Kitakata Ramen Ban Nai - Torrance in Torrance

Yes, the Kitakata ramen is really good, the broth is clear and delicious, the chashu has a good level of crunch, if not a tad too salty, and then noodles were unexpectedly different and good! But the real star, to me, is the fried chicken! I know!? Crunchy, flavorful dark meat, with the bones already removed! You really need to try it!

HONEST REVIEW! (Overall good for sure)This is a new place that opened right next to H Mart. I personally and absolutely love noodle soup dishes. So I will be as detailed as possible.1. Customer ServiceThe important part that I review the most is of course customer service. And yes, they are definitely kind and attentive! And not too caring either (you know one of those place with people walking up to you every 5 minutes while you are eating).2. MenuMany of good places have fewer menu options. And this place had concise, straight forward, fewer ramen options, which doesnt overwhelm you. I really like their lunch special combo. They have two pieces of chicken or gyoza or chashu bowl with any ramen. Their sides looked promising to the point where you could actually bring your toddler for their own small meal :)3. PortionI am a heavy eater. To give you a perspective, at Saigon Bistro (Western & Carson), I can clear even broth XL pho + extra noodle without any issue. Their large portion was too much even for me! Id say stay with regular.4. TasteThe last but not least, taste. Noodle was excellent. I was so used to Hakata Ikkousha noodle and that this places noodle was definitely refreshing, and to be honest better than Hakata!Broth gave me mixed feelings. Overall feeling and richness were very nice. I ordered Spicy Miso (extra spicy) and my wife ordered Umakara Tan Tan Ramen. We both thought that their soup was too salty and the server kindly offered plain broth when I asked for hot water (it tells you that we were not the first customer to request the same). To my surprise, their pork broth was AMAZING just by itself. After mixing the broth, saltiness died out but came back again. Later we realized that meats were the culprit. Meat was cooked really well but I think they were marinated too salty. Next time, I would love to try either clear broth ramen or veggie ramen!Overall Take1. Will definitely come back. Per one of servers recommendation, I would love to try clear both ramen or veggie ramen.2. They should really consider toning down on their meat for saltiness. This is especially since they opened next to H Mart and will draw a lot of Korean customers who like their food rich and spicy.3. Its so happy to know that there is another great ramen place that opened in Torrance! :D4. Do not order large size unless you havent eaten for 2 days.5. Definitely go for lunch special if you are eating lunch. (But be respectful and dont share 1 lunch special with 2 or more people).

Excellent ramen, worth the 1+ hour wait! This quaint restaurant had very friendly and courteous staff and the noodles, gyoza and fried chicken were excellent, we will return!!! Great addition to SoCal!

We were looking forward for this Ramen place for a while. Tried It the the day after it grand opening. Ramen was delicious! The spicy Green chile Ramen has a kick!

This is a new Japanese ramen restaurant located in the opposite of H Mart. The noodle is special and soft in texture.

Our first time here and it was their grand opening! We got there right when it opened so we didnt have to wait long. There was a crowd when we left. They have counter seats and tables. I had their regular Kitakata ramen and chasu bowl and my husband had the large chasu ramen. The broth was light and savory. The noodles are different from what Im used to, but I loved it! Chasu ramen had plenty of chasu slices that were flavorful. The chasu bowl over rice had some chili oil/flakes in it, just a precaution if I were to order it for my kids. We also ordered their Japanese curry to go for dinner!We will be back for sure!

Truly professional yet very friendly service. Well-trained young servers and chefs all knew their precise roles, and performed flawlessly but without hurry. Almost seemed choreographed! Delicious lighter broth and lovely taste. Sinfully tasty pork and beware addictive fried chicken. If you’re dieting, bring a hearty portion of self-restraint!

Food is so good! The juicy fried chicken is the best Ive had in the area. They use dark meat and a tempura style batter, so good. Not a fan of mayo, wish they would add another type of sauce but the chicken is so good its ok with one.

I’ve come here twice now; both visits within a week and it’s just so good!I’m vegetarian so it’s just refreshing to find a place that offers a vegan option that is flavorful and delicious. It’s a vegan miso that is water based versus pork based- heck yes!!! It has vegetables such as cabbage, spinach, carrots, drizzled with a little sesame oil, as well as big pieces of tofu. I like adding one of their eggs too.The first time I came- I got it as is but with an egg and this time around I got my usual but asked for the spicy miso too. Great addition that has some heat, but the vegan miso ramen is so good on its own that it doesn’t even really need it unless you want it. They also have chili oil at each table and other condiments.It’s very clean inside. You scan the menu with your phone and it’s a cashless establishment that accepts cards and mobile pay too.Everyone greets you when you enter and exit and they are very nice as well.Not only do I enjoy the broth, I really like the noodles. They aren’t the “normal” ramen noodles I’m used to having, but something about them is nostalgic to me. They have curves to them and honestly remind me of instant ramen noodles but in the best way possible and 100X better. It’s the nostalgic aspect that makes any meal better.I’ll definitely be coming back here and love seeing what others eat since I don’t eat meat but everyone seems to enjoy their ramen. Good spot!

Legit ramen. Kitakata is the name of the region in Japan where the most ramen shops and this chain is one of the most popular in that region.Original broth was delicious! Full of deep flavor and also not overly oily, which I feel like a lot of the more popular ramen shops in LA do.Noodles were chewy, handpulled and have a little curl to them. very nice! friendly staff.