Ramen Nagi

"Snagging a table at Ramen Nagi often means playing Candy Crush in line for 20 minutes. But if you don’t mind waiting (or opting for lunch, as opposed to dinner), then, yes, this Tokyo-based restaurant is absolutely worth it. Its 24-hour-simmered tonkotsu broth is silky and rich, and the pork belly on top is a little sweet and meltingly tender. We find the standard Spice Level 1 to not be very spicy, but everything is customizable, including the heat, noodle thickness, broth richness, and garlic potency. Just know that the initial wait is the slow part because, once your order, the food comes out hot and fast. " - brant cox, sylvio martins, nikko duren

"Ramen Nagi is a Tokyo-based chain with a 24-hour-simmered tonkotsu broth that draws big lines at Westfield Century City Mall. Expect to wait about 45 minutes for your table during peak times, but rest assured these ramen bowls are worth it. The tonkotsu is silky and rich without coating your mouth with fat, and the pork belly they use as a topping is a little sweet and meltingly tender. Their standard Spice Level 1 isn’t very spicy, but you can crank up the heat or make other adjustments in noodle thickness, broth richness, and how much garlic you’re craving that day. Once you sit down, Ramen Nagi cranks out your order incredibly fast, making up for that hour you spent playing Candy Crush in line. " - brant cox, sylvio martins, nikko duren, garrett snyder

"Thankfully, you no longer have to wait 45 minutes for this Tokyo chain's 24-hour-simmered tonkatsu broth. Instead, you can slurp some of LA's best ramen on your lunch break and still get back to your desk in time. The tonkatsu has that quintessential, concentrated pork flavor without Vaseline levels of fat. Their Level 1 spicy isn't very spicy, so crank up the heat or make other adjustments in noodle thickness, broth richness, and garlic potency." - Sylvio Martins, Brant Cox, Nikko Duren

"This Northern California transplant serves spectacular tonkotsu ramen with a deeply flavored broth and a fully customizable bowl where diners can choose from different noodles, tare, and toppings. The waits are at least 20 minutes and upwards of an hour during prime meal hours." - Matthew Kang

"This Northern California transplant serves spectacular tonkotsu ramen with a deeply flavored broth and a fully customizable bowl where diners can choose from different noodles, tare, and toppings. The waits are at least 20 minutes and upwards of an hour during prime meal hours." - Matthew Kang