Probably my fav spot on College Avenue. Cocktails are great. Food is delicious. On top of that, staff is super responsive and fun.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Gabriel Trevino
Sad to have to write this review, but been coming here since I was a kid and the change in quality of the food over time is too evident to not bring up. Ramen here over the years has not been up to the standard that I remember years ago, and the ramen today was bilayer; there was a large, visible layer of oil on the top of the ramen broth as it came from the kitchen. Has never been this way before, and not worth paying 28 a bowl for.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 2
Service: 5
Nathan Xu
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!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Roseann Bath
One of the best meals I have ever eaten. We didn’t have reservations, showed up right at opening and sat at the bar. It was fun watching the chefs work their magic. Food was innovated, fresh, a flavor explosion, absolutely incredible.
Jon L
Used to love this place, because it had good food and great drinks even at a premium (price). Not anymore. The quality of the ramen broth (miso) was mediocre at best. The maitake tempura no longer has that nice Japanese batter crunch with spots of hardness. The donburis rice turned Italian, way too al dente for the dish. With 30-35$ per entre of relatively small portions and 20$ sides. This place is no longer recommendable as it no longer justifies the premium.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 4
Michelle
Food: I got the tonkotsu ramen. The noodles had a decent bite to them, smooth texture and chewy. The default toppings were okay, I think there’s some room for extra there (I believe it only had green onions, greens which I think was parsley, sesame, few slices of pork, spiced paste). The broth was very dense and cloudy, so it was quite filling, but sort of forgettable and not outstanding. I’d say it was definitely overpriced at a whopping $30 per bowl.
Service: Very friendly and attentive. Menu is short and simple, but still had vegetarian options.
Atmosphere: Cozy and casual, dim lighting but not too dim to the point of not being able to read the menu. There’s counter seating and tables as well as the kitchen being mostly visible. There was definitely a good amount of thought put into the decor.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 4
Jack Ginsburg
Surprised this place is under 4.5 stars. One of the best broths I’ve had in the area. Definitely on the higher end of prices for ramen but ended up being worth it if you feel like spending an extra $5-$10. Cool atmosphere and they don’t overpack the bar seating which is nice. Their house made (assuming) chili paste was off the charts. Not that spicy but had tons of garlic and incredible flavors.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Akasha
We sat at the counter. Watching the cooks prep dishes was very interesting. They had a good flow and good communication while working very quickly to get dishes out. We ordered crispy full belly bintje potatoes to start - it was served piping hot so be careful. The potatoes were perfectly crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside. The curry sauce was mild enough for me to handle. The pickled carrots had a crisp freshness to them.
I had a Under the Cherry Moon mocktail with Hokkaido miso ramen. I also tried a bite of the Liberty Farms duck shoyu ramen. Everything was highly flavorful. The noodles had a good bite to them. The ratio of noodles, toppings, and broth was just right. And no cheap bean sprout fillers.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
juli
very cool ramen. they have one vegetarian option, but i did not like the squash in it so i ordered a plain ramen and was able to ask for alternate vegetables and toppings.
the shop is super cool and everyone is very friendly.
food was good and fresh. broth was good but way too oily to the point where it felt a little nauseous to eat after a while.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Amy
Great if you’re looking for that classic gentrified aesthetic and progressive vibe (5% healthcare fee on top of your bill type). The space is almost entirely candle-lit with a dim light above each table, which creates a cozy vibe, but it can be a little too dark for those with visual impairments at night. The food is overpriced for the portion sizes. For a restaurant named ramen shop, the flavor was mediocre. Also expect no ice in your water. It’s a fantastic spot if you’re looking for atmosphere and a modern vibe, but the meal itself was underwhelming on all fronts.
Extremely disappointing on a Sunday. The menu was terribly mislabeled - the miso ramen said nothing about being spicy but is FIRE. And sadly, not the good kind of Fire. The broth tasted like spicy salt water - no dimension or nuance, just a mouthful of chili and salt. And the noodles tasted dry and stale, not at all delicious - more so almost inedible. My boyfriend has a nightshade allergy and they also covered their tempura in chili powder, not as described on the menu, so he got poisoned and we had a terrible night and next day because of it. $100 for the most underwhelming and deleterious meal, will not be returning. Mensho and Itani are worlds better, more reasonably priced as well! The only reason I’m giving it 2 stars rather than 1 was the other time I went recently it was decent. But still completely overpriced and overhyped.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 2
Service: 2
George Wharam
Ramen Shop has just gotten better and better recently. Turnip cake was delicious, ramen was great, sticky toffee pudding was incredible.
Glad it's getting into winter for soup season!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Maya M
Perhaps, sadly, our Ramen Shop days are over especially when you spend (with tip) $140.00 for 2 people who have 1 app, 1 cocktail, 2 bowls of ramen and 1 dessert.
Host is excellent, then you sit down and are essentially ignored for 8-15 min after arriving. Cocktails are good. Ramen was excellent. It always is. However, $28-35 per bowl of ramen is an extraordinary amount to pay for ramen. A humble dish, elevated to gourmet culinary status here. Now you pay 5% for staff healthcare, you don’t get an itemized bill and tipping on the CC machine starts at 20%. They NEED to give patrons an itemized bill. You should NOT be tipping on the 5% healthcare fee and the tax. What is noticeable are fewer people in the restaurant from years past. Perhaps too expensive for most people.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 5
Service: 4
Sam Martin
So good. Service can be a little slow but always friendly.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
Elly Lin
I’ve been wanting to come here for so long and I didn’t like it 🥲
The matsutake mazeman was topped with raw mushrooms which was so strange to me. The flavor of matsutake really comes out when it’s cooked so I didn’t really taste its flavor :( The noodle texture is good but the sauce was like a yuzu vinger and soy sauce and wasn’t very special.
The tonkatsu ramen was pretty thick and not that flavorful to me but I only had a few bites.
The turnip cakes were really overpowered by the sauce so I couldn’t taste what was going on in the center nor the matsutake in it. I loved the texture though - crunchy outside and a gooey inside.
Probably my fav spot on College Avenue. Cocktails are great. Food is delicious. On top of that, staff is super responsive and fun.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Sad to have to write this review, but been coming here since I was a kid and the change in quality of the food over time is too evident to not bring up. Ramen here over the years has not been up to the standard that I remember years ago, and the ramen today was bilayer; there was a large, visible layer of oil on the top of the ramen broth as it came from the kitchen. Has never been this way before, and not worth paying 28 a bowl for.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 2
Service: 5
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!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
One of the best meals I have ever eaten. We didn’t have reservations, showed up right at opening and sat at the bar. It was fun watching the chefs work their magic. Food was innovated, fresh, a flavor explosion, absolutely incredible.
Used to love this place, because it had good food and great drinks even at a premium (price). Not anymore. The quality of the ramen broth (miso) was mediocre at best. The maitake tempura no longer has that nice Japanese batter crunch with spots of hardness. The donburis rice turned Italian, way too al dente for the dish. With 30-35$ per entre of relatively small portions and 20$ sides. This place is no longer recommendable as it no longer justifies the premium.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 4
Food: I got the tonkotsu ramen. The noodles had a decent bite to them, smooth texture and chewy. The default toppings were okay, I think there’s some room for extra there (I believe it only had green onions, greens which I think was parsley, sesame, few slices of pork, spiced paste). The broth was very dense and cloudy, so it was quite filling, but sort of forgettable and not outstanding. I’d say it was definitely overpriced at a whopping $30 per bowl.
Service: Very friendly and attentive. Menu is short and simple, but still had vegetarian options.
Atmosphere: Cozy and casual, dim lighting but not too dim to the point of not being able to read the menu. There’s counter seating and tables as well as the kitchen being mostly visible. There was definitely a good amount of thought put into the decor.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 4
Surprised this place is under 4.5 stars. One of the best broths I’ve had in the area. Definitely on the higher end of prices for ramen but ended up being worth it if you feel like spending an extra $5-$10. Cool atmosphere and they don’t overpack the bar seating which is nice. Their house made (assuming) chili paste was off the charts. Not that spicy but had tons of garlic and incredible flavors.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
We sat at the counter. Watching the cooks prep dishes was very interesting. They had a good flow and good communication while working very quickly to get dishes out. We ordered crispy full belly bintje potatoes to start - it was served piping hot so be careful. The potatoes were perfectly crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside. The curry sauce was mild enough for me to handle. The pickled carrots had a crisp freshness to them.
I had a Under the Cherry Moon mocktail with Hokkaido miso ramen. I also tried a bite of the Liberty Farms duck shoyu ramen. Everything was highly flavorful. The noodles had a good bite to them. The ratio of noodles, toppings, and broth was just right. And no cheap bean sprout fillers.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
very cool ramen. they have one vegetarian option, but i did not like the squash in it so i ordered a plain ramen and was able to ask for alternate vegetables and toppings.
the shop is super cool and everyone is very friendly.
food was good and fresh. broth was good but way too oily to the point where it felt a little nauseous to eat after a while.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Great if you’re looking for that classic gentrified aesthetic and progressive vibe (5% healthcare fee on top of your bill type). The space is almost entirely candle-lit with a dim light above each table, which creates a cozy vibe, but it can be a little too dark for those with visual impairments at night. The food is overpriced for the portion sizes. For a restaurant named ramen shop, the flavor was mediocre. Also expect no ice in your water. It’s a fantastic spot if you’re looking for atmosphere and a modern vibe, but the meal itself was underwhelming on all fronts.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 4
Restaurantji Recommends
Extremely disappointing on a Sunday. The menu was terribly mislabeled - the miso ramen said nothing about being spicy but is FIRE. And sadly, not the good kind of Fire. The broth tasted like spicy salt water - no dimension or nuance, just a mouthful of chili and salt. And the noodles tasted dry and stale, not at all delicious - more so almost inedible. My boyfriend has a nightshade allergy and they also covered their tempura in chili powder, not as described on the menu, so he got poisoned and we had a terrible night and next day because of it. $100 for the most underwhelming and deleterious meal, will not be returning. Mensho and Itani are worlds better, more reasonably priced as well! The only reason I’m giving it 2 stars rather than 1 was the other time I went recently it was decent. But still completely overpriced and overhyped.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 2
Service: 2
Ramen Shop has just gotten better and better recently. Turnip cake was delicious, ramen was great, sticky toffee pudding was incredible.
Glad it's getting into winter for soup season!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Perhaps, sadly, our Ramen Shop days are over especially when you spend (with tip) $140.00 for 2 people who have 1 app, 1 cocktail, 2 bowls of ramen and 1 dessert.
Host is excellent, then you sit down and are essentially ignored for 8-15 min after arriving. Cocktails are good. Ramen was excellent. It always is. However, $28-35 per bowl of ramen is an extraordinary amount to pay for ramen. A humble dish, elevated to gourmet culinary status here. Now you pay 5% for staff healthcare, you don’t get an itemized bill and tipping on the CC machine starts at 20%. They NEED to give patrons an itemized bill. You should NOT be tipping on the 5% healthcare fee and the tax. What is noticeable are fewer people in the restaurant from years past. Perhaps too expensive for most people.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 5
Service: 4
So good. Service can be a little slow but always friendly.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
I’ve been wanting to come here for so long and I didn’t like it 🥲
The matsutake mazeman was topped with raw mushrooms which was so strange to me. The flavor of matsutake really comes out when it’s cooked so I didn’t really taste its flavor :( The noodle texture is good but the sauce was like a yuzu vinger and soy sauce and wasn’t very special.
The tonkatsu ramen was pretty thick and not that flavorful to me but I only had a few bites.
The turnip cakes were really overpowered by the sauce so I couldn’t taste what was going on in the center nor the matsutake in it. I loved the texture though - crunchy outside and a gooey inside.
2 ramens and 1 app, no drinks came to $99 w tip.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 2
Service: 5
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