Torisoba Sumiya

Japanese restaurant · Sawtelle

Torisoba Sumiya

Japanese restaurant · Sawtelle

11301 W Olympic Blvd #101, Los Angeles, CA 90064

Highlights

Torisoba Sumiya in Sawtelle serves a standout "Charcoal Ramen" with rich, smoky chicken atop creamy broth and fresh noodles, creating a unique ramen experience.

11301 W Olympic Blvd #101, Los Angeles, CA 90064 Get directions

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@torisobasumiya

$20–30

@eater

"A huge departure from the existing ramen styles in Southern California, Torisoba Sumiya goes into the former Yakitori-ya space in Sawtelle Japantown serving a unique blackened chicken-tinted broth. Cooks utilize the existing grill that was previously for yakitori, shaking pieces of seasoned chicken in a wire basket over charcoal. The resulting smoky, charred flavor becomes a prominent part of the all-chicken broth. Wirey green onions, crunchy radish circles, seaweed laver, and a hard-boiled egg provide contrasting bites, while scratchmade alkaline noodles reside under the toppings. This is easily one of the best new ramen bowls in Los Angeles." - Matthew Kang

The Best Ramen Shops in Los Angeles

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@infatuation

"Sawtelle is home to plenty of pork-heavy ramen shops, but there aren’t any quite like Torisoba Sumiya, a chicken ramen specialist where the cooks flip birds over open flames. The charcoal-grilled chicken adds smoky depth to the house ramen, which comes with freshly made noodles and an extra-rich poultry broth speckled with charred bits. Spoon on some of their green yuzu sauce for a peppery bite, and if you're hungry, upgrade to the mini rice bowl combo for $5 more (we like the one with surprisingly light fried chicken tossed in sweet and sour sauce). The space is tight, but if you come solo, you can sit at the bar with a front-row view of the grilling action, gaze at the Japanese calligraphy on the walls, and slurp noodles in peace." - Cathy Park

Torisoba Sumiya - Review - Sawtelle - Los Angeles - The Infatuation

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Andrew Bai

Google

In Sawtelle where ramen scene is already quite saturated, Torisoba managed to distinguish itself from competitors with their char-grilled chicken. The chicken is seasoned well and the smokiness from the grill takes it over the top. I’ve never had such combo anywhere else. The ramen itself is also spectacular: firm noodles with mildly sweet broth (sweetness from the chicken stock). Portions might be on the smaller side but then you’d get to try more items on the menu!

Andrew N

Google

The noodles are fresh and the broth is really rich. My group had to wait a long time after putting in my order that we had to check in with the waitress twice. The waitress said the back of house only has enough cooking space for 4 bowls at a time. I’m assuming that meant there was limited space on the yakitori for the chicken. Regardless, the grilled chicken came out tasting nice and smoky. The chasiu chicken was really tender, but I thought the spicy broth option hid how good the broth was compared to the non-spicy options. They stop accepting new guests at 9pm. I saw a few people turned away who came close to and after that time. I feel like the hours should be updated to reflect that.

Dennis Hutchinson

Google

We came in on a Thursday evening at 8 and were promptly seated in front of the kitchen. The atmosphere felt authentically lively. My partner and I ordered the spicy chicken ramen (#3) and the charcoal chicken (what they are known for). The food came out very quickly, within 10 minutes of ordering. The ramen noodles are handmade and really blew us away. They melted in your mouth and had a great texture, not too chewy and not too soft. The broth was actually spicy and flavorful. The chicken was poached and fresh. Overall we will be back and think the price was worth it. Probably won’t get the charcoal chicken again but the ramen was unexpectedly complex. Definitely the best ramen in this area. :)

Vadim Iukhimchu

Google

If you’re looking for a unique and flavorful ramen experience, Torisoba Sumiya is a must-visit. Their signature charcoal-grilled chicken ramen is a game-changer, offering a rich and creamy broth that perfectly balances depth and lightness. The smoky aroma from the tender, flame-kissed chicken adds an extra layer of umami that sets this bowl apart from traditional ramen. The noodles are cooked to perfection—springy and firm, soaking up the broth beautifully. Topped with fresh green onions and a perfectly soft-boiled egg, every bite is packed with flavor. The atmosphere is cozy, and watching the chefs expertly grill the chicken over charcoal makes the experience even better. Service is warm and efficient, making you feel welcome from the moment you walk in. Whether you’re a ramen enthusiast or just looking for a comforting and delicious meal, Torisoba Sumiya delivers an unforgettable bowl of ramen that will keep you coming back for more. Highly recommended!

Nora Zhang

Google

New ramen place in Sawtelle that specializes in Torisoba / rich & flavorful chicken broth. The other selling point is the charcoal chicken. There’s no wait time to get seated. However the food took quite a while. We figured it’s because the charcoal chicken is grilled to order instead of premade. And it takes some time to grill? It was almost 15minute from the point we placed the order to when food was served. This is quite long Considering it’s just 2 bowls of ramen and it’s not busy at the time. The ramen itself is decent. There are only 3 ramen options to choose from. No vegetarian/vegan options available. 1. Ramen with charcoal chicken 2. Ramen with just the chicken broth 3. Ramen with just the chicken broth - spicy There are some donburi options as well but no appetizers/ small bites. Chicken Broth is indeed rich and flavorful. Running yolk egg was delicious. Adding the lemon pepper salt on the side also adds a kick to it. Service is on point. 2 of us spent $51 in total for 2 bowls of ramen. One with chicken and one without. I’d say it’s on the pricey side. Food is okay but I don’t think it’s worth the price in my personal opinion. Overall this place is good but definitely not the best Torisoba I’ve had. Just don’t set the expectations too high. if this was $3-5 cheaper I’d consider visiting more often. But $21 for a bowl of ramen like this is not worth it.

Chia-Hsien Ho

Google

Just walk past and decided to try it out, absolutely no regret! Recommend to try the #1 Japanese bbq chicken ramen, the chicken broth is thick and smooth without being too salty, it mixed well with the strong flavor from the charcoal grilled chicken! Do also try the rice bowls!

Alex Y

Google

Solid new ramen place on Sawtelle, with a different flavor profile to the normal Tonkotsu ramen that's everywhere. The broth is deep and flavorful, and thicker than most of the other places. Noodles were tasty and the egg was good. Would not recommend getting the side of the chicken, it was flavorless unless you put the yuzu kosho on it, and heavily charred

Fransco Sukarto

Google

If you come here for the portion, you'll be disappointed. For about $20, I can think of many other ramen places that offer larger portion and better tasting broth. The charcoal-grilled chicken, while not bad, came across as a bit gimmicky; reminds me of Indonesian chicken satays except those satays are better. The service, however, is top notch, and I like the ambience too.