I’m so glad these guys are still here, and are re-investing in their business. An expanded menu, new furniture and utensils, and awesome food make this place my go to for ramen again!
Kirstie B.
Évaluation du lieu : 4 Los Angeles, CA
THENICESTGUYSWORKHERE!!! The ramen is bomb, but really what is impressive is how nice everyone who works there is. Our server was sincerely and genuinely so nice. I dropped one chopstick in the middle of my meal, and without me even having to ask, our server was already on his way over with a fresh pair. Now that is attention to detail. Small spot in the 7 – 11 parking lot. Our server was so nice, gave us some suggestions, and brought us out both kinds of tea to try. The tea is complementary… so cool! Chicken karage was YUMMERS… fried nicely and paired with a nice dipping sauce. I had the tonkonsu and my hubby had the spicy miso. Really really good ramen! Adequate serving size and not too overwhelming with too many add-ons. The noodles were good, not too chewy, very fresh. The pork belly was well flavored, and the EGG! The infused egg was seriously amazing… I dont know how they make it or whats in it, but its so good!!! Ah, I want one now. My hubby is really not a ramen person, but even he was impressed with how good the food was. His spicy ramen was«perfect» not too weak and not overly spicy. Sometimes ramen broth can feel too rich, however this was really nicely made. Prices were very wallet friendly, and the service was superb! This is my new favorite ramen spot!
Russell L.
Évaluation du lieu : 4 New York, NY
Came on a Sunday afternoon. Only had to wait about 5 minutes. Not bad considering it’s a tiny tiny place. And downright great when you see the ridiculous line right next door at golden deli. Anyways, our food was good. Had the spicy tonkatsu while wife had the regular. Both were tasty but I thought the spicy was better. Liked the thicker noodles in the spicy broth too. Good spot for a quick lunch or dinner. Reasonably priced at ~$ 9/bowl. Will definitely come back.
Shiho A.
Évaluation du lieu : 5 Rosemead, CA
The BEST ramen place around LA! I have tried pretty much everything from their menu, but the Shoyu ramen and spicy miso ramen(you can choose from mild/medium/spicy) are my favorites! They have four kinds of ramen and all of them are very tasty. In addition, they have unique appetizers such as Yuzu potato salad and Takoyaki which has several choices of sauce. The restaurant is very small, but there are always so many customers. You might have to be in the line to have seat but it has worth to wait ;) I also wanna give 5 stars to their friendly severs and chefs!
Steven W.
Évaluation du lieu : 5 Anaheim, CA
A very small place with very little air conditioning but there’s parking. The service is stellar and friendly. She was on top of it. The ramen is simply amazing. I ordered the ramen separate from the pork broth and that dish was just flawless in my mouth. Such flavor and such satisfaction! Highly recommend this place for any ramen lovers. It is spectacular.
Ami L.
Évaluation du lieu : 5 Olathe, KS
Pleasantly surprised at the quality of the little ramen shop. They have 4 types of ramen(shoyu, tonkotsu, tsukemen, spicy miso) and each comes with different noodles and toppings that complements the broth. My tonkotsu(pork broth) ramen was on the spot — not too oily. flavorful but not heavy, and thin wheat noodles topped with a delicious soy-sauce injected egg with a runny yolk. They serve their ramen with 3 different«flavors» that can to your ramen to your personal preference as well. They don’t have a huge menu but its evident that they take pride in providing a great dining experience and delicious food. Like many others, I want to recognize the awesome Japanese server who was patient and attentive throughout our meal. I appreciated that he made an effort get to my dad’s eye-level to help my dad order as well. He made sure to offer the complimentary green or red tea and rice with our ramen. It was one of the best customer service I’ve had. Keep in mind that it is a small restaurant with no bathrooms but they take credit cards. Also, like many other Japanese restaurants, they close the restaurant between lunch and dinner service during the weekday.
Andrew T.
Évaluation du lieu : 5 Los Angeles, CA
Great service needs to be recognized! I had an awesome experience at Benten Ramen the other day and needed to write another review to give that much-coveted final 5⁄5 star! Their ramen game is still definitely on point, Tsukemen being my favorite here, and their complimentary teas, matcha green for me, doesn’t hurt, but I’ve learned to love this place, despite their lack of bathroom :(because the service is just absolutely amazing! It’s a sure sign of great management when such a small restaurant, with such good food, always has people dining in, but never too long of a wait. The service here is always on point as well, and it really touched my heart when I saw one of the waiters kneeling down to explain the ramen dishes to an elderly couple. 5⁄5 stars, Definitely my go-to ramen place, and so close to home!
Brian L.
Évaluation du lieu : 4 Monterey Park, CA
Their tsukemen is pretty good! Thick and chewy noodles, rich rich pork bone broth serving boiling hot, just what tsukemen needs. If you want to adjust your broth’s flavor, they come with soy sauce nori, bonito flakes, and red pepper. Their egg is runny yolk with soy sauce injected. Interesting approach, thou I like traditional way of marinating better. Chasiu is hit or pass here. I had some good pork belly here before, but last time was too lean and dry. I tried their tonkotsu ramen and spicy miso ramen too, decent. I still like their tsukemen better. Fried chicken karaage is crispy and juicy. One person serving size. Saw a lot of people ordered takoyaki. Will try next time. Btw, free iced green tea or rooibos tea here!
Lisa Y.
Évaluation du lieu : 4 Los Angeles, CA
Benten is my go-to place for tsukemen in the San Gabriel Valley area. During peak dining hours they’re not very good at turning over tables, so expect a wait. The dipping sauce for the tsukemen is rich and flavorful, although sometimes I feel like they’re a little stingy with the amount they give you. They do offer extra sauce for a nominal fee. They offer take-out which is very convenient if you don’t want to wait. The noodles and soup are packed separately so you don’t have to worry about the noodles getting over cooked. Be sure to call in or place your to-go order online so you lessen your wait time!
Selina Y.
Évaluation du lieu : 5 Alhambra, CA
A legit ramen place in SGV. Yes please! I’ve been here twice so far and I loved both times. A small place next to Golden Deli. I’ve only had the tonkotsu ramen since it’s my favorite kind anyways and theirs is on point. I like how it’s not oily, but full of flavor! Comes with pork/chasu, soft boiled injected egg, and cabbage :) a must try! Also, I have tried the yutzu potato salad and it’s really good, too! Comes with an injected egg as well. But just that fills you up, def gotta share it with others. The karage chicken is good too, but it’s such a small portion. It’s too good I want more! Haha thank you for not over frying it like some places :) And lime thyme drink is carbonated soda, thyme, lime, and I believe strawberry purée? Really refreshing and comes in a cute mug :) What’s cute is they have aprons for those who like to get down and dirty with their ramen
Jazmin K.
Évaluation du lieu : 5 San Marino, CA
This place is amazing! Food is amazing, service is amazing! I always get tonkotsu ramen. The noodles are cooked perfectly everything and the broth is not too fatty. I personally do not prefer the injected egg. I don’t like soft boiled eggs in general though so that’s the reason I alway get the hard boiled. BUT the flavor of the soft boiled is still delish, I just don’t care for the texture of soft boiled. My one complaint is that I wish the ramen would come with bamboo instead of cabbage, I feel like cabbage is such a cheap filler item and is so unnecessary. Besides the ramen, the main reason I’m always coming back to benten is for their awesome service. Every time I’m there the waiters seem to always be having a good time but are on top of their service too. I think that’s key to a fantastic restaurant: good food, great service & a good work environment. Happy workers, happy customers!
Dora H.
Évaluation du lieu : 4 Temple City, CA
My go to spot for tsukemen!(which seems to be the less popular choice for local ramen shops to feature on their menu) Honestly haven’t tried any of the other ramen on their menu, but I’ve heard good things about the spicy miso. They used to have a veggie ramen, but now I believe it’s a secret item, that is also limited in quantity. The tsukemen comes with an injected egg which I really like! Recently, they added a lime to the dish, which I think is a nice touch. I like that they give you complimentary teas, even though they seem to be a bit watered down. They also have bibs and hair ties!
David L.
Évaluation du lieu : 3 Los Angeles, CA
It’s always nice to try out a ramen place out here in San Gabriel, however Benten left me with mixed views. It’s next to the famous Golden Deli, and finding parking in that lot can be extremely difficult to find. It’s definitely a small ramen shop, so there was a wait when we came here. They had a very limited menu, so we decided to go with the Tonkotsu as it seemed like the safer choice. It came nicely prepared along with a little dish containing your assortment garnish. The ramen had a good amount of soup, but the brothe was on the saltier side for me. The egg was decent, and the pork meat was huge but it was a little dry. The ramen did not have that many toppings included aside from the egg and meat. I had to ask for some ginger on the side in order to give it an extra kick. I enjoyed the ramen here but the brothe was just too much for me. Something felt lacking when I had the Tonkotsu ramen here. I’ve had the Tonkotsu at Men Ohs in Little Tokyo numerous times so maybe my taste buds were biased. Service was quick and you get complimentary tea so that’s a plus. I would probably come back here again due to the conveniance that it’s located so close by to home, but there is definitely better ramen shops out there.
Vincent P.
Évaluation du lieu : 3 Alhambra, CA
Was in a ramen mood so here I am. Benten Ramen is located right next to Golden Deli in a plaza with many other businesses. The spot is quite small, seating about ~20 people. I got the mild spicy miso ramen and it was not bad. I enjoyed the thick egg noodles and liked the numerous pork slices. They serve green tea instead of water but it was pretty watered down. Each bowl of ramen came with three spices, but I had no idea what they were. Thus, just dump them into your broth if you want to, I guess! Overall, it’s a decent place to get your ramen fix. However, I definitely have other ramen spots around the area that I rank higher than Benten.
Eva L.
Évaluation du lieu : 4 Arcadia, CA
Another great ramen place in the 626 area! :D I love how they offer complimentary organic teas. They have the green tea and rooibos tea(tastes more herbally for me, I personally prefer the green tea). They do offer free refills so that’s a plus! For appetizer, we got the chicken karage was also delicious and juicy. A great appetizer as you wait for your food to arrive! I got the Tonkotsu ramen, which is served with delicious chashu! I love the injected egg that comes with it. The soy sauce tasted great with the soft runny yolk inside! So definitely be careful as you bite into it! Another great choice is the Tsukemen, which comes with a plate of noodles and a bowl of soup sauce that is used for you to dip your ramen noodles in. It also comes with chashu and an injected egg. Overall, the food here is delicious. Service is friendly. There’s decent parking. Credit cards accepted! Would definitely come here again.
Daisy K.
Évaluation du lieu : 4 Pasadena, CA
All the ramens are priced the same and makes it an easy ordering process. I got the spicy miso ramen and it had good flavor to it. However, I definitely did not think the broth was as rich as other ramen places, but for this area of town it will have to do. The noodles were great and I really enjoyed the texture of it. The soft boiled egg was good, although people were raving a lot about how amazing it was and I didn’t think it was that amazing. OK ramen option. Still prefer a handful of places in Little Tokyo and Sawtelle instead!
Drew C.
Évaluation du lieu : 3 Pasadena, CA
A decent place in SGV to get your ramen fix. I came here with a friend for a quick lunch. We put our name down on the list outside and were seated about 15 minutes later. They offer a free pitcher of iced green tea, which was a nice gesture. Feeling a bit hungry, I decided on the heartier tonkotsu ramen. It’s your typical ramen with the broth base from boiled pork bones. The broth was tasty and full of flavor without being overly oily/greasy. Their injected egg was very good as well. My only problem with my ramen was the rather small portion size of the chashu pork that they gave me; it was about the size of my thumb and I really wouldn’t have minded a bit bigger piece. My friend ordered the vegetarian ramen. I believe it’s not actually listed on their menu, but if you ask for it they will make it. It looked like your typical bowl of ramen but with slices of tofu substituted for the meat. She said she enjoyed it. In the end, it’s not a bad place to visit for a relatively quick meal. They have a stamp card program here, buy 10 bowls of ramen and get the 11th free. Thoughtful of them. They share a decently sized lot with Golden Deli and some other stores, but it can get bad during the lunch and dinner rush.
Bijou N.
Évaluation du lieu : 4 Los Angeles, CA
My boyfriend was craving ramen so we came here after checking out some of the Unilocal reviews! It’s a pretty small store but it was pretty full. We were seated without having to wait and given complimentary tea(the rubios tea). I’m not a huge tea fan so I asked for water but if you like tea it might be good! My boyfriend got the Shoyu ramen and I ordered the Tonkotsu. We ordered an extra topping of veggies on the side($ 1.50) which included corn and cabbage and bean sprouts. My soup was pretty good-rich and thick and pork-flavored. The Shoyu was lighter and I think I actually enjoyed it more. Both were good though! It came out to around $ 27 for the both of us. Not a huge ramen person so not sure I’ll be back but it’s a good place to check out if that’s what you’re looking for. Decent service and good ramen :)
Hanning X.
Évaluation du lieu : 4 Westwood, Los Angeles, CA
I might just give 4 stars for the injected egg itself. That egg totally carried this review, no joke. Located right next to Golden Deli(Yes, I know you’ve probably heard of that place), Benten Ramen is a fairly decent ramen place down in that area of the SGV. I generally don’t think that there are many good ramen places to go to there, but this place is alright. They provide free tea! What more needs to be said about the service? We went on a weekend night, so it was really crowded when we got there. We ended up waiting around 45 minutes to get a table(but the golden deli line was just as long). By then, we were starving so we got sucked into the appetizer trap. Along with that, we also ordered extra noodles with our ramen(which you probably shouldn’t do unless you really are asking to stuff yourself). The karaage, or fried chicken, was decent, but just not worth the money. It’s practically a dollar for each piece if you think about it. The ramen itself was also fairly decent. Nothing too notable compared to other good ramen places. However, the star of the show was actually the injected egg, which comes with the tonkatsu! If you don’t have one of these when you go, then you are really missing out. I love the soft boiled eggs that they serve at these types of ramen shops, but the injected egg here has an insanely refreshing texture inside, with a mix of soy sauce and liquefied yolk enveloping the palate. It’s a soft boiled egg done right. I would come just for this egg. Point is, get the injected egg.
Julie T.
Évaluation du lieu : 4 Orange, CA
This is my one of my boyfriend’s favorite ramen places. He comes here and gets the spicy miso ramen and I usually get the regular tonkotsu ramen. They give you a punch card for if you buy 10 bowls of ramen you get 1 free. I have yet to come on a busy night, but I really like how they give you free tea and they aren’t stingy with it either! The menu is very small and there isn’t a huge selection. They don’t really have many appetizers which is why I don’t come here often. I like enjoying my meal with a side or appetizer just to have a little variety. If the menu was more extensive, I’d probably be a regular here but until then, I’ll come here whenever my boyfriend requests & am in the area. The décor inside reminds me as if I’m in a classroom with chalkboard menus.