Daikokuya Monterey Park

Daikokuya in Monterey Park is a great spot if you’re craving a rich, comforting bowl of Japanese ramen. The restaurant has a casual, cozy vibe, and it’s a popular place for locals looking for authentic ramen without driving to Little Tokyo.

I ordered the original tonkotsu ramen, and the broth was incredibly rich and flavorful. The pork belly was tender, the noodles had a great texture, and the soft-boiled egg added the perfect finishing touch. The portion was pretty big, so it’s definitely satisfying if you’re hungry.

I also tried the takoyaki, which came out hot and crispy on the outside with soft octopus filling inside. The service was quick, and the food arrived fast even when the place was busy.

Overall, Daikokuya is a solid ramen spot with bold flavors and generous portions. If you’re in Monterey Park and want a good bowl of ramen, it’s definitely worth stopping by.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Amazing ramen and Japanese beer on draft, great place!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Miso Ramen, Daikokuya Salad, Sapporo Draft Beer Mug

Absolutely horrible customer service. We waited about 10–15 minutes just to ask if there was a wait for a table and to put our name on the list. The two girls working looked directly at us multiple times and did not acknowledge us at all, not even a simple “we’ll be right with you.”
The place wasn’t busy, and they were standing in the corner looking at us, yet no one came over to assist. It felt very unwelcoming and uncomfortable.

Overall, because of that experience, we’ll definitely choose to go somewhere else next time, somewhere that at least acknowledges their customers.

Atmosphere: 1

Service: 1

Everything went smoothly, highly recommend

Daikokuya does it again.

Every time I come here, I’m struck by how consistent they are.

Presentation is always beautiful, the service is super prompt and friendly, and an absolute burst of flavors. I love it

It’s great ramen. Easily some of the best I’ve ever had.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

I really like this spot because it’s small and intimate. No wait for two on a Sunday evening. As soon as you walk in, you’re greeted by a fun, lively kitchen where you can see the cooks in action. We ordered the Daikoku ramen, deeply savory, rich, and umami-packed with beautifully infused flavors and a comforting, silky broth. Another favorite is the fried rice, which is fragrant and perfectly seasoned. Their paired salad is a delight- fresh and refreshing, balancing the richness of the ramen. Always a good experience here. Free parking lot.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

This place is SO good and very affordable!

I made it very clear that I am vegan. Vegan ramen was ok, but the fried rice that comes with the vegan ramen came with egg even though I specified vegan. "Vegetable dumplings" came with meat. Small salad is really just lettuce and like 2 strings of cabbage and carrot with non-vegan dressing. Triple check with the restaurant before eating. I just threw away $60 for vegan food that was not vegan. I'm traveling too and my stomach isn't taking to this very well. Now I'm wondering if the broth is even vegan.

I stopped by during happy hour and grabbed a bowl of spicy miso soup, happy hour sausage and a cold mug of Sapporo beer. The sausage was fantastic and I highly recommend it. The spicy soup was a lot more salty than spicy and the egg was overcooked as I usually get it with a creamy yolk. The pork was below average and didn’t quite add to the flavor but otherwise it was a good experience. I am looking forward to trying out other ramen bowls here. As for the customer service, there were three people on the floor and at least two in the kitchen. The first person who assisted us was in a bit of a mood but she was probably not in the mood to work on a Friday night. The other two people were fantastic, ensuring my drink was always filled and being very attentive to our requests. As far as the physical location, it is tiny, and beautifully decorated. A few days later I returned with my wife so she could try it out and the line was out the door with a wait time of over an hour. The amount of people willing to wait is testament to the food. If you do stop by make sure it is earlier in the day as they open around 11am.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 4

Service: 4

The younger staff don't like to answer phone calls here

Very average ramen place and no idea why so many people come. This is from someone who has dined at many ramen places in Japan, Asia and here.

Broth and noodle taste decent but nothin special. Two pieces of pork are tiny. Eggs are not the high quality half boiled kind as they are fully cooked inside.
Place is tiny. Only one row of counter seating and then a few tables. The kitchen and storage area are way bigger.

Service is very bad. Was there at 5:15pm on Fri and already a line. The 2 servers either have no or simply forced smiles. You get the feelings that they are already exhausted and don’t want to be there. We were in a hurry and I saw two counter seats and another empty table with 2 seats available for my party of two. After a while I just had to ask and the attitude and response was like “I am just going to take my time and you just have to wait.”

The restaurant’s bathroom is old and doesn’t feel clean either. This mall is so dead and dirty. Crazy that the whole side by the shops are all disabled parking spots, wasting so much parking spaces.

Overall would not recommend and won’t come back again. There is got to be way better ramen places than this in SGV, let alone LA.

Atmosphere: 2

Food: 3

Service: 1

Great Place

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

I hate to give bad reviews but I'm compelled to after the service I got... 2 waitresses 1 with glasses and the other without. Terrible attitude and unfriendly as can be. Only time they showed or sounded friendly was when she asked me if she can take the bill while I was packing my leftovers after I paid for it. I literally walked in in a good mood and left in a bad one. Food is still legit and above standard.

Atmosphere: 3

Food: 4

Service: 1

Verdict: Nothing special.
The bad:
They served Tsukemen with regular, unconcentrated, ramen broth. Do not order this unless you want a tonkotsu ramen deconstructed and want to pay extra for that. 0 stars...

The good:
Chicken Karage Bowl was juicy and flavorful, + 2 star...

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 2

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Tonkotsu Ramen, Karage

Used to be my favorite ramen spot 😥

Atmosphere: 2

Food: 1

Service: 2