The UTC Menya Ultra restaurant, which debuted in late 2023 at The Collection at UTC, is currently listed on BizBuySell with an asking price of $650,000. The listing describes the space as a “Michelin guide recommended ramen restaurant” and notes that the “[o]perator is pivoting their focus on whole sale supply of handmade ramen to rest,” suggesting a possible strategic shift in direction for the company. While there has been no official confirmation that other Menya Ultra locations are affected, the phrasing "to rest" has fueled speculation that founder Takashi Endo may also be reevaluating his original Clairemont/Kearny Mesa and Mira Mesa outposts.
The move comes nearly two years after Menya Ultra shuttered its short-lived Hillcrest restaurant in late 2023, citing staffing challenges and a renewed focus on its newly opened UTC branch. That Hillcrest space has since been transformed into the first mainland U.S. location of Baikohken Ramen, a Michelin-recognized Japanese brand founded in Hokkaido in 1969.
Founded in Akita, Japan, in 1994, Menya Ultra earned cult status in the U.S. following the opening of its first American branch in Kearny Mesa in 2017 - a debut so impressive that celebrity chef Andrew Zimmern famously declared its tonkotsu ramen “the best in America.” The brand’s expansion across San Diego seemed unstoppable for several years, but as the ramen boom cools, the once red-hot segment now faces steeper competition and shifting consumer appetites.
Nowhere is that competition more evident than at Westfield UTC, where ramen and other Asian concepts have flourished - perhaps to the point of oversaturation. The mall already boasts powerhouse names like Din Tai Fung, Hai Di Lao Hot Pot, Marugame Udon, Qin West Noodle, and several sushi outlets. Even within the ramen niche, Menya Ultra faces direct competition from Ramen Nagi, a Tokyo-based brand with a global following, and Silverlake Ramen, a Los Angeles-born franchise that opened nearby in 2023.
The result is a culinary arms race in which only the most distinctive and consistent operators are likely to thrive. “Westfield UTC has become one of San Diego’s premier hubs for Asian dining, but there’s a point where variety turns into redundancy,” one local restaurant analyst told San DiegoVille. “It’s no longer enough to just serve good ramen - you need brand cachet, consistency, and an experience that stands out.”
Meanwhile, Silverlake Ramen - one of Menya Ultra’s direct UTC competitors - has quietly listed its Fashion Valley Mall location for sale, with an asking price of $895,000 and annual gross revenue exceeding $1.8 million. The move underscores the shifting dynamics in San Diego’s ramen scene: while the city remains a destination for Japanese cuisine, the ramen frenzy that defined much of the past decade has chilled, replaced by a more competitive and selective dining environment.
For Menya Ultra, the sale of its UTC location doesn’t necessarily spell the end of the brand’s presence in San Diego, but the listing does expressly mention a possible pivot toward a wholesale or production-based business model - one that leans on its reputation for quality noodles and broth rather than the grind of multi-unit restaurant management. As of publication, Menya Ultra has not responded to San DiegoVille’s request for comment.
Whether this marks the beginning of a retrenchment or simply a realignment, one thing is certain: in San Diego’s ramen scene, the heat is still on - but only the strongest bowls will continue to rise to the top.
Menya Ultra UTC continues to operate under normal hours at 4577 La Jolla Village Drive, Suite 1231, in San Diego's University City area. For more information, visit menya-ultra.com.
Originally published on October 24, 2025.
Originally published on October 24, 2025.
