Hakata Ikkousha Ramen

Given review disparities between various voices online, we weren’t sure what we’d find when we visited Costa Mesa’s Hakata Ikkousha Ramen, the chain’s only remaining OC location after a Lake Forest outpost closed in 2020. Some people suggested that the noodles had changed, the portions were small, and so on – complaints that might or might not have been valid.

What we found in the same plaza as Izakaya Hachi and Uncle Tetsu’s Japanese Cheesecake (formerly also Okidoki and Dough & Arrow) was a really nice place with an interesting menu, friendly service, and quick delivery of dishes. But the complaints weren’t entirely unfounded.

The Black Devil – a mix of black garlic tonkotsu and “God Fire” spicy broths, an increasingly popular combination in local ramen shops – was truly a sight to behold, though the Miso Tonkotsu ramen was more of a standout on flavor. Their Spicy Karaage appetizer, while not intensely hot, was so outstandingly balanced in heat and umami that we would consider returning just to eat it again.

However, a bowl of the standard Black Tonkotsu ramen was sort of flat and less garlicky than expected, while the Black Devil looked better than it tasted, with one-note spice. We were also somewhat disappointed by the unremarkable thin noodles in both of these bowls, as well as the Hakata Gyoza, which were small and quickly became soggy.