Kyu

Came to visit friends in Arcadia, and for dinner we decided to try this ramen spot in Arcadia that opened last year. The first thing we noticed when walking in was TBaar, a boba tea shop 🧋. The ramen restaurant is located right next door inside the same space. What surprised me was that their menu includes Taiwanese-style gua bao and popcorn chicken! It feels like an Asian fusion concept created with the American market in mind. This is currently their only location in California, with another location in Las Vegas. Most of their other locations are on the East Coast and in Illinois. The interior is definitely unique, with large lanterns 🏮, archways, honeycomb-style seating, individual dining areas, and lots of decorative details throughout the space. Luckily, we arrived before 6 PM and got seated right away. Not long after we sat down, a crowd started coming in and there was already a line forming. After looking through the menu for a while, we decided to order: 🍜 #1 Tokyo Tonkotsu Shoyu Ramen (Black Garlic) $17.99 (They mentioned this one has sold over 500,000 bowls nationwide.) My husband ordered this one and tried all the broths. He thought this had the best flavor overall. 🍜 #3 Mega Ramen (Tempura) $19.99 The garlic flavor was quite strong in this broth. 🍜 #2 Braised Pork Belly Ramen $18.99 (This was one of their featured menu items in 2024.) This was my choice. The noodles were generous, and the pork belly was so dark in color that it almost looked like beef. We actually had to double-check that it was pork! 🍜 #6 Spicy Tonkotsu Ramen $18.99 (This is one of their most popular choices in New York.) It does have a noticeable level of spice, so if you can only handle a little heat, this one might not be the best choice. Side dishes: 🥟 Gua Bao (2 pcs) $9.49 🍗 Popcorn Chicken (3 orders) $26.97 🥟 Pan-fried Dumplings $8.99 🍟 Japanese Fries (2 orders) $15.98 🍓 Strawberry Banana Smoothie $6 One fun detail: the bottom of each ramen bowl has a message showing either a prize or a “thank you for visiting.” Out of our four bowls, one came with a dessert coupon, but it can only be used on a future visit. Overall, the ramen was pretty good and the presentation was fun. The only downside was that my mouth felt quite dry afterward, probably because the broth was on the heavier side. 📍 Kyuramen x TBaar - Arcadia 7 Las Tunas Dr Suite B, Arcadia, CA 91007

A fairly new ramen spot in the 626, located at the corner of W. Live Oak Ave. and S. Santa Anita Ave. There's a Paris Baguette next to it, and it's in a small strip mall with a few empty storefronts across from it. There is also a private parking lot for the plaza, which makes parking convenient. I had been seeing a lot of posts about this place on Instagram and social media over the past few months, and I also noticed they were participating in DineLA. A few days ago, while searching for a new dinner spot in the SGV, I remembered this place and looked them up on Google. On the evening of dinner, I arrived around 5:00 PM, and a few tables were already filled. I met up with my friend at 5:30 PM, and the server greeted us warmly and seated us in one of the cute dining booths. There was even a bell at the booth, which made it easy to get the server's attention if we needed help. They offer several ramen options, all of which looked very appealing. They also have other items such as yakitori, popcorn chicken, desserts, drinks, and alcoholic beverages. Both of us ordered the yin-yang ramen, which includes two of their signature ramen styles: one non-spicy and one spicy. The spicy one was not as mild as the server described, especially since I do not handle spicy food very well. Still, the noodles and broth were both very good. I also ordered the beef and scallop yakitori, a yuzu soda, and all three of their desserts. Overall, the food was excellent. I would rate everything around an 85 to 90 out of 100, including the excellent service and creative interior design. They also have a boba shop on the right side of the restaurant when you walk in, which is a nice bonus.

Overall, the experience was just okay and a bit underwhelming. The biggest disappointment was the ramen itself. The flavor felt off compared to what I’m used to, and it didn’t really hit the mark. We also had an issue with customization, when we asked for the egg to be well done, the server refused and insisted it would cook in the broth, which it didn’t. It came out runny, which wasn’t what we wanted. That said, the appetizers were a highlight. The crispy chili wings were excellent, definitely the best thing we ordered. The deep fried dumplings were also very good. The squid was decent but a bit bland. Overall, the food did seem fresh. Service was average, but there was a frustrating miscommunication around the happy hour menu that felt a bit misleading and resulted in a higher than expected bill. The atmosphere was easily the standout. The seating was unique we were placed in an elevated, honeycomb style area that gave a great view. The decor throughout the restaurant was impressive and added a lot to the experience. The drinks were also well done, and I liked that there’s a separate area where you can just stop in for a drink. If I come back, it would likely be for the appetizers and drinks rather than the ramen, which is disappointing for a ramen spot.

I enjoy coming out here for brunch omurice with pork tonkotsu with demi glace. This is one of my favorite thing to get here besides their black ramen. They make it perfect and the flavor is on point!! It's absolutely delicious with curry sauce or demi glace, but maybe the demi glace is a bit tastier. And you get a choice of lemonade or thai iced tea with the omurice set combo. It's the $25 set, everything always consistently comes out delicious!! Thanks to the chef that prepared the delicious omurice and pork tonkotsu. The tonkotsu is crispy and light outside and tasty and juicy inside. I fully enjoymy meal each and every time. Another favorite is their black garlic ramen. Very tasty. 5 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 stars for the beautiful ambiance and excellent omurice and nice server!! Highly recommended for authentic Japanese food!! My server, Bryant was super nice to let me sit in their comfortable honeycomb booth. The view is absolutely beautiful, as if you were in Japan without the airfare. Service is exceptional!! 5 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 stars for great service and fantastic foods!!