Daikokuya
Los Angeles, CA 90012
Phone: (213) 626-1680
- Price:
- $
- Hours:
- Mon-Thu 11am-12am, Fri-Sat 11am-1am, Sun 12pm-close
Editorial Review for Daikokuya – by Cynthia Chang
In Short
Empty chairs and countertops are hard to come by at this perpetually crowded soup shop. A popular dish at the family-owned spot is the daikoku noodle bowl, which includes marinated meat, seasoned bamboo shoots, bean sprouts, green onions and a special sauce-soaked hard-boiled egg found swimming in the bottom of the bowl. Customers jam elbows when ramen-guzzling and soup-sipping, but willingly overlook the tight space. Popular appetizers are the gyoza, edamame and tempura. Desserts include mochi ice cream; dango, sticky rice balls with sweet soy sauce glaze; and cream anmitsu, Japanese fruit cocktail with mochi.
Hits
Quality of ingredients is stressed: They only use Kurobuta (black) pork because of its tenderness; their soup must be brewed for a full day; and they use an ionized mineral water system for all of their cooking.
Misses
Narrow walkways make it almost impossible not to bump someone or to be bumped. This can be particularly hard when customers have to meander to the very back to use the bathroom. Because of the tight space and steaming soup, the restaurant can get stuffy and has a really strong aroma that seeps into clothes.
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Insider Tips
When to GoIf possible, come at least 10 minutes prior to lunch at around 11:30am to jot your name on the waitlist, so you can be guaranteed a seat.
Where to SitAlthough it's lucky enough to get any seat, try to avoid the counter right next to the grill--the fumes can get gross and irritating.
Know Before You GoThe menu, mostly dishes paired with a type of meat, is not vegetarian-friendly.
The ExtrasOn Sundays, the restaurant is open only until their soup is gone, so come early in the day.
User Reviews for Daikokuya
04/16/2008 Posted by lost222
Absolutely a hole in the wall with FANTASTIC food and no fuss service. Came during lunch and opted for the bar seating because there was no wait. Ordered their specialty hot ramen for $9. The soup base was creamy and full of flavor, the ramon was cooked perfectly, the meat was tender and the hard boil egg was a surprise but a good complement to the dish. Had this dish in Japan and VERY VERY close to the acutal thing.
Pros: greap cheap food
Cons: the ambience
04/07/2008 Posted by gizzmo01
I love coming to this place especially during winter. The broth is full of flavor, it comes in huge portion, and its reasonably priced. A must-try for all the foodies out there! The place is small but I actually like its hole-in-a-wall vibe.
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