5 Ramen Restaurants in Santa Monica, CA

Finding Great Ramen in Santa Monica, California

Whenever I am hunting for a bowl in Santa Monica, I start with the list above — it shows every ramen spot I can find near Santa Monica, CA, and you can tap "Show distance from me" or switch to the map to sort by distance so the closest bowl is right at the top. Right now I am tracking 5 ramen spots in and around Santa Monica, so there is plenty to work with.

If you just want my quick steer, Kai Ramen Santa Monica is the highest-rated ramen in Santa Monica right now at 4.6 stars, with Sushi Kanpai Santa Monica close behind. That said, I always check a couple of listings myself — skim the recent reviews and the photos, since the bowl that looks carefully made usually is.

How I pick a ramen spot in Santa Monica

My rule of thumb is to favor shops that focus on one or two broths and do them obsessively well, and to trust a strong rating that holds up across a lot of reviews over a perfect score from only a handful. Then I match the bowl to the moment — something rich and creamy when it is cold out, something light and clean for lunch. You can do the same right on the map: filter by broth style like tonkotsu, miso, shoyu, or shio, then layer on what matters that day.

Narrowing down what you are craving

Some nights I just need a bowl that is open this minute; other times I am planning ahead. The filters handle both. In Santa Monica you can jump straight to ramen open now, ramen open late, spicy ramen, vegan ramen, or the top-rated ramen near you. If you are driving in, the "Free Parking" and "Delivers" filters save a lot of hassle too.

When you have exhausted Santa Monica, it is easy to keep going — explore all ramen restaurants in California or browse every city and state in the directory.

Frequently Asked Questions