Order Bansho Ramen Takeout or Delivery
Bansho Ramen Photos
Bansho Ramen Popular Dishes
BANSHO RAMEN ATMOSPHERE
You might also consider
Recommended Reviews - Bansho Ramen
Start your review...
Reviews With Photos
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!
Decided to check out Bansho Ramen while on a hunt for lunch with Joey. Since we had a strict lunch hour, we arrived at Bansho around 12:15 and was seated immediately. I decided to order the Tonkotsu Ramen since it's the standard I use at all ramen places. We received our hot bowls of ramen fairly quickly. The charsu was fall apart and delicious. The egg was runny and made me happy. There was a fair amount of noodles. The broth was a little light for my taste but it was still good. The ramen didn't really stand out but would be worth going to again if I'm close by. Clean and friendly employees. Our check was brought without our asking as we finished our ramen and we were able to make it back to work exactly at 1 pm! read more
March 2021: I remember going here when they first opened up (see previous review) and I'm happy to say that are doing so well! Now that indoor dining is slowly happening again, give this ramen spot a try! I'm very picky when it comes to chicken karaage and takoyaki, but Bansho Ramen makes my list of Ramen Appetizers Deliciousness! read more
5 years ago
I think Bansho is pretty good, but definitely not the best ramen spot here in Berkeley. I came around 6:30 on a Thursday, and there was no one else in the restaurant which was pretty surprising. It is in a bit of a unique location, though. I ordered the original tonkotsu ramen which came with chashu, an egg, and the standard veggies. I really liked the chashu, and the egg was seasoned nicely too. The portion doesn't seem big at first glance, but it really is a lot of noodles. Prices are a bit higher than the other ramen spots around here. I think it came out to around $20 per person after tax and tips. read more
We came for ramen, so we ordered the Bansho Ultimate Ramen $17 and Onion Tonkatsu $14 with an extra egg ($1.75). The Bansho Ultimate broth was a combination of pork broth and miso (broth needs more flavor), with fried burdock, thick pork belly (so good!), woodear, ground pork and half of a soft-boiled egg. Overall 3.8/5 stars. Onion Tonkotsu came with sliced fried pork cutlet (I recommend getting it on the side of you don't like soggy skin), onion and butter corn. I think the same pork broth was used (needs more depth of flavor). But overall this broth was lighter and less salty, and the onion and corn gave the broth a different flavor profile which I enjoyed. Service was good. They accidentally charged us the wrong amount, but fixed it before we left. A decent place for ramen and donburi in Berkeley. read more
3 years ago
The ramen is delicious!! We had the tonkatsu ramen. They also had sushi, but we were there for ramen. read more
A decent ramen place for Berkeley and it's a nice short walk from the UC Berkeley campus. It's a great spot when you need your ramen fix! When we walked in, the smell of freshly fried karaage filled the room, so we unanimously decided to order a plate of karaage to share. We all ordered the Bansho Ultimate Ramen, which I surprisingly really enjoyed! A generous portion of ramen with a thick slice of charred pork belly (my favorite part). They even added minced pork and chopped kale, which was the first time I've had that with ramen. The Ultimate Ramen was $17, so for that price I'd expect to enjoy it. This place exceeded my expectations and if I'm in the area again, I would come back! read more
3 years ago
Super good Ramen and Sushi!! Servers were so sweet and the ambiance was a good place to wind down and get something fast. read more
Wanted to check out a different ramen shop in the area and came across Bansho. Service was good the food was okay. The tonkatsu broth was very oily and heavy with not a lot of flavor in it. The meat was very tender and smoky in the Bansho ramen which was great. I love spicy food, so I requested to add some spice to my ramen. Rather than add it in the broth, they gave me a side of chili oil. I should have tasted the chili oil before dumping it in my ramen. When I poured the chili oil in, it completely changed the flavor of my ramen. It had a Szechuan peppercorn flavor to it where it made my mouth slightly numb. I'm not a huge fan of the szechuan peppercorn flavor and the chili oil itself wasn't spicy. I was a little disappointed with the ramen. The soft shell crab was good though! It was nice and crispy and I enjoyed the dipping sauce that came with it. The chicken karaage was also nice and crispy! read more
4 years ago
If you know me then you know I love finding new ramen places in the bay area especially because when I live there isn't many so I usually have to drive further out like Berkeley. The service was nice and prompt and the ramen was pretty tasty along with the chicken. Plenty of seating and really clean so that's always a plus. I would come back when I'm back in the area for sure read more
***3.5 Stars*** Most certainly not the best ramen that I've ever had, but a solid option considering the area. I pass through this area often and was excited to see a new ramen spot in this part of town. The setup is actually really nice! It's neat and organized with very elegant lighting and decor, and there's a beautiful bouquet that's set near a bright red sofa near the entrance. The staff is extremely welcoming and tended to me as soon as I walked through the door. The service is A+ plus! They were super attentive and spot on the entire time that I was there, even as the tables began to fill up. I came during their grand opening week and they were offering a $7 Tonkastu ramen special. I love a good deal, so you know I had to jump on that real quick! I complimented my ramen with their edamame appetizer. The edamame was nice and warm and not overly salty for my taste, but they did use quite a bit of salt to season. Portion size was fair for the price. The ramen however, was a bit too salty for my taste. The broth had a good flavor but nothing out of the ordinary. Not sure what kind of noodles they were using, but the consistency was unusual. Not the noodles that you'd normally find in ramen. These noodles were thicker and also too firm like they hadn't been cooked enough. I found the pork belly to be too firm as well and not that melt in your mouth consistency that you'd expect. This ramen was just a special and obviously their most basic, so I'm not sure if their other ramen bowls are of higher quality. Taste wise, it was good but pretty average. For the price I paid, the portion was great. However, I wouldn't drop $13-$15 on this. Again, I'm just referring to their bare bones tonkatsu ramen. Their other ramen bowls could potentially be better, so I'll have to come back to try something else. Pretty solid but there are better options out there. However, it will still satisfy your craving if you're in need. The service is really the standout here, and that will be the main reason why I'll be giving them another try. read more
TLDR: unique and worth. Modern take on ramen. Large portions Bansho Ultimate Ramen $17: think tonkotsu ramen but with a slightly different soup base and giant steak-looking meat. It's a very large bowl so I'd say worth your money. It's kind of a modern take on ramen Design of the restaurant is generally cozy and is walking distance dessert and coffee places which is a plus read more
This was our first time going to Bansho Ramen in Berkeley. We walked into a very beautiful, welcoming space with high ceilings. My partner placed our order while I immediately started taking pictures of this non-cookie cutter restaurant. I love the way that they had placed unique pieces of furniture and art work throughout the restaurant. First we shared their Dragon Roll. It was a feast for our eyes with some type of brown thick sauce drizzled on the rectangular serving plate with the pieces of the roll cut in bite size pieces. The wasabi was made into a small leaf next to red pickled ginger. There was avocado and sesame seeds on top, and a shrimp at each end of the roll. My mouth immediately started watering, and it met my high expectations. Next came the Bansho Ultimate Ramen, which I highly recommend. It too was beautifully presented, another masterpiece with half of a soft boiled egg, red pickled ginger. gobo, and pork belly. The broth smelled so rich that I wanted to drink it directly from the bowl, but I held myself back. It was a taste bomb in my mouth. The rich pork broth that had cooked all night, warmed my belly and made me smile. I asked Zoe if they had made the noodles, and she said that their friend makes them. Want to go out tonight? This is a great place to go in Berkeley. You may want to call for reservations first. Of course you can have it delivered or pick it up yourself. But why not get out of the house and go into a beautiful space and be served some amazingly wonderful food? read more
8 years ago
4 years ago
Tasty ramen shop in a blighted area of Berkeley serving up ramen and sushi with a smile. Try the ultimate ramen and lion roll. They have Sapporo and wine. Parking is an adventure. Unfortunately they were playing jesus music the day we visited but other than that it was a good time. read more
3 years ago
Decent portion size. Located a good distance from the campus. Workers were kind and attentive to your needs. Ramen was flavorful and filling. Pretty large restaurant with cute decor as well! read more
3 years ago
I craved ramen so I came here for the first time. The meat on the side was a little cold and they do not offer substitutions in the ramen. Overall, I am satisfied and happy. Kind staff and nice service and they bring out the food very quickly. Calming atmosphere, perfect for lunch or dinner. I liked this place!! read more
2 years ago
3 years ago
Food was alright, not the best ramen that I've had in Berkeley but pretty okay. I was a little disappointed because I was hoping to try their chicken, and so I requested that the pork in the Shoyu ramen be swapped out for chicken, but they said they don't do swaps, but then made a vegetarian one for me, which is the same ramen with veggie broth and tofu instead of the pork broth. I was super confused but the ramen wasn't bad. The vibe of the place is super chill and ambient, but if I go next time, I'd probably try the build your own and maybe call the staff ahead of time to see if the swaps are allowed. read more
3 years ago
4 years ago
So happy Bansho is open for takeout during shelter in place! We ordered mayu ramen, karaage, lion king roll, and gyoza for ~$40. I'm so thrilled to call Bansho our go-to ramen place. I can't wait until we can dine-in so we can appreciate the food nice and hot, without the 15min ride back home. During COVID-19, I've been craving ramen and have even made some from scratch, but it never hit the spot. Thank goodness for Bansho! The couple that runs the restaurant are so sweet. They offered me a Thai iced tea on the house, just as a small thank you for my patronage. I really hope folks continue to support Bansho. We'll be back soon. read more
7 years ago
This particular location has seen a lot of changes through the years, from hot pot to boba. And now, it's a ramen shop! A very standard layout, kept constant despite the different hands that have owned the lease. My party of five was seated immediately; they squished two tables together to fit us. There's also counter seats but they're against a wall, and I can't imagine that eating there would be very nice. My group ordered edamame, two rice bowls, and a bowl of ramen. I ordered the Onion Tonkotsu with the tonkotsu on the side and added bamboo, which is what I'll be reviewing. Offering tonkotsu to be served on the side is a stroke of genius: you get to keep the crispiness of the fried pork but also get the savory soup of ramen. I don't generally enjoy eating ramen because I feel that it is very salty and the broth is not tasty, but I am happy to say that the Onion Tonkotsu broth was on the lighter side and very flavorful. The added bamboo was also very tasty. Overall, a much better deal (and faster service) than Ippudo in Downtown Berkeley. If you're ever craving ramen, I'd recommend this place for sure. read more
4 years ago
Ramen was amazing, not salty at all. The sushi was (Salmon) was amazing! Super fresh!!!! Edamame was good as well. Everything came out fast. read more
Was pretty happy with this place and was glad to have come. Here are my reasons why! Staff/Service: A Service and staff were solid. Because it was take-out only so I'm not really able to speak on service, but they were kind and quick to get our order prepared and ready for us to walk-out the door in less than two minutes. And they gave us some complimentary cold house-drinks in a cup to-go for the road due to the heat. Food Quality: B+/A- We got the miso ramen and fried chicken. The fried chicken was solid, but somehow felt like it was a bit too fried. Although the chicken inside, after crunching through the breading was solid. The ramen itself was definitely good. Glad like other noodle establishments they kept the noodles separate from broth. And all the meat was well cooked. The noodles themselves were chewy and delicious. Parking: C+ Because this store is on corner, good luck finding solid parking in the immediate vicinity. The whole curb is a red zone so it's pretty difficult to even stop for a few seconds for take-out. There are some spots on some surrounding streets, but nothing really on the same block. Overall: B+/A- This place was solid and a good first spot for us having never been to a ramen place in the Bay area and glad this was our first place. Will havw to try other items on their menu next time! read more
5 years ago
Surprisingly good new place around Berkeley! Also surprisingly, I personally liked the donburi way more than the ramen. The donburi is moderately priced, delicious. The ramen I'm not so sure is anything special. I got the chashu don which was particularly delicious at a low price point of 10 bucks. I would definitely come again to get another rice bowl. On the other hand the ramen which is priced between 13-17 dollars I'm not so sure lives up to the price. I'd come here for the rice bowls personally, but to each their own! read more
4 years ago
Had their mayu ramen and the soft shell crab. This place is great all around. The food is delicious, service is great, and the wait was not long at all. My only suggestion is to marinate the pork bones in the broth for double to triple the 20 hours for that extra richness. Either or this is my go to spot in Berkeley read more
4 years ago
7 years ago
I've been coming to Berkeley off and on for a graduate program at UCB for the past few months, and I try and make it a point to try different restaurants every time. I tend to skew towards Japanese restaurants when I'm here because my options in the Midwest are, at best, mediocre (that includes Chicago). After a 13 hour day of air travel, I was looking for a place where I could sit in the back, drink an Asahi Super Dry, watch the NFL playoffs, and eat some ramen and small plates. I thumbed through all of the ramen restaurants in the city, and settled on Bansho because it was close, had generally good reviews, and didn't look too stuffy. The Sunday night crowd was light, so I was able to walk right up and grab a seat in the back. My waitress was very efficient, polite, and attentive. I got the takoyaki and my prized Asahi Super Dry (22oz bottle for 6 bucks!) for starters. The takoyaki was real damn solid - I wouldn't say it's the best I've ever had, but it was really well done and inexpensive. For the main dish, I got the tonkatsu ramen. Similar to the takoyaki - it was just really well executed classic ramen. The broth had some real depth to it, and the chashu was very tasty. Solid 8/10. The best part - the whole thing was less than $30! I'm definitely coming back again. read more
5 years ago
I ordered a spicy bansho ultimate ramen. The order came in within 5 minutes. The broth was good, it wasn't salty so that's good. Noodle were fine. The service was excellent with the waiter asking me if I need additional water or assistance. Overall I had a good time here, food was good, service was good, I definitely returning. read more
2 years ago
5 years ago
7 years ago
TLDR: The food was delicious this time around! I got the shoyu ramen, which was the ramen fix I needed. I'll be back to try the donburi. Food: 7/10 I got the Shoyu ramen this time and it was so much more tasty than the bansho ultimate. Maybe the Bansho ultimate lacked focus with the multitude of ingredients. The Shoyu ramen, however, was delectable! The soup was light and flavorful and again the noodles were cooked to perfection. The ramen egg was over cooked and pretty bland again, but overall I enjoyed my meal. Price & Portions: 7/10 I felt like I got my moneys worth this time around since it was $12 for a very filling meal. They're also pretty generous with their meat, since my bowl came with a HUGE piece of chashu. My friend added fish cakes to his bowl of ramen for an extra $1 and he says he'd highly recommend it :) I guess I'll just have to try it for myself next time! Service & ambience: 8/10 Nothing to add from my last review! Both of these were on par! read more
4 years ago
First time at Bansho Ramen with the boo. I believe this new spot opened up not too long ago and I highly recommend you try this place out before it gets super popular. I ordered the Miso ramen bowl, and my gf ordered the Shoyu ramen bowl. I got to try her broth and I thought the chicken broth and soy sauce had a good balance; neither one overpowered the other. The miso ramen bowl was soooo good. I usually order Tonkotsu broth and this one probably deserves a spot in my top 5 spots close to home. I also added a side of pork belly and I loved how they didn't give me a huge slab of fat, it definitely had some meat to it. The chashu was tender and juicy along with the perfectly cooked egg. The staff was very friendly and always had an eye out to see if their guests needed anything. The inside had plenty of seating and the location of the restaurant was perfect, in the corner where it wasn't too crowded. Parking might be an issue though. We didn't see many available parking spots but being in Berkeley, you might have to pay for parking either on the street or in the garage. Overallll, do I recommend this Ramen place? Answer: hells yesss. P.s. Pokémon trainers are welcome because Bansho Ramen is also a pokestop :) #roadtoelite read more
3 years ago
More info about Bansho Ramen
2502 Telegraph Ave
Berkeley, CA 94704
Telegraph Ave
Directions
(510) 647-9253
Call Now
Order Takeout or Delivery
Start Order
Full menu
Hours
Payment methods
Food & Alcohol
Indoor Amenities
Outdoor Amenities
Other Amenities
From the Business
Bansho Ramen Reviews in Other Languages
Ask the Community - Bansho Ramen
You might also consider
Why does Yelp recommend reviews?
10 reviews that are not currently recommended
The reviews below are not factored into the business's overall star rating.
8 years ago
5 years ago
6 years ago
3 months ago
5 years ago
1 year ago
2 years ago
