Nishiki Ramen

Great Place and ambient! They change menu frequently and added menu are off the hook!

Dude. DUUUDE. Yamadaya you now have competition. Since when did San Diego finally have sooo many DELICIOUS ramen places to choose from all of a sudden! I welcome our Japanese Ramen Overlords. Tajima, Yamadaya, Nishiki; amongst others. all have their reasons why they’re awesome.
Yamadaya was my goto place for Ramen.
I love spicy ramen. You have no idea… I love ramen that makes me sweat and greets me again the next day during break time in the … (TMI).
And their ultra spicy ramen delivers in spades. Add their egg with it!
Also, their rewards system is straight forward and gives me extra incentive to create black holes in my wallet for my ramen fix. (ok it’s not that expensive for an evening out; but eating out 365 days a year… you get the idea).

Ramen is probably one of my favorite foods and since this place was new I had to try it. I Must admit that I didn’t have very high expectations going into try this restaurant. I didn’t hear great reviews when it first opened but it seems like they have made some changes since it opened.
Ordered the black nishiki ramen which seemed to be popular. I’ve had this at other ramen places that weren’t so great and was pleased that this didn’t seem as oily as I expected it to be. I love ramen broth and I ended up eating all of it. The noodles which they make themselves are also good. They are more firm which I actually prefer. The pork slices are pretty big and not that thin compared to other places. The soft boiled egg has a runny yolk which I’m not used to, but it was good. Ask for some togarashi chill powder if you want more spice.
Service: excellent. I came earlier than my friend and multiple people asked me if I wanted to order anything and made sure my water was always full. What was also kind of nice is that the waiters and waitresses pronounce Japanese words well even though they are not Japanese.
I was pleasantly surprised by this ramen place esp bc I don’t think sd has very many good ramen options. My favorite is sanotouka right across the parking lot in Mitsua and to say that I would enjoy going to either is a big thing! I would come back to try other ramens. Only downside is that it is pricey for ramen.

This is good ramen. Broth was lovely, meat was tender, egg had a goey yolk. I’ll be back.
I had the black (garlic) ramen, it was good but needed a bit of hot sauce to my taste.

After going to Japan this summer, ramen in America just hasn’t been the same. However, Nishiki tasted just like the real deal. I had the black garlic ramen, and the broth was so good, light and flavorful with the perfect amount of garlic. The noodles were thin and chewy, the two pieces of pork were huge, and all the toppings added to the flavor and texture of the whole dish. I didn’t like the egg quite as much, but I did like that it was soft boiled so I didn’t have to worry about removing the solid egg yolk (I’m a very picky eater oops).
Portion size was quite filling, and our server was very attentive, coming by to refill our waters and check up on us. Another plus is that it is located in a plaza that actually has parking, so it isn’t a struggle like Tajima or Rakiraki. Definitely going to come back and try their other ramen dishes!

I’m not a big fan of ramen, but I always enjoy eating at Nishiki. I tried the Black Nishiki for the first time since I figured it was the number one best seller for a reason and it was absolutely delicious! Can’t go wrong with that!
My waitress Cicine was really attentive and provided me with lots of napkins. Any problems I had she was always there to help out. She also regularly filled our teas which I appreciated a lot.
Overall, I always have an enjoyable experience at Nishiki even though I prefer a bowl of phở (can’t help having ramen loving friends).

Came here on a Saturday night with my friend. Our server Cicine was extremely attentive, came back multiple times to make sure we got what we needed and if we liked our food. They were really fast on bring our food out, waited for about 8 mins or so for the food. I got the Nishiki Black Ramen which was extremely flavorful. The meat was really tender and egg was cooked to perfection. The noodles weren’t too soft or too hard, just perfect. And then we topped it off with a large serving of green tea ice cream!
I would definitely recommend this place to my friends.

Parking wasn’t too bad as it was late at night and raining. The parking spaces in the plaza is shared with many other stores so just be patient and you’ll find a spot!
I came here on a Friday night with three other friends. The place was quite empty but had a couple of patrons. It was unusually really bright for a ramen spot. When I think of ramen and especially for dinner, I’d imagine it to be dim and mysterious. The vibe I was getting from Nishiki Ramen was more of a boba shop or sandwich place. Nontheless, it’s very minimalist and clean.
I ordered the Spicy Miso Ramen. I thought the soup base was perfectly spicy, I appreciate it when a ramen is advertised as spicy and it actually comes out spicy. As for the noodles, it was a bit too underdone for my taste. I can’t remeber if the menu said that their noodles are meant to be cooked «al dente» or if it’s that their style of cooking the noodles but I’d appreciate if it was stated on the menu, so I could request for it to be more done. The cuts of meat was a bit thin and I didn’t have as many of toppings in my ramen. Yes, I could of ordered extra but for having it already priced at around $ 12 (with tax) for just the basic Spicy Miso Ramen was already too expensive for me. If I added more toppings I would paying around $ 15 which is ridiculous knowing I could get a huge bowl of ramen with all the fixings for around $ 13. I’d probably eat here if I happen to be in the area but it’s not my top choice due to distance from my home and price.

Took my brother here today, as he also likes sampling local ramen places. This time I got the black ramen, and my brother got the spicy miso ramen. As with my last visit, the broth was deep and flavorful, the noodles were delicious and had wonderful texture, and the egg was perfect; I did get extra ginger this time, and it did wonders at complementing the flavor of the black broth. My brother also enjoyed his ramen, and he has been to dozens of ramen places, spanning both the US and Japan.
However, when he tried the chashu, his response was «Hmm…It’s pretty standard,» and I thought to myself «Really? After the melt-​in-​your mouth experience I had last time?» And then I bit into my chashu and I thought «Huh, there is a difference from last time…»; the cut was less fatty than last time, and the flavor was not as memorable. It certainly wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t as good as last time.
Nishiki is still solid in my book, and I’ll be coming back again for sure, but if they take their chashu to the next level then they’ll be that much more excellent.

Quick Notes:
Black Ramen — Really good. I love the flavors. It is also cool that it looks like you are eating a black soup!
Mini Chasu bowl — Actual chunks of meat. Very tasty and its not all rice like some places.
BEST ADVICE FOR VEGETARIANS/​VEGANS
Ramen Del Sol — ASK TO SEPARATE THE TOMATO SAUCE FROM THE ALMOND BASED SOUP! You will thank me for this. When you combine them, it has a peculiar flavor that I think only some will like. If you separate them, they will taste really good. I promise so give it a try and make sure to let your waiter know!
P. S. Our waiter Jason was extremely helpful and offered us excellent service. Thanks!

The menu is pretty basic. There are 5 ramen options, a couple sides and some drinks. It’s your typical no frills type of place.
There are two community tables, booth seating and (of course) a ramen bar!
Eats.
+ Takoyaki is legit and delicious!
+ Chicken karaage is good too, one of the better ones I’ve had. Lightly breaded and full of flavor.
+ Nishiki Ramen. I personally am not a fan of al dente noodles. so this took me by surprise. The chaysu was OK, but I was impressed to see an entire egg vs just half. Also, the broth isn’t as salty — it’s actually pretty bland.
Overall I’m glad I tried this place, but it’s not high on my list for ramen.

A few months ago I noticed a long line outside of Nishiki as I was on my way to Santouka for ramen. The other night when I came to Santouka it was closed and I remembered the line across the street. Lucky for me there was no line at Nishiki that night and the place was open for business.
As always, I will order spicy miso ramen if its on the menu and that is exactly what I did. My ramen came out about 10 minutes later and it looked delicious. The first thing I did was taste the broth, it was rich and spicy. In no way was the broth overly salted or peppered. Next thing I did was try the meat, it was to die. It had a savory-​sweet flavor, was tender, and did not have too much fat. The noodles were made in-​house and cooked al dente. I wasn’t sure how I felt about them at first. They weren’t traditional ramen noodles and were thicker. I think they were ok overall. There was also a hardboiled egg which always completes the meal.
Service was great and I’d come again!

Initially, it seemed unlucky that my friend and I arrived at Sanoutka around 7:40pm. Approximately 10 minutes after the last call for orders. Our ramen craving still not quenched, we did a fast check on Unilocal (see what I did there?), and walked across the parking lot to Nishiki Ramen. Talk about a nice bit of luck to end a long work week!
Nishiki Ramen may have just claimed my favorite ramen spot in San Diego. I know, it is a bold statement. It’s just been four hours and I’m still thinking about the deliciousness of the broth.
The menu is small. It’s mostly ramen and a few options for small plates. We ordered the takoyaki, which came out quickly. It was very good, flavorful, and had sizable chunks of octopus. It could have been a tad bit on the warmer side, but overall very delicious.
Of the ramen choices I had a hard time deciding between the Tokyo shoyu, the spicy miso, and the black garlic. I went with the black garlic. I had seen a number of rave reviews on the black garlic talking about how it was just like the kind you can get in Tokyo. The black garlic broth was so amazing. It had so much flavor, but wasn’t overbearing. The consistency of the broth was rich, but tasted very light. I’m normally not much of a pickled ginger fan, but thefew bits were crunchy and gave just the right punch of flavor and texture to offset, balance, and deepen the rest of the dish.
The noodles were great. Not only are they organic, but also tasted extremely fresh since they’re made in house. And to top it all off there’s no MSG!
I also ordered an extra egg, which was lucky decision number two of the night. It was about a five minute egg and definitely a pleasant surprise since the egg was still whole upon being served (there are few things in life I love more than a runny egg yolk). My friend ordered extra chashu and was happy as well.
Furthermore, the service was very prompt and friendly.
Overall, a fantastic meal!

This place.
–homemade noodles thin & thick (cooked al-​dente)
–savory comforting broth
–variety of different ramen (incl. vegan)
–excellent quality
–modern décor
–good service
A must try if you love ramen.

This place is really great!
I have been here twice, and service has been awesome both times! Both times I had been here there was no terribly long wait (as opposed to what I heard upon their opening), and seating was easily accomplished, although the place did start to fill up fast.
The food however, has taken different approaches, but both experiences have been quite satisfying. Both times I have ordered the black ramen and have been pleased with the results. The first time the they had a ton garnish, with slices of onions and a cut of okra along with various other things. This version of the ramen also had a thicker stronger broth almost stew like. The second time I went they seemed to cut down on the garnishes but added a soft boiled egg (which costs extra prior), the broth was also more soup like this time too. It seems that they cut down on the fanciness and set their ramen straight to business! Both times the noodles tasted absolutely delicious!
I also tried the chashu bowl, although the amounts I received got smaller, it seemed the price did go down on it as well. But, both times it tasted quite delicious.
They also have a rewards program if you do plan on eating there again.
Overall I enjoyed both visits, and would gladly visit again!

Came back here after Christmas with some cousins because I was craving the fresh chewy noodles. Was surprised to find out the broth is less thick than the first time I came. The soup is definitely more slurpable this time around. Found out when I logged in to update my review that someone at nishiki had responded to my previous review and said they changed recipe for the broth. I definitely enjoy it more now.
The toppings are also different. It now includes a soft boiled egg in the price (used to be extra). That was nice as I love soft boiled eggs in my ramen and while I like the quality of ramen here with their fresh noodles it is just a tad pricy to add extra toppings. So overall great changes. You may see quite a few mixed reviews here on Unilocal because the place is new and still figuring things out, but so far I’ve liked the improvements they made. Seems like they actually read the reviews and try to improve. Will visit again.

I’m surprised that the reviews for Nishiki aren’t much higher because I had a good first time experience here.
I finally came here with my husband after the hype finally calmed down and there were no crazy lines to finally get a taste of their ramen. We were greeted and seated immediately by the host. Very classic clean minimalist ambience. The menu was simple a few side dishes and then their ramen. We came with the parents and so we ordered the karaage (fried chicken) and takoyaki (octopus balls) to start. We all ordered different ramen to taste as well. The Nishiki ramen, pork black ramen and the shoyu ramen. I think I enjoyed the flavor of the pork black ramen the most with that black garlic sauce. Nishiki makes their noodles fresh in house which they’re known for so I’m assuming that’s why their ramen is quite pricey at $ 10-​$ 12 per bowl with a $ 2 additional charge for the soft boiled egg and an additional $ 2 charge for a large bowl plus $ 4 additional charge if you want to get a mini chashu don on the side. By the end of it, if you add all the additional add-​ons you’ll have spent $ 20 per person! I did enjoy my meal and I did like their noodles I mean you can taste the freshness! There was nothing too special about the karaage or the takoyaki but still delicious. All in all a good first time experience. There are a lot of competing ramen shops in San Diego selling theirs for a fraction of the price of Nishiki’s. So maybe it depends on what ramen flavor you’re craving and the fact that Nishiki’s ingredients are fresh with no use of MSG? I believe there was a sign that said that?
Nishiki also has a frequent customer reward points you can join for discounts for future dining. I would come back to try other items on the menu. But definitely try Nishiki at least once to experience a restaurant they’ve brought from Japan to San Diego!

We went shortly after their soft opening, but I believe they were still seeing that phase out before they presented the full menu. They offered three kinds of ramen — Nishiki Ramen ($ 10), Miso Ramen ($ 12), and Ramen Del Sol ($ 15! ahh!). Of course, we immediately observed the absurdly high prices for each bowl, but we thought… well, it must be good ramen. Quickly, we were disappointed. Very bland and salty unless you add the Spicy Volcano Sauce (for $ 1.50 more, jeez). My noodles were just the right kind of softness, but boyfriend complained that his were al dente. Unique set of ingredients though how you leave out the classic Naruto, I’m not sure. Kudos to the presentation though, never seen ramen to daintily prepared. And very dainty the ramen was, portion was very meager for the price.
I haven’t been back since this time, and I know they’ve made some menu item additions, so I’ll have to go back and experience it again. Until then, the high prices might scare me away.

I’m so surprised by so many harsh reviews here. Nishiki Ramen is really a gourmet experience with their hand crafted noodles and gorgeous presentation. (Seriously… each bowl is like a work of art!)
Once you’ve had fresh noodles, it’s really hard to compare it to the dried stuff. Their noodles are a little bit thicker and chewier than the standard ramen noodle. I’m not complaining at all, because it was delicious! I appreciated that the broth wasn’t overly salty, but very smooth and well balanced.
The chicken karaage was fantastic as well. I know people have complained that you don’t get much for the price, but the pieces that my date and I received were large and juicy! I would definitely get this again.
So, if you’re in the market for something a little fancier than Chopstix, Tajima, or RakiRaki, please give Nishiki a try!

When you come in, it’s bright and the music is loud. They give you a sparkly menu that includes 3 ramen options. There are shared large tables, several group tables and seats at the bar.
Water is served with no ice, that’s how we got ours… (some ice would have been nice). Overall the food was just okay. Noodles are house-​made and they were the best part of the ramen bowl. The soup wasn’t hot enough, it was cool, and I like my soup hot and steaming!
My boyfriend and I tried the…
NISHIKI RAMEN ($ 10): I enjoyed this soup the best. The noodles were thinner, but same type as the miso ramen. The meat falls apart but was too fatty in my opinion.
MISO RAMEN ($ 12): it’s a creamy soup base, I enjoyed the thicker noodles in this bowl more than the Nishiki. The egg was perfectly cooked.
CHICKEN KARAAGE ($ 7): was probably the best part of the meal, but wasn’t amazing.
SPICY VOLCANO SAUCE ($ 1.50): I liked the sauce, it’s similar to the ones you buy at the market. We didn’t get enough of it, you get a little scoop for an extra $ 1.50.