Ramen Restaurants near El Cerrito, CA

“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.“

“Really nice place with good-quality Japanese cuisine. The rolls are really tasty and really big, you can get enough with just one set! The Seafood Udon that’s in broth is brought in a pot in which it was cooked, very authentic. The bento box is delicious! We tried sushi in so many places this place is the best of the best. We always come back only here when we really want a good and quality sushi. I recommend 100% Lion king is our fav. Greatly recommend as a lunch or dinner place, the service is really good and the meals were brought pretty quickly.“

“Very intimidated by the long line out side but they were very very efficient! The signature ramen was Devine! The egg perfect! The duck matcha was super fun but beware it might keep you up! We got edamame and the fried mushrooms too which came out in what felt like seconds. The mushrooms I will be thinking about for all time.“

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

“I recently visited Tsuruya in Berkeley, CA, and the experience was nothing short of life-changing. Nestled in a cozy mom-and-pop shop atmosphere, the warmth and friendliness of the staff immediately made me feel welcome.

The star of the show was undoubtedly the tonkotsu ramen. The broth was rich and full of depth, clearly simmered to perfection, and the noodles were the ideal balance of chewy texture. Each ingredient from the tender pork to the perfectly cooked egg complemented each other flawlessly—the egg was particularly outstanding, with a creamy yolk that enriched the broth beautifully.

Tsuruya may be small in size, but the flavors and customer service are immense. This place captures the essence of traditional ramen with exceptional skill and care. It’s a must-visit for anyone seeking a transformative dining experience.“

“This place is so delicious. They have multiple options and all are interesting and tasty. With vegan appetizers and an interesting sake list this place is tops for me. I’m super into restaurants where everyone can eat. It’s a bit spendy but this ramen won’t disappoint! Updated from previous review on 2024-11-05“

“Oisii Ramen.😋

It was my first visit at Nojo Tavern and I had this Tan Tan Spicy Ramen. It hit the spot. I travel around and have different kinds of Ramen but Nojo’s Tan Tan is a really good one.
The broth, thick noodles and Cilantro toppings was the best. It was my first time having ramen without Chasyu-Pork instead they have this Grounded chicken mixed with the broth which is more flavorful and delicious.
This Ramen is the recommendation to people who love spicy flavor Ramen noodles.
-Gochisousama Deshita🍜🍥“

“I took my fiancé and her son here, both finicky eaters, they devoured their noodles as did I! Very savory, noodles was s were the best I ever had, the appetizers arrived within 10 min of ordering! Dumplings superb! A wonderful dinner for Mothers day!“

“Amazing 🤩 Great service and tasty food“

“My reason for no dinner tonight; I had a late lunch To Go, today 2:45 pm, Torraku-Ramen on De Haro, Chicken Katsu Don, Tempura and Edamame- All So Yummy!“

“Amazing 🤩 Great service and tasty food“

“By far the most delicious ramen i’ve ever had.

I had chicken paitan and sakura lemonade, both mmmuah!

Mew was the kindest, warmest, and most attentive serving us.

Thank you everyone for your great service and special compliments for the chef.“

“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.“

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

“Some say this is the only “authentic” ramen shop in the East Bay. We had fried shrimp buns (seasonal, yummy) and shared a bowl of 5Chicken Ramen with Rich White “Paitan” Broth. toppings w/ chashu chicken breast. this is a small chain with locations in CA, TX, NYC and Vegas.“

“It’s a small and cozy izakaya, perfect for dining alone or with a small group of 3–4 people. I ordered appetizers from the special menu. First up: Mentaiko Zucchini (so delicious! The very first bite was refreshing, followed by the rich umami saltiness of the mentaiko. A little dip in Karashi mustard made it even better—definitely a must-try! Highly recommended).

Next was Kuramaebi, tiger prawns deep-fried tempura style and topped with tartar sauce. After that, I ordered Ba-ra Kushiyaki and Kobe Kushiyaki (served 2 skewers each). I especially enjoyed the Kobe—it was grilled perfectly and went really well with Shichimi Togarashi. If it had the same green onion topping as the Ba-ra, I think it would have been absolutely perfect.😋“

“This spot was just as good as the Japan Town location. I had the chicken umami ramen and it was perfect with its flavorful broth and a combination of the toppings. It really hit the spot. What I especially liked about this location is that it stays open until 1:30 AM, which is rare in the city where most places close by 9. The space felt upscale and lively, making it a unique Japanese dining experience I would definitely recommend.“

“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!!!“

“Good food. I wish there was a little more broth, and I'm not a fan of thin noodles (personally), though the noodles were still good. You can add extra broth/noodles/toppings for +$5/ea. I like the location it's at, because it's right by the Embarcedero BART, making it a good option for lunch before the Pier.“

“This location is a stand in the back of a supermarket. The ramen is super salty and oily, a bit too much for my liking but the taste was good.

There was just one guy running the whole show when I went. Order on the kiosk.“

“Super nice staff, great food and wonderful atmosphere.“

“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.“

“First timer and definitely coming back for more!“

“I've wanted to come in ever since seeing the original "JR Rail" sign years ago on the freeway! We finally had the chance on the way to grocery shopping. I wasn't disappointed!The owners do a good job of making this a unique experience. The shop is clean and streamlined, as you can expect from one themed on Japanese transportation! They play sounds of the JR Rail stop announcements overhead, and also steam NHK TV (a Japanese cultural channel) in the back. As others have also mentioned, there are also a few vending machines throughout the store which offer Japanese snacks and drinks (but are quite pricey at like $5 per ramune bottle). Orders come out of the wall with your receipt number displayed above the counter and loudly announced on the intercom. It's a fully contactless experience! (Btw, the code for the restroom is on your receipt!)There are only a handful of seats throughout the store, but they're single stalls à la Ichiran (IYKYK!). There's also a few standing spots open in the back (high table only). Other communal seating can be found outside, with a view of the moored ships in the estuary.We got the deluxe tonkatsu ramen with all the pre-recommended standard components. I found the ramen itself simple and not too heavy nor salty. The flavor wasn't anything to write home about, but the textures of everything were all on point. The noodles had the perfect chew, and the chashu and egg were perfect. Additionally, the portion size of the meat and noodles was quite sizeable and there was no way I could've finished off all my broth at the end without exploding. For $15, this wasn't a bad value. I also like that they include a wet wipe so you can have clean hands before/after your meal.Unfortunately, the iPad on the left (one of only 2) for taking orders was malfunctioning at this time, but you wouldn't know it until you got to the checkout screen and was ready to pay. There isn't any sign or anything, so either they don't know it's broken or it only broke recently. Hopefully this review compels them to fix it!“

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

“Was looking up ramen and we decided on this place.
The noodles are my favorite part of this deliciousness soup!
The coconut was perfect too.
Will have to come back and try different ones.
My friend who is vegan liked it too.
Fast and friendly service too.“

“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!“

“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.“

“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 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.“

“This place is amazing. The ramen quality is very consistent here. But the curry rice plate is okay. This is a true gem amongst the many mediocre ramen shops in the bay area. This is a place I'm willing to drive to just for ramen even if it is in the city.“

“When specifically ask for chicken to be cut up into small pieces for a five year old to eat & you get back huge cuts of chicken a grown adult would have trouble biting it really annoying. However the food is excellent & conveniently located with decent size portions so that’s what keeps me coming back.“

“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.“

“Nice little spot! Emphasis on little. Went in, was the only diner for a while until a few other folks came in. Sat at the counter that had a convenient foot bar. Staff was attentive. The music was really calming too.
Ordered the duck breast ramen for 1$18 and it was so good! Great flavors! Was so excited to eat, I burned my tongue a little🥲 Didn’t try any sushi, but if you’re looking for a ramen fix, you won’t be disappointed!“

“Ramen Shop is in my top 3 favorite restaurants. Literally everything I've had is incredible and one-of-a-kind. I've tried all 3 types of ramen and they are all so flavorful, especially the vegetarian one with Meyer lemon. The turnip cake appetizer is perfection. I get the sesame seed ice cream sandwich dessert every time I visit. I would eat here every night if I could!“

“The food in here is very good, nothing to complain about that. I’m a recurring client
But I believe the receptionist should have lil help specially on weekends it gets very crowded and he is doing everything by himself
About the reception area I couldn’t help by noticing how dirty it is..
Maybe a extra help for him would really help 🙂“

“the atmosphere is great and I love their 49 rolls! I usually go in a group because the food is very filling!“

“Outdoor patio seating is available for all dog-lovers to enjoy their Sushi 🍣/ Ramen🍤🍜. And please ask staff for some water for the lovely ones🐶🐱 if they are exhausted from their walk. 😘“

“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.“

“Excellent sushi and service. Creative and fresh“