I had an excellent experience at Tenkaippin LA. The ramen was rich, flavorful, and perfectly balanced, especially the broth which had a deep, comforting taste you don’t find everywhere. The noodles were fresh and cooked just right, and the toppings were generous and high quality. The side dishes were also great and completed the meal perfectly.
The restaurant is clean, the atmosphere feels authentic, and the service was friendly and fast. Overall, a really solid spot for ramen in Los Angeles. I’ll definitely be coming back.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Fernando Guerrero
This is it, best Udon in the world.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Justin Graham
The spot for udon!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Hakobi
Got the Beef Bukkake Udon. The broth was good and noodles were average. For seating, we were placed at a table were there was a divider so people were sitting right next to us which was a bit awkward and cramped but not the worst. Since the door is open there were flies that kept bothering us and almost landing on our food.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 3
Robert Bruce
If I could leave a thousand reviews or a thousand star review I would! The best udon in the city for an amazingly low price and great service!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Secretaria Particular
You need to try this great tasting Udon and Tempura. Simply the best!!! (Skip Chinatown and come to Little Tokyo IMHO).
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Jennifer Sun
Honestly, I don’t see the hype about this place. I got the beef bukkake udon with an added egg. It was just boring. The noodles were fresh but it didn’t taste anything mind blowing. The service was also very mid. I honestly didn’t know how to eat the cold udon and all I tasted was the daikon so I prob did it completely wrong but they didn’t seem to care. They were very curt with words until I left.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 2
Service: 2
aq xin
Glad I got to try Marugame Monzo for the first time. They serve handpulled udon in a variety of ways, for instance in hot/cold soup or with mentai cream.
I tried the udon gratin (うどんグラタン) since it sounded like a combination I've never tried before and was curious about (baked with cream and cheese like potato gratin). It ended up being incredibly flavorful and filling, especially with the chicken (also beware if you're lactose-intolerant and plan to order this). I'd love to come back to try other udon menu items, like the uni cream, mad tiger, or hot dragon.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Jay C
Subtle Negative Mannerisms Tarnished First Visit
This is an updated Review !!!
We chose this establishment based on its positive reviews and added our names to the waitlist. While waiting outside by the railing near the street, I lit a cigar. A Japanese staff member came out abruptly looking like he was ready to chop a karate board and said, “This is private property — you can’t smoke here.” As I pressed the cigar against the inner rim of a planter to extinguish it, he curtly demanded I pick it up—only to realize I was still holding it in my hand. What followed was an unmistakable side-eye that suggested I was a nuisance rather than a guest. A simple, “Excuse me sir, this is a non-smoking area—thank you,” would’ve sufficed. Maybe it was a cultural misunderstanding. Or maybe not.
My friends and I ended up dining next door instead, which wasn't all positive either, but that was another story.
To the team at this establishment: I don’t expect VIP treatment or over-the-top hospitality. But subtle mannerisms — judgmental glances, and dismissive tones — leave an impression. And sadly, they dampened the spirit of what should’ve been a memorable first encounter with J-Town.
Service: 1
fhakp tahko
Another Little Tokyo favorite, Marugame Monzo specializes in hand-pulled udon noodles, and you can actually watch the chefs at work through a glass window by the kitchen. Their udon is next-level — springy, chewy, and fresh. I had the Mentai Squid Butter Udon, and it was a perfect mix of creamy, salty, and umami. The service was efficient, and the staff gave great recommendations. It’s not a huge place, so expect tight seating and a short wait, but it’s worth it if you’re craving something beyond the usual ramen or sushi. Prices are fair considering the quality, and you’ll leave satisfied but not overstuffed. A real find in downtown LA.
Very chewy and tangly noodles! Wow what a crisp draft beer. Only if it was bigger…
The creamy udons are specialty dish and it’s good but if you are going with your partner, i think it’s a good mix to get one plain broth udon and one creamy one to balance the meal out.
Takoyaki was very good.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Ken Hsiao
I saw the reviews were high, so I wanted to give it a try. We ordered the uni cream udon and the beef udon. Unfortunately, the taste was quite disappointing. I wouldn’t recommend it. The udon noodles lacked flavor, and both the soup and the cream sauce were not enjoyable. We couldn’t even finish the meal—even though we were really hungry. But that’s just my personal opinion.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 1
Service: 3
Bryan su
Wouldn’t let me use their chargers which was a bit of a bummer the food was good but I think I ordered the wrong thing I got a sea urchin udon but it wasn’t udon soup, I was hoping for udon soup so it didn’t taste as good and just tasted like normal western style noodles not Japanese but again might’ve been my Own fault, def would be worth giving a try tho for the soupy udon noodles!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 4
Olivia Wang
Strict Seating Policy Lacks Flexibility
This restaurant has always been a must-visit for us whenever we travel from Toronto — I especially look forward to the sea urchin udon every time.
Today, we were on a tight schedule with a flight to catch in just three hours. While my partner was parking, I went in to get a table and place our order to save time. Unfortunately, the server refused to seat me or even let me explain the situation. Instead, they ignored me and continued assisting the guests behind me without any acknowledgment.
I understand that the seating policy is likely in place to ensure efficient table turnover, but a little flexibility and basic courtesy in special situations — like ours — would go a long way. Being completely dismissed without a word felt unnecessarily rigid and unwelcoming.
Service: 1
Lily Li
Tried the cold bukkake udon and hot beef egg udon, flavors were pretty good but having tried other udon places in Japan and other cities, this one was average. Expected the udon to have more chew and bouncier texture. The price also felt high given how simple the ingredients were, service was friendly though!
I had an excellent experience at Tenkaippin LA. The ramen was rich, flavorful, and perfectly balanced, especially the broth which had a deep, comforting taste you don’t find everywhere. The noodles were fresh and cooked just right, and the toppings were generous and high quality. The side dishes were also great and completed the meal perfectly.
The restaurant is clean, the atmosphere feels authentic, and the service was friendly and fast. Overall, a really solid spot for ramen in Los Angeles. I’ll definitely be coming back.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
This is it, best Udon in the world.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The spot for udon!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Got the Beef Bukkake Udon. The broth was good and noodles were average. For seating, we were placed at a table were there was a divider so people were sitting right next to us which was a bit awkward and cramped but not the worst. Since the door is open there were flies that kept bothering us and almost landing on our food.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 3
If I could leave a thousand reviews or a thousand star review I would! The best udon in the city for an amazingly low price and great service!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
You need to try this great tasting Udon and Tempura. Simply the best!!! (Skip Chinatown and come to Little Tokyo IMHO).
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Honestly, I don’t see the hype about this place. I got the beef bukkake udon with an added egg. It was just boring. The noodles were fresh but it didn’t taste anything mind blowing. The service was also very mid. I honestly didn’t know how to eat the cold udon and all I tasted was the daikon so I prob did it completely wrong but they didn’t seem to care. They were very curt with words until I left.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 2
Service: 2
Glad I got to try Marugame Monzo for the first time. They serve handpulled udon in a variety of ways, for instance in hot/cold soup or with mentai cream.
I tried the udon gratin (うどんグラタン) since it sounded like a combination I've never tried before and was curious about (baked with cream and cheese like potato gratin). It ended up being incredibly flavorful and filling, especially with the chicken (also beware if you're lactose-intolerant and plan to order this). I'd love to come back to try other udon menu items, like the uni cream, mad tiger, or hot dragon.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Subtle Negative Mannerisms Tarnished First Visit
This is an updated Review !!!
We chose this establishment based on its positive reviews and added our names to the waitlist. While waiting outside by the railing near the street, I lit a cigar. A Japanese staff member came out abruptly looking like he was ready to chop a karate board and said, “This is private property — you can’t smoke here.”
As I pressed the cigar against the inner rim of a planter to extinguish it, he curtly demanded I pick it up—only to realize I was still holding it in my hand. What followed was an unmistakable side-eye that suggested I was a nuisance rather than a guest. A simple, “Excuse me sir, this is a non-smoking area—thank you,” would’ve sufficed. Maybe it was a cultural misunderstanding. Or maybe not.
My friends and I ended up dining next door instead, which wasn't all positive either, but that was another story.
To the team at this establishment: I don’t expect VIP treatment or over-the-top hospitality. But subtle mannerisms — judgmental glances, and dismissive tones — leave an impression. And sadly, they dampened the spirit of what should’ve been a memorable first encounter with J-Town.
Service: 1
Another Little Tokyo favorite, Marugame Monzo specializes in hand-pulled udon noodles, and you can actually watch the chefs at work through a glass window by the kitchen. Their udon is next-level — springy, chewy, and fresh. I had the Mentai Squid Butter Udon, and it was a perfect mix of creamy, salty, and umami. The service was efficient, and the staff gave great recommendations. It’s not a huge place, so expect tight seating and a short wait, but it’s worth it if you’re craving something beyond the usual ramen or sushi. Prices are fair considering the quality, and you’ll leave satisfied but not overstuffed. A real find in downtown LA.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
Very chewy and tangly noodles!
Wow what a crisp draft beer. Only if it was bigger…
The creamy udons are specialty dish and it’s good but if you are going with your partner, i think it’s a good mix to get one plain broth udon and one creamy one to balance the meal out.
Takoyaki was very good.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I saw the reviews were high, so I wanted to give it a try. We ordered the uni cream udon and the beef udon. Unfortunately, the taste was quite disappointing. I wouldn’t recommend it. The udon noodles lacked flavor, and both the soup and the cream sauce were not enjoyable. We couldn’t even finish the meal—even though we were really hungry. But that’s just my personal opinion.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 1
Service: 3
Wouldn’t let me use their chargers which was a bit of a bummer the food was good but I think I ordered the wrong thing I got a sea urchin udon but it wasn’t udon soup, I was hoping for udon soup so it didn’t taste as good and just tasted like normal western style noodles not Japanese but again might’ve been my Own fault, def would be worth giving a try tho for the soupy udon noodles!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 4
Strict Seating Policy Lacks Flexibility
This restaurant has always been a must-visit for us whenever we travel from Toronto — I especially look forward to the sea urchin udon every time.
Today, we were on a tight schedule with a flight to catch in just three hours. While my partner was parking, I went in to get a table and place our order to save time. Unfortunately, the server refused to seat me or even let me explain the situation. Instead, they ignored me and continued assisting the guests behind me without any acknowledgment.
I understand that the seating policy is likely in place to ensure efficient table turnover, but a little flexibility and basic courtesy in special situations — like ours — would go a long way. Being completely dismissed without a word felt unnecessarily rigid and unwelcoming.
Service: 1
Tried the cold bukkake udon and hot beef egg udon, flavors were pretty good but having tried other udon places in Japan and other cities, this one was average. Expected the udon to have more chew and bouncier texture. The price also felt high given how simple the ingredients were, service was friendly though!
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 4
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