Highlights: - lots of good toppings - toothsome noodles - rich broth - friendly staff - heaters on the patio Cons: - none read more

Ramen Gaijin - Shiitake Miso Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Sebastopol, California

See all

For a ramen shop this place is very large and very packed. They didn't have any tables available but we were able to get a seat at the tables near the bar. We sat around for a little bit and eventually got up grabbed some menus for ourselves. About 5 minutes later the waiter showed up to take our order. Then it took another 35 minutes for our food to come which feels pretty long for ramen. Now for the ramen we got the meyer lemon shio and spicy tantanmen. The chicken in the meyer lemon shio was really dry. The noodles were pretty good but everything else didn't feel like it paired well. The spicy tantanmen had good noodles but as I was eating it, it made me think i'd rather being eating shin ramen. For $23 a bowl the portion was small, service was slow and the ramen was okay. read more

One of the most well known and popular ramen spots in the area. The reputation is deservedly so. We stopped by for a late dinner and was told their most popular ramen was no longer available as they ran out of the key ingredients. You snooze, you lose! Anyways, we pivoted and order other items. What we ordered was very good. The staff there is very knowledgeable and accommodated our lengthy list of modifications. read more

Ramen Gaijin - Spicy Tantanmen - Ramen Near Me - Sebastopol, California

Walking with friends from the Barlow to downtown Sebastopol, we ran across a sign in front of Ramen Gaijin that said Happy Hour 2:30 - 4:30. I didn't know they offered happy hour! You can sit in the bar area or outside for happy hour, so we elected to sit outside. They turned on a heater for us that kept us toasty warm. Our server was Ryan and he was outgoing and friendly and checked on us regularly. We decided to try: - Karaage (fried chicken pieces) - Happy buns - Shoyu ramen Our server knew that we were sharing the noodles so he brought out extra bowls and spoons without having to ask. Noodles are made in-house and they try to get locally sourced ingredients for their menu items based on the season. Everything was delicious. Happy buns were pork chasu, butter lettuce, pickled red onion all enclosed in a warm, super soft bun. The karaage was tasty and hot and it came with a side of greens. The shoyu noodles were made with rye noodles and the texture was outstanding. We all enjoyed our afternoon snack. We all wished that they offered smaller bowls of ramen during happy hour so we could have tried other flavors. My personal favorite here is the spicy tan tan ramen. read more

See all

Absolutely delicious had the gem salad chicken thighs spicy ramen tangerine sorbet and chocolate mochi cake Wow wow wow Service was stellar Cozy atmosphere Highly recommend read more

Ramen Gaijin - Spicy Spicy Tan Tan Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Sebastopol, California

This was my first time at Ramen Gaijin! We had a reservation for 8:00 pm on a Friday and were seated immediately. My only complaint was that our table/seating area was extremely cramped, and we had to basically share a bench with a large party next to us. We ordered two different donburi dishes as well as a shoyu ramen. The ramen was very flavorful and the perfect portion size. I would recommend the mushroom donburi bow over the poke bowl, as the poke bowl didn't have that much actual poke in it. The atmosphere inside was great and I loved the unique paintings and decorations on the walls. They also have a nice outdoor seating area for use during warmer weather. read more

See all

Truly exceptional ramen. If anyone asks me what is the best priced food in Sonoma County without going full on Michelin star or fancy meal out, Ramen Gaijin is my recommendation every time. Solid, delicious, a cut above any of the other ramen shops I've been to in the county. read more

I have been coming to Ramen Gajin for years now, and will continue to keep coming back. Service is always kind and attentive, and the food is amazingly flavorful! I went recently and see that they changed up their menu. I'm vegetarian so I tend to get the vegan ramen on menu, that previously included the fried tofu. They recently switched it up and removed the fried tofu from the ramen which is a bummer, but I hope they bring it back! My boyfriend got the Spicy TanTan Men and he loves it! He had nothing but great things to say. He loved the flavor of it, and how spicy it is. Their pickled appetizer (not pictured here) is also different from what I've had before, and I love it! If you loved pickled things, this is for you! read more

Ramen Gaijin - Vegan Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Sebastopol, California

See all

Delicious food all around! Had spicy ramen, assorted veggie tempura, and bbq prawn. Fast and attentive service. Casual and pleasant ambience. It was fun seeing their crew preparing and cooking at their gallery kitchen. Will revisit again for sure! read more

See all

Love, love, love this place. Ramen Gaijin has a clean, esthetically pleasing, Asian inspired decor with lots of different seating areas (outside patio, bar, chefs counter and dining room). I love the chefs counter where you can see the food being made and the time management put in to curate everything on time. Food is always consistent, on-point, and filling. My go-to is the spicy tan tan with GF chicken. (Heads up they only have limited GF options on the menu). read more

We decided to stop here while exploring downtown Sebastopol. I have celiac and typically it's hard to find gluten free options at ramen restaurants, however, that was not the case here as they had many celiac safe options, including the fried chicken Kaarage. The waiter was also very knowledgeable about allergies and informed me that it would be fried in a non-gluten fryer which was amazing. We also ordered a garlic potato skewer which had a wonderful sauce on it. The menu was clearly labeled with GF which was great. They have a seating area by the bar for happy hour as well as a dining area on the other side of the restaurant. For drinks, I got the mango cider and my partner got the Negroni. Everything was delicious and we will definitely be back! read more

Ramen Gaijin - Chicken Karaage - Ramen Near Me - Sebastopol, California

See all

I've never been disappointed by a meal from this restaurant. They truly have the best vegetarian ramen I've ever tasted. Although I adore their cocktails I opted for a Golden State Cider which complimented my meal nicely. The ramen is packed with so much flavor and delicious goodies- I especially love the crispy tofu wedges. The ambience is chill with moderate noise. Service was adequate. I love the murals on display. read more

See all

Olivia was our server and I had the spicy pork bowl and my date had the Mizu, which was definitely more than your average miso soup. The ambience and the atmosphere was outstanding. Olivia was prompted in attentive and spent a great deal of time at our table making sure that everything was great. Five stars. read more

Friends suggested this place for lunch. We got here right when they were opened so there was no wait. Ambiance is nice. Hostess was really friendly and welcoming. After we were seated, our server came by with a big warm smile. Their menu consists of ramen, donburi, appetizers, desserts, drinks, etc. I decided on Shitake Miso Ramen because I love mushroom flavored base. Broth was flavorful. It was a bit salty. A solid bowl of ramen overall. I don't know the name of our server but he was awesome. Very attentive and friendly. Price wise, it was on the higher side. I will come back again if i'm in the area. read more

See all

First time visiting Ramen Gaijin my gf and I came in on a busy Thursday night. We did not have a reservation but luckily were able to find some seating at the bar. We ordered the shoyu ramen and the spicy tantan ramen. Both were excellent, but the portion sizes were abit small to our liking. I shall be back to try some of the appetizers next time to go along with the ramen. read more

Ramen Gaijin - Shoyu (Left) Spicy Tantan (Right) - Ramen Near Me - Sebastopol, California

At $23, it's on the pricey side of ramen but I love the spicy TanTanmen so much that I've traveled over an hour just to come back. I'd consider the spice level a good mild/medium (and am someone who handles spice quite well). You can sub the ramen for gluten free noodles (additional $2), which are thin rice noodles. I really appreciate their GF noodle option! If you have celiac, they can also make this dish completely Gluten Free. What's unique about Ramen Gaijin (besides its funny name) is the veggies they use to top the ramen which are always fresh and delicious: charred cabbage, wooded mushroom, scallions. It comes with a hearty chunk of pork belly and ground pork, plus a 6 min egg. I love sitting in the outdoor dining area on nice days. It helps to make a reservation online through Google ahead of time. Service is always solid. read more

Ramen Gaijin - Spicy Tan Tan Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Sebastopol, California

Love this place. Staff is great and food is of highest quality. The Tanuki alone is worth the trip. I do wish, however, they would change up the menu a bit and add additional izakaya items like okonomiyaki or a greater variety of yakitori skewers (chicken heart/skin, beef tendon, etc.). read more

We ordered takeout from here the other day. I got the spicy tan tan Ramen and my partner got the karaage. The Ramen was excellent. It was flavorful and they give you a lot of noodles, which is nice. It was actually spicy, but not like too spicy. I think the star dish, however, was the karaage it was fresh and the sauces were 10/10. They def paired well with the chicken. Also it is fresh doesn't leave you feeling bloated. Service was decent we did do pickup so we did not have much interaction with the staff. But when I went inside it was filled! All tables were busy and it seemed like a vibe! A toasty vibe as everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves! I definitely have to be back to eat here in person. Unfortunately I have no pictures as I was starving when we got the food. But I will soon update with pictures. read more

I'm not from the area and unintentionally came during their happy hour wanting to try some of their ramen. Not sure if it was just happy hour or it's always like this, but the host just told us to sit wherever we like from the bar to the tables, and we were pretty much just left alone for a long time afterwards (10 minutes at least). We weren't provided any water, so we were honestly just confused whether we were supposed to serve ourselves water, and how we were supposed to order. Eventually, someone came and left us a bottle of water and took our orders. I got the shoyu ramen ($23). The overall presentation looked great and you can immediately tell all the ingredients were well made. The noodles were house made, the half egg was nice and runny, and the pork belly was perfectly cooked and shaped with a crispy texture. My only complaint about the taste was that the pork belly was a bit too salty. Overall though, I do think the ramen is overpriced for what you're getting. There's no fancy ingredients involved, and this just fits the description of a well made basic bowl of ramen. Then, when we wanted to pay and leave, it also took more time than we wished to flag someone down for it. read more

Ramen Gaijin - Ramen Near Me - Sebastopol, California

See all

I've been wanting to try Ramen Gaijin and now that I finally have, I have mixed feelings. It's definitely fusion ramen, and while I enjoy fusion foods and went in knowing this was fusion, this wasn't it for me. I had the spicy tantanmen and fiance had the meyer lemon shio. Both were just ok. There were charred vegetables in mine and I thought the flavor was interesting - a bit bitter but with a kick because of the broth. The pork belly was just ok - it was one big piece while I like mine sliced thin and usually there are multiple pieces of it. Also the fact they give the woodear mushroom whole instead of chopped was interesting. It's quite expensive for a bowel of ramen - $23 before tax. We went on a Friday night and fortunately were able to get a reservation for 2 at 7:30. Service took forever as they were quite packed. The space is modern yet rustic with an open kitchen with bar seating where you can watch the chefs work. Not sure I would come back but I'm glad I got to try it. read more

Ramen Gaijin - Spicy tantanmen and lemon shio ramen - Ramen Near Me - Sebastopol, California

Food was amazing! So flavorful, great quality, so yummy! I plan on coming back soon for more.

Always a great spot lunch or dinner. I love how well the servers know the menu and all the ingredients. I keep coming back for the seasonal menu great service and delicious food. The restaurant itself is such a chill vibe and so friendly with our kids read more

See all

Came in for happy hour to get away from the pouring rain. First impression... y'all need more staff for all the people eating here. I can't even say the service was "okay." Thankfully, the food was more than "okay." I can tell all the individual ingredients are high quality. It's always a game changer when a restaurant makes the noodles in-house and does it well. The pork belly chashu was very tender, and I love how the skin had that crispy texture... It was a bit too salty though. I'm also a bit disappointed the ramen only came with half an egg. It's $23 for a bowl... a full egg would have been nice. I usually don't order alcohol but I had to try their Tanuki. That was an interesting experience. It kinda reminded me of a flat coca cola drink. Seems very well made but no buzzed feeling after. Rant aside.. I do think this restaurant is unique. It's well positioned to be the best ramen in the region and has been for awhile. I hope there'd be better service my next visit because this is definitely my go-to ramen spot north of Bay Area. read more

See all

Delicious!!! I got the spicy ramen and my life is changed forever. Best ramen I ever had read more

Ramen Gaijin - Spicy Tan Tan Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Sebastopol, California

Hands down the best ramen in west Sonoma County. Quality local ingredients cooked up with care and style -- super aesthetically pleasing and epic flavors (a fantastic restaurant for foodies)! They can accommodate gluten free diners (just ask!) and vegan/vegetarian diners, too. If you eat meat and like dumplings, you haaaave to try their gyoza. It's insanely good. They even have happy hour where you can get lots of smaller meals at a nice discount (the bao are delicious and a great deal). I also love love love the cocktail menu and other drink options (non alcoholic options too, i enjoy the house made shrubs). Their little gem salad is also a frequent order of mine - gorgeous fresh greens, the tastiest seaweed crisps, and delicious light dressing. Oh! And their pickles?! Try them at least once. Give this place a try, you won't regret it! Perfect for date night, takeout, or even a spontaneous lunch or dinner out. read more

Rounding up from a 3.5 stars. I must admit that I have mixed feelings about Ramen Gaijin. On the one hand the restaurant is very upfront about what it is trying to be. The word Gaijin literally means foreigner in Japanese. If you are looking for authentic Japanese ramen/Japanese cuisine this is most likely not going to be the place. On the other hand I do have a soft spot for fusion restaurants that can bring a fresh twist to the traditional flavors that one is used to. In this context, I think that Ramen Gaijin does some things really well and others leave me scratching my head. Ambiance wise, the restaurant is modern with an open kitchen design. Fun posters adorn the wall with Japanese style takes on DC and Marvel super heroes. I can see this place being a fun hang out for happy hours or after work. Foodwise, I really enjoyed their Ohitashi salad, the sesame dressing in the salad really pops with some extra acidity that makes it a joy to eat. The combination of the toasted rice added an extra crunch which i enjoyed. I did not enjoy their take on Tantanmen, though I think I can understand what they were going for with charring the vegetables and pork belly to give the dish an extra smoky flavor. In execution however, it just left me with a mouthful of bitter burned vegetables and meat. Also the charred bits from the cabbages flaked apart and went into the soup, which made the soup taste burnt as well. If they could pull back on the char I think it would definitely increase the depth of the flavor of the tantanmen and make it a much more enjoyable eating experience. Service was great. The hostess and servers were all very attentive/helpful and the food came quickly. All in all, I thought it was an interesting experience. I think the restaurant is worth trying if you are in town, but just understand what kind of restaurant you are getting yourself into and adjust your expectations accordingly. read more

See all

The mushroom dish was amazing. Also all 3 types of ramen. Kinda hard to figure out where to park so we normally park a block away. They have a bar area and then an area to sit down and eat. read more

Definitely recommend Ramen Gaijin. The restaurant is very nice. The staff is friendly & on point. I like that the kitchen is open so you can see the food as it's being prepped & cooked. The flavor of food is 10/10. Definitely a must if you come to Sonoma county. read more

Ramen Gaijin is one of my must visit spots when I'm in Sebastopol, especially before I go see a movie at the Rialto. I've been here many times over the past year or so! My favorite items there are the Tomatomen Ramen (a late summer special) and their Tonkotsu Ramen (a winter special). Besides their ramen, I love the steamed bao buns, and I'll always make sure I grab a dessert. In the past, I would always plan an hour and a half to eat here, as service could be slow during busy hours, but I'm happy to say this has greatly improved! It's always great food and great service every time I go. The shop itself is very cute and well decorated, decorated with art that is able to be purchased. read more

Ramen Gaijin - Tomatomen Ramen (late summer special) - Ramen Near Me - Sebastopol, California

See all

Ambience is really nice. I was seated quickly although if it's busy I can see how they might fill up. There is a bar in the back too. Food was delicious. I got the vegan ramen- shiitake miso with tofu and the broth was sooo good. For a ramen that doesn't have meat in it to have that much flavor I was super impressed. The tofu was super crispy and the texture of the soft poached egg was perfect. I'm gluten free so I asked for gf noodles. They gave me rice noodles. Some ramen restaurants have actual gluten free ramen noodles so I was hoping for that but the fact they had an alternative was still good for me. They have lots of drinks even a good amount of NA drinks and the quality of their food seemed really good. Would definitely go back and try out more menu items! read more

Ramen Gaijin - Kiwi lime shrub drink - Ramen Near Me - Sebastopol, California

See all

Another visit. Another great bowl of ramen. This place never misses. I couldn't resist my favorite tan tan ramen but my husband tried the special Meyer lemon ramen and he loved it. ( I sampled his and really liked it too). Very lovely waiter, easy parking and air conditioning -- and great food. What more could you want? read more

Ramen Gaijin - Spicy Tan Tan Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Sebastopol, California

See all

Plus side. Ambience. Excellent staff. Delicious food. Chef's counter was great. Blown away by dessert. Minus side. Expensive. Scallops super tiny. Glass of wine was miniscule. read more

Absolutely delicious! The food was incredible and both the inside and outside were very cute. The service wasn't great so the dinner was really long, but we were having a great time so we didn't mind this time. The cocktails were excellent. We got the Hachi's Bloom as well as a margarita. They were both strong and delicious! As an appetizer, we started with the steamed bao, which is probably one of the most incredible dishes I have ever tried! They were saucy and soft, I would have eaten 14 of them if I could. We ordered a couple of the different ramens, and we loved them all! I ordered the shitake miso ramen, which was great! I was a little worried about the fried tofu because it can get weird and mushy, but it was perfect. My friends ordered the shoyu ramen and the spicy tantanmen. Both were very yummy! Overall I would definitely recommend coming here if you are a ramen lover! read more

See all

The best ramen in all of Sebastopol! The Spicy Tan Tan Ramen, hands down delicious, I'm still savoring that broth. The vibe is vibrant, lots of beautiful art work, it really makes you feel like you're walking into another world. The service was very welcoming. read more

The ramen was absolutely delicious! I will be back again with my boyfriend. We have been looking for a top notch ramen place for a while now and I think this is one of them. The service was good, I wasn't there long but my interactions were positive. The overall look of the restaurant is a vibe! I really love the design, a cool hangout location for yummy food! read more

Ramen Gaijin - Outdoor patio with the SPICY TANTANMEN and a coke - Ramen Near Me - Sebastopol, California

See all

Ok hear me out - I'm not a ramen girly usually but this place does ramen in such a fun and unique way. So simple but such a flavour explosion. Highlight rec! The teas were delicious too. Try the turmeric tea! The potato salad was so well balanced and not at all what I expected but great! Friendly service and casual vibe with plenty of parking around. The ice cream was to die for! read more

Ramen Gaijin - Ramen Near Me - Sebastopol, California

See all

The name 'Ramen Gaijin' really suits the flavor of their dishes. IMO, it doesn't taste like your typical traditional ramen. While I welcomed this new flavor, I didn't like how charred the veggies were. Every bite I took tasted bitter and acrid. There were many tables, but not enough servers. I had trouble flagging down help because our server was pretty much nonexistent. That being said, I really enjoy the appetizers, esp. their gyoza...!! And the karaage was juicy and tender. I love how thin the batter was. So I rec' their gyoza & karaage~ read more

See all

I love Ramen Gaijin. It's the perfect stop between wine tastings or a day at the Barlow. The spicy tan tan ramen is a favorite for me. They have a great patio that you can order from for happy hour. There's two stories of seating inside, and seats can be a bit close together or feel crowded. Nonetheless, service is always quick and friendly. Highly recommended stopping by to check out their spin on the classic ramen. read more

Ramen Gaijin - Spicy Tan Tan Ramen with extra mustard greens - Ramen Near Me - Sebastopol, California

Celebrated my brother's birthday here, and WOW what a treat! Ramen Gaijin didn't disappoint. We were able to get a chef's table seat overlooking the kitchen with an up-close view of the team hard at work making beautiful creations, and honestly, that made the experience. I'd highly recommend reserving that spot if you're going in a pair! We loved watching each dish get made and scoping out our options. We ordered the Hitodama flaming two-person bowl cocktail, and that was a showstopper! Heavy on the theatrics with this one, but the cocktail was still strong and good. We got the kara-age fried chicken thighs with miso ranch to split as an app, and my mouth is salivating remembering it as I write. Those are an absolute must-order! Then, it was ramen time. I went with the spicy tantanmen with GF noodles, and it was perfection. Hearty, rich, flavorful, fresh - each item was on point. I could eat 15 of those pork belly chashu bites. And then of course, because it was a special occasion and we had watched them make it all night, we had to end with the charcoal ice cream egg dessert. Showstopper and great end to a celebratory night! read more

See all

Food was lovely As almost always from michelin recommended places. Service was great people were kind and prompt I sat outside so it was a HoT hOT day ... I'd say on days like in summer get a small fan for the porch cuz that was gross hot. And serve ice without people asking with the water it was like 110 and like warm water isn't desirable. Lol but otherwise all was great. read more

See all