GONZO in Carlsbad

Had a great experience here. The environment is top notch and is reminiscent of a Japan noodle house. The ramen was delicious and tasted extremely fresh (especially the noodles)! The chashu was tender and came in a generous portion. The karaage was light and crispy, reminding us of something homemade. The owner also went around to make sure everyone was taken care of. Would definitely come back!

This was a great ramen restaurant! It had a lively atmosphere and flavors of what I remembered from Japan. I lived in Japan for 7 years being in the military and this place lives up to it! Food was fresh and cooked to perfection and service was excellent. Found out when I got there that it’s also a military veteran family owned restaurant and were really cool people. Will definitely be back again. Thanks!

We just moved back from Japan and miss Japanese food already so we went to eat at GONZO.Wow. Amazing! I love the atmosphere its very Japanese and all the food we ate were definitely authentic.There is a Gonzo shop next to it and it has Japanese snacks, drinks and claw machines! Oh it was fun n cute.We will definitely be going back!!

Excellent all around. Black Ramen was abso-fuc****-lutely fire. Tonkatau base was balanced perfectly. Super friendly and attentive staff. From what we were told it’s a close-knit family owned/operated business. Definitely our choice in north county for ramen.

This place serves outstanding dishes!! We ordered two things from the menu and they were both amazing!We had the ramen Black bowl and the chicken Kraage bowl. I can’t even explain it but they were both so good I did not want to share!!!! You know when you take a bite and just hum quietly or even say mmmmmm!!!! That’s what I did after each savory bite. The food was absolutely delicious!I also noticed other dishes served around me and wanted to try every single one! We will be back over and over again!

I recently savored the Gonzo Black ramen, and it absolutely hit the spot! Alongside that, I had the pleasure of trying the crunchy and delightful cucumber salad.Gonzo Ramen offers a blend of indoor and outdoor seating, catering to families and dog owners alike. Situated in Carlsbad Village, its surrounded by a plethora of activities perfect for enjoying with loved ones - and its pet-friendly too!The staff was amiable and efficient, which was a huge plus considering the bustling atmosphere during our visit with a group of six. Their attentiveness to dietary needs was commendable, offering options for gluten-free and vegan preferences.Moreover, their range of beverages nicely complemented the meal.In summary, Gonzo Ramen is a great choice for a deeply satisfying bowl of ramen, coupled with perks like swift service and accommodating dietary options.

Nice casual setting surrounded by the vibes of Carlsbad. We had three Ramen bowls. The black was garlicky and yummy. The tonkatsu was lighter miso broth with hints of ginger. And finally, the red was spicy with a thick hardy and cream like silky texture. 3 yummy bowls eaten and definitely a must try for Ramen enthusiasts.

Great service but mediocre ramen. My family and I tried the Gonzo black, green, and kids ramen. Started with the perfect tasty crunchy juicy chicken karage. Followed by our ramen which all came out fairly quickly. Presentation was spot on however the ramen broth was not piping hot and more on the lukewarm side. The broth from the Gonzo black was ok. Kinda watered down; maybe cause of the temperature of the soup base. The Gonzo green was good but again lukewarm broth and cold toppings. Super friendly fast service but the ramen here is just ok. Love the Japanese decor as well as the different drinks and snacks offered. Will give it another try if in the area.

🍜 Food (the most important part!) and drinks:BEST RAMEN we’ve ever had! 😋 We luckily have the opportunity to try ramen in every city we travel to and Gonzo by far has the most authentic and delicious ramen with very tender pork that melts in your mouth.Their broth is rich and felt like a nice warm hug in the stomach too. Ramen was fresh and had great texture. We couldn’t believe how good it was honestly because a lot of other ramen restaurants taste similar to each other but you can tell the Gonzo chefs really care about their craft and want you to enjoy every single bite. We felt transported to Japan while also enjoying the San Diego weather!We got the Gonzo Black (wow!) and the Miso Ramen (comforting). I could eat the Gonzo Black every week!The garlic chili crisp oil on the side was sooooooo tasty. I’m sensitive to spicy stuff like salsa but WOW this was delicious af. Complex, smoky, right amount of garlic with chili. I dream of that sauce randomly haha. Definitely get this when you go there!Their kimchi was also SO DELICIOUS. We had to order more to eat at home. 😋Their variety of drinks blew us away! Ended up getting 3 drinks for 2 people lol. And got some treats to take home!👥 People:It’s a family run place, which is wonderful! Mika and Justin were so kind and personable – they are joy in human form. Friendly and warm customer service.🏮Environment:Chill vibes and warm atmosphere that reminds me of a Japanese izakaya. Great music and the Japanese decor is wonderful. Seating was comfortable and we sat outside beside the patio heaters. You order at the counter then get a table. They brought out our food pretty quickly! We saw a few families with young kiddos sitting inside so it seems kid-friendly too.🚙 Parking:Lots of shared parking with other establishments at this shopping center.⭐️ TL;DR:HIGHLY recommend Gonzo for all of your Japanese food cravings. If you love food, then add Gonzo to your must visit list! If we lived closer, we would go often.

Amazing Ramen and probably my favorite in North county!Both the black and red ramen are dangerously delicious.Takoyaki (fried battered octopus balls), edamame are great to share.