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    Mensho

    4.5 (661 reviews)
    ModerateRamen
    Closed 5:00 pm - 9:30 PM

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    MENSHO ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Trendy
    Classy

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    Sharon C.

    Stumbled upon this ramen place that happened to have a michelin star/ guide for the last three years! The wait was about 30-45 mins for a party of two at 7:30pm on a Saturday. Considering other reviews, I don't think we waited too long. We ordered two of their top ramens, although the matcha duck one was enticing, I did like the Garlic overload on my ramen. The fried enoki mushrooms were also good, I just wish the portions were a bit bigger for both dishes. Staff was also quick and helpful going through the menu with us first timers. We sat at a shared table but I like how they had a divider to separate the spaces. Pretty small restaurant and they only have street parking so if you want to try, I recommend going early! We were lucky to snag a spot right in the front!

    Corn Wings
    Melinda R.

    The food was so good! The ramen broth, amazing. We continue to come back for more! My husband loves the garlic Ramen and I always get the signature. Raman never fails. It's amazing.

    Signature smoked toripaitan ramen
    Dayna M.

    So glad I found this hidden gem in Piedmont. I came with two friends on a Friday night around 7pm, and as expected for a small spot, there was a long wait. We were seated about an hour later, but once we got in, the service was quick and efficient. We ordered a mix of items to share: * Enoki chips - absolutely addicting. Perfectly crispy with a great crunch, and the umami spice on the side took them to another level. * Chicken karaage - tasty overall, but the glaze was poured over everything. I would've preferred it on the side to keep the texture crisp. * Kani hand roll - super fresh and flavorful; didn't even need soy sauce. * Ikura & hotate hand roll - generous portion and very fresh, again no soy needed. * Garlic Knockout ramen - lives up to the name. Rich, deeply garlicky broth that was bold and delicious. * Signature smoked toripaitan ramen - flavorful without being overly heavy (which I prefer). The chashu was tender and the noodles tasted fresh. I was blown away by the food, I haven't had ramen this good in a long time. The restaurant clearly runs efficiently, turning tables quickly despite the wait. I'll definitely be back

    Signature smoked toripaitan
    Joey T.

    I had the smoked signature toripaitan and the beef tongue. The beef tongue was super yummy. One of the best I've had. The toripaitan ramen was super creamy and the noodles were cooked to perfection. Loved the nuttiness and flavor of the broth. The meat was also full of flavor. Was a long wait, but I'd say the food was worth it. Very busy! And for good reason!

    Interior
    Glydia C.

    I went 15 minutes before open and was first in line. Was seated in a not ideal spot with the wind coming in from the door but whatever. Ramen was tasty, I would recommend going early and not having to wait. Otherwise, there are other good ramen places if the wait is too long. Chill vibe inside.

    Tuna handroll
    Rachel M.

    One of my fave ramen spots in Oakland! Always a line out the door even 15 min before it opened- good thing we were first in line. Interior is chill, intimate with community style tables, very attentive, prompt and friendly service, and delicious handmade mochi wheat noodles in a complex flavorful broth. The signature toripaitan is the best ramen I've had on the menu although I'm sure you can't go wrong with the others. The chashu melts in your mouth and the noodles are a nice chewy texture. Broth is thick, creamy, smoky, truffly, and addicting! They also have a substantial vegan menu that is equally creative and tasty, according to the hubz. We appreciate how well thought out the overall menu is and they also don't do takeout to retain the freshness of the product as it's best eaten fresh from the kitchen. Prices are a little higher - overall low to mid $20s, more for the A5 Wagyu - but worth every penny in quality and taste! There is free street parking in the nearby residential streets and paid street parking and lot close by.

    Enoki Chips
    Isaac C.

    Decided to come to Mensho on a Saturday night based on many ramen recommendations. This is definitely one to add to your list if you are a ramen lover on the East Bay! The wait wasn't bad despite it being a Friday night, for a table for two it was about 20 minutes on the waitlist. When we arrived and were seated we were warmly greeted by staff and attended to immediately. The staff was very accommodating and provided their recommendations on the food and also sake. We started with the Enoki Chips and Chicken Kaarage. The Enoki chips remind me of shoestring onion rings (only healthier?) the Chicken Kaarage had a little bit of spice and had a good combination of flavors in the sauce. Though the appetizers were good, the Signature Smoked Toripaitan ramen easily stole the show. I had no clue that you could smoke the egg but they did, there were many combinations of flavors and each bite was savory. We loved the setting that makes you feel like you're in Tokyo, food and everything about this ramen spot. Easily earning a top 5 spot in Bay Area ramen; we will be back!

    Ramen
    Angella G.

    Cannot get enough of this place! I've had both their vegan and their meat based ramen, both of them are amazing and I couldn't pick out a favorite if you paid me to! Their appetizers are also delicious, I really enjoyed the corn ribs and the hand rolls, but note that some Ramen do come with corn ribs already. I've never had a long wait here, though it is always popular and I've never seen the place empty! They have larger tables that they can section out to seat two different parties, but it's always very comfortable. I'd say it's the best Ramen we have in the bay!

    sonia c.

    You can tell the chicken soup base is great quality since it's super thicc, as some have mentioned ~ and not in an oily way, but like a thick concentrated stock. We enjoyed the soups we got, but it did feel a little monotonously heavy, and wasn't a soup I'd slurp up. We got their garlic one & the duck matcha one, and I'd say the garlic one felt less heavy, with the garlic helping to balance the flavors. The matcha was very vibrant and seemed to be of high grade. Maybe something zesty would have helped balance the richness. We did enjoy their appetizers - fried enoki, and crab handroll; corn ribs were not bad. We came on a Saturday for an early dinner around 4:45pm and the wait was about 15 min for our party of 2 (I saw on the waitlist that ahead of us there was only 1 party of 2, and maybe 6 parties of 2+). Parking is a little tough, and it worked out that the spouse used 15 min to find residential street parking.

    Enoki Chips
    Joanna T.

    Had been hearing a lot about this place, so we decided to give it a try. We came on a Friday night and it was extremely crowded, we ended up waiting close to an hour for a table. To start, we ordered the enoki chips and corn ribs, which were both really good. For our mains, we tried the duck ramen and tonkotsu ramen, and both bowls were flavorful. Overall, we enjoyed everything we ordered and could see why the restaurant is popular. That said, after such a long wait, we didn't feel like the food quite lived up to the hype. While it was definitely good ramen, it wasn't memorable enough for us to feel that it justified waiting nearly an hour.

    Scallop
    Radhika R.

    The best ramen ever! I crave this place often and it always hits the spot! If you're in the east bay I highly recommend coming by. Just note that you will need to place your name on the waitlist once you arrive and then wait but it's totally worth it. You can get ice cream at Fenton's right after (if you have space for that).

    Lian T.

    Holy moly. How have I slept on this place for so long?! Tried this place last night with some friends who rave about their ramen and it is hands down the BEST in the bay. The depth of flavor in the broth - I am already planning my next visit. We got the enoki chops, daikon salad, and a couple hand rolls. Draft sake was super good. I initially was thinking wow I can't wait to order this in when I'm not feeling up for getting my lazy butt out of the house - but they're so committed to their food experience they don't offer takeout.

    Vegan garlic spicy knockout and regular garlic knockout
    Emma G.

    Incredible vegan ramen. I will always come back to Mensho. It's also conveniently located in the best neighborhood. You will probably have to wait a bit for your table, but take a walk around the beautiful shops. It'll be so worth it!!

    Garlic ramen

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    Page 1 of 17

    Mensho Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Mensho

    Do they do carry out?

    I have seen people carrying out food, don't know if that was leftovers or carry out order.

    Do any of the broths contain seafood? My partner has a seafood allergy (fish and shellfish).

    They also offer vegan options!

    What items "do not " have sesame or tree nut (e.g.,cashew, almond, macadamia)? Jbtw peanuts are legumes and not considered tree nuts-thnx in advance

    Water

    Does the broth used in all the items except for those specifically identified as vegan contain pork? I eat poultry and fish, but not pork or beef, so a broth made only from chicken and/or fish would be fine.

    I think most of their broths are pork based, but please call them ahead of time to confirm. Best to go with vegan options to be sure.

    Is there a way to find out current wait times? The phone when straight to voicemail.

    Walking in to check in is your best bet

    Does mensho do takeout?

    No, they do not when I checked with them in November.

    Is this business kid friendly? Do they provide highchairs?

    the staff there is really friendly. it can get loud and cramped so it depends on whether or not they'd be ok in that sort of environment. the have tall tables and i believe they have lower tables too. they also tend to split the tables with a… 

    Is this place first come first serve or reservations? I don't see anywhere on the website for reservations.?

    First come first serve. And totally worth the wait.

    Are you open on Presidents' Day (2/19/24)?

    Yes we are open

    Are you dine in only? Can i order a take out?

    We are dine in only and do not offer take-out

    Are there gluten free options besides ramen without noodles?

    Gluten free noodles maybe available but I'm not sure. Better to call Mensho for answer.

    Are there gluten free options?

    We do not have gluten options! Thank you very much

    Do you serve vegetarian ramen that is cooked with vegetarian broth?

    Yes. Half of the menu is completely vegan.

    Will you be open on Christmas Day?

    We will be closed on Christmas Day, otherwise regular hours on the 24th and 26th

    Do they take reservations?

    Sorry, no reservations

    What is the business hour?

    M-W 5:00-9:30pm Thursday 4:00-9:30pm Friday 4:00-10pm… 

    What are the hours?

    M-W 5:00-9:30pm Thursday 4:00-9:30pm Friday 4:00-10pm… 

    View All 20 Questions

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    NōKA Ramen & Bar

    NōKA Ramen & Bar

    4.3
    (619 reviews)
    2.7 mi
    $$

    Noka Ramen has become one of our regular spots ever since we discovered it while looking for great…read moreramen close to home. We came for the ramen but kept coming back for the incredible atmosphere and fun, nerdy theme! They have Sailor Moon drink flights, Power Rangers-inspired drinks, and even a Pikachu Burger. As fans of all things geeky, this place was an instant favorite. The restaurant is colorful, vibrant, and packed with fun decorations. The staff often dress up in costumes, which adds to the experience, and if you're lucky, you might even spot Pikachu hanging out front! The owner is incredibly kind and is almost always there greeting guests, which makes the place feel even more welcoming. As for the food, the spicy miso ramen is my go-to every single time. It's consistently delicious and never disappoints. If you're looking for amazing ramen with a fun, unique atmosphere, Noka Ramen is definitely worth checking out. It's one of those places that's as much about the experience as it is the food!

    If there were six stars available, the 6th one would definitely be reserved for this place!! if you…read morelike Ramen, or even if you don't like Ramen and want to be challenged to changed your mind, come here. Their menu is the most extensive menu I've ever seen in a Ramen shop. It's true, they have one vegetarian option. Get it!! The atmosphere is vibrant, fun, and obviously met for a families because there's lots of alcohol, alcoholic beverages, and a live Pikachu that comes out and says hi to us :) We had the coolest waiter! So fun, so attentive, he earned himself 100% tip. I would highly recommend this to everybody and definitely will be bringing out-of-town friends here

    Photos
    Sailor Moon Flight
    Sailor Moon Flight
    Shishito Peppers
    Shishito Peppers
    Passionfruit pokemon highball

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    Passionfruit pokemon highball
    Sobo Ramen

    Sobo Ramen

    3.8
    (1.1k reviews)
    2.2 mi
    $$

    Sobo. So good! I got one of the signature ramens, Black Garlic Mayu. The combination of pork bone…read morebroth with roasted black garlic oil is layered in its complexity and oh so satisfying. The Chashu pork, Ajitama egg, bamboo shoots, bok choy, and garlic cloves are delicious and nutritious! Well worth $19.50. It's a huge bonus that they have my favorite sake, the Demon Slayer. The service is polite, the food comes out quickly and there are plenty of tables. Nothing fancy, but a nice place to have noodles with friends.

    The worst yakitori I have ever had. All round no one liked their ramen as well (6 ppl). I normally…read morereserve one stars for food health hazards but this was terrible. Ordered the chicken thigh, chicken skin, and tofu scallion yakitori. Chicken thigh yakitori- cold meat that was clearly old frozen meat. Biting into this was like biting into a spongy mush slab tasting only strange water excretions and the overwhelming teriyaki sauce drenching it. 0/10 Chicken skin yakitori - expected a fried skin lightly seasoned item. Received regular mushy chicken skin with no flavor or pan searing, baking, frying nothing. Again drowned in teriyaki sauce. 0/10 Tofu scallion yakitori - tough, old, and dry tofu on a stick drenched in teriyaki sauce again. 0/10 I have never received such horrible food. All other ramen orders at the table also mentioned bland broths.

    Photos
    Sobo Ramen
    Garl Spicy Black Tonkotsu
    Garl Spicy Black Tonkotsu
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    Agedashi Tofu
    Tada Ramen & Yakitori

    Tada Ramen & Yakitori

    4.4
    (142 reviews)
    1.0 mi

    My favorite ramen spot! Lunch special includes free appetizer and drink (try the strawberry matcha…read morespritzer!) My favorites are the tonkatzu and tantan men. Savory broth and just right ratio of perfectly cooked noodles with all the goodies (including half of a perfectly cooked egg). Yes, I've overused the adjective "perfect", but maybe you should try Tada and decide for yourself! Street parking during lunch hours is easy - plenty of nearby spaces.

    Tada Ramen & Yakitori in Oakland was a bit of a rainy day pivot for us. I'll start by saying I'm…read morehella biased, I love Marufuku over in Temescal, but we wanted to dine in for lunch and found out they were only doing pickup. So we ended up here instead. For starters, we got the enoki chips, and they were such a fun, unique treat. Super crispy with a great texture, I'd absolutely order them again. We also tried the Tada bun. It was good, but it felt like it was missing something to really make it pop. I really appreciated the variety on the menu, especially the starters and curries. There are so many options that I'd definitely come back to try something different next time. If you're vegan, this is actually a great spot. They have three vegan ramen options, which felt special since most places only offer one. My partner ordered the spicy vegan ramen and thought it was terrific, though we both agreed the broth wasn't as rich as we're used to. I ordered the Tonkotsu ramen, but unfortunately, it didn't quite hit the mark for me. The broth felt a bit underwhelming, and the pork flavor came across stronger than I expected. That said, I'd definitely come back, especially because of the thoughtful vegan options. Next time, I'll probably try the Chashu Bowl, which looked really good when it came out at another table. The space isn't very big, so it's probably not ideal for groups larger than 4-6, but it would be great for a casual date night or cozy lunch.

    Photos
    Inside
    Inside
    Mochi Bacon Skewers
    Mochi Bacon Skewers
    Unagi Skewer

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    Tsuruya

    Tsuruya

    4.6
    (176 reviews)
    3.3 mi
    $$

    WHEN: Sat @6pm…read more PARKING: There is metered parking around, and is free after 6pm. It may be a bit tricky especially around meal time, but keep circling and you'll find a spot near by enough. This cute little ramen shop has such perfect lighting coming through thanks to thier skylight. We weren't actually hungry so we shared the following: TONKOTSU - $16.50 (Regular) Pork Belly Chashu, Bamboo Shoots, Red Onion, Wood Ear Mushrooms, Green Onion, Ajitama Egg. You get a choice of noodles to pick: 1.) Hakata - Thin Straight 2.) Sapporo - Medium Thick Wavy Figured since it's my first time here, I choose the most basic version of their bowl of ramen. I chose Sapparo and for some reason expected it to be thicker/wider, but regardless it was still good! The presentation of this bowl is just gorgeous, served on a small wooden platter. The red onion is chopped, and the pork Belly is quite tender. Regarding the egg, you get just half. Overall this bowl of ramen is creamy, rich, and the right amount of flavor and salt. But still make sure to drink at least a glass of water! CREAMY CHASHU PORK CROQUETTES - $8.50 I have never seen anything like this so I must give it a try! It actually didn't come out piping hot, so I was able to drive in right away! It was definitely creamy (like ramen) and had pieces of the Chau's pork, encased in a crispy and warm batter that was deep fried. It also comes with a katsu sauce and I really enjoyed it. The staff was friendly and didn't make us feel bad for ordering enough of just one, but man I was so full. Had to walk around downtown Berkeley for awhile.

    I really love Tsuruya so writing this review stung a bit. Tsuruya snuck in additional tip amount…read morethe last time we dined here. It was only a couple of dollars more but tip fraud is never acceptable. We rarely deviate from our usual order so the posted transaction felt off to us. We were able to confirm and report to the credit card company. I recommend you guys take pictures of your receipts and verify the transactions. Hope this doesn't happen to y'all!

    Photos
    Interior
    Interior
    Matcha Panna Cotta
    Matcha Panna Cotta
    A deliciously crunchy and savoy chashu pork croquettes! Warm and healing vibes on the first bites

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    A deliciously crunchy and savoy chashu pork croquettes! Warm and healing vibes on the first bites
    Ramen Shop

    Ramen Shop

    3.5
    (1.8k reviews)
    1.3 mi
    $$

    Cute restaurant that feels like you're in Japan. Service was friendly, but sometimes lacking. The…read moreveggie ramen was delicious with a light broth seasoned with Meyer lemon shoyu. The dumplings were mostly dough, although the sauce was satisfying. The fried rice was interesting with chicken, cauliflower and broccoli, but it was too salty. Beware: our friend's car parked across the street was broken into during dinner. This is a terrible problem the Bay Area needs to address.

    We dined at Ramen Shop on a weeknight for dinner and it was an alright experience. The restaurant…read moreis a cozy and dimly lit ramen shop in Rockridge with a bar area close to the front entrance and a good amount of seating. The front entry way is a bit narrow, so it may be slightly awkward if there are others waiting in the same area. The restaurant was quite busy when I went, and most tables were occupied, which seemed surprising for a Tuesday night. I arrived a few minutes before our reservation time and was seated right away. The menu features a special along with a handful of appetizers and ramen dishes. There were also two fried rice options. One thing to note, I did not notice any ramen dishes with tonkatsu broth, it was either shoyu or miso broth. However, each ramen option appears to have a good amount of toppings. Both my friend and I opted to order the Meyer Lemon Shoyu Veggie ramen without egg. The dish took longer than expected and while I liked the addition of the baby carrots and broccolini, the broth was lacking flavor (I didn't notice much of the Meyer lemon flavor) and the noodles were mediocre. Considering the price of the dish ($28.50), I expected the ramen to be more palatable and impressive or loaded up with veggies. It would've been nice to have more toppings in the dish, maybe some sautéed mushrooms or roasted eggplant, without having to request/pay for add ons. The broth was bland and I was hoping for a noticeable, citrusy flavor, which didn't come through. My friend and I opted to order and share both dessert options. We both liked the Sticky Toffee Pudding, which was warm and comforting and paired well with vanilla ice cream. I thought the black sesame ice cream sandwich was good too. Although, the brown butter cookies had more of a crunchy, cracker-like texture and not the type of cookie I was expecting. Customer service was kind and attentive, and I had no issues there. I think the main drawback is the price for each dish and the lackluster flavor of the ramen. For 2 bowls of veggie ramen and two desserts, the total was $91+ before tip. We didn't order any appetizers or drinks, and the cost seemed too steep for what we ordered to be honest. While it was worth checking out, I am not fully sure if a return trip is worthwhile. It may be best to visit a different ramen shop for a truly flavorful dish and a better meal.

    Photos
    Ramen Shop
    Roasted Sweet Potato - mushroom daikon bagoong, jalapeño, crispy garlic, and lime
    Roasted Sweet Potato - mushroom daikon bagoong, jalapeño, crispy garlic, and lime
    Necronomicon  yuzu gold rush, brown wolf

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    Necronomicon yuzu gold rush, brown wolf

    Mensho - ramen - Updated August 2026

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