In 2022 Wukong n Ramen officially began as a one-person endeavor rooted heavily in craft culture and community. Over the last three years, wukong Ramen has successfully run as one of America's few fully functioning ramen yatai—a mobile, Japanese-influenced food stall.

Throughout all the hard work and so much love and support as a local late-night favorite, we are proud to announce taking this next step from pop-up to a joint brick-and-mortar space. Originally conceptualized pre-COVID, the project was put on hold, and time was taken to learn from working in ramen shops from California to here locally in New Orleans.

After running a few test pop-ups and with the help of another friend, we built the Yatai. Since then, it’s been an honor and sincere privilege to work the yatai full-time in the downtown late-night New Orleans scene. We are located at several bars in the Marigny and Bywater neighborhoods, operating as one of the few food options open to the public past 10:00 p.m.

Any funds donated will go directly toward essential equipment permitting and the initial costs required to open the space responsibly, including -

• Kitchen equipment and build out

• Licensing and permits

• Initial inventory and ingredients

• Branding, signage, and materials

• Rent and operational cushion during opening

Donating to Wukong Ramen not only supports independent creators, it preserves small food culture and builds something local and lasting. Each contribution, no matter the amount, expresses a huge appreciation to our community. Whether through a donation or simply sharing this page, it makes a measurable difference.

It's been a wild ride and we're honored to be a lantern in your night. We love y'all and can't wait to see you at the Diner.