Kitakata Ramen Ban Nai - Irvine

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.👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

Surprisingly good and interesting twists on your usual ramen spot. It was tasty, reasonably priced and had large portions. The chicken karaage had this amazing crispy rice flour type of coating that was really good. I loved the green chili shio ramen as well. I would definitely go back.

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.

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.

Some of the best ramen I've had in Irvine. The service was fast and friendly. We sat at the bar to avoid a wait for tables. Come give this place a try.

The service is terrible, and you still have the nerve to ask for tips. Fifteen dollars for a bowl of noodles that doesn’t even fill you up! Not even an egg! The service is awful — no greeting when you walk in, just two eyes staring at you. They serve the food without giving chopsticks, and the waiter doesn’t even speak a word. This kind of service is absolute garbage. Japanese service is total trash!

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.

This place runs like a well oiled machine. I was treated and seated the moment I walked in the door. I really enjoyed the umakara tan tan ramen, noodles are a perfect delivery system for the rich broth. I liked the open concept, being able to look into the kitchen area is always a treat. Chicken karage was so juicy and crispy, and like everything out of this kitchen it comes out hot.

Best ramen I have had in Irvine. The service is always great and fast. I love cozy vibes too.

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.

Something has seriously changed here, and not for the better. The food is nowhere near the quality it was a year ago -- bland, off, and disappointing. Even though the service is acceptable, the poor food makes this place not worth your time or money. The green tea cost me $4 and it came as an instant tea bag? Really? A total disappointment.

It's been several years since I have eaten at this chain. I used to goto their Buena Park and Costa Mesa locations pre-COVID. Anyhow, amazed by the consistently delish food and service. Ordered: - Ramen with tons of veggies, the chasu is not torched (braised or boiled) - Sides were bamboo shoots (tender, delish) and spicy green onions (an absolute must - I treated it like kimchi - so freaking good!) - I accidentally ended up ordering regular sized chasu bowl instead of the small. The torched chasu were sliced thin but very good taste and texture. The bowl has rice and a perfect teriyaki-like bbq sauce on it. Topped with a little bit of red ginger. - Had to get a side of the red ginger - Appetizer of edemame was solid, good quality, piping hot - Ordered their cucumbers, so good, some kind of pickled radish and soy vinaigrette, good portion! - I used their chogorashi (chili powder) and chili oil on the table to enhance my ramen and cucumbers It was a bit too much food. So had to take the left over ramen to go. They obliged me with a little extra basic soup broth too. Fantastic meal for $66 with tax and tip included.

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 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.

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!

Was very surprised with how much flavor the creamy vegan ramen had! If you're specifically looking for a vegan ramen with a lot of flavor this is the place to go to. I feel like vegan ramen usually has a light flavor but this one is amazing. It was busy when we went around 8pm but got seated within 5 minutes. The parking lot can be kind of hectic and might be hard to find a spot depending on the time you go. Service was great here and the inside was small but nice. This is my new go to ramen spot.

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.

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

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!

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.

This review mainly concerns the ambiance and service. Their music sounds like boring elevator music, which doesn't help the low-energy servers. The girls who were working talked so quietly and had zero charisma. I'm not expecting much, considering it's just a ramen shop, but it just made the whole experience feel dead and almost awkward to be eating there. I'm also not sure if the payment tablets are automatically set to a 20% tip or if the server clicks it while processing the payment, but either way, that also felt weird and uncomfortable to change. The summer cold ramen tastes great, but maybe I'll order Togo next time!

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.

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!

not gonna lie, i'm not the biggest ramen person -- but kitakata ramen ban nai might've changed my mind a little. the broth here is super clean and not overly oily like a lot of other spots. it feels lighter but still flavorful, and the noodles have a really nice chew to them. definitely a solid spot even if you're not a hardcore ramen fan. it's simple, comforting, and hits the spot without being too heavy. i'd come back!

Went in on a semi busy Thursday afternoon. Service was ehh probably because it was busy. Asked for the spicy miso paste but it never arrived. It also took a while to get our check. On a positive note, I really enjoyed the creamy vegan ramen! Unfortunately my sister didn't really enjoy her non spicy miso ramen.

The ramen here is ok but nothing mind blowing. My brother and I saw ramen spot while walking around the plaza and figured it wouldn't hurt to try for lunch, as the restaurant seemed decently busy at the time. I got the Kitakata ramen which has a pork broth/shoyu base, but frankly it seemed a bit bland compared to other ramen spots. I got an egg & bamboo to add on to help but overall just a spot since everywhere else was packed.

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.

Kitakata ramen is simple, fresh, and satisfying. The noodles are thick and chewy/bouncy and pork slices really juicy and flavorful. It is not your typical kotteri (fatty rich) ramen. Love their shoyu and shio ramens and would definitely recommend it to anyone who wants a "lighter" ramen. The service is great, and it accommodates both small to large groups.

Amazing noodles very different from the usual ramen places and the service was great these other 1 star reviews about the food is inaccurate it's very causal for reviewers to post 1 star experience when they don't think about the hardships that these small business have to endure, it's hard to have a small business , this ramen place try's hard and the food is great and taste so good and different

The Mazemen Deluxe was sooo good and their ramen is great too. The servers are always so nice and friendly. It took a while for us to get the bill but it's ok lol. Will probs be back very soon for the mazemen!

This place is very clean, especially their restroom. I hope they keep it this way. The ramen is very hearty and served at an excellent temperature. Juicy fried chicken can come off as regular Japanese fried chicken but it pairs nicely with any rice dish or ramen dish. Servers are nice and don't give attitude (at least not when I dined here). I recommend to try this place out.

I went here for lunch and it was absolutely delicious! The noodles taste very homemade and the gyoza was so good that we had to order it twice. The service was great and all the staff were so nice to us. We go here whenever we are in Irvine, and would go even more often if it was near us.

I had high hopes for Kitakata Ramen but unfortunately, it was a big disappointment. The ramen was incredibly bland, with a broth that lacked depth and flavor. Even the noodles and toppings couldn't save it...they were just as underwhelming. For a place that specializes in ramen, I expected so much more. The food didn't live up to the hype, and I wouldn't recommend it if you're looking for a satisfying, flavorful bowl of ramen. Definitely not worth the visit. FYI the Irvine location was a terrible experience, but not the Fountain Valley location!!! Go to Fountain Valley instead because the ramen is significantly better there.

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

Seriously some of the best ramen I have ever had. Kitakata is a chain from Japan. They have a sign out front if you want to know more about it. The noodles specifically are really unique and the broth has lots of flavor. My personal favorite is the miso ramen. In the winter we sometimes average about once a week! Love this place.

We love coming here. We've been to two locations- Costa Mesa and Irvine- both consistent in taste and service. The fried chicken is perfectly crisp, served hot, and the lemon adds a nice touch of acid to break up the fatty flavors. This location is a little more spacious, pretty dimly lit for a nice calming environment. It's relaxed dining and we enjoy that experience. We also ordered a kitakata ramen and small chashu bowl. We love the addition of the poached onsen egg on the chashu bowl. Overall always a good choice for our family.

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 can confirm that, their ramen is anything but authentic tasting. Very disappointed and feel it was a waste of money.

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 :)

This is one of our go-to spots for Pork Broth Ramen. This Kitakata location is in the always busy Mitsuwa/Daiso Walnut plaza a few doors down from Sup Noodles. Yes parking can be challenging in this plaza since every place is busy. They do have Yelp RSVP so book your spot before coming or the wait could be awhile. They basically have two category of items on the menu here: Noodles and rice bowls. Noodles: you cannot go wrong with the standard Kitikata ramen which is shoyu based served with sliced pork belly and wavy noodles. If you're more adventurous you can go with the Kitikata miso ramen which is basically miso instead of soy sauce based. Rice: The fried chicken bowls are absolutely delicious here! If you've had authentic Japanese Fried Chicken this is exactly what its suppose to taste like. The portion size is HUGE and can be shared. But the star on the show is the dipping sauce that's like a sweet katsu sauce. All of the items go great with a nice ice cold pint of Sapporo too! The service is super fast here with delicious food. Just note there's a long wait especially during peak hours.

I'm a big fan of Kitakata Ramen! I've been supporting this brand since the very first day of their opening, even went to Shibuya, Japan just to visit their chain in the mainland. But trust me, Kitakata in the States tastes way better with more options of ramen than the one in Japan. I tried a lot of ramen but can't find any place that makes spicy miso broth like Kitakata. Their noodles is also a unique texture! Very chewy and curly without being soggy even after being soaked in the broth until I finished the bowl; FYI I'm a slow-eater. This location is a little compact comparing to other locations. They don't have a waiting area so you might end up waiting outside after putting your name down. The service is standard, could be better but I do understand the rush is the main reason. They used to make soft boiled marinated eggs but I just realized they changed into hard boiled which is very sad. They also take out the original yuzu sauce goes with gyoza. Hope after COVID, Kitakata could bring back their goodies and be better!

This place has opened for a while in my neighborhood. I decided to give it a try last week. For the price of the ramen, I expected the noodle to be of quality. Unfortunately and unexpectedly, what i got in my ramen were clumps of noodles..and my wife's order also had noodle clumps. Looks like they had problem with noodle cooking or noodle preparation. I notified the waiter of the issue and he basically brushed off by saying those clumps still taste the same.. What the heck, I was not expecting that kind of response. Quality noodle should not have clumps in the serving. That was my first visit and will be my last visit to this place. See attached photos

Kitakata ramen is my favorite ramen in SoCal! It's a ramen chain from Japan (I went to the Tokyo one!) and tastes so authentic. My go to order is the kitakata ramen. The broth is perfectly salty and tasteful, and the noodles are so chewy. This spot usually has a long line, we had to wait 45 mins on a Sunday.

Stopped by for dinner with a friend on a Monday night and got seated right away thanks to the Yelp check-in. They've got a great variety of ramen options, including tsukemen (dipping ramen) and even vegan ramen! I went with the Green Chili Shio ramen after seeing all the great reviews, and my husband tried the tsukemen. You can also customize your bowl with tons of toppings, which is always a plus. Service was solid, and our food came out super fast. The noodles were different from any I've had before--flatter and really chewy, which I loved! Both broths were light, comforting, and flavorful. The chashu was super tender and came in a decent portion too. Overall, we had a great meal, and I'm definitely coming back to try the Spicy Miso ramen next time!

Full transparency, this was my first ever ramen restaurant, BUT the Kitakata miso ramen was amazing. Simple broth, didn't need any additional oils/seasoning but went well with the soy sauce and chili oil. The noodles were a great texture and the ramen had a good balance of broth to toppings. The ambiance was chill, especially compared to the other Kitakata location. Plenty of parking in that vein too :) great place to come with family or friends. I came on a Friday afternoon and there was zero line. Service was also great, waiter was accommodating with splitting our check and the ramen came out within 7min of ordering. Highly recommend!

service from kayla is always amazing. so sweet and absolutely the kindest. love the spicy miso ramen, super flavorful and rich. the noodles are extremely bouncy and the texture is soft and chewy--one my favorite noodles. the size for one bowl is enough to share for two. they had a seasonal tofu ramen that was delicious and wish they can bring that back. thank you so much!

I'm fairly picky with ramen places but I will never say no to Kitakata. It's my favorite ramen place and there's really no competition that comes close. This was my first time at their Irvine location after always waiting in line in their small location in Costa Mesa. Unfortunately, this location wasn't really any bigger and also carried an enormous wait time (definitely recommend checking on on their Yelp waitlist online in advance), but the food was just as good as their Costa Mesa location. When we went, they had a lunch special on a small Bannai Bowl which was okay, but certainly no match for their Fried Chicken which I otherwise get every time. It's perfectly crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside with just enough seasoning without being too salty, and the perfect starter to their awesome ramen. I always get the Spicy Miso Ramen here, while my partner gets the Kitakata Ramen. Portions are quite generous and they come loaded with plenty of toppings by default. I never find myself needing to request extra noodles/meat here, and I love all the vegetables it comes with. As someone who loves spice, the Spicy Miso Ramen actually comes with pretty good heat without needing to request any extra. On the other hand, the Kitakata Ramen is perfect for those not looking for spice. In general, we love how the broth here is super rich and flavorful without being overly heavy.

Irvine has a lot of ramen restaurants, and Kitakata is in the top tier. Kitakata has a cozy atmosphere inside - it's relatively small, but gets very busy during peak hours; you'll likely have to wait for a table if you don't arrive early or during an off-peak time. It's also in a shopping center that has a number of other busy establishments. Their juicy fried chicken appetizer is quite tasty, and they have a number of delicious ramen offerings. The broth, which in my opinion is the heart of a bowl of ramen, is fantastic here.

Katakata Ramen in Irvine is a hidden gem and an absolute delight. Their handmade noodles are perfectly chewy, and the broth is rich yet clean, packed with flavor but never too heavy. The toro chashu melts in your mouth, and the spicy Green Chili Shio is a standout if you like a little kick. Don't skip the crispy chicken karaage--it's some of the best around. Great food, great service, cozy vibe. Easily one of the best ramen spots in OC.

Our dinner plans were originally, supposedly, Boiling Point. But when we got there to put our names down, there were 40 parties ahead of us. Still, we put our names down for BP. We drove around within the plaza, twice, until we decided to Yelp Waitlist Kitakata Ramen, which we finally did. Kitakata had our table ready within 30 mins of putting our names on the Waitlist; so we dined here. Food review below: Chashu Bun: 2/5. Many prior reviews mentioned the Ban Nai Bun. I asked the server if they still had the Ban Nai Bun, to which he responded that they recently updated their menu and that the chashu bun would be a similar replacement. It was basically all bun with a single piece of meat. The bun wasn't even toasted nor fresh. Not worth $5.35. Spicy Miso Ramen 3/5: their noodles are different: more fluffy and less chewy than your typical ramen noodles. The broth was alright. It was a bit spicer than I expected. Their chashu pork was also alright. Chicken Katsu Curry 3/5: the hubby ordered this. I tried some and it was decent; but not worth ordering. Service was fine; but I was still really wanting BP's delicious and flavorful soup after finishing dinner. As soon as we finished paying, we received a text message stating our table at BP was ready. We should have just waited.

This is the perfect ramen to visit in the winter. I am not a huge fan of tonkotsu ramen since it is so rich and heavy. However, their ramen here is super light weight, but still fills and warms your stomach with their rich and flavorful clear broth. I have tried multiple of their ramen, but my favorite is their vegetables one. Also, their ramen noodles is more unique, they are bouncy and wavy which I really love. Compare to the regular straight noodles. For the service, is normal. The server is very attentive and we did not have to wait too long for our food. Once it comes out, it is super fresh and steaming hot. Although the restaurant is medium size, I would say they best host 2 -4 people. If you were to come with larger group, I would call to ensure they have the seatings available.