Tatsu Ramen

"Once upon a time (2015 to be exact), Tatsu Ramen had some of the longest lines of any restaurant in the city. Thankfully, those days are over, which means you can now get a solid bowl of soup without standing around in a Melrose parking lot for an hour. They have a wide range of broth including chicken, vegan, or naked (no broth), but our favorite is cloudy, decadent pork tonkatsu. Make sure you have time for a quick nap afterward.  " - brant cox

"Another good ramen spot that’s open late, Tatsu cranks out tonkotsu-style ramen on Sawtelle until 11pm every day. Their Bold Ramen is what most people order here, and what you should, too - it’s their 11-ingredient broth, with a soft-boiled seasoned egg and some pork, and it’s tremendous. Get it as spicy as you think you can handle - the hotter, the better." - kat hong, brett keating

"Tatsu Ramen is like that flaky friend from high school - inconsistent at times, but you’ll find yourself enjoying every moment when you do finally find time to connect. It has historically drawn some of the longest lines in the city, with crowds now largely relegated to long wait times on delivery apps - though there is some outdoor seating. With a tonkotsu broth that takes 28 hours to prepare, everything from the milder “Old Skool” to its most popular item, the “Bold Ramen,” you can’t really go wrong with Tatsu - unless you simply just can’t wait." - kelly yeo

"The original location of the Ramen Tatsu-Ya empire that started it all. Located in a strip mall featuring some other great restaurants—like House Of Three Gorges, Din Ho, and Pho Van—you’ll be surrounded by good food, company, and smells. This location is a little smaller than some of the others, giving it a sense of intimacy that makes it especially well-equipped for a date night, but the atmosphere is casual enough to satisfy anyone in the mood for a bowl of hot noodles. Aside from some small differences in building shape and size, we’ve found the experience at all three current locations to be very similar—a plus, when you’ve hit a broth-based liquid gold. For a more comprehensive writeup, read our review of Ramen Tatsu-Ya East Austin. Food Rundown photo credit: Mackenzie Smith Kelley The OG This is the closest thing you’ll find to a classic bowl of tonkotsu ramen at Ramen Tatsu-Ya. The broth has a rich, porky flavor from the slow-simmered pork bones, with a thick, silky texture that coats the noodles. It also comes with a thick slice of chashu, in case your body wasn’t already 25% pork by volume at this point. If this is your first time here, you should probably get this one. photo credit: Mackenzie Smith Kelley Mi-So-Not Both of the miso bowls start with the same tonkotsu broth as the rest, with the addition of miso paste. This one comes topped with ground pork, making it easier to get a little bit with every bite, plus corn that adds some sweetness and texture. This is basically the same as the Mi-So-Hot bowl, but before the addition of a spicy bomb. photo credit: Mackenzie Smith Kelley Ol' Skool The first thing you’ll notice about the Ol’ Skool is that the broth is quite a bit lighter than its tonkotsu counterparts. This bowl starts with a chicken shoyu broth that works especially well with the white onion and scallion toppings. Get this during lunch, on warmer evenings, or when you want to convince yourself that “it’s just a bowl of chicken noodle soup.” photo credit: Mackenzie Smith Kelley Chashu Rice Bowl You could definitely make a meal out of this, though we usually think of this more as an accessory to a bowl of hot ramen. It’s tasty and easy to share—order one for the table and grab a few bites of pork belly between sips of pork broth and roasted chashu. photo credit: Mackenzie Smith Kelley Korokayy Ramen Tatsu-Ya’s version of a giant Japanese-style croquette. Think of this like a giant panko-fried disc of mashed potato and roast pork with a sweet, tangy katsu dipping sauce. If that description didn’t sell you on this, there’s nothing more we can do." - Nicolai McCrary

"Walking into Tatsu Ramen is not unlike that moment you find out your mom’s on Instagram and isn’t following you. How long has this been happening and why did no one tell me? Is this what the future looks like? Am I loved? You see, at Tatsu waiters and waitresses are a thing of the past. Their line of work has been replaced by a far more effective and compassionate race: the iPad. You walk up to it, greet it and in no time at all, your electronic bff has placed your order and the kitchen has received it. What a world. But suddenly though, you spot your first homosapien. A blood-flowing plebeian hired to help you find a table. Just go with it. Because minutes later, out comes your ramen and you'll be in heaven. It’s no secret LA remains obsessed with ramen and Tatsu's a big name in the game. Its signature Soul Ramen is what brings in the crowds, but if you have some adventure behind those eyes, get the Bold Ramen and you will be rewarded with a smoky, rich Tonkotsu broth that tastes just as good at lunch as it does at 3am on Saturday morning. Tatsu is the future not just because of its iPad wall waiters. It’s the future because it’s perfectly streamlined, yet highly personalized. Quick and easy, and downright delicious. Now don’t get worried, the sit-down restaurant formula isn’t going anywhere. But we know more than a few places who could take a page out of Tatsu’s e-book of efficiency. Food Rundown Soul Ramen Tatsu’s signature ramen. Tonkotsu broth, black garlic oil, and sweet umami sauce combine to give that unique flavor. They aren’t lying, this sht does the soul good. Bold Ramen They claim this to be their most popular ramen variety and we believe them. Its the same flavors of the Soul Ramen, but just in hyperdrive. And everybody wants to drive faster in this town. Old Skool Ramen A more classic version, this is definitely the best order for a beginner eater or anyone who still thinks ramen is cooked in a microwave in a dorm room. Naked Ramen Call it sacrilegious, but this brothless wonder is absolutely delicious and comes with a sweet sesame glaze and whole-wheat breadcrumbs. KEEP HATING HATERS. Hippie Ramen For all the vegan friends in the world, this is solid option to let everybody in on the fun. Sweet onion and soy sauces, combined with ginger give it a quality unlike anything else on the menu." - Brant Cox