Tsukemen Aizen

My first experience ever trying tsukumen, and frankly, what an absolutely tedious and bizarre manner of eating noodles that I can totally get behind. It was pretty strange to me at first, but the more I ate it, the more I kind of understood its uniqueness, and I think the experience I had here was stellar. The flavour of the noodles and sheerly immersed broth was notably delicious, and my god were they generous with the chashu. I was shocked after being served the meal, and I think this was only their medium size. The staff was a sweet lady that accommodated everything for me with great patience, and was a pleasure. She helped suggest different options when I struggled to choose from their rather small menu, and tended to me throughout too. The only qualm I have, or perhaps a rookie error, was that the noodles would stick to the hot iron ball used to heat up the broth. Would absolutely love to return here if I ever come back to LA to try other dishes!!

This restaurant took me back to when I was in Japan trying my first tsukemen. We both ordered a regular original and the noodles are soft and fresh and the broth is flavourful and thick. We were extremely full when we were done. The staff were really nice and welcoming. We paid around d $37 for everything.

EXCELLENT SERVICE ! Incredibly accommodating, they were able to serve my party of 22, great communication and food came in a timely manner. The food was fine and so was the seating area, spacious enough for my group to be seated close to each other.

The Tsukemen is $14 for Original. The noodle portion is small for a guy, get the Regular one at least if you are a dude. Extra noodle is $2.50. The dipping soup is lighter in texture than what I am used to, but it is fine. The soup base is on the saltier side but still enjoyable. Overall I still think it is a legit taste. The servers are pretty attentive. They’ll serve the hot stone midway through your meal to keep your broth nice and hot. I will request for a dashi broth at in the end to finish up the soup base. Be warned parking in Little Tokyo is a bit of a circus. Also a notable art is the little art piece dangling from the ceiling.

Ordered the small Tsukemen Original and a limited time Yuzu Shio Hotate Ramen from Japan. The Tsukemen Original was still an appropriate portion for those with a smaller appetite. The broth is very thick and very good with the noodles, greens, and meat. If your broth begins to cool, the staff will provide a hot stone to reheat and maintain a warm temperature. The Yuzu Shio Hotate Ramen from Japan was a very savory meal. The broth is rich in chicken flavor. The lightly seared scallops were a bit thin in height, pleasant in each bite. The noodles were a nice thin noodle with the right amount of chewiness to them. It was a pleasant surprise at the end of this meal to cleanse our palate with a complimentary hot yuzu tea shot. This location is in a high traffic area in the heart of Little Tokyo. Parking is severely limited so consider seeking nearby parking garages or other street parking where available.

Came in on a Saturday lunch. Greeted and seated right away. It wasn’t that busy during that time. We ordered their regular Tsukemen, tebasaki, tako wasabi, and a crispy pork bun. Everything was delicious! I usually go to Tsujita in Sawtelle for dipping ramen, and I’m so happy to find this place for another option when we’re in Little Tokyo. What I love about tsukemen here in Aizen is that we can kinda adjust the broth to our liking with the 5 different seasonings they have on the table. Their food presentation is also very nice. Halfway finishing our ramen, the server also brought us a hot stone to put on the soup to keep it hot. So cool! And at the end of our meal our waiter gave us some small hot honey tea which was so delicious and comforting. Can’t wait to come back!

We ordered both a small and a regular tsukemen DX, and they were absolutely delicious. The small portion size was just perfect for me. A complimentary refreshment drink they offer at the end of our meal was a lovely touch! The interior of the place is modern and cozy. Loved everything about this place and will definitely be coming back. Highly recommend!

Great take on tsukemen and ramen. Sliced pork is almost unbelievably thin and delicious. Broths very savory. Tasty spice rack table side allows you to add your own seasonings. Hand roll special was also fantastic.

This place was fantastic. The inside is clea, sleek, and well lit with a projector displaying sports on the backwall. The server was nice and attentive answered any questions we had. The menu is narrow and focused upon tsukemen with few other options. The size refers to the amount of noodles in the meal. The small was a good portion for a light lunch, with regular being double noodles and large being triple noodles. The broth was delicious, fishy but not too salty. Lime juice adds a nice sour zest and the seasonings allow for some customization in taste.The noodles had fantastic springy, thick texture with a nice bite. The only hiccup was the pork, which texturally felt like deli sliced meat, but was still very good taste wise. All in all a great place to visit for tsukemen. Not perfect but delicious and the goods far outweighs the faults.

As a name suggests, this place specializes In tsukemen style ramen. I came in during the week about an hour before closing. The place wasn't busy at all. The vibe was super chill and the server was very friendly. The space is located pretty close to the busy area of Little Tokyo in downtown LA and the build out is beautiful. Lots of wood paneling. I came in for the tsukemen specifically. I ordered the large deluxe tsukemen. It's a little bit pricier, but you definitely get your moneys worth. There is a lot of food here. It also comes out very beautifully presented. It was just as fun to eat it as it was to look at. Very delicious and rich flavor in the concentrated broth. When I came on a weeknight when the area wasn't that busy, street parking was pretty easy to find.

A cozy spot a bit tucked away from the main Little Tokyo plaza, Tsukemen Aizen definitely stole my heart! I came by and enjoyed their great lunch specials. The food was great and service was quick despite being run by a single server. I got the Regular Tsukemen with a curry rice bowl, and both were SCRUMPTIOUS. The portion size of the tsukemen was incredible, and the flavors were delicious. The cool smoke bubble in the dipping sauce also added a nice touch. I'd definitely come back here for a more lowkey vibe and to try their lemon sour another time!

This place has is a cute little ramen shop that serves fresh ramen made to order. Food: 5/5 The ramen is super flavorful and rich. I love their condiments, especially the chili oil. I was able to adjust to my own spice tolerance. The meat was nice and tender and the ramen noodles were springy. Service: 4/5 I believe they make boil the noodles fresh to order here. Everything else should be relatively premade. It took them quite some time to plate everything and we waited about 30 minutes to get our food. Their severs were really sweet. I just wished their service was a little quicker. Ambiance: 4/5 The interior of this place was really cute. It looked very stylish and clean. One of the major drawbacks is that their parking situation sucks. Expect to pay $5 - $20 to park for about two hours.

This is some goood tsukemen! I got the Regular size and my friend got the Small Tsukemen Deluxe. The difference is that the deluxe had more meat and comes with an egg. The char siu was thinly sliced and felt very delicate. I actually prefer this better because the usual thicker slices at other tsukemen shops. The server brought over condiments which included garlic, jalapeño sauces, and it added so much more flavor into the already tasty broth. The noods had a springy bite to it. I was surprised I started slowing down and had to take some of mine to go but just goes to show how filling it was. Afterwards, we got a little bit of postmeal finisher, which was like a shot of citrus soda. They were super friendly and the service was quick. The restaurant feels clean, bright, and had a good vibe to it. I liked that they had sinks outside of the bathroom so I could easily wash my hands. My friend was impressed with the quality and mentioned she wanted to take her family here to try it too sometime.

Situated right across the bustling Weller Court, Aizen brings a relaxing and delicious dining experience with its modern ocean themed ambience - a welcome respite from the heat and crowds in Little Tokyo Village. We had no problem getting a table right away and service was on top of things. Service: the staff are welcoming and attentive. We got refills of water when our glasses were empty. The food came out a good pace and was hot and fresh. All good signs of a good restaurant! Food: 5 STAR. I highly recommend getting the Tsukemen Deluxe as it comes with all of the trappings of a full meal like the marinated egg, fish cake, and seaweed. The portions felt right for the prices paid as well. See my picture, that's the Small portion!! Very generous and the meat had a nice smokey taste. I thought it was unique and delicious. I chose the pork broth and the spices reminded me a bit of curry. The broth is thick and flavorful. Overall a delicious tsukemen meal. I would come back again when I crave dipping noodles. Tl;Dr Aizen is better than Tsujita.

If your previous exposure to tsukemen was Tsujita Annex you will be surprised coming here. This is NOT the same in regard to flavor and the only similarity is that it is a dipping noodle dish. Located in Little Tokyo, parking will be fun... this shop serves an amazing Smokey porky tsukemen. As a hedonist I ordered the Large Deluxe. The pictures make it look like there's not a lot of noodles, but the plate actually has depth and there are MORE noodles lurking underneath. The porky, silky, shimmering liquid has chunks of pork hidden in the depths of the flavorful broth. The pork accompanying your dish is thinly sliced and the total opposite of the thick char shiu pork of Tsujita. And each bite of pork just really has this smoked flavor. It melts in your mouth and just has a nice mouth feel when slurped up with the perfectly bouncy noodles. Also, careful with condiments. There is an assortment of enhancers they provide, but their spicy chili is no joke. I was coughing and sweating. Half way through my meal they came with a hot stone to warm up my broth again. This was interesting as I played with the stone touching booth noodle and pork on there to give it a slightly different texture when heated up that dramatically. All in all, I highly recommend this place. I'm actually eager to go back as the flavors still haunt my dreams. Parking sucks. Also, you will get messy and slurp all over the place.

Wow, pleasantly surprised by my experience at Tsukemen Aizen. I actually like the dipping noodles here so much better than Tsujita! The restaurant is clean and spacious. Staff is friendly as well. + Original Tsukemen 5/5: Should've gotten the regular because I wanted more! Dipping broth was just the right amount of flavor and fat. It's packed with umami but still light enough to not get overly heavy after a while. The garlic seasoning on the side added so much flavor. Noodles are cooked perfectly al dente. Complimentary lemon spritz is a great palate cleanser in the end. Definitely coming back!

Tsukemen Aizen is an elevated tsukemen eating experience that delighted me at every step of the experience. Although I am naturally a bigger fan of traditional ramen, Tsukemen Aizen may have changed my biased mind about tsukemen being a lesser form of it - and this is from someone who has tried it a few times on both sides of the Pacific. Aside from its spacious and gorgeous interiors with a beautiful mural that feels at home with DTLA, Tsukemen Aizen also has a really friendly staff as well as a very visible team of cooks that greets you as any traditional Japanese restaurant will.

tsukemen is a dish that separates noodles and the dipping sauce. The noodles is medium firm and chewy. I like the thickness of their noodles. According to the waiter, they made their own noodles. The dipping sauce is concentrated with various seasonings. They also provide extra seasonings if you need extra flavors.

Tsukemen isn't a dish I typically order even though I am totally a sauce girl, so I was very excited coming here with my friends who also don't eat tsukemen often/at all to try it out. Yes the broth is pretty salty but I personally think it's super rich in flavor and it's also why their little table placemat paper says to just dip your noodles 70% of the way. I love it tho so I dunked my noodles in real good. Make sure you flavor it to your liking with all the side condiments they have, the garlic sauce is amazing and I loved mine with the extra spicy sauce and jalapeno! The deluxe has larger portions of noodle, meat, and an egg but I found the small original tsukemen with a side of their karaage chicken was perfect for me We came at an off time so there was no wait at all and the waitress was very attentive, definitely would come back here.

My new favorite place for tsukemen (dipping ramen)! - Original 5/5 The noodles here are so chewy and buoyant! It really reminded me of tsukemen in Japan. The dipping soup was also very good. Add a lot of hot sauce and jalapeño and everything they have to make it better! The meat is OK... reminds me of pastrami//pork meat.. not really chashu just cured? I wouldn't get the one with the extra meat... meats not that good. Just stick with the original! Parking sucks.. plaza parking.. street parking..

Aizen is so bomb. Delicious noodles! Attentive service! A sauce caddy with 5 different spices/sauces you can use to customize your meal. 6 different menus of food, specials, etc. The lunch specials for $19.99 come with a salmon poke or curry rice. Our server came by halfway through the meal to drop a hot stone in the tsukemen broth. It was so awesome and I have never seen that before! They thought of everything!

Tsukemen Aizen is a hidden gem! My friend and I grabbed Sunday lunch here and we were so impressed. Regular Tsukemen Original (4.5/5) - The tsukemen broth was presented with a bubble to wafted the aroma when popped. The regular noodle portion is enough for 2 meals. The tsukemen comes with shaved pork chashu, boiled spinach, 1 pc nori, and fish cake. I do wish there were more toppings and the noodles were a little more chewy. Ajitama (5/5) - Excellent soft boiled jammy egg to enjoy with my tsukemen. Tebasaki (Chicken Wings) (5/5) - We ordered the 4pc and we were so glad we did. The wings were hot and crispy and flavored with a delectable teriyaki sauce. I would come back here for just the wings. We also loved the condiments. The garlic and jalapeño were my favorite to enjoy with the wings.

The BUBBLE!!! One caveat I usually have w tsukumen is that it cools down halfway, but at Aizen, they'll add a hot stone into your broth to heat it back up. It steams and bubbles up the broth, so fun. Modern clean restaurant. Amazing visuals, great service, and yummy food! Regular tsukumen (5/5) - noodles are on the softer side

Seems like it's a new spot? There was only 1-2 other parties when we went. There's a $5 difference between the tsukemen deluxe and regular, and we saw that the main difference was the deluxe had the egg and more meat. We got salmon sashimi as an appetizer. It came with 4 pieces. The ginger was an interesting taste. The sauce was olive oil, I think, and I didn't like it with the sashimi. Sashimi was good. I got the tsukemen deluxe small. The other 2 people in my party had the tsukemen deluxe regular. It was my first time eating tsukemen, normally I opt for soup noodles. The small was HUGE. I couldn't finish it. We liked adding the garlic and aonori. The meat was smoky and delicious. The dipping broth came pretty lukewarm so it was kind of not as enjoyable. They put the hot stone in halfway through my meal and it was good after that. Definitely make sure your broth is hot before you start eating. None of us could finish our food. I definitely recommend sticking to the smaller one because you can always order additions. Overall a good meal. We were way too full after and walked away with leftovers. The staff were nice and all hands on deck as I saw the server help with prepping dishes.

Cute and cozy ramen shop that specializes in Tsukemen (dipping ramen)! 5/5: Tebasaki Chicken Wings (4 pieces) - These were one of the best (Japanese) chicken wings I've had! Their Tebasaki wings are large in size, each about the size of my hand or an iPhone max pro lol. They came out hot - with a thin layer of crisp skin that had the best crunch. They were coated in a sweet and savory glaze of garlic, ginger, and black pepper. It wasn't too saucy and the pepper on the wings added such a nice touch! MUST GET as an appetizer and I would come back again just for this dish. 3.5/5: Tsukemen Deluxe - This dish involves cold noodles and thin slices of beef served alongside a bowl of hot broth to dip in. The thick broth came out piping hot. It was rich, savory, creamy, and very flavorful. The portions were huge with the amount of noodles they gave and beef pieces (enough for two servings). It came with a yolky egg, seaweed sheets, raw onions, and garlic. When dipping the noodles and meat in the broth it absorbed it so well. The broth had a slice of lime in it for acidity to help balance out the richness of the broth. The portions are huge but the broth is a bit too salty for my liking.

Not too long ago Aizen was an udon restaurant, decided to give it a try as tuskemen spot after seeing an IG post on it. We were starving so and we decided on: Pork Belly Bun - the pork itself was fried a bit too long, it was "too" crunchy & hard, and there were mustard sauce in it which gave it a weird taste. Karaage Chicken - 6 large, juicy, tender pieces! It was even better as leftovers the next night from the air fryer. Deluxe regular size tsukemen - we ordered one for each of us but could had totally shared this. Lotsa noodles and with many slices of shaved pork. It would had been better if the tsukemen broth itself was a lot more HOT in temperature. Some restaurants like Tsujita can warm up the noodles for you, but here at Aizen they don't offer that option. You can ask for a stone rock to re-heat your broth again, but to me it was still only lukewarm after. I think overall this dish was a lot more better heated up as leftovers. So maybe better as take-out vs dine in? Just my personal preference.

Food**** -- stopped by after finish a omakase at Sushi Zo, wasn't too hungry but it was really tasty. We ordered Deluxe Tsukemen and the presentation was just awesome. The only thing might be the dipping can be hotter so it can keep the texture that needs to accompany the noodle Service*** -- average, we were the only table at the time (8ish) so maybe they are closing soon. She refill the water one time at least but nothing more that I recall Ambiance**** -- I like the interior and it sorta remind me of some shops or eateries near Santa Monica. It has a surf board and many artworks decorated the area which is delightful to look while waiting for food

Was excited to try a new tsukemen place. Beautiful interior, tables and bar seating. Ordered one dipping and one soup ramen. I like the soup ramen better, flavor was strong (fish/pork) but yummy. You can order two sizes and small was just enough. Tsukemen was just ok imo. The noodles and meat were very cold, broth was warm. So it was more of a cold meal which we didn't expect. At the end she came by and gave us a hot stone for the soup, but I didn't warm up much but only look cool. The presentation is beautiful thought. Service was good, friendly. We came early lunch and only a few tables. The waitress did touch our seaweed after setting down the tsukemen on the table. Thought that was off a little since she handles money and things.

Tried this place with a friend on their recommendation, good delicious and large portion, covered in toppings. Sliced meats, egg, nori, mushrooms, and they gave you a condiment caddy to use if you want as well. Towards the end of our meal the server came by with sizzling hot stones to put into our soup to heat it back up. The instructions on the placemat are cute, the parking situation is rough unless you find a metered spot close by.

I have never been angry when writing a review but I am now. Their whole concept of Tonkostu Ramen is disgusting and unsanitary. Instead of Chashu you get thinly sliced Deli Honey Ham you get from Vons, you know the thin shaved stuff? And since they plate it like an elementary school project the meat swings touching the chefs and servers hands while they're serving us (ew..), and to make matters worse there's barely any authentic flavor so I'm left disappointing after walking past authentic restaurants to get here and after spending $55 lmao. Ugh what a waste. Oh and McDonald's employees dress with more professionalism and pride than this goof. So not only were we disappointed with the food but we were disappointed with the other inadequacies too. My last issue with this place is that it's SURROUNDED by authentic restaurants that were busy and full even after closing hours while this place only had 3 customers. Moral of the story, trust your gut, do your research, and make sure it's thoroughly authentic if they'll charge $22 per bowl lol.

I came here after exploring Little Tokyo nearby because a friend recommended it. It seemed like it was still in soft opening or something, but we were starving and willing to try something new. I've only had tsukemen 2-3 times in my life, so I was excited to see how this compared. The ambiance inside was pretty good. Seemed like they were busy. My friend asked the waitress what kind of soup broth the ramen had (miso, shoyu, shio, etc), and the waitress couldn't answer, she just said "traditional". But then when further asked, she said that she was still training and still new to the place, so it was understandable. The wait was probably 20-30 minutes before we got our food, which normally wouldn't be a problem but we were definitely starving at that point. We all ended up getting the Tsukemen since it was in the name of the restaurant. To be honest, it was a bit underwhelming. The meat was almost like....deli meat you'd find at the grocery store, or in a charcuterie platter. I was expecting like actual chasu that you'd find in ramen typically. But maybe it was a different style? Also the soup was a bit salty for my taste, but maybe it's supposed to be that way. Either way, it wasn't my favorite thing, and by the end I wish I had tried the ramen instead. Overall, it was an okay experience. Not sure if I'd come back, but if I happen to be in the area and wanting noodles, I'll probably try the ramen. I'm sure the service might be better next time too given our waiter isn't someone who is still training.

My favorite tsukemen so far in the LA area... You can adjust your own spice level - they provide a spice rack for each table. So generous with the meat quantity for dipping, and they've got great skewers and appetizers too. Parking available in the lots nearby. Quickly seated. Customer service was great! Ambiance is great. Nice and spacious inside. I felt transported to Japan or somewhere else. This place is a gem, please don't ever change!

Vegetarian / Vegan Review I ordered their lunch set A with a small spicy vegan tsukemen, mapo tofu bowl, and salad for $19.50. The salad was thinly shredded lettuce and cherry tomatoes with a light sesame sauce - simple but refreshing. The mapo tofu bowl had a good ratio of rice to toppings. It was tasty and spicy! It's hard to find vegan tsukemen so this was really fun to eat, the broth was cold but spicy and umami and reminded me of a zaru soba experience with a flavor packed broth. Great option for lunch on a warm day. I had enough leftovers for another meal. A staff member offered a hot stone to my friend to warm up his broth - it was so hot it boiled the soup and sent up a big cloud of steam. Really cool to experience. Not sure if this is available for the veg option; I didn't ask because I was happy with the cold broth. Each table also had a tray with different condiments to jazz up your meal. The interior decoration was beautiful too. I'll definitely be back!

Tsukemen Aizen is the best Tsukemen in the area. The broth is flavourful and there are so many ways to customize the flavor, with a variety of sauces and spices. We got the edamame as an appetizer, and it was already promising as the flavor was different from most bowls of edamame. It was tasty! Loved the spin from the usual flavorings. Once the bowls of tsukemen arrived, they looked as good as it tasted. Mmmmmm. Couldn't resist digging in asap. The restaurant is very nice and welcoming, small but there was definitely room for everyone. There were only 3 other parties in there. It probably gets busier later in the night. Our server was very attentive and friendly. Our glasses were never empty. I would definitely recommend trying this spot in little tokyo. It's so hard finding GOOD tsukemen that manages to balance the flavors without getting a weird aftertaste. There are only 2 places on my list with good tsukemen and Tsukemen Aizen is one of them!

This place is an unsung, hidden GEM in Little Tokyo. While everyone else flocks to the multitudinous (albeit delicious) sushi shops nearby, this place serves up amazing ramen with a unique experiential twist. The soup and the noodles are delicious separately, and it is recommended you sample them individually first, but they are harmonious and delicious together. The chashu is sliced very thin and melts in your mouth. Seasoned soft boiled eggs were just right. We also tried several of the appetizers; every one was delicious. I would recommend adding sauces to the broth once you've had a chance to taste it as-is. The spicy sauce is SO good, and a little goes a LONG way. About half way through the meal, they bring out a hot stone to re-heat the broth. This was a great touch. Ambiance is a wonderfully soothing, oceanic theme. Kid friendly in the sense that they were very accommodating of our toddler. They brought out a small bowl and cup just for him! This was so sweet. Do yourself a favor next time you're in Little Tokyo and stop here. Wonderful meal, great experience, can't wait to go back.

Oooh yeahhh this place was awesome. Parking, nightmare lol. Came on a weekend for lunch right when they opened and it was still a disaster to find parking. There is a lot in the building but wow it was $20... bummer. Anyways the ramen was so fire, amazing broth, amazing noodles, just wow. Reminded me of Japan. Service was amazing. We also ordered some skewers and those were so delicious. I will deff be coming back!

Good food and the decor was very nice too. Service was slow when I was there because of a large group already there. But the food was worth the wait. The broth was flavorful and I like the many options of toppings offered to adjust the taste to your liking.

New restaurant in Little Tokyo! Being that my favorite style of ramen is tsukemen, this is a place that I was really excited to try. Tsukemen Aizen was not on my radar at all prior to being summoned for jury duty, but it was a welcome surprise when I came across it (when deciding where to eat during my lunch break). I'm happy to report that it did not disappoint. I found the portions both generous and satisfying. Service was quick and friendly. I sat at the bar and enjoyed the ambiance. I would not hesitate to come back.

Delicious! Close to the delicious tsukemen that we had in Tokyo. The bubble on the broth was fun.

Move over Tsujita--there's a new tsukemen place in town! If you are looking for a solid new place for some delicious tsukemen or ramen in the little tokyo area, you should definitely check this place out. We came here on a weekend for lunch and were seated immediately. I had to get the tsukemen of course. I ended up ordering the original (which seems to just have less meat and minus an egg versus the deluxe), and opted for the smaller size of noodles. I feel like if you are pretty hungry, would definitely go for a bigger size. The dipping broth was everything that I was looking for--packing a punch in flavor and yet also not that heavy that you won't get tired after a few bites. And the attention to detail, the dish clearly shows the love that the restaurant puts into its work. Honestly, one of the best bowls of tsukemen I've had in LA.

Salty af so drink plenty of water. I'd thought adding condiments & meat would somehow dilute the soup but it made it spicy & saltier like eating salted pork lol. I thought the meat would be thicker. I'd also advise getting a table in the back as the cold air & strong cigarette smell from the open doors would be distracting & they won't close the doors. Happy secondhand smoking! Service was ok, there was only 1 waitress for the soft opening. She'd say 5 sec to get us a table, then take 5-7 min. She'd give the party after us the table in the back & give us a counter by the door when she said there were no tables. She was as cortial & worked non-stop, though. Price was reasonable & portions are big enough to share.

Pros: 1. I love tsukemen and am happy there is another option (not just ramen places). 2. What's unique is that the pork is sliced very thin, like what you'd expect from a fancy deli - I have not had it like this before. It does make it soft and tender, instead of a big block of pork which sometimes can get dry at other places. 3. Fried chicken (karaage) comes in a big bowl with big pieces that are juicy and satisfying. 4. No line/wait - it's a block north of the crowded part of Little Tokyo so probably most people don't know it exists. 5. Bonus points for presentation. The platter comes out looking ready for IG and the dipping sauce has this giant bubble, which when popped releases a little burst of steam - (I don't understand how the bubble doesn't burst prematurely) Cons: 1. The noodles only come cold - I know this is the normal way it's supposed to be, but many places give you the option to have hot noodles which is how I prefer it. 2. I would prefer to have more options to add on for sides and more menu items to choose from. 3. The melty pork bun was just okay. Not horrible but the meat was a bit tough/overcooked and I ended up with a lot of empty bun [pro tip: when this happens, take a piece of karaage and boom - you now have a fried chicken slider and no wasted food]

Great place to get some tsukemen! Was seated as soon as we entered the restaurant. The menu had various 3 different options and sizes for tsukemen. Tsukemen was offered either in deluxe, original, or spicy (vegan) in small, regular, and large sizes. My friend and I ordered the large original tsukemen because we were starving! Spices were served along with the tsukemen. Beware of the spice paste as it is apparently made from Carolina reapers. I made a mistake by just assuming it was regular spice paste and added 2 scoops. I was practically dying and required multiple water refills to continue eating. After you finish the noodles, you can ask for soup wari where they add some additional broth to your tsukemen broth to turn the rich broth into a drinkable light broth. This restaurant has an amazing aesthetic and is in the heart of Little Tokyo. Definitely recommend this place if you are craving or wanting to try some tsukemen!

Great Tsukemen! The soup is fantastic, they even give a hot stone to heat it up when the soup is cold after you eat for a while. The chicken karage is tender but a little salty. The staff are warm and friendly. Not much crowd because this is away from the busy area but only 4 minutes walk. Great distance!

TL;DR: Food tasted good, but may have gotten food poisoning =\ Came by with coworkers for lunch to try the new establishment. They offer three lunch sets, $19.95: A - small tsukemen with small salad and small poke bowl, B - regular sized tsukemen with small poke bowl, C - ramen with a small bowl and small salad. The tsukemen was pretty good, with a broth leaning more towards the fishy side than pork bone. It was a little lukewarm when it arrived, so maybe ask for servers to warm it up more. The chasu was sliced thinly, which was off putting at first but made dipping easier. The caveat was that I woke up at 3am later that night with stomach problems and threw up. It could possibly be from something else, but wife who ate the same few meals except for this one was fine, but my coworker who also got the lunch combo with poke bowl had similar stomach issues.

The broth has a superb combination of unctuousness and umami. The pork and fish taste didn't overpower the other. The noodles are springy but picks up the taste of the broth really well. The chashu almost tastes like prosciutto, which we were pleasantly surprised with. The eggs were perfectly seasoned and jammy. Next time though, we'll remember to ask for a hot stone because the broth quickly cooled down, it didn't help that it was cold today. The servers are friendly and accommodating. It's definitely an advantage when you go on a not so busy day. The eating area is both spacious and open, so you're not elbowing somebody or hitting people when you sit down. It didn't smell like whatever the chefs were cooking despite the open kitchen concept. Definitely calls for another visit next time, still on a not so busy day.

The soup for tsukemen ramen is great and the noodles are cooked perfectly. Although the menu is small, the chicken Kraage was crispy and juicy.only one I don't like the meat slices are not my type. For a soft opening, the restaurant here is already pretty good .

Great new tsukemen / ramen joint in Little Tokyo. Their chashu is quite unique in that it is served thinly sliced and has a smoky flavor. Almost reminds me of deli meats or prosciutto in consistency and taste. Clean interior and good service. Would recommend if you like tsukemen.

Aizen Tsukemen is actually accessible from 2nd St, not San Pedro, as indicated on the map in Yelp. I spent some time locating the entrance and was a bit sweaty by the time I arrived. To my delight, the waitress brought me a glass of ice water as soon as I sat down without me having to ask. Great service! Before my order was served, two trays of condiment were presented to enhance the flavor. The regular deluxe Tsukemen I ordered has a decent amount of noodles and a spectacular display of meat. With the 15% soft opening discount, it is not unaffordable. While the plating is magnificent, there is one problem. The noodles are sitting in the center dip of the plate, half-covered by the cold water draining off from the shimeru process. As a result, the noodles become softened, and the seaweed placed on top of the noodles also softens. Some tsukemen shops use a bamboo strainer to avoid this problem. The ajitama is aggressively marinated and has a dark brown exterior, but the interior is very white suggesting that it's not been soaked for too long. The yolk is pleasantly semi-runny. Besides the thinly sliced pork spread around the plate, there is also shredded pork in the center, and a few pieces of fatty pork in the broth. It made me wonder if this could be a viable option for a protein-based diet. The broth is bonito-based and tastes similar to the one at Tsujita. It's not piping hot either. Overall, I enjoy the thick, al dente noodles at Tsujita more. The array of condiments didn't do much to alter the flavor; perhaps I'm too modest in using them. At the end of the meal, I was given a small glass of mint lemonade to cleanse my palate. A nice touch. The atmosphere is trendy and clean, although there are some gnats flying around the shop. Considering the location of the restaurant, I don't find it too offensive. I guess no gentrification can clean this part of town up.

Wau what a lunch I just had. Pleasantly surprised by this place. I absolutely love tsukemen and had them all over LA but this one tasted really special. I had the lunch menu which came with curry rice and side salad. Very filling. I actually took the curry rice to go. Also, both waitresses were very sweet! Thank you

Friday 7pm Parking/Wait: Parking is always a lil rough in Lil Tokyo. There are some public parking lots but all of them are probably a few bucks. Seated right away when my party of three arrived. Food/Drinks: Ordered the Karaage and the medium Tsukemen. Karaage was not bad, didnt come with any sauce but they will give you some if you ask. The tsukemen is the real star of the show. When the brothe is thick, you know it's gonna be good. Rich anchovie flavor with perfectly qq medium thick noodles. I honestly wouldn't order the deluxe again. It comes with a nice soft boiled egg with a lot of extra meet which I personally don't think is worth it. Ambiance/Service: Nicely decorated restaurant with a good amount of seating. Service was great. Like I said, they gave us some sauce for the karaage and made sure my brothe was hot by adding a hot stone halfway through my meal. Summary: This is the best Tsukemen shop I've had outside of Japan hands down! Better than Tsujita in Sawtelle imo. I am coming here ASAP anytime I'm craving tsukemen.

This restaurant is so cute and the staff and chefs were so nice. One of us got the Tonkatsu ramen and the other got the dipping ramen. They were SO so good!!! The broths were so complex and flavorful They bring out a spice wheel full of different types of homemade sauces and other garnishes to add your ramen. They were all so tastey and fresh! We didn't get desert but the waitress brought us two sake cups of hot yuzu and Asian pear hot tea to finish our meal with. Which was also really warm and refreshing and sweet. I definitely want to recommend this place and will be there again soon!

Good portions and quiet restaurants Taste is nice good service Price also nice :) looks like they are try to make good restaurants now.

Got seated with my friend and proceeded to witness 4 tables after us - including a family of seven - receive their orders in full while we waited 1 hour for a bowl of ramen. 2 of those tables arrived 30 minutes after we were seated. We only ordered a tsukemen ramen and a regular bowl. The tsukemen came about 40 minutes later after we sat.. the broth was room temperature by the time I got it and had to send it back to reheat. The whole time the servers knew they were missing a bowl of ramen from our table and only apologized for the delay. Never gave us a time frame of when we'd get it or any reassurance. We ended up cancelling the order and leave to find my friend and place that will actually serve us. The servers gave us a 10% off discount as a 'my bad' which was more of a slap in the face, why not give the starving customer a free appetizer while they were waiting before??? I've never experienced a place where they've completely missed this poorly, and am probably going to other places when I'm in the area.

The chef really puts attention to detail and quality when it comes to the tsukemen and ramen! I would say they have the best ramen in little Tokyo and the sauces really do help finish and tie everything all together. All their sauces are made in house and I love adding a bunch of the spicy sauce to my ramen and tsukemen! The quality of the pork is amazing. They cook it in a way that makes it safe to eat pink. The texture is ham-like! Overall, it's a great price point and they give you a good portion!

Very good overall. Food service ambience . Will definitely be back ! A lot of fun extras as well!

Tsukemen is not usually something I gravitate towards, and I came here thinking it was the old Aizen Udon but we decided to stay to try it out during their soft opening. The restaurant itself is beautiful and modern, and conveniently located in the heart of Little Tokyo. I rated them 3 stars mainly because when we went for the soft opening, it was a bit disorganized and many items on the soft opening menu were unavailable to order. The tsukemen that was available to order was great quality though. The noodles tasted great, though the dipping broth was a little fatty and saltier than I would have preferred it. The pork was also cooked well, and I actually overall enjoyed the meal. Our server was also really sweet, though she couldn't answer most of our questions which is a bit to be expected when the restaurant is so new. With that being said, I am definitely open to returning and trying Aizen out again once they settle in and have a more permanent menu in place!