Not worth it at all. I've been curious for a while, and finally tried the shio tonkotsu ramen. While the flavors and quality were okay, for $25 you get half of an egg, one small piece of pork, and only half a bowl of broth (!!). Don't be fooled by the old pictures like I was, seems like shrinkflation has struck here too :(
Caroline Martin
I love full steam and have been a customer for many years now. My only complaint is missing delicious items that have rotated off the menu! But I respect that they are always innovating, creating new dishes, and keeping things fresh.
Their various fried chicken apps are always SO delicious. I can’t even keep track of all the amazing ones I’ve had over the years. The Taiwanese popcorn chicken sticks out in my mind. The current general tso’s chicken is wonderful and addictive.
I always enjoyed their ramens. Dumplings are delicious. I do miss the crystal dumpling options since I am now technically gluten free (ish) for health reasons. So bringing in some more gluten free options like the crystal dumplings would be awesome for us unfortunate people who have dietary restrictions.
I super appreciate that they use high quality ingredients, produce and meat from local farms, and make everything from scratch. I’ve seen some reviews on here complaining about the prices - if you’re looking for a cheaper option there are other places you can go. But, honestly all food is pretty expensive these days, and I think their prices are reasonable given the quality of the ingredients, and the high cost of living in this town. I am happy to support their business and their focus on quality is actually what makes me want to dine here.
I know Andy and the staff work hard to make this all happen and I am so grateful for this wonderful addition to our local community.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Conniemm
I ordered the mushroom shoyu ramen and while it was tasty, there was an oil sheen on the broth (visible in the photo I posted) which would make me hesitate to order it again.
There was a nice balance of noodles, tofu chunks, mushrooms and bamboo shoots.
The dan dan noodle special looked good and I may opt for it in the future.
Jason Cox
Brisket chow fun, red oil dumplings, vegan ramen were all delicious
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Adam Holbrook
Went in early on a Friday night. Grabbed a drink from the bar (11th hour I think?) And looked over the menu. By the time we were ready there was a big line so we ordered onions and the food came out super fast! Our group got 5 items, one for each of us and we shared. The flavors were well balanced, the portions seem small but I've never had that much filling in a dumpling before! Chicken and leek sausage dumpling was great, Pork belly was served with mandarin orange wedges and fennel that made an excellent pairing, great job! The spicy eggplant noodles were cooked to perfection with the right texture and flavor. The pan fried mushroom and yam dumplings great combination of flavors and textures.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Alejandra Mendez
The ramen wasn’t good, it was salty and the portion of pork was tiny, one of the worst ramen I’ve ever eaten.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 2
Service: 4
Amy Zullo
Awesome service and best ramen around!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Zurv
The vegan ramen was amazing. So good! And the vegan gyoza were tasty too! Best ramen in sc hands down.
Cici
Omg the best vegan dumplings and the fried cauliflower...a vegan dream
Vegetarian options: Great vegan and vegetarian dishes
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Summer
Cool place with multiple food & drink options. The chicken & leek gyoza was good, the chili dumplings weren’t as good.
The food was absolutely delicious. It is a little pricey but what isn’ t these days. The ingredients seem to be top notch and homemade and work intensive, hand-crafted asian food costs $$. I love asian food and am so glad that FSD it here in town. Yay!!We ate on the back patio on a rare warm evening…nice! I gave the atmosphere only 4 stars because the patio could use a little TLC to make it look nicer. The weather has been cold and rainy all winter and I have to admit my own patio looks a little weather beaten :)
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
holly-bb
Super tasty vegan ramen with tomato, mushroom, cabbage, and tofu! Expensive but filling, full flavored, and made by cool people. Great local business and you can buy their broth and dumplings frozen at the downtown farmer’s market on Wednesdays
Updated from previous review on 2024-04-04
Ross Heyman
I don’t review things often, but this place deserves a review. The chef is an artist. We have eaten at Full Steam many times, gone to pop-ups, and farmers markets. His food is amazing. It isn’t traditional, it is leveled up. Yes, it ain’t cheap. Every time I pay I cringe a bit. But then when I eat I remember why it costs what it does. The broths are complex. The dumplings are robust. And the side gigs like his Pho pop up and Bahn Mi are special. And weird hack, I’m not a vegetarian at all, but some of the vegetarian dishes are better than his meat dishes. I hope they keep at it. As a foodie I think Full Steam is an important part of making SC a great place to live.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 4
Andy Ng
I've had Full Steam a few times now and have loved their food and service. They are situated here at 11th Hour on most days as a special pop-up kitchen, and am glad to see them doing well.I ordered their Vegan Gyoza which are made from mushrooms, tofu, and veggies, laid over with their own chili oil that brings out a lot of flavor. The dumplings were pan fried to perfection and were really delicious. I highly recommend trying the mushroom ones even if you eat meat.Although I love their food offerings, I can't deny that $14 for five dumplings seems to be on the higher side of things. They are indeed delicious and probably the best homemade dumplings you'll find in Santa Cruz, but to pay almost $20 for the meal including tip is a bit steep.Definitely a "once in a while" type of spot for me. Next time I'll try their vegan ramen which looked creamy and delicious.
Not worth it at all. I've been curious for a while, and finally tried the shio tonkotsu ramen. While the flavors and quality were okay, for $25 you get half of an egg, one small piece of pork, and only half a bowl of broth (!!). Don't be fooled by the old pictures like I was, seems like shrinkflation has struck here too :(
I love full steam and have been a customer for many years now. My only complaint is missing delicious items that have rotated off the menu! But I respect that they are always innovating, creating new dishes, and keeping things fresh.
Their various fried chicken apps are always SO delicious. I can’t even keep track of all the amazing ones I’ve had over the years. The Taiwanese popcorn chicken sticks out in my mind. The current general tso’s chicken is wonderful and addictive.
I always enjoyed their ramens. Dumplings are delicious. I do miss the crystal dumpling options since I am now technically gluten free (ish) for health reasons. So bringing in some more gluten free options like the crystal dumplings would be awesome for us unfortunate people who have dietary restrictions.
I super appreciate that they use high quality ingredients, produce and meat from local farms, and make everything from scratch. I’ve seen some reviews on here complaining about the prices - if you’re looking for a cheaper option there are other places you can go. But, honestly all food is pretty expensive these days, and I think their prices are reasonable given the quality of the ingredients, and the high cost of living in this town. I am happy to support their business and their focus on quality is actually what makes me want to dine here.
I know Andy and the staff work hard to make this all happen and I am so grateful for this wonderful addition to our local community.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I ordered the mushroom shoyu ramen and while it was tasty, there was an oil sheen on the broth (visible in the photo I posted) which would make me hesitate to order it again. There was a nice balance of noodles, tofu chunks, mushrooms and bamboo shoots. The dan dan noodle special looked good and I may opt for it in the future.
Brisket chow fun, red oil dumplings, vegan ramen were all delicious
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Went in early on a Friday night. Grabbed a drink from the bar (11th hour I think?) And looked over the menu. By the time we were ready there was a big line so we ordered onions and the food came out super fast! Our group got 5 items, one for each of us and we shared. The flavors were well balanced, the portions seem small but I've never had that much filling in a dumpling before! Chicken and leek sausage dumpling was great, Pork belly was served with mandarin orange wedges and fennel that made an excellent pairing, great job! The spicy eggplant noodles were cooked to perfection with the right texture and flavor. The pan fried mushroom and yam dumplings great combination of flavors and textures.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The ramen wasn’t good, it was salty and the portion of pork was tiny, one of the worst ramen I’ve ever eaten.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 2
Service: 4
Awesome service and best ramen around!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The vegan ramen was amazing. So good! And the vegan gyoza were tasty too! Best ramen in sc hands down.
Omg the best vegan dumplings and the fried cauliflower...a vegan dream
Vegetarian options: Great vegan and vegetarian dishes
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Cool place with multiple food & drink options. The chicken & leek gyoza was good, the chili dumplings weren’t as good.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
The food was absolutely delicious. It is a little pricey but what isn’ t these days. The ingredients seem to be top notch and homemade and work intensive, hand-crafted asian food costs $$. I love asian food and am so glad that FSD it here in town. Yay!!We ate on the back patio on a rare warm evening…nice! I gave the atmosphere only 4 stars because the patio could use a little TLC to make it look nicer. The weather has been cold and rainy all winter and I have to admit my own patio looks a little weather beaten :)
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Super tasty vegan ramen with tomato, mushroom, cabbage, and tofu! Expensive but filling, full flavored, and made by cool people. Great local business and you can buy their broth and dumplings frozen at the downtown farmer’s market on Wednesdays Updated from previous review on 2024-04-04
I don’t review things often, but this place deserves a review. The chef is an artist. We have eaten at Full Steam many times, gone to pop-ups, and farmers markets. His food is amazing. It isn’t traditional, it is leveled up. Yes, it ain’t cheap. Every time I pay I cringe a bit. But then when I eat I remember why it costs what it does. The broths are complex. The dumplings are robust. And the side gigs like his Pho pop up and Bahn Mi are special. And weird hack, I’m not a vegetarian at all, but some of the vegetarian dishes are better than his meat dishes. I hope they keep at it. As a foodie I think Full Steam is an important part of making SC a great place to live.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 4
I've had Full Steam a few times now and have loved their food and service. They are situated here at 11th Hour on most days as a special pop-up kitchen, and am glad to see them doing well.I ordered their Vegan Gyoza which are made from mushrooms, tofu, and veggies, laid over with their own chili oil that brings out a lot of flavor. The dumplings were pan fried to perfection and were really delicious. I highly recommend trying the mushroom ones even if you eat meat.Although I love their food offerings, I can't deny that $14 for five dumplings seems to be on the higher side of things. They are indeed delicious and probably the best homemade dumplings you'll find in Santa Cruz, but to pay almost $20 for the meal including tip is a bit steep.Definitely a "once in a while" type of spot for me. Next time I'll try their vegan ramen which looked creamy and delicious.
Vegetarian options: Vegan Ramen, Vegan Gyoza, Mushroom Baos
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 5
LOVED THE DUMPLINGS LOVED THE RAMEN ?? AWESOME FOOD!!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
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