Gokumi Ramen & Yakitori
Authentic Japanese-style grilled meats and noodle soups in an increasingly fun Santa Ana plaza
One of the maxims of present day restaurant marketing is that every restaurant needs to have a story – a clear, powerful narrative that connects with customers. If that’s true, Gokumi Ramen & Yakitori’s story would be a mystery novel: In 2022, this Japanese restaurant opened in Santa Ana with such a distinctively (modern) Japanese interior design and menu that it’s either a lone U.S. outpost of an established Japanese chain, or being run by people who know how to send all the right signals. Gokumi’s website and limited marketing offer no other clues.
Though it bills itself as an izakaya, Gokumi is considerably brighter and comfier inside than many old school Japanese drinking pubs. While it serves lunch on weekends, its yakitori menu is only available at night and heavy on chicken options. But there are a handful of vegetarian items, a few beef skewers, and several seafood choices.
Everything we tried – chicken hearts and thighs, fish cake and NY steak, mushrooms and quail eggs – was either good or pretty good. You can choose plain salt or a teriyaki-like glaze for most items, the latter typically better in our view. And if BBQ isn’t your thing, several different ramen variants are offered all day on weekends and on weekday nights, along with appetizers including some very good fried oysters.
Gokumi is literally steps away from 949 Grill and Pot Lounge, which specializes in northern Chinese skewers that are decidedly different in flavor (cumin/spicier) and more numerous in meat choices. Their proximity has made for a fun night sampling grilled meats at each place, contrasting the cuisines’ different approaches to flavoring and meat selection.
Stats
Price: $$-$$$
Service: Table
Open Since: 2022
Addresses
2 Hutton Centre Dr. Suite 203
Santa Ana, CA 92707
714.617.4540
Instagram: @gokumius