I've always been a fan of this place. Their chicken Ramen is really good. The waffle fries as pictured below are the best in town they get the crispy is perfect and the dipping sauce and seasoning makes it unique worth trying if you love french fries and who doesn't?? Love how they also serve hopscotch chicken, which is amazing. Atmosphere's quaint always seems to be seating available. Staff is very friendly. Unfortunately, like most spots in Oakland, the prices over $20 bucks a meal. But their portions are solid. read more

Itani Ramen - Waffle fries, no one does them better than these guys - Ramen Near Me - Oakland, California

Nice spot in the afternoon! Haven't been for dinner. A friend and I came in late afternoon and had a few beers and sakes with a happy hour deal and ordered a ramen bowl each. The chashu buns were really good, but the ramen could've had more flavor. I would say this isn't a specialty ramen place (despite its name) but a nice, casual ramen spot to satisfy the craving. read more

Itani Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Oakland, California

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Ramen spot in Telegraph across the Fox Theater. Delicious soup! There was more on the menu than that to our surprise! Some appetizers to offer, the waffle fries were so well seasoned with aioli and sesame furikake. There's a whole menu of other classics (entrees). There's Chashu pork belly hamburger with burger w beef and added pork belly, extremely tasty. Don't be fooled by its busy location, the interior is quite roomy with a bar to sit at and two dining rooms w bathrooms. read more

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Quick and easy but the best ramen spots and it's located downtown! The staff is always so welcoming and nice. Service is great! I always get the tonkatsu ramen with kimchi and the gyoza on happy hour! Full bar too! Need to try their other fried chicken menu! But I always come back for a warm and flavorful bowl of ramen! read more

Ramen noodles were salty, broth did not have strong flavor. The gyoza was good though. read more

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Food was good, got the chicken sandwich. Service was good, and I really liked the photos of Japan on the wall. As well as the washrooms. For my drink I got a sprite. read more

Itani Ramen - Chicken Sandwich - Ramen Near Me - Oakland, California

Itani ramen in Oakland sadly fell short. When I went with a group of friends for one of my friends birthday we decided to order the karage chicken as well as the minced pork belly ramen and both were not as flavorful as expected. The karaage chicken was not very crispy and felt a bit soggy towards the bottom as they were plated atop a base of sweet soy sauce. The chicken skin itself while having some chili powder was not coated enough and fell flat in flavor. The shredded pork belly ramen was quite similar in nature and tasted very mild almost border lining on tasting bland so we asked for chili oil which the restaurant did not have. While edible and moderate in flavor I would say pass on the ramen and karaage here as there are far more flavorful ramen places in Oakland such as Mensho ramen. read more

Itani Ramen - Shredded pork belly ramen - Ramen Near Me - Oakland, California

Came here during the week and it was decently crowded. It wasn't a problem getting seated, since the establishment is big and there's plenty of seating. The food was good!! Definitely get the sloppy gyoza! They offer pork and veggies, so I tried the veggies and they were delicious. The Miso Pork ramen tasted a little more fishy and bitter. But the noodles were cooked well and overall it was good. I look forward to coming back! read more

Itani Ramen - Miso Pork - Ramen Near Me - Oakland, California

I live in the area and have been walking past this spot for over a year now and have been meaning to try them. They always have a good size crowd inside the restaurant, and upon arrival I was given by staff who were really friendly! I started off by having their Mocktail of the day, which was a passionfruit drink, and was really yummy and I recommend trying that. The waffle fries were a 10 out of 10 I would come back just for that and the veggie Ramen was OK for me. I wish I had a little bit more flavor in the broth. I will say The vegetables tasted really fresh as well as the noodles! If anything, I would try another Ramen as I would assume the broth would have more flavor since it is meat based Ramen. read more

Itani Ramen - Veggie ramen and Waffle Fries w/ Fresno Chili Aioli - Ramen Near Me - Oakland, California

First time Street parking Place has high ceiling and very spacious Fast and friendly service Different take on ramen, very clean and fresh, very different in taste/ flavor Potsticker was what's good read more

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This review is based on my delivery order. I had the Recovery Meal; includes your choice of a ramen bowl, 3 pieces veggie or pork gyoza, negi chashu mini donburi or small salad, and a non-alcoholic drink. I opted for the Veggie Ramen, veggie gyoza, salad, and Yuzu lemonade. The veggie ramen was flavorful. The veggie gyoza with the dipping sauce, yummy! The dressing on the salad made it so delicious. I'm a huge fan of yuzu and the yuzu lemonade really hit the spot! I appreciate restaurants that have okay-based and vegan options. I hope they expand on these options. read more

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Just what we wanted prior to going to the Paramont to see Home Alone. The Miso pork ramen, oxtail ramekin hit the spot and warmed out inside. Just a few blocks from the theater. read more

Itani Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Oakland, California

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I hit up Itani Ramen on a random Tuesday evening with some friends. The spot itself is solid. It's that medium-sized, industrial-chic aesthetic that Oakland loves. I liked the layout; the seating kind of wraps around the open kitchen, like we're all spectators in a delicious production. It's a nice design that allows you to feel the energy without being jammed up. Good space for a group dinner. I took the plunge and ordered the Oxtail Ramen (sweet potato, garlic chives, sesame, shio chicken broth). Now, I love oxtail, and I love ramen. This should've been the culinary equivalent of watching an undefeated season. The Verdict? It was... fine. You ever eat something that's technically correct--the spices are there, the texture is fine--but it just doesn't hit that emotional frequency? That was this bowl. The oxtail was tender, and the sweet potato was an interesting, earthy addition. The shio chicken broth was savory, but it frankly lacked that deep, soulful complexity, that umami punch that makes you stop mid-slurp and appreciate the moment. It wasn't bad, just not inspired. If this bowl was a term paper, it would get a competent 'C'--meets the requirements, but nowhere near the Dean's List. If you're in the area and need a decent, perfectly acceptable bowl of hot soup and a chill environment, Itani will do the job. But if you're looking for that transcendent, life-affirming ramen experience, you might want to adjust your GPS. I'm giving it a 3 out of 5 stars--it passed, but I'm not running back for seconds. read more

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The food was good but not the most flavorful broth. It's a simple ramen so it is good but the flavor isn't as deep as I like my ramen. It also costs extra for minor add ons. read more

Itani Ramen - Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Oakland, California

I've been here twice and am planning to go many more times. I've tried the miso pork ramen and the spicy shrimp ramen. The miso pork ramen had a very rich and savory broth, very well seasoned and not too salty. I added in some of the spicy (probably msg?) from the table and it gave it just that nice extra umami flavor. The spicy shrimp ramen wasn't my favorite and I wouldn't have it again. The broth was not as rich and the spice level was not spicy enough in my opinion. But my friend had it also and loved it so to each their own. I also had the karage chicken which I do not recommend, it was not crispy and the texture was very off putting. The service is great, they bring the food out in a timely manner which is great to go during a lunch during the workday. Overall recommend this place very much. read more

Itani Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Oakland, California

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First time here. Food was a bit salty here. I could have done with 30-40% less salt for both the ramen and kimchi fried rice. That being said, at least the salt was good? It just didn't need so much, or maybe it's a personal preference. Many other people seem to feel that the broth is actually not too salty. But lovelyyy ambiance. Location is convenient as can be. Servers were great. read more

Itani Ramen - Kimchi fried rice with addition of braised pork belly (+$4). - Ramen Near Me - Oakland, California

came for the ayce crab feed for my boyfriend's birthday, and that experience was amazing! not a fan of the fried chili crab but everything else was tasty, especially the milk bread with nori butter. i need that everyday haha. i hate to say though the ramen was not good. neither the oxtail or spicy miso. the oxtail meat was tasty and so was the crab meat but the broth and noodles didn't really work together. i feel like the noodles didn't absorb any flavor like other ramen places and maybe the noodles were just too thick or were put into the bowl right before being served, but it was like eating two different things. we ended up not eating the ramen after a few bites and felt bad for the restaurant as well as ourselves as everything was over $300. just to clarify though it was that price for the ayce crab feed (which included ramen) not their normal restaurant prices lol read more

Itani Ramen - Oxtail Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Oakland, California

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We came by after dinner next door to get something for our kid. As soon as we walked in, the smell was amazing, so we ended up ordering ramen for ourselves too. Service was good, friendly staff, even brought out coloring paper for our kid. The ramen was decent, simple and basic, but for the price and portion, we probably wouldn't come back. The restaurant was roomy and clean. read more

Itani Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Oakland, California

My gf and I stopped by Sunday night before the pink sweats concert as it's walking distance from the fox theatre. We were seated quite quickly and ready to order as we were running with limited time. We ordered the pork donburi and the pork ramen as well. Both came out smelling so good and tasty too! Their portions are quite generous as well and tons of flavor. Overall, for our quick visit; itani ramen is the perfect spot for a quick bite. Will definitely be back if we're ever in the mood! read more

Itani Ramen - Pork ramen - Ramen Near Me - Oakland, California

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I enjoy the drinks and bites, but my review is a story for something a little more delightful for me that a stranger working made just that much better. This is where my husband took me on our first "sneak" date in 2019 and where he proposed to me in 2023. After he dropped to one knee quietly in our little corner, someone working there played "4Ever" by Lil Mo! That became the song walked down to after jumping our broom because of that moment. That is top notch service! I hope that person sees this review... We were married on 6/29/25! We'll be back. read more

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This place is a little (not so hidden) gem. While I don't consider myself a Ramen expert, I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the food and the selection on the menu. The service was prompt and friendly without being overbearing, and the place was nice a clean with professional looking clientele mixed in with some local folks just out for a nice lunch. There are parking garages within two blocks (recommended) and it could be a nice little stop before you attend your next event at the Fox Theater. Prices were not bad either. read more

Poor service. The drinks came out after the food - some not at all, and some they tried to give us sparkling wine instead of chardonnay. The food was okay but had to pay extra for tofu in vegetarian read more

Eaten here many times and it always hits the spot. Recently went to the crab feed. It was fantastic. The chili crab was the standout for me, I think we got three orders of it! All you can eat was super generous. Service is always fantastic and the drinks are great. I'll be back soon. read more

Terrible experience at Itani Ramen in Oakland. I waited 35 minutes for an Oxtail Ramen, only to receive a completely wrong vegetarian bowl when I got back to my office in the rain. I walked back to fix it, and the server, Chelsea, admitted the mistake but offered no apology, no compensation, and said the correct dish would "take a long time." When I asked to at least take the incorrect dish, she said she had already thrown it away and then pointed at the trash can, telling me I could grab it from there if I wanted. Completely unacceptable. When I asked for a manager, I was told none were available, the phone line was constantly busy, and after making me wait, she handed me a number and said: "please don't come back." To top it off, the manager email she gave me doesn't even exist. Disorganized, disrespectful, and genuinely shocking behavior. I won't return. read more

Itani Ramen - Wrong manager email - Ramen Near Me - Oakland, California

Finally had the chance to stop by Itani Ramen for dinner since they had the same owners as Yonsei HR which I loved! Parking is difficult to find since it's across Fox Theater. The customer service was great and were seated right away. We ordered an Oxtail Ramen, Miso Pork Ramen and DIY spicy tuna handroll's with a side of yuzu lemonade + the yonsei-rita. The yuzu lemonade and the yonsei-rita were delicious, I definitely recommend getting both of them. The DIY spicy tuna handrolls were so creative and enough to make 6 small handrolls. My favorite was definitely the Oxtail Ramen, the ramen didn't look that appealing but the broth was super flavorful and the noodles were perfectly chewy. The oxtail meat itself was super tender. I also really enjoyed the miso pork ramen. I like that both ramen's weren't super rich and thick so it wasn't overly filling. I really enjoyed coming here and definitely be back! read more

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I was meeting a friend to go see a concert across the street and got here early because I heard about the potstickers. The first thing I noticed is that the staff was working very well together, Friday night's are usually busy. I was seated right away at bar. The bartender was serving up drink after drink like it was no one's business. She also had a sick butterfly tattoo on her back! I ordered the Super Draft. Nice and hella cold! Looked like it was poured out of a coffee machine, but it was the tap. The Miso pork ramen was great, the miso broth was not super salty like other places. I ordered a 5pc of the Yaki pork potstickers and I feel that I should have ordered a 10pc. They were hella good! Next time I'll order the sloppy type. read more

Unique ramen shop! Location: The restaurant itself is very modern and sleek. Their is plenty of indoor seating. Parking might be hard as its located in downtown. Food: The ramen here is okay. Its not your traditional ramen. I got their OX tail ramen which was not bad, again not your traditional ramen broth. I like how they serve beer, cocktails, and sake here as well. I would say for the price you pay the ramen is not very worth it. It's over $20 for a bowl and the flavor is just not quite there. Service: The workers here are super nice and friendly. The food took a bit to come out but when it was delivered to our table it was super hot! Overall, I am glad I tried it but probably will not be coming back. read more

Stopped in for happy hour dinner and was quickly assisted by a very nice bartender. I ordered a tropical margarita and I forgot the name but it came with a tajin rim and lychee. It was perfectly refreshing. We ordered a dozen double down chicken wings and they were just a little bit spicy with more layers of flavors that were amazing and rich with miso. I had the sliced pork ramen with extra jammy eggs. It was perfectly balanced and so yummy. Definitely love this spot with a great happy hour and awesome friendly service! Chill spot for a date, dinner, and drinks! read more

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Overall not so hot: Sunamono Salad 3/5 (too sweet) Sea Salt Edamame 2/5 (too salty) Kimchi Fried Rice 2/5 (no egg, no flavor) Aperol Spritz 1/5 (no sparkling, only soda water) Service. 2/5 (being generous. Sitting at bar and no real interaction from staff) Deeply disappointed especially since many people raved. My partner said: Gyoza. 5/5 3 salmon. 3/5 No jalapeños. 0/5 Overrated. Not good service. Loud. Busy. Not very friendly. read more

HORRIBLE CUSTOMER SERVICE. 2nd time ordering from here and I must say didnt get any better. I usually don't make bad reviews but I'm very unsatisfied with the service. First time there I placed a big order to go asked for the potstickers for dine-in while waiting. They took forever and it was a slow night. Served it TO GO and then when I asked for little 2oz ramekin/souffle cup so I can mix my dipping sauce the young man gave me some sauce he made. Gave me an attitude about it. I just wanted to make my sauce at the table. And then didnt give me any sauce for my bucket of chicken. I drove back and I simply asked like "excuse me may I please get some sauce for my bucket of chicken" they gave me 2oz cup for a whole bucket. I offered to pay for some if that was the case I got attitude about that also. Today I called 4:12 pm to ask if they can please throw some dipping sauce in the bag for my order the girl said "um sure" like it was a problem and while I started to ask for some hot sauce she hung up on me. I work in the industry of serving and bartending. And I was so disappointed. Answering the phone hella dry ass attitude. Bad for business. They need better team members. Leave the attitude at home. Security guy was the only nice one! Food arrived beans are hard not even fully cooked. read more

Stopped by Itani Ramen for a Friday night lunch and it was a delight! Ambience was 10/10, the restaurant was very spacious and well decorated. We got a window seat that was well lit and well ventilated! Food was 8.5/10, very delicious especially the donburi! We also had the happy hour potsticker special for $5 and a chicken karage appetizer. They were both good but the portions are quite small. The ramen could also use more protein! But overall, the food tasted very yummy Drink: got a happy hour bartender special for $7. Can't complain about a yummy spritz read more

Itani Ramen - Chicken Karage Donburi - Ramen Near Me - Oakland, California

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We came here for dinner on a weekend night! They blocked off telegraph right after we parked because there was a show at fox theatre so if your headed here for a late dinner it might be hard to find parking if there's a show. There's some seating in the front, but in the back of the restaurant there's another room that has larger tables. We ended up sitting in the back room. They have some fun cocktails here, I ordered the ume margarita, and the li hing rim was delish!! My friends also really enjoyed the other cocktails that they ordered. We also ordered the waffle fries which came with a yuzu aoili sauce , omg so freaking good! I wasn't feeling like ramen so I ordered a soft shell crab roll. I also tried some of the chicken katsu bowl and miso pork ramen and they were really good! The chicken katsu bowl is a good size and had a good portion of veggies, chicken, and rice. Great place for dinner, fun to share, and yummy cocktails. read more

The stuff is so amazing 10 out of ten The food is amazing and the place also super nice and clean, I do love the service as well read more

I found Itani Ramen in Uptown to be surprisingly good. We had ramen and the housemade gyoza. I was impressed with the gyoza and my miso pork ramen. Tender pork. Super rich broth. My girlfriend had vegetarian ramen, which didn't quite have an equally rich broth. We both liked the noodles. Hers were gluten-free and excellent. The space is modern in an inexpensive kind of way. The service was spare but pretty good. The food came out quickly. Nice Oakland-style mix of customers. Good grooves coming out of the speakers on a Friday night. I'd come back if I were nearby and not.looking for anything too upscale. Pairs well with Bar Shiru. read more

Itani Ramen - Vegetarian Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Oakland, California

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i had the pleasure of attending the hopscotch brunch pop up on sunday! the menu change was refreshing and there's also options for those of us that aren't breakfast fans food; we ordered the double down wings, french toast, chicken n biscuits with skillet potatoes. for drinks we had passionfruit mimosas and a matcha gimlet. the wings weren't my favorite as they were more of a "buffalo" style with the blue cheese dip. i loved the french toast (warm, slightly sweet, yummy af) i don't usually enjoy french toast but hopscotch brunch's version has me taking that opinion back. the chicken n biscuits had buttery cheddar biscuits, the chicken was moist af. skillet potatoes were so good! the combo of cheese, potatoes and butter was delicious! glad we went with the choices that were recommended to us by cindy and kaleb :D service; quick and attentive, cindy put me on to a gin drink that i hadn't tried before, sweet and balanced, definitely going to be coming back for more. mimosas were also a great ratio of champagne to juice. read more

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We popped into Itani Ramen just before a show at the Fox. The location is perfectly suited to the area ahead of the show. We did not have reservations, and the place was packed. However we were told a 30-40 min wait time. We ordered a drink and stood inside waiting. We were seated for 25 mins. The staff was hustling to get folks in, seated, and served. Even though it was extremely busy, the staff was attentive, making eye contact and not rushing us. They kept our water cups full and checked in on our drinks and food. We tried several items on the menu and enjoyed them all. We will be back as we had a ton of fun making our hand rolls, and it was a last-minute find ahead of a show. read more

I absolutely LOVE Their oxtail ramen. I don't live in Oakland but my partner does, anytime she comes to visit me I'm like please bring me some oxtail ramen. Sooo good. read more

When I went here, it was during happy hour and the place was pretty empty except for two other tables aside from me and my friend. The service was really nice and quick (maybe because it was empty), but we got two bowls of ramen and a couple rolls of sushi. FYI their sushi during HH is a really good deal. Overall, the food was delicious and I loved how they had a vegetarian option for ramen as well! I would definitely love to come here again to enjoy the ramen with more friends! read more

Itani Ramen - Miso Pork & Veggie Miso Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Oakland, California

This place used to be great but the food is trash now. I don't think a Japanese person would recognize any of this. Karaage is terrible with some weird coating. Bento box is mainly filler--salad and rice. Ramen broth beats no resemblance to actual ramen. And now there's an operations fee surcharge. I won't be back. read more

I was spurred to get to Itani for Oakland Restaurant Week. Since we came for lunch we didn't try the cocktails, but they looked good - maybe next time. I also appreciate that they are open all day during the week because I never know when I will get a break to head to lunch. We did the Restaurant Week menu of 2 pieces of Hamachi Sashimi, which were cut well and super succulent and the Oxtail and Spicy Shrimp Ramens. Both were very flavorful in their own way, the spice on the shrimp was not too spicy and we loved the fresh bean sprouts giving a little crunch. The space consists of plenty of tables or seats at the long bar. Servers were very nice and attentive and checked back to make certain everything was good (a lost art). Would love to sneak in for the happy hour sometime. read more

Itani Ramen - Oxtail Ramen, yes please. - Ramen Near Me - Oakland, California