Coming here feels like a glimpse of Japan as a super tiny diner. The ambiance embodies that of a train station with signs and tv's stationed to tell you when the next train is. And there's solo seating with borders covered up too so you can eat in private. Pretty cool if you ask me. If you are a solo diner, this is the place to come. But I did come with a few friends, and we were able to get the window seating, but we just had to stand up to eat. But you order your food through a kiosk and wait for your food to be delivered through a pass-through. I got the black garlic ramen and it definitely tasted good but wasn't anything to really rave about. It tastes like a simple, classic ramen. I love the ambiance and structure of the place and if I really felt like coming here personally by myself to grab a bowl here, I definitely would. If you wanna get that peep of Japan, definitely make your trip here!
Rick T.
This place was pretty cool. Makes you feel like you're in Japan. You order thru a tablet and food comes out at a pickup window. Not really any human interaction. Ramen was really good.
Renee Y.
Great spot for solo diners or introverts. This is an equivalent style to the popular Ichiran chain where you don't have to interact with anyone to get your food. You place your order on the kiosks and once your food is ready, you pick up from the window. The process was super easy and the ramen is actually better than some places in the bay. There's indoor seating available where it's a row of seats facing a wall. If you're with a bigger group, I believe there's tables outside in the back. They also play sounds that mimic Japan's train stations on loop. At first it was cute and goes well with the aesthetic, but it does get kind of annoying if you're in there for too long. Other than that, this is a great spot to feel like you're in Japan without actually being there.
Edison Huang
Got my Japan fix here. Ramen restaurant theme is based off Japan Rail stations. I do like the individual stalls which reminded me of Ichiran.There's no human interactions and, of course, no tipping required. You just Place your order > pick it up > get seated > enjoy your piping hot ramen > put tray away and throw trash out.Food itself was okay for the price. It's a gimmicky thing, but overall a good experience!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 3
Recommended dishes: Black Garlic, Tonkotsu, Garlic Tonkotsu Ramen
Jordan Y.
No way to contact staff if your order doesn’t go through after
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Jessica H.
Cute little restaurant to daydream what life would be like in Japan. The decor and layout are designed to look like a subway station. The speakers play repetitive announcements that are a little loud so if it's a bother you can sit outside at the back patio. Came here at nighttime but I imagine it would be a pretty waterfront view. The workers do a good job of hiding in the kitchen so the only time I saw them was when I pulled up and they were cleaning the trays/trash. The only interaction was when the hole in the wall opened up when the ramen was ready. The ramen itself was flavorful. The noodles were the perfect texture, and the toppings helped pull the whole bowl together. I wish the pork chasu was a little thicker but times are tough right now so I understand. Overall a wonderful experience and I would come back again
Anthony H.
This place brings me back to Japan. What a novel concept to recreate the ubiquitous ramen shops around the train stations in Japan. Like in Japan, you order from a kiosk and get a ticket, then you pick up your meal from a window, and you can slurp your ramen in one of the individual stalls inside or a counter in the back with nice view of the estuary, or take your bowl outside to the picnic tables when the weather is nice. You can choose from several styles of ramen, like tonkutsu, spicy tonkutsu, black garlic tonkutsu, spicy dan dan, shoyu, etc. You can specify thick ramen for a little extra cost, and add more toppings, and even indicate saltiness level. We tried the black garlic tonkutsu and spicy tonkutsu and enjoyed both. The portion was good and there were several slices of chasu, and half a soft boiled egg, bamboo shoots, seaweed were all included. Different kinds of edamame beans are available to order. The menu indicated that tsukemen (dry ramen) is coming soon, so we look forward to that. They have several vendor machines selling Asian soft drinks and Hello Kitty snacks. In the lobby there were two TV screens announcing train arrivals/departures(in Japanese of course) so they really did a good job of simulating a train station. As the restaurant is right next to the Oakland/Alameda estuary, you can walk along the bay trails afterwards. This is such a cute place.
Kayli Jordan
**Do not use your card at the vending machines here!!***Me and my friend came here 02/19/24 and immediately after using their card in the vending machine on the left - they had their card skimmed and $600 worth of unauthorized Apple Pay charges.They have no way to contact an employee at the location, and no phone number, or website to let them know they have a card skimmer on premise.The restaurant had a loud repetitive audio of a woman announcing train station stops and smelled strongly of fish. The option to get thick noodles was nice and they were good, but the Ramen was unbalanced (too fishy), even the Tan Tan. 2 bowls of Ramen was approx $35 and each drink is about $5. A bag of kit-kats is $8.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 3
Service: 2
Recommended dishes: Spicy Tonkotsu Ramen
BRIAN YUN
Just wish there was one closer to where I live! Fun experience and tasty ramen.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Recommended dishes: Tonkotsu
Kierstie KJ B.
They don't have a standard veggie option on the menu so there are a lot of up charges for a simple veggie Ramen. The Raman is pretty good and the concept is fun. I enjoy the restaurant and I would recommend it.
Ramen station transported me back to being in Japan again! I loved the theme of the restaurant and how everything is efficient. Also, no need for any human interaction on ordering/picking up your food! The decor and sounds inside really makes you feel like you're at the train station in Tokyo. I ordered the tonkatsu ramen and added corn. I'd say it was a 4/5, great portion and flavor but nothing that extremely wowed me. If you're looking for a new experience to get ramen in the bay area, make sure you check this spot out!
Brianna M.
Don't use vending machines. I used one earlier this week to purchase two candies and a drink. Yesterday morning I got charged in a different state by the same vending company in some random city and I now have to cancel my card.
Francisco S.
Solid ramen, love the ambiance and the unique experience. They also definitely do not skimp out on the food, and it's an affordable price. Absolutely love it.
Connie C.
I thought the ramen was ok. The place is clean, and everything is self-serve (order on a screen). We had no human interaction the entire time. We did love our Moshi lychee sparkling drink that we got at the vending machine. There are two vending machine areas, one in the front and one in the back. The one in the back had a few different items. There are snacks and drinks that you can get from the vending machines. There's a code to get into the bathroom, the code is located on your receipt after your order food. Very quiet when we went, a couple had just finished and left when we arrived. So with that said it's not a very lively atmosphere and the place is almost too brightly lit (similar to hospital lighting).
J C.
First time ordering ramen this way. Very expensive for what you get. I ordered electronically Tonkotsu Ramen deluxe w/ thick ramen (+1.50) and an extra egg. (+2.00)...and they only gave me HALF of an egg...for $2.00!!! Total w/tax: $20.95. I will not be returning nor recommending. Not a value for what you pay...oh, and a green tea can from the vending machine? $3.50!!! SMH
Coming here feels like a glimpse of Japan as a super tiny diner. The ambiance embodies that of a train station with signs and tv's stationed to tell you when the next train is. And there's solo seating with borders covered up too so you can eat in private. Pretty cool if you ask me. If you are a solo diner, this is the place to come. But I did come with a few friends, and we were able to get the window seating, but we just had to stand up to eat. But you order your food through a kiosk and wait for your food to be delivered through a pass-through. I got the black garlic ramen and it definitely tasted good but wasn't anything to really rave about. It tastes like a simple, classic ramen. I love the ambiance and structure of the place and if I really felt like coming here personally by myself to grab a bowl here, I definitely would. If you wanna get that peep of Japan, definitely make your trip here!
This place was pretty cool. Makes you feel like you're in Japan. You order thru a tablet and food comes out at a pickup window. Not really any human interaction. Ramen was really good.
Great spot for solo diners or introverts. This is an equivalent style to the popular Ichiran chain where you don't have to interact with anyone to get your food. You place your order on the kiosks and once your food is ready, you pick up from the window. The process was super easy and the ramen is actually better than some places in the bay. There's indoor seating available where it's a row of seats facing a wall. If you're with a bigger group, I believe there's tables outside in the back. They also play sounds that mimic Japan's train stations on loop. At first it was cute and goes well with the aesthetic, but it does get kind of annoying if you're in there for too long. Other than that, this is a great spot to feel like you're in Japan without actually being there.
Got my Japan fix here. Ramen restaurant theme is based off Japan Rail stations. I do like the individual stalls which reminded me of Ichiran.There's no human interactions and, of course, no tipping required. You just Place your order > pick it up > get seated > enjoy your piping hot ramen > put tray away and throw trash out.Food itself was okay for the price. It's a gimmicky thing, but overall a good experience!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 3
Recommended dishes: Black Garlic, Tonkotsu, Garlic Tonkotsu Ramen
No way to contact staff if your order doesn’t go through after
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Cute little restaurant to daydream what life would be like in Japan. The decor and layout are designed to look like a subway station. The speakers play repetitive announcements that are a little loud so if it's a bother you can sit outside at the back patio. Came here at nighttime but I imagine it would be a pretty waterfront view. The workers do a good job of hiding in the kitchen so the only time I saw them was when I pulled up and they were cleaning the trays/trash. The only interaction was when the hole in the wall opened up when the ramen was ready. The ramen itself was flavorful. The noodles were the perfect texture, and the toppings helped pull the whole bowl together. I wish the pork chasu was a little thicker but times are tough right now so I understand. Overall a wonderful experience and I would come back again
This place brings me back to Japan. What a novel concept to recreate the ubiquitous ramen shops around the train stations in Japan. Like in Japan, you order from a kiosk and get a ticket, then you pick up your meal from a window, and you can slurp your ramen in one of the individual stalls inside or a counter in the back with nice view of the estuary, or take your bowl outside to the picnic tables when the weather is nice. You can choose from several styles of ramen, like tonkutsu, spicy tonkutsu, black garlic tonkutsu, spicy dan dan, shoyu, etc. You can specify thick ramen for a little extra cost, and add more toppings, and even indicate saltiness level. We tried the black garlic tonkutsu and spicy tonkutsu and enjoyed both. The portion was good and there were several slices of chasu, and half a soft boiled egg, bamboo shoots, seaweed were all included. Different kinds of edamame beans are available to order. The menu indicated that tsukemen (dry ramen) is coming soon, so we look forward to that. They have several vendor machines selling Asian soft drinks and Hello Kitty snacks. In the lobby there were two TV screens announcing train arrivals/departures(in Japanese of course) so they really did a good job of simulating a train station. As the restaurant is right next to the Oakland/Alameda estuary, you can walk along the bay trails afterwards. This is such a cute place.
**Do not use your card at the vending machines here!!***Me and my friend came here 02/19/24 and immediately after using their card in the vending machine on the left - they had their card skimmed and $600 worth of unauthorized Apple Pay charges.They have no way to contact an employee at the location, and no phone number, or website to let them know they have a card skimmer on premise.The restaurant had a loud repetitive audio of a woman announcing train station stops and smelled strongly of fish. The option to get thick noodles was nice and they were good, but the Ramen was unbalanced (too fishy), even the Tan Tan. 2 bowls of Ramen was approx $35 and each drink is about $5. A bag of kit-kats is $8.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 3
Service: 2
Recommended dishes: Spicy Tonkotsu Ramen
Just wish there was one closer to where I live! Fun experience and tasty ramen.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Recommended dishes: Tonkotsu
They don't have a standard veggie option on the menu so there are a lot of up charges for a simple veggie Ramen. The Raman is pretty good and the concept is fun. I enjoy the restaurant and I would recommend it.
Restaurantji Recommends
Ramen station transported me back to being in Japan again! I loved the theme of the restaurant and how everything is efficient. Also, no need for any human interaction on ordering/picking up your food! The decor and sounds inside really makes you feel like you're at the train station in Tokyo. I ordered the tonkatsu ramen and added corn. I'd say it was a 4/5, great portion and flavor but nothing that extremely wowed me. If you're looking for a new experience to get ramen in the bay area, make sure you check this spot out!
Don't use vending machines. I used one earlier this week to purchase two candies and a drink. Yesterday morning I got charged in a different state by the same vending company in some random city and I now have to cancel my card.
Solid ramen, love the ambiance and the unique experience. They also definitely do not skimp out on the food, and it's an affordable price. Absolutely love it.
I thought the ramen was ok. The place is clean, and everything is self-serve (order on a screen). We had no human interaction the entire time. We did love our Moshi lychee sparkling drink that we got at the vending machine. There are two vending machine areas, one in the front and one in the back. The one in the back had a few different items. There are snacks and drinks that you can get from the vending machines. There's a code to get into the bathroom, the code is located on your receipt after your order food. Very quiet when we went, a couple had just finished and left when we arrived. So with that said it's not a very lively atmosphere and the place is almost too brightly lit (similar to hospital lighting).
First time ordering ramen this way. Very expensive for what you get. I ordered electronically Tonkotsu Ramen deluxe w/ thick ramen (+1.50) and an extra egg. (+2.00)...and they only gave me HALF of an egg...for $2.00!!! Total w/tax: $20.95. I will not be returning nor recommending. Not a value for what you pay...oh, and a green tea can from the vending machine? $3.50!!! SMH