“Tonkotsu - this is a pretty good bowl of ramen overall. The broth was missing some extra "oomphf" of milkiness that I was hoping for. The standard serving does not include menma which I feel like is essential to a traditional tonkotsu... the chasu had more of a smokiness, grilled flavor as opposed to the sweet caramelization from the sake/ mirin marinating one may typically expect. All said, this is solid for the Bay Area in my experience but maybe not a recreation of tonkotsu ramen you would get in Japan. There was a richness to the broth and noodles were perfectly cooked!Karaage - plump, super juicy, big pieces of perfectly brined chicken. The batter has less crunch and more crisp, something captured perfectly here. Served with a bit of cabbage, a really sweet kewpie mayo, and a shishito. I loved this and gets perfectly dunked in a bowl of ramen lol.Takoyaki - Less tako, more yaki. I would say the filled contents are probably 5% tako if that. I ate these and did not get a chew of octopus at least twice... though, cooked and topped perfectly with a great flavor.Service was friendly and prompt, and left us to enjoy all aspects of the meal. These dishes and some tea were about $75 for two with tip.“
“I’ve had a lot of ramen all over the west coast and this restaurant easily is the best ramen I’ve ever had. Simple, delicious, and heart-warming. Every ingredient is cooked perfectly with care. The chashu made me want to cry tears of joy. I cannot wait to return for more!“
“One of my favorite ramen in Bay Area! Visited multiple times, everything ordered is delicious. But not sure if they changed the recipe, previously they had chashu with amazing smoky flavor, now it’s just plain chashu. Hope they can bring it “
“Friendly staff. The food is great and the portions are good. They give you a lot of stuff when you order a bento box. The sashimi is good quality, nice, thick, and fresh slices. I would recommend this place if you're looking for Japanese food.“
“The food is good. The service is also great but it does get pretty busy during lunch hours. Not sure about dinner since we only went during lunchtime. The restaurants is small. There was about 20 minutes wait for us. But the food came quickly after we ordered. Also, the place is very clean and cozy. Love the style of the restaurant.“
“This is kind of an out of the way spot which is taking over an old pho restaurant.I flew in late to Oakland airport, I need something warm and homey. Frankly, I was itching for a good ramen. Having lived in the Bay Area many years, I knew I could find something like that.This place wasn't too far off of my path, and it was late and they were still open.Walking in the place is fairly unassuming, yet there is still some customers there. Almost that closing. I asked quickly if it was too late to grab a ramen, the kind gal could be said please have a seat.Looking around, I saw several tables that were covered with dirty dishes and uneaten food. Well that wasn't necessarily a great first impression, at least they had a good rush.Sitting down I received a menu, and a glass of cold water.Looking at the menu there was a variety of ramens to choose from, and so I went to my go-to Tonkotsu. Almost nothing better than a Tonkotsu with Chashu late at night. Done that many times after hours in Tokyo.Anyway I had to add Gyoza as a side to complete it.First come out the gyoza, and their fried on all sides. That is not my first choice, and this is very common when prepared by non-Japanese. I bit in, and while decent, they were not great. But the Ramen came out, and I was very excited. It smelled right, the broth was piping hot, and there was several good pieces of Chashu.First, I sip the broth. It was good and hot. Second, I slurped the noodles, they are firm, warm, and perfect flavor. I grab a little sneak bite of a Chashu, It's warm, nice savory flavor, and a good thick piece. I'm pleased. I dive in. Before I knew it the ramen was gone, Gyoza, pretty much gone, and I was very full. The broth was nice and hardy, with a savory thick flavor, and simply it was a calming experience before hitting the hotel.For me my final question is always "would I go back?" The answer is a definite yes. Though I probably would not get the gyoza. But if you're looking for a good ramen, I recommend.“
“We had the Kuro Ramen and it was delicious. Very filling.We also had to try their Arashi Ramen and the broth was light and savory.I recommend the Arashi French fries. They are sweet and crunchy, going well with ramen.The complimentary oolong tea was very refreshing and light, with easy accessible refilling station.“
“Small place with about 6 tables. We went for lunch on Sunday and there was a short wait. You order at the counter and food is brought to your table, water and hot tea are available to serve yourself. WOW! The rolls are HUGE and very reasonably priced for the size. I love the menu with a large variety of rolls, sauces and combinations to try. Most importantly the fish was fresh and everything we ordered was delicious. I definitely recommend the Phoenix roll. This is not close to home for me, but I'll go out of my way to come here for my sushi fix.“
“Where do I even start... this place is bomb.com!! So much value for what you get. Free iced tea, free dessert (we got almond pudding), and lollipops with our check. The food was pretty darn tasty. I got the black garlic ramen and the cold noodles. I would order both again. 100/10!Definitely coming back here.. didn't know it was so close to my work. Such a hidden gem!!!“
“Food was unexpectedly good at such price, the curry beef udon and black garlic ramen were both extremely rich in ingredients; was probably a special offer but we were also given two small plates of fried rice which was also in high quality. Would definitely come back again.“
“Went here for my birthday recently. Couldn't get over how good that food was. I think i might've had a dream about it after. This could be one of the best sushi restaurants in the east bay, especially after so many places closed since covid or went under new management. The service was excellent, i loved the traditional decor, but the food. THE FOOD! So fresh and beautiful, perfect smell and color. I'll definitely come back.“
“This place was great and had good food but not enough for five stars tbh. Some of the food items are great and some are okay and need a bit more seasoning. Sometimes it's hard to get the attention of the staff. Some of the items are a bit pricy.“
“It doesnt look like something awesome from the outside, but it is beautiful inside and the location has its pros and cons. Peacful and clean. I ordered three drinks, thai milk tea, lychee tea, and regular milk tea. All drinks were authentic and full of flavor. Sweentness was perfect. We also ordered a red bean mochi which was perfectly cooked and tasty. The visual was gorgeous. Service was decent. Cant wait to come again.“
“Ordered through the Snackpass app, so I could just pick it up directly when I get there. Worked out since the parking lot is an extremely small lot to the side, not a big plaza. They have two designated parking spots for U Cha customers, but the first time I went, both were taken, so I parked on the other end temporarily. Their classic milk tea is pretty good, I would get it again if I was in the area! The honey boba was soft and chewy, I don't have any complaints on the pearls. However, I would not recommend getting a hot drink from here. The cups for hot drinks are not the best quality and the lid keeps falling off, so unfortunately I had spilled some of my drink on my car. The chicken katsu sando, I highly recommend!! It tasted better than I expected! Compared to katsu sandwiches you can get from like the Asian market, U Cha's is definitely better for about the same cost. It's got a nice crispy outside and juicy inside. I would definitely get it again. Their Tokyo fries were good, however spicy mayo is just not a flavor I personally like, so next time I would just get the fries by itself.“
“The service is great, I got the Takoyaki and Una Don both were really well prepared. I don't really know much about the food but they explained everything to me well and recommended what to get. The ramen there is also excellent which I definitely recommend .“
“I ordered seafood ramen. The seafood were fresh and the shrimps & scollops were very big! The ramen amount is a little less than I expected but the seafood qualities were the best I have ever had! My fiancé ordered chicken katsu don and it’s also good! We like the rice with fried eggs & sauce toppings. The chicken portion were big as well! Highly recommend!I ordered guava green tea after my meal. The tea is good but there’s no guava favor in it. Their drink comes with a free topping. So overall I had a positive experience here.“
“I order to go a couple items from the menu, the Black Garlic Ramen, Kara-age and gyoza. I opted to make the ramen spicy it wasn’t spicy at lot had a lot of flavor but it tasted something kinda burnt so I’m not sure if that it’s always like that or not but over all I did like the ramen. The chicken Kara-age was so good specially when it was dipped in the spicy mayo. The gyoza were really good crunchy but soft and lots of flavor.“
“The curry is soooo good! Best I have ever had. They veganize this for you and the staff is so loving and kind. We are vegan & this is my favourite japanese in thr bay area. Their mango sake is another fave! Must go here. Simple, lowkey delicious food :)“
“I honestly like the drinks here they are unique for some of them that adds a twist along with some interesting toppings I haven’t seen in other boba stores . had the orange lychee that is good with red bean pearls and ordered the popcorn chicken and salt and pepper tofu , both food was alright but for the price of 9.50 for the chicken I expected more meat not fatty pieces better go to quality like itea for that price . The tofu was good not exactly crunchy but had a more soft tofu texture with Unami flavor both was soggy when I took it home for my siblings to try outParking: Not too many surround by other shops“
“Located inside a plaza with other food places, there is lots of parking available. This is our go-to spot for ramen! The ordering system is easy and efficient. There's a QR code to see the menu and input orders directly. We came at night on a weekend. There was no wait (prob since they were closing soon). The food came out quickly. Each bowl had all the ingredients placed nicely. We ordered: - Black garlic Tonkatsu: strong garlic taste with a rich broth which you can tell has been simmered for long hours (for 24 hours according to their menu description). Comes with pork chashu, green onions, shredded wood ears and homemade black garlic oil. Added soft boiled egg and karaage. The karaage was crunchy even after it touched the soup, and so flavorful and juicy on the inside. - spicy miso: the broth was creamy and very flavorful. Comes with pork chashu, another piece of meat, green onions and shredded wood ears. Added the soft boiled egg. I like how they give a whole egg instead of just half. - fried squid: so crunchy and lightly battered so it didn't feel too greasy or heavy. The seasoning was flavorful without being too salty. Overall, the ramen and broth are both so good! Very generous with the amount of ingredients. The downside would be that the bowls are on the smaller side so you might run out of broth. But overall, it's a good portion size. Def recommend this place for a rich, flavorful bowl of ramen!“
“I come here all the time! It's such a great alternative to regular hot pot because you get to choose what ingredients you want :) highly recommend if you're super picky about what's in your soup. The staff are always super nice and greet you with a smile. I will note: most of the service is self-serve so you're expected to make your own sauces and get your own drinks. Overall, I love bringing friends and family here because everyone leaves full and happy“