Daikokuya

Consistency at this beloved spot with four locations in Los Angeles—and a ravenous, devoted following—isn’t what it used to be, but Daikokuya still deserves a spot in your ramen line-up. Regardless of which locale you pick, a wraparound counter usually faces the open kitchen and provides a social atmosphere to dig into piping hot bowls of flavorful, porky broth and chewy noodles. Chijire-style egg noodles—served in varying firmness—sit in a rich tonkotsu soup and come topped with slices of kurobuta pork belly. Fans of accoutrements can amp it up with kotteri-style: boiled egg, bamboo shoots, bean sprouts and green onions, or go big with a ramen combo adding rice bowls topped with eel, pork cutlets or tuna. Add an order of pan-fried pork gyoza to make the wait on weekends even more worthwhile.