Orochon Ramen

1/6/2016

Went there with some friends after a meeting. They said it was good and the prices were reasonable. That's reason enough for me to give it a try.

It's a little hard to find because it's on the top floor of the Weller Plaza. I didn't even know there were any places to eat up there. So when you go, just take the elevator till it won't go any higher and look to your left. There it is!

It's got that funky hole in the wall vibe to it that I love. That alone sold me on the place. Plus, there's plenty of indoor and outdoor seating.

You can get your ramen as spicy as you want. I opted for level 5 miso. Pretty tame, but hot enough for me. A couple of my friends ordered the Special 1, which is one level below the hottest. Let's just say they later regretted that decision. 'Nuff said. You have been warned!

If I was in the mood for noodles in Little Tokyo, I think I'd go here before some of the other places that are so crowded. Definitely worth checking out if you're downtown and want a little ramen...mild or super spicy...they've got you covered and burned.

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• See all photos from Nick A. for Orochon Ramen

1/10/2016

So the wife and I went here last night for the Special #2 Ramen with Miso broth they have.  This is also a challenge as it's spicy.  We both like spicy food and were going to order the dish anyway, as we saw this on Man VS Food.  The challenge part comes from having to eat the entire dish in 30 minutes.  That's where I doubted my ability to pull it off, simply because of the amount of Ramen soup that there was to consume.  As the bowls I saw coming out look like small buckets, seriously these are huge.  As I type this [the next morning] I'm still so full I don't want breakfast.  But I figured I'd see where I was at, at the 30 min mark.  Our bowls come out and they are full to the brim.  The other bowls were about 1 1/2" from being completely full, but ours were totally full right to the top, and that has to be 3 additional cups of broth.  Not only that the soup in this bucket is SURFACE OF THE SUN HOT [temperature].  It took 20-25 mins just to cool down enough where I could actually enjoy it without having to blow on each spoon full for 30-60 seconds to try and get it cool enough to eat.  This really did tweak me a little because I did want to attempt the 30 minute challenge, but I don't see how people do it with the broth being practically boiling when it gets to the table.

Anyway, as far as the dish itself it was good.  I did verify that they DO NOT use chili pepper extract in the dish as that's an automatic "Do Not Do This Challenge" for me [a lesson I learned at the Mean Pig BBQ in Little Rock Ar.].
They do in fact use enough of their spice powder that the broth is still slightly gritty as it does not all dissolve but it's not like eating spice powder that's the consistency of mud, so that was good.  The flavor was really good and I did like it and would get it again.  But the next time I would get a regular serving with additional noodles and actually regard it as a meal and not a challenge.

One thing that I did see that I would rate separately at 4 1/2 stars was the front of house host Nick.  He was very professional, polite, and courteous.  What impressed me most is that he was precise, exact, efficient, expeditious while never being hurried.  He assisted in clearing tables/bar area when the other servers were busy so that they could turn seats and get guests in faster.  He was not above wiping down tables and resetting them with their standard place setting and seating guests all without waiting for a server/bus boy to do it.  He is a real professional; and in my opinion he will go far in the fine dining business should he choose to.  As he does seem to have the mind set and demeanor for the profession.  If I owned a restaurant I would hire him after just seeing how he worked last night.

1/9/2016

Was this place sold?

I admit it has been a while since I was last here. The flavor is different. The spice is different. The servers are different. The entire style is different. If the name was not Orochon I would give it a different rating but because I remember what Orochon used to be like, this 2016 version compared to the Orochon I used to frequent 2 years ago lost something. I hope it rediscovers that thing that made it special because I have a lot of good memories here.

12/30/2015 Updated review

I think my tastebuds have changed since I first started eating here. I recall trying the spicy miso once, and never reordering and sticking with their soy broth for years after.

I recently went back and tried the spicy miso and was shocked at how flavorful, thick, and delicious it was. The shoyu ramen was as good as I had remembered,and hands down I still give my highest praises for their broth, which is full of depth and layers hat I can't explain. It's not tonkotsu broth, and more clean cut flavor (with no oil) which I appreciate about this place.

Orochon is still my consistently favorite ramen spot for non-tonkotsu base.

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  Spicy miso ramen level2. I change my mind it's pretty dang good. Broth was rich. comes with lots of veggies

  Spicy miso ramen level2. I change my mind it's pretty dang good. Broth was rich. comes with lots of veggies
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  Shoyu level 5. Legit broth as always but make sure not to try miso broth and cone back to this

  Shoyu level 5. Legit broth as always but make sure not to try miso broth and cone back to this

11/24/2015

Even though i had heard so much about the Orochon spicy challenge in my undergrad years i never brought myself to try their ramen, until now!

the ramen noodles aren't the best but if you like spice the type of spicy here reminds me of the kick jalapenos give you
---Miso Ramen with spicy level 2 (not the special one): i like spicy food and this was a good amount for me! each bowl is pretty standard so you'll want to add a slice of yummy cha siu and an egg (although they don't soft boil the eggs here)

they have outdoor seating on the terrace which was okay on this cold night because the ramen warmed us up (although it took them forever to serve our food)

NOTE: it's located on the 3rd floor of the the plaza where Marukai market is on the first floor

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  Miso ramen spicy level 2 with added egg and cha Siu slice

  Miso ramen spicy level 2 with added egg and cha Siu slice

1/1/2016

I can't give this place my approval considering there are so many better offerings within walking distance. Because Little Tokyo is so dense with other ramen shops this place sits below average of the other places. I'm reviewing this based mostly on the ramen. The actual shop is in a nice location on the third floor of the shopping mall. You get a decent view sitting outside on the walkway. The portion size you get for ramen is more then regular sized bowls in the area but that's the only positive I find for there ramen.

The day I went I ordered the #4 miso ramen. After seeing the long wait list and full restaurant I had somewhat high expectations. Was I saddly disappointed, the ramen itself lacked the richness I come to expect when going to other ramen shops. I didn't think the broth and other ingredients meshed well together. It was somewhat watery for me and the vegetables, such as the bell peppers, stood alone. Not marrying well with everything else. I only would come back if I was forced, other then that I'm sticking with whatever else is around.

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  #4 Miso Ramen

  #4 Miso Ramen

12/22/2015

Let's Start with the most obvious thing about this place. PORTION SIZES ARE HUGE.

Now let's start with the crimes punishable by death.

The Egg was OVER COOKED
Cups are DIRTY AF - There was a HUGE lipstick stain on my cup, kind of made me throw up a little after I found out ... cause I like don't drink from a straw and I finish like half the cup. (It was dark okay, or else I would have noticed it)

As for the broth, not flavorful at all. Pork was just boiled, wasn't marinated or boiled in soy sauce.

Can portion sizes and price make up for it?

Verdict?

NO!

Asked for a spoon - dude came back with a plastic spoon - WHERE'S THE ONES THAT CAME WITH THE RAMEN BOWL?

1/9/2016

I give this place four stars simply because it is special to me. However, be warned that service is sometimes mediocre, the wait can be very long, and the establishment is sort of dirty. The food is Orochon's only saving grace! I will admit, I love their ramen and I am a sucker for dumplings. Each time I go, I get the Shoyu ramen (soy broth) with extra corn and an egg! Add ons (even veggies) cost extra but it is worth it! You can also choose your spicy level, which is nice. I like spicy, but Orochon makes it a little too spicy for my liking. I have to get a level five, which is only a tiny bit spicy. The ramen is packed with veggies and one bowl is DEFINITELY enough for two people. The steamed dumplings (gyoza) are delicious and I believe they have pork and veggies. When we most recently visited, they said that they were out of them, so we opted for the very popular fried rice instead. It was good, but strange. My only complaint is that it had too many flavors going on in it. Also during our most recent visit- we ordered waters when we first sat down and never received them. We had to try and get the attention of our waitress and ask for them again. We got our food before we got our waters, which was definitely not a good thing. Granted, it was very busy- but when is it not? In conclusion, the food is good, but don't expect phenomenal service.

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  Shoyu ramen level 5 with extra corn and an egg!

  Shoyu ramen level 5 with extra corn and an egg!

1/2/2016

I understand it was new years but as a server myself I understand how busy it can be, and sometimes kitchen loses an order. But during those times when everyone one at the table but one gets their food you should DEFINITELY apologize for the wait.
Service buy our server Jessica (I was wherith 3 others) was HORRIBLE!
She slammed our drinks down, was very rude, impatient, got our orders wrong, rolled eyes when I asked for our pitcher of beer to be replaced after there was a piece if Ramen in it.. The table next to us wasn't happy at all either. Third table down she completely forgot about and didn't apologize .

1/5/2016

I'm a big fan of ramen. When I yelped a good ramen spot near my house, so many came up. I narrowed it down to most reviews. Orochon was up there with the best of them. Let's give it a try she said!

The wait was about 20 mins. Sucked because it was very cold outside, although there was plenty of available tables outdoors, I waited to eat indoor. Having looked at the menu and Yelp photos/reviews I knew exactly what I wanted by the time we were seated.

For starters, I recommend the spicy rice. We saw how big the ramen soup portions were so we went with the half order. This rice is so bomb! Lol. Next time I will order a full order, it's that good. It does have a kick, unlike other "spicy" rice I've tried in the past.

Next we got the Miso soup, with Egg, corn, and extra pork. Level 3. According to the waitress, slightly beyond mild. Slightly?! It was spicy for us. But good. If you're not a big fan I think level 3 should be the cutoff. The people next to us got special 2, and they struggled. The ramen noodles were good. They don't skimp out on the portions either. You get a hefty amount. It is pretty pricey, but you get what you pay for.

I don't know when I'll be back, but for sure am coming back in the near future.

12/13/2015

I remember the first I went to this place about 4 years ago, it was probably the best ramen ever.  Overtime, I think the combination of discovering better ramen places and the decline in quality here has led to this.  The broth did not taste or looked very appetizing, while the pork slices were scarce.  Noodles were ok.  I think would I have been better off eating their Fried Rice which was ok as well.

The service is very impersonal and not attentive.  My party felt like we had to flag down our waiter, or someone to order, get water, get our check, etc.  Also, the bathroom is gross and smells funky.  People say you can get an idea of how clean a restaurant's kitchen is by looking at their bathroom which scared me after I came to that realization.  I wish I took a picture of it but there's a paper taped above the urinal about their Ramen Specials for Kids.  Why of all places is that there?!  I did not see it anywhere else in the restaurant but in the restroom.

You're in Little Tokyo, there's plenty of other ramen or Japanese food places in general that will most likely be better than here.

1/5/2016

Went with family. There was a wait. My chair was kind of broken and splinters broke off on my jeans. I ordered a 4, my aunt ordered a 3, both of believe that our soups were spicier than the other.

Be warned. The Orochon Ramen #4 made me sweat. Which gave my family an opportunity to make light of my plight.

Also, extra noodles are served on the side and may arrive several minutes after your original order does. That's fine; just dump them into the bowl.

Also:  a tip of my hat to anyone who takes the challenge and gets their photo on the wall.

12/1/2015

Finding myself in Little Tokyo on a chilly Sunday night, ramen was the only logically choice to eat for dinner. Not wanting to wait for Daikokuya, since there was already a wait at 5:30pm, I headed to Orochon after hearing some of my friends mention this place.

Located on the 3rd floor of a shopping center, there were a bunch of tables on the patio and a couple inside the restaurant. For a party of two on an early-ish Sunday evening, we waited for about 15 minutes. We were seated inside and 2 water cups were on our table. CLEARLY the wait staff didn't really bother to clean/check the table before we were seated because one of the cups was about 1/4 full of water and there was remnants of food on the exterior of the cup. I suspected the cups of water were from the previous people that ate at the table.

After getting new cups of water, we waited for about 10 minutes before someone noticed we haven't ordered yet and we were just sitting there. I ordered the miso ramen level 3 with an egg and excluded bell peppers (I'm not a fan). The Level 3 was perfect for me and I really love spicy food. I can't imagine how spicy their highest level must be. Overall, the ramen was good, but the service was terrible. Probably won't be back.

1/5/2016

My brothers introduced me to this place and they really love coming here. The menu is a bit easy;  you have the choice of three different broths to choice from, then how spicy you want your soup (#1 is the challenge/the spicest), and last is your choice of sides (vegetables/meat).  I wasn't too familiar with the menu so I asked what certain things were and the staff was very helpful.  Apart from soup there are sides to choose from.  I personally couldn't finish it, in other words it's very filling. I highly recommend coming here. My brother did the challenge and won! (Picture of him on the wall)

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  Menu

  Menu
• See all photos from Brenda Z. for Orochon Ramen

12/14/2015

First time having ramen noodles and besides the Nissin or Maruchan Top Ramen in a bag that you buy at Food4Less in bulk, I have nothing else to compare it to.

With that said, I caught a seat at their counter in front of their window which gives you a partial view of downtown city hall. I scanned their menu and totally appreciated how they created a step by step ordering menu. So, I ordered the soy sauce ramen level 5 (which was mild spicy) with extra meat and when this ginormous bowl came out I was floored and thought they had mistaken my ordered and quickly asked the person, "You sure this is mine?" hahahahahaha and the person assured me that this was my order.

So I am now face to face with this bowl of ramen and I'm trying to strategically plan my attack. So I decide to sip on the broth, and it was sure level 5 mild spicy. So I begin my attack by creating a little rhythm of slurping the broth with my little white spoon, and with my chop sticks chowing down on the ramen, pork and mushrooms as I admire the skyline that's in front of me.  Slowly but surely the ginormous bowl shrinks only into broth and i'm bummed because it was delicious and all gone, but then realized that I have found a new soup to look forward to on a chili night.

Swing by and cradle yourself on top of a stool at the window, admire the partial view of city hall and chow down on some ramen goodness.

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  Soy Sauce Level 5

  Soy Sauce Level 5

1/4/2016

Was like 30 minutes of waiting I order number 4 The soup is OK kind of pricey though for three people is came out to be $40

1/3/2016

Awesome ramen place that does not skimp out.

Felicia has been my server for the third time now and I love her so much!!

They are very generous with their portions.

10/27/2015

Really good miso ramen, in terms of spicy-ness and flavor. They don't joke around in terms of spicy level. Even level 3 is pretty rough!

My friends say that daikokuya and shinsengumi are much better than orochon, but I think that they are fairly comparable! The noodles aren't as soft but broth flavor is solid!!

The wait can be long and the seating is cramped, so in that sense, it's not the best restaurant to go to. Parking can be pretty bad too because it's $2 every 15 minute up to $9. From my experience, Orochon will validate for an hour, so if you had to wait, you might have to pay for parking.

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  Spicy level 1

  Spicy level 1

10/24/2015

This review is just for the ramen.

I first visited Orochon Ramen back in 2012 and ALWAYS make sure to stop in every time I'm in town! Anytime I crave ramen, I think Orochon. The bowls are large and you can build it up to your liking.

The bowls already come with large portions of meat, veggies, noodles, your choice of broth (mine is usually Miso), and choice of spiciness...all for only $8. You can add extras (at extra cost) into it if you'd like but I've always found that what is originally included is enough to fill me up (yes, I've made my past mistakes of ordering more).

The only cons I've found to this place is how busy it gets during lunch/dinner time and finding parking.  I avoid the long lines by coming about 2-3 hours before closing and during the weekdays. Parking can be a little difficult to find (with it being Little Tokyo and all) but there's a public parking garage underneath the plaza that gives you direct access to the restaurant (just walk up the stairs). Yes, I know, no one wants to pay for parking but you'll definitely get your money's worth if you plan on walking around and shopping before or after you eat. There's also a Japanese market in the same plaza that I like to shop at anytime I eat at Orochon... if you're already there, why not check that place out too! ;)

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  delicious!

  delicious!

7/29/2015

I can't say enough good about this place. We got there shortly before noon and got right in, people just a few minutes after us were not so lucky.

The menu is pretty simple and easy to follow. The bowls are HUGE. I like things pretty spicy and the number 2 was prefect (Not the special #2). They have a contest where you get on the wall if you eat the special #2 in 30 minutes. I have no idea how they do it because the soup came out HOT, not spicy hot, but temperature hot. There is no way I could have just because of the temperature.
The noodles were perfectly cooked and just a tad chewy like I like them. The service was top notch. I wanted to go back the next day, but I couldn't talk the family in to it.