Fantastic chicken Katsu and I'm mad for their Poke Bowls and black garlic ramen. Small place for eating in but always a great amount of food, well prepared and served or ready to go. Usually doing a very brisk business, especially in winter. I make a point to go there at least once a month. Great food read more

Kyoto Ramen - Unagidon poke bowl...yum - Ramen Near Me - El Cerrito, California

Persuaded my wife to come here for science. We didn't have high expectations coming in. I ordered their black garlic ramen. The ramen didn't come with the burnt garlic oil on top, but they did included garlic cloves. It didn't help with the flavors though. The overall flavor was on the bland side. I mean I can taste the corn and bamboo shoots but I want the whole thing. Anyway it's the cheapest ramen around so there's that. No complaints about the staff or cleanliness. The lady interacted well with the customers and I saw the staff cleared the tables in a timely manner. read more

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Edit/response to owner: I appreciate the response and offer, but no need for a refund. Although the food wasn't to my liking, the restaurant should still be paid! It's always a bit of a red flag for me when a restaurant offers a variety of different cuisines (ramen, sushi, poke, Hawaiian BBQ) instead of just sticking to one specialty. My husband insisted on giving this place a try anyways since we kept passing by. The restaurant was basically empty when we got there at 7pm on a Saturday night. Another red flag. You'd order your food at the counter first, then sit down anywhere you like. One positive is that the ramen here is much more affordable than Bay Area average at $14 - but you get what you pay for. I ordered the tonkotsu ramen. The broth was on the bland side, and everything else seemed to be premade elsewhere. The noodles were limp and tasted like cheap processed noodle. It definitely screams low effort to me when a restaurant does not even make their own noodles in house. I had no issues with the staff or service, just that the food was a complete miss. read more

Kyoto Ramen - Ramen Near Me - El Cerrito, California

My husband and I stopped in here on a road trip and thought this place was pretty good. You order at the counter and then can be seated. He got the chicken katsu curry bowl - nice and thick curry with a good portion of chicken. I got the tonkatsu ramen - the pork was nice and tender and I liked the vegetables in the soup; the broth was a little bland to me. read more

It was so yummy, I ordered the tonkatsu Ramen bowl, highly recommend, great food thank you for the time you spent making the food read more

Kyoto Ramen - Ramen Near Me - El Cerrito, California

Got the tonkotsu ramen to-go, and the portion size was quite generous for a 14-15 dollar ramen. The broth was a bit bland, but all things considered it was quite worth it for such a low price. I would absolutely be buying from this restaurant again when I have the chance. read more

This little, unassuming place is amazing. Such a wide variety of delicious food! Ramen, sushi, poke bowls, all different appetizers. We tried basically a little of everything on our visit! Ramen for my friends, Poke bowl for me, we shared a Crunch Roll, Gyoza, and Crab Rangoon. Everything was so tasty and fresh. It has a "no frills" atmosphere, clean and efficient. There are some tables and also a long counter to sit at. Lots of diverse customers from all walks of life were enjoying their meals. It also has a very brisk To Go business. They also have a lot of items we'll have to try next time like Lumpia, Dim Sum and Hawaiian BBQ! I highly recommend this tiny jewel at EC Plaza. read more

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On our weekend journeys of picking up food and not feeling great, ramen felt like the answer. It's been a while since we visited Kyoto Ramen in the El Cerrito Plaza, so we decided to give it a try again. It's always been a solid choice for in-person (they have a few tables inside), or just to-go. Their menu has expanded beyond ramen and hence here I am to share! Yummy ramen choices are the Tonkotsu and Black Garlic Ramen. Also to note when ordering to-go, these are packed up nice and not with a million individual boxes of the toppings as I've seen at other ramen spots. Still warm and bowl was compact with all the goodies when we arrived home. For those that want something other than ramen, they have Hawaiian BBQ plates and a new dim sum menu that is so fire. I ordered the Hawaiian Chicken Katsu (lightly breaded chicken breast) that comes along side white rice, broccoli, and a scoop of mac salad. Also accompanied by a sauce that unfortunately didn't grab the name but highly recommended to dip. There's a sauce fridge by the register so you can't miss asking for a recommended sauce, and boy am I a sauce girl! Dim sum wise I grabbed the pork bao ($6.99 for three plump pieces) and we were not disappointed rather very satisfied and content post meal. I love bao buns and these were so flavorful, juicy, and most importantly, fresh. Would come back for that katsu alone because it wasn't greasy, meat was so clean, and it truly hit the spot. I heard a pro-tip to add the katsu to any ramen for a fun crunch so may try that next time. They also offer select menu items for curry bowls, pokè bowls, salads, sushi, an array of starters, other ramen options and additional toppings for a small fee, and specials. Plenty of plaza parking and reasonable price points with friendly and fast service. read more

Kyoto Ramen - Even though your meal is boxed to-go, still review! This is the: 4. Hawaiian Chicken Katsu - Ramen Near Me - El Cerrito, California

I had the tonkotsu ramen as my main dish for lunch. I thought it was rather flavorful. It had 2 nice pieces of chashu pork and it was quite filling. Gyoza ordered and it was deep fried but I usually like steamed and pan fried gyoza with my ramen so it didn't quite hit the spot for me. We also had a side of karaage chicken. I thought it was ok but it didn't have the flavor of japanese karaage,. Rather, it seemed it was just flash fried chicken. They gave a some sliced oranges on the house which was thoughtful of them. All in all, I thought the meal was good. I'd come back again if I was in the mood for some ramen. read more

Stopped here for lunch and really enjoyed my meal. I ordered the shoyu ramen. Shared the gyoza and chicken karaage with my son and spouse. The shoyu ramen broth was very good. The noodles were cooked firm. The roasted pork was large in size. I must have had 4 pieces in my ramen. The chicken karaage dish had a lot of pieces too. I was surprised by the amount. Each piece was crispy and the meat tender inside. The gyoza is deep fried instead of steamed. A good meal for my family as everyone enjoyed their meal. read more

I Ordered to go, I picked up , it was my first time gps took me outside of the plaza, There was a sign, but realized door was inside El Cerrito Plaza, so had to drive inside plaza. The Portion for Ramen was great, Tender and tasty . Because I had a Craving for Ramen. The Grill Chicken for the Curry Was PLENTY , the sauce was on the side and tastes yummy. My husband and I don't like spicy food, So when ordering, she asked me do I want spicy, I said mild, She said mild is a little spicy, so I should go for not spicy! Very courteous of her to clarify the degree of spiciness . Grilled chicken was yummy too. Will Come Again read more

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Our favorite spot now. We always ordered from a different business but hands down Kyoto is the spot. Very kind customer service and they are generous with the servings. We definitely will be back next month for our usual monthly chicken plate! Thank you Kyoto Ramen! read more

Kyoto Ramen - Hawaiian Chicken bbq plate combo #1 - Ramen Near Me - El Cerrito, California

This is one of my go to ramen places. It's nothing fancy or over priced, located in the plaza shopping center. They have the common types of ramen here: miso, tonkatsu, black garlic, etc. I like the ramen noodles they use. Good portions of meat, noodles, egg, mushrooms, and broth. Beyond ramen, they have other dishes like katsu, Hawaiian lunch plates, sushi and rice bowls. I also like the chicken karaage here. Good portions and sauce. I've had karaage at other places that have small pieces or the sauce tries too hard. Not much ambience here. I often take it to go. Overall it just tastes like good comfort food. Consistently! read more

After my brother & wife & I finished our big errands today, we were planning to stop at TMobile but there was a long wait. Since it was past 1 pm, we thought it was time to lunch. It was our first time at Kyoto Ramen. We looked at the menu on the wall first, placed & paid for our order before receiving your food in a small establishment like Kyoto Ramen. The dining room is small but clean. I ordered mild Tonkotsu Ramen, my brother had the spicy Black Garlic Ramen & his wife got the Teriyaki Chicken Rice. For appetizer, we had the Gyoza. This was my third time ordering ramen with different flavors at different restaurants. The broth was rich & vegetables & noodles were fresh. Gyoza was small but tasted good. My brother enjoyed the ramen with the taste of garlic. My sister in law liked her teriyaki chicken with rice. The cashier/server was pleasant when we asked for glasses of water with ice & extra napkins. If you are looking for a quick meal with good service & good food, this is the place. read more

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Portions are very small service is a little slow for the type of fast food that they're making. I ordered a tempura roll and it gave me 4/2 cut very small rolls.. They have a wide selection and they offer party trays that seem to be reasonable in price.l for party trays thought. read more

Kyoto Ramen - Ramen Near Me - El Cerrito, California

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I returned here yesterday shortly after they opened and the guy who took my order (who I think was also doing the cooking) was not at all friendly. When I walked in and stood by the register he just stared at me without saying anything like "May I take your order?". Just a blank stare. He acted like he was doing me a favor by taking my order; maybe he thought he was because the woman who usually takes the orders was not quite in yet. She walked in a few minutes later. That said, as customer, my experience really should have been better and this gives me pause about returning. read more

Decided to come to Kyoto Ramen late on a Sunday evening because we didn't feel like cooking. There was no wait. You order at the counter and then get seated at an open table. The restaurant gave mom and pop shop vibes and is tucked away inside of el Cerrito plaza. Food itself was pretty good for the price and what it is. Definitely not the best ramen I've had in my entire life but again - it's good for what it is. We got a mild black garlic ramen and a medium spice tonkatsu ramen. The ramen broth was thin and definitely not as umami as I would've liked, but there was a lot of nice chewy noodles in it and plenty of bean sprouts and greens. The eggs were decent. The pork was a little over cooked and not as tender as I would've liked. But at the end of the meal they gave us free orange slices which was orettt nice. Overall was pretty good for a late night ramen meal so I'd definitely come back in the future if I wanted something quick. read more

Kyoto Ramen - 3. Black Garlic Ramen - Ramen Near Me - El Cerrito, California

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Very fast and friendly service! We were greeted upon arrival and felt extremely welcomed. This is a small, lowkey ramen shop that offers a great selection of appetizers and curry plates alongside their ramen. My boyfriend and I both ordered their Tonkotsu Ramen and they came out within a couple of minutes of us sitting down. We also ordered a side of white rice and vegetable tempura, which were very big portions! Thank you to the lady that took our order for informing us that their appetizers are hefty or else we would have over ordered lol. I will for sure be coming back and trying their curry next time :) read more

Kyoto Ramen - Tonkotsu Ramen (Mild spicy) and another Tonkotsu Ramen (non-spicy) - Ramen Near Me - El Cerrito, California

Ramen noodles taste so good I also love the Grill chicken with tofu rice , tofu is very soft , grill chicken is yummy especially the sauce taste yummy but salty !! read more

Kyoto Ramen - Ramen Near Me - El Cerrito, California

The one time I get ramen through Uber Eats pick up, I get the wrong order and nobody can do anything about it. read more

Kyoto Ramen - This was what I had ordered for me and my baby. - Ramen Near Me - El Cerrito, California

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I did not order egg but add the egg price..Why??Then I dont like egg...It is bad for me.Service is put the ramen only.Ambiance is normal. read more

Kyoto Ramen - Ramen Near Me - El Cerrito, California

Lunch size BBQ Hawaiian chicken, it's a lot of chicken for the price, it's really good. Quick service and friendly staff read more

Kyoto Ramen - Hawaiian BBQ chicken (lunch size) - Ramen Near Me - El Cerrito, California

Vegetarian ramen was outstanding. Generous with noodles and broth. Spice level (mild) was just right. The amount of vegetables and tofu was legit as compared to bowls I've had at other places. Mine was a take out order. read more

Kyoto Ramen - Vegetable ramen - Ramen Near Me - El Cerrito, California

They say open on the lite sign, but door locked and blocked. 11 am on a Friday. Can't rate if they don't serve or open.

Popped in here randomly on a Sunday night. Wasn't really busy. Tried their tonkatsu ramen and curry katsu. Both were pretty good and more or less what we expected. Liked that they were able to substitute udon for ramen upon request (pro-tip!). Inside is clean and semi-modern, but the back of the seating area was kind of cluttered/messy. Solid place for ramen overall. Would consider coming back if we're ever in the area again. read more

Kyoto Ramen - 1. Tonkatsu Ramen and Chicken Katsu curry - Ramen Near Me - El Cerrito, California

I would recommend this ramen place 100 percent. Anyone looking for friendly and great service with many flavorful and affordable food options this is your go to place! The staff here has kept a very clean environment for people to enjoy their food.Overall I would come back soon!!! read more

Our goto ramen spot. Whenever weve come, theres not much people in the restaurant. Food comes out pretty quick. Flavor of the soup is really good. Lots of options for add ons. Love coming here for my ramen fix. read more

Kyoto Ramen - 1. Tonkatsu Ramen - Ramen Near Me - El Cerrito, California

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Very disappointing experience. Slow service, overpriced, and the food was bland. Would not come back or recommend.

Kyoto Ramen is not Japanese like the name would suggest, it is Chinese. On top of ramen, they serve BBQ plates, curry bowls, poke bowls, and salads! Ordered the Black Garlic Ramen, BBQ Chicken and Chicken Katsu plate, and Whole Grilled Squid. Black Garlic Ramen was not as flavorful as I would expect from a ramen with garlic, I believe it's the soup that needs work. Feels like a soup base with lots of dried ingredients including dried corn kibbles. Likely would not get the Black Garlic Ramen again. The BBQ Chicken and Chicken Katsu plate was great overall. The BBQ Chicken and Chicken Katsu were cooked great and had lots of flavor. The Chicken Katsu was fried great and was still crispy when I got home! However, the Macaroni Salad was horrendous. I love Macaroni Salad so I asked for my rice to be substituted with Macaroni Salad. I will never do that again here, I might ask for NO macaronic salad next time. The Whole Grilled Squid was great and came with a nice oil sauce with possible hints of plum. Would get the BBQ plates grilled squid again, definitely will pass on the ramen next time! read more

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Cute place to drop by for snacks,food and more! Reasonable prices and food came out relatively fast. It took about 10-15 minutes for our food. The portions are pretty generous and the food tastes decent. The inside is pretty well kept overall. Nice place to drop by for some casual dining or snacking with loved ones. The plaza does get a bit busy so parking can take a few minutes to find but otherwise has lots of businesses to look around at in the area! read more

Kyoto Ramen - Chicken rice bowl & Chashu Rice Bowl - Ramen Near Me - El Cerrito, California

My little brother loves Japanese food so we thought we would stop by here during our Barnes & Noble run. I beat the lunch rush by like 10 minutes! You order first and you can let them know if you'll be taking it to go or eating it there. I ordered the chicken Katsu curry extra spicy. Unfortunately the curry was not spicy at all, there was a hint of sweetness but overall it was pretty bland. I like that the katsu were crispy but at the same time I felt like they were a bit too crispy and a bit hard to bite into at times. The portion was pretty big in my opinion and the price wasn't all that bad, about $28 for both mine and my brothers meal. I would come back to try the Ramen! read more

Kyoto Ramen - Chicken Katsu curry - Ramen Near Me - El Cerrito, California

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Wanted to eat at Waikiki Hawaiian BBQ but they were closed, saw Kyoto Ramen on Yelp. Ordered the beef curry and thought Mmm okay this looks good, but negative. As you can see they use the sliced beef from their BBQ Beef plate. It really didn't go with the curry as the usual cubed beef would've been a lot better. When I eat curry I always taste the sauce by itself and really couldn't taste the curry. Must say the portion size are a very good value as with todays average $15 plate prices. read more

Kyoto Ramen - Beef Curry - Ramen Near Me - El Cerrito, California

I was craving for some ramen today and I decided to treat myself for the start of the new year for lunch. I ordered the tonkatsu ramen with medium spicy and this was what I needed for slightly sore throat. Soup was rich, spice level was moderate, tonkatsu was charred and tender, egg was a little overcooked, and noodles were al dente. It was ~$15 for this entire meal and I felt hesitant first as I tried a different location and wasn't a fan of it initially. However, this location really made the ramen good here. Wait time was 10 mins for the rush hour which was not bad. read more

Kyoto Ramen - 1. Tonkatsu Ramen - Ramen Near Me - El Cerrito, California

A cold night in ALWAYS warrants a warm bowl of ramen. I wanted to order from one of the many local ramen places near me. I decided to try out Kyoto Ramen. I ordered the seafood ramen and a side of tofu. If you want to add extra toppings in your soup, you will be charged. The portion was more than enough for one person. The broth was flavorful on its own. To be honest , there wasn't much seafood so I had to pay for additional toppings. The ramen altogether was great. I dipped my tofu in the broth as well. I would like to try other ramen options from this restaurant. read more

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Literally so underrated why is this not anymore famous? The black garlic ramen has to be a 10/10 in terms of flavour and size . The chicken katsu curry , 10/10 . Please don't think twice and come here . I will favor this Japanese restaurant over any other restaurant . Overall experience 11/10 read more

Kyoto Ramen - Ramen Near Me - El Cerrito, California

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I was not wowed or impressed with their chicken katsu plate or their roasted pork curry bowl. The price isn't terrible, but the food is definitely lackluster in terms of presentation and also taste. Also it was more rice than anything for the roasted pork curry bowl with just a few slices of pork itself. For the half chicken katsu half grilled chicken plate, the katsu itself was decent, but very bready and felt too fried. The grilled chicken itself was good in itself and makes it passing. All in all, I don't think I would come back again since it just lacked presentation, flavor, and portion size for the price you pay for. read more

Kyoto Ramen - Roasted Pork Curry Plate - Ramen Near Me - El Cerrito, California

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Truth be told, El Cerrito Plaza is not a bastion of under appreciated dining destinations. Familiar names like Panda Express, Romano's Macaroni Grill, Thighstop, and of course, Starbucks populate and heavily commercialize the shopping center, but this small Japanese counter service eatery snuck into the plaza in the last couple of years as the pandemic was raging forward. Much to my delight, however, Jamie W. and I have been pleased with the food we've ordered here. True it's unambitious fare and similar to other Japanese fusion fast food spots, but it's genuinely tasty and satisfying with portions on the gluttonous side. Not that we minded at all since the food held up well as leftovers the following day. On our first visit, we went Hawaiian with our selections. Jamie ordered the $14.99 Hawaiian Chicken Katsu Plate (photo: https://bit.ly/3pNYvIy), while I selected the $14.99 Hawaiian BBQ Chicken Plate (photo: https://bit.ly/3FMsPc4). Both our enormous plates included the standard two scoops of white rise and one scoop of macaroni salad. We were quite overwhelmed by the portions, but both were flavorful and filling with the crispness of the katsu particularly appealing to Jamie. On our most recent visit, we were in the mood for traditional Japanese curry, and as luck would have it, they made a good homestyle version and managed to get the consistency and medium-level spiciness just right. They put the curry into tubs to allow us the discretion of pouring it on our chosen proteins. Of course, Jamie went for the $14.99 Chicken Katsu Curry Bowl (photo: https://bit.ly/3zl2IWZ), while I ordered the $14.99 Roasted Pork Curry Bowl (photo: https://bit.ly/32CvaYO). Both came atop a bed of brown rice and the combination worked quite well with the pork slices on mine cut thinly to allow for more curry with each bite. At least we've found one spot in El Cerrito Plaza worth patronizing repeatedly. FOOD - 4 stars...dependably good homestyle, non-sushi Japanese and Hawaiian favorites AMBIANCE - 3 stars...small interior, some outdoor seating SERVICE - 4.5 stars...always on time, friendly TOTAL - 4 stars...hefty portions are the norm with their Hawaiian BBQ and katsu curry plates RELATED - Exploring El Cerrito? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: http://bit.ly/2VyCP18 read more

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Don't let the name fool you...Kyoto Ramen also serves poke, Hawaiian BBQ and curry bowls. Although it may seem empty on a Friday night, the place was extremely busy with Doordash orders. I recommend ordering ahead to avoid a wait. The cashier seems to tell everyone a 10 minute wait, but in reality, it was 20 minutes. No waiter service. It's a order and sit down type of place. Indoor dining is now open. It's a small open kitchen and the chefs wear both masks and gloves. Overall, the place was extremely clean and felt safe. There are still plastic dividers between the cashier and customer. As for me, I've been here twice and ordered the Hawaiian BBQ chicken and chicken katsu mix both times. It's about $17 after tax. Fairly pricey...but what isn't these days. You do get huge portions of meat though. The rice is overcooked, but otherwise, a solid (multiple) meal(s). read more

Kyoto Ramen - 10. BBQ Chicken & Chicken Katsu - Ramen Near Me - El Cerrito, California

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Ramen is good! Not the best I've ever had but for its prices I'd hope for higher quality ingredients. I haven't sat inside before but it's pretty casual and the staff is friendly. The gyoza is pretty decent but tastes like it's fried from frozen. Overall good ramen when I don't drive to Oakland for higher quality options. read more

Went here with my wife after a bit of shopping. We walked up to the counter to order our food. We asked questions about some items and got good answers. I got a teriyaki rice bowl and my wife got a salmon plate. My chicken was tender and delicious. My wife enjoyed the salmon. She said she would like to come back and try other things. Me too! read more