A popular food and dining blog has declared that the best ramen in California can be found in Sacramento.
Kodaiko Ramen & Bar on 718 K St. in downtown Sacramento was ranked the best in the Golden State based on a listing of the best ramen across the U.S., according to Tasting Table.
Opening in 2019, Kodaiko Ramen & Bar has become a hidden gem in the city, serving ramen in an underground restaurant. Its most popular dishes include its tonkotsu ramen, shoyu ramen, and citrus shio ramen.
Matt Kirouac, the author of the ramen ranking on Tasting Table, highlighted the restaurant’s mushroom paitan ramen, complementing its cashew cream, shimeji mushrooms and pork belly.
Kodaiko Ramen & Bar’s menu also lists non-ramen food items such as chicken katsu sando, chicken karaage and shrimp toast. The bar serves a variety of beer and sake as well.
The restaurant is owned by Billy Ngo and Takumi Abe. Ngo oversees several other classic Asian eateries in the Sacramento area, including Chu Mai, Kru Contemporary Japanese Cuisine and Fish Face Poke Bar.
Ngo has earned numerous accolades. He was a James Beard Award finalist in 2024, becoming the first chef in Sacramento to do so.
The Sacramento Bee
Emma Hall covers retail and business for The Sacramento Bee. Hall graduated from Sacramento State and Diablo Valley College. She is Blackfeet and Cherokee.