Underbelly
Ramen restaurant · San Diego ·
Hearty ramen bowls with oxtail dumplings & short rib
Hearty ramen bowls with oxtail dumplings & short rib
"UnderBelly is a great spin on Japanese ramen-ya. Rooted in our local culture, which is reflected in the beer program, it ultimately serves as a tribute to a culture and food for which we have a deep appreciation and respect. This is a tribute to traditional Japanese ramen houses, specifically paying homage to the ramen gods of Tokyo." - Grizzly
"Reopening on Thursday, November 18—coinciding with its 10th anniversary since its 2011 debut—I found Underbelly in Little Italy reimagined by CH Projects into a Blade Runner-esque, cyberpunk vision of futuristic Tokyo, with nearly every inch of the compact corner spot at Fir Street and Kettner Boulevard covered in neon lighting. The remodel includes retractable liquor racks that extend from the ceiling and a refreshed kitchen and bar, and the menu has been expanded to match its North Park counterpart, offering the classic ramen as well as appetizers, bao, and bento boxes. CH Projects bar director Andrew Cordero has created fresh cocktails built around unique glassware and Japanese flavors, such as the Neo Noir (scotch, koji, barley honey, lemon, and egg white) and the Sakura Falls (Japanese gin, nigori sake, coconut cream, sakura blossom, and lime); those new cocktails will launch first in Little Italy before arriving at the North Park location next week." - Candice Woo
"Established years before the influx of ramen shops, it’s best known for its Belly of the Beast ramen, a tonkotsu-based bowl filled with a meaty mix of beef brisket, oxtail dumplings, and hoisin-glazed short rib. As a CH Projects restaurants, it’s also one of the few ramen spots to offer creative cocktails." - darlene-horn
"I kept our Underbelly ramen shop in Little Italy open for takeout, with all proceeds from those sales going to support the hospitality collective’s furloughed staff." - Candice Woo
"Located in a heavily air-conditioned basement in Pioneer Square, Underbelly is a great place to drink interesting orange wine, listen to reggae and ska music, watch wildlife documentaries on a projector, and eat a really good hot dog on a baguette topped with melted raclette cheese. If you work in the area, you’d be smart to forgo your usual Happy Hour spots and come here instead." - Aimee Rizzo
