Make a reservation if you go here! We came on a Saturday afternoon and even though there were tables open they asked us if we had a reservation & when we said no they made us wait which threw us off a little! That being said, it's a gorgeous location and the ramen is amazing. The broth is absolutely divine & love that they gave an abundance of toppings. I will be back!
Melanie G.
We had reservations for 5pm and were running 10 minutes late so we called on our way and they easily changed our time for us. Server was attentive but wasn't the friendliest I got the miso ginger ramen. Noodles were good but broth seemed overly salted. The other two at my table that got ramen also agreed that their bowls were too salty. I was scared the broth would be too gingery but it was balanced well. I appreciated the fair amount of toppings, but would have preferred tofu over the soy meat. The kimchi mushrooms were good but for $8, the portion size was much too small. The glaze on it also wasn't necessarily kimchi. Glad I got to try but not looking to come back. I wouldn't say it's worth a drive out to LA either, there are cheaper better places on LA outskirts.
Serena K.
Everything we ate was great. We especially loved the chicken wings and the fried fish buns. The Ban Ban Chicken was also super yummy. They were also extremely accommodating to kids. My only minor issue was just that it was a bit pricey for what we ordered. 4 adults, 1 kid = $320 for lunch.
Jen B.
Their food is excellent -- had both ramen and wings and honestly, don't know which I loved more! The space is beautiful and the service truly went above and beyond! (When I asked for a table by the window so I could keep an eye on my pup outside, without hesitation, they asked if he was well-behaved and offered us a table in the corner so I could bring him inside. So cool!) Great food, great experience. Will definitely return!
Michael V.
The food is great. Great people. I usually eat at the bar and they always treat me right.
Raissa P.
Best service!! Always the best food. I will not have ramen anywhere else in LA now!! Check that vegan ramen and the bun sandwiches get all the appetizers ( the mushrooms!! The edamame!!) and live your best life at Tonchin!!
Rachel L.
this was my first time at tonchin and overall i'm glad that I went. the star of the show was clearly the kaki-gori. we got the mango and strawberry flavors. both were good but I wish there was more syrup and fruit in the middle of the ice . it's definitely a messy dish so be prepared to spill & share. not the best shaved ice I have ever had but it was fine! definitely more for the aesthetic I would say. the tonchin classic tokyo tonkotsu was also fine. nothing particularly negative to say but definitely not as flavorful as some of the other ramens i've had. the restaurant is classy and cute and good for groups of friends compared to a small ramen shop but food wise ramen is definitely better in little tokyo and the smaller specialty shops. the aesthetic makes it worth a visit if you're in the area
David C.
Tonchin LA is a Michelin guide ramen on Melrose Ave of LA. Parking can be a little hard but you can find street and meter parking. Made a resy on a Sunday for lunch about 1pm and was seated promptly as we got there. It was not too busy when we arrived with about 3-4 other parties seated. The interior was dimly lit and had a nice trendy vibe to it. In the middle of the Resturant they also have a bar with alcohol. We ordered an unagi rice ball, tsukene bao, gyoza and their classic tonkatsu ramen. The appetizers came out first and the unagi roll had a lot of flavor dosed in a some type of eel sauce. Didn't get to try the bao as my friend ordered that one but they said it was good. The gyoza I was not too fond of especially at the price point of $16 for 5 pieces. For the ramen, the broth was decently seasoned and was not overly salty. Each bowl came with three thinned slice of chasu which reminds me a lot of ham rather than the fatty chasu that you typically get at other ramen spots. Each bowl also comes with half a soft boiled egg and two bamboo shoots. For it being on the Michelin guide I expected it to be better. Overall, I think this spot is overrated for being on the Michelin guide but is a decent ramen spot.
Kyle B.
Its...Just...So....Good Back in 2020, when in NYC, i learned of the LA expansion plans. I am soooo glad Tonchin is finally here. I love ramen, like love love. I live next to downtown Culver City, and have a couple spots near me I like, but Tonchin LA is in a league of its own. First the ramen. Tonkatsu, ride or die. the broth is creamy and so flavorful. The noodles are made fresh onsite, and you can tell. It kills me any time I see packaged noodles in a restaurant. And the pork is just incredible. Thinly sliced , very much a different approach than other ramen joints, and its so tender and delicious. It really sets it apart. Spicy Tan Tan is great too, but I tend to just order a side of hot sauce and add my own. No substitutions on the ramen. Another differentiator for Tonchin is the gloriousness of the appetizer menu. Chicken wings are FIRE. Shishito peppers delicious, all the buns are great. And they make edamame to die for (black salt for the win). They also have this crazy dessert that is great for groups, and your IG ;) Ambiance and service are top notch, always a great playlist and friendly faces. I cannot recommend Tonchin enough.
Amy D.
We came here on a Saturday afternoon and it wasn't too busy - they do take reservations on Resy if you want to be safe. For appetizers we ordered the cucumbers and kimchi mushrooms - which were really good actually, pleasantly surprised. For ramen, we tried the Smokey Dashi & Tsukemen (dipping ramen), both of which were pretty good. A little salty for my taste, but not bad (but not amazing where I would go back). The Tsukemen came with a side of dashi later to make the dipping broth more drinkable to end your meal. We also ordered the matcha kakigori (shaved ice) and honestly this was our fave! The texture was very close to how I remembered kakigori in Japan, the matcha flavor was strong and not too sweet - yum. Service though... our main server was great but some of the other staff were not as nice. If we would ask for water or extra utensils, it was as if we were an inconvenience? Made the overall experience a bit off-putting. Parking - there were a good amount of street parking around, but make sure to pay attention to the signs. Overall, it was good if I was in the area & craving ramen but would not go out of my way again.
I came here with my wife when Tonchin first opened. Our waiter gave us the entire Tonchin story, which was great. He mentioned there was staff, flown in from Japan, that were pertinent to the restaurant opening and obviously greatly assisted with the quality control of what goes in and out of the kitchen. The food was fantastic and the service was amazing as well. We just got back from our second time there. It is so poorly managed, I would be embarrassed to own, manage, or be associated with it. Staff didn't care to be there, we didn't have an established waiter...My wife had to flag down the host and he said "sure I'll take your order if you're ready" after we sat alone for 15 minutes. If I didn't already know Japanese food, I would be completely lost. This location seems to lack management and guidance...You can't get away with that in LA. We ordered every appetizer, one of the salads, and 2 of the Tokyo Rice Balls. We had plans of getting Ramen and Sake, at a minimum of 50$ a bottle, but immediately thought otherwise when nobody came to help us. I don't know how this place can exist, or last, with experiences like this...Truly disappointing.
Eric K.
Amazing, the food tasted fantastic. I loved it. It was breathtaking.The service was nice and quick.
Ethan Caldwell
Fabulous neighborhood restaurant. Liv took care of us and was a delight. Don’t sleep on the Tokyo banana!
Lily H.
Good vegan ramen. I enjoyed the shrimp appetizer more though. They need to change out the dirty curtain that leads to the bathrooms. Or just remove that nasty dirty unsanitary cloth.
Emily Wright
Loved the entire experience here! We arrived without a reservation, but they thankfully were able to accommodate us with a tiny wait.We sat at the front by the host stand and the tall red head host offered us water and got us drinks while we waited. He even noticed I was a little cold when someone was holding the door open for a while and asked them to close it.The attention to detail throughout the whole night was top level - they even offered my boyfriend a tide pen when they saw he had a small spot on his shirt from the ramen.Thanks Tonchin!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Spicy Tan Tan Ramen, Tokyo Banana
Make a reservation if you go here! We came on a Saturday afternoon and even though there were tables open they asked us if we had a reservation & when we said no they made us wait which threw us off a little! That being said, it's a gorgeous location and the ramen is amazing. The broth is absolutely divine & love that they gave an abundance of toppings. I will be back!
We had reservations for 5pm and were running 10 minutes late so we called on our way and they easily changed our time for us. Server was attentive but wasn't the friendliest I got the miso ginger ramen. Noodles were good but broth seemed overly salted. The other two at my table that got ramen also agreed that their bowls were too salty. I was scared the broth would be too gingery but it was balanced well. I appreciated the fair amount of toppings, but would have preferred tofu over the soy meat. The kimchi mushrooms were good but for $8, the portion size was much too small. The glaze on it also wasn't necessarily kimchi. Glad I got to try but not looking to come back. I wouldn't say it's worth a drive out to LA either, there are cheaper better places on LA outskirts.
Everything we ate was great. We especially loved the chicken wings and the fried fish buns. The Ban Ban Chicken was also super yummy. They were also extremely accommodating to kids. My only minor issue was just that it was a bit pricey for what we ordered. 4 adults, 1 kid = $320 for lunch.
Their food is excellent -- had both ramen and wings and honestly, don't know which I loved more! The space is beautiful and the service truly went above and beyond! (When I asked for a table by the window so I could keep an eye on my pup outside, without hesitation, they asked if he was well-behaved and offered us a table in the corner so I could bring him inside. So cool!) Great food, great experience. Will definitely return!
The food is great. Great people. I usually eat at the bar and they always treat me right.
Best service!! Always the best food. I will not have ramen anywhere else in LA now!! Check that vegan ramen and the bun sandwiches get all the appetizers ( the mushrooms!! The edamame!!) and live your best life at Tonchin!!
this was my first time at tonchin and overall i'm glad that I went. the star of the show was clearly the kaki-gori. we got the mango and strawberry flavors. both were good but I wish there was more syrup and fruit in the middle of the ice . it's definitely a messy dish so be prepared to spill & share. not the best shaved ice I have ever had but it was fine! definitely more for the aesthetic I would say. the tonchin classic tokyo tonkotsu was also fine. nothing particularly negative to say but definitely not as flavorful as some of the other ramens i've had. the restaurant is classy and cute and good for groups of friends compared to a small ramen shop but food wise ramen is definitely better in little tokyo and the smaller specialty shops. the aesthetic makes it worth a visit if you're in the area
Tonchin LA is a Michelin guide ramen on Melrose Ave of LA. Parking can be a little hard but you can find street and meter parking. Made a resy on a Sunday for lunch about 1pm and was seated promptly as we got there. It was not too busy when we arrived with about 3-4 other parties seated. The interior was dimly lit and had a nice trendy vibe to it. In the middle of the Resturant they also have a bar with alcohol. We ordered an unagi rice ball, tsukene bao, gyoza and their classic tonkatsu ramen. The appetizers came out first and the unagi roll had a lot of flavor dosed in a some type of eel sauce. Didn't get to try the bao as my friend ordered that one but they said it was good. The gyoza I was not too fond of especially at the price point of $16 for 5 pieces. For the ramen, the broth was decently seasoned and was not overly salty. Each bowl came with three thinned slice of chasu which reminds me a lot of ham rather than the fatty chasu that you typically get at other ramen spots. Each bowl also comes with half a soft boiled egg and two bamboo shoots. For it being on the Michelin guide I expected it to be better. Overall, I think this spot is overrated for being on the Michelin guide but is a decent ramen spot.
Its...Just...So....Good Back in 2020, when in NYC, i learned of the LA expansion plans. I am soooo glad Tonchin is finally here. I love ramen, like love love. I live next to downtown Culver City, and have a couple spots near me I like, but Tonchin LA is in a league of its own. First the ramen. Tonkatsu, ride or die. the broth is creamy and so flavorful. The noodles are made fresh onsite, and you can tell. It kills me any time I see packaged noodles in a restaurant. And the pork is just incredible. Thinly sliced , very much a different approach than other ramen joints, and its so tender and delicious. It really sets it apart. Spicy Tan Tan is great too, but I tend to just order a side of hot sauce and add my own. No substitutions on the ramen. Another differentiator for Tonchin is the gloriousness of the appetizer menu. Chicken wings are FIRE. Shishito peppers delicious, all the buns are great. And they make edamame to die for (black salt for the win). They also have this crazy dessert that is great for groups, and your IG ;) Ambiance and service are top notch, always a great playlist and friendly faces. I cannot recommend Tonchin enough.
We came here on a Saturday afternoon and it wasn't too busy - they do take reservations on Resy if you want to be safe. For appetizers we ordered the cucumbers and kimchi mushrooms - which were really good actually, pleasantly surprised. For ramen, we tried the Smokey Dashi & Tsukemen (dipping ramen), both of which were pretty good. A little salty for my taste, but not bad (but not amazing where I would go back). The Tsukemen came with a side of dashi later to make the dipping broth more drinkable to end your meal. We also ordered the matcha kakigori (shaved ice) and honestly this was our fave! The texture was very close to how I remembered kakigori in Japan, the matcha flavor was strong and not too sweet - yum. Service though... our main server was great but some of the other staff were not as nice. If we would ask for water or extra utensils, it was as if we were an inconvenience? Made the overall experience a bit off-putting. Parking - there were a good amount of street parking around, but make sure to pay attention to the signs. Overall, it was good if I was in the area & craving ramen but would not go out of my way again.
Restaurantji Recommends
I came here with my wife when Tonchin first opened. Our waiter gave us the entire Tonchin story, which was great. He mentioned there was staff, flown in from Japan, that were pertinent to the restaurant opening and obviously greatly assisted with the quality control of what goes in and out of the kitchen. The food was fantastic and the service was amazing as well. We just got back from our second time there. It is so poorly managed, I would be embarrassed to own, manage, or be associated with it. Staff didn't care to be there, we didn't have an established waiter...My wife had to flag down the host and he said "sure I'll take your order if you're ready" after we sat alone for 15 minutes. If I didn't already know Japanese food, I would be completely lost. This location seems to lack management and guidance...You can't get away with that in LA. We ordered every appetizer, one of the salads, and 2 of the Tokyo Rice Balls. We had plans of getting Ramen and Sake, at a minimum of 50$ a bottle, but immediately thought otherwise when nobody came to help us. I don't know how this place can exist, or last, with experiences like this...Truly disappointing.
Amazing, the food tasted fantastic. I loved it. It was breathtaking.The service was nice and quick.
Fabulous neighborhood restaurant. Liv took care of us and was a delight. Don’t sleep on the Tokyo banana!
Good vegan ramen. I enjoyed the shrimp appetizer more though. They need to change out the dirty curtain that leads to the bathrooms. Or just remove that nasty dirty unsanitary cloth.
Loved the entire experience here! We arrived without a reservation, but they thankfully were able to accommodate us with a tiny wait.We sat at the front by the host stand and the tall red head host offered us water and got us drinks while we waited. He even noticed I was a little cold when someone was holding the door open for a while and asked them to close it.The attention to detail throughout the whole night was top level - they even offered my boyfriend a tide pen when they saw he had a small spot on his shirt from the ramen.Thanks Tonchin!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Spicy Tan Tan Ramen, Tokyo Banana