique chewy taste. Normally, I don't like typical ramen, but Kitakata makes it perfect. The interior of the restaurant is like a typical Japanese restaurant and it's very clean. The service is very quick and everyone is friendly. I usually order the Green chili Shio Ramen and it has a nice to kick to it. I also order their Chicken Karaage and it's by far the best Karaage. I highly recommend!

Throughout their multiple locations Kitakata doesn't let me down! I'm a huge fan of the tsukemen ramen which are cold dipping noodles but if I'm wanting a nice comforting hot bowl of ramen the spicy miso is my top pick! The staff at this location is just as friendly and great as the other locations I've been to and the locations' atmosphere are all very similar to one another so over all the food, staff, and feel of the chain are all consistent! One of my favorite places for ramen!

As always, pretty fast service for a busy restaurant and delicious food. Always enjoy coming here!

We walked in on a whim and boy were we so happy to find this place. It's a cozy vibe and very popular. Highly recommend getting in on the waitlist (it was a very short wait for us). We got the eggs and fried chicken for appetizers, they were amazing. The noodles are made fresh and you can tell. The people who help you are so kind and welcoming. Overall wonderful experience and we will be back. Thank you!

Came back here on a warm Sunday evening around 6:30pm. Maybe at half capacity, no wait. Sat down immediately at the bar and was given my water. Ordered right when I sat down. Ordered the Large Chashu Ramen, as per usual. Even with minimal people, it took 15 minutes for my food. Really Slow considering no one was in there. I could see my order on the Screen, it was the ONLY one. No one came to refill my empty water glass. I'm used to Ban Nai style noodles, these felt overly soggy, NO chew. Some of my Chashu was tough. Maybe that's what happened. they forgot my noodles and over cooked them? We'll never find out. I had to flag someone down just to ask for a to-go container and my check. Honestly I'm saddened that something can go from one of my favorite spots, to this. 2 stars because someone did apologize finally for the lag.

I love Kitakata ramen! I always get the ban nai bun to start and the large spicy miso ramen (comes with extra noodles) for my main course. The spicy miso ramen is my favorite. It has just the right amount of spiciness for me. I love that you can add on whatever you want to your ramen. The service is usually pretty fast. The ambiance is very simplistic here but the delicious food is what I come here for. I especially love coming here for some warm, feel good-ramen on a cold day or when I don't feel good :)