The call
This page is kept as part of the dated record. The order notes below describe the place as Roger recommended it, not as it operates today.
What to order
Best for
- Food history
Japanese
Tokyo Ramen
Roger rated this 3 stars, calling it mediocre and noting that most of the new ramen joints popping up around town don't use proper ramen broth and cater to Americanized palates.
Closed
Tokyo Ramen is listed as closed. This page keeps Roger's dated review as a record, not as a place to visit.
Yelp — Tokyo Ramen listed as closed (checked 2026-09-20) (2026-09-20) ↗From Roger’s camera roll
More photos from Tokyo Ramen
Posted 2016-08-25 
Posted 2016-08-25 
Posted 2016-08-25
Source-backed notes
Visit history
Checked in 1 time on Swarm, most recently Aug 24, 2016. See the check-in log
2017-03-05day precision · source explicit
“Mediocre. Most of these new "ramen joints" popping up all over town don't even use the proper ramen broth and definitely cater to Americanized palates (who probably wo”
Roger called it mediocre, writing that most of the new ramen joints popping up around town don't use proper ramen broth and cater to Americanized palates. His note cuts off mid-sentence. (From an unpublished Yelp draft review, never posted publicly.)
Stay in the neighborhood
More in Hillcrest.
RecommendedPrice varies
Hillcrest
Cigar Cave
Drinks
Roger's Hillcrest cigar-bar pick, run by an owner (Raul) he calls the friendliest in town, open later than most local lounges with a strong Belgian beer selection on tap and bottle.
- From the order notes
- A cigar paired by Raul · Belgian beer on tap or bottle
- Go for
- Late-night cigar hours · Belgian beer drinkers
Latest recorded visit2025-01-15
Not recommendedPrice varies
Hillcrest
Hong Kong Restaurant
Chinese
A Hillcrest Chinese restaurant Roger says declined after the pandemic, dropping from a two-star review to one star, after an earlier visit he'd already called just okay and Americanized.
- From the order notes
- Go for
- A cautionary tale on a post-pandemic decline
Latest recorded visit2022
Worth trying$$
Hillcrest
Nishiki Ramen - Hillcrest
JapaneseRamen
A Hillcrest location of the Nishiki Ramen chain -- a separate address from the site's existing Kearny Mesa entry -- rated a middling three stars by Roger.
- From the order notes
- Go for
- Ramen in Hillcrest
Latest recorded visit2019-02-02
Keep exploring
More like this.
Browse the Japanese page, or continue to another place with a matching cuisine.
Roger’s pick$$$$
Old Town
Sushi Tadokoro
JapaneseSushi
One of the two omakase counters Roger named when asked where to take a visiting friend for sushi in 2022.
- From the order notes
- Omakase
- Go for
- A special sushi dinner · Letting the chef choose
Latest recordRecommended 2022
Roger’s pick$$$$
University Heights
Soichi Sushi
JapaneseSushi
Roger's University Heights omakase recommendation from 2022, paired with Tadokoro as his two go-to sushi counters.
- From the order notes
- Omakase
- Go for
- A special occasion · Letting the chef choose
Latest recordRecommended 2022