Best Ramen in San Diego: 16 Ramen Restaurants To Try

Darryl Gordon

If you are searching for the best ramen in San Diego, you have plenty of choices. From rich tonkotsu broth and spicy miso to chicken paitan and tsukemen, San Diego has ramen for just about every craving.

And while Convoy and Kearny Mesa have become a major destination for ramen, some of my favorite bowls can be found in neighborhoods throughout San Diego County.

I have put together this guide to the best ramen in San Diego with restaurants, what to order, the type of ramen they serve, current price ranges, and where to find them.

I’ll be updating this list regularly with new finds. Add your email to be updated.

What Makes a Great Bowl of Ramen?

There is no single definition of the perfect bowl of ramen. You can choose a rich, creamy tonkotsu broth or a lighter shoyu or shio broth.

For me, a great bowl starts with the broth. It should have depth and flavor without overpowering everything else.

The noodles are important, too. They should have the right texture for the broth and hold up while you eat.

Then there are the toppings. Chashu, soft-boiled egg, bamboo shoots, green onions, nori, and other toppings should add something to the bowl, not just make it look pretty.

And ultimately, the bowl needs to make you want to finish it all in one sitting.

Best Ramen in San Diego

If you want the best ramen in San Diego, you have plenty of choices. The city has small shops, busy counters, and places that focus on rich broth and fresh noodles. Here are my picks for the best ramen in San Diego, including traditional bowls, creative ramen and several options for different styles.

Menya Ultra

Neighborhood: Kearny Mesa
Type of ramen: Tonkotsu, miso, spicy miso and tantanmen
What to order: Tonkotsu Ajitama
Price: About $16-$21
Address: 8199 Clairemont Mesa Blvd. #M, San Diego, CA 92111
Website: Menya Ultra
Why I Recommend It: Menya Ultra belongs near the top of any conversation about the best ramen in San Diego. The restaurant is known for its rich tonkotsu broth and house-made Hokkaido wheat noodles. The Tonkotsu Ajitama adds a seasoned egg to the classic bowl. Current menu prices put the regular tonkotsu around $16-$19 depending on location and the egg version higher.
Tip: This is not the place to visit when you are in a hurry. Waits can be long during busy periods.

Ramen Nagi

Neighborhood: La Jolla / UTC
Type of ramen: Tonkotsu and creative specialty broths
What to order: Original King or Red King
Price: About $16-$22
Address: 4301 La Jolla Village Dr., Suite 2033, San Diego, CA 92122
Website: Ramen Nagi USA
Why I Recommend It: Ramen Nagi brings a different approach to ramen. You can customize your bowl, including the broth, flavor intensity, oil, garlic, noodles, and firmness. That makes it a particularly good choice if you know exactly how you like your ramen.
It is located inside Westfield UTC, so parking and shopping are convenient, but lines can build during peak hours.

GONZO!

Neighborhood: Carlsbad Village
Type of ramen: Tonkotsu, spicy miso, black garlic, and vegan ramen
What to order: Gonzo! Black
Price: About $15-$20
Address: 300 Carlsbad Village Dr. #201A, Carlsbad, CA 92008
Website: GONZO!
Why I Recommend It: GONZO! gives North County ramen fans a strong reason to head to Carlsbad Village. The Gonzo! Black combines tonkotsu broth with black garlic oil for a deeper, more intense bowl. The Gonzo! Red is a good choice if you prefer spicy miso.
GONZO! also has a vegan ramen option, making it easier for a group with different preferences to find something they like.
It is also open later than many ramen restaurants, making it a good choice for a late-night ramen run.

Marufuku Ramen

Neighborhood: Del Mar / Carmel Valley
Type of ramen: Hakata tonkotsu and chicken paitan
What to order: Hakata Tonkotsu or Chicken Paitan DX
Price: About $15-$23
Address: 12841 El Camino Real #204, San Diego, CA 92130
Website: Marufuku Ramen
Why I Recommend It: Marufuku brings Hakata-style ramen to the Sky Deck at Del Mar Highlands Town Center. The tonkotsu broth is rich, and the noodles are thin and straight, which is characteristic of Hakata ramen.
One of the more unusual things to order here is the Chicken Paitan DX. The Del Mar location is known for a limited number of these bowls each day, and the DX version comes with a substantial chicken leg served separately.

Tajima Ramen

Neighborhood: Convoy Street / College Heights / Crown Point / East Village / Mercury / Plaza Bonita
Type of ramen: Tonkotsu, shoyu, spicy, vegan, and specialty ramen
What to order: Tajima Black or Spicy Sesame Ramen
Price: About $14-$20
Address: 4681 Convoy St., San Diego, CA 92111
Website: Tajima San Diego
Why I Recommend It: Tajima has been part of San Diego’s ramen scene since 2001 and has expanded to multiple local locations. Its menu gives you a lot of choices, which makes it a good option when everyone in the group wants something different.

HiroNori Craft Ramen

Neighborhood: Hillcrest
Type of ramen: Tonkotsu, shoyu, and vegan ramen
What to order: Tonkotsu Ramen
Price: About $15-$20
Address: 3803 5th Ave., San Diego, CA 92103
Website: HiroNori Craft Ramen
Why I Recommend It: HiroNori focuses on craft ramen, making its own noodles, stock, and sauces. The San Diego location offers tonkotsu, shoyu and vegan ramen.
The vegan ramen deserves special attention. It uses a sesame miso broth with tofu, broccolini, corn, bean sprouts, baby kale and chili oil.

Kitakata Ramen Ban Nai

Neighborhood: Kearny Mesa
Type of ramen: Kitakata-style shoyu, tonkotsu, and spicy miso
What to order: Kitakata Ramen
Price: About $14-$20
Address: 7951 Othello Ave., Suite 103, San Diego, CA 92111
Website: Kitakata Ramen Ban Nai
Why I Recommend It: Kitakata Ramen Ban Nai brings a style of ramen that is different from the rich tonkotsu bowls that dominate many San Diego lists. Kitakata-style ramen uses wavy, hand-shaped noodles with a pork and shoyu broth.
The standard Kitakata Ramen is currently about $14.45, while the Chashu Ramen is about $19.95.

Yakyudori

Neighborhood: Convoy
Type of ramen: Tonkotsu and traditional ramen
What to order: Tonkotsu Ramen
Price: About $14-$18
Address: 4898 Convoy St. #101, San Diego, CA 92111
Website: Yakyudori
Why I Recommend It: Yakyudori combines two Japanese favorites in one restaurant: ramen and yakitori. The restaurant has been serving the San Diego community since 2005 and specializes in charcoal-grilled yakitori along with traditional ramen and izakaya dishes.

Nishiki Ramen

Neighborhood: Kearny Mesa / Hillcrest / Mira Mesa
Type of ramen: Tonkotsu, shoyu, miso and specialty ramen
What to order: Tonkotsu Ramen
Price: About $14-$20
Address: 8055 Armour St., Suite 201A, San Diego, CA 92111
Website: Nishiki Ramen
Why I Recommend It: Nishiki is a Japanese family-owned restaurant with three San Diego locations. The owner, Mike Furuichi, was born and raised in Tokyo, and the menu focuses on traditional Japanese flavors.

BESHOCK Ramen

Neighborhood: East Village / Carlsbad
Type of ramen: Tonkotsu and specialty ramen
What to order: Signature Tonkotsu
Price: About $15-$20
Address: 1288 Market St., San Diego, CA 92101
Website: BESHOCK Ramen & Sake Bar
Why I Recommend It: BESHOCK is a good downtown option for ramen, particularly if you want to pair your bowl with Japanese sake. The restaurant’s signature tonkotsu broth is made by simmering pork and chicken bones with vegetables and Japanese seasonings for at least 10 hours.

Underbelly

Neighborhood: North Park / Little Italy
Type of ramen: Tonkotsu, miso and creative specialty ramen
What to order: Belly of the Beast
Price: About $13-$19
Address: 3000 Upas St. #104, San Diego, CA 92104
Website: Underbelly
Why I Recommend It: Underbelly takes a more creative approach to ramen. The Belly of the Beast combines tonkotsu broth with hoisin-glazed short rib, oxtail dumplings and the usual ramen toppings.
The restaurant also offers a vegetarian-friendly Farmer’s Market Miso ramen and a Thai Curry ramen with shrimp.
If traditional ramen is what you are after, there are better choices. But if you want something different, Underbelly is worth adding to your ramen tour.

Harumama Noodles + Buns

Neighborhood: Little Italy / Carlsbad / Encinitas / Vista / La Jolla / Ocean Beach
Type of ramen: Japanese ramen and specialty noodle bowls
What to order: Signature ramen
Price: About $15-$20
Address: 1901 Columbia St., San Diego, CA 92101
Website: Harumama
Why I Recommend It: Harumama is best known for combining ramen with its colorful steamed buns, but the ramen is worth considering on its own.
This is a particularly good option when you are dining with people who want more than ramen. And yes, the character-shaped buns are as fun as they look.

Karami Ramen

Neighborhood: Convoy
Type of ramen: Tori paitan, soybean-based vegan broth, spicy ramen
What to order: Karami Signature Ramen
Price: About $15-$20
Address: 3860 Convoy St. #118, San Diego, CA 92111
Website: Karami Ramen
Why I Recommend It: Karami is one of the restaurants I would put on the list for people who like their ramen with some heat. The restaurant makes two house broths, including a chicken tori paitan and a creamy soybean vegan broth, then builds them with flavors such as miso tonkotsu, shio, shoyu, truffle, curry and several types of chili.

Hokkaido Ramen Santouka

Neighborhood: Kearny Mesa
Type of ramen: Hokkaido-style ramen
What to order: Shio Ramen
Price: About $15-$20
Address: 4240 Kearny Mesa Road, San Diego, CA 92111
Website: Hokkaido Ramen Santouka
Why I Recommend It: Santouka is a Japanese ramen brand that started in Hokkaido and has locations around the world. The San Diego restaurant is inside Mitsuwa Marketplace, making this a convenient stop if you are already shopping for Japanese groceries and snacks.
The Shio Ramen is a good starting point if you want to try the style Santouka is known for.

Izakaya Masa

Neighborhood: Mission Hills
Type of ramen: Hakata tonkotsu and shoyu
What to order: Hakata Ramen
Price: About $14-$18
Address: 928 Fort Stockton Dr., San Diego, CA 92103
Website: Izakaya Masa
Why I Recommend It: Izakaya Masa is a longtime Mission Hills favorite that combines ramen with a broad selection of Japanese small plates and sake. Its Hakata ramen features a smooth tonkotsu broth with pork belly, fried garlic, seaweed and ginger.
It is also open late, making it one of the better choices when the ramen craving hits after a normal dinner hour.

Best Ramen in San Diego by Category

These are some of the best ramen in San Diego by ramen style and location.

Best Tonkotsu Ramen

Menya Ultra is my first choice if you want a rich, pork-forward tonkotsu bowl. Ramen Nagi, Marufuku, and GONZO! are also strong choices.

Best Customizable Ramen

Ramen Nagi is the clear choice if you want control over your bowl. You can customize the broth, flavor intensity, oil, garlic, noodles and firmness.

Best Spicy Ramen

Karami Ramen is a strong choice for spice lovers because you can choose from several spicy flavor combinations and chili styles. Menya Ultra and GONZO! are also worth considering if you want a spicy bowl.

Best Tsukemen in San Diego

RakiRaki is one of the names I would start with for tsukemen. Instead of noodles sitting in broth, the noodles are served separately and dipped into a concentrated sauce.

Best North County Ramen

GONZO! in Carlsbad is my pick for North County. Marufuku in Del Mar is another excellent choice, particularly if you want Hakata-style ramen.

Best Vegan Ramen

HiroNori Craft Ramen deserves a spot here. Its vegan ramen uses a sesame miso broth with tofu, vegetables and chili oil. Menya Ultra and Tajima also offer vegan ramen options.

Best Ramen in Convoy

You have a lot of choices in the Convoy and Kearny Mesa area. Menya Ultra, Tajima, RakiRaki, Kitakata, Yakyudori, Nishiki, Karami and Santouka all give you different styles. If you are serious about ramen, you could easily make a day of it.

Ramen in San Diego: What Is the Difference Between Tonkotsu, Shoyu, Shio and Miso?

Tonkotsu is a rich broth traditionally made by simmering pork bones for hours. It is often creamy and opaque.

Shoyu ramen uses soy sauce as a major seasoning component. It tends to have a clearer, more savory broth.

Shio means salt. Shio ramen usually has a lighter, cleaner broth.

Miso ramen gets its flavor from miso paste. It is often richer and more savory, and it works particularly well with spicy toppings.

Tsukemen is different because the noodles and dipping broth are served separately.

There is no right answer. It really comes down to what you like.

Best Ramen in San Diego: 16 Ramen Restaurants To Try

What Makes a Great Bowl of Ramen?