Ujin

i’m not a huge ramen fan because i don’t like very heavy broths, but this was perfectly light savory and flavorful that i think it’s my favorite ramen i’ve ever had. i got the tonkotsu with beef belly and the beef belly had a nice smokey flavor and the portion size is perfect for me since i don’t have a huge appetite, but i was able to finish the whole thing with ease. service was really fast as well and the staff are very nice :)

This ramen restaurant is opposite the UTC mall. The interior decoration is very unique, similar to the luxurious KTV layout. Many details in the restaurant are well done. The bowls, chopsticks and other utensils are very exquisite. I ordered the chicken and fish soup wagyu noodles. They tasted great. The beef was also particularly delicious. There was a lot of noodles. The fried chicken was also very tasty. After eating, I felt very full. In short, I highly recommend it!

I’ve tried countless ramen spots in San Diego, and unfortunately, many have declined in quality over the years. This new place, however, is a great reminder of what good ramen should be. To start, the chicken karaage was fantastic—crispy, flavorful, and perfectly cooked. My friend and I ordered different ramen bowls, and each one was thoughtfully crafted with unique toppings and rich, flavorful broths. The freshly made noodles were a standout, with a great texture and taste. My only hope is that they maintain this high standard so people in San Diego can continue enjoying quality ramen for years to come. Highly recommend giving this spot a try!

Jeffrey Yang

Incredible food at market price. The portions were substantial. Would recommend the half order (3 pieces) of karaage if you order the ramen. You could probably get full from an order of their very good karaage. It’s lean chicken as well which is rare, seasoned perfectly with a sweet glaze and does not come with a dipping sauce. Not mad about it, honestly very impressed. I always order a tonkotsu when I visit a new ramen location. Appears to me their philosophy is light. Their pork and chicken were fantastic but the north didn’t feel as rich as some other vendors. Their Ujin Classic broth however was phenomenal. Either way they give you all the condiments you’d want and expect for a close to $20 bowl, as opposed to competitors who charge the same price and need to add on all the condiments for a total price >$20. And the ramen was fantastic. They did not skimp on the portion. Come with a full stomach. Only con was the music which was quite loud but the overall interior design and ambience were great. Did not see any lack of service as some others have noted. Also what’s with the negative reviews complaining the plaza is turning into an asiatown lol.

Tao Xu

I am a big ramen fan and I haven eaten through almost all ramen places in SD, Ujin is so far my favorite, hard texture noodle, rich birth but not too salty and their charcoaled chashu is truly most amazing, crispy outside, soft inside, way better than Nagi in UTC. Their light-taste shoyu and mushroom broth are also one of its own kind in town. If you are a ramen fan, you must try this place in SD to claim you like ramen!

Adam Fryski

This was the best ramen I ever had. Delicious broth with tender, juicy chicken. We will definitely come back when we will be back in the area. Wonderful!!!

john lacsamana

Delicious shoyu ramen. Very earthy flavor from the truffle paste but very light. My friend loved the wagyu beef rice bowl. Will return to try the Shio ramen. Definitely recommend this place

Momo Zhang

This ramen restaurant is opposite the UTC mall. The interior decoration is very unique, similar to the luxurious KTV layout. Many details in the restaurant are well done. The bowls, chopsticks and other utensils are very exquisite. I ordered the chicken and fish soup wagyu noodles. They tasted great. The beef was also particularly delicious. There was a lot of noodles. The fried chicken was also very tasty. After eating, I felt very full. In short, I highly recommend it!

Matt Luo

A distinctive ramen restaurant in that it more prominently showcases Shoyu broth over Tonkotsu broth. Ramen fresh and made in house. Pretty outdoor seating with view of the clock tower. Inside decor is modern, and has pop music loud enough to be notable. More romantic. Note, there is no WiFi for customers.

ash

San Diego doesn’t have many great ramen spots, so my expectations usually run pretty low when I try a new ramen place, but Ujin might be my new favorite in town. I saw that they’re fairly new and the interior and the food presentation is what grabbed my attention. I’ve been craving good ramen since my trip to Japan, and by the look of their noodles, the food seemed promising. When we entered, it was empty (we came on a sunday afternoon), but then more people started to fill the space. I also enjoyed the jazz music they played as it really set the ambiance and matched the interior decor of the space. I the shoyu ramen, which had some truffle paste on top. The truffle wasn’t overpowering but it added a depth of flavor and complemented the broth really well. The broth wasn’t heavy at all, but the perfect amount of flavor and saltiness. The pork was juicy and tender and I enjoyed the char on it. The egg is usually my favorite part in ramen, but I wasn’t blown away by this one. still good, just not mindblowing and that’s okay bc everything else was delicious. I finished the entire bowl til it was empty. We also ordered the beef gyoza and the cucumber salad. The beef gyoza was super flavorful and I loved the truffle in it as well. I would def order it again. I was a bit disappointed by the cucumber salad. I wasn’t getting a lot of flavor from the sauce until we started getting closer to finishing it. The sauce itself was really good, but it was hard to get the flavor from just eating the cucumber alone. We kinda had to scoop some sauce with a cucumber slice. As good as the sauce was, I probably wouldn’t order it again. Overall, a little pricey, but the food was delicious and filling and I would definitely come back again.

Christina DLP

Absolutely the best ramen egg I have had in San Diego. And they have marinated bamboo shoots, very good. Delicious bowl and gyoza. I actually loved my husband's shoyu bowl a little more than my bowl. I ordered the Tonkotsu bowl. Seating inside and outside. A little pricey, but the quality makes it worth it

Alison Williams

i’m not a huge ramen fan because i don’t like very heavy broths, but this was perfectly light savory and flavorful that i think it’s my favorite ramen i’ve ever had. i got the tonkotsu with beef belly and the beef belly had a nice smokey flavor and the portion size is perfect for me since i don’t have a huge appetite, but i was able to finish the whole thing with ease. service was really fast as well and the staff are very nice :)

Colin . P

This is very good ramen, well established ramen chops. Shisho leaf is nice touch. Would go again. Fat on pork belly is well rendered, dissolves immediately.

Mingwei Xu

I’ve tried countless ramen spots in San Diego, and unfortunately, many have declined in quality over the years. This new place, however, is a great reminder of what good ramen should be. To start, the chicken karaage was fantastic—crispy, flavorful, and perfectly cooked. My friend and I ordered different ramen bowls, and each one was thoughtfully crafted with unique toppings and rich, flavorful broths. The freshly made noodles were a standout, with a great texture and taste. My only hope is that they maintain this high standard so people in San Diego can continue enjoying quality ramen for years to come. Highly recommend giving this spot a try!

Yifan

Clean, well-reduced, and flavorful broth without the heavy salt punch commonly seen in other ramen places.

S Duan

Honestly, this place deserves more attention. The store put so much effort into running this place. I really enjoy the egg, noodle and pork. The soup is also very flavorful but doesn’t taste salty at all. Thank you for your service and I wish you more success!

Mary

Really yummy! The soup isn’t too oily nor salty the way other ramen stores make their soup. Everything tastes good without being over powering. Clean and cute interior.

Urvashi B

Absolutely delicious Ramen! Very authentic true to Japanese style. Both the shio and shoyu Ramen that we ordered were flavorful and had the perfect texture for the meat whether it was the chashu pork, chicken breast in my shoyu or the smoky wagyu beef in the shio ramen my partner got. The noodles were perfectly chewy. The broth was light which I usually crave for and don't prefer tonkatsu which is usually too heavy and makes me feel bloated . Karaage was good too. Everything was plated beautifully and for the taste , ambience (beautiful) and service , this is very good value for money too. Hope the restaurant gets a lot of business. This definitely is my favorite ramen spot from now on. Highly recommended!

This place has great ramen and should be a must visit for any ramen lover in San Diego! We got the Shio and Tonkatsu and both were very good. This ramen shop features thin noodles that were delicious with the broth and chasu. I will say, as some previous reviews have pointed out, the service needs some work unless the intent of the restaurant is to have the customer initiate.

I have very conflicted feelings about this place. The ramen and rice bowls here are excellent - tasty noodles and delicious meats. However, of the several times I've visited, the service varied from totally nonexistent to acceptable. This makes it hard to give it full-throated recommendation. I do think it's worth visiting for to try the interesting and authentic food, just be prepared for anything service-wise.

Jimmy Vo

This place has great ramen and should be a must visit for any ramen lover in San Diego! We got the Shio and Tonkatsu and both were very good. This ramen shop features thin noodles that were delicious with the broth and chasu. I will say, as some previous reviews have pointed out, the service needs some work unless the intent of the restaurant is to have the customer initiate.

George

I have very conflicted feelings about this place. The ramen and rice bowls here are excellent - tasty noodles and delicious meats. However, of the several times I've visited, the service varied from totally nonexistent to acceptable. This makes it hard to give it full-throated recommendation. I do think it's worth visiting for to try the interesting and authentic food, just be prepared for anything service-wise.

The chicken karaage was saltier than I expected, but the pork bun was really good especially the bun itself, which was soft and moist. The ramen noodles had great texture, definitely a highlight. The broth was clean and light, though I wish there was an option to add a bit more depth or variation in texture. The sliced beef was tender and flavorful, not chewy at all. However, the bonito flakes on top had a strong aroma that gave the dish a more unique and unexpected twist. I also wish there was a spicy option for the ramen that would’ve been a nice addition!

Stepping into Ujin, one is struck by the deliberate elegance of the setting—a thoughtfully curated interior that primes the diner for a memorable gastronomic journey. Despite my initial disappointment due to the absence of their acclaimed tsukemen, the choice I made instead proved to be serendipitous. Opting for the classic Tokyo shoyu ramen, I found it to be a revelation. Though more basic in nature, the quality was unmistakable. The noodles shone brightly, their freshness and the meticulous attention to detail in their preparation resonating in each bite—a culinary craftsmanship worthy of accolade. The broth was delicately balanced, flavorful yet refined, cradling the tender, charred chashu pork which infused the dish with a distinctive, smoky essence. While the pricing at Ujin is reasonable by local standards for a bowl of ramen, it’s a stretch to imagine paying the equivalent of 3000 yen for such a dish in Japan—highlighting a disparity in global culinary economics. This touch of realism aside, my experience has certainly laid the groundwork for a return visit. When I next cross Ujin’s threshold, should the tsukemen rise to the high standard set by their shoyu ramen, I will be ready to award that final, elusive star. Until then, the quest for culinary perfection continues.

yupin kim

The chicken karaage was saltier than I expected, but the pork bun was really good especially the bun itself, which was soft and moist. The ramen noodles had great texture, definitely a highlight. The broth was clean and light, though I wish there was an option to add a bit more depth or variation in texture. The sliced beef was tender and flavorful, not chewy at all. However, the bonito flakes on top had a strong aroma that gave the dish a more unique and unexpected twist. I also wish there was a spicy option for the ramen that would’ve been a nice addition!

Z N

Stepping into Ujin, one is struck by the deliberate elegance of the setting—a thoughtfully curated interior that primes the diner for a memorable gastronomic journey. Despite my initial disappointment due to the absence of their acclaimed tsukemen, the choice I made instead proved to be serendipitous. Opting for the classic Tokyo shoyu ramen, I found it to be a revelation. Though more basic in nature, the quality was unmistakable. The noodles shone brightly, their freshness and the meticulous attention to detail in their preparation resonating in each bite—a culinary craftsmanship worthy of accolade. The broth was delicately balanced, flavorful yet refined, cradling the tender, charred chashu pork which infused the dish with a distinctive, smoky essence. While the pricing at Ujin is reasonable by local standards for a bowl of ramen, it’s a stretch to imagine paying the equivalent of 3000 yen for such a dish in Japan—highlighting a disparity in global culinary economics. This touch of realism aside, my experience has certainly laid the groundwork for a return visit. When I next cross Ujin’s threshold, should the tsukemen rise to the high standard set by their shoyu ramen, I will be ready to award that final, elusive star. Until then, the quest for culinary perfection continues.

Disappointing experience with the gyoza, they were served burnt to a crisp. We could only eat the inside, and I’m surprised the kitchen even sent them out. On the plus side, the noodles were fine. Given there were only two tables in the restaurant, I expected better care

Simon S

was excited to try Ujin, especially after hearing that they specialize in shoyu and shio ramen. Plenty of parking available and they offer outdoor and indoor seating. Unfortunately, the experience didn't live up to expectations, primarily due to the poor service. They served my partner's ramen to the wrong table, and her dish was missing for about five minutes. It was clear something had gone wrong, as we had ordered well before the party of three seated after us, yet they were served a single bowl of ramen at the same time my bowl arrived. The staff's confusion only made things worse, and no one addressed or acknowledged the mistake. As for the food, I ordered the classic Tokyo shoyu ramen. The broth, made with chicken, truffle and porcini, was surprisingly bland and lacked the depth I was hoping for. While the idea of truffle in the ramen sounded promising, the flavor didn't come through as expected. The chicken breast was dry and unappealing, though the chashu was a pleasant highlight, tender and flavorful. The bamboo shoots and truffle paste were fine, but they didn't do much to elevate the dish. I can't provide any feedback on the noodles since I was waiting for everyone to get their food before eating. My noodles were sitting in the soup for a while so unfortunately it got soggy by the time l started to eat. Hopefully, Ujin can improve their service and consistency, as there's definitely room for improvement in both.

I really don’t find joy in writing bad reviews, but I think writing an honest review about their ramen is important. I got the spicy mushroom chashu ramen, and the broth tasted like plain WATER, not a hint of salt in there, I even had my friend taste it just to make sure. Ofc I had to send it back, but the server and the chef seemed annoyed that I’m sending something back. Like I was confused too, how was this broth made for hours without anyone tasting it. I also understand that the server was by herself and they were a lot of customers so she was busy. But honestly I might not go back to this place. It’s good that for some they had a good experience.

It's a fairly famous ramen shop, but unfortunately the food wasn't as good as I expected. The service was also lacking. I don't know why it has so many five-star reviews. Maybe the service they provide is different from the service I received. The female server and the chef seemed to be in a relationship; they were chatting happily but didn't seem to be fulfilling their responsibilities or paying much attention at work. I wonder if this review will be deleted. Thankfully, I've already tried it and know I won't go back.