Toribashi

Matt Luca

The food was very filling and tasted good. I'm not the biggest fan of Tonkatsu and would've liked if they had a chicken option but nonetheless, the broth was smooth and very flavorful. The service was great however you needed to order at a kiosk which for first timers is not ideal. Atmosphere was nice and vibey.

Kyle Waters

Stopped here for dinner, and the food met my expectations. Very good, and didn't have to wait more than 10 minutes for the food to arrive. The only knock I have against the restaurant is the size, although I have been to many ramen spots on both coasts, and they all seem to thrive on the intimacy of their restaurants. It still gets 5 stars, though. If I am ever back in Monterey, I will definitely return!

Kailah O'Brien

One of the few ramen places in Monterey. Its super tasty and definitely worth a try.They serve food pretty quickly and everyone here is nice.

Thaddeus Volk

I'm a big fan of the spicy tonkotsu ramen. I also liked the spicy shio ramen. Both broths are rich and flavorful. If I have to say a negative, I like my eggs a bit more runny in the yoke. Also, the ordering process can be a bit confusing for a first timer.

Callie Brinkman

Is a small little place with plenty of seating. You order at an iPad and a server brings you your meal. I got the vegetarian Miso Ramen and it was so delicious. If I lived in the area I would definitely eat here often. Would highly recommend I am sure their other options are just as delicious.

Christina Jain

Love this place for ramen!!! The food is delicious and it's easy to order from the self serve screens where you can look at the photos. Food comes out relatively quickly, which is nice for kiddos, and the atmosphere reminds me of Japan. The rice bowl portions are HUGE and our kids happily devoured it.

Joselle Marie GUERRERO

I really love their paitan ramen. The broth has a rich umami flavor that is not too salty and not too bland. I would also like to commend their customer service. They heard us talking about getting a high chair for our baby and prepared it for us without us asking. They also provide an improvised pillow back rest for our baby since the high chair is for big babies (tho our baby can sit unassisted, she is just on the smaller side)

Solid spot for a quick meal! You order through a self-serve kiosk, and the staff is super helpful if you need anything. They have a wide range of vegetarian options, which is a huge plus. We tried the Creamy Vegetarian and Miso Ramen, both had nice flavors and good-sized portions. The broth is standard and doesn't have any heat, so I definitely recommend adding the spicy sauce (extra cost) to give it a kick.

Conveniently located on the main street of Old Monterey, an easy walking distance from our hotel and nearby tourist attractions. Touchscreen ordering was easy and the self-serve water station reminded me of ramen shops in Japan. The paitan was really smooth and mildly flavored, and my main complaint is that it wasn't served piping hot. To drive it home, the yolk of the flavored egg was cold. The garlic chips were a nice touch in addition to the oil, and there was good variety in the toppings. Loved the wavy noodles and soft chashu.

Enjoyed a meal at Toribashi and tried the TONKATSU-Spicy Ramen and vegan ramen. Both dishes had good flavors, though slightly subtle. The ambience was relaxed, making it a comfortable spot for a casual meal. Overall, a pleasant experience! They do have a lot of vegan & vegetarian options.

Toribashi Japanese Restaurant has a fantastic atmosphere that really sets the mood for an enjoyable dining experience. The decor is stylish, and the ambiance is warm and inviting, making it a great spot to sit down and enjoy a meal. The food was absolutely delicious. I ordered the Tonkatsu Ramen and Chicken Karaage, and both dishes were outstanding. The ramen had a rich, flavorful broth with perfectly cooked noodles and tender, crispy pork. The Chicken Karaage was crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside, and seasoned just right. However, the service was a bit slow. It took longer than expected to receive my order, and they forgot to bring my drink with my meal, which was disappointing. I had to remind the server, and while they did correct it, the delay took away from the experience. Overall, the food and atmosphere make Toribashi worth visiting, but the service could use some improvement. I’d definitely come back, hoping for a smoother experience next time. 4 stars.

Dan Pencoske

Conveniently located on the main street of Old Monterey, an easy walking distance from our hotel and nearby tourist attractions. Touchscreen ordering was easy and the self-serve water station reminded me of ramen shops in Japan. The paitan was really smooth and mildly flavored, and my main complaint is that it wasn't served piping hot. To drive it home, the yolk of the flavored egg was cold. The garlic chips were a nice touch in addition to the oil, and there was good variety in the toppings. Loved the wavy noodles and soft chashu.

Steven Funderburk

Toribashi Japanese Restaurant has a fantastic atmosphere that really sets the mood for an enjoyable dining experience. The decor is stylish, and the ambiance is warm and inviting, making it a great spot to sit down and enjoy a meal. The food was absolutely delicious. I ordered the Tonkatsu Ramen and Chicken Karaage, and both dishes were outstanding. The ramen had a rich, flavorful broth with perfectly cooked noodles and tender, crispy pork. The Chicken Karaage was crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside, and seasoned just right. However, the service was a bit slow. It took longer than expected to receive my order, and they forgot to bring my drink with my meal, which was disappointing. I had to remind the server, and while they did correct it, the delay took away from the experience. Overall, the food and atmosphere make Toribashi worth visiting, but the service could use some improvement. I’d definitely come back, hoping for a smoother experience next time. 4 stars.

yashodhan sawant

Enjoyed a meal at Toribashi and tried the TONKATSU-Spicy Ramen and vegan ramen. Both dishes had good flavors, though slightly subtle. The ambience was relaxed, making it a comfortable spot for a casual meal. Overall, a pleasant experience! They do have a lot of vegan & vegetarian options.

Kenzie Cannon

Authentic tasting, in and out atmosphere, order on iPads and get your own drink. This place is a solid and great for locals to enjoy ramen. Not the place to go for an experience or unique flavors. This is your everyday ramen stop.

Decent place to get some Japanese ramen. Our noodles were not steamy hot as preferred. Average portion on the small size. Quick self ordering service …

A popular spot, so we had to twiddle our thumbs for about 20-30 minutes before placing our order. Heads up—only cards are welcome here! I went for the spicy ramen, and while the broth had some kick, the brother (meat) was a tad overdone. The spice level was there, but not quite the fiery adventure I was expecting—maybe it’s dialed down to cater to more sensitive palates? Egg was the star of the show. All in all, it was a decent experience, but I’m not sure I’d rush back for another round.

Three stars only for the food. Good service for a small place and nice clean area. Food was at par with instant noodles. Not bad but probably won’t go back for the taste. Nice people. For a quick bite when you have nothing else to eat I recommend it, but for a true Japanese ramen taste this wasn’t it.

ThanhHa H.

Decent place to get some Japanese ramen. Our noodles were not steamy hot as preferred. Average portion on the small size. Quick self ordering service …

shela thao

A popular spot, so we had to twiddle our thumbs for about 20-30 minutes before placing our order. Heads up—only cards are welcome here! I went for the spicy ramen, and while the broth had some kick, the brother (meat) was a tad overdone. The spice level was there, but not quite the fiery adventure I was expecting—maybe it’s dialed down to cater to more sensitive palates? Egg was the star of the show. All in all, it was a decent experience, but I’m not sure I’d rush back for another round.

Rod Kim

Three stars only for the food. Good service for a small place and nice clean area. Food was at par with instant noodles. Not bad but probably won’t go back for the taste. Nice people. For a quick bite when you have nothing else to eat I recommend it, but for a true Japanese ramen taste this wasn’t it.

Stars are only due to the food, staff was great. First bite of my Tonkotsu ramen was very underwhelming and plain. I was able to enjoy it after adding chili powder, salt and chili oil however my partners Spicy Tonkatsu was not salvageable and her ramen was just very watery. Wouldnt recommend as it made my least favorite ramen spot in my hometown seem amazing compared to this.

It’s OK. Broth lacked the depth of flavor and richness that I expect from ramen. The pork was rather uninspiring. If you just need a warm bowl of soup this will work but if looking for the richness a bowl of ramen can provide this isn’t it. Chicken karaage was very tasty.

Average food, nice atmosphere, but overpriced We visited Toribashi recently, and overall I’d describe it as an average experience. The atmosphere inside is cozy, and the location is convenient. You can choose your own table, which is nice, but there’s no greeting or hostess, and the service is very minimal. They also charge tips upfront, which felt unusual given the level of service. The ramen and soups were quite average—nothing special—and considering the quality, the prices felt a bit too high. It seems similar to many places of this type across the U.S., where the flavors don’t quite stand out. In short: pleasant environment, but average food and low-level service at a higher price point.

Emil

Average food, nice atmosphere, but overpriced We visited Toribashi recently, and overall I’d describe it as an average experience. The atmosphere inside is cozy, and the location is convenient. You can choose your own table, which is nice, but there’s no greeting or hostess, and the service is very minimal. They also charge tips upfront, which felt unusual given the level of service. The ramen and soups were quite average—nothing special—and considering the quality, the prices felt a bit too high. It seems similar to many places of this type across the U.S., where the flavors don’t quite stand out. In short: pleasant environment, but average food and low-level service at a higher price point.

Sunday night, June 2025 During our visit, we tried Shoyu and the Vegetarian Creamy, which was pretty salty. The two of us were so hungry we ate it; however, it wasn’t the best. Staff was friendly. The music was loud, so we made it a quick stop.

Price is outdated in google. Ramen is about 20 dollars with extra add ons for 5 dollars to 6 dollars each. No garlic options, ramen has no customization when ordering. The spicy tonkotsu broth just tasted spicy no collagen rich taste at all that you get with that type of broth.

Kevin Zhao

Not a single bite of the food was eaten with passion and vigor. My ramen was a 3/10. There were 4 of us. Here's what we said: "Food was bad. Broth was akin to water." -regular shio ramen. For a dish named salt ramen, they seemed to have forgotten the salt. "There was flavor here and there" -chicken noodles bowl "Strictly below mediocre"-me, with regular tonkotsu. Broth had very little flavor. "Not bad, but probably because I'm hungry"-spicing tonkotsu. Spicy covers everything up. If you're local, maybe it's not bad. Out of town tourists should probably stay away from their noodle dishes.

bbs

Sunday night, June 2025 During our visit, we tried Shoyu and the Vegetarian Creamy, which was pretty salty. The two of us were so hungry we ate it; however, it wasn’t the best. Staff was friendly. The music was loud, so we made it a quick stop.

Jennifer Vital

The guys in the kitchen are the most entitled. I had the weirdest experience this afternoon. I ordered ramen with no sautéed onions and it came with onions. I tried to send it back and then watched the cook pick out the little onions and try and give it back to me with onions very much still there. I asked for a new one and the server said the kitchen said no. That he would be able to refund me my Money and I would have to place the same exact order because the kitchen was refusing to remake my food - eventhough the mess up was on the part of the kitchen. It was my first time here and I will definitely not return. The server was so sweet but the situation was just so weird. I had to re order and repay for my meal