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Kearny Mesa · $16–20 · Ranked in 1 list
Last updated
Menya Ultra is a Kearny Mesa spot ranked #1 of 7 in our Best Ramen in San Diego list, scoring 91/100 in our Best Ramen in San Diego. Order the ultra tonkotsu with extra chashu. The cleanest, richest tonkotsu in the county and the bowl every other shop gets measured against.
We scored Menya Ultra 91/100 in our full editorial review.
Read the full Menya Ultra reviewMenya Ultra is in Kearny Mesa, San Diego. Give yourself a few extra minutes for parking on weekends — Kearny Mesa fills up early on sunny days.
Explore Kearny MesaMenya Ultra takes the top spot on our Best Ramen in San Diego list, ahead of Tajima (87/100).
See the full Best Ramen in San Diego rankingMenya Ultra scores 91/100 against a best ramen in san diego field that averages 85.6, running from 82 at the bottom to 91 at the top. That puts it 5.4 points above the category average and ahead of 6 of the 6 other places we scored. It lands 1st of 7, and nothing in the category scores higher.
Judged criterion by criterion, Menya Ultra separates itself most on taste (96/100 versus a 87.7 category average). Its softest showing is atmosphere at 80, 1.4 points under the field. Those two numbers are the honest summary: this is a place you pick for taste, not for a clean sweep of every category.
| Criterion | Menya Ultra | Category avg. | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Taste | 96 | 87.7 | +8.3 |
| Consistency | 92 | 85.7 | +6.3 |
| Value | 88 | 85.1 | +2.9 |
| Atmosphere | 80 | 81.4 | -1.4 |
| Uniqueness | 90 | 82.3 | +7.7 |
Scores are Sandi Spots editorial judgments, compared against every other place we ranked in best ramen in san diego.
Kearny Mesa is dense enough that Menya Ultra rarely needs to be a standalone trip. We have scored at least six other ranked spots in the same neighborhood, so it is easy to stack a visit with Hidden Fish (92/100 in our best sushi in san diego list) or K Sandwiches (92/100) and turn one stop into an afternoon.
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Yes — worth going out of your way for.
Menya Ultra scores 91/100 in our Best Ramen in San Diego list (#1 of 7). It is strongest on taste (96) and consistency (92). The cleanest, richest tonkotsu in the county and the bowl every other shop gets measured against.
Skip it if atmosphere matters most to you — that is its weakest category (80/100).
Menya Ultra is a good fit for ramen. Because it ranks #1 on our best ramen in san diego list, it makes the most sense to pair it with nearby stops in Kearny Mesa rather than build a day around a long cross-town drive. Check live hours and availability before leaving, especially for a weekend visit.
Best tactical tip: Go at 2 PM on a weekday — the line at 7 PM regularly runs 30+ minutes.
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Score 91/100 on this list's criteria · Order: Ultra tonkotsu with extra chashu · $16–20
Menya Ultra's broth is simmered long enough to go opaque and silky without turning gluey, which is the line most San Diego shops fail to walk. The noodles arrive genuinely firm, the chashu is torched to order, and the ajitama yolk is still jammy. It is a focused menu executed the same way every visit.
Local tip: Go at 2 PM on a weekday — the line at 7 PM regularly runs 30+ minutes.
Scored with our ranking methodology — ramen.
Written and fact-checked by the Sandi Spots Editorial team — San Diego residents publishing under Sleep Coast LLC. Every place we recommend has been visited in person or verified against an official source, and no business can pay for inclusion or a higher ranking.
