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Hakata Ramen Shinsengumi
Category: Restaurants Japanese Japanese [Edit]
2015 W Redondo Beach BlvdGardena, CA 90247
(310) 329-1335
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 11:30 am - 2 pm
Mon-Fri 6 pm - 11:30 pm
Sat-Sun 11:30 am - 11:30 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
1026 reviews for Hakata Ramen Shinsengumi
Review Highlights
"The fried rice was exceptional and highly recommended."
(in 197 reviews)
"Soft drink for the D-set, beer for the E-set."
(in 28 reviews)
"If I order Kaedama (extra noodles) I get them soft."
(in 94 reviews)
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1026 reviews in English
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Review from Darren P.
1/30/2012 4 Check-ins Here
You know what sucks? being popular. Why? Because every time my friends and I want to eat here, we roll at least 8-10 people deep. Which means we gotta wait for the huge wood table that only has bench style seating.
So we get here, put our name on the list and wait while everyone else sitting at that table before us clears out. Word of caution, the wait here can be long. I'd advise coming here when you're not hungry. By the time you sit down, enough time will have passed for you to get your munchies. The smell alone might even trigger your senses and have your mouth watering.
I like eating here in the evening because you can get the C-c-c-c-combo!!!! They have sets that include a bowl of ramen, 1/2 order of gyoza, a side of your choice (pick from salads, karage, sweet potato, mozzarella fried in an egg roll wrap or other various items), and a drink (plum wine or soda). Be sure to watch the specials for items such as braised pork belly or chinese pancakes.
So you order your food on a piece of paper like it was an all you can eat sushi joint. Everything in your ramen is customizable. You can pick extra additions, put in some spicy miso, change the firmness of your noodle and even choose how strong the broth is (for those who like it salty, strong broth is an ideal choice). As much as you want to just sip the broth straight, save some! You can order more noodles for only 95 cents, and they bring along extra soup base with it. With items such as shoyu, chili oil, ramen seasoning, and sesame seeds, you can further refine your second round of ramen. Uzumaki Naruto would be proud.
Get your food and enjoy the near-silence. The only sound you should hear is the slurping noises of ramen noodles being consumed. Satisfaction is acknowledged because no one dares to talk or converse; everyone is enjoying their food. -
Review from John L.
Monterey Park, CA
2/9/2012 1 Check-in Here
Hakata! A yummy place that lets you customize your ramen! Hooray for choices! I only saw the "Shinsengumi" when I first came here and thought it was the skewers and BBQ place, no relation. You pick the toppings, spicy miso or not, the hardness of your noodles (they serve thin here), how much oil you want, and the strength of your soup base, whether or not you want green onions, ginger, and sesame seeds, whew I must have missed something here, but yes you have a say in all of that!
The Pork is a little on the fatty side, but the soup makes it so delish. The soup is salty, so if you don't like salty consider the lowest option. It is VERY flavorful and I felt even with strong oil it was never thick so it was awesome. The spicy miso definitely adds flavor to the soup without making it too spicy. You can always adjust your soup too with the pepper powder, chili oil, soy sauce, and vinegar. The wontons were great, the skin tasted like egg and wasn't bland. The meat was chewy. In addition, they've got combos and you get chasu rice bowls, spam musubis, gyozas, and more to ready your palette for the main course. I personally liked the gyozas, and the chasu rice bowl wasn't bad either after dumping a lot of soy sauce and chili oil on it.
They may seat you with other ramen loving customers at one of their big communal tables, make friends! Arrive here early, if you're coming for lunch they are always packed. Showing up any time after 12:30, I advise you to just forget about it and lament how you've got to be there earlier! -
Review from Ron S.
Fontana, CA
2/6/2012
This place is a good solid Ramen house.
The broth is beautifully made with thickness only found in low and slow cooking.
They have a great menu check list that allows you to add your toppings, determine how hard you like your noodles, how strong your broth would be, and how oily.
they offer straight flour noodles which are good, although i prefer curly egg noodles. So to each their own.
They have un unrivaled black sesame ice-cream, which i would make the drive here to acquire. I'm sure its bought in bulk and found in some asian grocery, but i'm still in search of it. Which deserves a star of its' own.
the ambiance is set mainly by the friendly helpful staff, that greet you often.
* It's best to come in smaller groups, to assure your soup comes to you piping hot.
* the spicy miso is great to use to add another level of flavor, and you can adjust the heat by how much you add yourself. -
Review from Fiona D.
2/6/2012 1 Check-in Here
What's not to love about this place?
Amazing food and customizable ramen.
Noodle refills for like, one dollar.
Tables where you can sit on the floor.
Aquarium with turtles.
Ok, maybe if you're starving the wait can be kind of a pain.
But good things come to those who wait. -
Review from Mylinh M.
San Francisco, CA
2/3/2012 3 Check-ins Here
I am a self proclaimed soup lover. If I don't have soup 3-4 times a week something just feels wrong. But I could never get on the ramen bandwagon. Sometimes the broth is so thick and fatty I can't even deal. But Hakata, you made me a believer.
The lunch specials are the business as they come with a bowl of soup and your choice of some sort of rice, gyoza, spam musubi's etc. Sometimes places that serve soup as the main course never leave me quite full enough but this little side plate is quite appreciated. Not only that but I haven't had a disappointing side yet. The spam musubis are delightful (despite the fact that there is well, spam in it it), the gyoza is crunchy on the outside, meaty on the inside, and the fried rice doesn't feel cheap, made with left over products or those frozen mixed veggie bags.
My favorite part is that you can specify how you want your soup. The noodles can come extra hard and you can choose additional goodies for your soup. This is a good thing because the pork is actually pretty skimpy. I'm not a huge pork lover in ramen but even I'd like a little bit more. There slices are thin and delicate albeit really flavorful. Give me more y'all! I always added the egg and bamboo to my noodles. I love those options to customize your bowl. The soup is flavorful and satisfying.
I have only been for lunch but the little place gets crowded fast. Your best bet is to arrive before noon so you can secure a seat.
Hakata, you have brought me back to life. -
Review from Dee A.
1/29/2012
This is when I get jealous of Californians. I crave homemade ramen noodles, especially during freezing Cleveland winters. Good thing I have my California family to visit as often as possible.
We waited for an hour and would have waited even more. I like how you have to wait outside. When you enter inside you don't feel crowded or rushed. Besides the ramen (ordered with everything) we tried the pork belly and dumplngs. The pork belly reminded me of one of my favorite traditional Vietnamese dishes while the dumplings really weren't my favorite.
But it's not really about the sides. The soup was everything perfect. I was told to save my broth so I could get more noodles and it took everything in me to not just slurp it up. But I wanted my .95 refill. Seriously, I long for the day Cleveland gets something even remotely close to this. -
Review from Sara C.
New York, NY
1/27/2012 2 Check-ins Here
THE STEPS:
1.) Write your name in asap. And pls count your own head as well when you're giving them the number of people for a table.
Long story short...
Waiter: "(Customer Name)!! table of 3?"
Customer: Yes! we are here!
Waiter: ....~ing!? You are a group of 4....
Customer: Yes, me PLUS my family of 3. So 3!
Waiter: ..............(awkward pause)
Customer: *confused look*
Waiter: ...you are 4..... please wait a little bit more....
2.) Grab an ordering menu sheet and pencil and check off your Ramen before entering.
.......
Man... I remember the days when I always choked on noodles and swore to myself that I would never eat noodles for the rest of my life.......
(15 yrs after)
I stuck with firm noodles, mild soup base, and bean sprouts. I knew I couldn't go wrong with that. And yes I was correct. The simple less materialistic Ramen was amazingly salivating.
PLEASE NOTE: Just be prepared for an unnecessary long wait. They like to create a long line out the door to show how popular their place is. It's irritating every time I go to see empty seats and the waiters practically crawling to you because they don't give a crap that you're out in the rain. Blah blah etc... can't complain.
I mean... it's business. I guess. -
Review from dee t.
Long Beach, CA
Updated - 1/24/2012
It's been awhile since i last wrote a review for Shin Sen Gumi. I was just updating my list of food, and noticed that I only gave them a four stars review. So, I need update my review. I have been coming here consistently many many times since my last review, and SSG has never failed me! I always leave happy and full. VERY FULL...! For some reason, I always get the extra noodle after one bowl, and I always end up very full and promised myself never to do that again, but the next time I am at SSG, I always do the same thing again, and ordered an extra noodle...!!
I have nothing but great things to say about them... =)Listed in: Noodle noodle noodle noodle…, South bay food
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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2/16/2009
Being an instant ramen queen (and a poor grad student), I don't like spending over $2 on a bowl of… Read more »
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Review from MARIBEL G.
Long Beach, CA
2/6/2012 1 Check-in Here
Food was satisfying, great service, and ramen is tasty, the fried rice is delicious. They have an order form that customers are supposed to use to check off their selected food items, it was a bit tricky for me because it was my first time but the staff was very helpful and we were able to order without any problems. I also like the fact that they are kid friendly, this is important because I love to take my kids out with me when I go out to eat. Get there early if you plan to go because there is usually a pretty busy line. We got there at 3pm and there was plenty of seating.
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Review from Simon Y.
Beverly Hills, CA
1/22/2012
The good: ability to customize your ramen - add and delete toppings as you want. They also cook the noodles to your liking - big plus.
Meh: The broth and charsiu were just okay.
WTF: The door nazi is a total POS. Seriously. He could be nicer to the people waiting out in the cold, and when there are empty seats; you should fill them. -
Review from Jenny S.
1/8/2012 5 photos
CUSTOMIZABLE RAMEN! you can choose btwn hard, soft, or medium noodle texture & how strong the flavor of the broth is & you can add toppings
after years on my bookmarks, i decided to make Hakata Ramen Shinsengumi my first meal when I flew back to cali!!
take advantage of the LUNCH SETS:
----got the 1/2 ramen 1/2 fried rice + salad since i knew i'd be stuffed: they serve THIN ramen noodles, (i like mine thick & chewy) so this was a let down
----ordered spicy miso on the side of my ramen, adds a nice flavor to the broth!
----fried rice was pretty good but didn't live up to the hype
----gyozas are tiny, but not bad!
NOTE: there are only bar seats, a few booths & a communal table so prepare for a long wait!!
staff is EXTREMELY NICE. we weren't present when they called us to be seated but were seated right away once we came back (even though there were tons of people waiting)!! & they were constantly refilling our water!
my heart still belongs to Santouka Ramen & Daikokuya at a close second -
Review from Alyssa P.
Long Beach, CA
1/24/2012
so so good. I just love the fact that you can choose what you want in your ramen (spicy miso, bean sprouts, egg, corn, etc.) and how you want it (thick, hard noodles, etc.). The place can get super packed but its worth the wait. The food comes out pretty fast and if you get a seat at the counter you can watch them make it.
You'll have to visit a few times to figure out how you like your ramen and when you do...mmm you'll never look back!! -
Review from Steevens A.
Los Angeles, CA
Updated - 1/8/2012 2 Check-ins Here
I hate switching this rating because I love this place; but I got really bad food poisoning from eating here again.
I don't know if I'll come back.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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1/3/2012
SOLD.
It is epic. Enter this restaurant right at the opening bell so you don't have to worry about… Read more »
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Review from Ace C.
Torrance, CA
1/8/2012
Wait time for food: 10-15 minutes.
Hakata Ramen Shin Sen Gumi sports a highly authentic Japanese ambiance. I simply love how the workers welcome you and their attire is stylin. Despite this, the restaurant itself feels somewhat cramped. There's only one real table and three Japanese sit-down style tables. There's a bar counter for people who come in by themselves. There's a large aquarium in the middle of the restaurant with cute little gold fish and turtles, but I feel like it takes too much space.
The ramen is customizable with each extra topping costing anywhere between $1.00 and $2.50. You can even specify how hard/soft you want your noodles. For the normal ramen bowls, you only pay a dollar extra for extra noodles. I wish there was more variety in their rice dishes though. Overall, their food is pretty decent.
Shin Sen Gumi is fairly popular so always expect to wait outside until you're called in.Listed in: Overhyped Establishments
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Review from Rob S.
San Pedro, CA
1/27/2012
Simply amazing! I believe a simple description of my experience paints a perfect picture this simple restaurant.
It's all about the broth at this place. 20 hours to create it! Plus, I read that they will not open up for the day if they do not make the broth just right. My noodles were perfectly prepared and brought out pretty quickly considering I was there during the lunch rush.
If you love ramen noodles, this place is a must.
Be prepared for a little wait time.
Also, don't count your group on the waiting list like Sara C. did. (comment bellow) -
Review from Kelly E.
Berkeley, CA
1/21/2012
Am I really adding to this monstrous list of reviews?
So delicious - make sure you bring something to amuse yourself while you wait (or take a trek across the way to el target and mess around there) or you'll be in for a very boring wait!
Make sure you get the spicy miso if you're a spicy fan (even though it's a whole dollar extra) because I would quite literally like to order a gallon of that for my own home consumption.
If you don't mind sitting on your knees, they have a japanese styled seating area next to the fishy tank (watch out for those turtles!) and you generally get seated faster if you sit there!
Smaller the group, the easier it is to sit so if you have a big group be prepared to wait an hour or get there super early -
Review from Miho S.
Palos Verdes Peninsula, CA
1/14/2012
I am from Hakata.
The ramen is not good if I compare with REAL Hakata Ramen.
But I appreciate I can have Hakata kind of Ramen here in LA! -
Review from Lisa P.
Gardena, CA
1/20/2012 1 Check-in Here
I was really looking forward to eating ramen here since there is always a group of people outside waiting but it wasn't what I expected at all. I normally go to Mottainai or the ramen place in Mitsuwa in Torrance when I get a hankering for ramen so I was expecting really good noodles in a tasty broth.
Hakata Ramen was just ok, I think my expectations were too high and ended up being disappointed. I had a miso ramen with gyoza and the broth was weak, the noodles were not the standard ramen noodles and the gyoza was teeny tiny and they tasted like gyoza you'd get from Yoshinoya's :( I wish I would have known that they serve a different style of ramen noodle beforehand.
The service is good, the wait staff is very cheery and nice, I really wanted to love this place but it just didn't do it for me unfortunately. -
Review from Toyo K.
Redondo Beach, CA
1/17/2012
I love ramen, I've eaten a lot of it, but it's hard to make the perfect bowl. I understand the hype and the long lines at this place. Shin sen gumi is a well managed group and I am a huge fan of their yakitor and their philosophy and service. But when it comes to their ramen, it's just average to me. The noodles are thin which I like, but I feel like they are lacking in texture. Also, the tonkotsu (pork broth) is too light and lacking a strong taste. The gyoza here are too small. Last, the portions of the ramen are too small too. I ate a gyoza+ramen set and was still hungry.
I'll continue to come here when my friends want to go, but there are better options in the South Bay. If you're a ramen fan yelp the other locations and try them out, it's good to have variety. If you come here during peak hours be ready to wait for 30 min-1 hour. -
Review from Francesca Jane N.
Long Beach, CA
1/24/2012
Shinsengumi is second best Ramen place I've ever been to, the first being Hotei in the sunset district of San Francisco.
I love the service in this restaurant; they are so efficient.
It makes you feel like you're in Japan with their friendly, strong Irasshaimase!
I always get the Hakata ramen with spinach and bamboo shoots, so delicious!
I love that you can decide how mild or strong you want the broth and the base and the noodles to be.
Simply great. -
Review from Fanny H.
Los Angeles, CA
1/11/2012 1 Check-in Here
4.5 so let's round up because this place lives up to the expectations I had.
Came on a Saturday afternoon and was pleasantly surprised to find out that we only had to wait about 20 minutes before we were seated. Much quicker than I expected!
Party of 2 and seated in the Japanese sit-down tables. Very homey feeling where you have to take off your shoes and sit on cushions.
Even though I arrived 10 minutes after their lunch special (11am-2pm), our waiter still took our orders for lunch specials. I got the special with fried rice and normal hardness of noodles, normal broth strength, and normal amount of oil. Love how you are able to customize your order to your liking! Make sure to add some additional things like chashu pork if you're a fan of that, it's not included.
Loved my meal. I'm a big fan of their broth, it was absolutely perfect! Not too salty, which is a huge plus for me. Can't say this is the best ramen place I've gone to (I'll still give that to Santouka, but I'm definitely a fan of this place.)
The service was also exceptional! Very attentive and the whole staff greets you when you come in and bids you farewell when you leave.
Trust, I'll be back! -
Review from BudoLife s.
Los Angeles, CA
1/13/2012
I can't get enough of hakata ramen! i go at least once a week!
so tasty-hakata ramen with side of fried rice is oishi like a mofo! -
Review from Roy E.
Good golly Miss Molly!
SSG was where I had my very first legit ramen experience years ago. It has remained one of my favorite spots to go have a bowl of hakata ramen when the cravings kick in.
Food: 4.5 stars
I get my ramen with medium hardness noodles, normal broth, and normal oil. I also make sure I get the ginger which is optional. Additionally, I MUST have a side of spicy miso to mix in for some added spiciness and kick. Their ramen is always consistently great tasting. The broth is awesome but not overly heavy like some places I've experienced. The chashu pork is always tender and nearly falls apart. SSG servings are quite large but I always save some broth and get an extra serving of noodles for 99 cents (free if ur a student I believe)! Top off your ramen with a cold Japanese beer and enjoy.
Sides: We usually order some crab croquettes, takowasa, and/or gyoza. All are great tasting.
Service: 5 stars
There are several great ramen spots out there but SSG generally gets the nod when we decide on a ramen jaunt. It's close, the food is consistently good, the waiters/waitresses are always courteous and attentive, and though we walk out smelling like food, we always have a great dining experience.
P.S. Expect to wait for seating on mostly every visit. -
Review from Elysse P.
12/16/2011 1 Check-in Here
(Usual complaints about ramen spots:)
THIS BOWL OF RAMEN IS TOO OILY.
THIS BOWL OF RAMEN IS TOO SALTY.
THIS BOWL OF RAMEN IS TOO (insert complaint here).
(Shinsengumi:)
THIS BOWL OF RAMEN IS JUUUUSTTT RIGHT.
........WELL DUH it's just right because you get to customize everything about it!!!!
I always always always add spicy miso, bamboo, corn, spicy pickles, egg and sometimes the tender and juicy chasu pork. The half size ramen is enough to fill me up, but if you're hungry I definitely recommend getting the regular Hakata. The prices are fairly decent... Each item you add is an additional fifty cents to a buck fifty. Not only can you customize the ingredients, but you also customize the strength of the soup base, the firmness of the noodles, and the amount of oil (YES!). So they get it exactly how you want it with every detail considered... how are you NOT going to love it?
AND ASAHI FTW!Listed in: I'M A RAMEN FIEND
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Review from U C.
Aliso Viejo, CA
1/31/2012
Yelp search for open late, found this as one of the best. I love Ramen, so convinced my husband to go this place. Small, but very welcoming staff, nice.
We ordered "Hakata Ramen". I'm very sorry to say this, but I had better Tonkotsu (Hakata) soup Ramen. But still, it's lot better than other Ramen place in S. California. Worth a try once to check it yourself.
The reason for 2 stars is, the service is not so good. Had to wait for long to get our foods. Chef in the kitchen disappear all the time. Don't know why. There must be some reasons. Never came back to our table to ask if foods are goo, or need more water or anything else. Took time to get the check until I asked and took time to get change. It wasn't that crowded, so don't know why the service is so slow. If it's crowded, I can imagine, it will get slower. -
Review from Shingo A.
Updated - 12/29/2011
Ordered normal noodle firmness, light soup, and light oil.
(Decided to go light on soup and oil due to massive MSG reaction on my
previous visit.)
I ended up with overcooked noodle. When the noodle is overcooked, noodle gets really slimey. Talk about nasty.
Is it just me in thinking that soup is not really tonkotsu? Look closely at the soup and taste the soup at Santouka and Yamada-Ya. Then compare them to the one here.
I understand pork bone broth gives off foul smell and aftertaste so majority of the people are turn off by them. I believe Shinsen Gumi isn't legit tonkotsu ramen. My guess is that they are using milk, chicken broth (and/or fish broth) in their soup.
Another thing, is it just me or half the guys that work here look like they are stoned or hungover? What a shame.2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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11/22/2011
This place tastes much better than the one in Pacific Square Marukai few blocks east of here.… Read more »
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Review from Carri M.
Hawthorne, CA
1/5/2012 1 Check-in Here
My daughter has me eating more and more ramen lately - so I know this place is pretty darn good. I am a customer for life! Fun atmosphere and super delicious soup.
Very limited seating and limited hours. Often a line. Worth it!
After a second visit,i felt it was still good, but a bit inconsistent. I am still a fan. Just not as awesome as the first visit. -
Review from Richard P.
Alhambra, CA
12/22/2011 1 Check-in Here
During one of our normal lunch discussions a coworker mentioned that he had liked the "noodles" he had eaten during one of our business trips to Dallas. Apparently he was referring to ramen, so another one of my coworkers suggested we make the drive out to Hakata Ramen for lunch later that week.
Having grown up in the San Gabriel Valley I was unfamiliar with Hakata. I an use to eating ramen at places like Orochon (http://www.yelp.com/bi...) and Diakokuya (http://www.yelp.com/bi...). However, I was excited to try a new place and Hakata did not disappoint!
Hakata is a small restaurant. They only have about 2 tables and a bar seating. We arrived with a party of 4 and decided to sit at the bar for quick seating.
The food was delicious. The have several lunch specials. The one I ordered came with a half order of ramen, fried rice, and salad. This was about $8. Very affordable and delicious. I like how you can customize your ramen ( broth strength, noodle firmness, etc).
We also tried a scoop each of their green tea and black sesame ice cream. That was also very good!
Hakata is a cheap affordable place for lunch. I'd say their ramen is on par with some of the best places in Little Tokoyo. I definitely looks forward to returning.Listed in: YUM....RAMEN!
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Review from Carissa U.
Long Beach, CA
12/27/2011 1 Check-in Here
Expect a wait at this tiny place. But the turnover is pretty fast. You have several seating options: on the floor Japanese style, at the counter, a somewhat chair area?, and benches at a huge table. We were places at the huge table between a family with a baby and an older mother/daughter pair. Boyfriend felt the bench was uncomfortable, but it didn't really bother me. This place is pretty noisy inside, and you are in close quarters so yeah... nothing is private. lol...
Anywho... we went for the lunch set C (with fried rice) and G (beef bowl). Both added wonton (which they forgot, but added it later), and boyfriend had it with bamboo. I got everything normal. He went for a stronger broth and hard noodles. All I can tell you about his was that even though his soup was darker, I felt it was too salty and was perfectly happy with mines. Depends on what you're feeling I guess. Fried rice was ok, but I was too full off the soup. Price is decent for the lunch sets. When you start adding stuff to your ramen is where it can get pricey.
Service was good and our drinks were refilled in a timely manner. Overall I did enjoy this place and I would come back. -
Review from S K.
Los Angeles, CA
12/8/2011
Do you like FLAVORLESS SALT WATER with disgusting, unchewy noodles? Then this place is for you! It's like they took a bowl of ocean water, boiled it, and gave it to you. Honestly, this resto should go out of business. I don't even know how they can claim to be an authentic Japanese restaurant. It was absolutely revolting. I let my curiosity of its 4.5 stars get the better of me and my wallet.
I should've listened to the reviewer who's been coming here for a while and noticed a decline in the quality each time he came.
The waiter asked me how "flavorful" I wanted my broth. When I asked for the most flavorful, I guess that's synonymous with "saltiest-so-that-you-can't-taste-anything."
The constant yelling in Japanese to guests who walk in is annoying and obnoxious. It's not one person doing it, but a team of wait staff who echo the main person speaking in human microphone style as if it's "Occupy Hakata Ramen."
If you want to throw away your hard-earned money in this cash-strapped economy, then come here. Otherwise, you'd get more flavor from a 99 cent package of instant ramen. -
Review from Ronald D.
Long Island City, NY
1/2/2012 1 Check-in Here
Service - Bad
Ambiance - Ok
Food - Good
So food is good here, and the place stays open later than many others in LA which is great. Here is my problem:
DO NOT be rude to me EVER, I am a paying costumer and treat everyone with respect, period!!!
I am not talking about one waiter, I tried to ask a question to three different workers in this place upon arriving and a yes or no answer would have been enough. None of the 3 bother to answer and were very rude with absolute no need.
You all suck ass!!!! -
Review from Van N.
Hawthorne, CA
1/27/2012
Hakata was my introduction to the Japanese ramen scene back when I was in HS. I never had Japanese ramen before, Shoyu ramen to be exact, and then my world changed when I had Hakata. I used to love this place and often recommend it to others. However, these past few years I've tried other ramen restaurants and realized that Hakata does not do it for me anymore. I went to Hakata for lunch last week and got my usual. The shoyu ramen with corn, normal noodles, light oil, and a strong base. I took a bite and it wasn't that magical experience that I was expecting. The broth fell flat and my noodles were on the soft side... Hey, I'm not blaming Hakata for anything. The waiters were pleasant and I had a good dining experience. I think I just had too high of an expectation.
Hakata ramen will always have a special place in my stomach. However, the ramen is not cutting it for me anymore. -
Review from J C.
Spring, TX
1/25/2012 1 Check-in Here
It's been more than a decade since I lived in Japan, and I have to say the ramen here is the best that I've had outside of Japan. Even the fried rice was delicious here. Like all other reviews...long wait (got there at 6:30, ate at 8 on a weekday)! So make sure your phone is charged, stream a movie, bring headphones, a snack, a porter potty...When you're in there, don't order that second beer. I might be outside waiting. :-(
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Review from Lynn B.
Hermosa Beach, CA
1/21/2012
Yum! I have never had a bad bowl of ramen here. I have had to wait to get it though, because a lot of people already know how good their food is. Broth... delicious. Noodles.... just how you like them. But seriously, please don't come try a steaming bowl of their delicious ramen.... because then I might have to wait even longer, if you get there before me!
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Review from Mike H.
Redondo Beach, CA
The ramen here is THEE BEST I've ever had.
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Review from Sophap R.
Long Beach, CA
1/18/2012
Great service & amazing food. My first time there & I was impressive.
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Review from Annie Z.
San Francisco, CA
12/1/2011
I'm a huge fan of ramen, but I was definitely not impressed by socal ramen. My friends told me its one of their best. mehh.
They did let you choose how you want your ramen served. Maybe I made some wrong choices. They didnt have nori (seaweed)! Which was kinda weird. the ramen itself was good but not amazing like halu or santouka up north =P -
Review from Khai L.
Lawndale, CA
1/13/2012
A year ago I would have given it 5 stars but I'm going to knock off a few stars because it's pretty much required that yo have to wait no matter what. Their "sets" are a good deal and comes with a beer. However, since finding out that I get true Asian flush, which there's now evidence that there's links to cancer, I will have to get the soda set instead. A set consists of a ramen, gyoza, friend rice, appetizer of your choice and a beer.
Ramen is pretty good and rich... One of the better ramen places and the crowds reflect it... But not the best. Try some of the other ramen shops. Theres no shortage of them in Gardena if the line here is too long... Or go shop at the target while you wait. -
Review from Lauren M.
YUM.
Consider this: a bowl of noodles (your ability to decide the texture being hard, soft, or normal) and the broth (with your ability to decide how much oil, seasoning, etc).
On top of that, you choose your own toppings. This includes, but not limited to: corn, chasyu, bamboo shoots, green onions, masago, spicy miso, and egg.
You choose your set that includes a side such as gyoza, rice balls, or spam musubi.
Really fun, intimate atmosphere, with your creative twist on ramen. -
Review from Laura S.
Gardena, CA
Updated - 11/15/2011
Seriously, servers are inexperienced or really gruff.
I'm not sure if they're just confused or just not trying.
The Ramen isn't really mind-blowing, for $10 I could have gone else where.
The Gyoza was bitter. How does that happen?
The Takana rice was bland, I used to LOVE the rice here that I'd kill myself eating after eating too much.
It hurts me to say this, but you're no longer the Hakata Ramen I knew. Good bye.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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3/11/2011
My Father and I used to come here as our routine back way back. It was the best ramen ever, the… Read more »
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