This all-ramen restaurant from the popular izakaya (and daytime ramen shop), Tsujita, just across the street serves a completely different bowl here, using thick noodles and a dense, porky broth that's chock full of garlic and pork back fat. The dip-able tsukemen, tinged with a vinegary kick, might be even better, with flat noodles that work best for slurping with gusto. Annex serves in a crowded, loud nook of a room until 12 p.m. (the last order is taken at 11:30 p.m.), seven days a week.

Both the standard ramen and tsukemen are the two best offerings in LA in either category. The broth and noodles are nearly perfect (one might argue a tad salty), while the tsukemen might even be better than the ramen. Only available during lunch and cash only, but definitely one of the biggest destinations for ramen in the city.

One of the newer entrants to Little Tokyo's ramen scene, Men Oh might be cursed with a sub-par location that's difficult to find for many. Still, the flavorful broth and acceptable noodles makes it more of a hardcore rameniac's spot. Arguably one of the best bowls this side of the city.

As blue chip as you can get for a ramen joint, Daikokuya has been an anchor in LA's ramen world for a very long time. Despite newcomers in Little Tokyo, it's still has long lines for most of the day. The broth is intense and extremely fatty, though the cheap noodles lessens the overall experience a bit. The fried rice is also worth trying. A sister restaurant is now open on Sawtelle.

A mini-chain that has opened numerous locations in the past year, Yamadaya boasts a thick, umami-rich tonkotsu broth and thin noodles. The tsukemen broth has a fishy intensity that adds another layer of umami, while the thicker noodles make slurping easier. The quality has dropped off as the spots have expanded, but still one of the better choices on the Westside.

The full-service restaurant version of Ramen Jinya, there's a more limited ramen here, but it's probably the best bet for this part of town on West 3rd Street. The spicy and regular tonkotsu ramens are the go-to dishes here, with hefty portions that might leave little room for the excellent robata dishes.

A long trip for most in the city, this ramen offering from the folks behind Torihei (izakaya) has an excellent tsukemen that's pure fish funk (in the best sense of the word) to go along with the intense porkiness. The standard ramen offerings can be slightly inconsistent from bowl to bowl, but when it's good, the tonkotsu is very admirable.

This technologically savvy ramen joint makes diners order via an iPad strapped to the wall, making for a streamlined order for this 21st century comfort food. The noodles and soup are probably just a cut above, with an umami-rich tonkotsu broth that has decent flavor, but not as much depth as the bowls at Tsujita. Consistency varies as well, depending on the quality of the broth, though noodles are steady in flavor. Serves until 2 a.m. most weekdays and 3 a.m. on the weekends.

Imported from the ramen capital of the world, Southern Japan's Fukuoka, the Hakata-style is one of the most recognizable style of ramen. Shin Sen Gumi opened a branch in Little Tokyo to challenge Daikokuya's dominance. Completely customizable depending on the diner's preference, this loud, raucous dining room will surely remind one of Japan. The broth has been slightly bland of late, and noodles aren't the best, but more than adequate to accommodate a ramen craving.

This Silver Lake ramen-ya serves late into the night in this part of town, with solid tonkotsu and shoyu offerings that might not be better than some of the best spots around town, but work in a pinch for the local hipsters and dive-bar aficionados in Echo Park. The tonkotsu broth is the one to order, with all the fixin's.

Available only during lunch, this beef-broth based ramen is a contender for one of the best in the city. The thick noodles and nearly-clear broth has a balanced flavor that stays addictive to the last bite. Dinner time boasts some of the best okonomiyaki in the city as well.

Known for their extra large gyoza, Beni Tora makes some fantastic spicy tan tan men based ramen bowls from the more mild black ramen to the spicy red tan tan men. Try the dry tan tan men for something that's very similar to Chinese-style dan dan mien, but made with ramen noodles.

This popular Tokyo ramen chain has set up shop inside the Gardena Marukai market, dishing bowls of chicken-based ramen featuring thick, chewy noodles. There's also soy and spicy ramen, both with mouth-wateringly delicious chashu pork, though some have complained of lackluster service.

Known more for the flavor bombs of pork fat, garlic and spice, Mottainai has tonkotsu, miso, and soy ramen that doesn't necessarily outshine the competition, but fills in a niche in South Bay. It's for when you want something a little different, a little off-the-cuff in the ramen world.

Perhaps credited as launching the ramen revolution in LA, this Studio City joint makes a solid bowl with high-quality but pre-made noodles.

This West Covina ramen-ya makes near-textbook bowls of Hakata-style ramen, including a fatty, murky tonkotsu broth sporting very thin noodles. Nearly element is well-thought and prepared with care, including the tender chashu and the perfectly cooked egg. Definitely a find for those in this part of town.

A Michelin starred chef from Japan certainly didn't make a huge splash when he opened a humble ramen shop in the Valley. But the place has been earning accolades from reviewers, with the kogashi or burnt broth, being the bowl to get, flavored with miso and laden with chashu that's been braised for two days.

Essentially a retooling of the former Ikemen, which spawned a second location in Little Tokyo only to close unceremoniously. Now called Shin Ya!, the ramen here is still mostly dip, or tsukemen, oriented. The premium tonkotsu broth is no longer on the menu, but the Ghost ramen, with thick white broth, remains.

After a recent renovation, this unsung ramen shop, which features an extensive izakaya-style menu and a chicken broth as the star of the show. The milky white broth is free of MSG, giving a slightly healthier element to the ramen. Don't miss out on the juicy pork gyoza and other specials like mazeman, a cold noodle dish.