Silver Lake Ramen Reviews

We were down in LA looking at colleges and staying in the Silver Lake neighborhood. We at dinner there once and it was soooo good that we got take out a second night! Highly recommend .

We enjoyed our dinner at Silver Lake Ramen very much. The food was very good and service friendly. this was our first Ramen experience and we would go back (if we didn't live in Alabama). The ramen with pork belly and medium spiciness was perfect.

I've eaten Ramen all over the world and this is one of the best I've had. Be prepared to queue but one large ramen bowl is all you need- delicious

This is a very busy place, so as we came in the evening, there were already people waiting outside, so we put our name on the waiting list, but within half an hour we were seated. And it was really worth the wait. It was delicious and the staff is very nice. We definitely recommend it! We are on visit from Europe.

Maybe they Ramen gods may not apriciate Ramen in Chicken broth, but I do. If you don't do pork, thus is there place to enjoy a great and tasty trendy meal. I would defenetely recomend it for beginners. They place is smaller then my bathroom, perhaps it adds to its charm because you are going to be waiting for a long, long time. Hint, park far, since you can not find a spot in front.

Trip Advisor has just asked me if this was one of the best meals I've ever had in a restaurant. It's a very unfair question. Even though I have given Silver Lake Ramen a great 5 Star rating, it is a noodle house. So in the context of it being a noodle house, this place is worth driving 3-5 miles out of your way for. If you like the classic Japanese style udon noodle .... prepare for a yum yum dinner!

I'm still new to LA, so the idea of going to a trip mall to eat is odd to me- but my son is convincing me one place at a time and this ramen joint is well worth it- great good, budget friendly

Our friends called ahead and put our names down for expedited seating. Parking is a pain. We Valeted for $5 with validation. I got the tonkatsu ramen (regular). Maybe next time I'll try the dipping noodles. We were at Lure Nightclub and it didn't take long for us to get here. Highly recommend hitting this spot up!

This tiny little gem was just a few steps from our hotel. The dumplings are delicious as are the ramen bowls. Looks are deceiving: I overstuffed myself, but it was so good!

Every variety of ramen is excellent with pork shoulder, chicken or tofu.They even have vegetarian ramen with miso broth. The rice bowls are very good as well. Make sure you sign in for the wait list on yelp before you arrive or else you'll have a long wait.

This restaurant sets the bar high with its exceptional cuisine, wonderful ambiance, and top-notch service. Every aspect of our visit exceeded our expectations, from the friendly welcome to the expertly crafted dishes that delighted our senses.

I was down in LA for business from Northern Calfornia and will eat ramen or Japanese cuisine at least once during these trips. Since I was mainly working in the Glendale, Los Feliz and Silver Lake areas, my good friend told me to check out Silver Lake Ramen on Sunset. If you know that area of Sunset, there are numerous restaurants everywhere. Lots of hole in the walls and Mom and Pops are prevalent. Found the place in a strip mall and looked exactly like I thought it would, just like those ramen joints in J Town. Went inside and there were about 40 or so seats. Decor was simple and the place was clean. All the staff appeared to be Japanese nationals and had expectations that the food would be that type of comfort food I was looking for. Ordered the Tonkotsu ramen which had a topping of pork belly or chicken with a rich pork broth and special soy sauce. When the ramen came, it had the rich and sumptuous aroma, the broth being so thick and rich.that it almost bordered on being gravy like. They say they boil the broth for 16 hours. The flavor was intense and very satisfying where I really enjoyed every spoonful. The noodles were cooked perfectly. At first I thought the portion was a bit on the small side but due to the richness and consistency of the broth, I barely finished it. I ate at around 5:30 pm which is way early for me and I was full for the rest of the evening. The service was pretty good considering that this is non usually a strength of these type of restaurants. I used to eat at Daikokuya in J Town but I will definitely be eating at Silver Lake Ramen more often when visiting the area. I'm the first to write a review on T.A. and thought twice abour doing it but I want them to succeed so others can enjoy. If you like real ramen, you will find it quite amazing.

I got lucky and got a quick seat in a Wednesday evening. The tonkatsu was very tasty with perfectly cooked pork belly. Small seating area that might get cramped with young kids. Parking is LA standard. Good choice for ramen on this end of the strip.

I recently had an early dinner before a Dodgers playoff game at Silverlake Ramen. We arrived around 4:40 and was seated immediately. I had the tonkatsu ramen, as did my daughter. She also had a side order of bao, which she said was delicious. I really enjoyed the bean sprouts, perfectly done noodles, luscious pork belly with a crisp surface, and most of all the broth. The broth had a thickness to it, and a creamy appearance which I have not seen in other ramen shops. Just delightful!

While you wait there is a great, dark, and fun bar right next door. There's also a nice video to watch while you wait. It's fun and instructive. The ramen is very good. I like the steamed gyoza. It's pretty typical with busy servers, and people coming and going. I also like to add in lots of extras and they are pretty inexpensive here. There's valet parking for $5,and you're probably gonna need it.

Silver Lake Ramen is a cozy spot that offers delicious and satisfying ramen dishes. The friendly service and quality ingredients create a welcoming dining experience. the restaurant can get busy during peak hours, leading to longer wait times.

My boyfriend and I are on a quest to try all the best ramen spots in LA. This one was so highly recommend we had to come by and check it out! Our favorite LA ramen so far is Tatsu, so we are looking to beat it.. Unfortunately although the ramen here was very very good, we still stick with our first favorite. Definitely adding this spot to the rotation though. I loved the creamy broth and the thick cuts of pork belly in there (we ordered extra belly.) The one thing that was kinda blah was that the belly was pretty dry.. Rather then that melt in the mouth belly you can sometimes get... Who knows it could have been an off night. Other then that everything was really good. We ordered the spicy pork broth.. Our spice tolerance is off the charts so it didn't taste very spicy at all to us. Still delicious flavor though! Also, they serve beer and sake here so that's a major plus for us.. We enjoy a casual cocktail or 4. This is definitely one of the better ramen spots in LA! Our official 3rd favorite!

We had the best food here last night! The ramen is gorgeous. Big portions, really tasty food. We also tried the gyozas, lovely, California rolls, also lovely, and the spicy chicken.....soo full! Great sevice, nice and chilled out. You can reserve your place in the queue on Yelp, we waited about an hour and were 16th in the queue. I dont think we'll ever be back in LA, but if we do, we will be back!

This used to be my fave ramen spot. The noodles were freshly made and the ramen broths (Tonkatsu and Shoyu) were delicious. In the past 6 months, it seems that the quality of the noodles and broth have drastically declined. The broth is way too salty and the noodles are limp and soggy. Now I don't even order ramen here. The seafood bowls and sushi are yummy. I'm still in search for an amazing ramen spot in the Eastside.

Their ramen is brewed over 16 hours and they do it for a reason. Amazing tastes. Well cooked gyoza and karage. Good atmosphere and friendly staff.

Really love coming here. Food is great, location is very convenient and it’s a very popular spot for locals (it seems). Therefore, the 4 not 5 stars. The size is small so not too many guests can dine it at same time. If you’re willing to wait, the food quality is worth it. Priced adequately

So great. Was recommended by a friend that used to live in Los Angeles and this did not disappoint. Food was great. Very small place but found seats outside.

Been there twice and always very busy. Great bowls of different ramens, good appetizers with sushi choices as well. Price is good and very quick effiicient service. Long lines to sit as night progresses as it is very popular.

I love Ramen and eat it frequently in Chicago where I live, so I'm used to eating very good stuff. This place lived up to the hype! Rich broth, chewy noodles and this amazing black garlic sauce totally killed it. My husband got the poke bowl which was also delicious! I will need to return when I go back to LA.

Silver Lake Ramen is popular for popular's sake. It's a popular haunt for celebrities and hipsters. It is quirky and appealing to the young and young at heart. This being America, its food offering is more of a fusion, American style Japanese food. It has got Bao, which is more of a Chinese offering. The food is not extraordinarily good but it isn't bad either. However, what's outstanding is its dynamic staff. A bit surprised by one of the earlier review regarding snobbery of the staff here. When you do come here, ask to be served by Jeffrey. He epitomises what an outstanding hospitality is to be like. He's genuine, warm, funny and on the ball with everything that you ask for. A restaurant need not have the best food to excel but that the sum of its part made it an unforgettable experience. Commendable visit, and you won't be disappointed.

Generous serving of pork belly in a delightful bowl of miso creamy onion soup noodles. Wish I didn’t live so far away!

This is by far the worst ramen I’ve tried in LA! It doesn’t taste or look like real Hakata Ramen, and if you’ve ever been to Japan, you’d probably be just as disappointed as I was. (If you’ve never been to Japan, you might not know what you’re missing, but I suspect you wouldn’t like it anyway.) First of all, ramen without egg is unacceptable! And there are no mushrooms! It doesn’t taste good at all, it’s just so blah! I don’t recommend this place at all — it’s a waste of time and money!

The fame of Silverlake Ramen has extended throughout much news, finally reaching my ears. After trying many spots in LA, I decided to finally give this place a shot and seeing what all the hype is about. I was served by the kind and courteous Ingrid who did well in recommending me their best options. The location was parking and it has a restroom with a good lock on it. I ordered two specials, one special containing the salad, the classic ramen, and the soboro rice dish. The second special, contained the same salad, the shoyu ramen, and the Karaage dish. The specials are really awesome and you get a whole amount plus trying three different things for under $15. That's a pretty good deal, so that's a major bonus. 1. The Salad I didn't know the salad had corn. I'm not a big fan of corn, but I appreciate that the dressing used for the salad was very delicious and helped tone down the corn taste for me. 2. Classic Ramen I can see why it is considered the classic. The perfect blend of creamy and oily come into one. Comfort food at best. 3. The Soboro It was really really good. Honestly, probably the best thing I had here. If you add just a slight touch of soy sauce and gyoza sauce, it is amazing. Highly recommended. 4. The Chicken Karaage It was good. I felt it needed some more avocado. It is a good combination to eat with the Chicken Shoyu Ramen. 5. Chicken Shoyu Ramen It's basic at best, which isn't a bad thing. It simply means you can customize it with more options, but for those who want a simple taste for your palette, this is the way to go. In general, I give the place 4 out of 5 stars. It's lacking that "X factor" that makes me go "WOW". Every place has the potential to unlock that "X Factor" but in my opinion, this place has been over-hyped and it does not have that "X-Factor" for me. Having said that, it is still 4 out of 5 stars. It is still good. Would I come back to eat here? Definitely. Is it the best ramen in LA? No, its not, but it has the potential to be.

We stumbled here while we were driving from one point to another and got hungry in the way. A friend had told us about it, so when we went past it, we stopped. The wait was not too bad, since it was a bit late for the lunch crowd. Do order the mixed mushrooms in butter, it´s one of the best things. The chicken karaage is also pretty tasty. I had the tsukemen with chicken and my husband had the blaze with pork belly. I can only speak for the tsukemen, but the broth is one of the best ramen I´ve had in a loooong time, I did not care much for the chiken, since it was a bit dried, but the bowl is big enough that I did not even need to eat it to feel full. I will definitely try to come again in another trip.

Horrible service! They allowed us to sit there and order off the menu when they didn't have the main ingredient. Who runs out of rice? There's a market a few feet away. We paid for the two orders they did bring out. They were upset with us for not wanting to order soup. Imagine that! We paid $60 and still had to eat somewhere else. **SAVE YOUR TIME AND GO SOMEWHERE ELSE**

Delicious Ramen. It looks like long queue weekdays and weekends the queue not to bad. The service rather good and the food serve quite quickly

The Ramen here is phenomenal. I could eat the broth on its own as it was so tasty. We also had a few of the appetizers, and they two were also very good. There's a huge lineup, which attest to the quality of the food. Next time I am in LA, I will definitely go here again.

They have an electronic wait system which works well and entertaining videos playing outside whilst you wait. They advise you about the restaurant, how to eat Ramen etc. The wait was a bit long for being third in the queue on arrival but I guess waiting times for these situations are an estimate. The pork buns, gyoza, ramen and rice bowls are excellent and the service was good too. Would definitely go again.

I adore this food! In the future I will pick it up as take out to avoid the 30 minute wait but I will go back. I have never regretted waiting and I'm sure I will do it again.

Was meeting up with a friend in the Silver Lake area. A bit funkey but friendly fast service. Always seem to have a waiting list, but we were seated withing 10 minutes. Ramen is good, but not memorable.

I was looking for a quick dinner close to my hotel. This place fit the bill. There was a short wait, but they take your cell number and text you when a table opens up. I ordered the small salmon poke bowl, which was mostly rice, but plenty tasty. With a soda, the meal came to under ten dollars, not including tip.

Top notch service from start to finish. Excellent food, served quickly. Expect a bit of a wait...but it is totally worth it Big smile ! Great value !

We were in town for a night visiting my aunt and figured this place had great reviews and was very close. Tip- If you're getting there later in the evening and can find street parking, do that. Mandatory $5 valet was a little silly. There was a bit of a wait since the restaurant is relatively small but we didn't mind. I ordered the ramen combo with the salmon poke bowl (which my boyfriend basically devoured). Three huge bowls of ramen, one sake, one beer, gyoza, a salad, and poke was surprisingly inexpensive. The portions are HUGE. I kept digging into the bowl and finding more noodles that I swear were not there before. Service was very fast and efficient even though every table was full. Only took off one star because of the parking situation. Would come back and walk from my aunt's house (gotta build up an appetite to eat all those noodles).

Went here by coincidence for an impulse lunch. Turns out this is a very very good ramen place. Will definitely be back.

This little ramen place has the best Japanese food around. One of our party is Japanese and swears to its authencity. We had the three kinds of mushroom with butter along with the marinated chicken Karaage appetizers. The karaage was moist and tender and marinated perfectly before it was fried and served with a tasty dipping sauce. For main dishes we had the Shoyu Ramen (with chicken), Tsukemen dippin' noodle (with pork belly), and Mazemen. Each one was completely different and each was delicious! I highly recommend this restaurant!

We stopped at this place on a lark and it turned out to be the best meal we had in LA. Very tasty, authentic ramen. Super-friendly service. A must-stop if you're looking for good, interesting food.

This place is written up well and I have no idea why. Noodles and vegetables are cheap materials yet this place charges a premium. Service is hurried, aloof and inefficient. Location is ugly at the end of a dilapidated strip mall on Sunset and Silverlake. There is no place to queue and for whatever reason, the place is always busy. For a better meal, save your hard earned money, stay home and make yourself a cup of ramen soup. This place is overrated.

Really enjoyed the ramen here there was so much variety and the staff was great. We got our food so quick it was insane! Loved this place highly recommend.

Having never tried Ramen I was excited to give this a go. The place was pretty small, they sat and served us quickly ad the food was so good, the noodles I got was delicious and the sushi my girlfriend got was fulfilling and great.

There is always a wait because seats are limited, but if the wait is less than an hour, it's worth it. The spicy pork ramen with egg is my usual order. There are many toppings to choose from that may be considered unconventional at other ramen shops. The broth is wonderful and the noodles aren't too soft/ too firm. In the past I would always order the combo that includes the chashu (pork) bowl and salad... But last night they seemed to skimp on the portion and the quality wasn't the same. But nevertheless, the ramen has never disappointed. However, if you anticipate waiting an hour or more, just spend that time driving to Litttle Tokyo and finding another delicious bowl of ramen at Daikokuya or Shin Sen Gumi.

The menu had a great variety that catered to all tastes, and every dish we tried was a flavor and texture masterpiece. The use of fresh, high-quality ingredients was evident in every bite, making this restaurant a standout choice for any food lover.

Short wait to be seated, friendly staff and great atmosphere. Really tasty and flavourful noodles. The portion sizes were great too, good value for money!

Tried several ramen joints in the Los Angeles area; living in Japan, I'm rather weary of ramen offered overseas, but Silver Lake Ramen was probably one of the best in this area. Good umami in the broth (though a little salty), nice firm noodles and decent overall balance and flavor. Will go again for my ramen fix!

Excellent food and excellent prices. Wish it was a tad bigger but overall great place to have delicious ramen on your own or family.

Used to live in Los Angeles, I ate at this spot all the time. Went back for a three day visit for my father in laws 60th bday. Made this a priority and it did not disappoint as usual. I always order the same thing. The most popular ramen but I get extra pork in it. I mean this is actually heaven and the only thing I miss about LA. Keep up the fast service and amazing recipe. No other trendy place in LA compares to this. This is beyond the best. My sister in law and mother in law tried it and said it was divine. So yeah, eat here often if you can.

I'm a big fan of (quality) cheap eats. That's why I love this place. Ambience is kind of like a vibe-y cafeteria. Menu kinda rocks. The big thing is that they cook the broth (rich, delicious) for 16 hours. Noodles are yummy. Bowl of deliciousness for under $10. A short list of sushi rolls available for $4 - $8. Weekends there's often a line-up and a long waiting list.

In santa monica, on the busy street is this well decorated ramen.place and fun atmosphere. You can choose between several ramen including 1 veggie and Rice bowl.all for an Affordable Award

Tried both the Tonkutsu Shoyu and the Tsukumen diipin noodle + Perfect ramen umami taste -- the Tonkutsu was more subtle tasting which I preferred + Most Delicious broth I have tasted + At a very affordable price - long waiting time so make sure to come early

I was dying for ramen, and my LA local friend said Silver Lake Ramen was the place to go. We had a long wait, but that was to be expected since it's so busy, so be prepared to wait! When we were seated, we were disappointed to learn that the restaurant was required to stop serving liquor at 10:00pm, so if you're looking for a glass of sake with your ramen, go before 10:00. Our disappointment didn't last long- the pork buns were absolutely delicious. They were bursting with flavor and didn't fall apart in our hands. I ordered the spicy pork ramen and it was textbook comfort food! The pork was succulent and complimented the spiciness of the broth. The only thing I missed was an egg, but that's just my own personal taste! If you're looking for ramen in LA, the best is at Silver Lake Ramen!

The signature tonkotsu ramen with the rich, fatty broth and the thick slice of pork belly is so satisfying and filling for under $10. If you are super hungry go for the combo with a small salad and a side rice bowl dish. The wait could be long during peak hours since it is a small place but it is worth it! It's in a small strip mall but they offer valet parking in the evenings.

Sear slow cooked pork belly slab so it’s crispy on one side before serving on ramen. The result is amazing.

I totally recommend this nice ramen house. big portions with reasonable prices. we definitely come back again.

I've been here many times but this is the first time I didn't have to wait a really long time to get seated and that's because we arrived at 5 on a Sat. The place was still busy (is it ever not?) but considering the wait area is in a crappy parking lot on a busy street with a crazy homeless man walking by, I prefer to not wait. I also didn't have to deal with finding street parking because my friend lives close so we just walked - how Silverlake of us! Service was pretty good, though they did seem a little distracted momentarily blasting music (the whole place was startled and then laughed it off) and forgetting to get us chopsticks and napkins. It's a small place. They got our order right, our food to us quickly and they filled our water regularly. I ordered the tonkatsu ramen and the broth was exceptional - creamy, rich, not too oily, salty. I also loved that the one piece of pork in my soup was meaty, tender, and tasted like pork. We also ordered the spicy tuna on crispy rice and it was yummy. Not too spicy and the rice not too hard.

Don't let the others fool you. Ramen on the east side is JUST as good (if not better) than Sawtelle. This is my favorite ramen joint in all of LA. I've been to the "greats" and the ones that top magazine and blog lists. But for me, nothing compares. The broth is the star here. Simmered for something like 16 HOURS, it's rich and creamy and packed with so much flavor. The pork belly is thick and delicious. The egg is always perfectly cooked and I usually add extra seaweed and corn to mine (personal preference). Plus the servings are massive (as they should be, with ramen). I don't know how people come here and order sushi with their ramen. I usually have enough left over for a second meal! The wait can be long, so I wouldn't try to take a big group here. Parking is tough in the parking lot, but you can almost always find parking along Sunset if you don't want to pay for valet. But be assured, the service is great and the food comes out quickly once you've been seated!

Great service. Great Vegetarian options. Great location. Had the tofu selections for our meals which were done to perfection. The green salad was very well done with good dressing and lovely plating.

We chanced upon this ramen place when we went to meet up with a friend. Asked SIRI for her ramen recommendation and this restaurant came up with very good rating. It is very small with only a few tables and we had to be on a waitlist. It was already 2 PM and the restaurant was still full. We were amused as every person that comes out of the restaurant is flashing a smile. We thought to ourselves, "this restaurant must really be good". Upon being seated, we noticed most of the patrons were Asians which speaks a lot about the restaurant. We were given ample time to browse the menu and as soon as we were ready, our orders were taken. It wasn't long enough until we got our food. We sampled every ramen on the menu and we were satisfied. The portions were generous and they were rich in flavor. The pork bun and gyoza were also worth mentioning. The meat was tender and the bun was moist. The cucumber crab salad was refreshing and goes well with their mint yuzunade. This will be our go to ramen place when in the LA area.

I love ramen, and I'm always looking for local ramen shops; unfortunately a lot of them are merely mediocre. Silver Lake Ramen was a pleasant surprise. The fried gyoza was actually fried, and the ramen was super awesome! My husband had the Chashu Bowl with chicken, and the chicken was so crispy and delicious, I almost wished I'd ordered it. But I'm glad i didn't because the Tonkotsu Raemn I ordered was really some of the best ramen ever..the pork broth was tasty and NOT greasy at all, and the noodles were cooked to perfection. The atmosphere is traditional ramen shop and the staff are extremely nice and accommodating.

I love sushi and I didn't think anyplace could top my favorite sushi place in Coronado, but this place did it. Cute little place - nothing fancy, but the food was off the charts excellent. My daughters had different ramen bowls - excellent, and their dumplings were fantastic. We left happy & full! <3 Great friendly service, too!

You'll always expect a 30 minute wait before being able to sit. There is also valet parking which I couldn't tell you the price because it wasn't listed. I parked on the street which you may have to drive around a few times. I've tried the Tonkotsu Spicy Ramen and the Shoyu Ramen. I prefer the Spicy Ramen broth over the chicken broth, it's more creamier. They also offer Combination which is Ramen + a bowl + salad for $5. So in reality it is a bowl and small salad for $5 more. The salad is green salad which is fresh and I got the Spicy Tuna Bowl. Spicy Tuna is mmmm delish. I think I might get the Combo again when I come back here.

You'll wait for 40 mins for a table, but you'll be served in a fast and furious manner with delicious ramen and sake. It's not somewhere for a leisurely dinner but it is delicious.

Real tasty food for the wright price. I love it. Busy at dinner time. Had to wait 20 minutes for a table.

I'm continuing to get harassing and derogatory messages from the owner and his staff on a regular basis for my review of silverlake ramen. I'm not sure these are the kind of people you want to do business with. Original Review Below: This is definite American Ramen. Nothing of the taste says Japanese. A quick check of the kitchen shows no Japanese Chef. Just young college age American kids. It is what it is. I had the spicy tonkotsu ramen. The broth is about 3.5 stars. The pork belly about 2.5 stars, dried overcooked hard. The ramen noodles was a 2. Pretty soggy. What do you expect when you have college aged American kids make this stuff. I tried eating about 1/4 of it. I couldn't finish it but I thought the taste was decent and college age kids (it seems like most of their clientele) love this. There is a ramen for each crowd. Definitely a popular place. Long lines. Definitely a let down for me. Background: I grew up under a chef at pricey restaurants and who cooked Presidential Dinners for thousands per plate so my standards are going to be a bit higher than the average 18 year old who buys 5 for $1 ramen. Update: I got some rude messages from what appears to be the owner of this place after posting this review. It seems he took it rather personally and used 4 letter words and suggested sexual sodomy. And that was only the beginning. The rest was too obscene. Young kids nowadays are not only rude and disrespectful but ignorant of what real Japanese food should taste like. And they act arrogant like they know everything and don't need to learn anything new.

I have always wanted to stop by and grab a bit but the lines always stopped me. Finally we ordered online to pick up and it was a snap. All of the bowls we ordered were awesome. We will be back soon.

We wanted somewhere more laid back with decent food at a reasonable price. We found just the spot in Ramen. The menu is not huge, but he bowls of ramen are! I'd never had ramen before - I'd describe it as a very satisfying noodle-laden soup. I had mine with pork belly (which was not overly fatty) and another at our table had chicken. You get to choose add-ins like corn, broccoli, mushrooms, spinach, etc. Like many Sikverlake restaurants, it is on the smaller side, casual cafe-type atmosphere. Service was very good and quite speedy. Reasonable prices.