Best LA Ramen

This guide maps the bowls that define ramen in Los Angeles, for noodle chasers who don't mind a line. Little Tokyo anchors the list, with more stops in the Arts District, Silver Lake and Century City. Daikokuya, open since 2002, serves tonkotsu-shoyu Daikoku Ramen with kurobuta pork belly and a marinated egg. AFURI in the Arts District brightens its light chicken, dashi and kombu broth with yuzu. At Shin-Sen-Gumi, you mark noodle firmness, oil and salt level on a card for Hakata-style thin noodles in milky pork broth. Men Oh brings the rarely seen Tokushima style, a deep pork-soy broth with sweet pork belly and a raw egg. Tsujita LA Artisan Noodle is known for its 60-hour tsukemen, and Santouka serves its shio in a Japanese market food court.

Daikokuya draws a line, so add your name to the list and wander Little Tokyo while you wait.