Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Karai Hand Roll Bar & Ramen

    4.3 (118 reviews)
    ModerateRamen, Sushi Bars

    Order Karai Hand Roll Bar & Ramen Takeout or Delivery

    Karai Hand Roll Bar & Ramen Photos

    Business Info

    KARAI HAND ROLL BAR & RAMEN ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Dogs allowed

    You might also consider

    More like Karai Hand Roll Bar & Ramen

    Recommended Reviews - Karai Hand Roll Bar & Ramen

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Edamame Steamed
    Harmonie T.

    Full transparency, it's been a long while since I've been to Rodeo 39 and I came here craving Banh Xeo Boys. After discovering that BXB had closed, I ended up at Karai simply because it was the only restaurant I found at Rodeo 39 that had some plant-based items. For dine-in, there's bar seating and a small tablet for ordering. For take-out, there's a tablet near the door for ordering. Either way, the food comes out fairly quickly. King Yubu Avocado and King Yubu Seaweed are solid snacks. Good flavor and filling. Is $4.50 each a standard price point for this type of item? I honestly don't know but I personally wouldn't purchase this on a regular basis. https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/karai-hand-roll-bar-and-ramen-stanton?select=xrbryVpsXvrb12iVDqcRXA Edamame is solid. Hard to mess up. https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/karai-hand-roll-bar-and-ramen-stanton?select=2H2Wu4zZ0GZxLMAtffsavg Miso soup is good. https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/karai-hand-roll-bar-and-ramen-stanton?select=6hk00ieA3tZhcnVN-gIVMA Cucumber seaweed salad was light and refreshing. Thinly sliced and good flavor. A tiny bit sweeter than I would have liked but that's just my preference. https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/karai-hand-roll-bar-and-ramen-stanton?select=kQ3c_SQLASAG-yPGGu7C9w Would I eat here again? Only in a pinch. Food is solid but doesn't necessarily stand out. I would have love to order the Vege Ramen but unfortunately, their noodles contain egg. At least I'm grateful for the staff sharing that information with me.

    Cinco (toro, yellowtail, scallop, crab, and salmon - $26) - yellowtail
    Luke L.

    *** No cash accepted *** Karai Hand Roll Bar & Ramen is one of many eateries inside Rodeo 39 Public Market with bar seating and a tablet ordering system at the bar. [Parking]: Our party arrived at 11 AM when the shop opened, so there were plenty of available parking spots; however by 1 PM on weekends, the lot was packed. [Menu]: The most popular item is the Cinco which is a preset five-handroll combo featuring toro, yellowtail, scallop, crab, and salmon. The sushi chef serves one hand roll at a time and only prepares the next roll after you finish the one in front of you. Other handroll combos include Quatro (yellowtail, salmon, crab, and scallop, Seis (salmon, shrimp tempura, and crab), Yubu Combos, and Lunch Combo (available Monday to Friday only). *** Cinco (toro, yellowtail, scallop, crab, and salmon - $26): As other Yelpers have mentioned, the hand rolls here are very similar to Kazunori's handrolls - warm rice + fresh seafood = great hand rolls. I thought all five were very solid and the final roll (toro) even came with a small beach umbrella as a cute decor. *** The sushi chef was very friendly and constantly checked in on our party. While I enjoyed all the hand rolls, I still left only 50% full. If you are looking for great taste rather than a filling meal, then this is not a bad spot to check out; however, if you want to leave somewhat full without spending more than $30 pre-tax, then you might want to order a ramen bowl instead. For full transparency, I did not get a chance to try their ramen.

    Yubu (4 for $17.50)
    Cindy H.

    Quick lunch spot primarily known for their handrolls and ramen - Handrolls (3.5/5) : 5 handrolls for $26 - salmon, crab, scallop, yellowtail, and toro with caviar. Decent handrolls for good value (you even get the toro with carviar!). Rice to fish ratio was a little off - there was too much rice in all the handrolls. The fish was chopped up to a mush-consistency, leaving little room for texture. Yubus (4/5): 4 for $17.50. I actually enjoyed the yubus more than the handrolls. The sweetness from the tofu wrapper was a nice touch complimenting the rice and toppings. You get to choose your yubu toppings. Chicken Karaage (3.5/4): nothing special. Fried chicken goodness dressed with eel sauce and spicy mayo. Tonkatsu Ramen (4/5): Ramen noodles were al dente and the soup was flavorful. The ramen even comes with a whole seasoned egg! You order from an iPad, and food comes out fairly quick. Ambiance is casual with counter seating only. Tip: For the best deals, go during lunch for the combos: Choice of ramen + handroll ($19.95) Choice of ramen + yubu ($18.95)

    Salmon Hand Roll
    Ajay H.

    Karai is a fresh and somewhat new! addition to the Rodeo39 food hall scene that needs some help. With Banh Xeo Boys and Kra Z Kai closing down in 2024, this spot is the boost we all needed. The hand rolls for take-out have Japan-style packaging to ensure the Nori stays crispy when you finally get home to unwrap your snack. Great quick lunch spot and solid lunch special deals make this place a great pit stop during office or Remote work days!

    Spicy Tonkotsu
    Vance N.

    I never got the chance to try Karai when it replaced Nandomo by HiroNori, by chance I saw that they had a lunch deal so I thought that was the perfect opportunity to stop by. We were greeted when we walked in and the staff was friendly. We immediately noticed that this restaurant was Korean owned so we expected a more Korean style ramen. The chairs and the bar seating was a little uncomfortable due to the height of the table, but it wasn't a big deal. I ordered the spicy tonkotsu and salmon skin hand roll lunch special, which was about $20. The ramen broth was different than traditional Japanese broth in that it was made with Korean dash, giving it a unique but identifiable flavor that's familiar to Korean Soon Tofu. The hand roll was enjoyable, but best eaten right away, which can be difficult when you get both around the same time. Overall a decent spot for a quick lunch, but nothing yet that begs me to come back.

    Philip Y.

    Ok this is a great additional to Rodeo 39 I have been a regular Ramen eater, a frequent visit at a Japanese owned Ramen shop 1 mile from my place. This shop's ramen bowl definitely hits! The soup - nice thick salty flavor with a slow base burn from the spice The Chashu - There is no lean meat. The whole piece was great. Egg - a whole egg?! Noodle - just the right amount with the right texture Serving time - less than 3 mins since i ordered 5 stars no question

    Vege ramen
    Jeanie N.

    Ordered from a machine and got the edamame and vege ramen--and double checked that it was vegetarian (it was! though not vegan; there are eggs in the noodles) The edamame was a little salty, but tasty. Definitely overdressed; you'll find a pool of sauce at the bottom as you're eating The vege ramen had a really nice broth that was very well balanced. My main gripe was that there weren't enough veggies (just fried tofu and the typical ramen toppings of green onions, bean sprouts, mushrooms, fried onions, seaweed). I also liked the little salad that came with it.

    4 Kings : )
    Lucy Y.

    After walking through Rodeo 39, we decided to have lunch here. When we walked in, we were the first party to be seated. But within several minutes, 90% of the seats were filled! The 4 Kings yubu assortment & the 5 handroll set were all super good, & definitely worth repeating. The toro, yellowtail & lobster handrolls were my faves! The Spicy Tuna on Crispy Rice was so good, we ordered it twice! Service was warm and friendly, & we left full and happy. Highly recommend!

    Specials
    Myphuong L.

    Karai is located inside Rodeo 39. We came for hand rolls. Usually when it's a new place, we always share a set. But at Karai, we decided to each have our own set at $5 a roll. Now I know why. You get what you pay for. We started off with the Yellowtail carpaccio ($13) and 5 set hand roll called Cinco ($25). The carpaccio was the decent meal out of all. The onions and jalapeños added an extra oomph to it. However, the hand rolls were a big disappointment. The set included Salmon, Scallops, Yellowtail, Crab and Toro. It was too much rice, the nori quality was poor, it wasn't crispy for easy breakage. I had hard time separating with every bite and felt like I had to pull at it which caused the filling to spill out. The fish fillings were mushy. Crab tasted like it came out of a can. They all lacked flavor. They don't offer Yozu koshu which would have made it 10x better. So we had to drench it in soy sauce to get some flavor. Looking at photos on Yelp, every handroll looked different. Some had green onions, some had crispies and other toppings. We only had unflavored sushi rice and bland mushy fish. Prior to ordering, the server pulled out a plate of ginger and wasabi from the fridge that was prepared who knows when. The ginger was dried out. Also, the plastic water cups were stacked faced down in front of you touching the dirty table. It just didn't feel clean. Should have walked out at this time. We sat at the bar and saw others come in eating a bowl of ramen. So maybe the ramen is what they are best at? Should have gone for a set of Yubu instead. Afterwards, my stomach did not sit well.

    Scallop
    Smaly K.

    We've already ate at two other places, but we decided we needed to try something here, too. My cousins and I ordered the set menu with the six handrolls, and tried two handrolls each. I got the Lobster and Scallop. I also tried a bit of the Blue Crab. We all enjoyed it. I thought the Lobster one had a bit too much sauce, and the lobster was too overcooked. And the Blue Crab could've used a bit more of something, like mayo or seasoning.

    Allison P.

    A new addition to Rodeo 39, Karai is serving up OC's recent food fixation: hand rolls! Their set menus are on the affordable side. You can opt for 3, 4, or 5 rolls which I can tell you now isn't going to fill you up. You'd definitely have to order additional rolls or complimentary dishes if you're really looking to dine. We went with the Cinco set which features toro, yellowtail, scallop, crab, and salmon. Speaking candidly, the food quality kind of missed the mark for me. The fish wasn't the freshest and the flavors weren't really there. Pacing, especially with a set menu, is really important to me. Other hand roll spots I've visited really pay attention to when to best serve the next roll to fit within the flow of the experience and if you as a diner are ready to receive it. Here, rolls were getting cranked out ASAP. I was rushing to fly through my meal, so I wouldn't have to deal with soggy nori. Overall, you kind of get what you pay for.

    Cinco crab king
    Nastaran M.

    Karai had some of the tastiest hand rolls Ive ever hand. We got the cinco which came with toro, real crab, yellowtail, salmon and scallop. Each piece was made pretty quickly right at the bar and the toro was my absolute favorite. It came out to about $5 each with the combo, which is amazing. Its in the Rodeo 39 packing house and totally worth giving it a try.

    Self order station
    Stephanie X.

    Small ramen and sushi restaurant inside Rodeo 39. Most people order take-out, that's what I did. If you dine in, there's about 8-10 tables in a sushi bar setting. I walked in and was immediately greeted by an older gentleman. If you dine in, you're seated and they take your order. If you do take-out, you're pointed toward the ordering screen. I love the ordering screen because they have pictures. It was quick and easy to order. I got my order within 10 minutes. I ordered the Cuatro hand roll combo: albacore tuna, salmon, scallop and crab. The latter three were delicious! Unfortunately the albacore tuna didn't do it for me. Overall, the Cuatro was a great sampler. Can't wait to go back to try their other hand rolls and ramen!

    Hand Roll/ SHRIMP TEMPURA

    See all

    9 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 1

    1 year ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    1 year ago

    Helpful 6
    Thanks 2
    Love this 4
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Ajay H.
    223
    545
    2020

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 11
    Thanks 5
    Love this 13
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Lucy Y.
    193
    1826
    8140

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    9 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 1
    Photo of Christine L.
    356
    343
    127

    1 year ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 18
    Thanks 4
    Love this 6
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 5
    Thanks 4
    Love this 3
    Oh no 1
    Photo of Ryan H.
    979
    823
    1138

    2 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 1
    Photo of Andy V.
    98
    1037
    4270

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Jay P.
    262
    363
    116

    11 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Jeff Z.
    55
    115
    21

    8 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Brittany A.
    252
    113
    128

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    11 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    2 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 6
    Thanks 3
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 months ago

    This place was great. We went all the time. I'm so sad that it's closed. I hope they just moved because the people that ran it were so nice.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    Page 1 of 3

    Ask the Community - Karai Hand Roll Bar & Ramen

    You might also consider

    Ichitaru Ramen - Ichitaru Ramen

    Ichitaru Ramen

    4.1(451 reviews)
    4.6 mi
    $$
    Locally owned & operated
    Outdoor seating

    I've been meaning to stop here for a good while, but usually when I'm in this part of town I'm in a…read morerush, but given it's a Sunday evening and I'm procrastinating on finishing up a home project it seemed the perfect time to stop in with my son and enjoy a meal. It's a small place with a handful of seating, very clean with a wonderful ramen house ambiance. I'm sure the atmosphere is different when it's packed, but it was nice and quiet when we got there which made for good conversation and a great experience. I decided on the Shasho Ramen, and my son chose the Katsu Don plate. There's a 1-20 scale for the spice level, I chose 20 as I'm dead inside. Spice is subjective, so don't blame me if your experience is different, but I didn't find it all that particularly spicy - what I did find though was some wonderfully flavored broth with a perfect blend of spice and notes from the vegetables and other spices. The noodles were cooked proper, and everything was warm and fresh! My son said his katsu was perfectly cooked as well, nice and crunchy and not overly fried. The service was on point, they were on top of things and we were never left wanting. Honestly I'm really happy to have finally made the time to stop in; I will certainly be returning, and I hope to see you there! :)

    The service amazing, the Ramen was so good ( choose level 5 for my spicy )…read more Next time I go I will choose a higher spice level They also had good kimchi

    Photos
    Ichitaru Ramen
    Ichitaru Ramen
    Ichitaru Ramen

    See all

    Puros Tacos Y Ramen

    Puros Tacos Y Ramen

    4.6(136 reviews)
    4.0 mi
    $$

    I ordered their signature lamb shank noodles, lamb rib noodles, and the lamb tripe soup…read more The lamb shank and ribs were super tender, flavorful, and not gamey at all. The broth is rich and almost like a red-braised stew, though a bit on the salty side -- it would've been perfect with a Chinese sesame flatbread! The noodles themselves are basically instant noodles, nothing special I'm guessing they don't actually make hand-pulled noodles here. The lamb tripe soup has a slightly stronger lamb taste, but adding some cucumber and lemon helps balance it out. The flavor is quite unique -- not the clear broth style we get in China, but more of a saucy, braised type of soup. The tacos were surprisingly good, very close to what you get in Mexico. I tried beef, beef intestine, beef head, and pork tongue. The beef head was gelatinous and flavorful, and the intestine tasted great -- nicely seared, fragrant, bouncy, and absolutely no funky smell. Overall, it's a spot worth trying. Mexican flavors generally suit our palate well, but the noodle dishes are on the salty side, so having extra drinks definitely helps!

    Upon stepping into this restaurant, we were greeted by the staff. Since it was our first time here,…read morethe staff were eager to give us recommendations and even some samples! We tried their ramen and asada quesadillas. Both were quite tasty. The ramen was loaded with flavor blasted meat! Definitely recommend if you are in town!

    Photos
    Puros Tacos Y Ramen - Order at the counter and fill up on condiments

    Order at the counter and fill up on condiments

    Puros Tacos Y Ramen
    Puros Tacos Y Ramen - In the corner of the plaza

    See all

    In the corner of the plaza

    Mymen Ramen

    Mymen Ramen

    4.5(277 reviews)
    1.0 mi
    $$

    MyMen Ramen is an excellent spot for anyone who loves flavorful, satisfying ramen. The food was…read morefantastic, with rich, well balanced flavors in every dish we tried. You can tell the ingredients are fresh and carefully prepared. The vibes of the place are great, welcoming, relaxed, and perfect for a casual meal. The restaurant is clean and well maintained, which makes for a comfortable dining experience. Overall, MyMen Ramen delivers on both quality and atmosphere. I highly recommend it to anyone craving delicious ramen and a pleasant dining environment. I will definitely be coming back.

    It seemed under construction two large sections were blocked off tastefully so you wouldn't notice…read moreit. Maybe just used for storage I'm not sure. In any case not a ton of seating so if it's busy you may be doing take out. Service seemed a little slow for ramen but everything came out as it was ready and I was starving so maybe it just felt slow. I had some chicken skin gyoza, spam musubi, and tonkatsu ramen level two spicy. Everything was really good! Drink options were interesting and tried this citrus milk soda thing that was refreshing. Also tried the Japanese sweet potato dessert and it was really good. Our waiter spoke Japanese which was fun to practice the four words I know LOL!

    Photos
    Mymen Ramen - Cute space

    Cute space

    Mymen Ramen - Spicy tonkotsu

    Spicy tonkotsu

    Mymen Ramen - Tonkotsu ramen - good broth!  Wish there was more chashu to go with the noodles...there was more noodle than toppings.

    See all

    Tonkotsu ramen - good broth! Wish there was more chashu to go with the noodles...there was more noodle than toppings.

    Sushi Mura

    Sushi Mura

    4.7(456 reviews)
    5.0 mi
    $$

    Kindest place I've been to in a while. We chose a great place to eat as our night cap for my son's…read more8th birthday after knotts. They gave him a dessert and were all over very charismatic and not to mention the food was amazing!!!!! Even my 8 year old said "highly recommend 10/10" big win!

    My partner was helping out a neighbor move in and asked me to pick him up afterwards. He asked that…read moreI find a good place for us to have dinner since he was very tired. I didnt know what I wanted so I was looking at different places on the way back the SF Valley. I ended up choosing this place and it was a very good choice. We got there and was seated right away. We ordered our drinks and food. It didnt take long fot us to get our food. We ordered: Jalapeno Poppers -- wasnt spicy at all but it was really packed with spicy tuna, cream cheese, etc. Baked Jen Jen -- this was part of their low carb roll. It was spicy crab and avocado wrapped in baked salmon. It was pretty good. It was just too much crab for my liking. Dynamite Roll -- it had a decent amount on it All that we ordered were flavorful. Something to remember though is to make sure to ask for Wasabi and/or Ginger. They do not automatically serve them when you order rolls because some people just waste them. Makes sense! It is free so ask if you want any. The service was great. I will be back if I am in the area. The price was also comparable to other sushi joint.

    Photos
    Sushi Mura
    Sushi Mura - See that I asked for extra spicy sauce oh my goodness YUMMY ever!

    See that I asked for extra spicy sauce oh my goodness YUMMY ever!

    Sushi Mura

    See all

    Karai Hand Roll Bar & Ramen - ramen - Updated May 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...