Ramen Restaurants near Berkeley, CA

“As a first timer came from out of town almost about to walk inside the restaurant there was a couple group of people that were already waiting outside. I walked in and it was fully packed with very small space capacity. A minute after an asian lady who might be the owner said it'll be a wait just give it a little wait outside for a few minutes. So I waited outside for about 5-10 minutes she then comes outside the restaurant and brought everyone who was outside towards to the inside at the same time. First off atmosphere inside is amazing and very welcoming, the only downside I would say is for the space inside just being very small and felt compact knowing it can't fit alot of people. I had to sit at the bar area for just myself but the space wasn't too bad. I originally wanted to order the tori paitan but ended up getting the spicy version which I didn't mind since I can handle a little spice and it also wasn't too spicy anyway. For how quite busy it was on a Saturday night the ramen came out pretty fast. The workers there has great customer service and the cooks back there know what they are doing. The server recommended me what noodles I should get for the ramen I chose and I gotten the medium thick wavy noodles. When they brought the ramen out the presentation of the ramen felt like I was in an anime movie. As I tried my first sip of spicy tori paitan broth I must say it was AMAZING. The broth was not very hot, more like warm almost to luke warm but flavor wise was top notch! I had to get a second sip after the first one. That's how good it was! Overall it was some really good ramen, I ended up clearing the whole bowl. Not too much broth but just enough. Noodle amount was a generous amount. toppings such as green onion, bamboo shoots, wood ear mushroom, red onion, 2 pieces of chasu chicken, and half an egg could be better if the portion size quantity was a little more. Other than that I would not mind coming back here again if I make my way out of town heading towards the bay area. 10/10! Definitely will recommend some of my friends here that are also ramen lovers.“

“This is basically right across the street from the Trader Joe’s on university. I admittedly don’t eat ramen often so I don’t have much to compare it to, so this is genuinely some of the best noodle-soup-dish I’ve ever head. The broth is rich but not heavy, the ramen noodles are thin and firm, and the toppings are also excellently seasoned.

This also seems to be more fusion-based so there’s a lot of Hawaiian and some Korean options too. They have rice plates too.

The portions are enormous. I always either take half of my dish home for the next day or walk out fighting for my life because of how full I am, which I can’t say for most Berkeley spots. I would say the prices are on par with Bay Area prices, but the portions are generous. The bowl is basically the size of your head, and the rice plates looks more like a party platter.

Service was fast and the servers are friendly. I like the decor. Highly recommend this place!“

“Bansho is a very special place. The extraordinary combination of delicate mindfulness in service and decor, and meticulous attention to the balance and quality of ingredients creates magic. You will leave feeling better than when you arrived. Highly recommend.“

“New Ramen shop in downtown Berkeley. We came when it just opened on Saturday morning. The restaurant is nice with high ceiling , clean and high table and chair, regular table. it is kind like open kitchen concept when you can see the chef preparing the order. The menu is on the TV screen. your order your ramen and they will give you a tray. they have side dishes like seaweed, edamame, egg, skewer, and tempura. I can say the ramen price is cheaper compare to most of ramen shop. They have few ramen flavor, tsukemen and Matcha Coconut Ramen which I am not sure if I would like to try.
We ordered Mayu Black Garlic Ramen (Spicy), Shokupan Katsu, tempura and skewers. You pay at the cashier after you order.
The Mayu Black Garlic ramen is good but I think it need more Garlic flavor. The noodle is interesting ad this is the first time I have the ramen noodle with this texture. it is a bit lit soft spaghetti. The Shokupan ramen is ok. I think it need more curry flavor. The Katsu is yummy. The tempura and skewer are ok.
The service is ok. To be honest they are not really friendly especially the chef. She walked around without greeting. When we left there is no greeting like usually you find at Ramen restaurant.
For now it is kind of 3.5 star for me.

The restroom is clean and the hand washing area is unique. Parking is on the street.“

“First timer and definitely coming back for more!“

“The food was pretty good, though from what I've seen the prices are pretty high. GBO gave us an item included, but otherwise, even though the food tastes good and has great portions, it's very expensive.

Also, for any GBOers who see this, the spicy rice cakes (Tteokbokki) is not portioned for a full meal!

Otherwise the dine out area is quite nice!

Vegetarian options: There is the miso tofu ramen and maybe one other option, so vegetarians won't be left out!“

“This is one of our favorite places, though the quality/taste of the food is variable. In other words, you need to know what to order because they do some things better than others, which isn't too surprising given the many choices in their menu. My recommendation is to get the mentaiko carbonara, IMHO the best thing they serve.“

“Excellent foods, friendly staffs! We really love to have dinner here~ Absolutely, I will visit again when I come back to Berkeley!“

“Chill space- the BEST Tonkotsu I’ve had in a LONG time. Service isn’t bad but nothing to rave about. They ask you enough questions to get you your food and leave you alone otherwise. If you’re having a day where you just want noodles and to chill- this is the spot. The Tonkotsu soothed my soul and the soft boil eggs were perfection.“

“We arrived at 4:50pm on a rainy Sunday and waited ~45mins to get seated (group of 3). The restaurant’s capacity can accommodate 28 guests and they were very efficient with their process (i.e. they took note of group size in line, made sure people reviewed the menu before getting seated, and they had an one-hour limit). Our service was quick. We had both the signature and spicy versions of Tori Paitan, and spicy lamb ramen. Also an order of their seasonal Hokkaido uni and A5 wagyu hand roll. The broth of all 3 ramens was rich, full of umami. Spice added more to the flavor but almost non-existent on the heat front. Chashu was a great balance of fatty part and meat. The fried shaved carrots and eggplant in the lamb ramen were such a pleasant touch to the bowl of perfectly chewy ramen. The A5 wagyu was buttery and melted in your mouth good. Uni was just okay - I had higher expectations with Hokkaido uni. The sushi rice was a bit on the dry side as well. All being said, I’d still say this is a place I would return.“

“We got a couple of things here and they were all amazing. All their ramen the best version of that ramen we’ve had so far.

We got the Wagyu beef, one and another one that also had duck and pork. Sublime.

Even the soft boiled egg was incredibly jammy and tasted like it came from a foreign land.

Incredibly balanced broth that I can drink all day

We got a chicken karrage one other thing that I forget, which was also delicious. I think it was some sort of sushi roll.

Only gripe is that the seating is a little bit cramped.

There is a waitlist, but they text you when your number is up so you have time to explore the area a little bit. Go on a weekday during non-rush-hour.

Loved it and will come back soon to try their other dishes“

“This is a must visit for anyone in Jack London Square“

“I’ve been looking for a good shio ramen ever since Ramen Halu in San Jose closed several years ago. And I finally found it in Ramen Hiroshi and quite by accident. Absolutely delicious chicken shio ramen - just the right level of salt and very refreshing. The chicken chashu was also among the best I’ve had - very juicy and tasty. I’ll definitely be coming back often!“

“Amazing 🤩 Great service and tasty food“

“We ordered Salted Boiled Edamame as an appetizer, Unagi Rice Bowl, Tonkatsu Ramen, Miso Tonkatsu Ramen and a bottle of local Nigori Sake. The Tonkatsu soup is very umami delicious paired with seaweed, bamboo shoots, thinly sliced ear mushrooms, half boiled egg and two cuts of boiled pork Chashu. The Unagi Rice Bowl has two skewers of Unagi, which lacks more roasting, it needs to be burned or toasted more. It has a combination of fresh seaweeds, fresh salad and plain rice. There were three of us and we paid a little over $80. We will definitely come back for more Ramen and Yakitori. This place is highly recommended!“

“The ramen tastes very good, the soup base is rich and the noodles taste great“

“Twice in one week in a business trip to SF - happened upon ilppudo and came back a few days later. Friendly staff, great Raman and nice interior.“

“This was amazing! My vegetarian ass was so hungry. It’s hard to find a place that serves vegetarian Japanese food, let alone vegan!! We had the tantamen and it was amazing!! So flavourfull ❤️🙏✨ It’s popular though! Expect a line, but you upfront. So once you are through the line you’ll have your food quick!“

“Nice in an antiseptic way for s place called Rural. Limited menu, but a nice relaxed spot between North Beach/Chinatown 1/2 way up the northeast side of Nob Hill. A nice spot to have a bowl of ramen, and a good place to catch up with someone that doesn't mind plastic menus and slurping“

“Went here with my partner and a couple of friends for a birthday celebration.
Used Yelp to RSVP. Service was great. The food was delicious. Atmosphere festive. As someone who is gluten intolerant but not celiac I was taking a little chance. Brought extra digestives, ordered the gluten free noodles. And I was fine! So for anyone in similar boat as me, take your digestives - double them up and enjoy the ramen!
We had a great experience.“

“I love that this chain has a yummy vegan ramen noodle and doesn't default to using rice noodles for their vegan ramen. The size of pumpkin slice you get seems to vary but otherwise flavors are on point every time I go. I always order the creamy vegan ramen, but it's nice that there's more than one vegan option. Currently my favorite spot to eat in SF.“

“Besides the great Ramen Tan tan, make sure you get the fried chicken, Karage, only in japan i had it so good, the best in SF, a real japanese restaurant!!!“

“The food is fabulous, the staff is fabulous. It was a wonderful experience. If I lived here I would go back.“

“Went here today after spending some time at the beach! Good service, good food! I got the vegetable ramen since it's the only one that doesn't have pork broth (I'm vegetarian. Although, I didn't ask what broth they use instead but I'd like to assume veggies? If anyone knows, let me know?). I also got the vegetable tempura since I've wanted to try tempura for the longest time!
The ramen was definitely my favorite of the two! The broth was rich and the veggies and noodles were very fresh. I also LOVE how soft the tofu was, so good! The green onions had a really nice bite too. I didn't get my ramen spicy because I'm not a huge spice person. The tempura was also good! I probably wouldn't get it again, not because it didn't taste good or anything, the veggies were very tasty and fresh, I just don't think it's really my thing. They were also really sweet and brought over some watermelon (which was also super good!).
Good amount of food for the price as well.“

“There are many better ramen places in the Bay Area but this is the best in Alameda, so I will give it 5 stars. Chashu is inconsistent. Was tough once, and tender the next but overly blowtorched. Regular tonkotsu had too much oil floating on top and could be a little more flavorful and rich. I enjoyed the shoyu tonkotsu much more since it had a bit more salt and I was not expecting it to be as rich. Worth a visit if you don't feel like leaving the island.“

“One of a small handful of state-side ramen experiences that’s equaled some of the ramen bowls I’ve enjoyed in Japan. The yuzu ramen is the stand-out.

I brought my discerning professional chef friend here and when he tasted the yuzu broth, he immediately ordered a bowl from Hiroshi, then boxed up the meal he already had in front of him from another stall.

But maybe the clearest indication of Hiroshi Ramen’s visit-worthiness is the fact that it has unseated Super Duper Birger as my 11yr old son’s gold standard go-to restaurant.

The 1-3 star reviews here have me thinking there really should be a qualifications exam before you’re aloud to rate a restaurant on these platforms.

Just go.“

“Inside was clean, I got the beef mini meal and replaced the macaroni salad with rice, the food cane with rice, bbq beef, and vegetables (cabbage and broccoli) the food was so good that I picked out the broccoli and ate it on its own, and I hate broccoli, so that shows how good it was“

“I read the reviews, trusted that they were authentic enough, and tried the rumen for myself (Tonkotsu deluxe). It did not disappoint. I'm extremely happy that I tied it. Now it will be the go to place in Oakland for me. The price is just for current economy, which is a bit pricey for me ($18.75 after tax), but totally worth it! The portion size is really good for a grown hungry man. The wait was very short, just like other reviews stated.“

“I’ve ordered Tonkutsu Ramen (mild), its good but too spicy for me. I asked for hot water to reduce d saltiness n spiciness. Flavor still great!“

“I finally tried this place out after some years. I’ve wanted to for some time but they close early at 5:30. I usually eat ramen at night, too bad they don’t stay open for dinner.
I was pleasantly surprised that the Karamiso Ramen was tasty and satisfying. I’ll definitely go back again.“

“This palce is a certain of community and history on Bernal Heights. Old friends come in to greetings of hugs and kisses from the staff. New patrons are welcomed in almost equal fashion! The food and vibe is hearty and made with love. No Reservations. Come over, put you name down, but you can enjoy wine or beer from a freat ludt inside or outsides as you wait. Shhh!!! Don't tell anyone else.“

“My friend and I came for lunch, and we had a lovely afternoon. I got a poke bowl that was fresh, filling, and flavorful. My friend had a gorgeous sushi roll and miso soup. I ordered the house sale hot, and she got hot tea. The service was prompt and friendly without being overbearing. The overall vibe was popping over to a friend’s house and they just happen to have banging Japanese food. It was also a great value. I plan to come here again for sure.“

“This is a HIDDEN GEM!!Delicious!!! vegetable ramen- fresh steamed veggies, piping hot broth, huge portion! Pork dumplings- steaming, fresh! Strawberry milk tea- not overly sweet, I am a harsh critic of bobas!Attentive, quiet service! Price point in reasonable.“

“Really interesting take on Ramen broth. The beef broth is rich yet not too thick. I prefer a richer Paitan but this is also good. Black garlic oil also adds more depth to the soup.

The noodle is bouncy and chewy with a strong smell of egg noodle.

Crispy mushroom is good but can be a little too salty to finish by a single person. A touch of something citrusy would help cut through the greasiness after half a dish.“

“Phenomenal chicken shoyu ramen and black sesame ice cream sandwich. Also not pictured but ordered tempura veggies and pickled cabbage to share, great apps!

Also would like to highlight the outstanding service from Alicia! She checked on our table several times after ordering and was very warm and polite.

All in all, one of my favorite ramen places in the east bay!“

“Totally understand why this place has such a high rating!
Sushi was amazing, the wait was a little long, but if you’re on a date totally recommend, I ordered sushi and another thing ( don’t remember the name, but it was delicious),
And the fish feels sooooo fresh!
Definitely will be returning back,
Make sure to make reservation, it’s super easy, since the place is small if you come in a group might be challenging to get seated immediately,
Definitely will be coming back! 🫶🏻“

“I've been a regular customer for 20 years. I've been going to Katana-ya with my parents since I was little, and even now, after getting married, I bring my wife back. Tokyo Feng is still as delicious as ever. Their sushi has been infused with innovative elements, and the flavor and texture have improved. The portions are generous, and the prices are affordable! Tokyo Feng, we hope you continue to do better and continue to do well for another 20 years!“

“We were looking for a place to get some comfort Asian food and this was the perfect spot.

Good:
- The macaroni and the chicken bbq dish was amazing - the portion sizes were great and the portions were good
- Servers were very nice
- The place is pretty simple, but still clean and well kept

Bad:
- Took a bit for our food to arrive for a casual place like this

Overall this was such a nice find, I loved how tasty everything was and would come back.“

“Cool sushi spot, atmosphere was very chill. I was pretty much the only one eating at the time. Sashimi was good, the 49er roll wasn't as good as I thought it was going to be but this pace was still great. Staff was very courteous and the food came really fast. They also give you large portions. You'll get full fast at this spot.“

“If you’re looking for a great spot to grab Chinese food in Richmond, V8 Kitchen on Macdonald Ave is definitely worth checking out. My wife and I found this place on Google Maps while looking for something new to try—and we’re glad we did! The photos and menu looked promising, and we were in the mood for a good lunch date.

As soon as we walked in, the lady who took our order greeted us with a warm welcome and helped us feel right at home. She was quick, polite, and made the whole experience feel personal. The place had a peaceful and quiet atmosphere, perfect for a casual and relaxing couple’s lunch.

The food? Excellent. Everything we ordered was fresh, flavorful, and cooked just right. You can tell they put care into their dishes, and it shows in the taste. The prices were also really fair for the quality and portion size.

All around, this was a great little food adventure for us. If you're local or just passing through Richmond and want good Chinese food with kind service and a calm vibe, V8 Kitchen is a nice choice.“

“Very friendly quick service. And the food was delicious!“