Daikokuya

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Yes, we know about the old standards and the new, the austere Tokyo-based chain with branches in local Japanese supermarkets, and the impeccably credentialed noodle czars. We've heard all the arguments about authenticity, and we've seen Tampopo too many times to count. But ramen, a noodle soup borrowed wholesale from the Chinese, is no more a traditional Japanese food than curry rice, California rolls or spaghetti doughnuts. And when the yen for ramen strikes, you'll usually find us at Daikokuya, decorated to look like a noodle shop set from a 1960s Imamura picture, where the broth is made from carefully simmered Kurobuta pork bones, the noodles have both snap and vigor, the gyoza are plump, and the condiment jars on each table are filled with pure, minced garlic. (Ask for your ramen “kotteri-style,” with extra-rich broth.) Some connoisseurs may try to tell you that affection for Daikokuya is a character defect, but that just means the line is that much shorter after a concert at Disney Hall just up the street. See full review.

Cuisine(s): Japanese

Hours: Mon-Thu 11am-12am, Sun 12pm-8pm, Fri-Sat 11am-1am

Price: $$
Payment Types: All Major Credit Cards, MasterCard, Visa, American Express

Features: Takeout

Serving: Dinner, Late Night, Lunch
Alcohol: Beer/Wine

Reservations: Accepted, Not Necessary

Parking: Lot Available, Street

2010 | Best Gyoza Your Japanese Mother Doesn't Make

I know many purists who will not order gyoza, serene in the conviction that any restaurant dumpling cannot compare to those they make (or their mothers make) in their own kitchens. But it would be a shame to forgo the gyoza at Daikokuya, that... More >
2009 | BEST RAMEN-INDUCED STEAMBATH

The best ramen, at the best price, at the latest hours in town is at Daikokuya. Justly regarded by L.A. cognoscenti (900 Yelp reviews = no longer a secret) as the perfect capper to a night of drinking, dancing and more drinking, a large bowl of... More >
2008 | Best Ramen

Yes, we know about the old standards and the new, the austere Tokyo-based chain with branches in local Japanese supermarkets, and the impeccably credentialed noodle czars. We like the options at Shin Sen Gumi, where you can dictate the firmness... More >

LA Weekly Reviews and News

Best Gyoza: Daikokuya

By Amy Scattergood | Fri, September 24, 2010

I know many purists who will not order gyoza, serene in the conviction that any restaurant dumpling can not compare to those they make (or their mothers make) in their own kitchens. But it wou More >
Lost in Tampopo

By Jonathan Gold | Thu, April 29, 2004

Photo by Anne Fishbein “THEN poke the pork.’’ There probably hasn’t been a review of a ramen restaurant in the last 18 years that hasn’t referenced the movie Tampopo, more or less The Passion of the Christ for people whose Stations of the Cross i... More >

User Reviews

1 User review

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laweeklybestof

| Wed, May 06, 2009

Yes, we know about the old standards and the new, the austere Tokyo-based chain with branches in local Japanese supermarkets, and the impeccably credentialed noodle czars. We like the options at Shin Sen Gumi, where you can dictate the firmness of your noodles and the pungency of your broth, and may insist upon second helpings at a nominal fee. We like to watch college kids blow out their stomach linings attempting to finish bowls of nuclear-spicy noodles at Orochon. We are even fond of the creaky Little Tokyo diner where we learned to eat ramen far too many years ago, even if the broth is dosed with enough MSG to cause heart palpitations in a moose. We've heard all the arguments about authenticity, and we've seen Tampopo too many times to count. But ramen, a noodle soup borrowed wholesale from the Chinese, is no more a traditional Japanese food than curry rice, California rolls or spaghetti doughnuts. And when the yen for ramen strikes, you'll usually find us at Daikokuya, a cheerfully fake '50s-style Little Tokyo noodle shop where the broth is made from carefully simmered kurobuta pork bones, the noodles have both snap and vigor, and the condiment jars on each table are filled with pure, minced garlic. The connoisseurs with sliced daikon between their ears will try to tell you that affection for Daikokuya is a character defect, but that just means the line is that much shorter after an opera at the nearby Music Center.�Jonathan Gold

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Main Menu

Appetizers

$5.95

gyoza
pan-fried pork and vegetable dumplings

$4.95

sausage
kurobuta (black pork) sausage

$5.95

sliced roast pork
seared kurobuta pork belly chashu with sweet glaze and green onions

$4.95

California Roll
a lo-cal favorite

$5.95

Spicy Tuna Roll
avocado and tuna rolled with a kick

$4.00

Tuna Roll
tuna sashimi rolled in the authentic hosomaki style

$3.00

cucumber roll
also known as kappa maki. vegetarian friendly

$8.95

Tuna Sashimi
raw tuna and radish shavings

$3.50

tsukemono
assorted pickles including takuwan radish with shiso leaf insert

$5.50

chicken teriyaki
forget the colonel. how chicken is done in little tokyo

$6.50

tonkatsu
our crunchy and juicy deep fried breaded pork cutlet

$5.95

fried spicy tuna
ground spicy tuna wrapped in a shiso leaf and deep fried in tempura batter

$7.50

tempura
the japanese deep fry formula with 3 pieces of shrimp and 4 pieces of vegetable

$3.50

boiled soy beans
edamame. beer's best friend

Specialties And Rice Bowls

$7.50

Fried Rice (chahan)
onions, green onions, egg, corn, imitation crab, and our chopped kurobuta pork with rice. comes with a side of miso soup

$7.25

Chow Mein (yakisoba)
sliced pork belly, vegetables and japanese style pan-fried noodles with yakisoba (bbq) sauce

$10.95

Tuna Sashimi Bowl (tekka-don)
slices of raw tuna over a bowl of sushi rice. served with miso soup and salad

$8.95

Tempura Bowl (ten-don)
3 pieces of shrimp tempura and 4 pieces of veggies over rice. served with miso soup and salad

$8.50

Shredded Pork Bowl (yakibuta-don)
our kurobuta pork belly grilled and served over rice with green onions pickled ginger and sweet glaze. served with miso soup and salad

$7.50

chicken teri bowl (teriyaki chicken-don)
our crispy teriyaki chicken over a bowl of rice. served with miso soup and salad

$8.50

pork cutlet bowl (katsu-don)
breaded in panko crumbs and deep fried pork cutlet cooked again with onion and egg in a soy sauce marinade. served with miso soup and salad

$7.95

chicken egg bowl (oyako-don)
chopped chicken leg cooked with egg and onion in a house soy sauce over a bowl of rice. served with miso soup and salad

$15.95

teriyaki eel bowl (unagi-don)
a generous portion of teriyaki eel over a bowl of rice. served with miso soup and salad

$12.95

salmon egg bowl (ikura-don)
a mound of salmon roe (egg) with a shiso leaf over a bowl of rice. served with miso soup and salad

specialty
For All Tonkotsu Fanatics: Ask For The Richer, Kotteri Flavor Which Uses Added Soup Extracted From The Back Fat.

$8.50

Daikoku Ramen
tonkotsu (pork bones) soup with our secret blended soy sauce, chijire style egg noodles, kurobuta pork belly chashu, marinated boiled egg, bamboo shoots, bean sprouts, green onions and sprinkle of sesame seeds

$8.95

Tsukemen
everything separated. cooled noodles, but hot broth. so this is a 'dipping style' daikoku ramen

$8.95

Kichimen
same dipping style as tsukemen not kimchi, name of person who created this amazing style is mr. kichi-san. the soup is a little bit spicy and a little bit sour

Bento Box
Please Select From The Following Choices. No Double Orders. Served With Rice, Miso Soup And Salad