A Tokyo Ramen and Wings Specialist Rides Into Busy Larchmont Soon

A popular Tokyo-based Japanese restaurant is quietly coming to Los Angeles soon, and it’s bringing with it lots of ramen, wings, and cocktails. Tonchin, which already has domestic locations in Midtown Manhattan and in Brooklyn, will open at 5665 Melrose Avenue this fall, giving greater Larchmont yet another restaurant option.

Tonchin is a familiar name to some New Yorkers, having opened there in 2017, though internationally the group has been crafting restaurants in Tokyo and beyond since 1992. The upscale casual spot has become a staple for tsukemen, tonkotsu, and mazemen-style ramen bowls as well as bar snacks like wings, gyoza, rice balls, and buns served from lunch through dinner at the Midtown location in New York. The group expanded more recently into Williamsburg, Brooklyn, with evening service only, and maintains a chain of locations in Japan. Tonchin has even been recognized by Michelin for its New York locations, earning a Bib Gourmand for its “refined” ramen, quality desserts, and sleek decor.

Reps for the restaurant have confirmed that Tonchin will indeed open at the intersection of Melrose and Larchmont, at the base of a mixed-use building that formerly housed the short-lived Le Petite Marche. The group has already begun to search for staff, in hopes of an opening sometime in September.

Ownership has declined so far to say just how similar or different this new Los Angeles location will look and taste compared to the New York City outlets, though a liquor license posted for the building does indicate a full line of cocktails, as at the other outlets.

Assuming a similar menu and look, Tonchin LA should quickly become one of the more sought-after dining options in the tony Larchmont area, though it won’t be without its fair share of competition. Kali across the street has received its own Michelin accolades, and daytime cafe Coffee Coffee a block over is doing its own version of curated, modern cooking. Not far away is Antico Nuovo, Chad Colby’s rustic ode to Italian flavors, while names like Great White, Larchmont Wine and Cheese, and Mario’s Peruvian each offer something even more approachable. Still, there’s always room for quality ramen, wings, gyoza, and cocktails in the city.