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A good mom and pop ramen shop with generous portions, flavorful broth, and chewy noodles. I got the Bansho ultimate ramen, medium spicy, and it came with more chashu than I've ever gotten in a Bay Area ramen bowl! The owners were friendly and the Sapporo was ice cold :)
I had some business in Berkeley, so I visited this place.The restaurant was quiet inside. The ramen was pretty good,nothing extraordinary, but tasty.The service was friendly.
I got the mayu ramen to-go, and I enjoyed the broth and toppings. I would have preferred a few more toppings. The broth was rich, although I would have liked to taste more of the black garlic oil. The bamboo, chashu, and egg were well marinated and flavorful. The chashu was soft but not too fatty. The staff were very friendly, and my order came in an insulated reusable bag, which was nice.
A solid 2 to 2.5 stars restaurant. Rounding it up because it's a mom and pop shop and I hate to give a lower score. My suggestion is to come to this place for ramen only and skip all other items on their menu. The sauce they used on their rolls was wayyyy too sweet and overpowered the taste. Also, I questioned the quality and freshness of their sashimi. In terms of ramen, it was flavorful but it was on the oily side. I ordered their famous, recommended bansho ramen with pork belly and ground pork, so I guess that was expected.
food - both ramens we tried were really flavorful and the pork belly was incredibly tender and not overly fatty at all. the only downside was lack of broth as i've never experienced ramen where it was served with broth at half the level of the food inside. at least it tasted strong enough and maybe avoided any washed out flavor. the egg was perfectly cooked for the ramen and the crispy onion was a really great touch. the portion was very filling as well. - the nigiri was HUGE and although it's not the highest quality of fish but for the thickness and size, it's worth its cost for a quick salmon fix ($5 for 2 pieces) service - okay service, not very welcoming demeanors but we were also in and out quick so there were not many opportunities to interact with tbem
We came to Bansho for lunch during their spring break so it was not a very busy day. The waitress seemed like she did not want to be there - I think she might have been the owner's daughter and/or it was spring break so I get that We ordered the karaage, Tonkotsu pork, and Bansho Ultimate. The karaage chicken was alright, I think the skin was a little soft but it was tasty. The Tonkotsu pork was the big disappointment. It didn't have any flavor or richness that is expected from tonkotsu ramen. Fortunately, the Bansho Ultimate was a little more flavorful. The thing is the competition in the area is stiff and there are a good number of ramen shops in the area. For the prices Bansho is charging, you expect a really tasty bowl of ramen, but I would probably end up going elsewhere in Berkeley
I came here once & had to bring my husband bc he LOVES Ramen. We have tried many ramens spots & this place is by far our favorite. The broth is perfection. Service is great as well & the inside + bathrooms are super clean! If you're in the area you NEED to try.
You should try the sake nigiri! It's only $5 and they have a generous portion size! It's slightly larger than average. I got the build your own because I wasn't too hungry and just needed something to satisfy myself. I added pork belly and corn. You have the option to choose your broth and the spicy level for the build your own.
Great cheap eats in Berkeley! Onion Ramen - Flavorful broth. Comes with a side of pork tonkatsu. Seaweed Salad - fresh Agedashi Tofu - really good. Best one I've had so far. California Roll - it's was okay. Too much rice. Chicken Karaage - Crispy crunchy with a great dipping sauce Service was decent. Food came out fast. I like the small servings because it's just the perfect amount of food at good prices.
The food was good! I recommend the Bansho ramen (8/10) Way more flavor than the regular tonkatsu (7/10) but the tonkatsu does come with deep fried pork on the side which was not too oily (8.5/10). The service was good. I think it's a mom and pop shop which was very cute! You can definitely taste flavors of the long hours that the broth has been cooking for. We also got the 49er roll which was not too bad as well (6.8/10). But the main highlight was the bansho ramen.
Came after being out all day on a chilly day and was more than satisfied. A good place to relax and eat. Tried the Mayu ramen and enjoyed it a lot. Not as many toppings as there are in other ramen houses, but to be completely honest, I enjoyed this change immensely. It really highlighted the flavor of the broth, chewy noodles, and the amazing chashu (which was incredibly soft and pretty large). Pleasant service as well!
I come here all the time because I LOVE the ramen, appetizers, and sushi! Food is very authentic and tastes delicious no matter what you get. Service is also always kind and quick and it's never too crowded or loud inside so it's the perfect place to go and catch up with a friend. Strongly recommend coming to Bansho!
4 years ago
Came here on Valentine's Day and it was super packed! Very busy with a slightly long wait about 20 minutes for a party of 2. After sitting and ordering our food came out pretty quickly. Appetizers came first and were so delicious!! Edamame - 9/10 love the saltiness Yakiniku - 10/10 literally melts in your mouth! Spicy Misu ramen - 10/10 Spicy Tonkotsu - 9/10 read more
Aug 9 2025 3:30pm 3.4 stars After a short struggle to find parking, we walked the half a block to find Bansho tucked away in a corner- almost hidden from the street. The front doors are littered with adds and dirt. It looked a bit sketchy on the outside but we went inside anyway. Inside, the restaurant looks very pleasant. It has a comfortable and cozy look for a small 49 seat place. Mood music plays at a quiet level. There are several conversation starters for sure inside the restaurant like.. "What is that shrine with the green bananas on it for?" "Can you decipher the price of beer written on that chalkboard?" My favorite was "What is that treadmill doing in this restaurant?" We were seated and given menus. The waitress left and then came back after four or five minutes. I felt a little rushed to order as if the order taker assumed we had pre-prepped ourselves on their menu. We had to ask for more of a chance to look at the options. The two of us shared a bowl of Ramen, an order of California Rolls, a coke and later on we ordered Takoyaki-deep fried dough with I believe a piece of squid inside. Before the waitress left to give our first order to the chef, she said "Anything else?" I inferred she was suggesting our order was to small. Later I understood she might be warning me that that might be our last chance to order anything. It was hard for us to place that second order of Takoyaki. Once we were given our food, the waitress disappeared and never checked on us. To place another order, I had to keep the kitchen under surveillance, watching for someone to exit so we could jump up, run to the frond desk area and order. The food we did have was tasteful enough and the $41 seems fare. Negatives for Bansho. 1) The phones used by the front desk and in the kitchen are too loud, they ring for too long and destroy the ambience. Someone will one day invent a device that buzzes in your pocket instead of ringing loudly throughout the entire restaurant. Name it something catchy like "Cell Phone". 2) The Men's restroom was too dusty and the toilet seat was "spotty"- if you know what I mean. 3) Having someone check on you while you are eating and saying "Welcome In" when you get there and "Thank You For Your Business" when you leave would go a long way. I did see a sign that they are hiring so they might have been short staffed. read more
The server was very nice, it doesn't seem like they have very much help but they are quick food is fresh and tastes great. I also loved the Decor, it's a cute little spot. I wasn't so impressed with the Ramen broth It seemed to be lacking some seasoning in comparison to other Ramen spots I've tried but nonetheless it's a nice flavor & fresh ingredients. I got chicken instead of pork. Also beware of the spice level, as it really is SPICY. I was coughing and sipping at the same time. Get a mild or medium spicy. - coming from a spicy food eater. They seem to have a lot of traffic but they are efficient. Street parking is a bit hard to find, beware of that. It's hard to see the restaurant at first, it's tucked around the street corner. You must try the soft shell crab, was a 10/10. Genmaicha was also very good. read more
A good mom and pop ramen shop with generous portions, flavorful broth, and chewy noodles. I got the Bansho ultimate ramen, medium spicy, and it came with more chashu than I've ever gotten in a Bay Area ramen bowl! The owners were friendly and the Sapporo was ice cold :) read more
7 months ago
I had some business in Berkeley, so I visited this place.The restaurant was quiet inside. The ramen was pretty good,nothing extraordinary, but tasty.The service was friendly. read more
7 months ago
I got the mayu ramen to-go, and I enjoyed the broth and toppings. I would have preferred a few more toppings. The broth was rich, although I would have liked to taste more of the black garlic oil. The bamboo, chashu, and egg were well marinated and flavorful. The chashu was soft but not too fatty. The staff were very friendly, and my order came in an insulated reusable bag, which was nice. read more
A solid 2 to 2.5 stars restaurant. Rounding it up because it's a mom and pop shop and I hate to give a lower score. My suggestion is to come to this place for ramen only and skip all other items on their menu. The sauce they used on their rolls was wayyyy too sweet and overpowered the taste. Also, I questioned the quality and freshness of their sashimi. In terms of ramen, it was flavorful but it was on the oily side. I ordered their famous, recommended bansho ramen with pork belly and ground pork, so I guess that was expected. read more
food - both ramens we tried were really flavorful and the pork belly was incredibly tender and not overly fatty at all. the only downside was lack of broth as i've never experienced ramen where it was served with broth at half the level of the food inside. at least it tasted strong enough and maybe avoided any washed out flavor. the egg was perfectly cooked for the ramen and the crispy onion was a really great touch. the portion was very filling as well. - the nigiri was HUGE and although it's not the highest quality of fish but for the thickness and size, it's worth its cost for a quick salmon fix ($5 for 2 pieces) service - okay service, not very welcoming demeanors but we were also in and out quick so there were not many opportunities to interact with tbem read more
6 months ago
We came to Bansho for lunch during their spring break so it was not a very busy day. The waitress seemed like she did not want to be there - I think she might have been the owner's daughter and/or it was spring break so I get that We ordered the karaage, Tonkotsu pork, and Bansho Ultimate. The karaage chicken was alright, I think the skin was a little soft but it was tasty. The Tonkotsu pork was the big disappointment. It didn't have any flavor or richness that is expected from tonkotsu ramen. Fortunately, the Bansho Ultimate was a little more flavorful. The thing is the competition in the area is stiff and there are a good number of ramen shops in the area. For the prices Bansho is charging, you expect a really tasty bowl of ramen, but I would probably end up going elsewhere in Berkeley read more
1 year ago
I came here once & had to bring my husband bc he LOVES Ramen. We have tried many ramens spots & this place is by far our favorite. The broth is perfection. Service is great as well & the inside + bathrooms are super clean! If you're in the area you NEED to try. read more
1 year ago
Terrible service. Sushi is good and the place is cute but I didn't have a good experience. read more
3 years ago
You should try the sake nigiri! It's only $5 and they have a generous portion size! It's slightly larger than average. I got the build your own because I wasn't too hungry and just needed something to satisfy myself. I added pork belly and corn. You have the option to choose your broth and the spicy level for the build your own. read more
7 months ago
7 months ago
Great cheap eats in Berkeley! Onion Ramen - Flavorful broth. Comes with a side of pork tonkatsu. Seaweed Salad - fresh Agedashi Tofu - really good. Best one I've had so far. California Roll - it's was okay. Too much rice. Chicken Karaage - Crispy crunchy with a great dipping sauce Service was decent. Food came out fast. I like the small servings because it's just the perfect amount of food at good prices. read more
2 years ago
The food was good! I recommend the Bansho ramen (8/10) Way more flavor than the regular tonkatsu (7/10) but the tonkatsu does come with deep fried pork on the side which was not too oily (8.5/10). The service was good. I think it's a mom and pop shop which was very cute! You can definitely taste flavors of the long hours that the broth has been cooking for. We also got the 49er roll which was not too bad as well (6.8/10). But the main highlight was the bansho ramen. read more
Came after being out all day on a chilly day and was more than satisfied. A good place to relax and eat. Tried the Mayu ramen and enjoyed it a lot. Not as many toppings as there are in other ramen houses, but to be completely honest, I enjoyed this change immensely. It really highlighted the flavor of the broth, chewy noodles, and the amazing chashu (which was incredibly soft and pretty large). Pleasant service as well! read more
I come here all the time because I LOVE the ramen, appetizers, and sushi! Food is very authentic and tastes delicious no matter what you get. Service is also always kind and quick and it's never too crowded or loud inside so it's the perfect place to go and catch up with a friend. Strongly recommend coming to Bansho! read more
Pretty decent joint. I heard from a couple of folks that this is the ramen spot in Berkeley so I had to try it out. I ordered the shio ramen. Service was fast and prompt and it was a nice experience overall. Water and ordering were extremely prompt and straightforward. The ramen took about 10 minutes as well which was a great experience. The spot is a great place to talk and have lunch with a friend. The shio was pretty small for the price point. It was about $16 for a bowl of ramen (tax included) and it was relatively tiny. However, the egg was delicious and the chicken was well made. I also really liked the wood ear and green onions too. The plating was beautiful though and it was a great ambient experience overall. However, for the price point and portions, I do not think I would be coming back, but it is definitely worth checking out. read more
1 year ago
5 years ago
Cheap eats for ramen and Japanese tapas for the win in college town street! Their ramen hit the spot and can feed two - especially if you're ordering other dishes with it. Soft shell crab was my favorite and one can't go wrong with the takoyaki (unless you're allergic to octopus). Hot sake is a bliss with the whole meal! Service, ayce and I like the feel of the warm decor here! read more
Quick Summary: - A walk down Telegraph - Might be difficult to find parking space here - Plump and strong noodles -Very delicious tonkotsu broth - Toppings are not overpowering and overshadowing the noodles and broth, which is great If I were going to have ramen in Berkeley, I would have it here. While I don't go out to eat ramen as much as I used to, this was a place that sparked my attention and would pick as my go-to place to eat. The ramen prices here have been consistent, starts from the 14 range and goes up with the different toppings or broth types. I liked here was because the ramen arrived quickly at the table and it was treated more like a casual eat in, rather than other areas, where it made ramen a fancy dinner. The ramen arrived swift because after we ordered we didn't wait long for all three dishes arrived. I ordered the mayu, which is tonkotsu (pork broth) and black garlic. The tonkotsu broth is magically delicious. It's a clear flavor of richness, but not too much that it feels greasy. It is a broth I would like to drink a whole bowl, which I might have done with this one. The noodles here are my favorite! There are some ramen places, where the noodles are as thin as angel hair pasta, and I'm not a fan. It always feels like these types of noodles clump together into one chunk and the texture is a mix of melted or too firm. Not here, because the noodles here are thicker! It was a satisfying slurp of noodle and broth combination. I was also a huge fan of the simple ratio of the toppings placed and not over filling the bowl and hiding the noodles. Ramen equals the broth and noodles, so toppings should come as a side character, not the protagonist charging through head first. Closing off, if I'm feeling like ramen, or if anyone asks me what is the best ramen in Berkeley, I'll pick here. read more
I feel like their quality decreased or coming in during their lunch time isn't the best. I remember their chicken karaage being really good but now the pieces are too big and batter is too thick. Also their wasabi isn't spicy. read more
1 year ago
5 years ago
Came on a quiet Saturday an hour after opening. There was only one other customer inside so the service was prompt. I ordered the Tonkotsu Ramen, but it seemed to have taken around 15-20 minutes to come out. Would hate to see if this place was actually busy. The broth itself was delicious. The meat and topping tasted good too. I knocked off a point though because the pork and veggies on top of the noodles were cold, like refrigerated cold. I put the meat and veggies back on the soup broth and after a bit everything came out better. Maybe it was just an off day, but I would come back to try again. read more
2 years ago
5 years ago
Felt under the weather and decided to get my friend and I some ramen to go. I loved their packaging for to go they separated everything to ensure freshness which I appreciate. However, the ramen itself was kind of lack luster. We got the ultimate ramen and the onion tonkotsu - both were good, but nothing special. A tad salty even and lacking in flavor in the broth besides salt. As a former Cal student and given this is right near the college I think it's safe to say they're catering more towards students in that their prices are great but the quality is questionable. May return again to experience sit down because obviously quality inconsistency often happens since youre not eating it fresh and in front of you. If the quality does go up by experiencing it sit down then this place definitely would deserve more stars given how good the prices are for ramen. read more
7 months ago
2 years ago
Excellent customer service and take-out food experience. Zoe was very friendly and assisted me with my order. Their restaurant is very spacious with beautiful Asian art decorations. We ordered 2 Ultimate Ramens, Shoyu Chicken, and Miso with extras noodles and fish cakes. The noodles were fresh and their broth was ultra tasty with its authentic, organic Japanese ramen flavors. Nice balance of flavors, toppings, and noodle ratio. Some ramen places usually serve noodles with salty broth flavors, which irritates me. However, the broth was made with TLC and perfect taste! Generous portion sizes and sturdy to-go containers. This is our new family favorite ramen place and will try their sushi dishes on our next trip to Berkeley. read more
2 years ago
Great ramen, really! I went with my girlfriend and we both ordered the bansho ultimate ramen. This is probably the only place where the pork in their ramen is not super fatty, it's actually a good cut. The ramen overall looks like a work of art, see the picture for proof! read more
3 years ago
This ramen is absolutely ridiculous. I've never had such good ramen. Staff seems friendly and genuinely interested in what people think. That's how you know it's a craft and labor of love 10/10 would eat here every day if I could! read more
2 years ago
5 years ago
I really enjoyed the ramen here. I like the plating of the food as well as the toppings. The flavors are all delicious. We were hungry looking for some place to eat and luckily this place was open and didn't have a wait. The wait staff was very friendly and the food didn't take long to arrive at all. The quality of the toppings were great, and I can tell the chef cares about the plating and presentation of the food which shows care and also some creativity, which I relate with. The flavors were great, overall solid ramen. By boyfriend wished the portions were bigger but personally I was fine with the portion size. read more
I stopped in to try their Ramen. Ordered "The Bansho Ultimate" Tonkotsu broth Ramen for $18, which includes a thick slab (almost as thick as a small fish filet) of pork belly, minced pork, pickled radish, woodear mushrooms, half an egg, scallions, and fried burdock root. Apparently they no longer include Kale with this. I asked them to make it spicy (sesame hot oil with ground chili) on the side for takeout. Highly recommend this as the flavors melded well together and broth was also rich. There were grill marks on the pork belly too. read more
5 years ago
Skip to the end for my verdict. I've tried all the ramen places in the neighborhood and it has become clear to me that Bansho is quite definitively the best there is for ramen. The noodles are thick, chewy, and high quality. The broth is deep in flavor and rich. The meat (e.g. chashu) is thick-cut and tender. The setting is comfortable. The owners are also super sweet. I always end up being very satisfied and full at the end. With other places, the noodles are thin, the broth is too salty, the meat is inexcusably thin, and the setting is too crammed or too sterile. Bansho, a wonderful mom and pop shop on the corner of Telegraph and Dwight, just exceeds in every aspect. I wholeheartedly recommend Bansho as I have been going there ever since they opened, perhaps two years ago by now. If you want to remember how Bansho compares to the others nearby, here's the verdict: Sojo Ramen is, well, so-so. Alley Kitchen? Just isn't up my alley. But Bansho? Fo sho! read more
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2502 Telegraph Ave
Berkeley, CA 94704
Telegraph Ave
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(510) 647-9253
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